Nearer My God to Thee

What would fatherhood be like? My best pal Clement says that I will experience what God's love for us really is like. If that is true, than it's like being near the Lord Himself. How can I not break forth in praise and thanksgiving?

Nearer, my God, to thee, Nearer to thee!

E'en though it be a cross

That raiseth me.

Still all my song shall be

Nearer, my God, to thee,

Nearer, my God, to thee,

Nearer to Thee!

Another "WOAH" experience!

One of the primary doctrines of pentacostelism is that speaking in "tongues" is the initial evidence of the Baptism of the Spirit. I always have a problem with this statement because many who speak in tongues don't seemed to really live in the Spirit. Although Acts holds many account that support this belief, I came across a statement that I could agree with concerning evidence of the Baptism of the Spirit: "(they) received an insatiable (unsatisfied) hunger for the Scriptures after receiving their Baptism in the Spirit." This hunger will lead to a believer's desire to study the Word properly and to obey them.

WOAH!!

Warning

Oh no! I feel so disturbed in my spirit suddenly. No it wasn't because I was saddened by Australia's defeat by Italy, but it's because a thought suddenly came into my mind as if it's from God. Since the youths returned from the retreat, I've been praying and looking forward to the youth service since everyone is so rejuninated. It seems that the sparks was about to burn brighter. The first two services after retreat was greeted with great news about how people responded to God in the service. However there was a different report about last sunday's service. I hope that this is just a one-off thing, but it sounded Oh so familiar. If familarity breeds contempt, then I in contempt against spiritual mediocrity. I tasted that awful taste of worshipping without the Spirit. I dun want to taste that nauseating taste ever again. What did I hear in my head?

God will not move in our midst because he chose not to move. No amount of persuasion can move the hearts of man towards God unless God moves them. No amount of prayers can move the hand of God to change man except for the mere pleasure of God to do so. So I pray that if I found favour in Your sight, Lord. May I be your delight as I delight myself in You. Grant us favour to see revival come to our lives. Quicken our hearts to You! To hunger for your touch and to hunger for your Word. One without the other will mean nothing at all. Keep us in Your plan til we enter the Promise Land. Delight is us as we delight ourselves in You.

I wrote this song to...

Ah! Found a song that I wrote as a student.

Sitting at the dock on my own
Staring at my watch all alone
My handphone is out of tone
When I got thru to your phone but I...

CHORUSD
I will do anything for you
If I can take you out soon
Although I'm tired
You're the inspiration
I wrote this song to
When I'm thinking of you

The clock is ticking by all the time
Storing all our days in gigabytes
A virus striked last night
As I e-mailed u boo hoo hoo
(CHORUS)

Working like a dogDay goes by
Sleeping like a log
Don't ask why
My neighbours had a fight
At 1 am last night but I...
(CHORUS)

Burdened

I read Van's blog and it seems like nothing has changed in the youth service. Are we discouraged? May we never be! This goes to show that we need a whole of of people who will interceded for the hearts of our kids! It's not just about passion, but compassion. It's ur willingness to put yourselves in their brokeness (and being unaware of it).

Oh pray and pray! Do not stop lest God should bless us not.

Pls pray for us

This has been one of the most exciting weeks of my life as I wait for the birth of my son. The baby is due on 4th July. It's US independance day, but I won't call him an independance baby, coz he is dependant on his Mama and Dada. Anyway, the doc said it can be anytime soon and so I'm not taking any jobs. I am not worried about not having money to feed the little one. I am doing my part to trust my Lord. He has always provided even though I was broke (that's a long time ago, but something I remember not to repeat).

When baby arrives, u'll be first to know through this blog. Meanwhile pray for us. Pray with us.

I must not faint in the delivery room... I must not faint in the delivery room... I must not...

Sean Dietrich

Hey peepz, check out this website. I knew about it when the musician commented in one of my blog entries. We have the same common influence in Keith Green.

*Samantha, u'll love it! CHeck it out!

Click HERE!!

TIme of Your Life (Good Riddance)

There is hardly time to question why we go thru things in life. Questioning why certain things happen never solve problems, but open the way to bigger ones. All of life's circumstances, be it a trial or a happy occasion, there is always something to learn from. What makes it more exciting for me is the faith that beckons me, for without it, I'll be left sprawling to the ground digging my way underground no clear direction to go.

And of all places, I found a very encouraging message in Green Day's song.

Another turning point

A fork stuck in the road

Time grabs you by the wrist

Directs you where to go

So make the best of this test

And don't ask why

It's not a question

But a lesson learned in time

It's something unpredictable

But in the end is right

I hope you had the time of your life

-GREEN DAY-

Some silly question

I once talked about a book I was reading called "The Gospel According to Jesus" by John MacArthur and he replied rather sarcastically, "Jesus never wrote the Gospel, what gospel are u talking about?"

That was so irritating!

Another silly question that Shukor told me about. He was working as a production crew many years ago and someone showed another crew a photo of his new baby and he asked, "This is my son, guess boy or girl?"

Extended drum solo goes out to that boo boo!!

Pleasantly Surprised

Thanks for coming down for an unexpected jam!

It wasn't the best of jam, but it's the company that mattered. We sounded so raw, but the joy of making music was still there. What's music to my ears were not the songs that we played by the laughter that we shared. Now we really need to concentrate on getting all the ideas that we have together so that we can move forward. It's about time!

Chase Again

Can u hear this Lion roar??

Today might be the last day I work on Chase because I am told them I can't commit to a long term project as SW will be giving birth soon. Moreover the shoot was pushed forward and I didn't expect it to to extended. However it didn't stop me from having a good time today. Here are some photos that I took today. At the end of the shoot, had a good chat with Charmaine about our common faith. It was good catching up and carrying on a conversation that we didn't complete when we were in Ngee Ann.

This is Mediacorp Artiste Joanne Peh. Next to her is Closet Rockstar, : )X.

MTV VJ, Max.

Director Eric

Assistant Producer and former FSV Student, Charmaine.

At the end of the day, my only thoughts were not the stars that I've met, but the star that truly matters to me and my family. I only want to follow Jesus

Aussie Aussie!!

I was supporting Japan at first, but after the scored their controversial goal in the first half, I was supporting Australia. This is the first game of the World Cup that I was jumping up and down shouting "GOAL!"

GO AUSSIE!!! But dun beat brasil!

World Cup

Japan will Whip some Aussie Bottom tonight! Yeah!

NIPPON!!

"The service orders and song lists were thrown out of the window and the
Holy Spirit took over."

Wow! That's a pretty scary thought when u think of what our youths usually hears in their heads. When the order of service is taken out and the atmosphere is open to anything. This was one method that I struggled with since I read Tommy Tenny's "God Catchers". It made a statement like the one above too. It also shared that if God visits a place in such "power" God has the right to displace the order of worship and let His spirit take over. I do not deny that God speaks in those moments. I myself have my own experiences with the Lord, but how can a Christian trust such an experiences when he is untouched by the Word any other day? The bible affirms us that His sheep hears His voice (John 10:2-4). But even before they knows their master's voice, they must first know their master. The knowledge of God doesn't just pops up in our heads and leave us without foundation. Christ is our firm foundation and the basis by which God conveys that to us is through teaching and preaching or the Word.

"Oh Jenn, why must u pour cold water over our revival fire?" Don't prove revival to me with ur experiences, prove to me with ur lives "for the eyes of the LORD move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His..." (2 Chronicles 16:9). This is the objective truth: we are "completely His". We know this coz the Word of God declares it. But there subjective experience of a heart that is complete His is one that is living in step with the Spirit. I hope and I pray that in the midst of all the euphoria, real revival will break out back in 355 Tanglin Road. That said, I really share the joy with those who're experiencing the exhilarating joy after the retreat.

The burden that the Lord gave me might be light, but it's a heavy calling. In the midst of sharing ur joy, I weep in prayer for the hearts of our youth to turn back to the Lord. Some infect people with their joy others affect people with their prayer. I want to infect and affect people with joy and prayer. I am committed to the cause. I look to the finish line and continue to run the race. It's not one against time, it's one against the spirit of this age that has captured the minds of God's people.

In the midst of the congregation, I will celebrate with my fellow saints. But when I am alone with my God, I will persevere (even to tears) in agonizing prayer.

O my heart! Put ur hope in God alone!

Now that the retreators are back, it's time to hear their stories of how the Lord touched them and to encourage them to walk in faith. I don't want to be quick to doubt, but I'll pray and ask the Lord to transform them and make their faith stronger than ever; that they will not just experience God, but also have a change of attitude towards the Bible. I look forward to serving them.

I got this off Rachel Choo's blog. It was really awesome! It's by Leonard Ravenhill.

“The place of prayer is more than a dumping ground for all our anxieties, frets, and fears. The place of prayer is not a place to drop a shopping list before the throne of a God with endless supplies and limitless power.I believe the place of prayer is not only a place where I lose my burdens, but also a place where I get a burden. He shares my burden and I share His burden. "My yoke is easy and my burden is light." To know that burden, we must hear the voice of the Spirit. To hear that voice, we must be still and know that He is God.”

I miss those days

Today the Cage is at another place
I miss those days when I was working at the FSV Cage (with my main man, Shukor)
I miss giving the students hard time, their laughters and complaints
I may missed their bookings or forget their names
But when I see them, it's feels like time hasn't changed
Today the Cage is another place
Don't u wish u could relive them once again?

Date: 23rd June 06, Friday
Venue: Monty's Bar, No.32 Boat Quay (just a bitfurther down from Harry's)
Time: 7pm to 10pm (as usual, you are more thanwelcome to stay on till late)
Promo exclusive for FMS Alumni and staff: FREEpizza, happy hour prices till late, 20% off selecteddrinks and all food items

Please RSVP to me by latest 20th June with thefollowing information:

1. Name:
2. Course / Year of Grad (eg FSV 2005):
3. Contact number / email:
4. Number of people attending (if you are intendingto bring guests), including yourself:
See ya there.

Prayer for Youth Retreat

U know what I am really praying? That they will have an earnest desire to grow as well but that growth begins only after they have a serious change of heart. As I evaluate and think bout the message I've been sharing with my friends, it's always about the matters of the heart. There are a lot of youths who have a desire for God. They want the gold, but they dun want to go thru the fire. But wheen revival fire falls, it's painful, but yet it's result will be jo. It'll be painful to those who subject themselves to the Lord's cleansing flames and joyful to those who after being purtified thru the test of fire are being approved by the Lord.

I will pray for revival to fall at the retreat. Be ready to carry the wounded. Then we can care for them and treat them with the word and let the Lord do His work in them thru our ministry.

Last night's praying at RL meeting

I was told to lead worship last night and I went there without an agenda or a songlist and just proceeded to play my favourite C2, G/B, Am7 and D progression then went into "I give you my heart" in G. Then I played the same progression again and this time just encouraging my co-servants in the Lord to sing their prayers aloud and that room, with just CX, Suhui, Liying, Jeraldine, Audrey and me was filled with songs of intercession for our ourselves and later for our young people. We were, as I read it in Joel's blog, enthralled by Spirit as we Worship the father.

The reason I am sharing this was because I have not done personal worship with a guitar for a long time. I've always been worshipping and praising God on the go. Which means it's always rushed or interupted. The last time I did it was actually last Sunday when I was practising "Great is Thy faithfulness" for the YAC reunion. It's been a long time since I did that. I really love leading worship in a small group format where everyone is praying and crying out to God with all of their hearts. It's always different in a larger group because sometimes u'll find yourself singing alone at where you're sitting; or the worship team might seem to be giving a concert.

An experience like this is not the "defining moment" in my spiritual life. It's not a one time thing. I've been experiencing God like this almost everytime we all come together to worship and prayer. I am not trying to boast about my spirituality, but I want to use this opportunity to question the experiences of people who's life are conditioned by the "quality" of their experience and not by the quality we find in Christ. When the music stops and there are no instruments to aid in the praise and worship of God, will we still offer God the extravagant praise that He deserves or will we remain passionless and fruitless because we don't "feel right"?

Tonight is Rageberry Jam. I pray that it'll be like what we experienced last night and that it'll not stop when the meeting ends, but that their lives will continue to be a continuos praise and worship unto the Lord always. I pray the Lord to cause the prayer warriors to be unsettled and unsatisfied until God is most satisfied with our hearts.

"I will not let go until You bless me"

-Jacob after he wrestled with an angel the whole night

Thoughts upon thoughts

If u ask me what is wrong with our youths, I won't hesitate to say something is, but I can't point out exactly what. But when I think of the youths, I know there are some whom the Lord is stirring. However, may I be unsatisfied with this trickling flow of revival and beg for the heavens to open so that God will pour out His Spirit in the last days again as promised and cause us all to be ablaze with His glory?

This is an excerpt from the brilliant book "The Forgotten Spurgeon". When I read this portion, it striked a chord in my heart. I hope it will do the same for you. God Bless You!

I pray that at this coming retreat, there will be people who will stop seeing the glory of God, if that glory doesn't cause them to see their need to be transformed from the inside out. Where then is the power of God to salvation if the heart is not changed by the glory of Christ? A heart that leaves room for sin has no room for the Holy Spirit. When the glory of God shines into our hearts, it illuminates our inner most darkness. That which is hidden will be brought to light, but not many will see it because that road is narrow and few will enter through it. I hope and I pray that you are not one of them.

In 1891, the last year of [Spurgeon's] life, there was [a] sermon from the Book of Daniel, this time on the resolution of Daniel's three companions who were thrown into the firey furnance for their refusal to submit to Nebuchadnezzar. In the first division of the sermon he lists the kind of excuses the three men might have used to justifu a compliance which would have kept them out of the furnance. They might have said, 'We can do more good by living,' dying would çut short our opportunities of usefulness.' Upon which Spurgeon enlarges:

'Ah, my dear breathern! There are many that are deceived by this method of reasoning. They remain where their conscience tells them they ought not to be, because, they say, they are more useful than they would be if they went "without the camp". This is doing evil that good may come, and can never be tolerated by an enlightened conscience. If an act of sin would increase my usefulness tenfold, I have no right to do it; and if an act of righteousness would appear likely to destroy all my apparent usefulness, I am yet to do it. It is yours and mine to do the right though the heavens fall, and follow the command of Christ whatever the consequnces may be. "That is strong meat," do you say? Be strong men, then, and feed thereon...

For right is right, since God is God
And right the day must win;
To doubt would be disloyalty,
To falter would be sin.'

My Singapore Idol

Randy Chua, WAHAHAHAH!! What a surprise to see him at the Singapore Idol website. I'll definitely be supporting him man! BTW, in case u didn't know. He is an FSV alumnus. He was suppose to be a soundman like me after he ORD, but I guess I'll be miking him next time. Wahahaha...

GO RANDY!!