Today Pastor Ulf Ekman came to my church again, and he preached an amazing.. no, stupendous message ( I realized I use amazing, superb too much. Need to increase my vocabulary.) on fear.
Yeah, usually we talk about faith in church, but pastor decided to talk about fear and how we can face it head on. And really, it's not your traditional way of facing your fear.
He talked about where the fear was rooted in, and how we could fight it by destroying the roots that lead to fear.
Let me put a few insights from the sermon here, hopefully they flow. Ha..
All of us have a tendency to want to control our lives in an attempt to feel secure, but the thing is life is not like that, there's always something that will jump up, something that you cannot control.
We cannot escape circumstances and we will conquer them in Jesus, and in reality, there is a devil, and his main weapon of attack is fear. Most people live in fear on a daily basis.
Must clarify here. When we say we live by fear on a daily basis, it doesn't mean we're afraid at every instance, but rather, the actions that we do are driven by a deep seated fear.
A girlfriend calling every night to make sure her boyfriend is 'fine'. But in reality, she wants to check on him if he's up to anything else. The phone call could have been motivated by love, where she just wants to know if he had an okay day, but its really not about the action, but about the motivation.
But what really spoke to me was the part about where fear was rooted.
It is when we are selfish that fear can enter our hearts. We're afraid we don't have enough, we're afraid that we may not reach the status 'God has given to us' in our life, we're afraid that our future won't be bright enough. We're afraid that we cannot have enough in our lives to be happy.
We use these things as excuses to give less than we should to others, our money, our time, our effort.
All these things about me, myself and I, bring fear in our hearts. But it is when we don't look to ourselves, but look to God, look to meeting the needs of others that faith arises in our hearts. Faith that all the things we need will be added to us( Matt 6:33).
Amazing insights, let me just finish with one more which I think is great:
God's grace is unmerited.
It is the problem of us, because we have this deep seated need to be praised, to be exalted, that it somehow make out God's grace to be one that needs to be earned. And that's religion. And we really have a hard time accepting true grace, that its really not about what you have done, but what Jesus had done on the cross.
In our hearts, we only need to know that, we're accepted in the beloved. =)
Saturday, February 23, 2008
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Taking a breather
Finally busy's stuff over for now. Been having meetings at night for Tue and Wed that I didn't manage to catch my dinner and a lunch, at least a proper one.
Spent the morning just chilling out. Playing with my ship on Battlestations.
I'm at level 57! Haha.
Spent the morning just chilling out. Playing with my ship on Battlestations.
I'm at level 57! Haha.
And here's my weaponry. 3 Giga Drills =) Haha.. 
(Seriously I don't think anyone will know what I'm talking about except for Charis and Mich, and Gershon, if he visits my blog. Haha)
But really, I think I need more balance in my life. Must remember always never to take up so many things, because in the end I'll do everything half-past six also.
Now I have to go Emart today to buy my mobilisation stuff. Sian. Totally hate army stuff.
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Been busy. So no blog. Will speak fast and short.
Things happening.
1. Uni-y marketing campaign on the way
2. Learnt about the ten values any organization or body should have. Powerful. Will use it for Uni-Y.
3. Midterms x 1 coming, Ethics one passed already.
4. Should learn never to pick up so many things to do ever again. Should do a few and do them well. Faithful in little = given much.
Lala. Busy.
Things happening.
1. Uni-y marketing campaign on the way
2. Learnt about the ten values any organization or body should have. Powerful. Will use it for Uni-Y.
3. Midterms x 1 coming, Ethics one passed already.
4. Should learn never to pick up so many things to do ever again. Should do a few and do them well. Faithful in little = given much.
Lala. Busy.
Sunday, February 10, 2008
Sunday's Message
It was a superb message on Sunday.
Pastor talked about the role of husband and wife in marriage, but more so the husband.
As men, we must be the visionary, the spiritual leader and the figurehead in the home. What was more interesting was the story on Genesis 38.
More interesting than Channel 8 soap operas. Haha.
The failure of men to play their roles in women's lives be it father, husband, brother, it causes women to start fighting for what is rightfully theirs.
They become scheming, manipulative, cunning in order to obtain what is theirs. And guess what, God holds the man responsible when this happens to a girl, or a lady.
In the same way God held Adam responsible for what happened in the Garden of Eden, he's holding the men responsible for what happens to the sisters, daughters, wives placed into our lives.
It reminded me of what I read in Wild at Heart. It said that when men fail to rise up to their position of leadership, women in order to protect themselves, build a fortress around themselves.
They become hardened on the inside, aggressive, wanting to play the masculine role. In short, they lose their feminitiy when men don't play their part in their lives.
And I dunno, I think its probably true. When I see a girl that's feminine, it usually comes to me that the girl had been well sheltered, well protected in her youth. And contrary to what I was thinking before, that they were just being spoilt, this femininity actually brings out their beauty.
Of course, I don't want to risk going to the extreme saying its a virtue to be spoilt. Nonetheless, if the men would play their roles in a girl's lives of being the visionary, the spiritual leader and figurehead and their lives, it's where the girl is able to blossom in her soul as a woman.
There's beauty in that vulnerability in a woman.
On the other hand, (I'm going to start a debate, especially in the current culture), when we see a girl acting the masculine role in a relationship, or find herself unable to play the feminine role, it's due to a failure of the men in her lives.
So men. Must rise up. Don't let your sisters have to play self-preservation. To have to play the guy. (There are situations where they should be playing the role of the leader, but it should never be the case where they have to.)
Another revelation: Ephesians 5:25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her
I suddenly remembered how no matter how bad we have been, God still loves us. And as pastor mentioned, we are to our wives, as Christ to us where He first loved us, therefore we love Him.
I am reminded how many times we have broken God's heart, and how no matter how many times our wives hurt us, we must be the man. And let love of God cover the sin(Proverbs 10:12). In the same way God forgives us 7x7, so must be to our wives. In the same way Jesus died for us, so must we be ready to lay down our lives for our wives.
I imagine that kind of love God has for us. Ha... now when we bring it down to that perspective. I suddenly get it. God's love is really amazing.
I imagine where we must find that love, not the human love, but the love of God. We really need to rise up in this area.
Pastor talked about the role of husband and wife in marriage, but more so the husband.
As men, we must be the visionary, the spiritual leader and the figurehead in the home. What was more interesting was the story on Genesis 38.
More interesting than Channel 8 soap operas. Haha.
The failure of men to play their roles in women's lives be it father, husband, brother, it causes women to start fighting for what is rightfully theirs.
They become scheming, manipulative, cunning in order to obtain what is theirs. And guess what, God holds the man responsible when this happens to a girl, or a lady.
In the same way God held Adam responsible for what happened in the Garden of Eden, he's holding the men responsible for what happens to the sisters, daughters, wives placed into our lives.
It reminded me of what I read in Wild at Heart. It said that when men fail to rise up to their position of leadership, women in order to protect themselves, build a fortress around themselves.
They become hardened on the inside, aggressive, wanting to play the masculine role. In short, they lose their feminitiy when men don't play their part in their lives.
And I dunno, I think its probably true. When I see a girl that's feminine, it usually comes to me that the girl had been well sheltered, well protected in her youth. And contrary to what I was thinking before, that they were just being spoilt, this femininity actually brings out their beauty.
Of course, I don't want to risk going to the extreme saying its a virtue to be spoilt. Nonetheless, if the men would play their roles in a girl's lives of being the visionary, the spiritual leader and figurehead and their lives, it's where the girl is able to blossom in her soul as a woman.
There's beauty in that vulnerability in a woman.
On the other hand, (I'm going to start a debate, especially in the current culture), when we see a girl acting the masculine role in a relationship, or find herself unable to play the feminine role, it's due to a failure of the men in her lives.
So men. Must rise up. Don't let your sisters have to play self-preservation. To have to play the guy. (There are situations where they should be playing the role of the leader, but it should never be the case where they have to.)
Another revelation: Ephesians 5:25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her
I suddenly remembered how no matter how bad we have been, God still loves us. And as pastor mentioned, we are to our wives, as Christ to us where He first loved us, therefore we love Him.
I am reminded how many times we have broken God's heart, and how no matter how many times our wives hurt us, we must be the man. And let love of God cover the sin(Proverbs 10:12). In the same way God forgives us 7x7, so must be to our wives. In the same way Jesus died for us, so must we be ready to lay down our lives for our wives.
I imagine that kind of love God has for us. Ha... now when we bring it down to that perspective. I suddenly get it. God's love is really amazing.
I imagine where we must find that love, not the human love, but the love of God. We really need to rise up in this area.
Sunday, February 3, 2008
Week 4
in school has just passed and CNY is coming. Praise the Lord! =) Always look forward to this time for the year, for very practical reasons. Haha.
Daniel today sent me an sms as encouragement regarding taking up leadership in Uni-Y:
I know its not ez and you're paying the price for it.
I thought.. I never really thought that it was a sacrifice. True, I'm going to miss exchange even though I'm covered. I'm going to stop doing my website periodically the see things happening, but I felt,
Nothing means more than knowing that you're in the will of God, and that God is with you all the way. With that, nothing cannot be sacrificed for Him. As Moses said, if Your presence does not go with us, then I will not go.
There is a joy being in God's will, fulfilling the call which He has called you to.
Praise the Lord.
This week, someone managed to do something to me which very little people have managed to do: get me pissed.
it's my Entrepreneurship and Biz Creation prof.
It's the ideas pitching session and we were supposed to present 7 ideas to him.
And he conveniently shot down all 7 of them. And I think he's secretly proud of it.
He uses arguments like "there's uncertain demand.. I don't think it'll work"
"Hmmmmmm... I don't think I'll use it ( baby planning)" DOHHHHHH.
"It's so expensive...But if your dad owns the building and you don't have to pay the rent, then its a good business idea." Seriously. I'm not kidding.
The one that really pissed me off was when we were talking about the baby planning.
He asked Claire, now if you have question with a baby problem what would you do?
"Ask my mum"
" THERE. MOVE ON! Next idea."
That's like saying ( before the plane was invented)," how do you get to KL from singapore. Oh I take the bus." "THERE, SEE the idea of the plane is totally unfeasible!"
God.
This guy is like some weirdo stuck in an ivory tower in some wilderness ( another way of saying academic field. Haha) and coming out into civilization and telling people how to live their lives.
I'm totally okay if he shoots down 7 ideas with good basis. But he doesn't.
He uses his feelings to gauge. He uses the fact whether he himself will use it to gauge a business idea. Goodness.
Roar!
Well, he succeeded in pissing me off.
Another interesting discovery about myself. I was doing consulting for project for Welson, who was the boss of Express Print, and he was sharing his experiences on how he did business and stuff like that. And I was really burning on the inside.
It's like I felt in my heart," This is it. This is you."
I think its kinda that feeling when Jesus opened the Old Testament and slowly realized that the Scriptures was talking about Him, through that prompting by the Holy Spirit.
Same with me.
I think I'm called to be an entrepreneur. Life is just so exciting as an entrepreneur. Haha the fun is really in the making of the money, not the spending.
No wonder I have a detest for ivory tower professors who impose their ideas about business on us.
Daniel today sent me an sms as encouragement regarding taking up leadership in Uni-Y:
I know its not ez and you're paying the price for it.
I thought.. I never really thought that it was a sacrifice. True, I'm going to miss exchange even though I'm covered. I'm going to stop doing my website periodically the see things happening, but I felt,
Nothing means more than knowing that you're in the will of God, and that God is with you all the way. With that, nothing cannot be sacrificed for Him. As Moses said, if Your presence does not go with us, then I will not go.
There is a joy being in God's will, fulfilling the call which He has called you to.
Praise the Lord.
This week, someone managed to do something to me which very little people have managed to do: get me pissed.
it's my Entrepreneurship and Biz Creation prof.
It's the ideas pitching session and we were supposed to present 7 ideas to him.
And he conveniently shot down all 7 of them. And I think he's secretly proud of it.
He uses arguments like "there's uncertain demand.. I don't think it'll work"
"Hmmmmmm... I don't think I'll use it ( baby planning)" DOHHHHHH.
"It's so expensive...But if your dad owns the building and you don't have to pay the rent, then its a good business idea." Seriously. I'm not kidding.
The one that really pissed me off was when we were talking about the baby planning.
He asked Claire, now if you have question with a baby problem what would you do?
"Ask my mum"
" THERE. MOVE ON! Next idea."
That's like saying ( before the plane was invented)," how do you get to KL from singapore. Oh I take the bus." "THERE, SEE the idea of the plane is totally unfeasible!"
God.
This guy is like some weirdo stuck in an ivory tower in some wilderness ( another way of saying academic field. Haha) and coming out into civilization and telling people how to live their lives.
I'm totally okay if he shoots down 7 ideas with good basis. But he doesn't.
He uses his feelings to gauge. He uses the fact whether he himself will use it to gauge a business idea. Goodness.
Roar!
Well, he succeeded in pissing me off.
Another interesting discovery about myself. I was doing consulting for project for Welson, who was the boss of Express Print, and he was sharing his experiences on how he did business and stuff like that. And I was really burning on the inside.
It's like I felt in my heart," This is it. This is you."
I think its kinda that feeling when Jesus opened the Old Testament and slowly realized that the Scriptures was talking about Him, through that prompting by the Holy Spirit.
Same with me.
I think I'm called to be an entrepreneur. Life is just so exciting as an entrepreneur. Haha the fun is really in the making of the money, not the spending.
No wonder I have a detest for ivory tower professors who impose their ideas about business on us.
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