Why I want to keep talking about God constantly.

Life is definitely more than getting an education, more than getting a job, more than getting a wife, more than getting a family, more than living the dream. More than going out in the morning to work and coming back at night to rest. More than partying out till the wee hours during the weekends and going back to work again on Monday.

I wanted to break the cycle myself: I wanted to become an influence. To become an influence to others through the things that I do and say. To influence others that life is more than just what is mentioned above. I didn't want others to get caught in the vicious cycle of going through mundane life. I didn't want others to get caught in the Asian pressure of success and wealth. I wanted Christians that have low self-esteem to know that God has placed something in them worth living for.

And suddenly I just felt God putting the brakes on it.

"No Wai Kiat, that's not the entire point. I didn't make Christians just to let them live out dreams and then thank Me for this 'good life'. I didn't make Christians just to let people achieve their goals and then thank Me as a 'lip service'. I didn't make Christians to just publicize a one-off big event in My name, and then for the rest of the year they become sporadic in sharing the gospel."

I paused and held a deep breath...

"Then God, what is it that you truly desire?"

"Worship. Every. Single. Day. To enjoy My presence. To find your deepest satisfaction in Me, and Me alone. To be immensely dedicated in reading my Word and to pray. To declare My Holy name every single day of your life. Not just when you feel good. Not just when you are in church. Not just when you are in lifegroup. Not just when you are sharing your testimony. Even when no one is pressing like on that instagram or facebook, you would still talk about Me. Even when people are giving you the 'I-don't-really-care' face, you would still share about Me consistently. In your worst and best times, when you are alone in your room or praising together with the congregation, My name is constantly on your lips. You will repent and turn away from evil that I hate. You will not be seduced by what is worldly and corrupted. You aren't tired of talking about Me. You aren't sick about sharing My goodness. You are constantly excited about Me. You can't wait to talk about what I have said through the Word. You can't wait to serve Me and My people. When people see you, they see My reflection. They see hope in a world that is lost and broken which will ultimately pass away. They see an eternal redemption that only I can truly give. Through whatever channel that you go through, more than letting them have a better life on earth, is to let them know that there is an infinitely better life in Heaven, where there is no more pain, tears and sorrow, where they will have an everlasting relationship with Me."

More than knowing God's relentless love for us, let us be relentless in our worship to Him.

Something to think about.

I love the story of Joseph. God gave him a dream beyond his wildest imaginations, that he is going to be filled with power and authority. I've always read this in a way that it is a journey, to keep on trusting God that He is going to fulfill the dreams that He has placed in our lives, to keep on believing that breakthroughs will happen one day as we continue to seek His ways and continue to obey His commandments.

However, as I read Joseph's story yesterday, I read it in a very different light.

Yes, it is true that God has placed different dreams in our lives, of different aspects and magnitudes, of different forms and different genres. God is pleased to place those dreams in our hearts so that one day His glory can be magnified when those dreams come to pass.

However, I came to ponder and realise that through Joseph's journey to becoming the prime minister of Egypt, other than telling his family about his dreams, that his main priority was never to become a ruler of Egypt, but that his main priority was to keep himself clean and pleasing to the Lord. Although he was raised into a high ranking position ultimately, his main task in life was to love and worship God. He ran away from Potiphar's wife to prevent committing a wicked sin that would displease the Lord, because He knew that God was the One whom he will revere.

Abraham's ultimate focus was never about being the father of nations, but to obey God even if he was to send Isaac to his death as a sacrifice, to listen to God's commands even when he doesn't know what the destination was when he left his comfort zone, to keep on communicating with God.

King David's ultimate focus was never about being a King of Israel, but to chase after God's heart every single day. To know that without God, King David would amount to nothing.

Moses's ultimate focus was never about leading the people straight towards the promise land after the exodus, but to lead them to Mount Sinai where they will worship the One and only true God, never wanting to leave God's presence.

They all have one thing in common: Their commitment was never about their dreams. It was pure worship that is pleasing to God. Their desire was simple: God.

This totally struck me, because we are in an age where the world is craving to fulfill their dreams: Dreams of having their desires fulfilled: Be it getting that position in school, those amazing results in the workplace, becoming popular and famous, etc. The scary part: We can even be craving to fulfill God's dreams in our lives at the expense of worship. It doesn't become glory and honor to God anymore. It becomes glory and honor to ourselves, where greed and pride exists.

What if one day God decides to stop answering all of your prayers?

What if one day God decides to allow you to live on a minimal basis just enough to survive?

What if one day all of your friends in church decides to leave church and pursue their own pleasures? And that you will be alone in church?

What if one day God decides to take away the dreams that He has for your life?

What if one day you never got the results that if have yearned for so many years? Even though you continued to attend church regularly and serve Him?

What if one day you cease to receive blessings, and all you get is sufferings from others because claim to know God?

What if God suddenly asks you to step down from the ministry that you have been faithfully and lovingly served Him in for so many years?

Will you still keep praying, worshiping, trusting, obeying, revering, honoring God? Will you still hunger and thirst for Him? Will you still keep yearning for His presence? Will you still keep on drawing closer to Him? Will you still keep on loving Him? No matter how dire the circumstances may be? No matter how bleak the situation may become?

This is my question for you today.

It's been a while since I wrote poems...

If my life served any purpose at all,
Let it be to glorify Your Name alone.
It's not about visiting luxurious halls,
Nor about speaking in a prideful tone.

Let me be contented feeding Your sheeps,
Not at all boastful of any riches.
It's not about how much in life I could leap,
Nor how much I own what the world features.

Too tired of what the world says,
No point in following the earthly ways.
They go round and round and round,
Till they make you go sick and down.

I find my refuge in Christ alone,
Where audacious love abounds.
Let me find my joy in helping those without homes,
To show them the place where true peace surrounds.

In God glory and honor resides,
Where my trust and loyalty coincides.
To worship Him is my only desire,
To revere Him as my only Messiah.

Reflections.

As the last service for Christmas Bash came to a close, the hectic December period comes to an end. The only thing left is my LG event coming this friday, before 2014 arrives.

This year's December has got to be one of the most refreshing December that I ever had! Pastor Tim Ross's sermons are so filled with the Spirit, and so encouraging to the soul. Really gotta get the entire sermon CD package haha. God has spoke so much through him in the past week, and I believe everyone who heard him preach has been blessed in one way or another.

2014...I can't believe we are going to be in another new year soon.

Other then getting a job to pass time during January and February, before I fly back to Melbourne in March, there are certain things that I've gotta think about and make important decisions. Perhaps this is a time where I feel that it's time to move on to new things, to new grounds, and that it's time for the others to manage what is present currently.

It's not easy to leave for something that is unfamiliar, but it's something everyone's gotta do at different points of our lives.

Old?

With 'Beautiful Love' by BJ Putnam (feat. Henry Seeley) playing, I'm currently in a mood to blog something lol.

The busy month is here! And while waiting to get to work, I just felt some stirring in my heart to say some things and get it out of the way...

In the blink of an eye, it's already 11 years since I've attended my very first YI camp in 2002 (this...is crazy). To be honest, as I went to sign up for the full camp, there is a sense of reluctance in me. Not that there is something wrong with the camp (YI camp is always AMAZING. It's a MUST to go!), but somehow I have felt that age has become a major factor to consider. Other than a very few others who are slightly older than me (mainly some of the leaders), there is a sense of uneasiness about still doing cheers and playing games with the younger people...

At the age of 25.

Honestly, I would rather spend the days being a volunteer and helper in the camp, and also with the band instead, than to be involved with the games and cheer segment of the camp. Don't get me wrong, it is a great thing to be having fun and enjoying the camp, but I feel that it's a time where I would really want to slowly step away and allow the younger crowd to be the ones doing that. :)

Anyway, there's a couple of LG mates joining this camp, so at least I won't be feeling lonely haha. (last year I was almost literally alone...too demoralised lol)

Oh, my bro just brought back his birthday present of tokyo bananas. Shiok.

Response.

Living in the age of technology where almost everyone uses electronics to communicate, people seem to be taking this for granted: Response. When did using an electronic device become a trend that 'you can choose not to do anything about text messages?'

I personally don't really like it when I send out a text and gain absolutely no response. If I don't receive any reply, it is alright as long as something is being done, even if you don't reply my text. But I find it plain rude when I get total silence...as though I just talked to a wall. I really don't mind even if I just get a one word text, but to be completely ignored is something that frustrates me because I get sensitive in such issues. It just means that my words are not taken seriously. Of course, I don't get crazy over this when I only send out my message over 5 minutes, or even hours, but a message can't possibly go unnoticed for over days (unless there is really an emergency going on, or there is really a legitimate reason behind it).

The whole point is not about forcing the person to reply. It is about mutual respect for one another.

To be honest, I was once like that in the past, and I find it wrong. That's why I try my best to reply with the best of my abilities, or do something in response to what was being asked for or said.

I really hope things will change with regards to this.

Toom Toom Tah.

It's already approaching the end of November, and I guess the only thing that's gonna keep me occupied will be drums, drums and more drums, before the busy December comes.

It's a really good thing that I've spent a lot more time on my drums nowadays before I went off to Melbourne. I just want to keep going back to my trusty old electronic kit these days. Learnt so much things from my teacher back at PS SOCA (Planetshakers School of Creative Arts), it's just mind blowing.

Speaking of drumming, it's tiring when people keep saying: "Hey look it's one of the 'main' drummer for church", "Oh, the 'master shifu'.". To make things clear, I'm NOT any kind of drumming expert. I don't wanna be branded or labelled as some drum guru in church. It just makes me even more isolated. My skills are really nothing great at all. I just wanna be a servant of Christ. I just wanna be a joyful musician who yearns to worship God in something that He has placed in my life.

One thing for sure now, is that I'm gonna take this season to take my skills to another level, to allow God to use me in a greater capacity. :)