Just on some updates on my life, for those who have been wondering why i hardly update.


Stuff we did in school:

The transformed bacteria that Rebekah, Hakim and i had:

Song Leng, Derek and Shez's transformed bacteria. Crazy colonies!

Work of Jia Yu and Rach. -_- (plus Naq's shifty hands)

and smelly sleepy cat.

Our math attendence sheet:

Before

After

Fond memories of PW, our introduction page

(done by Cat and Faye)

And what we did in church:

[Jude 3] "Dear friends, although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share, I felt I had to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints."

Was reading Jude for QT last week or so, and came across this verse. It says "contend for the faith". And yes, the word contend, what does it REALLY mean?

Contend (from dictionary.com):
1) Maintain or assert
2) Struggle in opposition
3) Compete

And its really amazing, because contending for our faith didnt just have one meaning, but 3 and probably even more. It goes to show that faith did comprise of so much more than any of just this one aspects.

It was just the last week on sat when we had music practise and during our pre-practise worship/prayer, the word we got was stand firm for the faith that we have. Now, take a look back at the definitions of contend, "to maintain or assert". And yes, the worship service was just so awesome last week, God's presence really came to us, and there were many breakthroughs, healings, manifestations etc. Life-changing experiences.

The week following that was a tough time for many, there were many spiritual attacks, etc. I myself didn't get something really bad, but there was indeed a form of "attack". Work loads strangely got heavier, everyday was a sleeping at almost 3 experience, and almost every lesson was a sleeping period. Hard time doing QT because i would always end up sleeping while writing.

But thank God, even amidst all these, He gave me the strength to continue on. He still spoke to me during my QT, and even though i fell asleep halfway while writing myQT, God would remind me in the day about what i've learnt the previous night and gave me more insights to it. Here, note the definition for contend: "struggle in opposition".

All these are really part the faith we have in God, and even though things may seem hard, be encouraged that that's what faith is all about, and that many are going through the same thing.

The last definition is "to compete". And yes, having faith in God, the whole relationship with God, really speaks of us running in the race. We compete for the faith, we run with the belief and the faith that we will indeed reach the end reward.

[2 Timothy 4:7] "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith"
Wouldn't it be awesome if we could say that when we get to heaven? It's a beautiful declaration that we believers can make.

[Hebrews 12:1] "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and lets us run with the perseverance the race marked out for us."

Contending for the faith is just like running your cross-country race. It's tiring, difficult, breathless, mentally and emotionally challenging etc. I hate running, but i do so because of PE. It's compulsory for us students to run the 2.4 km, and in the same way, it is compulsory for us believers to run that race of faith. Every believer takes part in it, but it's just a matter of who perseveres in the running, and who stops many times to take a breather. It's tiring i know, but when we fix our eyes on Jesus, we have the strength to carry on. There may be hindrances along the way, and things that cause us to lose focus or make us fall, but what's most important is that we come back to the route and continue on.

Contending for the faith is a cycle of processes. The standing firm in God's word, the struggling against all principalities and opposition, and to continue running that race. All these come hand in hand, so be encouraged if things don't seem too good, because all these are just part and parcel of your spiritual walk with Jesus. The end is more worth it then any temporary breathers that we may take while we're tired. Hang on in there!!



Ps. May have been incoherent up there. Apologies for that.

Yesterdays event really made me thought about life more, not about the meaning of life or anything, but the fragility of life. It can just be in the blink of an eye that one goes into the next dimension.



At first it made me think that it was really up to us to quickly go save everyone out there, to do as much as we can to do so just in case they don't make it. But what Pastor Mark said yesterday did strike something in my heart, that God knows the best for His children. If the passing on means something better, then let it be so.



But that doesnt mean that we as followers of Christ should slacken in our actions, or be less 'Christiany' or anything. I'm sure no one wants to go up to heaven and going in just for the sake of believing in Christ. I know the basis for our faith is not our good works or what we do, but the good works that we do is a kind of fruit that can be seen if we have the faith in Jesus Christ.



A few years back someone told me this analogy:

If someone gave you cup of coke, will you drink it? (Yes.)

But if someone gave you a cup of coke with just a little drop of urine in it, but continued to fill it up with more coke so as to 'mask' up the effect of the urine, will you still drink it? (No.)



This is reality of life, no one wants that little 'urine drop' in their drink, and neither does God. So He sent His only beloved son Jesus Christ to die on the cross for us to redeem us from our sin. He took our place as a sinner instead (reality check: we are all sinners, believe it or not), and He paid the full price as a sinner. But Jesus Christ, being the almighty one, rose from the dead, and overcame death and went back to heaven to be seated at the right hand throne of God. Through this, He washed us as clean as snow and gave us a way back to God (since He overcame death).



Why isn't it that we can't go to heaven even with overflowing of good deeds?

Romans 6:23 says that "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Jesus our Lord."

Hence, no good deed can ever 'mask' up the sin that we have done (unless you want that 'urine drop' in your coke). Only Jesus Christ can clean your cup of coke and give you that cup that is full of pure coke.

Therefore, the only way to God and eventually to heaven and eternal life is through Jesus Christ. Believing in Him and accepting that He is your saviour shows that you acknowledge that He has washed your sin away.



Okay, i think i've sidetracked quite a bit. So anyways, yesterday before attending the wake, i had a marvellous and extraordinary time talking to God. And since i was all alone at home, i had the liberty to talk as loud as i could to God. And God being His faithful self, has giving me new Rhema words of truth.

Even though sometimes it's hard to 'feel' God, which i admit i do have that slight problem over that, praying to God and talking to Him allows you to strengthen your faith in Him. God is our friend, He is our bestest bestest friend. The only way that we can be closer to God, and have that closer relationship is indeed to talk to Him as though He is really there and is your closest friend.

Sometimes when we sing songs of praise and worship, many of us don't usually understand the full meaning of what it's meant by words such as 'all i need is you' or 'beautiful saviour' etc. But when you undergo certain situations, and you begin to start singing songs to God, you'll think of how the song relates to your life, and slowly, the full meaning will come to you. To say to God "all i need is you", is something really extraordinary. I mean we need food and water to survive (and all sorts of other excuses), but to say all we need is God, is to really put your whole entire life into His hands and to tell Him that He is in control. Yesterday God led me to this verse:

[Matthew 6] 25"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? 26Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life[b]?
28"And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' 32For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
it really speaks of how our life is in His hands. So take heart at this, and don't worry about what's to come. Because our God is a God who loves us and knows what's best for us. He is in control and He loves us so much.

God is indeed awesome and He deserves all the praise!!!

Love you Jesus!