Mamak Nite 2007

Had a great mamak nite last night.. 1st time in my 3 years here going. Haha. Never experienced mamak nite b4, but last nite the food was nice, the atmosphere was great and the service was excellent! And surprisingly it's all done by students, but it was an initiative by a church. It's a great way to evangelise and for intl students to meet up too! Can't wait to go for next year's one again, although it'll b my last.. Hee. Plus we got a bonus! We saw fireworks when we were walking back home after mamak nite. It was so cool! It was to signify some police and fire games I think.. not v sure what's that but anyway the fireworks show was spectacular. :-)

3rd week of Uni...

Wow, it's been almost a month since i've blogged here ald.. Haha. Time sure flies. Already in my 3rd week of uni. Things have been going well.. last week was gd, coz one of the subject lecturers went overseas, hence leaving us with more free time! Hahah. But this week onwards, it's full on already. No more playing a fool.. things r abt to get really serious and hard! It's a public holiday here today, so happy. Have one more day to sleep late and catch up with work. Tmrw however is not a v nice day.. coz it's my longest day! Argh, and with the stupid pracs.. It may also be a long time after today that i'll b blogging here again.. since I dun think i'll have much time to enjoy soon. Haha.. Honeymoon week (1st 2 weeks of uni) is over.. time to get cracking! :-(

Words to remember

1 What we have at the center of our attention is what has us. • King David is both a positive and negative example of this principle. Whatever he gave his attention to would either “make him” or “break him.”

2 God loves us enough to accept us as we are, but He loves us too much to leave us that way. • Could anything be better? (Philippians 1:6).

3 Nothing is so relevant as the eternal. • A Jewish man named Asaph learned this thousands of years ago while struggling with feelings of envy, disappointment, and doubt (Psalm 73).

4 We see things not only as they are, but as we are. • Uh-oh (Titus 1:15).

5 To change, we must want something else more than what we now have. • Maybe this is why the Scriptures say we will find the Lord (and the heart-changing help of His Spirit) only when we look for Him with all our heart (Jeremiah 29:13).

6 Live for what you will not regret when you die. • “What profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?” (Matthew 16:26).

7 The secret of abundance is found not in what we have, but in what we enjoy (or are thankful for). • Paul expressed this in his letter to the Philippians (ch. 4). Nothing produces wealth more quickly or certainly than a heart of gratefulness.

8 The poorest of all are those who don’t know the one to thank for the sunshine or to trust in the dark. • Isaiah said it with an edge. Even the ox knows its master, and the donkey knows where to find its food (Isaiah 1:3). Those who don’t know their God are poorer than both of them.

9 We can learn more from our critics than our admirers. • One group tells us how wonderful we are. The other tells us the truth (Proverbs 27:6; Psalm 141:5).

10 When I am in the presence of God, it seems profoundly unbecoming to demand anything. —Francis Schaeffer • No one understood this better than our Lord, who said, “Nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done” (Luke 22:42).

11 Attack problems, not people. • I get the two confused until I remember the words and spirit of Christ (Matthew 5:43-44).

12 For some troubles, God has not given us answers—He’s given us His Son. • That was His gift to the thief on the cross (Luke 23:43) and to us.

13 What God thinks of us is more important than what we think of ourselves. • Paul seemed to have this down pretty well. He showed that he not only took the opinions of others, but also his own, with a grain of salt (1 Corinthians 4:3-4; Romans 14).

14 Fear God—not to run from Him, but to Him. • This might be even more basic than loving Him (Proverbs 1:7; 9:10).

15 Get knowledge—but don’t depend on your knowledge. Seek to be wise—but don’t rely on your wisdom. Work hard—but don’t trust in your hard work. Work smart—but don’t stake everything on your own cleverness and efficiency. Be ethical—but don’t lean on your morality. Make plans—but don’t hope in your plans. Save money—but don’t trust your savings. Add up your numbers—but don’t count on them. Value people—but don’t depend on people. • I’m intrigued with that lengthy New Testament letter that doesn’t ever mention the subject of idols by name—yet abruptly ends with the words, “Little children, keep yourselves from idols” (1 John 5:21).

16 We are saved by God’s mercy, not by our merit; by Christ’s dying, not by our doing; by trusting, not by trying. • If it came down to having one or the other, we’d probably do well to trade all of our assets and education for this one thought (Ephesians 2:8-9).

17 Worse than blindness is sight without vision. —Helen Keller • This reminds me of Jesus, who said, “Take heed that the light which is in you is not darkness” (Luke 11:35).

18 Wise are those who look at others with the same generosity they offer themselves, and who look at themselves with the same critical eye they have for others. • Yet look what we do! We blame others to get the attention off ourselves (Matthew 7:3).

19 It’s better to deserve honors and not to have them, than to have them and not deserve them. —Mark Twain • Jesus gave an example of someone who takes a seat of honor at a banquet, but then is told to give it to someone else (Luke 14:7-11).

20 I have found that the desire to have is soon replaced by the fear of losing. • Solomon wrote a whole essay about this (Ecclesiastes).

21 Use things and love people. Don’t use people and love things. • Why, after so many complex and profound things are considered, do the most important things in life seem so simple?
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What I enjoy most about this collection is understanding how all good principles are rooted in the wisdom of Scripture—while pointing us to the Person of Christ.
The best ideas are like the star of Bethlehem. Their purpose is not to celebrate themselves, but to lead us to the One who offers us the forgiveness, patience, grace, and wisdom we need.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Returning to Adelaide soon!

Haha, i knw it's been a long time since i posted my last blog here.. Hmm, let's see, i've been back in s'pore for more than 2 mths now, really enjoy being in s'pore, the convenience, security, etc.. Really should not be taken for granted. Indeed I am blessed to be born in such a great country. I used to hate being in s'pore, dunno it's bcoz if NS or what.. but ever since i grew older, it's becoming more n more like home to me. However, there are the quirks in living in a developed nation such as s'pore.. Everything here is so modern, n life here is fast paced, it's ez to lose the meaning of life, n work can just be a mundane task that we complete everyday, then get home exhausted. I guess most of the working crowd in s'pore feels like this.. partly bcoz the working attitude here is quite hectic.

Besides enjoying time with friends and family, I must say, it's been quite an enriching experience working in IDA (infocomm development authority of s'pore). It's my 2nd time working there, & although last year i only worked there for a week, it gave me the confidence this year to return back n help in some survey conducted by the govt. Work hours r normal, 9am to 6pm, but sometimes, i do wish we could go home earlier to beat the rush hour crowd. Haha. Morning human traffic is the worst. Much squeezing into the trains everyday.. Haha. Kinda miss it when i am in adelaide, where there is never a lack of space on public transport. The office is nice, and i really enjoy working there, although the tasks I do are rather mundane and gets rather boring after some time.. Met a boss there who also graduated from EEE in the states. But he went there on an IDA scholarship. Wah, such a smart guy, he also went on the study an masters degree. Now, an assistant manager in ida, serving his bond.. Somehow I think God is showing me what I can do in future. That I will be able to work in an "office environment" although I may be an engineer by vocation. That was something I liked, being in an office, but yet doing something different.

I have 2 more years of studying to do, but God is always good, He always gives me a glimpse of my future, and I believe that God gives much more than we can ever imagine or expect! So i look forward to an exciting career, whever He decides to use me.. I am happy. Of course, SIA will still be my no.1 choice in career, bcoz of my interest in aeroplanes. Can't wait to see how my future will turn out, but I jus have to put my faith n trust in Him who provides, n i surely knw my future will be bright!

Returning back to adelaide in ard 20 days time.. I can say i have some mixed feelings, a bit sad of course, having to return to study, and leaving home, but i guess i'm used to it, and I do miss friends n fellowship in adelaide, which i do not have much of here, not to mention the cold weather! haha, it's so hot in s'pore smtimes.. but these days r rather nice n cool! I knw God has plans to grow me there, that's y i am studying there! N no matter how hard it is, I knw He will surely pull me thru, n give me enough grace to see me thru the tough times. 3rd year here i come! I knw it's not gonna be ez, but then again, who says university is ez? Haha, except for some geeks or nerds or supersmart students of coz.. :-p Adelaide here i come again!

Happy New Year!

The 12 days of Christmas : Hidden Meanings

People often think of the " The Twelve Days of Christmas" as the days preceeding the festival.
Actually, Christmas is the season of the Christian's year that lasts for days beginning on 25th Dec and ending on Jan 6th - the Day of Epiphany when the church celebrates the revelation of Christ as the light of the world and recalls the journey of the Magi.
Form 1558 until 1829 people in England were not allowed to practise their faith openly. During this era someone wrote "The Twelve Days of Christmas" as a kind of secret catechism that could be sung in public without the risk of persecution.
The song has two levels of interpretation: the surface meaning plus a hidden meaning known only to members of the church
Each element in the carol is a code word for a religious reality.

1. The partridge in a pear tree is Jesus Christ

2. The two turtledoves are the old and new testaments

3. Three french hens stand for faith, hope and love

4. The four calling birds are the four gospels

5. The five gold rings recall the torah(Law) - the 1st five books of the old testament

6. The six geese a-laying stand for the six days of creation

7. Seven swans a-swimming represent the sevenfold gifts of the spirit

8. The eight maids a-milking are the eight beatitudes

9. Nine ladies dancing are the nine fruits of the spirit(Galatians 5)

10. Then ten lords a-leaping are the ten commandments

11. Eleven pipers piping stand for the 11 faithful disciples

12. Twleve drummers drumming symbolise the 12 points of belief in the Apostles's Creed

There you have it, the hidden meanings of "The Twelve Days of Christmas" and the secret behind the song.

Read this and it gives new meaning to the song we sing at this time of the year

Seven Attitudes of the Great

1. Willingness - " If you are willing & obedient, you will eat the best from the land" - Isaiah 1:19

2. Confidence - "Do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded" - Hebrews 10:35

3. Humility - "Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. - 1 Peter 5:6

4. Thankfulness - " give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus" - 1 Thessalonians 5:18

5. Serving - " just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." - Matthew 20:28

6. Generosity - " A generous man devises generous things, & by generosity he shall stand" - Isaiah 32:8

7. Obedience - " God sets the lonely in families, he leads forth the prisoners with singing; but the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land" - Psalm 68:6

Results out! Year 3 here I come...

The results came out today, as i checked online in the morning, i woke up early to check, and at 1st only 1 subject came out, i got just a pass, but I thanked God for it, coz it was the subject that I thought I almost couldn't make it in.. then a few minutes later, as i continued to check, 3 other subjects came out, i was very happy abt the results. All pass! Thank God for His faithfulness, I never doubted Him, and I always expected good things from Him, for if He has helped me thru the past 2 years, & He is the same God yesterday, today and forever, y won't He continue to bring me thru? I can truly say I did not worry about my exam results, even as my friends asked me why I returned home so early, and did not think abt what happened if i were to have a supp. But the fact is that I did Not think abt that. Y should I think negatively? I know I did my best, so i just left to God the rest.

Anyway, 4 out of my 5 subjects were out, and I was already very satisfied with them. A while later, the last result came out. I was indeed overjoyed by my grades. it seemed like the best I did so far, but then again, all glory goes to God, for without His grace, I wouldn't be where I am today. It is indeed different when we have Christ inside us, I could feel the peace that surpasses all understanding. The world says one thing, but nothing can be further from the truth, that God loves us so much, and He wants the best for us, and He IS going to give them to us.

Well, so year 2 is officially over and next year will be embraking on year 3! Can't wait to graduate, but I know that it's the process of going thru university that will make me a changed and better person. I look forward to a new expectation that 2007 will be an even better year, another year of favour, joy and surprises!

Last day of the semester

Yay, tmrw is officially the last day of the semester! Another sem has gone by again like that, and I must say it has been a challenging one.. Just managed to finish my prac today, which was about an audio system, so others were also testing our their circuit by putting music thru.. However, I actually heard a christian song, "above all" being played during one of the testing in another room. I couldn't see who the person was, but the music was very nice and indeed a reminder to me that God is with me, wherever i am. I was quite worried that i wasn't able to complete it by today, but somehow me and my partner did it. Thank God that's over! Another challenge is upon me as i have yet to complete my programming assignment.. But after today, I feel better again, as I knw that God's plan for me is for my best, and sometimes patience and faith is required for His work to be manifest in our lives. Test tmrw too, back to work! All the best everyone for their exam preparations and I look forward to going back home! :-)

Probably the last post b4 exams...

I was rather upset again yesterday about my failed pratical attempt to complete it.. while others were able to, me and my partner could not. On top of that I have many assignments which i just do not know how to do. It's not that I didn't study, I just don't knw y i can't do it.. I feel just so lousy, useless and stupid.. But somehow I still had the peace that everything will be all right, and even if it isn't, there is a reason for everything God is doing..

Today i woke up feeling better, and reading the daily bread devotional online showed me God knows what i am going thru.. a "fall" literally, but God comforted me about my future and my life.. I knw He is in charge. If anything should happen, I will always knw that it's for my good.. for His promises never fail.

Life being a christian sometimes dosen't seem easy or it might even seem unfair that others seem to be so "blessed" while we are going thru much trouble/problems, but I guess that's the journey we all must take, to become more Christ like, and soon we'll be back at home, where we all belong. So run the race that He set up b4 us with perseverence.

I won't be blogging much from today onwards, so taking this opportunity to wish everyone all the best for exams or catching up with assignments, etc. Even for those of us who r not studying, it's not ez too, but it's gd to know that God is always with us, and with Him nothing is impossible. The best is yet to come!!!

"The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms" (Deut. 33:27).

With God behind you and His arms beneath you, you can face whatever lies ahead of you.

Holidays ending soon..

Argh, mid sem break is ending soon! 2 weeks really past so fast.. wish normal uni days were like that.. Hmm, did some work during the break, but also wasted time.. so in a way i guess having uni is better, at least have a certain schedule.. not to say i dun have discipline. Hee. jus that smtimes having a regieme is better than none.. but the holidays have been a gd time of rest and catching up with friends. Oh well, holidays ending, exams coming! a few more weeks left.. term 4 is realli short. Gambate everyone! All the best for the coming term 4 and preparation for exams!

OCF 50th Anniversary

Yeah! OCF just celebrated it's 50th anniversary! More than gold! Had a dinner and a gd time in the meeting place we usually go to for every friday's ocf session. Many ppl turned up, it was quite a formal event, and many generations of ocfers were present. Even the uncles and aunties from many many years ago! It's amazing to see how God has faithfully seen thru so many generations of ocfers and how His work is continually growing in ocf even in this year of 2006. Memories of past years ocfers must have been revived, and overall it was just great to see everyone from many countries and age gather together for a night of fun and reflection. I'm sure God will continue to bless ocf with yet another 50 years of growth and ministry. It has shaped and helped many overseas students to reach out to their home countries after being trained in ocf for many years. Can't wait to see or hear from the next anniversary, prob in the next 50 years! 100th Anniversary! That'll b so awesome. And i'm sure by then, i'll be one of those uncles, 70+ years of age, seeing how much further ocf has grown.. all for the glory of God and it's all possible only because of His grace and faithfulness.

Kairos 2006

Kairos is over! It's been a weekend of great learning and having fellowship with friends.. Should have went for it last year too, but somehow i didn't go.. It was rather tiring smtimes, but its' great to have everyone from OCF south aust to come together to learn about leadership.. learnt about the heart of a leader, how to deal with conflicts, spritual gifts, and many other interesting topics involving leadership.. It was a v moving and fun experience. Had many interactions and sharing.. and it's so true that every christian is called to be a leader.. As we are the people usually see for an example. Finally Kairos is over, but can't wait for another exciting one next year! :-)

It's been great to visit a new church too.. n i realised, thruout my many visits, dun judge a church building by it's over.. It might look rather old or boring or even run down on the outside, but inside it's a totally diff story! It's such a nice place for worship and everything is just so clean, new and modern. Praise God for His provision to the many churches here and ard the world! It's gd that I also learnt not to take church for granted.. few ppl in the world have a chance to go to one even, needless to say having a place for worship and teaching sessions. So we should really all be v happy and blessed to even be able to attend church every sunday! :-)

Edge Conference

Yesterday's Edge Conference closing service was a huge success, with thousands of ppl attending.. It's really great to see the house full, even the carparks were not large enough to contain the number of ppl! Yeah, and worship was great, better than any pop/rock concert that ppl pay hundreds of dollars for.. the hospitality is excellent, and the facilities nonetheless to say, very modern and furnished. The atmosphere was powerful, with excitement of God's love..

Church however, is not about the building, the 4 walls, neither is it about ppl in the church staying within the 4 walls, as my pastor was saying, we need to go out there and do things.. to express our actions with what we preach. When he said this, l felt that it is v true of many churches around the world, including those in s'pore.. Churches can preach all they want, but if we only become church GOers, ie, sunday chruch ppl, there is no connection with others in the world.. we get fed, but there is no growth outside church. So we need to become Monday church ppl too! Outside of sundays, we are the church ppl see, and how we act determines how they see christianity. But neither can we also be only monday church ppl, we can't just go out there and help, coz we'll lose focus of the why behind the what, and we'll be disconnected from the sourse. We have to still continue to go chruch on sundays to be renewed and refreshed.

We should not do things for others bcoz we wanna gain recognition, love, rewards, etc.. but bcoz we love to, and we are blessed to be a blessing, so reaching out to help others in need, the poor, broken, needy is what we ought to do.. but it's easier said than done obviously.. we r still humans, and we have selfish disires smtimes.. but i believe with the right attitude, and thru Christ, all things are possible! In short, yesterdays message was a reminder to all us all to do what they were preached on sundays.. To be able to share/spread the gospel thru our actions.. That is true christianity.. but of coz once again, in order to be blessed to be a blessing, we have to 1st recognise that we are indeed greatly blessed and highly favoured, and with our beautiful saviour backing us up in whatever we do, there is simply nothing we cannot accomplish!!! What marvellous, wonderful news is that!!

The Spider Web

During one of the many Reformation battles, a young soldier found himself and his army being soundly defeated by the enemy. He and his comrades hastily retreated from the battlefield in defeat, running away in fear of their very lives.

The enemy gave chase. The young man ran hard and fast, full of fear and desperation, and soon found himself cut off from his comrades. The soldier eventually came upon a rocky ledge containing a cave.

Knowing the enemy was close behind, and that he was exhausted from the chase, he chose to hide there. After he crawled in, he fell to his face in the darkness, desperately crying to God to save him and protect him from his enemies. He made a bargain with God. He promised that if God saved him, he would serve Him for the remainder of his days.

When he looked up from his despairing plea for help, he saw a spider beginning to weave its web at the entrance to the cave. As he watched the delicate threads being slowly drawn across the mouth of the cave, the young soldier pondered its irony.

He thought, "I asked God for protection and deliverance, and He sent me a spider instead. How can a spider save me?"

His heart was hardened, knowing the enemy would soon discover his hiding place and kill him. Soon he did hear the sound of his enemies, who were now scouring the area looking for those in hiding.

One soldier with a gun slowly walked up to the cave's entrance. As the young man crouched in the darkness, hoping to surprise the enemy in a last-minute desperate attempt to save his own life, he felt his heart pounding wildly out of control.

As the enemy cautiously moved forward to enter the cave, he came upon the spider's web, which by now was completely strung across the opening. He backed away and called out to a comrade, "There can't be anyone in here. They would have had to break this spider's web to enter the cave. Let's move on."

Years later, this young man, who made good his promise by becoming a preacher and evangelist, wrote about that ordeal.

What he observed has stood by me in times of trouble, especially during those times when everything seemed impossible:

"Where God is, a spider's web is as a stone wall. Where God is not, a stone wall is as a spider's web."

"For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things." - Luke 12:30

Sunny Sunday..

Yeah! one more week down, 1 more to go b4 the mid sem break.. Can't wait. It has been a bz semester, and with a few more weeks to go b4 the exams, things r really heating up! Haha. Well, thank God we still have the mid sem break to catch up with our studies, assigments, etc.. Walked back home from uni last week, the weather wasn't v gd.. as it just stopped raining or smthing, and as I walked, I didn't knw what made me turn around and guess what.. i saw a big beautiful rainbow!! Wow, It was like right b4 my eyes, and i quickly told my fren who was walking back with me. We took pics of them with our camera phones. Haha, the wonders of technology! Anyway, as i looked at the rainbow, i am reminded of God's covenant and promises to us.. It's such a beautiful phenomenon of nature but such a powerful promise from God too! It's just amazing and to be in awe, always, as I look at nature, God's creation around the world.. :-)

Hmm, Church was gd today too, with a prothetic message spoken to us.. edge church has really made me feel very warm, welcome and I have learnt so so much from the speakers.. Glad I made it my home church! Today's sermon was about DOUBLE fruitfulness in times of affliction and forgetting our past of hurts, disappointments, etc. The bible really has so much to tell us, so many interesting things, if only we are open to the word.. Worship is great too, just bought one of the church's cd album..the singers and songwriters are really gd.. God has indeed blessed them with the talents of songwriting and music making.. to impact others.

Just went to friend's b'day dinner yesterday too.. we went to an indian restaurant up north adelaide.. it was nice, ate food i nvr ate b4, but it was so ex! Coz of the minimum charge on weekends.. Pout. Haha. But it's an experience la.. $ can be earned back, but experiences are priceless. For everything else, there's mastercard.. :-P

God's Plan

Saw this article from a dayspring email, found it very encouraging and true.. so sharing it with all..

"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." Jeremiah 29:11 NIV

God has a plan for your life. He brought you into this world to fulfill that plan. It is the best plan that anyone could ever make for you. It is a plan that will bring Him the greatest glory and you the greatest good. From the beginning of this calendar year until its end, God is working out His plan.

As you follow God's plan for your life, you do so by faith. It is important to remember that He is the Guide and you are the follower. He does not need to bring you into His planning room as a consultant to help Him decide what is best for your life. God has called you to trust Him and to take the next step of obedience according to His will. God has said, "I will bring the blind by a way they did not know; I will lead them in paths they have not known. I will make darkness light before them, And crooked places straight. These things I will do for them, And not forsake them." Isaiah 42:16 NKJV

Here are some ways that God is working out His plan:

He is your Shepherd—He is leading you.
He is your Provider—He is taking care of you.
He is your Strength—He is enabling you.
He is your Counselor—He is speaking to you.
He is your Shield—He is protecting you.
He is your Comfort—He is encouraging you.
He is your Father—He is blessing you.
He is your Deliverer —He has delivered you from sin and death

In relation to the above, Did u know that God has 8 names?

Jehovah Tsidkenu - “God is my Righteousness” Jer 23:6
Jehovah M’kaddesh – “God is my Sanctification” Lev 20:8
Jehovah Shalom – “God is my Peace” Judges 6:24
Jehovah Shammah –“God is present with me” Ezek. 48:35
Jehovah Rapha – “God is my Healer” Ex 15:26
Jehovah Jireh – “ God is my Provider” Gen 22:14
Jehovah Nissi – “God is my banner” Ex 17:15
Jehovah Rohi – “God is my Shepherd” Ps 23:1

Thanks all!

Had a gr8 pre birthday dinner yesterday, and although the no. of ppl I invited were few, but we had a gr8 time of fellowship and fun. I thank God for all my friends, that they are here not by coincidence, but to walk thru life here with me, and to guide me, strengthten me, and give me hope. Although I am far away from family, friends and loved ones back in s'pore, the friends i made here in adelaide gave me such a warm birthday feeling that I feel as though I am home. Thanks everyone for your presence, presents, cards, well wishes and thoughts, and for the marker writings still on my hand.. It really means a lot to me. I will never forget what all of you have done for me. It has truly been a memorable b'day, n it's not even here yet! Thanks for coming!!!

Yeah, it has been a gd weekend, although I didn't study much, and in the coming week, assignments and 2 tests looming ahead.. but I believe God will help me, as long as I do my best. Gambate everyone! And let us run the race together with perseverence! :-)