Thursday, July 31, 2008
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
NDP 2008 - Celebrating the Singapore Spirit
Shine for Singapore
Music and lyrics by Benny Wong
Performed by Hady Mirza
Have you seen a star,
One that guides you no matter where you are?
However vast the sky may be
Or dark it seems
You can be sure, it's always there for you and me
Have you heard a song,
One that moved you, one that made you sing along?
Your dreams and hopes will all come true
If you believe that every vision begins with you.
* Shine for Singapore
This is your song
Deep inside your heart where it belongs
It'll always stay, strive for your goals.
You will achieve with visions so bold.
# Shine for Singapore
This is our song
Reach out for the sky, far and beyond
As one we'll stand, we're Singapore
It's here that we belong
Have you heard a song,
One that moved you, one that made you sing along?
Your dreams and hopes will all come true
If you believe that every vision begins with you.
Nowhere i'd rather be, this is home to me
This star shines strong and free
Sunday, July 27, 2008
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Monday, July 14, 2008
Hillsong Conference 08 Blogs and Summary
BLOG FROM ROBERT BARRIGER
July 7th 2008 - JUST BECAUSE WE ARE THE CHURCH
Have you every helped somebody and instead of coming back and saying thank you they just kind of sting you?
I asked John Maxwell one day, "what do you do about that? I know teamwork makes the dream work, but sometimes you just try and help people and instead of being thankful they don't say thank you, and I want to be the one that says thank you but sometimes people don't say thank you."
His answer to me was this, "People will be blessed just because your there, let them."
I didn't understand it until I woke up a few days later and God began to speak to me about the parable of the 10 lepers. You see, Jesus healed all 10, and sometimes we only concentrate on the one that comes back and says thank you, but those other 9 would have died if Jesus wasn't there.
Do you know, I believe just because Hillsong Church is here, Sydney is better. Pastor, where ever you are just because you are in your village, your city is better. They may never come and say thank you, but it doesn't matter if they say thank you. If all we do is take care of those people that come back and say thank you, if we only look after those that can say thank you, then we are no better than the pharisees, but if we can look after those that can't say thank you, then it doesn't matter if they can't say thank you because they would have died if Jesus hadn't healed them.
What matters is we are just the church and the church is the salt of the earth and we can make the world better. Just because we are the church.
BLOG FROM JUDAH SMITH
July 7th 2008 - THRILLED TO BE HERE
It goes without saying what an incredible, incredible privilege and honour it is to be here just to experience this, this is my first encounter with Hillsong Conference and I will already never be the same again.
This is absolutely amazing and you have to know that Pastor Brian is one of my heroes in the faith and I am so grateful for the sacrifice of Hillsong Church and their staff and their leaders, that we can be here tonight enjoying this amazing presence of God.
What a great place. Australia is just phenomenal. I'm proud to be an American, but this is my second nation in my heart, what an amazing place. I am thrilled to be here.
BLOG FROM MIKE PILAVACHI
July 8th 2008 - WORSHIP, EVANGELISM & JUSTICE
I want to talk tonight about the relationship between worship, evangelism and justice. Because I believe that biblically they belong together, they were never meant to be separated, but over the years, much of the church of Jesus has kept them apart.
We've kept worship in the church - that's what we do when we sing in church. Evangelism is what we do out on the street, it's when we tell others about Jesus. And justice is what the liberals do!
But that is changing. And it has to change, and it needs to change. Because biblically they belong together - they have too...
...God is with the poor and we are with God when we are with them. That my friends, I believe, is an incredibly biblically statement. Let's go for it. The world knows what the church is against, we've been brilliant at telling them what we're against. It's time they knew what we are for. It's time they knew what we are for.
BLOG FROM PAUL DE JONG
July 8th 2008 - GODLY CONFIDENCE
Confidence is an attitude of belief greater than the obstacles we face.
Confidence is a spirit that prevails over the dominance of discouragement.
Confidence is what lies before and beyond the day of opportunity.
Confidence is an attractive aroma that brings great reward.
When you find godly confidence there is something attractive about it and so much of the church has got to rise into the confidence that God has set. I am not talking about a lack or an ungodly confidence. Confidence is not unattractive self-based arrogance, or an independent spirit. No, it is about realising we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us. I love the Amplified Bible, it puts it like this, Paul says, "I am self-sufficient in Christ's sufficiency".
A lot of the church has a problem with that, they say, 'well it's all about God', but it is about His grace that empowers us to realise that I am now self-sufficient in Christ's sufficiency and the devil is saying, 'hey, don't you get confident'. All of the world understands the power of confidence. You don't watch things and get attracted to things because they lack in confidence, and yet so much of the church is saying, 'well we don't know if we should be that confident'. NO! You are self-sufficient in Christ's sufficiency.
And I reckon we need to stand with our heads raised high, because the Christ that died 2,000 years ago now lives in us and there is a spirit of growing expectation that we've got to take a hold of.
BLOG FROM JOYCE MEYER
July 10th 2008 - COMPLETE IN CHRIST
We have got to stop spending our life trying to impress people and just be who we are.
I can't get up here and be like Judah.
I can't get up here and be like Brian.
I can't get up here and be like this one or that one. I've just got to be me and you've got to be you. God wants a little creativity.
I'm complete in Christ!
I'm glad I have a husband, but I don't have to have a man to be complete. For those of you who are single, you are complete in Christ. If you haven't been able to have children, you don't have to have children to be complete, because you are complete in Christ. And if you have been married and now you're a widower, you don't have to feel like the odd guy out because you are complete in Christ. If you don't have all the college education of your friends, that's OK, cause you are complete in Christ. You are not complete in your education. If you don't have their same financial level, or if you don't have their same kind of job, maybe you're a ditch-digger and they're all doctors and lawyers, well you know what, you're complete in Christ.
I remember when I used to always feel like something was missing and especially if I got around certain types of people and I didn't have what they had or couldn't do what they did, I felt like something was missing for me. But when I began to know who I was in Christ...!
It actually tickles me now to stand up in front of millions of people and say, "I'm a lady from Fenton with a twelfth grade education and people are listening to me all over the world everyday!"...
You know why, because God anoints you when he calls you and you're complete in Him and if you know who you are in Him, you don't have to worry about what you don't have. You need to get over not only what you think you ARE, but especially what you think you're NOT.
The Bible says we are strong in Him, but it also says in 2 Corinthians 13:4, we are weak in Him and even when I'm weak, I'm still in Him!
BLOG FROM JOSEPH PRINCE
July 9th 2008 - FEEDING ON THE BREAD OF LIFE
Everything we come to a conference like this, you know it is so easy to come with a mentality or a mode of trying to draw good teachings or sermons for us to us back home, and we are not feeding ourselves.
Jesus said, "if any many thirsts let him come unto me and drink." Not draw water for others, 'cause you can draw water for others and still die of thirst.
He says drink. Drink is a very personal, even a selfish thing. Just enjoy Jesus, enjoy the revelations for your own consumptions and then he says, when you do that, out of your belly say flow rivers of living water to bless multitudes. Amen!
John chapter 6, it says very clearly that Jesus said, "I am the bread of life, he that comes to me shall never hunger and he that drinks of me will never thirst."
Bread of life. Now what do you do with bread? You don't just admire it, you eat it!
We are here to feed on him...we can talk about bread all night long, it will not feed you. We've got to eat it!
BLOG FROM ROBERT FERGUSSON
July 10th - "The Church"
The Church is the plan of God on earth,
always in her Father's eye. Cherished, mysterious, beautiful and potent beyond measure. She emerges triumphant, limitless with potential. A harbour for the hopeless, and an answer for the ages.
The Church resplendent, a bride for his Son.
She grows in wisdom and stature, with victory on her lips and freedom in her hands. Hers is an unstoppable cause. She embraces the world with dignity, honour and compassion. She gives vision to the sightless and life to the dying.
The Church is the family of God on earth. Within her compass the hungry find sustenance and the weary strength. She is a haven for recovering humanity. Enthralled by grace. She invites the broken, the vulnerable and the outcast to be immersed in love.
The Church is the house of heaven on earth. Called out to serve the world. Calling out to welcome in. Like her Master, the church is pursued and persecuted; yet she rises with strength in her heart and fire in her soul. She is the bride of Christ on earth, prepared and presented before the Lord, the Lamb for whom the world waits. He comes like the rising sun - majestic and magnificent beyond description while she dazzles with reflected glory. Spotless, perfect and mature. she bows low to cast her crowns and passionately worship him.
She is the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ.
YOU ARE THE CHURCH OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST
July 7th 2008 - JUST BECAUSE WE ARE THE CHURCH
Have you every helped somebody and instead of coming back and saying thank you they just kind of sting you?
I asked John Maxwell one day, "what do you do about that? I know teamwork makes the dream work, but sometimes you just try and help people and instead of being thankful they don't say thank you, and I want to be the one that says thank you but sometimes people don't say thank you."
His answer to me was this, "People will be blessed just because your there, let them."
I didn't understand it until I woke up a few days later and God began to speak to me about the parable of the 10 lepers. You see, Jesus healed all 10, and sometimes we only concentrate on the one that comes back and says thank you, but those other 9 would have died if Jesus wasn't there.
Do you know, I believe just because Hillsong Church is here, Sydney is better. Pastor, where ever you are just because you are in your village, your city is better. They may never come and say thank you, but it doesn't matter if they say thank you. If all we do is take care of those people that come back and say thank you, if we only look after those that can say thank you, then we are no better than the pharisees, but if we can look after those that can't say thank you, then it doesn't matter if they can't say thank you because they would have died if Jesus hadn't healed them.
What matters is we are just the church and the church is the salt of the earth and we can make the world better. Just because we are the church.
BLOG FROM JUDAH SMITH
July 7th 2008 - THRILLED TO BE HERE
It goes without saying what an incredible, incredible privilege and honour it is to be here just to experience this, this is my first encounter with Hillsong Conference and I will already never be the same again.
This is absolutely amazing and you have to know that Pastor Brian is one of my heroes in the faith and I am so grateful for the sacrifice of Hillsong Church and their staff and their leaders, that we can be here tonight enjoying this amazing presence of God.
What a great place. Australia is just phenomenal. I'm proud to be an American, but this is my second nation in my heart, what an amazing place. I am thrilled to be here.
BLOG FROM MIKE PILAVACHI
July 8th 2008 - WORSHIP, EVANGELISM & JUSTICE
I want to talk tonight about the relationship between worship, evangelism and justice. Because I believe that biblically they belong together, they were never meant to be separated, but over the years, much of the church of Jesus has kept them apart.
We've kept worship in the church - that's what we do when we sing in church. Evangelism is what we do out on the street, it's when we tell others about Jesus. And justice is what the liberals do!
But that is changing. And it has to change, and it needs to change. Because biblically they belong together - they have too...
...God is with the poor and we are with God when we are with them. That my friends, I believe, is an incredibly biblically statement. Let's go for it. The world knows what the church is against, we've been brilliant at telling them what we're against. It's time they knew what we are for. It's time they knew what we are for.
BLOG FROM PAUL DE JONG
July 8th 2008 - GODLY CONFIDENCE
Confidence is an attitude of belief greater than the obstacles we face.
Confidence is a spirit that prevails over the dominance of discouragement.
Confidence is what lies before and beyond the day of opportunity.
Confidence is an attractive aroma that brings great reward.
When you find godly confidence there is something attractive about it and so much of the church has got to rise into the confidence that God has set. I am not talking about a lack or an ungodly confidence. Confidence is not unattractive self-based arrogance, or an independent spirit. No, it is about realising we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us. I love the Amplified Bible, it puts it like this, Paul says, "I am self-sufficient in Christ's sufficiency".
A lot of the church has a problem with that, they say, 'well it's all about God', but it is about His grace that empowers us to realise that I am now self-sufficient in Christ's sufficiency and the devil is saying, 'hey, don't you get confident'. All of the world understands the power of confidence. You don't watch things and get attracted to things because they lack in confidence, and yet so much of the church is saying, 'well we don't know if we should be that confident'. NO! You are self-sufficient in Christ's sufficiency.
And I reckon we need to stand with our heads raised high, because the Christ that died 2,000 years ago now lives in us and there is a spirit of growing expectation that we've got to take a hold of.
BLOG FROM JOYCE MEYER
July 10th 2008 - COMPLETE IN CHRIST
We have got to stop spending our life trying to impress people and just be who we are.
I can't get up here and be like Judah.
I can't get up here and be like Brian.
I can't get up here and be like this one or that one. I've just got to be me and you've got to be you. God wants a little creativity.
I'm complete in Christ!
I'm glad I have a husband, but I don't have to have a man to be complete. For those of you who are single, you are complete in Christ. If you haven't been able to have children, you don't have to have children to be complete, because you are complete in Christ. And if you have been married and now you're a widower, you don't have to feel like the odd guy out because you are complete in Christ. If you don't have all the college education of your friends, that's OK, cause you are complete in Christ. You are not complete in your education. If you don't have their same financial level, or if you don't have their same kind of job, maybe you're a ditch-digger and they're all doctors and lawyers, well you know what, you're complete in Christ.
I remember when I used to always feel like something was missing and especially if I got around certain types of people and I didn't have what they had or couldn't do what they did, I felt like something was missing for me. But when I began to know who I was in Christ...!
It actually tickles me now to stand up in front of millions of people and say, "I'm a lady from Fenton with a twelfth grade education and people are listening to me all over the world everyday!"...
You know why, because God anoints you when he calls you and you're complete in Him and if you know who you are in Him, you don't have to worry about what you don't have. You need to get over not only what you think you ARE, but especially what you think you're NOT.
The Bible says we are strong in Him, but it also says in 2 Corinthians 13:4, we are weak in Him and even when I'm weak, I'm still in Him!
BLOG FROM JOSEPH PRINCE
July 9th 2008 - FEEDING ON THE BREAD OF LIFE
Everything we come to a conference like this, you know it is so easy to come with a mentality or a mode of trying to draw good teachings or sermons for us to us back home, and we are not feeding ourselves.
Jesus said, "if any many thirsts let him come unto me and drink." Not draw water for others, 'cause you can draw water for others and still die of thirst.
He says drink. Drink is a very personal, even a selfish thing. Just enjoy Jesus, enjoy the revelations for your own consumptions and then he says, when you do that, out of your belly say flow rivers of living water to bless multitudes. Amen!
John chapter 6, it says very clearly that Jesus said, "I am the bread of life, he that comes to me shall never hunger and he that drinks of me will never thirst."
Bread of life. Now what do you do with bread? You don't just admire it, you eat it!
We are here to feed on him...we can talk about bread all night long, it will not feed you. We've got to eat it!
BLOG FROM ROBERT FERGUSSON
July 10th - "The Church"
The Church is the plan of God on earth,
always in her Father's eye. Cherished, mysterious, beautiful and potent beyond measure. She emerges triumphant, limitless with potential. A harbour for the hopeless, and an answer for the ages.
The Church resplendent, a bride for his Son.
She grows in wisdom and stature, with victory on her lips and freedom in her hands. Hers is an unstoppable cause. She embraces the world with dignity, honour and compassion. She gives vision to the sightless and life to the dying.
The Church is the family of God on earth. Within her compass the hungry find sustenance and the weary strength. She is a haven for recovering humanity. Enthralled by grace. She invites the broken, the vulnerable and the outcast to be immersed in love.
The Church is the house of heaven on earth. Called out to serve the world. Calling out to welcome in. Like her Master, the church is pursued and persecuted; yet she rises with strength in her heart and fire in her soul. She is the bride of Christ on earth, prepared and presented before the Lord, the Lamb for whom the world waits. He comes like the rising sun - majestic and magnificent beyond description while she dazzles with reflected glory. Spotless, perfect and mature. she bows low to cast her crowns and passionately worship him.
She is the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ.
YOU ARE THE CHURCH OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST
Back From Hillsong Conference!
Wow! Such a super long time since I've blogged. Well, I've just come back from an amazing hillsong conference in Sydney. It was my 1st time going to such a conference, and during the 1st day, I was already stunned by the no. of ppl that turned up from 70 countries and from 21 different denominations. The whole experience was simply amazing as the conference urged believers to champion the cause of the local church. The most important things I've heard and learnt are these words said by one of the Hillsong pastors during the conference.
May God give you the capacity to make a difference in your world
To bring salvation to your communities
To build a church by his grace with Him
The church of the Lord Jesus Christ
To extend His kingdom
To proclaim righteousness
To act justly, to love mercy and to walk humbly before your God
Love God, love people, love life.
Change the world.
Truly, God was exalted during that conference.. It was an amazing experience that I pray will make me more passionate to love others, love God and love life. Now as I am awaiting my semester 1 results, and looking ahead towards my final semester of study, I can truly appreciate what God is doing through me, in me, and in the world. Praise God for He alone is worthy to be praised! :)
May God give you the capacity to make a difference in your world
To bring salvation to your communities
To build a church by his grace with Him
The church of the Lord Jesus Christ
To extend His kingdom
To proclaim righteousness
To act justly, to love mercy and to walk humbly before your God
Love God, love people, love life.
Change the world.
Truly, God was exalted during that conference.. It was an amazing experience that I pray will make me more passionate to love others, love God and love life. Now as I am awaiting my semester 1 results, and looking ahead towards my final semester of study, I can truly appreciate what God is doing through me, in me, and in the world. Praise God for He alone is worthy to be praised! :)
!~DeRfLa~! - DeStInEd To ReIgN
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