Good Food, Good Health

"If you don't feel strong desires for the manifestation of the glory of God, it is not because you have drunk deeply and are satisfied. It is because you have nibbled so long at the table of the world. Your soul if stuffed with small things, and there is no room for great. God did not create you for this. There is an appetite for God. And it can be awakened."

"John Piper- A Hunger for God, p.23"

Nibbles often feel a lot better esp when they are junk food. I am too full from snacking junks to eat proper food. Missing out from good nutritions contain in good and proper food. What I need to do now is to stop nibbling/ snacking and start eating proper and healthy food. To stop desiring other things which lead to destruction and start desiring God who willingly run after me. Wanting to have a relationship with me and had done that through Jesus.

Looking at All the Wrong Places

Day after day I try to fill my empty hearts

Day after day I wonder what to fill it with

I look for it in many things and places

I look for it in myself, I look for it in people

Finding myself again and again not feeling satisfied

Some say I have too high of an expectation

Others say its just the way it is

Nothing is perfect so just settle and be happy

I say to God, I know nothing is perfect

But my heart longs to be filled to the full

Is it impossible??

Am I dreaming too much??

Am I too demanding??

Is there no answer to this??

Then You answer,

"Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money without cost. Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor in what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the richest of fare." (Isaiah 55:1-2).

Remind Me Who I am- Jason Gray

When I lose my way,

And i forget my name,

Remind me who I am.

In the mirror I see,

Is who I don't wanna be,

Remind me who I am.

In the loneliest places,

When I can't remember what grace is.

Tell me once again who I am to You,

Who I am to you.

Tell me lest i forget who I am to You,

That I belong to You.

To you.

"This is how we know that we live in him and he in us: He has given us of his Spirit. And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God. And so we know and rely on the love God has for us." ( 1 John 4:13-16)

-Picture taken from instagram-

Holding on is harder than letting go because it takes a lot more effort to hold on than to let go. Letting go is definitely the easy way out when the things we face are hard.

This would definitely be the case for Job who went from being the greatest man among those in the east (Job 1:3) to a man who is in poverty and pain because what he had was taken away that is his wealth and health. To let go of his faith to God was definitely the best option considering of what has happened to him and it seemed like God was absent. But this was Job's response

"Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I will depart.

The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away, may the name of the Lord be praised." ( Job 1:21)

"...Shall we accept good from God and not trouble?" (Job 2:10)

What would you do when life gets hard, painful and doesnt make sense??

Would you run to God and hold on, or would you let go??

My prayer is that you would remain in God and never let go. Continue in Him so that when he appears we may be confident and unashamed before him at his coming. (1 John 2:28)

A rebuke

I saw that picture a couple of days ago from fb and wasn't sure whether or not it was meant to have any christian meaning to it. But these verses came to mind when i read the words and was greatly encouraged to stop chasing after wrong things that only last temporarily and doesnt give me full satisfaction but to let God catch me and fill my empty heart!! :D:D

"Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on him God the Father has placed his seal of approval.” (John 6: 27)

"Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” (John 4: 13-14)

John 16:33

"You Carry me to the Cross"

When the path is daunting

and every step exhausting

im not alone

im not alone

no no

hallelujah

you carry me everyday

you carry me all the way

hallelujah

you carry me to

you carry me to the cross

For sample song and more lyrics, check out think link.

"Though they plot evil against you and devise wicked schemes, they cannot succeed, for you will make them turn their backs when you aim at them with drawn bow. Be exalted O Lord, in your strength, we will sing and praise your might." (Psalm 21: 11-13)

Living as Children of Light

"But if anyone obeys his word, God's love is truly made complete in him.

This is how we know we are in him:

Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did."

1 John 2:5-6

No Other Name

 There is no other name

In heaven can be found

Through whom we are redeemed

Through whom your grace abounds

No other name can save

But Jesus Christ our Lord

My joy in sorrow’s tears

My strength to cast out fears

No other name but Jesus, Jesus

My hope in darkest night

My broken soul’s delight

No other name but Jesus, Jesus

-Trevor Hodge, EMU Music 2010-

Math Equation

Someone once told me this equation and it has helped me since and helped other people too as I share it with them. I thought I share it here too :D:D

1. Jesus + salvation = good works     or   Jesus + salvation --> good works

NOT

2. Jesus + good works = salvation

Am super thankful that my good works doesnt lead to salvation otherwise I will never reach the salvation end because it will never be enough to cover up my sin.

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son." (John 3: 16-18)

God Can Do- Mike Mohede

Seek his love and just be strong
When your life seems hard and leads no where
He will be there and will always with you
Keep your faith and hope
He's so divine

God can do all things
His loving hands will lift and save you always
God can do all things
He will never ever leave you alone

Kari Jobe- Saviour's Here

You are faithful, You are true
We can always run to

Love that never fails
Arms that never close
Blood that covers sin
Grace that never end

So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. (Colossians 2:6, 7 NIV84)

"Come to the Father
Though your gift is small
Broken hearts, broken lives
He will take them all
The power of the Word
The power of His blood
Everything was done
So you would come"



Hillsong United- So you would come

Gracious God

I see myself walking down a road with many traps
I find myself falling into those traps again and again
Falling into both deep and shallow holes
Hurting myself and not able to get back up
No energy, no way out
Whose gonna help me??


Then I see someone lowering down a staircase
He starts to climb down and meet me at the bottom of the hole
He then pick me up and carry me on his back
Step by step climb up the stairs and save me from the deep dark hole


Who is this man willingly and countlessly helping me
Graciously saving me without a single complain
Not taking into account how many times I fall
Doesnt care how deep, dangerous, or disgusting it is
But demonstrating his love even to the point of death






"But the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. And I was delivered from the lion’s mouth. The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom. To him be glory for ever and ever. Amen." (2 Timothy 4:17-18)

What would you do??

A survey was taken of people 95 years and over, asking them if what they would change if they could live their lives over again. If they had a second chance, what would they do differently? Their top 3 answers were:

1. They would have taken more time to reflect about life, rather than simply reacting to it.
2. They would have liked to have taken more risks.
3. They would have liked to have done more things that would have outlived them.

-Taken from Interactive bible studies material on 2 Timothy by Matthias Media Australia-

What would you do if you have the chance to redo your life?? or What would you do now so that you wont have to regret when you look back at your life later on??

“But you his son, O Belshazzar, have not humbled yourself, though you knew all this.
Instead, you have set yourself up against the Lord of heaven. You had the goblets from his temple brought to you, and you and your nobles, your wives and your concubines drank wine from them.
You praised the gods of silver and gold, of bronze, iron, wood and stone, which cannot see or hear or understand. But you did not honor the God who holds in his hand your life and all your ways.


(Daniel 5:22, 23 NIV84)

An Example

Hillsong- Cornerstone

My hope is built on nothing less

Than Jesus' blood and righteousness

I dare not trust the sweetest frame

But wholly trust in Jesus' name

Christ alone, Cornerstone

Weak made strong in the Saviour's love

Through the storm

He is Lord

Lord of all

Never Self Sufficient

"God provided for the Israelites through a continual miracle everyday for forty years. He has provided for me and my family through his providential circumstances, also for many years. God wanted the Israelites to realise and remember their utter dependence on Him, so he used an extremity of need and a miraculous provision to capture their attention and teach them a lesson that is difficult to learn. Still, they forgot. How much easier is it, then, for us to forget when God is supplying our needs through ordinary mundane ways."


- Jerry Bridges, Transforming Grace p. 173-

Happiness :D:D

Is being happy really that simple??
It sounds great though but is it really possible to do all those things on our own??

Cookie Monster

Yesterday's sermon touched on the issue of reading the bible and my pastor gave an illustration about cookie monster (and hence the title) :D:D.

He mentioned that sometimes even as Christians, we read the bible for the sake of reading it without digesting it properly. We might be reading a lot of it but never really thinking it through properly. Just like how cookie monster eats so much cookie but those cookies never really get eaten properly because they fall off its mouth as soon as he eats it. Of course he wouldnt be able to eat his cookies properly because he is only a doll but i hope you get the idea.

I am guilty of this too. Having the attitude of cookie monster when it comes to reading the bible. If you are like me, ie. like cookie monster, my prayer is that we would ask God to open up our hearts as we open up the bible. That we would digest God's word properly and let it teaches, rebukes, corrects and trains us in righteousness.

"All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work." (2 Timothy 3:16-17, NIV84)

Saviour Please- Josh Wilson

Like a child who doesnt know where I am going
But still insist to go on my own
To only find myself fail and lost
Not once, not twice, but all the time


Daddy in heaven, thank you for opening up your arms to take me back in
Not once, not twice, but ALWAYS




Saviour please, take my hand
Saviour please, hold on to me
Saviour please, keep saving me!!

Satisfaction and Reward

When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the Lord your God for the good land he has given you. But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your forefathers, as it is today. (Deuteronomy 8:10, 18 NIV84)

When I have studied hard and are satisfied with my exam like today, there is always a temptation to give reward to myself and forget that it is God all along. None of my hard work, none of my bible reading this morning, none of my prayer before exam overcome God's graciousness towards me and my exam today.

When I feel a bit uncertain, that is when I tend to turn to God and ask for help. Fail yet again, treating God as if he is my genie.

Those verses were indeed what I needed to hear to humble myself, not to take pride in what i do but to praise the Lord for what he has given me. Both in happy and uncertain times.

Vivid Sydney 2012

Pictures taken from a light festival in Sydney called "Vivid Sydney." It is when certain areas and buildings in the city are being used to show motion pictures with songs. They also have light sculptures which i didnt take much pictures on because it was too crowded. I've never seen the city area that crowded before!! It was jam packed and hard to move around.

My son, pay attention to what I say; listen closely to my words.
Do not let them out of your sight,
keep them within your heart; for they are life to those who find them and health to a man's whole body.

Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life. Put away perversity from your mouth; keep corrupt talk far from your lips.

Let your eyes look straight ahead, fix your gaze directly before you. Make level paths for your feet and take only ways that are firm.
Do not swerve to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil.

(Proverbs 4:20-27 NIV84)

Pretty :D:D

Dearest my siblings in Christ

So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. (Colossians 2:6, 7 NIV84) :D:D

Steady My Heart

"Im not gonna worry

I know that you got me

Right inside the palm of your hand

Each and every moment

What's good and what gets broken

Happens just the way you plan

But You're here

Your're real

I know I can trust you

Even when it hurts

Even when its hard

Even when it all just falls apart ..."

- Kari Jobe-

“I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more.
But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear him who, after the killing of the body, has power to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him.

Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered.

Don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. (Luke 12:4-7 NIV84)

Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. (Hebrews 10:19-23 NIV84)

Work is Worship

The sermon last sunday at church was about work/ study as part of worship and i was greatly encouraged by the message about the doctrine of providence which allowed me to understand even more what it means to study or work faithfully as a christian. To avoid long blog writtings, i thought i put up the link to the sermon so that you can listen to it yourself :D:D


http://www.kingswaychurch.org.au/media.php?pageID=5
Sermon title: Work is Worship



"You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of men. Brothers, each person should remain with God in whatever situation he was called." (1 Corinthians 7:23-24)

All I have is Christ

I once was lost in darkest night

Yet thought I knew the way

The sin that promised joy and life

Had led me to the grave

I had no hope that You would own

A rebel to Your will

And if You had not loved me first

I would refuse You still

-Sovereign Grace Ministries-

"But God proves His own love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us!" (Romans 5:8, HCSB)

Living Devotion - So We Would Know Our God from St Pauls Castle Hill on Vimeo.

Confidence for the Future

This picture is taken from a blog called "girltalk" (http://www.girltalkhome.com/blog/gods-mysterious-providence) :D:D

Future is always full with uncertainties but i always want to know my future just so that i can prepare for it and perhaps control it so that it goes the way i want it to be. Unfortunately thats not the case and i cant predict what exactly r going to happen in the future. But even in the midst of many uncertainties, i can take comfort in God knowing that he has plan whats best for me. How do i know that He has the best plan?? because the bible says so and because i am able to look back and see God's providence and guidance in the past similar to what the photo says ;);)

Prayer on Grace

Father god,


I am sorry for taking Jesus' sacrifices on the cross lightly. Not realising how hard and painful it was for him and you. Not realising the great outcome of the cross. I am deeply sorry as i often fail to obey and trust you with your plan and guidance.


Thank you for the super obedience and love of Jesus that he willingly and sacrificially took the punishment that was suppose to be for me. Thank you also for your super abundance love that was shown through Jesus on the cross.


Help me to ALWAYS be reminded of your grace that i would live my life according to your will not as a burden but as a privilege in light of everything that you had done for me.


In Jesus name i ask all these things not only for myself but also for my brothers and sisters in Christ, amen.




"Abba, father, he said, "everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will." (Mark 14:36, NIV 84).

"Grace is God's free and unmerited favor shown to guilty sinners who deserve only judgement. It is the love of God shown to the unlovely. It is God reaching downward to people who are in rebellion against him." (Jerry Bridges- Transforming Grace, p.21).

Here would be my repost in light of Jerry Bridges' definition of grace :

"In the past, I'd always bent and reshape myself to fit into a relationship with God... from now on, I'll just be me and look to Jesus who fits that." :D:D

Personal Rebuke on Graduation

"Dear friends, I urge you as strangers and temporary residents to abstain from fleshly desires that war against you. Conduct yourselves honorably among the Gentiles, so that in a case where they speak against you as those who do what is evil, they will, by observing your good works, glorify God on the day of visitation." (1 Peter 2:11-12, HCSB).


"I havent finish my graduate jobs application yet, and theyre due soon!!"
"My GPA* is not as great as other people, surely it'll be super hard for me to get any graduate positions"
"My resume and cover letter needs to be good so that they employer would at least consider me to fill in the grad position, regardless of my marks."
"and on... and on... and on... and on..."


I had been caught up with the thought of not being able to get a job after i finish uni. As much as I'd love to graduate from uni and put to an end all assignments and exams, i am scared about what will come after. I had been thinking about looking for internship, finding a related part time jobs to make me look better as a potential employee after graduation, and regretting not doing or thinking about all this 2 years ago.


Then 1 Peter 2 reminded me that as temporary residents of this world, i need not to worry about not being able to get a grad position and desire to have one because as one of God's children, those should no longer be my desire (not saying that i shouldnt put any effort in applying and studying). Am i not a liar/hypocrite if i say that i am a christian who put my trust and depend solely on God but my action shows that i put so much hope in getting a graduate position?? I am super grateful that my heavenly father still takes time to rebuke me in this.




*GPA is short for Grade Point Average (according to google translate ;);)) that is your overall mark of all subjects that you do throughout the course.

O Great God- Sovereign Grace Ministries

Weeds

I just came back from youth leaders retreat today and found this weed at the backyard of the house that we stayed. I thought to myself, even though this is a weed ( plant of less or no value), it is sooo beautiful. Weeds that look like it has no meaning and just an additional stuff that people normally throw away was made beautiful by God.

God's amazingness in making small and insignificant things like weed to become beautiful, reminded me of how he saved me from my desperate sinful life to a hopeful and meaningful life in Jesus.

This AWESOME God I have :)

"For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."


-Mark 10:45 (NIV 84)-


I am so glad that I have a God who is not self centered like me. A God (who i get to call dad) who cares about his creations and is proactive in fixing the broken relationship that we have with him because of sin.
A God who is sooo loving and compassionate even to the point of death.
A God who comes to serve instead of demanding to be serve.
A God who is powerful over life and death.
A God who is super patient with my every behaviour and will always forgive my every wrongdoings.
A God who generously showed me his grace day in and day out.
A God who will oneday wipe away every tears and put an end to all sufferings.




Do you and i share the same God??
What kinda God do you have??

http://www.joshharris.com/2011/12/prompted_by_his_word.php

No need to Worry

If God takes care of the ground by clothing it with flowers such as above (im sure there are many other awesome flowers that i havent see!!), should i not worry about my life and all tht i need knowing that God will take care of them?? Yet I often worry about it as if im less worthy than the ground that i need to work on stuff on my own because God doesnt care about it!!

But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. (Matthew 6:30-32 ESV)

I don't wanna hurt you
But I know I will
Part of me wonders if
You'll love me still


I don’t want to fail you
But I know I will
Part of me wonders why
You love me still


Jake Nauta- Here with you






but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8 ESV)