the thanksgiving blog

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Driven by Eternity

Driven By Eternity by John Bevere is a must-read.

No matter how busy you may be (or think you may be) right now, this book is definitely worth your time.

Eternity is such an IMPORTANT topic, none of us should ever take it lightly. And yet, a lot of people think they know all there is to know about it already, or don’t even care about it.

Gosh, I can’t emphasize this enough.

Get the book. Read it. Don’t rush through it. Read it slowly and digest it. And be open to what God’s speaking to you.

I’m only half-way through the book. And I already have to re-evaluate my life. Gosh.. what is this man.. really so cham ah.. Thank God it’s still not too late to change.. I need more grace!

honor’s reward

John Bevere’s really an amazing preacher and author. I’m reading one of his books now, it’s called Honor’s Reward.

He preached about the topic on Sunday, but the book touches on more aspects than the sermon. It’s really made me change mindsets.

It’s so good. Probably the best I’ve read in ages. It spells out the Word of God so clearly, and really gives me the resolve to change cos I haven’t been practicing a lot of the things he mentioned.

Go get it if you haven’t!

pauline’s married!/sat svc w JB

Pauline’s married!

 

So pretty right

And after her wedding, I went for service at jw! Might as well, since I was already there, and sermon will be different from sunday’s sermon cos it’s a guest speaker.

I must say, the praise and worship atmosphere is really different at jw. It’s so much easier, and the presence is more distinct haha. Don’t really know how else to describe it. It’s just that particular feeling of joy, can’t get anywhere else. If I ever felt the presence of God, that would be it.

And John Bevere, our guest speaker, man..he’s so full of life! And so joyful! He looks like he’s 30, but he’s actually around 50 years old. And he spoke from the ground instead of on the stage, but he spoke with so much energy. Quite unbelievable haha. Plus he spoke really fast.

But his message is life-changing. It’s from a part of his book, Driven by Eternity: Making Your Life Count Today & Forever. It’s about how a lot of people miss their calling in life, but at the end of time at the judgment seat of Christ, they’ll have to account for everything they did on this earth.

What we do with the cross determiines where we’ll spend eternity.

The way we live as believers determines how we will spend eternity.

At the judgment seat, we won’t be judged for our sins cos the blood of Christ has washed them away. We’ll be judged according to how we live life as believers. And if the things we bring with us gets burned up with fire, then it means we’ve basically wasted our time on earth.

1 Cor 3:11-15

11 For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
12 Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw,
13 each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is.
14 If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward.
15 If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.

Our time on earth is so so short compared to eternity. Eternity is more than a thousand, a million, a billion years, because those years can still be counted. Eternity cannot.

A lot of people choose not to think about eternity. But ignoring something doesn’t mean it’s not going to happen.

Eternity’s going to happen, whether we like it or not. We can choose where and how we’re going to spend eternity, but only in this life.

Every moment is precious.

a testimony

I like to ask people to tell me their testimonies on how they came to church and got saved. Sometimes, I get to hear interesting ones. Sometimes I hear really inspiring ones. Everytime, it’s an encouragement, especially when I’m not doing so well.

Revelations 12:11 “They overcame him
      by the blood of the Lamb
      and by the word of their testimony;
   they did not love their lives so much
      as to shrink from death.”

Personal testimony is really a powerful thing.

My friend really went through a lot of objection from her father. He locked her out of the house, scolded her and even wrote complaint letters to the church. She was barred from going to church. During that time, she said it was really heart-breaking for her. But she loves God so much, she just wouldn’t give up. After 3 years, she got her breakthrough. 3 years!!

It’s amazing. So many people, after a little tribulation, they fall away. But God will never put us through something we can’t bear. My friend has the never-say-die attitude. She refused to give up on God and church. And I believe she’ll go far in life.

last post of 2008

Last post of 2008. There’s still a lot to be learnt, and many more things to be done. Looking forward, we’ll overcome.

O Holy Night

O holy night, the stars are brightly shining

It is the night of our dear Savior’s birth

Long lay the world in sin and error pining

Till He appeared, and the soul felt its worth

A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices

For yonder breaks, a new and glorious morn

 

Fall on your knees! O hear the angel voices!

O night divine, o night when Christ was born

O night divine,

O night, o night divine

 

With humble hearts we bow in adoration
Before this Child, gift of God’s matchless love
Sent from on high to purchase our salvation
That we might dwell with Him ever above.
What grace untold – To leave the bliss of glory
And die for sinners guilty and forlorn

Fall on your knees! Repeat the wondrous story!
O night divine, o night when Christ was born

O night divine,

O night, o night divine

 

O day of joy, when in eternal splendor
He shall return in His glory to reign
When every tongue due praise to Him shall render
His pow’r and might to all nations proclaim!
A thrill of hope our longing heart rejoices
For soon shall dawn that glad eternal morn

 

Fall on your knees! With joy lift up your voices!

O night divine, o night when Christ was born

O night divine,

O night, o night divine

 

Christmas 2008

It’s Christmas!

It’s a record! I’ve attended all 6 christmas services. Hahaha.. and praise the Lord! We didn’t make any serious mistakes on our part for all the services! Only one small one for one service haha. Plus the sound worked throughout, albeit a little feedback here and there. 

And it was really great.. especially the candlelight service on christmas eve at expo. Even from behind the terraces, while having my dinner after the drama, I could feel the presence.

Christmas carols are so nice. I don’t know why, when I sing them in church, it’s just fantastic. O holy night, Silent night, Away in the manger… I like these the best haha. The first two bring out the christmas message so well.

This year, I didn’t have a christmas dinner cos was serving throughout, and my family had their dinner on christmas eve. Haha doesn’t really feel like christmas, if not for the carols and candlelight services.

I’ve seen the drama around 20 times or more. It was fertile…no, no I mean funny, funny!

I love my church. I love my God.

 candlelight service 22/12/08

jacket!

Yay I got my ed hardy jacket yesterday!

Be smart

John 20: 29 Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

What does it take for someone to trust in God?

Quite a lot of people in church have very interesting testimonies.  Some are very dramatic. We know that trials build character and resilience, so that those who go through many trials are also those who cling on to God tightly.

Jesus said that in Matt 5:5 that “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” Those who go through trials and who are stripped of everything, learn to trust God, because in those dark times, they come to realise that God is the only One who stays strong and faithful. He is the same yesterday, today and forever, and He’s promised to never leave us nor forsake us. Those who know they are poor, who come to the end of themselves, learn to wholly trust God and receive His grace.

But I think it’s amazing when someone comes to God and puts his trust in Him, even when his life is “smooth sailing” in everybody’s eyes. Like my leader Just like those who do not need to see God to believe, I think, blessed are those who believe without God first needing to take them to the end of themselves.

I learnt from bible study that, it’s always smarter to learn from example than by experience. That means, when someone makes a mistake, it’s smarter to learn by watching and then not making the same mistake, than by making the same mistake yourself then learning from it. In that way, you spare yourself much trouble and pain.

Be smart.