Enjoying Jesus :)

Today i learnt an incredibly valuable lesson.

There have been many times in my life that i'm so caught up in doing what i should. i should spend at least half hour reading the Word, i should pray for at least, at least 15mins -whacks self if i don't- it becomes a brow-knitting, eyes shut tight, forced concentration thing. then i peep at my clock in mid-prayer. ah yes! i've hit 15mins, i breathe a sigh of relief. yes. i've made it. met my minimum requirement.i should be safe now, hur. lululu!
strange how that 15mins felt like eternity...

does that happen to you too?
so what i want to ask you is.. have you forgotten what it's like to enjoy the Lord?

When we begin to enjoy our Lord..the process becomes a pleasure. Praying and worshipping becomes something we look forward to doing, because we enjoy it.
I can't wait to pray because it's no longer something someone forces me to do, but rather because it's the way i talk to the One i love who loves me even more! I enjoy talking to someone i love..and i love that that someone loves to talk with me too. It's this way with our Lord! He loves to talk to you! Do you know how happy you make Him?
Zephaniah 3:17
"He will take great delight in you,
he will quiet you with his love,
he will rejoice over you with singing."

amazing,huh?

so how exactly do you enjoy the Lord? i suppose it differs with individuals. perhaps some might choose to venture outdoors, spread your arms wide and twirl round and round, just breathing in His presence in His beautiful creation..enjoying Him through His creation. maybe some might just sit in the dark in their rooms..singing sweet love songs to Him. perhaps some may flop on their beds and have a conversation with the King..try asking Him something you would ask a friend, something random, something fun. just try. i know i did, and He did answer,haha!
i dont know how you would choose to enjoy the Lord, but i'm sure we all have different ways that are all so,so precious to Him :) it makes me smile knowing that the Lord enjoys my company too!

Psalm 16:11
"You have made known to me the path of life,
you will fill me with joy in your presence,
with eternal pleasures at your right hand."

our God is one of eternal pleasures. Not the low-grade,cheap and vile "pleasures" the world offers, but authentic, sweet,satisfying pleasure, the way God created it. when we seek to enjoy Him and His wonderful presence, we will find pleasure in the King!

So would you take the time to enjoy the Lord today? Just you and Him time.
Forget the rules, forget the obligations, forget the pressures.
Just enjoy your Lord and His sweet,sweet presence.
It's a turning point.
No more religion.
Just the start of a beautiful relationship with your precious Jesus.
Enjoy the Lord.

Bite-size application #1

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
Be joyful always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.

sounds like a tall order huh.but here's what i learnt and am still learning to apply.

"Our joy, prayers and thankfulness should not fluctuate with our circumstances or feelings. Obeying these three commands - be joyful, pray continually, and give thanks - often goes against our natural inclinations. When we make a conscious decision to do what God says, however, we will begin to see people in a new perspective. When we do God's will, we will find it easier to be joyful and thankful."

so even when you don't feel like being joyful, prayerful and thankful, just do it.i believe that when you make the conscious effort to obey God, He gives you the strength you need to do it.. and gradually, it becomes easier and easier!

we try it starting now ok?
every time you don't feel like it, remember what you read here, and apply! (:

A Call To Prayer [6]

HELLO! WILL YOU GUYS BE UNITED IN PRAYER WITH US? (:

1. Unity and love among camp committee
Pray that everything that camp com does, every word, every thought, every action will be done in Jesus’s love. Remember 1 John 4:12. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.
Pray for unity, that the camp com will be one, flowing together in the same direction, with the same goals and vision. Pray that the camp com will not allow satan to have any hold, or any chance to sow any seeds of discord.May YPMers see the love of Christ exemplified through the camp com.

2. Our dear youths who are taking their Os/As
This one’s for you people, we remember you! Pray that above everything else, you will remember the depth of love the Father has for you. Know that our God is the wisest EVER! And no Math/weird science equation (ok, personal bias. hur.) is too tough for Him. Pray that you will remember who you have in you, Jesus Christ! The author of beautiful poetry and creator of languages, scientist, mathematician, geographer, historian. “I am”, He says.

Pray for supernatural strength and wisdom that can only come from our great God. Pray for peace. And learn to cast ALL your worries upon Him, simply because He cares for you. If it’s in your hands, it’s not in God’s hands.


3. From the camp com!
Amelia:
-Pray that I will be able to rest well in Him. (Ps. 46:10)
Busy from work, camp, lg and other stuff.. need to take time to retreat with God

Aaron:
-Pray that the parents will support us in prayer, and pray for their kids to get touched in the camp
-That i'll do well for my stats exam this sat morn

Calvin:
- Pray for strength, confidence and hope. That I will be unwavered by circumstances at work.

Isaac Yeo:
- Pray for me to find a good T-shirt producer and that I'll do my last cos (company orderly sergeant) duty with peace. Pray for good health, as I'm currently down with flu.

Samson:
-Pray that the music stuff that i'm standing in for cal would be settled quickly and that the right people would be serving for worship

Matt:
-Pray for the team that’s going up to Sitiawan this week to conduct a music workshop. Objective is to inspire them to bring life into the church through music.

ok.so the fish on the publicity poster weren't goldfish. here we go! i'm sure it's goldfish now!

Why pray?
Because prayer is your #1 weapon against satan! whoop!

Ever had days when everything just seems to suck? You can't explain why, you're just frustrated and impatient. or maybe you get depressive, with all those extreme mood swings, and you just wanna break things? (smell the angst already!) then out of nowhere, some really negative thoughts sneak into your head..("i'm useless.can't do nothing right.") and then suddenly, you start remembering past,unhappy incidents. those that you'd give anything to forget. Perhaps memories of someone who hurt you, rejection/loss, or maybe a failed relationship...

well, my friend. you are not alone. -pat on the back-
ok wait! before we decide to gather for a group hug and wallow in self pity.......

first question. do you know who you are?!!?!
let me have the honour of telling you, that you are the precious,precious child of the most awesome GOD. yeap. believe it. it's who you are. get that in your head,ok? (:
second. do you know that satan practically quivers knowing who YOU ARE? he would do anything to try to bring you down, so that you won't realize the power that you have that comes from your Father.
third. has it occurred to you how real the spiritual realm is?

let me share a story with you. (which is completely relevant, so keep reading!)
the King of Aram was at war with Israel, so the King of Aram and his men plotted and plotted..the best place to ambush the Israelites to wipe them out heh heh. but everytime they did so, this certain man of God, the prophet Elisha, would always send word to the King of Israel, to warn him about the Arameans and their "hiding place". This happened so often that the King of Aram got peeved, so he sent horses,chariots and lots of men to find this Elisha and capture him.

the next morning, the servant of Elisha woke up, and saw the great number of horses,chariots and men that surrounded the city that were here to capture Elisha. the servant got scared and asked Elisha "Oh my lord, what shall we do?" then Elisha said "Dont be afraid. Those who are with us are more than those who are with them." i think at this point, Elisha's servant might have thought him crazy,because there were no chariots or horses or men that were on Elisha's side at this time. then Elisha prayed.."O Lord, open his eyes,so he may see." then the Lord opened the servant's eyes so that he may see. and he did. and he saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.

this story,from 2 Kings 6:8-17, offers a rare glimpse into the "invisible world" of the supernatural realm. God has resources to help us that we cannot see! isn't that amazing? also, my purpose of sharing this story with you,is to show you how real the supernatural realm is.

What to do with those negative, frustrating and depressive thoughts?
ok,so now that you know the supernatural realm is real, what next? what's this gotta do with those frustrating and depressive thoughts?

Picture yourself in the battlefield of the spiritual realm. that's where you are every single day. well, did it ever occur to you that those frustrating and depressive thoughts are flaming arrows from satan? this is just one of his ways to try and bring you down! and at this point, that's where the armour of God comes in, doh!

check out what my Life Application bible says. "Beneath the surface of the routine of daily life, a fierce struggle among invisible spiritual powers is being waged.Our main defense is PRAYER that God will protect us from the evil one and that He will strengthen us." so PRAY. pray for the blood of Jesus to cover your thoughts and mind. PRAY and command those frustrating and depressing thoughts OUT OF YOUR MIND in Jesus's name because you are not unaware of satan's schemes, and these thoughts have no place in your life as a child of God! satan knows your weak spots. if you're emotional, he'll shoot those sad thoughts at you.. if you're hot tempered, he'll shoot you some angry thoughts. but stand strong! let us do as the Word says in 2 Corinthians 10:5 and take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ! so guard your thoughts, shoot down any thoughts that are deceiving and from satan, even before they have a chance to become comfortable in your head! it's an active part for you to play, daily. you'll get used to it and it'll become 2nd nature to you after some practise :)

Persevere! Keep praying! Stand firm against spiritual warfare now.
satan doesnt want us to pray. he knows that when we pray, there is POWER. he will do everything he can to stop you from praying. i'm sure you've experienced those moments, when it's time to pray..you start getting sleepy, and somehow your body gravitates towards the bed.. you try to pray..yes you try..Dear Lord..zzzzz. haha. that's spiritual warfare,my friend!

Persevere! that's what the armour is there for, it helps us to persevere, keep praying, don't let satan have even half a squat of a chance to form a smirk on his face!
and if you haven't been praying, start :) 5 minutes today. try it.

show satan you're no pushover. realize your identity. you are a child of the Most High God.
start praying.
Prayer is power and your #1 weapon against satan.

A Call to Prayer [5]

hellooo you!

Prayer pointers for the camp and campers.

1. A sense of wonderment
Most of us are too "grown up" and jaded for our own good. whatever happened to wonderment? A sense of wonderment leads to a greater appreciation of the Creator and the awesomeness of His creations. Go on. wonder about that bolt of lightning. and the greenness of that patch of grass. and how did He make the evening sky look like that anyway?

2. A heart and mind that's increasingly centred on God and quick to remember His love and the wonderful Cross
Pray that the campers will become increasingly God conscious starting from now. That until and unless they find Him, their hearts will burn. Pray that this God consciousness will show up in their lives, through the way they behave to their family, friends, even strangers. Also, pray that campers will be quick to remember the extent of the Father's love for them (which culminates at the Cross!). Once you remember how much you're loved by the Almighty, how precious He holds you in His sight, satan can only slink away defeated. heh. hard to fight a child of the Most High God who knows his Father (who is God, in case it wasn't clear yet.) loves him la. REMEMBER HIS UNFAILING LOVE & THE WONDERFUL CROSS!

3. Campers that pray..because they love.
Pray for this blog, the contributors and the prayer committee. Pray that thru this blog, campers will gain a deeper heart understanding of prayer. Pray for wisdom and sensitivity to the Spirit,that as the contributors share, the campers' hearts will be moved by the precious Holy Spirit. That eventually, we will all come to understand that we have a heart to pray, that's borne out of love for the King.

4. Spread the love..pray for your camp com
Prayer pointers/requests from the camp com.
Amelia:
-Good rest/ Physical health
-I am also attending a bible course on Addictions Counselling @ East Asia School of Theology - pray that I will have strength to absorb new information during the lessons every weekday night (until next wednesday- 26Oct).
-Pray for me as I continue to make 1-min prayer/announcement @ this saturday's YPM service.
-Pray for me as I join the YPMS classes on Sunday to do more publicity for the camp to the sec1s & sec2s.
-Pray for campers to register for the camp quickly (and in so doing, encourage the camp committee).

Aaron:
Pray for leaders that can impact the groups in the camps, and for proactive members who are able to rise to the occasion to use their abilities to participate

Calvin:
Pray for safety, health, fun and focus during work in Aussie. And also that his family will not be so worried.

Eeling:
Pray for the campers, that the reason they come is God Himself, and that their hearts are right.

Isaac Yeo:
-Pray for the P6s Spiritual milk class, that they can gel well and break the “boys stick with the boys” and “girls stick with the girls” pattern. Also that they will know that there is only ONE true God in their lives.
-Pray that I can find time to complete posters for the camp and have ideas and creativity in doing so.

Why pray?
because prayer shifts our focus to God

there are so many times in our lives when we get so caught up in our problems..they're all we see. exams looming..can't seem to pass that wretched subject. ("i tell you! you don't do well in your Os/As, that's IT. you have NO FUTURE!!!") ..confusing relationships.."how come he hasn't msged me today. does he like me? he doesn't like me! i'm sure he doesn't like me!! -wail-")..perhaps family/financial issues. the world is seemingly bleak and the animals are going crazy.

how now?! look left, look right..things are just not looking good.
ever thought of looking up?

let me share with you something i've learnt that i will never forget.
remember when Jesus walked on water? Matthew 14:25-33

Jesus was walking on water and the disciples were afraid.that was completely understandable. i mean WHO walks on water?! then Peter said, "Lord, if that's you, bid me come!" and Jesus said, "Come." so, with his eyes on Jesus, Peter climbed out of the boat..and then he did the impossible. He walked on water.

at that time, the winds were blowing and howling, and that got Peter's attention. man, he was scared. then he started to sink..."Lord, save me!" and immediately, Jesus reached out and caught him.."You of little faith, why did you doubt?"

i think by now, in all thirteen.....fifteen...eighteen years of your life, you would know that these storms do come. satan will make the winds howl and blow. but will you believe me when i say that when you keep your eyes on Jesus, no matter how loudly the wind howls or how frightening the storm is, you will be able to do what the world cannot? when the storm comes, the world's natural reaction is to hide, whimper, cry..and admit defeat. when you look to Jesus, you can rise above that, and do the supernatural. when you look to Him, you find that you are above your fears and troubles.with such peace too.
Jesus asked Peter, "why did you doubt?" doubt is taking your eyes off Jesus.

so how do i keep my eyes on Jesus? stare at a poster of Jesus on my wall the whole day? keep a picture of Him in my wallet and whip it out to stare at it when i'm in need? no la (:

one of the ways we keep our eyes on Jesus, is to pray! when we pray, it shifts our focus off of ourselves and back to God. when your focus is on God, you realize your troubles are sooo tiny, in comparison to how good God is. i've experienced this so many,many times.and the cool psalmist guy in Psalm 77 did too! (i've hyperlinked the verses, don't be lazy,just click! haha.) as you read the psalm, you will realize that he starts off by expressing his distress and requests to God, but from verses 13-20 onwards, the "I" factor is gone..and he stops thinking about himself and starts worshipping God..and finally, in verse 20, he is no longer distressed, and he no longer doubts that God will indeed care and provide for him.
When you pray, God shifts your focus to Him.

you try (:
i've no doubt that when you turn your eyes to Jesus and pray instead of focusing on your troubles, you will have an increasing wonder of our beautiful God and your troubles will seem so small.

love!

A Call to Prayer 4

Hey ppl.. Been saying small and precise prayers to the Lord?... Let us take some time to reflect on any answered prayer and any proof of God's loving and good nature..

Philippians 4:6Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

Thanksgiving and prayer go hand in hand...

Thanksgiving shows where your heart was in the first place when you said that prayer, Thanksgiving opens up the heavens to more blessings and answered prayers. Lets's take time to thank Him right now.

Prayer Requests

1) That the people of YPM will seek the father's face not His hand. That we will be a people who thanks Him continually.

2) Strength and Wisdom for Amelia as she leads the camp committee. pray for grace, wisdom and anointing to carry out responsibilities (e.g. announcements) well. She's also had a hectic week with camp and office related stuff...pray for rest and peace!

3) to everyone out there who's still having exams... Hang in there! May we all draw strength from Him and let us all experience Him in our lives in any way He chooses - IZ Yeo

4) Words of Samson Fu (Last year's camp chairman): I'm inspired by the prayer bookmark and that glory will descend from heaven when our knees are to the earth. Let's go with great expectation and continue to pray!

5) Words of Aaron Tay (this year's camp vice chairman): "This camp is quite like the sequel to the previous.. The Lord has already started the work, and more will be done thru this camp. it's a time which we set aside for Him and ourselves. Nothing else matters. Not the place, chairman, games, etc. only Him. Many dun realise this . So we need to be conscious Christians and not slumber in our fantasies."

6) That we will be Christians with hearts TOTALLY committed to Him

For the eyes of the LORD range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him. .... -2Chron 16:9

Not 50%.. no not 75%.. Not even 99%.. All our hearts!!!

7) Matto: Faith and Expectancy for the camp. reality and clarity of the vision for the camp.

Oh lastly.. Pray for me..! I'll be going to Aussie.. ha pray for safety,peace and a closer relationship with Him. Pray that the worship and prayer sub comms will prosper. Pray for Guang Hao.. who's taking over the prayer sub comm, shumin the blog, and also samson hu's humbly and willingly accepted to help with worship.. I thank God for these guys and all back home in Singapore. Be missing u guys and u will be in my thoughts and prayers constanly!! Peace be with you...

The God Who Hears


15 When the water in the skin was gone, she put the boy under one of the bushes. 16 Then she went off and sat down nearby, about a bowshot away, for she thought, "I cannot watch the boy die." And as she sat there nearby, she began to sob.
17 God heard the boy crying, and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and said to her, "What is the matter, Hagar? Do not be afraid; God has heard the boy crying as he lies there. 18 Lift the boy up and take him by the hand, for I will make him into a great nation."
19 Then God opened her eyes and she saw a well of water. So she went and filled the skin with water and gave the boy a drink. -GEN 21:15-19


Before this incident Hagar had already been chased out of Abraham's house once because she was despised by Sarah. But this time it was final.
Alone, With a child, without food or water. Feeling helpless and hopeless. She went on her way with no aim except to survive. No direction except away from Abraham's household.
At her most desperate, she left her son Ishmael because she could not bear to watch him die, she would soon die too of exhaustion and dehydration.
But the Lord was true to the covenant He made with Abraham, and He was true to His nature. Ishmael means God hears. And when Ishmael cried out. The Lord made a way out for the mother and son by providing a well of water.

God is a God who hears us!!!

sometimes it may seem like our prayers hit skies made of steel..
No... We Speak to a God who hears us, and is more than willing to help us even in our lowest valleys, in our deserts. When all hope seems to be gone. Trust in HIm and call out to Him for that well of water in any situation.... All glory goes to Him!

2 Chronicles 7:14if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

"I am convinced that when God's people fast with a proper Biblical motive-seeking God's face not His hand-with a broken, repentant, and contrite spirit, God will hear from heaven and heal our lives, our churches, our communities, our nation and world. Fasting and prayer can bring about revival - a change in the direction of our nation, the nations of earth and the fulfillment of the Great Commission"

http://www.billbright.com/howtofast/

Hey hey...
I'm sorry dun wish to bombard u with too much info and stuff. But this is really cool stuff...
When we pray we are seeking the face of God.
“To seek the face”- is to seek an audience with a prince or with God, to seek favor.
when we pray we are seeking God's face.. not His hand..
How many times have i treated God like a vending machine. Have i ever taken time to know Him. To seek an audience with my Father, King, Friend.. To seek His favour. Unmerited and undeserved favour.

From today onwards i shall change the approach of my prayer...
"Lord i want to know you. your heart, character and may i receve unmerited favour from you O Lord. I wan to know u because i love u and cos i am a child of the most high"

Let us seek His face together... =)

Hi guys,
Rejoice in the Lord always and again I say rejoice... Ever had times you woke up early in the morning and just could not return to your peaceful slumber? Often it's just a little while (say half an hour before ur actual waking time).
Psalm 5:3In the morning, O LORD, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation.

Could it be the Lord motivating u to pray. =).. I've found that more often than not it is.How often i've pushed the snooze button on the Lord. And found that during the day i was so powerless, weak, ineffecient in the admin tasks that i have to do in camp.

A while back i decided to break through the weakness of the flesh and set my heart and mind on God.. It was a feeble first attempt, I was semi dozing as i came to the Lord with thanksgiving, supplication, adoration, confession.. HahA.. But he graciously accepted my prayers.

And u noe wad. That day was the most peaceful i had felt in the longest of time. My heart was set on things above. And yet i was focused on the tasks i needed to do. I did them heartily, quickly and efficiently. All this in spite of a very trying period of time in my life.God is so good and gracious. Let me bring these few points to u of the importance of prayer courtesy of Pastor Kong Hee (City Harvest Church). Here they are:

1)Prayer Opens the Heavens Over Me
2)Prayer Brings Down the Presence of The Holy Spirit to Me
3)Prayer Makes Me More Like God
4)Prayer Breaks the Stubborness of My Rebellious Flesh
5)Prayer Releases the Power of God into My LIfe

God is good. The question we should ask ourselves is not whether God can be found, but rather how willing we are to seek Him.
God bless you guys. May we daily humble ourselves and discipline our feelings to seek the Lord.
Praise the God of grace and mercy, and abundance.

In His Love and Mine
Calvin

Hi guys..
Been learning from ppl ard and from this book by pastor Cho Yonggi. The importance of making specific prayers. It is powerful when u see the Lord answer all the little and specific prayers. Dun forget to give thanks to Him when u do receive an answer. =)

this week let us pray:
1) For any root of unforgiveness or bitterness to be broken. That the Lord will bring healing, restoration and peace and unity once again to YPM. That any arguments will be torn down by the blood of Jesus Christ. That parties involved will treat each other in humility and love.

2) Pray that despite the environmental changes, our bodies will be in tip top condition, full of energy to serve the Lord.HAha. Specifically pray for fevers, coughs, and dengue fever.

Psalm 91:7A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you.

may we stand upon this truth and priviledge.

REZOLUTION CAMP

3) Saturday Amelia is going up to speak. Pray for confidence, love and trust in the Lord as she speaks.

4) She is gonna speak specifically abt fear in the hearts of the members in regards to the SU campsite. Let us pray for release from fear, we are no longer slaves to fear. For He has given us the authority Luke 10:19

5) Pray for expectancy inthe hearts of YPMers. that they will learn to expect God, and desire to learn so much from Him thrugh the camp that they will make the effort and have the desire to come.

6) Pray for camp comm who are concurrently working/studying and serving the Lord. That He may grant us good time management and cool ideas.
esp. IZ Yeo. doing up registration form. Has difficulty doing it in camp.
calvin who's going aussie soon, that he may finish the tasks he's supposed to do.

Hey hey...
Prayer is communication. And communication is necessary for every relationship i our lives.. So when we come to God in prayer. Who are we communicating to?

A King
Luke 1:37
For nothing is impossible with God."
Mighty Creator, God,King of all Kings. When we come to Him we are coming to an all powerful God, but at the same time He is also loving and compassionate. He is good. When can ome to Him in full assurance that He is more than ABLE to help you in anything, and He is also more than WILLING to. Praise be to the Most High.

A Friend
Proverbs 17:17
A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.
A friend in time of need is a friend indeed. Ever had friends who left you or were not around in your most difficult times. Jesus will never do that.
Are you facing any trials, difficulties, pain. Jesus is right beside you always there to provide a listening ear, but more than that, he wants to help you out.Have you gained a victory in your life, has something made u very happy, Jesus is also there once again to share in the joy with you.

A Father
Galatians 4:6
Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, "Abba, Father."
We have a Father in heaven, always waiting to hear from His child, to encourage, to motivate, and even at times discipline. He loves us too much to let any harm befall us.
Some think He is an authoritarian, fierce God. But remember the story of the prodigal son?
When you decide to walk towards HIm, He will RUN to you.

God bless. Pray.. =)