Photography My Passion

Bitter Root

2010-07-04T11:15:00.000-07:00

Hebrews 12:20

See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.

Devotion

Recently I was on a youth retreat and two teenagers were having difficulty getting along. As one of the teens was explaining to several adult leaders about many of the events that had happened during the week, I began to recognize several destructive things at work. There was a tree forming, from the bitter root that was filled with anger, gossip, lies, deception and misconceptions. What started out to be a disagreement between two teenagers was now affecting many people. As each of them told their stories to friends at school and within the youth group, there appeared to be opposing teams of people building. The bitter root was causing trouble and affecting many people's lives.

Although feelings of anger and rejection are very real and hard to deal with at times, we must choose to do the right things in these types of situations. Most importantly, we must zip our lips and NOT GOSSIP about others. What he said, she said, you said and we said; needs to be kept under control and expressed to trusting adults, teachers, pastors, or youth leaders. What other things would be important to do in this situation? Also, what does the bible say about love and what are the fruits of the Spirit and of the sinful nature? Look up 1 Corinthians 13 and also Galatians 5:16-22 to answer these questions

Question: What the Bible Says About... Appearance

2010-07-04T11:06:00.001-07:00

Question: What the Bible Says About... Appearance

Fashion and appearance reign supreme today. Advertising bombards us with ways to improve our appearance on a daily basis. Shows like “What Not to Wear” and “The Biggest Loser” show people changing the way they look for big ratings. People are being told they are not good looking enough, so why not try botox, plastic surgery like their role models?

Answer:

The Bible tells us that we need to take a different approach to appearance than fitting into society’s idea of beauty.

What God Finds Important

God doesn't focus on our outward appearance. It is what's on the inside that matters most to Him. The Bible tells us that God's focus is on developing our inner beauty so that it can be reflected in everything we do and what we are.

1 Samuel 16:7 - "The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart." (NIV)

James 1:23 - "Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror." (NIV)

But, Trustworthy People Look Good

Do they always? Outward appearance is not the best way to judge how "good" a person is. One example is Ted Bundy. He was a very handsome man who, in the 1970s, murdered woman after woman before he was caught. He was an effective serial killer, because he was very charming and good-looking. People like Ted Bundy serve to remind us that what is on the outside does not always match the inside.

More importantly, look at Jesus. Here is God's Son come to Earth in as a man. Do people recognize His outward appearance as anything but a man? No. Instead he was hung on a cross and died. His own people did not look beyond the outer appearance to see His inner beauty and holiness.

Matthew 23:28 - "In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous, but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness."(NIV)

Matthew 7:20 - "Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them."(NIV)

So, Is it Important to Look Good?

Unfortunately we do live in a superficial world where people do judge on appearance. We would all love to say that we are not in the majority, and that we all look beyond what's on the outside, but virtually all of us are influenced by appearances.

Yet, we need to keep appearance in perspective. The Bible tells us that it is important to present ourselves as nicely as possible, but God does not call us to go to extremes. It is important that we remain aware of why we do the things we do to look good. Ask yourself two questions:

•Does your focus on your appearance take your eyes off the Lord?

•Are you more focused on your weight, clothes, or makeup than you are on God?

If you answered, "Yes," to either of the questions then you may need to take a closer look at your priorities. The Bible tells us to look closer at our hearts and actions rather than our presentation and appearance.

Colossians 3:17 - "And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him." (NIV)

Proverbs 31:30 - "Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting: but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised."(NIV)

Gospel Of Power

2010-05-09T09:00:00.000-07:00

Preaching With Power

Scripture

1 Thessilonians1:4,5

For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you, because our gospel came to you not simply with words, but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction.

Devotional

Through this scripture we see that sharing the gospel is also accompanied with power, the Holy Spirit and deep conviction. My desire is to see God move upon people in this way. I believe with all my heart, that if we ask God to reveal himself in these ways to the people we interact with, that he will. We all need to have full experiences with the Lord that go far beyond just another sermon about the bible. Experiences that are filled with power, Holy Spirit and conviction. May God reveal himself to you in a powerful way today.

God Will Not Listen

2010-05-09T08:56:00.000-07:00

God's Closed Ears

Psalms 66:17-18

I cried out to him with my mouth; his praise was on my tongue. If I had cherished sin in my heart,

the Lord would not have listened.

2 Chronicles 7:14

If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

Devotional

This is an important lesson to remember! If there is sin in our life, our prayers will be hindered. Genuine repentance, (recognizing our sin, and turning from it), will allow our prayers to be heard by God. When we continue to live in sin, it hinders the effectiveness of our prayers. Take a good look at our scriptures and see if you agree. Examine your own life, is there known sin that you have not yet turned from, this sin will prevent your prayers from being heard by God. God is a loving God and will hear us if we turn from our sin. Don’t allow sin in your life keep you from the blessings of God.

Give A Smile

2010-05-09T08:49:00.000-07:00

Acts 20:35 the words the Lord Jesus himself said: 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.' "

Devotional

What do you have to give to someone today?

There are two things I really like to give!

1) a smile

2) another smile :)

Some times the littlest things make the biggest difference.

Father Foirgive Them

2010-05-09T08:42:00.000-07:00

Luke 23: 34

Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." And they divided up his clothes by casting lots.

Devotional

I was thinking today of someone in my life who has treated me very poorly and who has chosen to hold bitterness and unforgiveness in their heart towards me. I sometimes wonder if this unforgiveness will keep them out of heaven. The bible says in Mathew 6:15 “But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.” (Jesus’ words). When I think of this possibility, I am quickly led to pray for them, father forgive them for they do not what they are doing, have mercy on them for the way they have treated me. Please Lord; do not send them to hell for eternity because of their unforgivness towards me. It is a mystery that only God has the answer to and only he can be the final judge of who will enter heaven and who will not. If God will not forgive someone for their sins as this scripture says, then it is possible they will not enter heaven, God is the final judge, and it’s my responsibility to pray for them.

Envy

2010-05-09T08:39:00.000-07:00

Desire / Envy

Galatians 5:19

The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy;

Devotional

Sometimes we can have a tendency to envy others. It is okay to desire to be like someone else, the important thing though is to not compare yourself to others and get discouraged because you are not like them. Here is an example. Joe may be an incredible piano player and you don't play quit as well. When you watch Joe, if your desire is to keep practicing until you can play like him, it is okay to want to be like him. On the other hand, if you get upset ,discouraged and cry because you think he is better than you and you will never be that good, that is envy. Mixed in with your envy is jealousy as well. God has created you to be exactly who you are with unique gifts talents and qualities. If maybe you are unsure of what they are, ask God to help you understand and learn who he has created you to be in this life.

Bitterness

2010-05-04T10:29:00.000-07:00

Eph 4:31-32

Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

Devotional

We have very little control over how other people treat us. Often times we are betrayed by others through situations like loosing a job, people telling lies or broken relationships. What we do have control over is our attitude. Our scripture verse instructs us to get rid of all bitterness. There is another verse in Hebrews 12 that says, bitterness causes trouble. The best place to get rid of bitterness is in prayer and by reading scriptures concerning the subject. Look for verses about love and forgiveness, that will wash away the ugly taste of bitterness.

Desire

2010-05-02T18:24:00.000-07:00

James1:14, 15

But each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.

Psalms 119:113

I hate vain thoughts: but thy law do I love.

Devotional
Sin always begins with a thought. It is simple, we either decide to join with sin or we decide not to.
It is your choice today how you will handle your thought life

God Why?

2010-05-02T07:16:00.001-07:00

Today's scripture ( understanding God)

Hebrews 12:7 and 11

7 Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons.

11 No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.

Devotional

Sometimes I get tired of having some kind of hardship in my life, but God is able to use them for good, and to bring him glory. Just by reading this verse, I am able to let go of troubling things in my life and trust that God is able to teach me something through this hardship. Eventually, things always get better. Once I have victory over the hardship, I am able to share with others how to overcome hardships in their lives. God teaches us in many ways, the bible says that he is working all things for the good for those who love God and are called according to his purpose. No matter what is going on in my life, because I am sincere about committing my life to God daily, I know that he is working in every area of my life. He is a loving father who helps us walk and stand so we then can reach out and help others who may be hurting.

Victorious With God

2010-05-02T07:15:00.000-07:00

Today's scripture

Proverbs 21:30

There is no wisdom, no insight, and no plan that can succeed against the LORD.

Devotional

No matter what life throws our way to defeat us, as long as we truly are surrendered and remain passionately in Love with the Lord, we will be on the winning side of life. There is victory in Jesus! Difficulties in life will happen, trials always come, but God has promised to never leave us or forsake us. He also has made it clear that nothing can separate us from his love.

Undying Love

2010-04-29T20:13:00.001-07:00

Today's scripture

Ephesians 6:24

Grace to all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with an undying love.

Devotional

This verse really opened my eyes to a truth about interacting with people in love. Although the verse is directed at loving Christ with an undying love, it also applies to our relations with others. What does it mean to love one another unconditionally or with an undying love? It means that my love for others is not based on how they treat me. I never could grasp that concept before; being able to love someone without having “conditions” attached to that love. For example, if people did not treat me properly, I would not be able to express my love towards them, because I was angry or feeling rejected or perhaps disappointed. My love was based on how they treated me. But because deep inside, I knew I truly loved them, I was able to learn how to express my love, even while I was still angry and upset with them, that is unconditional love. My love for others is an undying love, regaurdless of how I am treated by them. There is a great devotional on forgiveness at Prayer for Youth, please take time today to read it as well.

Blessings and Curses

2010-04-29T20:11:00.000-07:00

All of us have our share of suffering and Christians are not exempted from them. We don’t welcome it but we seldom have much control. Father Henri Nouwen says:
        “It is an on going temptation to think of our lives as living under a curse. The loss of a friend, an illness, an accident, a natural disaster, a war, or any failure can make us quickly think that we are no good and are being punished. This temptation to think of our lives as full of curses is even greater when all the media present us day after day with stories about human misery.
        Jesus came to bless us, not to curse us. But we must choose to receive that blessing and hand it on to others. Blessings and curses are always placed in front of us. We are to choose. God says, ‘Choose the blessings!’” (Bread for the Journey, Sept 8)

        “To bless means to say good things. We have to bless one another constantly. Parents need to bless their children, children their parents, husbands their wives, wives their husbands, friends their friends. In our society, so full of curses, we must fill each place we enter with our blessings. We forget so quickly that we are God’s beloved children and allow the many curses of our world to darken our hearts. Therefore, we have to be reminded of our belovedness and remind others of theirs. Whether the blessing is given in words or with gestures, in a solemn or an informal way, our lives need to be blessed lives.” (Bread for the Journey, Sept 7)

We bless ourselves:

· when we give thanks with a grateful heart.

· when we listen to the quiet, inner voice that says good things about ourselves.

· when we affirm ourselves and know that we have given the best of ourselves in whatever we have worked on.

· when we shut out the loud, busy outer voice that says we are being punished.

We bless others:

· when we speak good things about them and to them.

· when we show by our gestures that their presence is a joy to us.

· when we reveal to them their gifts, their goodness and their talents.

1. Our reactions immediately after an unpleasant event happens
        When we lose our job, when we have an abusive boss, when a car accident happens, when we are robbed, when we are seriously ill, when we have cancer, the immediate question “Why?” emerges. “Why me?” “Why now?” “Why here?” “What have I done wrong?” “Why am I being punished?” It is so difficult to live without an answer to this “Why?” But, if we are too focused and obsessed with finding the answers to these questions of the causes of these events, we are more likely to end up being angry and bitter. Bitterness will turn us away from God and thus we curse ourselves.
        In order to help me see my suffering and pain in a new light, I have to change my focus. Now that the unpleasant event has happened, what should my response be? By concentrating on my response, I am more likely to end up turning to God, trusting Him and blessing myself. How is this done? Mother Teresa advised, “Just accept whatever He gives and give whatever He takes with a big smile.” (The Wisdom of Mother Teresa, 42) Who can do that? I can’t do it. It is impossible for me to accept with a smile this suffering and adversity. Whenever I say anything is impossible, I have inadvertently put a curse on myself! I have shut out all possibilities. But I may be able to accept it with a smile, if I truly believeThis requires a change in mindset and heart-set because if I am precious to God, then it stands to reason that He cares for me and knows my suffering and hardships and that He has permitted, allowed, sent or given them to me. Furthermore, I will surely be able to smile if I turn to God and wholeheartedly believe that with God’s help all things are possible as, “This is impossible with human beings, but for God everything is possible” (Matthew 19:26 TEV). When I embrace this truth, I bless myself. Therefore, I must trust that God has allowed the suffering to be a means of discipline through which faith, love, patience and grace may be cultivated in my life. God will not allow my suffering and pain to be wasted and to be of no value to me. God will see me through my suffering and will carry me through it all but I have to keep reminding myself that, ”I have the strength to face all conditions by the power that Christ gives me.” (Philippians 4:13 TEV) And “God has given us a spirit of power and of love and of a sound mind" (2 Timothy 1:7 TEV). This belief, this constant repetition will help me to face my suffering and hardships in a new perspective. What I need to do is to turn to God, do my best under the circumstances and trust Him to turn it round for my good. God promises to take “all things” including suffering, abuses, evil things, and turn them round for good as “in all things God works for good with those who love Him”(Romans 8:28 TEV).

        But what is for our good? This is for the individual to pray and with God’s help to discover. He needs to constantly search for himself answers to the questions: “What is the seed of equivalent good in my suffering?” “What is the seed of equivalent benefit in my adversity?” Some good traits which we may develop can be more patience, more consideration, less arrogance and less resentment.

         Remember, all God requires of us is to come to Him in prayer and trust Him completely. Trust Him to turn our lives around. He will not fail us because we can trust God “who always keeps His promise.” (1 Peter 4:19 TEV) We do our part and give of our best and He will do His part. When we turn to God, God will work WITH us to turn the suffering and pain round for our good. The circumstances, the pain, the suffering, the hardship or the adversity may still be there and may not change much BUT our response and internal attitude towards them will certainly change. Yes, we can take God at His Word that He will help us, comfort us, strengthen us and support us through our pain and suffering. Then, suffering can become a turning point from which we take our greatest leap forward in our faith in God. When we trust God, God gives us the hope and courage to look suffering in the face and to go through it confidently with a renewed spirit and heart. Our suffering will, hopefully, turn us round to come in closer touch with the presence of God in our lives. The great secret in life is that suffering can become a source of new hope and new life. We will then learn to accept it with a smile. This is indeed a blessing.

2. Our memory of events long after they happened
        How we recount these unpleasant experiences is also vitally important. When we constantly recount them: that “God loves me” (John 15:9 TEV) and that “I am precious to Him” (Isaiah 43:4 TEV). How? ·         with blaming God,
·         with blaming others, ·         with cursing our fate,
·         with anger,·         with fear,
·         with regret, ·         with the feeling of being victimised,
        then we put these events under the curse. When we feel we are being punished, the feeling of being cursed comes easily. We will hear an inner voice calling us “bad,” “rotten,” “worthless,” “useless,” “doomed to sickness and death.” We darken our hearts and live our lives with bitterness and resentment. So, we unconsciously curse ourselves.

        But blessing is nothing more than recounting positively these events: · with what God has helped us to endure or overcome,
· with what patience our family and friends have stood by us,· with what we have learnt out of the events, and
· with hope, courage and love.
        Then we put these experiences under the blessing and we consciously bless ourselves.

        Henri Nouwen says, “In Latin, to bless is benedicere. The word ‘benediction’ that is used in many churches means literally: speaking (dictio) well (bene) or saying good things of someone. That speaks to me. I need to hear good things said of me, and I know how much you have the same need. Nowadays, we often say: ‘We have to affirm each other.’ Without affirmations, it is hard to live well. To give someone a blessing is the most significant affirmation we can offer. It is more than a word of praise or appreciation; it is more than pointing out someone’s talents or good deeds; it is more than putting someone in the light. To give a blessing is to affirm, to say ‘yes’ to a person’s Belovedness. And more than that: to give a blessing creates the reality of which it speaks. There is a lot of mutual admiration in this world, just as there is a lot of mutual condemnation. A blessing goes beyond the distinction between admiration or condemnation, between virtues or vices, between good deeds or evil deeds. A blessing touches the original goodness of the other and calls forth his or her Belovedness.” (Life of the Beloved, 56)

         Physical, mental or emotional pain lived under the blessing is experienced in ways radically different from physical, mental or emotional pain lived under the curse. Even a small burden, perceived as a sign of our worthlessness, can lead us to deep depression. But, great and heavy burdens become light and easy when they are lived in the light of the blessing. What seems intolerable becomes a challenge. What seems a reason for despair becomes a source of hope. What seems punishment becomes a gentle pruning from God. What seems rejection becomes a way to a deeper communion with God. And so the great task becomes that of allowing the blessing to touch us in our brokenness. Then our brokenness will gradually come to be seen as an opening towards the full acceptance of ourselves as the Beloved children of God. This explains why true joy can be experienced in the midst of great suffering. It is the joy of being disciplined, purified and pruned. Just as athletes who experience great pain as they run the race can, at the same time, taste the joy of knowing that they are coming closer to their goal, so also can the Beloved experience suffering as a way to deeper communion with God. Here joy and sorrow are no longer each other’s opposites, but have become the two sides of the same desire to grow to the fullness of the Beloved. For this blessed attitude to take root, we have to have deep faith that God loves us unconditionally and that we are the beloved children of God, very precious to Him.

        God sent Jesus to bless us, “God. . . sent Him to bless you” (Acts 3:26 NJB) and Jesus himself has blessed us with every spiritual blessing, “our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with all the spiritual blessings” (Ephesians 1:3 NJB). Jesus shows us by His Words and Deeds how to live a blessed life, “Blessed are those who do His commandments” (Revelation 22:14 NKJV). Jesus creates a whole new blessed environment for us to dwell in and, ”how happy are those who hear the word of God and obey it!"(Luke 11:28 TEV) We have to choose to stay in that place with Him and to hand His blessings on to others to make our blessings grow and multiply.

         Remember, no one is brought to life through curses, blaming, gossips, accusations and punishment. But every one is brought to life through blessings, encouragement, affirmations, praises, rewards and forgiveness.

Living A Godly Life Today

2010-04-28T12:26:00.000-07:00

A life Dedicated to God Today

Today's scripture

2 peter 1:3

His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.

Devotional

Living a godly life is possible because of the knowledge we have of God. This knowledge is acquired, daily, as we read the bible and seek after building a relationship with God. As we study God’s word, and spend time in prayer, we will obtain the knowledge we need to be victorious today. Everyday requires new spiritual truths for the new situations and trials we will be faced with. What we learned yesterday, may not be what we need for today. Today, I will not be a quitter, because the bible says that I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. This verse is what brings comfort and peace within me today, so I will cling to it. What the Lord has for me tomorrow may be completely different.

The Spirits power through words

2010-04-27T10:45:00.000-07:00

1 Corinthians 2:4

My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit's power, so that your faith might not rest on men's wisdom, but on God's power

1 Corinthians 2:13

This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words.

Devotional

I recently met a stranger at a local park where I was taking a walk. With in a few minutes I discovered that this woman was a Christian. After about 10 minutes of talking, suddenly her words began to come alive in me, by the power of God’s Holy Spirit. This lady was saying things that were in perfect relation to what had been happening in my life over the past two weeks. She said things that only God and I knew about. Her words were so right on, that at one point, I wondered if she was an angel. A friend, who was with me, was listening to the stranger speak to me... Then the stranger began to say things that were identical to what my friend and I had just talked about on our walk earlier that morning. This was without a doubt, a demonstration of the Spirits Power. We hugged the stranger with gigantic grins on our faces, what an awesome God we serve. As Christians, that’s the power we need flowing through our lives to win souls for Christ. Jesus said “my sheep know my voice”. We really need to hear God’s voice as we are interacting with others. Obviously this woman was hearing God’s voice as she was speaking to me and I was hearing God’s voice through her words that were filled with the Spirit.

1 Corinthians 13 A Guideline For Love

2010-04-24T12:13:00.000-07:00

Today's scripture

1 Cor 13:4-7

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

Devotional

Please take time to read more of this chapter today. This devotion is just a drop in a huge bucket in comparison to what God wants to show us about love. God is love, that’s a gigantic bucket. When I have had a difficult time dealing with people, after things settle down a bit, I am usually directed by God to the subjects of love and forgiveness. These are the keys to maintaining unity and peace with others that we interact with, through out our lives. I use this portion of the thirteenth chapter of Corinthians as a check list for my behavior towards others. Am I truly loving them or do I need to make some changes in my attitude toward them. When I do recognize that I have an attitude that is not loving, I ask God to forgive me and to help me to understand and overcome this wall. By prayer and reading more of the word, on the subject of love and forgiveness, I always overcome these barriers that hinder my love walk. We must seek God and his direction in these times. If we do not, we will not maintain unity with those around us.

Loving God is Required

2010-04-23T12:46:00.000-07:00

Today's scriptures

Psalms 18:1

I LOVE you fervently and devotedly, O Lord, my Strength

Devotional

Being a follower of Christ is so much more than just attending church. The bible says to love the Lord with all your heart, mind soul and strength. (Mark12:30) When we are in love with someone, we express to them by our actions and words “I love you” on a daily basis. As we begin to establish our relationship with God, eventually we should reach this place where “I love you” is a daily expression to him in thought, words and actions. Whenever we fall in love with someone we must first spend time with them, getting to know them, it works the same way with the Lord. Spending time with the Lord means that we talk to him regularly, we read the bible often and we do the things that God likes to do as well as include him in things we like to do. Take time to sincerely tell God, I love you, he deserves to receive our expressions of love, and he also requires it.

The Future of Hope

2010-04-23T00:14:00.000-07:00

The Future of Hope

Today's scripture

Jer 29:11

For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Devotional

When we get to know God we then have hope in Him. The reality of his presence, and the constant unveiling of His plans for us, strengthens us to put our trust in the truth of this verse. God has a plan and a purpose for each of us. When we seek Him with all our hearts then his plan begins to be seen, usually it is one step at time. If we were following a friend who is walking before us we would follow one step at a time. This is how we also follow the Lord. With every step of obedience to what he tells us to do in his word, we continue walking forward in hope and moving into the future of His destiny for our lives.

What does the Bible say about JEALOUSY?

2010-04-22T11:22:00.000-07:00

When we use the word “jealous,” we use it in a sense of being envious of someone who has something we do not have. This kind of jealousy is a sin and is not characteristic of a Christian; rather, it shows that we are still being controlled by our own desires (1 Corinthians 3:3). Galatians 5:26 says, “Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.”

The Bible tells us that we are to have the perfect kind of love that God has for us. “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.” (1 Corinthians 13:4-5). The more we focus on ourselves and our own desires, the less we are able to focus on God. When we harden our hearts to the truth, we cannot turn to Jesus and allow Him to heal us (Matthew 13:15). But when we allow the Holy Spirit to control us, He will produce in us the fruit of our salvation, which is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23).

Being jealous indicates that we are not satisfied with what God has given us. The Bible tells us to be content with what we have, for God will never fail or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5). In order to combat jealousy, we need to become more like Jesus and less like ourselves. We can get to know Him through Bible study, prayer, and fellowship with mature believers. As we learn how to serve others instead of ourselves, our hearts will begin to change. “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will” (Romans 12:2).

God is Light, in him there is no darkness

2010-04-22T01:12:00.001-07:00

Today's scripture (spiritual light and darkness)

1John 1:6-7

If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.

Devotional

Today choose to walk in the light. Walking with God is always a matter of choice. Making a choice to follow God’s way or our own way. Deut. 30:19 I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live. Walk in the light that God has prepared for you to walk in, our own path is full of darkness, leading to death

Jesus is understanding

2010-04-21T10:06:00.000-07:00

Today's scripture

Hebrews 4:15-16

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one(Jesus) who has been tempted in every way, just as we are-yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

Devotional

If there are areas in your life that you are struggling with, bring them to the throne of God. He doesn't want you to stay away from talking to him because you feel like you are failing in your Christian walk. This verse says that he understands our struggles. Whatever your struggle is today, bring it to God to receive mercy and grace. He is a loving father who wants to cleanse, purify, and help us to become more like Jesus. You may be asking “how do I take my cares to the Lord”? Simply talk to him through prayer, he is listening. I usually enter the throne of God on my knees with my eyes closed and then talk to him about all my concerns, believing he cares for me and wants to help me.

Jesus Gives Faith

2010-04-21T09:57:00.000-07:00

Faith from Jesus

Today's scripture (gifts of faith)

Hebrews 12:2

Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfector of our faith.

Devotional

One of the greatest spiritual keys I have come to understand is that Jesus is the one who changes and transforms my life. I just have to become willing to let God show me the changes I need to make in my life. He does this as I read the bible and stay close to him in prayer, trusting him like a best friend. Jesus is the one who gives faith and perfects it. I just become willing to let him do this. Sometimes I just tell the Lord, “Increase my faith and help me believe”. The bible also teaches that there is a gift of faith. Ask God to do this work in you. The bible says that without faith it is impossible to please God. Learning to live by faith, trusting in Jesus, is a very important part of our lives as Christians.

Purposes of A Man's Heart

2010-04-18T21:57:00.000-07:00

Proverbs 20: 5

The purposes of a man's heart are deep waters, but a man of understanding draws them out.

Devotional

Have you every realized that your actions have a purpose? Sometimes the purpose of our actions is to cause harm or injury to another in some sort of negative way. Also at times we may even cause harm or injury to ourselves. Some people spend years in therapy and counseling to try and understand why they behave the way they do. A good way of examining the purpose of your actions is to check out what your motives are before you actually act on a thought. If your actions have a hidden motive behind them, chances are that action is not pure.

For instance, if you want to call a friend and invite them to a church gathering so that they can be included in it, that is a pure action. However, if the real reason you are calling that friend is because you have not heard from them in a long while, and you are using the excuse of the church event to contact them, that is not a pure action. You have a hidden reason for the phone call. Examining your motives can be a great way to discover areas of our lives that we need to be praying about.

For instance the story about calling a friend could have everything to do with feeling rejected because they have not called you in a long while. If we understand that we are feeling rejected we can run to God in prayer and say Lord help!!!.

Ask God to help you with your understanding of yourself and others today. This is all a part of the Holy Spirits work, that is, to reveal what truth is in our lives and also to help us to maintain self control.

Biblical Truth About God & Healing

2010-04-18T11:41:00.000-07:00

Today's scripture

Mathew 8: 2-3

A man with leprosy came and knelt before him (Jesus) and said, "Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean." Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. "I am willing," he said. "Be clean!" Immediately he was cured of his leprosy.

Devotional

Gods will is to heal people, why all people do not experience divine healing is a mystery that even the greatest healing evangelist alive today cannot explain. We put our hope in Gods word and the truth of his word; we then leave the results up to him. We never give up seeking Gods divine touch and putting our trust in him. We know that God is real, alive, willing and able to help us. As Jesus said in our scripture “I am willing”, he is the same today as he was then.

The Son Of God

2010-04-18T11:39:00.000-07:00

Today's scripture (spiritual light and darkness)

John 11:27

Yes, Lord," she told him, "I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who was to come into the world."

Devotional

Yes Lord, I believe you are the Christ! How has this decision effected your life? I had no idea that when I decided to follow Jesus, so many other lives would be touched by the hand of the Lord through me. It is the truth, he is alive!!! If we truly believe he is the Christ; our lives will point to him through our thoughts, our words and our actions. When we truly believe, we will live a life that is filled with loving and serving others. Others around us will be able to tell that we love Jesus, because everything about our lives will emanate the love of Christ. When Jesus is truly the Lord of your life, your desires will change. Things that touch the heart of God will touch your heart. You will find you have a desire to spend time reading the bible, praying, and fellowshipping with other Christians. Is Jesus really the Lord of your life today? Let your actions (life) reflect your love for Jesus; others are watching you, be a demonstration of God’s love in all you do and say.

Gratitude- A thankful heart expressed with words

2010-04-16T02:43:00.000-07:00

1Timothy 1:12 And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry

Devotional

Recently, I had the privilege of working with a dear lady, who would say “Thank you Jesus” often. I began to notice that she actually was talking, as if Jesus were listening and right beside her. Such sincerity, gratitude and genuine thankfulness was expressed by her, that I began to realize she had much to be thankful for. It was if she was acknowledging that God was responsible for all the good things, just as the bible says, every good and perfect gift comes down from the father of lights. Because of what I learned from this lady, I have started to express my thankfulness to God by saying “thank you Jesus” periodically through out my day. I have so many troubling things to focus on, BUT by focusing on the things I am thankful for, I am recalling Gods faithfulness over the past several years that I have been staying close to Him. With every trial there is a victory to be won. “Thank you Jesus” that I am on the winning team and you, my Lord, are working all things for the good!

Gossip

2010-04-14T14:17:00.001-07:00

Proverbs 20:19

A gossip betrays a confidence; so avoid a man who talks too much.

Romans 1:29

They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips.

Devotional

Gossiping: This is slanderous, idle, harmful or casual talk about another.

When I am talking to someone, I am always very careful to not talk about another person’s life. I also am very careful to not share too many things about my own life with too many people, unless I am totally sure that I can trust them to not spread what I share around to others. I am very cautious with my words. The Holy Spirit will help us in this area if we stay tuned into His promptings when we are interacting with others. If you realize that you have a tendency to gossip then choose to stop it. If you are interacting with people who gossip, choose not to participate.

The plan of God

2010-04-14T04:32:00.000-07:00

Eph 2:10

For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Devotional

God has a plan for our lives. That plan includes doing good works. The bible says, in the book of Acts chapter 10 verse 38, that Jesus went about doing good and healing all...This was the plan for Jesus' life, and it is the plan for our life as well. Jesus healed many people everywhere he went and taught them how to live a victorious life. When we surrender our lives totally to Christ we begin to step into the plan God has for our lives. We then can discover the good works that God has prepared in advance for us to do. A friend of mine once said, “God is serious about his business.” Doing good and filling heaven is God’s business. So being Christ like, we should also be about the Father’s business.

Flying with God

2010-04-11T15:28:00.000-07:00

Devotional

Recently I was reflecting on a dream that a friend of mine told me about. In the dream there was a man who was physically fit, and in the military. He was about to enter into flight training that would eventually promote him to a higher ranking as a pilot. His challenge would be to fly the airplane by using the instrumentation and gauges only, with no visual view of his outer surroundings. I consulted a good friend who is a pilot, about this dream. She said that during this type of training, an up close and personal relationship is established between the instructor and student. The ultimate goal is to condition the pilot to be able to handle all types of flying conditions by putting their trust in the instruments at hand. The bible says to walk by faith and not by sight. The plane can be compared to Gods kingdom; in that God has provided us with every instrument that we need to get us through all types of circumstances, even when we can't see where we are going. We must maintain a close and personal relationship with God, so that if we encounter difficulty we will be familiar with his voice, able to hear and trust his direction. Once we learn to use the instruments in the kingdom; such as, seeking God first, loving one another, reading Gods word, worship, prayer, hearing his voice and fellowship, these are just a few, we then can be promoted to being trusted with more powerful weapons. The bigger the plane is the more people you can carry, while you fly higher and further. God wants to entrust you to effect more people. Challenge yourself to fly a bigger plane in God’s kingdom; you can do this by learning how to use your spiritual instruments.

Jesus I Trust In You

2010-04-08T12:04:00.000-07:00

Hebrews 11:6

and without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

Mathew 6:34

Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Devotion

Can we imagine just for a moment that we have a small door key in our hand. I believe that faith is the key in our walk with God. When we have our house key with us and the door is locked, we are not worrying about how we will get into the house. The same is true with a car door as long as we have the key to unlock the door, there are no worries. Faith is just a decision that we make to trust God and not worry. It's a small thing in our hands, but when we hold the key of faith, God can open many doors. We just keep earnestly seeking him and trust without worry that he is working all things for the good. Sometimes I just say out loud, “Jesus I trust you.”

Dating

2010-04-08T02:22:00.000-07:00

There is all kinds of advice out there about dating today, but a lot of it is about dating in the world rather than Christian dating. Christians need to have a different attitude toward dating. However, even among Christians there are differences as to whether you should or should not date. The choice is up to your and your parents, but Christian teens should still know God’s perspective on dating.

Non-Christians have a different perspective on dating. You see the magazines, TV shows, and movies that tell you how you’re young, and you should date a lot of people before you get married. You see certain “role models” jumping from one dating relationship to another.

Yet God has more in store for you than just jumping from one relationship to another. He is clear on whom you should date and why you should date. When it comes to Christian dating, you live according to a different standard – God’s. Yet it’s not just about following the rules. There are some solid reasons why God asks us to live a certain way, and dating is no different.

Why Should Christian Teens Date (Or Not Date)?

While most people have differing opinions about dating, it is one area of the Bible where there is not a lot of information. However, Christian teens can get some idea of God’s expectations from certain scripture verses:

Genesis 2:24: “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh.” (NIV)

Proverbs 4:23: “Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.” (NIV)

1 Corinthians 13:4-7: “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.” (NIV)

These three scriptures give insight into the Christian dating life. We need to realize that God means for us to meet the ONE person that we are meant to marry. According to Genesis, a man will leave home to marry one women to become one flesh. You do not need to date a lot of people – just the right one.

Also, Christian teens need to guard their hearts. The word “love” is thrown around with little thought. Yet, we often live for love. We live for God’s love first and foremost, but we also live for the love of others. While there are many definitions of love, 1Corinthians tells us how God defines love.

It is love that should drive Christian teens to date, but it should not be the shallow version of love. When you date it should be taken seriously. You should know the person you are dating and know their beliefs.

You should check your potential boyfriend against the values listed in 1 Corinthians. Ask yourself if the two of you are patient and kind to one another. Are you envious of one another? Do you boast about one another or to each other? Go through the characteristics to measure your relationship.

Only Date Believers

God is pretty picky on this one, and the Bible makes this issue very clear.

Deuteronomy 7:3: “Do not intermarry with them. Do not give your daughters to their sons or take their daughters for your sons” (NIV)

2Corinthians 6:14: “Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?” (NIV)

The Bible seriously warns us about dating non-Christians. While you may not be looking at marrying anyone at the moment, it should always be in the back of your head. Why get involved emotionally with someone that you should not marry? This does not mean you cannot be friends with that person, but you should not date them.

This also means that you should avoid “missionary dating,” which is dating a non-believer in the hopes that you can convert him or her. Your intentions may be noble, but the relationships rarely work out. Some Christians have even gotten married to non-believers, hoping that they can convert their spouse, but often the relationships end up in disaster.

On the other hand, some Christian teens believe that interracial dating is inappropriate due to the scriptures that tells Christians to avoid being yoked to non-Christians. However, there is actually nothing in the Bible that prohibits dating people of other races. The Bible places more emphasis on Christians dating other Christians. It is culture and society that place an emphasis on race.

So make sure you are only dating those who share your beliefs. Otherwise you may find that your relationship is a struggle rather than a joy.

Be careful of recreational dating, where you date for the sake of dating. God calls us to love one another, but the scripture is clear that He asks us to be careful. While love is a beautiful thing, the breaking off of relationships is hard. There is a reason they call it a “broken heart.” God understands the power in love and the damage a broken heart can do. This is why it is important for Christian teens to really pray, know their hearts, and listen to God when they decide to date.

??????

2010-04-04T10:53:00.000-07:00

Am I heading towards Depression again?

Am I doing the right thing?

Do I know what I am doing to my life?.

Am I walking on the correct path?

How far can I go and sustain?

What should I do now?

Am I gonna continue to be this Lost?

Who am I?

whats my purpose in this world?

My Life and God

2010-04-03T11:37:00.000-07:00

I am still pretty unhappy and feeling regrets over certain things I did currently and the past, well what else can I do but to move on and make it better in future and hopefully I do not fall into the same mistakes again as I find myself repeating it over and over even though in my heart I know its not suppose to be done, so Lord I pray you give me the strength to have more control over myself and to stop repeating the same old mistakes which obviously will not work and will only bring me nowhere. I'm sorry for every single wrong steps I took during my journey in my life and I pray the Lord will send his angels to be with me and give me full strength and protection from every single threats and temptation set by the devil. All the devil wants is me to fall and continue to mess myself up so that my future will be gone forever then only he will be happy. May the Lord Jesus whom is my Savior and healer and also the one whom Loves me like a father to a son the most protects and heals me from the inside out.

Amen

Jesus Lover Of My Soul

2010-03-31T07:27:00.000-07:00

Jesus, Lover of my soul,

Jesus, I will never let you go

You’ve taken me from the miry clay

You've set my feet upon the Rock, and now i know

I love you, I need you,

Though my world may fall, I’ll never let you go

My Saviour, my closest friend,

I will worship you until the very end

Raja Chulan

2010-03-27T23:27:00.000-07:00

Had an awesome shoot and obviously the whole place was packed with so many pretty ladies, crews, photographers, bloggers etc, I learn a lot in this shoot and also came across many many kinds of people and met news ones too. I am glad my mentor said my photography skills has improved since the first day which was at Oneworld hotel. The more I practice with it the better I become obviously! :) Yes honestly it sucks badly not to be able to own your personal camera and when you start to enjoy taking your own personal shots out of your own creativity you would also want to store and own your shots but it wont happen if the camera is aint yours so all you have to do after shots is to ask the owner and hopefully she lets you have it and obviously you have no say as its her copyrights and not yours so its about time for me to invest on my Nikon D90 soon :) I am also so happy for my dear sister Zoe Lee, she got in to the top 18 and of course with so much prayers and faith to Christ, so remember nothing is impossible with God so long we put our faith in Him and Surrender each and every area of our daily life happenings to Him :), Congrates Zoe! its all Gods hand working so just continue to trust him and let him have His way :) Jesus never fails His childrens :)

Had dinner with Pat and Jenn after the event and all of us was tired but happy as it was such an awesome shoot and super lively too compared to the previous shoots at Penang and Oneworld. Thats all for now so take care and goodbye readers :)

Cheers

Titleless

2010-03-25T07:36:00.000-07:00

What else can I say? :( Its been done and all I can say is sorry and move on......

Back to Blogging after a long long while :)

2010-03-23T10:25:00.000-07:00

Yeah Finally I'm Back :) Life is been Ok la soso la Lol :) Got myself involve with a shoot recently at Kl and Penang called Miss Universe Malaysia 2010. It was awesome experience and I was trained to use the Macbook Pro and Nikon D90 for the Casting Call. First day was at One world Hotel and we had like 18 contestants that turn up, if I am not mistaken and a week after that we proceeded to Penang and stayed at Cititel where the 2rd cast was also being held. Not many turn up but still we had so much fun and personally I have learn so so much. I am very happy and thankfull to have people like Patrick Lim, Mae, Eugenie, Andrea, Jenn Lim, and JoJo, to look up too and learn from. THANKS PEOPLE! Its also such a blessing to have met such a awesome sister in Christ during the event, She has a heart thats is really on fire for Christ Jesus and is always wanting to glorify the Lord in every way :) I'm so so proud of her indeed :) and of course I'm meant Zoe Lee :) Wishing her all the best for her competition. In the same time while working on the Mum cast in penang The Lord also open my eyes to show me the situation of his creations in penang and spoke to me very clearly. Basicly I felt God saying to me that as Christians we must go back on fire and be extremely active for street ministries espicially for Penang where I personally saw many homeless people on the streets of Penang and prostitution are also highly active there. What are we still doing in our comfort zones when there are still people out there suffering, We should move out there to Penang and spread the word of God to these people so that they can except Christ as their personal savior and have eternal life. May the Lord heal and continue to move in the city and streets of Penang.
Amen

Awesome Relationship with God and Life

2008-12-09T00:42:00.000-08:00

Life been real awesome and I am real happy everyday. Well How did that happen? Mmmm.. Lolx... EVER SINCE I STARTED A DAILY PRAYER TO GOD :) Well yes! I feel his presence and his love for me :) I been praying over my problems daily that had made so much of a diffrence and yes I have been involved with KDU College CF. Lolx I am happy I'm been growing there and have awesome lecturers such as Mr Jaya, Miss Angeline and Mr Ken. :) Awesome peoplee and loves God deeply. :) KDU CF Camp ended not too long ago and I'm so happy to have met you there and you should know who you are :) Lolx.. Thanks so much for everything and all the time you have spent with me after camp. Been surrendering it to the Lord lately and really am praying hard for it as for now its only best not to rush it and to leave it for Gods timing to tell :) You are always in my heart and I'm always here for you no matter what as I shall never leave you and you shall know where to find me as at the end of the day its your personal choice that no one can make for you. I'm sorry if I had been over the limits on you. As for now I'm just chilling and praying just as i promised. :) Well. Orang Asli Mission OutReach is just this coming thursday and well I am happy to tell everyone that I'm so well prepared for it. It shall make a diffrence to my life and never did I regret giving up my SMKDJ final year prom for it as the Lord should come first in my life. I am so excited about it and I really cant wait.. Muahahaha... God has been working in my life ever since I started a personal relationship with him and all my praying was not a waste at all as he has been answering me so well according to whats best for me. Thanks Weeliem and Pr Andy Yeoh for advising me as I wish I had listen to you both last time as now I really know why prayer and being in a personal relationship with the Lord is so so so IMPORTANT. Hopefully I can start college by next year March as I'm still deciding wheter to sign up for Mass Comunications or Law. Am praying SO HARD for it... And lastly Good news! I have got my citizenship as a Malaysian approved recently and Praise the lord! and THANK YOU to Weeliem, Pr Andy and Pr Lindy, My family and My friends that had been so encouraging and praying for me. :)

Is My Feelings really real and will last for her?

2008-12-06T00:02:00.000-08:00

Is it really truelove or is it just a crush that will never last. Truelove develops through a long term friendship that requires a certain level of trust and commitment between both parties. Infatuation is the state of being completely carried away by unreasoned passion or love; addictive love. Usually one is inspired with an intense but short-lived passion or admiration for someone. Infatuation is common emotion characterized by unrealistic expectations of blissful passion without positive relationship growth or development. Infatuation is distinguished by a lack of trust, loyalty. It might be just a crush for now and it only requires a long time to discover what it really going to be.

My Perfomance With Tim Au At Teenacity Home Party 08

2008-09-12T10:45:00.001-07:00

It was an Awesome Perfomance even though I mess up a little in the end chorus with my tming but it was not bad after all and was A Good start as It was our first time perfoming for Teenacity homes party... We Sang IRIS by Goo Goo Dolls and blended in along was also my Maton EM525c Acoustic Electric and also Mr Tim's awesome and talented vocals... Lolx... Speacial THANKS to Kendrick Koh whom had prepared Me and Tim really well for this perfomance and it was a shame he could not make it for the home party and also THX to Audrey Chew for helping us to video this for our memories...Last but not least our practice really had paid off.. Hallelujah!
Neways, Thanks A Lot Once Again...
Jason Chia...

Keep The FAITH

2008-09-07T15:59:00.000-07:00

"Let me explain the problem science has with Jesus Christ."The atheist professor of philosophy pauses before his class and then asks one of his new students to stand."You're a Christian, aren't you, son?" "Yes sir," the student says."So you believe in God?" "Absolutely.""Is God good?" "Sure! God's good, and I will Keep The Faith.""Is God all-powerful? Can God do anything?" "Yes.""Are you good or evil?" "The Bible says I'm evil."The professor grins knowingly. "Aha! The Bible!" He considers for a moment. "Here's one for you. Let's say there's a sick person over here and you can cure him. You can do it. Would you help them? Would you try?" "Yes sir, I would.""So you're good...!" "I wouldn't say that.""But why not say that? You'd help a sick and maimed person if you could. Most of us would if we could. But God doesn't." The student does not answer, so the professor continues. "He doesn't, does he? My brother was a Christian who died of cancer, even though he prayed to Jesus to heal him. How is this Jesus good? Hmmm? Can you answer that one?" The student remains silent."No, you can't, can you?" the professor says. He takes a sip of water from a glass on his desk to give the student time to relax. "Let's start again, young fella. Is God good?" "Er... Yes," the student says."Is Satan good?" The student doesn't hesitate on this one. "No." "Then where does Satan come from?" The student falters. "From... God..."That's right. God made Satan, didn't he? Tell me, son. Is there evil in this world?" "Yes, sir.""Evil's everywhere, isn't it? And God did make everything correct?" "Yes.""So who created evil?" Again, the student has no answer."Is there sickness? Immorality? Hatred? Ugliness. All these terrible things, do they exist in this world?" The student squirms on his feet. "Yes.""So who created them?" The student does not answer again, so the professor repeats his question, "Who created them? " There is still no answer. Suddenly the lecturer breaks away to pace in front of the classroom. The class is mesmerized. "Tell me," he continues. "Do you believe in Jesus Christ, son?" The student's voice betrays him and cracks. "Yes, professor. I do." The old man stops pacing. "Science says you have five senses you use to identify and observe the world around you. Have you ever seen Jesus?" "No sir. I've never seen Him.""Then tell us if you've ever heard your Jesus?" "No, sir. I have not.""Have you ever felt your Jesus, tasted your Jesus or smelt your Jesus? Have you ever had any sensory perception of Jesus Christ, or God for that matter." "No, sir, I'm afraid I haven't.""Yet you still believe in him?" "Yes.""According to the rules of empirical, testable, demonstrable protocol, science says your God doesn't exist. What do you say to that son?" "Nothing," the student replies. "I only have my faith." "Yes, faith," the professor repeats. "And that is the problem science has with God. There is no evidence, only faith." The student stands quietly for a moment, before asking a question of his own."Professor, is there such thing as heat?""Yes," the professor replies. "There's heat." "And is there such a thing as cold?""Yes, son, there's cold too." "No sir, there isn't."The professor turns to face the student, obviously interested. The room suddenly becomes very quiet. The student begins to explain. "You can have lots of heat, even more heat, super-heat, mega-heat, white heat, a little heat or no heat, but we don't have anything called 'cold'. We can hit 458 degrees below zero, which is no heat, but we can't go any further after that. There is no such thing as cold; otherwise we would be able to go colder than - 458 degrees. You see, sir, cold is only a word we use to describe the absence of heat. We cannot measure cold. Heat we can measure in thermal units because heat is energy. Cold is not the opposite of heat, sir, just the absence of it."Silence across the room. A pen drops somewhere in the classroom, sounding like a hammer."What about darkness, professor. Is there such a thing as darkness?""Yes," the professor replies without hesitation. "What is night if it isn't darkness?" "You're wrong again, sir. Darkness is not something; it is the absence of something. You can have low light, normal light, bright light, flashing light... but if you have no light constantly you have nothing and it's called darkness, isn't it? That's the meaning we use to define the word. In reality, darkness isn't. If it were, you would be able to make darkness darker, wouldn't you?"The professor begins to smile at the student in front of him. This will be a good semester."So what point are you making, young man?" "Yes, professor. My point is, your philosophical premise is flawed to start with and so your conclusion must also be flawed."The professor's face cannot hide his surprise this time. "Flawed? Can you explain how?" "You are working on the premise of duality," the student explains. "You argue that there is life and then there's death; a good God and a bad God. You are viewing the concept of God as something finite, something we can measure. Sir, science can't even explain a thought. It uses electricity and magnetism, but has never seen, much less fully understood either one. To view death as the opposite of life is to be ignorant of the fact that death cannot exist as a substantive thing. Death is not the opposite of life, just the absence of it. Now tell me, professor. Do you teach your students that they evolved from a monkey?""If you are referring to the natural evolutionary process, young man, yes, of course I do." "Have you ever observed evolution with your own eyes, sir?"The professor begins to shake his head, still smiling, as he realizes where the argument is going. A very good semester indeed. "Since no one has ever observed the process of evolution at work and cannot even prove that this process is an on-going endeavor, are you not teaching your opinion, sir? Are you now not a scientist, but a preacher?"The class is in uproar. The student remains silent until the commotion has subsided."To continue the point you were making earlier, let me give you an example of what I mean?" The student looks around the room."Is there anyone in the class who has ever seen the professor's brain?"The class breaks out into laughter."Is there anyone here who has ever heard the professor's brain, felt the professor's brain, touched or smelt the professor's brain? No one appears to have done so. So, according to the established rules of empirical, stable, demonstrable protocol, science says that you have no brain, with all due respect, sir." So if science says you have no brain, how can we trust your lectures, sir?"Now the room is silent. The professor just stares at the student, his face unreadable.Finally, after what seems an eternity, the old man answers. "I guess you'll have to take them on faith."

Random Post

2008-09-01T08:33:00.000-07:00

Felling really sleepy now. Emerge just ended yesterday as well as Merdeka and tomorrow is Arts exam which I will not be going to school to sit for it as I already drop that subject from my subject list in my SPM 2008. Well, is my life really my responsibility? Mmmm....
LIfe, life, life.... Where am I heading man in life? I honestly dont know :(
Where can I run, where can I hide from all this complicated things in life? Recently kinda crushed on HER and should I tell her? NO I should not so Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

What I Have Learn From Emerge Conference By City Harvest 2008

2008-08-30T10:50:00.000-07:00

- God loves politics
- A disipline prayer life is very important in our lives
- God loves a cheerful giver
- What God teach us we will follow, What God Feed us we will Swallow
- Word = Aion = Generation = Matt 13:22
= Oikuomere = Land/territories = Matt 24:14
= Kosmos = Society = Mark 16:15

- A society is not just made up of family and religion
- Dont let fear steal your courage
- Faith does not put a limit on God
- God does not put a lmit on faith

My Life & My SPM Trials

2008-08-28T08:39:00.000-07:00

Well my life is still kinda messy as recently just got into an arguement with my friends out of some stupid missunderstanding I had caused. Really stress up recently, I screwed all my papers for SPM Trials and what on earth is wrong with me and why am I still so lost and messed up again.
Might be retaking it next year 2009 though as this year seriosly gone case. Yea, blame me everything is always my fault and I admit this shit right here on my dam blog.

Is my calling ministry actspresso or Host?

2008-08-25T02:56:00.000-07:00

Whats my calling? Thats what I always ask myself as I find myself real losts when it comes to be serving in a ministry. Well personally I find myself real good in Actspresso ministry as I work and click better there. What do they do? well they are basicly people who prepares food and drinks for after and before service in church and also for guest and guest speakers and etc. I love it, espicially serving food and drinks as I can really get wild in it and never feel tired or bored of it and it also relates to my course which I wish to take in college which is Hotel and Management (Kitchen/Restaurant Department). I have been through so many events in my life which I always find myself into serving in the food/drinks ministry. Well let us now move on to Host Ministry (Ushers) I love serving as an usher too but I dont really click or serve well in it as I am in Acrspresso in Acts church. In Host I dont move fast or even think fast enough during my duty and many errors can really go wrong so I choose not to be in it and left the Host ministry recently and now I am requesting to the head of Actspresso to be in that ministry which I prefer to be in. Well I was lectured by someone about my decision in choosing my ministry as He does not want me to regret in my life and ending up choosing a ministry that I dislike doing and to that person whom lectured me I thank you and really apprecite your time and advices.

Steve Hyde @ C.L.G.C (Sunday)

2008-08-25T02:46:00.000-07:00

- God will never go againts his word
- study scripture to recieve God will
- God speaks through scriptures
- We are christians because of visions
- The lord can speak to us through dreams
- God and the holy spirit is always speaking to us

Consequences Of People Againts S.M.K.D.J CF

2008-08-23T11:08:00.000-07:00

What can we do to have revival and improve in our school CF without having anyone going againts our S.M.K.D.J CF ??

- Prayer walk
- Gather christians who has the same vision in their mind
- Prayer meeting before school starts
- Discussion with Cf teacher advisors and leaders
- Pray and fast personally

VISIONS
- Revival in school
- Christians are more open up
- Back sliders will go back to God and return to CF

What I Learn From Revolution Conference?

2008-08-23T10:49:00.000-07:00

Well ya.. Revo was awesome and life changing and many souls were safe from it so, Hallelujah! and lets see what have I learned from it? Before I get into that, Army of three, Four letter story, Actstream,
were Great and awesome bands. :) Haha... well this are the things I have learn

- How many of us listen to God has to say?
- Allow God to direct and change our life
- Allow peole and accountabilities t0 speak into our lives
- Be different for the right reasons
- Dont be afraid to be single forever
- Dont be afraid of not being able to get married or owning our own house
- Repent for the kindom of God is near
- Dont be unequally yolked
- You are more then you think you are
- God will always give us the best
- Repent is a good word, not a bad word
- We must respone to God

Revolution!

2008-08-20T10:49:00.000-07:00

Hallelujah! Today is Revo concert at 7.30pm @ Acts Church Summit and same goes for Friday and Saturday and I am Pretty exited about it though.
Well I was asked and reminded to go by my dear friend Amanda Ooi or else she will screw me. Hahaha, Of course I will go so see you there! I wont want to miss such an awesome up coming event. :)
Adios!

Healing and A Change In Life

2008-08-18T13:20:00.000-07:00

Hi I am back, Still cant sleep and its now almost 4:30 in the morning where I am suppose to be somewhere lost in my dreams in my sleep. I NEED INTERNAL HEALING IN MY MESSED UP LIFE AND I NEED A CHANGE!
GOD PLEASE HELP ME!

Messed up life

2008-08-18T12:45:00.000-07:00

Why am I so messed up? Thats the question I used to ask myself always. Why am I always getting myself into an arguement with my parents, my friends in church, and etc, WHY? Well lets just say its always my fault and will end up hurt and angry. Well ya, I admit its my anger problem and what should I do with it? This month been through hell with my parents and friends and recently had arguement with Justina and Weeliem. Why am I always geeting so sensitive and angry with small matters and making it into a big problem for others and not only to me. Its seriously aint worth the time and breath. :( End up emoing everyday and boasting about it. Cant it reach to an end? and about my education, yes SPM is round the corner and I am failing my papers real badly and why am I not taking it seriously and making or trying to change? What on earth is wrong with me? Should I retake SPM next year in the year of 2009 when everyone is already in college? Should i? Well I am honestly lost in life. Real lost. Its already 3:58am and why am I not asleep and the reason would be because I am stress out with all my problems which I had cause myself into. I WANT OUT! aRGH!!!!!!!!!!!! I WANT A NEW LIFE!!!! HELP!!!!!!!!! I cant stand this shit any longer....

What a day

2008-08-16T09:03:00.000-07:00

Yea! Its already 12.10am Past midnite. :) Lazy to hit the bed as I am not that sleepy yet. Today was an awesome Saturday as I witnessed the band called "Army Of Three" It was awsome worship session with them thought. Besides, Pr Sandra's sermon was actually very meaningful to me today! Hahaha, Just felt that its kinda related to the problem I am facing now. Huddle Max was also awesome and it was also Weeliems Birthday last Tuesday and only today I had handed him his Gift.. Happy Belated Birthday Weeliem! :) AS usual I went home with the Bus shuttle back to S.M.K.D.J & Dad picked me up from the post office then home and Dozz Off....

Teenacity

2008-08-15T15:42:00.000-07:00

I am Happy and Grateful to be in TEENACITY @ Acts Church as I experience a life changing situation. Life for me has really changed, ever since I was in Teenacity. With all the leaders and accountability that had made my life and my self a diffrent person as I have gone through lots of unwanted missunderstandings in life with all my friends which was solve instantly following Gods way with all the advices from the leaders and accountabilities. I realize by allowing a leader or a accountability to speak into our lives actualy guides and make us more disipline and not being so lost and messed up in life. Once again SPECIAL THANKS TO ALL TEENACITY LEADERS AND FRIENDS! :)