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JeSuS FrEaK

JeSuS FrEaK - Stand out for Jesus!

Do not bother with how peopl view of you as you live a life that is different from the norm, the world's standards! We are different! We are freaks to them!

As there is a generation of christians that are matyred for God, we look at our freedom of worship and stuff but yet we do not treasure such liberty. How ironic? It is those in difficult situations that treasure God & His word more! We need to buck up, wake up & give ourselves a boot!

These christians can lay down their lives for Him. They care not for their own!

What about us?
Our response: I may not get to die for Him but I shall live for Him!

Last Sun Service

What happened during last sun service? I went to church early and had time to sit around. As I did, I read through Ps 34, a passage for this season:

The Lord showed me a few things:
1. That in the passage, we can divide it into problems that we might face
2. The solutions that we can employ
3. The effects that these solutions can have in our lives

Next, I was also showed these:
1. In the earlier verses showed thanksgiving of God for His works and for who He is.
2. Then it was shown that we need to listen to Him (how? Through His words and His Spirit) to learn the fear of the Lord so that we can lead our lives for Him, IN ACTION & SPEECH!
3.In the last part, it shows how our lives are blessed through the above actions.

Simple passage yet much truth!

Then it was joining Jiajun's cell and having some fun with the youths before service! Service was great as usual! Then we had discussions and prayers! I sense the Lord using me again as I avail myself to Him! How long it has been! Then dinner with some cool people and going home..! How I love sundays and church and the people!

After Screw Removal

Doctor said after my review yesterday that I have to wait another 2-3 weeks before I can be fully free of my clutch! However, I am going back to teach on the 22nd of Sept. How to walk around school lei? Only God knows! How to get to school? Probably only by taxi liao?!? Not much that I can do for now!

Love of God....

God loves you!

Wait a minute to reflect what this statement means! What does it mean when He says He loves you?

For many of us, we are/ need to be DECIEVED by the Devil with lies about His love.

Many of us feel ashamed to approach Him because of our lives, of our sins, of whatever reasons. Some may be hurt and they do not wish to open their lives to accept love for they fear being hurt again. Many are also hurt that they dare not face God's love for the opening of their wounds trigger strong pain. These hurts can come from people, even in the community of church. In these cases, many decide to run away from His love. I did once, try to run away from Him in a camp. I hid everywhere possible, from people, from Him, even in the toilet... I still cried in the toilet for I felt His love. This was when I understood Ps 139, where can I escape His Presence.... Where?!

Some people also though they are in a group of believers do not believe that they belong. The feeling of isolation and just alone despite in a group of many people. I guess that's when we question God if we are in the right group. So many peopl leave church because of the people and not God. Many leave because they feel no love from church people. It is what they focus on though they should focus on God. I know it is not easy especially when expectations of your cell group is there but many times, they disappoint you the most. There can be so little grace and tolerance in the cell at times. These peopl even 'suan' you till you are hurt. Let's not forget these people are not perfect and what we can do is learn how to deal with them and help them too. But many times we focus on our pain and self-pity that we are decieved and we run away from cell, church and God!

Also, there are many who are in deep trouble or problems that they feel God has forsaken them or they do not understand why they are going through certain things. It is a process of moulding. It is also a consequence of the actions we have taken. There are so many reasons but yet we choose to blame God. It is the easiest thing to do. We always find someone to blame but never ourselves. I do not mean go finding fault with yourself and put yourself through a guilt trip.

There are many reasons why we are decieved. These are just a few that I find very common, particularly for myself.

However, God wants to DELIVER us from these lies! He wants us to know the truth and the way to a happy life! We often forget that we can approach Him without shame for He does not condemn! He accepts us the way we are. He has made us in His image. When we condemn ourselves, we say this: "Wa Kaoz, God huh, You make mistake la, make me until like this!" He cannot be wrong! It's just not possible. So we need to know Him and our worth in Him! Else, we are decieved and we are robbed of the life we deserve! We approach Him in boldness for what Christ has done and in doing so, we can commune with Him and know His will. Then we will lead a life that truly glorifies God. It is also to our own benefit!

Finally, we will lead a DYNAMIC life that is different! We have the power to be different from the world, to live a life of morals that we can hold fast. That is a supernatural life, a life governed and given by God. How often we miss what He has to offer us... This life is simple when we ask God the Father for help, submit ourselves to Jesus our Lord and commune with His Spirit who empowers, edifies and everything else!

Blog Life Can Resume...!

Finally managed to fix my computer. Finally can get online. Finally can blog! Irritating spywares... Corrupt my computer...

InCoNsIdErAtE PeOpLe...!

Tak boleh tahan!

How inconsiderate can S'poreans be?

1. Overtake me in taxi queue and act blur especially when I was on clutches and standing.
2. Newpaper: Shoppers hog lift and do not care about the SCDF crew (when there was a SCDF crew trying to get patient to the groundfloor) All they cared about was which floor they should go for shopping, which made the lift stop at every floor.
3. Doors of MRT crowded by incoming passengers! How to go in when those inside cannot come out?
4. Throw rubbish or litter everywhere just because not their home.
5. Talk loudly in cinema when show was reaching its climatic peak. When someone was dying and saying his last words and you are moved to tears, u hear someone pick up his phone & say a LOUD HELLO!

Many more but I cannot think now. Give me ideas? Maybe I can update!

SeRvIcE, FuN WiTh BaNd oF BrOtHeRs & SoMe ThOuGhTs aBt LoVe

Went service again this week with help from my cell group and a blessing from my brother-in-Christ, Kevin Tay from my Uni days..! He drove me to church! Been so long since we caught up with each other... He also drove me around when we were back in Uni to pursue our love for pool, together with Say Keat, Shuping too... Those were crazy & fun days... Of course, he would drive me up the wall too, at times! Haha... That's wat friends are for.

Service was good as there was little of His word but more of a time of response! A response to Him. Though the Lord asked us to confess sins and everything else, I felt mine was slightly different. Mine was a question of renewal of my love for Him. I always compared my love with others and said I wasnt that bad... I love Him what!?! However, He told me He want me to compare with His love for me. I knew I had no complaints liao...! How to win? Haha.... My love for Him was so so shallow...!

I responded to Him during alter call and walked forward with my clutches and all. Then He asked me this question:

"Jason, do you love me?" (This love was agape)

I replied:

"Lord, I can only phileos you!"

He then said:

"Feed my sheep!"

Some might wonder the difference... Let me explain:

• Agape is sacrificial love. An unconditional love.
• Phileos is a friend friend kind of love. Not strong. Least of a degree of 3 levels of love.

I thought I could agape Him but I realised I couldn't... It was not that easy afterall. I mean to love unconditionally and self-sacrificially, it is not natural, only SUPERNATURAL!

I mean we got to really think of what we say when we love something. We love mee siam mia hum! We love our parents/ partners...

Does this equate to our parents or partners or whoever to a plate of mee siam?

I know God is asking me to love Him & serve His people and feed His sheep... I am rising up again to answer a call which I have ran away from, for years for fear of hurts/ pains/ disappointments that I have experienced.

After service, a few of us ex-NTU guys went off to hang out. Kevin Tay, Ben Cheong, Chao Yang, Jiajun and myself! We went to cineleisure and sat down and chatted away, catching up on old times and cracking jokes. What a time! Time flew by. It reached 8plus. Ben showed off his latest catch to us and he went home. Not long after that, we all left too. I walked all the way to Taka basement taxi stand and a taxi gave way to me to cross the road. Cool!

At the taxi stand, Chaoyang & I waited for the taxi in queue. Someone actually moved in front of the line because the couple in front of us were talking and did not notice it! I was ENRAGED!! I was in clutches yet he act blur and just moved forward. Next, he just put on his Ipod earphones and acted like nothing happened! Some other couple did that but they apologised upon discovering their mistake that they overtook us. That's much better. I was on clutches and this guy was so so so ....

But I went home happy that it was a good day that God blessed me with. I really pray for more love and people of Singapore to be more considerate!

Intimacy with God and a life of holines

Intimacy with God

It was something that sparked me to think: What was worship? Was it just some slow songs, as in "Praise and Worship"?

God told me... No! It was a lifestyle. A life that chooses to please Him and honour Him!

It was not just a life that chooses His ways but also a life that chooses to know Him, to be initmate with God. In Matthew 7, verses 21-23. Jesus spoke to people who called Him Lord that He DID NOT KNOW them! They were people of lawlessness. What a shock these people must have felt? What harsh words!

Yet it is the very essence of christian living, not justone that is holy but one of intimacy with Him. How then to be intimate?

I offer you three points?

1. Fear of the Lord: Not to be scare of Him but to revere Him. He is the Kig of the Universe! Imagine you were to meet Mr Lee Kwan Yee? How would you treat you?
2. Humility: Humility also means a surrender to Him. To submit to His will and obey Him. Not partial obedience nor delayed obedience but absolute obedience! many cannot understand why. But what wrong is it to obey someone who knows best? The reason we cannot is we trust Him not to know best. Humility also means to depend on Him for everything and not our own abilities. Humility also means significance rests in Him for apart from Him, we are nothing as all abilities are given by God. We need not strive to proof to Him or anyone.
3. Time: How can we be intimate to anyone without spending time? We need to proof we have love by giving our time. We cannot expect the other person to give in to us when we do not contribute our time.

Love needs time. Intimacy needs time. Intimacy is an action word. It needs us to make sacrifices...! We cannot just keep telling someone we love them but when they need our time or our help, we tell them we are busy? Come on! We would give time to the person we love regardless how little time we have, right?

Other than action, we need heart also. We cannot do it grudgingly...! Always telling the other person, we did these, we did that. I mean it should be reciprocal but I mean we do not keep counts of the times the other person inconvenienced us! Do it out of a loving heart!

As God reveals more, i will write more! Stay tuned!

WhY I pReFeR sPiDeRmAn...

Ever wonder why we like certain superheros? Why do we wish to be like them?

Well, I personally prefer spiderman... Why? He is a man with great responsibilities cuz of his great power! Haha... That's besides the point.

He starts out as a loser, whom many people can identify with. We all feel loser at some point..?! For superman, he is an Alien!! I cannot identify with him. Besides, so much for a costume to hide his identity, a pair of spectacles! Oh please!! Another costume no no!! Why wear undies on the outside? Too hurried to save people that he wore his costume first before his undies?

Same for batman! At least he has the decency to cover his face to save himself the embarassment of being recognised with his undies worn outside! Another reason why I cannot identify with him as much was that he was a millionare to began with. So his powers came from gadgets through his money. I do sympathise with his loss of parents though. Can feel his struggle.

That's why I identify with Spiderman's character more. He also lost his foster father, his uncle Ben. He has more internal struggles, making him very human (not exactly, given his powers)! He battles with himself as he grows up, whereas for Batman, though a dark character, is too mature when we meet him, only showing glimpses of his past through his flashes or nightmares.

Spiderman decides to help others at the expense of his own welfare... How noble! He even shuns the love of his life, Mary Jane, to protect her from possible risks for fear that enemies might kill her just to threaten him. His internal struggles through seeking to find answers for himself, to even find out who he is, who he is to become are so intriguing.

Forced by circumstances to be a hero, he chose that path to protect the innocent. I mean, same as the other superheros but this guy just has struggles that made me identify with him more...! So give me spiderman anytime!!!

My Form Class & my Volleyballers

Wonder who in my form class or which of my volleyballers might read this...?

It's been more than a month after I fell and broke my leg. To be precise, it's been 1 month and 11days!!! I do think of my students... I miss the interaction I have with my form class. They visited me in hospital which was so sweet. My volleyballers wanna come visit me at home. I decided not to allow them to come my house. I still prefer to make my address a secret! Haha... Sorry, students!

I am worried with how many of my class might/might not pass maths. I am worried they start to be quarrelsome again. I am worried they are not studying. I am worried they are not cooperating with one another and with the teachers.

As for my volleyballers, I love to spend time with them all. Regardless which division or which gender... They are my 'babies' too. It is the students that I love but it is also them that drives me MAD!?!

Love hate relationship. I mean there are those who just melts your heart! Well, I mean I hate the administrative work and all that but I love them all!!! I kinda miss them. Some of them sms-ed me & called me to tell them they missed me. Mind you, there are boys too... I am not some heartthrob, making all the gals go gaga..!! How nice to go back soon. Let's keep our fingers crossed and keep praying!

SuN SERVICE...! (20th Aug)

Indeed it was a sun service! What do I mean? I am still immobile due to my leg so my cell came to my house to have cell group. On top of that, they travelled all the way down. Let me remind our audiences that some of my cell members stayed near Changi Prison and Marine Parade. They came so that I can have cell with them and then later travel to EXPO with them.

We had cell. They carried my bag, helped me climb down stairs and we took a cab to EXPO. They helped me buy food as I was seated down. What SERVICE, right?

Then it all happened so quickly and service was over. They went on their way to their various stuff. As for my leader, he and Jiajun's cell accompanied me to walk from Hall 10 to the MRT station. It was the longest walk in a long time!!! Long long time and a long long walk! It was agony to be so slow. My first outing since I fell on the 12th of July (medical appointments were not included).

We went to Changi Airport for dinner. Dinner at Swenson was fun, with loads of suan-g...! Then with many a pang sai talk!! Haha... It was madness at its best. With Chaoyang & Jiajun around, there is sure to be madness?!

Had to make them all take the lifts with me. Told them I didnt feel comfortable with the escalators. All the way, it was filled with SERVICE, particularly Danae's friend - Adeline Tan, sweet and always thought about my comfort. I don't mean the rest didn't. She was particularly sweet when she went faster ahead to press the lift button so that I didn't have to wait too long.

Time to go home at the end of the day. Took a train from Changi Airport to Redhill MRT. From there, Chaoyang sent me back in a taxi and he brought me upstairs before proceeding home. WHat a SERVICE? But it was also fun, considering I was bored stiff for a month plus. Lying in bed, sitting down and cannot do much. U must also remember that I am a hyper kid too (PE teacher who loves the outdoor!)

To Choose: Skills or Knowledge

A friend asked me this the other day. She asked me to choose. Which would be more important to me?

Without hesitation, I answered skills. 'Why?', you might ask. Here goes my analogies:

1.soccer:
If you read about soccer, about how to play, you have the knowledge but do you really know how to execute the moves? Or what good is a person who knows all the rules of the soccer game? However, when one possesses the skill to play, the knowledge would come eventually. I feel passion here is more key than anything else. No passion, all is lost!

2. God
I mean many pastors used this illustration. Many bible scholars know aobut God. They know a lot about God. Do they know Him? In an intimate and personal way? How do we know someone? Through interpersonal skill and spending time. I mean you can spend countless hour with someone but still do not know someone if you do not know how to relate.

Thus, I said that skill is important, to know a friend and to know God. Friends and God need us to spend time to relate, which is a skill. Intimacy with someone else cannot be achieved through mere knowing about the person. I know his/her likes and dislikes, I know her character profile but it can never make up for the dynamic situation in a relationship.

Summary:
I am just writing a brief portion of what I know I could elaborate when I engage someone in a chat.

To me, knowledge is headware and skills is more heartware. We cannot actually do one without the other because, we are made in His image. He is both intellectual and affectionate. If we possess only one, we become lop-sided.

As Pastor Khong preached on last sun's sermon, he mentioned that the bible made no distinction between either heart and mind. They were only made so through later years...

However, I believe in being hands-on, to put into practise what we know. Then only would the knowledge become relevant. We can also gain knowledge through trying. Having knowledge may not necessary translate into skills. The probability is so much lower!!

Skills over knowledge! But as I said, we shouldn't operate one without the either for we were not made this way!