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PS: Come & visit the blog whenever u r free & post smt encouraging or great things that happened in ur day
POSTS
Thursday, November 27, 2008
Hi guys, Ethan here, New Life church Taiwan just launch an album call "希望" (Hope), it contain songs from famous singers such as FIR 飛 & 阿沁, 劉畊宏, 羅文裕(Wing), 何耀珊, 陳熙 etc... Enjoy it! This is the link to download all the songs for free. *This is not illegal downloading*
http://www.newlife.org.tw/drupal/?q=node/383
They had a press conference about this album too, you can read it all there. http://showbiz.chinatimes.com/Chinatimes/ExteriorContent/Showbiz/Showbiz-Page/0,4434,content+110511-3+112008033100308,00.html
Anyone wanna interpret it?
LOVE; - 7:10 AM
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
hey loves, if you're not occupied with revision for tests this week, go ahead and check out th citynews web yeah! there's alot of exciting articles posted on the happening asia conference last week that is really too good t miss! Like for example 'Session 5: Seeing the Finger of God Move Today' by our dearest tiffany talking on th session we had with Dr A.R Bernard and 'Ps Phil: Don't be a Cultural Ghetto' and so many more!
i miss all of you lots! feels so weird not seeing you all after seeing you for 5 days in a row! anyway i'm receiving lots of yummy stuff from this blog, its really amazing how we can impart to others when we dare to! (: even if its just a lil nugget or cookie, dont underestimate it okay! thank you guys i'm very blessed(:
before i go back to my books, i just want to say a massive THANK YOU to all of you for all the presents, smses, encouragement and prayers! thank you also to Yongming n Jacky who came all the way to my house to visit me today! i feel so loved awwwww X)
anyway you guys pls do study hard for your midterms and start your preparation early.soon we will have a reversal of roles and i will be the one at your service while you are stressing over exams heehee!
i will blog about what God showed me at Asia Conference TMR after my paper okay! very very cool.
take care everyone and see you all sooooooon!
tiff xoxo
LOVE; - 5:47 PM
Monday, November 24, 2008
I got something tonight on the way home. Wanna know why people always make reckless decisions? Actually, it's NOT that they don't think before they do it, it's just that the thinking process is not long and rational enough before they act on it. It's just like this, imagine yourself walking into a toy store. You think of stealing a toy, then before you think of the consquences, all you think about is what fun you'll have with it when you get it. Then you act, and after that BOOM here comes the security and you're busted.
Well, the thing that makes people always think of the benefit and not the consquence when they do things is because of video games. Believe it or not, it is video games. They always have the mindset that when something bad happens there's always a RESTART and LOAD SAVED GAME. But really, there's no such thing. You can't revert time back to where you were thinking of your choices of decisions.
It's just like that 9pm drama i've been watching. ONE SMALL LITTLE WRONG MOVE, and he got aids, and now everything's crashing down. xD
Yep, just a lil' cookie from me for the day/night to munch on.
sry i shall remember to write my name from now on. - Jonathan
LOVE; - 9:32 PM
Monday, November 17, 2008
Love, Love, Love. What's the meaning of true love? Does it mean you find a girl you love all your life? I guess many know the answer to the question. Then again, how do you love so one for the rest of their life? I've seen many couples painted in silky gray hair, wrinkled skin, pigmented brown spots and droopy cheeks. Now that's love alright, you might say. Love is more than holding hands or even kisses or growing old together. The meaning of love is more than emotions and more than the that one special night. I would tell you that there can only be one source of True Love, Perfect Love. You might try every other way, person, adventure blah blah blah... You wouldn't find the greatest Love of all who Gave His Life on the cross for his life in exchange for us. Us, oh the unworthy, the perverted, the hypocrites, the judgemental, THE SINNER!
Love, Love, Love. What is the meaning of true love?
God doesn't care what you've done, how bad you've been, the number of times you've stood him up, the times you just pushed him aside, said that you hate him, told him a lie; and the list goes on.
True Love is unconditional, Jesus Loves you not for what you've done, not who you are but cause you are His children. A Father's Love Never Fails.
Ryan
LOVE; - 10:21 PM
Saturday, November 15, 2008
Hi guys, i had a revelation just now in Cell Group about unity.
I didn't share it in CG because i felt that i can express it better over here on the blog, and it seems many of you all read it. It'll be a better channel because you can read it over and over again rather than listening to it once and then (possibly) forgetting it again.
What i got was Unity.
This is something that you might seem as hard to come by. Yea, there's unity between a few people, or different cliques, different groups. But as a WHOLE, it's hard to find. It's not easy having true unity. Like Tiff's favourite verse:
Eph4:16 (NLT) He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love.
It is so true, that every single one plays a part, every single one does make a difference in every other person's life because we are inter-dependent creatures. We need each other to survive. Yes, we need God. But God has also put other people in our lives so that we can co-inhibit (SP?)
Ps133:1 (NIV) How good and pleasant it is when brothers (and sisters) live together in unity!
- bolded is my own addition :)
Even David says so. Think about it, imagine if all of us, hold hands, and move together in spirit and in the natural, and we run together. Even if someone trips, the other 2 beside the person will naturally pull him/her up and continue running right? It is easier to go against 1, than to go against 18. Imagine if we put our differences aside, and have good strong bonds, a strong united cell group. WOW what power it would be!
Romans15:5 (NIV) May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus,
Col3:14 (NIV) And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.
You might think it's probably kinda easy. But if you get a teeny weeny bit irritated by someone, or by something someone does, and you think just a small lil bad thought, you are more or less jeopardising your relationship with the person, and also sowing a small little discord between the friendship and unity. Even though you ultimately forgive the person and forget it, you tend to remember that small little bit when you talk to the person.
Anyway, when there is UNITY, there's QUALITY. Talk about evangelism? You gotta have the inner QUALITY, before God will send you the QUANTITY, because He must make sure you're able to take care of the QUANTITY that He entrusts you. Would you give something that's precious to you to people that you're not sure if they could look after it? Doubt so.
With your quality, definitely quantity will come, friends will come, souls will get saved. Starts off with you asking and reaching out, because if you don't, they won't get to see our quality right? Thus, let's all work together towards UNITY and QUALITY in this WONDERFUL cell group!
Hee, hope you got blessed, and maybe a revelation too. xD
whooooooops, - Jonathan.
LOVE; - 12:58 AM
Monday, November 10, 2008
HEY GUYS! jan and i are now at shandong experimental high school (: it's day 1 here and oh my, it's quite cold. temp for today's ranging about 3C t 11C and my frozen fingers are now typing this post out. hahahahahaha.
anyways, yest was just more of a travelling day. we got t shanghai at about six in th morn (yes i know. it's superrr early) and we shop for a while at some shanghai places and ate th dimsum there then we took a domestic flight over t shandong jinan (: th weather's much colder here in shandong than shanghai definitely (and of course more than expo hall 8 too!)yest's dinner was a WOW, we went t some quiet restaurant and we had a meal of 11 dishes! it's really yummy =D but th hotel food today was still alright though (by th way, they love mantou alot)
later we'd be having a session t learn t make our own dumplings and also 音乐欣赏课 and 美术课 (: it'd be exciting
keep us in your prayer please!
MISS YOU GUYS!
love, maddy & jan
LOVE; - 10:03 AM
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
HULLO GUYS!
how's everyone doing? feeling fresh after the morning prayer mtgs? (:
i just wanted to let you all know that this FRIDAY is going to be a mysterious, thrilling, EXCITING cg meeting and i have a lot of things in store for you all!
yes we will find out the new connect groups! BUT i have a few more other things in store, lots of surprises, so brace yourselves and anticipate something awesome!
just a hint...
Eph 4:16 (NLT) He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love.
I love this verse man. i think its the best verse i've ever come across that describes the family of God and the atmosphere of the family (:
I'm super excited and I can't wait til Friday!! ;D
love, tiff
LOVE; - 2:34 PM
Monday, November 3, 2008
hmm.. read these from a e-mail.. wonder if you guys have seen it before.. =D
#1 I knelt to pray but not for long, I had too much to do. I had to hurry and get to work For bills would soon be due. So I knelt and said a hurried prayer, And jumped up off my knees. My Christian duty was now done My soul could rest at ease. All day long I had no time To spread a word of cheer. No time to speak of Christ to friends, They'd laugh at me I'd fear.
No time, no time, too much to do, That was my constant cry, No time to give to souls in need But at last the time, the time to die.
I went before the Lord, I came, I stood with downcast eyes. For in his hands God held a book; It was the book of life.
God looked into his book and said 'Your name I cannot find. I once was going to write it down... But never found the time'
we're lucky that our Daddy God is always there.. no matter what wrong we may have done.. He's always there.. always available.. so friends.. let's really avail ourselves each day and night for Him.. let's remember to put God FIRST in every aspect of our lives.. =D
#2 There once was a man named George Thomas, pastor in a small New England town. One Easter Sunday morning he came to the Church carrying a rusty, bent, old bird cage, and set it by the pulpit. Eyebrows were raised and, as if in response, Pastor Thomas began to speak...'I was walking through town yesterday when I saw a young boy coming toward me swinging this bird cage. On the bottom of the cage were three little wild birds, shivering with cold and fright. I stopped the lad and asked, 'What you got there, son?' 'Just some old birds,' came the reply.
'What are you gonna do with them?' I asked.
'Take 'em home and have fun with 'em,' he answered 'I'm gonna tease 'em and pull out their feathers to make 'em fight. I'm gonna have a real good time' 'But you'll get tired of those birds sooner or later. What will you do?'
'Oh, I got some cats,' said the little boy. 'They like birds. I'll take 'em to them.'
The pastor was silent for a moment. 'How much do you want for those birds, son?'
'Huh?? !!! Why, you don't want them birds, mister. They're just plain old field birds. They don't sing. They ain't even pretty!'
'How much?' the pastor asked again.
The boy sized up the pastor as if he were crazy and said, '$10?'
The pastor reached in his pocket and took out a ten dollar bill. He placed it in the boy's hand. In a flash, the boy was gone.
The pastor picked up the cage and gently carried it to the end of the alley where there was a tree and a grassy spot. Setting the cage down, he opened the door, and by softly tapping the bars persuaded the birds out, setting them free.
Well, that explained the empty bird cage on the pulpit, and then the pastor began to tell this story.
One day Jesus and satan were having a conversation. satan had just come from the Garden of Eden, and he was gloating and boasting. 'Yes, sir, I just caught the world full of people down there. Set me a trap, used bait I knew they couldn't resist. Got 'em all!'
'What are you going to do with them?' Jesus asked.
satan replied, 'Oh, i'm gonna have fun! i'm gonna teach them how to marry and divorce each other, how to hate and abuse each other, how to drink and smoke and curse. i'm gonna teach them how to invent guns and bombs and kill each other. i'm really gonna have fun!'
'And what will you do when you get done with them?' Jesus asked. 'Oh, i'll kill 'em,' satan glared proudly.
'How much do you want for them?' Jesus asked.
'Oh, You don't want those people. They ain't no good. Why, You'll take them and they'll just hate You. They'll spit on You, curse You and kill You. You don't want those people!!'
'How much?' He asked again.
satan looked at Jesus and sneered, 'All Your blood, tears and Your life.'
Jesus said, 'Done!'
Then He paid the price.
an unusual response from Jesus that saved our lives.. =D
jan
Edit: #3
The awesomeness of God
In CHEMISTRY, He turned water to wine In BIOLOGY, He was born without normal conception In PHYSICS, He defied the law of gravity when He ascended into heaven In ENOMONICS, He disproved the law of diminishing return by feeding 5000 men with 5 loaves of bread & 2 fish. In MEDICINE, He cured the sick and the blind without administering a single dose of drug. In HISTORY, He is the beginning and the end. In GOVERNMENT, He said that He shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, Prince of Peace. In RELIGION, He said no one comes to the Father except through Him.
He is... JESUS.
Jesus had no servants, yet they called Him Master. Jesus had no degree, yet they called Him Teacher. Jesus had no medicines, yet they called Him Healer. Jesus had no army, yet kings feared Him. Jesus won no military battles, yet He conquered the world. Jesus committed no crime, yet they crucified Him. Jesus was buried in a tomb, yet He lives today.
#4
The difference between Science & God.
"Let me explain the problem science has with Jesus Christ." The aethist 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!"
"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 him? 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 : '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?' The professor continued, 'If God created everything, then God created evil, since evil exists, and according to the principle that our works define who we are, then God is evil.'
Without allowing the student to answer, the professor continues: 'Is there sickness? Immorality? Hatred? Ugliness? All these terrible things, do they exist in this world?'
The student: '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 onto another student. 'Do you believe in Jesus Christ, son?'
The student's voice is confident: '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 actually 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,' th e 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, unlimited heat, white heat, a little heat or no heat, but we don't have anything called 'cold'. We can hit up to 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 the lowest -458 degrees. Every body or object is susceptible to study when it has or transmits energy, and heat is what makes a body or matter have or transmit energy. Absolute zero (-458 F) is the total absence of heat. You see, sir, cold is only a word we use to describe the absence of heat. We cannot measure cold. Hea t 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 poin t 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 to the other student, 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 smelled the professor's brain? No one appears to have done so. So, acc ording 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.'
'Now, you accept that there is faith, and, in fact, faith exists with life,' the student continues. 'Now, sir, is there such a thing as evil?'
Now uncertain, the professor responds, 'Of course, there is. We see it everyday. It is in the daily example of man's inhumanity to man. It is in the multitude of crime and violence everywhere in the world. These manifestations are nothing else but evil.'
To this the student replied, 'Evil does not exist sir, or at least it does not exist unto itself. Evil is simpl y the absence of God. It is just like darkness and cold, a word that man has created to describe the absence of God.
God did not create evil. Evil is the result of what happens when man does not have God's love present in his heart. It's like the cold that comes when there is no heat or the darkness that comes when there is no light.'
The professor sat down.
Jonathan.
LOVE; - 10:00 PM
Sunday, November 2, 2008
Hello E413!
I believe that there is a reason behind me coming into this cell group. No matter what other reasons we can come up with, the one behind it is higher and above all we can think of or imagine. I am very glad to be in a cell group with happy people. Though i miss John Tay a lot, it's not as though i'll never see him again. Thanks for being so hospitable today.
Must remember, i'm from E413 now not E412 anymore. *repeats, E413, E413, E413, E413, E413...*
Getting to know someone takes effort. Thanks for making me feel so welcome and luuuurved. It's such a wonderful feeling. It's a good environment, with more people who's my age. Probably time for me to stop being childish and grow up.. Or maybe not ;P Well, probably just to learn when are the times to play and when are the times to be serious and mature, eh?
Anyway, a little background info about me. I came to church 2 and a 1/2 years ago. Joined usher after 1 year. From day 1, i've been with Valerie Teo till now, so.. Yeah it'll take some getting used to not hearing her voice during sermon time and such. I'm quite an outgoing person, i like to talk, i looooove to play games, to sing like nobody's business, to dance, to just do anything and everything that's fun. I like to have quiet times on the bus too, where i'll just sit there and stare out the window. (I love looong bus rides, thus the bus concession.. hee)
I'm a sentimental person. I like to keep things that really touch my heart. I have a whole cupboard full of stuff that my mum thinks is useless and wants to throw away but i like to keep them. When i'm old and senile, i'll look through my cupboard, and remember every single thing that is important in my life. Like when i'm 84, i'll tell my grandchild,
"See, when grand-daddy was 16, i served in Benny Hinn conference" "See, when grand-daddy was 17, we did chao ji bian bian bian!" "See, when grand-daddy was 10, i had a very sexy batman costume"
I'm the only child in my family. My mum and dad likes to go clubbing and pubs to sing karaoke, and from that, so do i haha. Wait, just karaoke, not clubbing. I like playing basketball, pool. Most of all, i love the morning breeze at East Coast park. Ever been there at 7am in the morning? It's really awesome. I love eating. (which explains my size) BUT, i'm cutting down so Jacky, don't offer me cookies anymore :(
I believe, when i'm in this cell group, you'll all help me grow more than when i'm in any other cell group, because God put me here. I believe as well, that i'll help you guys grow too. So let's all run together in this race and run well too, picking each other up as we fall at various points.
But other than that, THANKS for making the effort to get to know me. It was a fun time working with you guys for the Super Transformation. Although it wasn't the whole group, at least i know a few. It was fun, i can't believe so many months have passed already. Time really flies when you're having fun. Through the tiredness, the hyper moments, we still pushed through and became CHAMPS!! I'm so proud of everyone.
I look forward to more fun and challenging times in this cell group, and i hope we'll be more bonded together than we've ever been. Get to know me! I don't bite, heee, and i will get to know you guys more often. Sorry if i seemed a little tired today, i was tired. Didn't get enough sleep. Needed to rush some projects. I promise i'll be more smiley! But nevertheless, thank you for your step of kindness, thank you for your smiles, thank you for your cheerfulness, thank you for your love.