Book Review : Title - From This Day Forward by Craig and Amy Groeschel

Marriage is an active word. It is not an event, like a wedding, where both say 'I do' and it ends there. It takes both hands to clap, both lives to work things out, where two becomes one. It is an active word. It is now or never.

Therefore it is never too late and never too early to work actively on making the marriage - the life together - that glorifies God.

Craig and his wife, Amy, walk through five simple, yet powerful commitments to fail-proof marriage built by God.

They are five active phrases to remember and work on:
1. Seek God
2. Fight fair
3. Have fun
4. Stay pure
5. Never give up

Work on it. Make your vows come alive once more. Daily.

From this day forward

Book Review :Title - So, You Want To Be Like Christ? by Charles R. Swindoll

Pointers from the book -

Essential 1 - Intimacy: Deepening Our Lives
Intimacy with God requires action and discipline, cultivates wisdom towards Christlikeness and must be intentional. People who are close to God cultivate a personal intimacy with Him like a good gardener cultivates beautiful flowers.

Essential 2 - Simplicity: Uncluttering Our Minds
Private life - spend adequate time with God and unclutter within.
Public life - choose God's best and let go of too many material possessions and activities outside home.

Essential 3 - Silence and Solitude: Slowing Our Pace
Our responsibility is to pursue time away from television noise, radio chatter, endless and silly commercials, and the din of mercenary traffic around us. Alone and quiet, in that place of stillness and solitude where we protect and guard our hearts with all diligence from the clamor of a world that would pollute it, God will lead us to springs of life bubbling from somewhere deep within.

Essential 4 - Surrender: Releasing Our Grip
"Three-fourths of ministry is just showing up." - Ron Ritchie
Before the faithful show up, they let go... of unbelief. They let go of possessions, position, plans, people.

Essential 5 - Prayer: Calling Out
Our primary goal in calling out to God through a life of prayer is intimacy with the Almighty. Seek that first, and you will have everything you've longed for in life, including all the things you never knew you needed. The Bible is the other means to go alongside prayer in our pursuit of intimacy with God.

Essential 6 - Humility: Bowing Low
When I remember the suffering Christ endured on my behalf, how can I remain conceited for even a moment? When I appreciate that every breath I suck into my lungs is a gift from God, purchased by His Son's agony on the cross, how can I waste it on self-interest?

For the child of God the motivation for humility comes as a result of sustained reflection on Him who gave His blood for us in His sacrificial death on the cross.

Essential 7 - Self-Control: Holding Back
4 Steps to living above the flesh -
One / appreciating the nature of the battle is essential
Two / we are powerless to win the war against the flesh without the Spirit of God
Three / developing this discipline is a personal matter. We can depend upon no one else to develop our own discipline of self-control. Paul says, "I box, I run, I discipline my body." This is something only we can do in the Lord's strength. If someone else has to restrain us, it's not self-control!
4 / ignoring the consequences invites disaster

Essential 8 - Sacrifice: Giving Over

God will not likely expect you to surrender your life all at once as these men did. (Through Gates of Splendor) instead, He patiently waits for you to sacrifice yourself in small amounts, one decision at a time, one day at a time, so that you might enjoy an ever-increasing intimacy with Him. And this deepening intimacy with Him will inevitably make you more like Christ.

Book Review :Title - The Family Life of a Christian Leader by Ajith Fernando

Here is a book filled with lots of good advice by a seasoned servant of God, whose heart is for all Christian leaders to enjoy the balance between family life and life at large ie work, ministry and society. When this balance is not kept, usually the family of the Christian leader is heading towards a slippery slope.

The book's starting chapter on God to be the first focus of the Christian Leader encapsulates the biggest action for family recovery from most issues they face. Then Ajith Fernando talks about this interesting topic of Crucifying Self and gives plenty of good examples and applications on how it fosters a healthy home. This section is a must read.

For every chapter of the book (13 chapters only), Ajith shares from God's Word and gives lots of situational illustrations and applicational actions from his years of ministry experience working with people. You could literally see (or laugh) yourself in many of those illustrations he used. It is a book filled with words of wisdom, coming from a sage and it is a buffet treat of essential deep topics covering Lordship, Christian Living, Marriage, Unity, Conflicts, Parenting, etc.

Other titles by Ajith Fernando are:
1. Jesus Driven Ministry
2. Leadership Lifestyle
3. Sensible Behaviour
4. The Call to Joy and Pain

How?

How?

How are the noodles made?

How did the bus come together?

How did the building assemble?

How did the pieces of the chair and table get fixed?

How did the beverage made into powder and then put in the satchet?

How did the roads form on the path to school?

How did the driver come so faithfully each day?

How did the tree appear at my front yard?

How did the big plane decide to fly and carry so many people and things?

How did the man come about? He was just a baby some years ago. 

How did water come to be so I can mix with the chocolate to become Milo?

How did my right hand know how to hold up the chopsticks?

How did the veins appear on the leaves of the plant and their functions?

How did the vines know how to climb?

How did the electricity come about and form light on the bulb?

How did the bulb come to be?

How did my tongue know the beverage is good to drink?

How did the eyes see the daily activities of life - good or bad?

How did the dry leaves decide to fall and how many?

How did the words and numbers form on the computer screen?

How did my clothing come together to form a nice shirt?

Which Is Better?

To carry a cute baby or a big fat grown up in an adult diaper?

To move a small pot of plant now or a grounded giant tree later?

To start running when you are slim or when you are fat and chunky?

To go for a holiday when you can walk and see or when you can't walk and your eyesight is poor?

To start eating right now or when you are full of sickness?

To live life now or to regret living later?

To take a step of faith now or regret later not doing so?

To have tons of money and no peace or have peace even though have no lack?

To have a nice car with loads of debt or take MRT with time to read and sleep?

To say Yes to pleasure now and suffer later or to say No now and enjoy later?

To enjoy 5 minutes of pleasure and bear 50 years of pain or bear 5 years of waiting and enjoy 50 years of pleasure?

To experience a gentle cane of pain and learn or to be sentenced to years of jail after a rod cane on the bottom?

And many more ...

Alternative title:

Choose Wisely

Work In Progress

Didn't you realize 

When I see you

I saw Christ

Didn't you realize

When I grow up

I choose my life 

Day in and day out

Awake from my slumber

Exhausted and about

The daily bread and butter

Sometimes with shouts

Other times simply mumble

Going through the motion

With hands and signals

Just to ease the commotion

Then we realize life is vital

Time not much a realization

We awake spirit and mental

Oh no oh no 

The life I thought I chose

But in fact in reality

God was teaching me

Though I feel like a mess

I am still a Work in Progress

Meaning and Order of Life

Without God, all is vanity

Respect God, Worship Him

He gave life, so respect life

He gave, He takes

And so we live it respectfully

And live it well to the fullest

-17 July 2016 morning

After reading ReFocus book by Jim Daly and current events in world and local

Song - He's Amazing

He's amazing

He's amazing

He's the reason

That I sing

He's amazing

He's amazing

He's the hope

That I bring

What Is Your Answer?

Man Questioned ...

How To Live With God?

God Questioned ...

How To Live With Man?

Knowing And Not Knowing

There are many many many things to know and also many many many things we do not know. As a person, it is essential to know some things like personal care, health and development and living life purposefully. These areas are enough to take a lifetime to learn and grow. 

There are also lots of things we do not know. Lots of them can be known either by self study or searching Google or exploring the various topics. There are also many many unknowns which these categories will need some needful responses like acceptance, trusting and living by faith in the God who knows all things. 

Delight Yourself In The Lord

Delight Yourself In The Lord

And He (God) will give you the desires of your heart

Psalms 37:4

Here is the psalmist's urging to 'delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart.' He urges because he has himself experienced it himself - the blessings of doing so. It is a cause and effect or a very conditional urging. But with God, He is the Promise Keeper. 

Thank You God

Thank You God

Give thanks in all circumstances ... 1 Thes5:18

Thank You God for the morning (also the mourning)

Thank You God for the evening

Thank You God for His blessings

Thank You God for everything

Thank You God for the walks with You

Thank You God for the talks with You

Thank You God for the melodies

Thank You God for His sweet candies

Thank You God for the smile on Your face

Thank You God for the tears and Your grace

Understanding Suffering Through the Dot

Imagine man being a dot or many dots and God as a whiteboard and the hugeness of the whiteboard, do you think being a dot we could perceive the whiteboard?

Unlikely. Impossible. But what if the whiteboard becomes a dot? Wouldn't that help?

What! A whiteboard become a dot!?

Don't you or we want to know more of the whiteboard through the Dot? Don't we want to have your questions answered through the Dot? Especially our questions on sufferings as dots. 

Indeed it is impossible as dots to perceive and comprehend the workings of the Whiteboard, unless the Whiteboard reveals Himself.

Many dot has come and claimed to be the Dot. That too is a problem. Challenge what they reveal about the Whiteboard and we shall know that they are not the Dot. 

Imagine Man As A Dot

Imagine man as a dot on a whiteboard. Then the next man as another dot next to the first. Then the next. Then the people on this planet called Earth. 

Imagine God. What will be used to imagine God? Let us use the whiteboard. 

How has God's relationship with man and vice versa?

How do you think God reveals Himself to man? From the things He has created. But it looks like the things created didn't help much except when affliction showed up ie started by man moving away from God. That is another story. 

How else did God reveal Himself? Through books, through education and through life. 

Then the books revealed that He will come as a man. A dot on the whiteboard. Oops. Did you see Him? Did we see Him? (Read John 1)

What! A whiteboard become a dot!?

Don't you or we want to know more of the whiteboard through the Dot?

How Is God Real In Daily Life?

Where is He?

I can't see Him.

My parents said that He is God. He made all things. Trust in their words. The longing of His presence helps a lot. To me and also to many. 

But if my parents had trusted in Him to make such a statement, therefore I take their words for it. He helps me and hears me when I pray. In fact He helps and hears me when I don't pray or ask Him most of the time. What if I ask God more specifically, God becomes more real. God wants to and delights to show Himself real in answer to my prayers. 

The Worm

Once upon a time, there was a worm ... it was called lugworm .

You may find the name disgusting . However ,it is very good . It helps us to clean the decayed,dead fish etc. Let me tell you,whenever you soak bread in water ,then you sqeeze the juice from the bread .They surely will worm out of the beach sand.They are slimy ,sticky,gooy,they sure sound - YUCK!!! Since I have told you about them ,do not make them as bait!they are really useful ......and maybe disgusting .As I said -YUCK!!!!!!

The LORD Bless You

The LORD Bless You

The LORD bless you

And keep you

The LORD make His face

To shine on You

And give you peace

And give you peace

Forever

Book Review - Title: The Good and Beautiful God by James Bryan Smith

The Good and Beautiful God by James Bryan Smith

- another excellent book to come alongside the Bible to guide us to fall in love with 'the God Jesus knows' - the phrase use in the book. More than often I am lost by too many directives (people and books) on which God to listen to, to follow, to obey and to trust. James with the training and mentorship of several seasoned leaders in Christian spiritual formation, provides a simple yet sufficient push to reconnect us back to our good and beautiful God. 

Our God is humongously humongous and infinite that it is unthinkable to know Him. But in His great mercies and grace, He has revealed Himself to us in many ways. So it is good for our souls to slowly but surely experience God one step at a time. God has given us eternity. And so James provides the framework for our seeking and begins with lesson One - God Is Good. 

After each lesson is a Soul Training section where it is an application part to the lesson to put into practice lessons learnt and journal down notes and also for sharing with a mentor or group as opportunity comes. I have enjoyed the Soul Training sections because they really get us to sit back and reflect and reconnect ourselves to our soul and to God. 

As we read and practice the book, may we find the effort worthwhile experiencing our God and conclude He is indeed Good and Beautiful. 

This book is one of three in the Apprentice Series so we may move forward to find out more from the second and third books namely, The Good and Beautiful Life and The Good and Beautiful Community. 

He Restores My Soul

The Lord is my Shepherd

I shall not be in want

He makes me lie down

In green pastures

He leads beside

Quiet waters

He restores my soul

He guides me in paths

Of righteousness

For His name's sake

Even though I walk

Through the valley

Of the shadow of death

I will fear no evil

For You are with me

Your rod and Your staff

They comfort me

You prepare a table before me

In the presence of my enemies

You anoint my head with oil

My cup overflows

Surely goodness and love

Will follow me

All the days of my life

And I will dwell

In the house of the LORD

Forever 

Amen

Book Review - Title: Sundar Singh - Footprints over the Mountains by Janet & Geoff Benge

As I read this book Sundar Singh - Footprints over the Mountain by Janet & Geoff Benge, it simply amazes me how a man, a teen in fact, like Sundar Singh will experience life change when he encounters Christ. It also does not necessarily mean that we should encounter Christ personally in order that we decide to follow Christ. But now through the testimonies of God's Word (the Holy Bible) and of lives like Sadhu Sundar Singh, you and I can by faith follow Christ and seek first His kingdom and His righteousness and live victorious lives.

That encounter Sundar had with Christ took a turn of events that had him disowned, almost killed as he was poisoned by his own family members. As he took refuge at a nearby town, he prayed to God and he arose the next day healed, knowing God still has work for him to do, starting from India, Tibet.

His heart for people as his preaching travels brought him to witness to many people, even to Hindu Sadhus who were doing penance to right themselves with God. On another icy mountain journey, he was abandoned by a traveling companion when Sundar decided to rescue a man down at the ravine. As he saved the man, he was kept warm and reached the village safely. But he saw his early traveling companion frozen dead along the trail. A lesson I learnt as we journey over mountainous life challenges, we must journey corporately.

God rescued him in many occasions - his encounter with hunger, with a cobra, with crossing a raging stream, with rescue from a death well, with preaching to bandits and also with temptations. I am also surprised that Sundar Singh came to Singapore to preach and travelled to many parts of the world too. His final journey was in April 1929 when he journeyed to Tibet and was never found.

What Does God's Greatness Lead Us To?

As I think about God's greatness, I wonder of how much His greatness is evident in daily life. In the routine of life, familiar, unfamiliar and strange moments, is He great? Is He really great?

For me going through a tough moment doesn't change the fact God is great; God made the world, God gave and gives life and God was and is real to real people He made like Adam, Eve, Noah, Enoch, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, the Twelve tribes and many more people and events we know not of. 

It also doesn't change the fact that God allowed 'not so good' events to happen, for His good purpose and pleasure and glory. He is sovereign still. He is God. He knows all things and in His immeasurable wisdom and power, I in my finiteness may not understand why these trying moments, only to realize later that they were intended to grow me and build me up to be stronger, wiser, patient, kind, compassionate, faithful, caring - to be more like Jesus. 

So what does God's greatness lead us to? May it lead us to worship Him, to walk with Him and to wake many from their slumber. 

Now we can sing ...

How Great Is Our God!

Learning God's Genius In Our Make Up

As we look at the mirror each day, ever wonder why the hair at the eye brow didn't grow as much as those on the head. How will you look like if your nostril hair grows out like those of ladies hair. It is going to look awfully different. 

What's the ingredient in our make up that ensures the hair growth in different parts of our bodies grows out nicely and neatly? What was the formula mixture that made us the way we are and different from the hairy ones in the jungle?

The make up on the penguin kept it warm during winter days while for us we need extra layers to stay warm and alive. 

It is so interestingly interesting for each and every creature on this planet and universe. 

Knowing God our Father As Jesus Taught Us To Pray

Knowing God our Father As Jesus Taught Us To Pray

Read Matthew 6: 9-13

God is present

God is pure

God is powerful

God provides

God pardons

God protects

(outline taken from the book The Good and Beautiful God by James Bryan Smith, chapter 2, God Is Trustworthy)

Our Father in heaven exemplified the parenting pattern for fathers on earth. 

Are You A Practising Christian Or A Private-Limited Christian?

Are You A Practising Christian Or A Private-Limited Christian?

We took a moment to find ourselves how to pray in the language of our folks so that they may hear and see us in action how to pray to Jesus. 

This was the advice and word of encouragement from a brother. Our folks need to see and hear us in our Christian walk. 

This caused me thinking - Am I a practising Christian or simply a private-limited Christian?

What is a Practising Christian?

What is a Private-limited Christian?

At Your Feet O Lord

At Your Feet O Lord

The day begins with yawns

Not knowing what awaits

Except chores, piles of work

Straining for time and life

@ At your feet O Lord

I choose to be with You

I journey in Your Word

Attentive to Your Spirit

In daily journeys, I find

Life is kind and also hurts

My soul, body and mind

But still one place I berth

@ At your feet O Lord

I choose to be with You

I journey in Your Word

Attentive to Your Spirit

At the end of the day

Drained and squeezed dry

Most times no drive to pray

Knowing Emmanuel, I cry

@ At your feet O Lord

I choose to be with You

I journey in Your Word

Attentive to Your Spirit