Read those lyrics.. Let them sink in ... Really let the words sink in ...
"I really want to worship You my Lord... You have won my heart and I am Yours .. Forever and ever, I will love You ... "
What a wonderful God and Saviour we have .. Let us continue to worship and live for Him :) :)
YOU LAID ASIDE YOUR MAJESTY
gave up everything for me
Suffered at the hands of those You had created
You took all my guilt and shame
When You died and rose again
Now today You reign
In Heaven and earth exalted
I really want to worship You my Lord
You have won my heart and I am Yours
Forever and ever, I will love You
You are the only one who died for me
Gave Your life to set me free
So I lift my voice to You in adoration."
21 Apr 2009
11 Apr 2009
The Cross (by Max Lucado)
The cross. Can you turn any direction without seeing one? Perched atop a chapel. Carved into a graveyard headstone. Engraved in a ring or suspended on a chain. The cross is the universal symbol of Christianity. An odd choice, don't you think? Strange that a tool of torture would come to embody a movement of hope. The symbols of other faiths are more upbeat: the six-pointed star of David, the crescent moon of Islam, a lotus blossom for Buddhism. Yet a cross for Christianity? An instrument of execution?
Would you wear a tiny electric chair around your neck? Suspend a gold-plated hangman's noose on the wall? Would you print a picture of a firing squad on a business card? Yet we do so with the cross. Many even make the sign of the cross as they pray. Would we make the sign of, say, a guillotine? Instead of the triangular touch on the forehead and shoulders, how about a karate chop on the palm? Doesn't quite have the same feel, does it?
Why is the cross the symbol of our faith? To find the answer look no farther than the cross itself. Its design couldn't be simpler. One beam horizontal--the other vertical. One reaches out--like God's love. The other reaches up--as does God's holiness. One represents the width of his love; the other reflects the height of his holiness. The cross is the intersection. The cross is where God forgave his children without lowering his standards.
How could he do this? In a sentence: God put our sin on his Son and punished it there.
"God put on him the wrong who never did anything wrong, so we could be put right with God" (2 Cor. 5:21 MSG).
Would you wear a tiny electric chair around your neck? Suspend a gold-plated hangman's noose on the wall? Would you print a picture of a firing squad on a business card? Yet we do so with the cross. Many even make the sign of the cross as they pray. Would we make the sign of, say, a guillotine? Instead of the triangular touch on the forehead and shoulders, how about a karate chop on the palm? Doesn't quite have the same feel, does it?
Why is the cross the symbol of our faith? To find the answer look no farther than the cross itself. Its design couldn't be simpler. One beam horizontal--the other vertical. One reaches out--like God's love. The other reaches up--as does God's holiness. One represents the width of his love; the other reflects the height of his holiness. The cross is the intersection. The cross is where God forgave his children without lowering his standards.
How could he do this? In a sentence: God put our sin on his Son and punished it there.
"God put on him the wrong who never did anything wrong, so we could be put right with God" (2 Cor. 5:21 MSG).
18 Mar 2009
Singapore Marvels
This comes so late after my trip there but just wanted to comment on something that fascinated me about Singapore.. the buildings.
It's true that Singapore has few natural resources. But the way they have found to make their daily living interesting is indeed quite fascinating..
Who would've thought of having massive wading pools and gardens on the roof of a shopping centre? hmmm .. that's Vivo Shopping Centre
Who would've thought of a dam studded with water fountains with lights, wading pools, water games, picnic kiosks, walking trails? hmm ... that's Marina Barrier.
Is it a country that naturally nurtures wonders and inventions and creativity or is it to compensate the lack of 'interesting things'?
Whatever it is, it is something great. I wonder whether the Singaporeans are even aware of such.
It's true that Singapore has few natural resources. But the way they have found to make their daily living interesting is indeed quite fascinating..
Who would've thought of having massive wading pools and gardens on the roof of a shopping centre? hmmm .. that's Vivo Shopping Centre
Who would've thought of a dam studded with water fountains with lights, wading pools, water games, picnic kiosks, walking trails? hmm ... that's Marina Barrier.
Is it a country that naturally nurtures wonders and inventions and creativity or is it to compensate the lack of 'interesting things'?
Whatever it is, it is something great. I wonder whether the Singaporeans are even aware of such.
14 Jan 2009
Singapore!
"There's a common belief among anthropologists that you must immerse yourself in an unfamiliar world in order to truly understand your own," says Annie Braddock [Scarlett Johansson in Nanny Diaries].. hahahah..
That's the quote that came to me when I started this post :0)
It's been great those past 2 days. Managed to do so much. On Monday, did one part of Orchard Road. Tuesday, did the other half :) Walking more than 5 hours a day is killing my ankles but hey, I only have 10 more days for shopping so, I should suck it in, take it in my stride[very long ones indeed] and wait till I reach Mauritius to slack by the beach. hahah.
It's fascinating the number of different kinds of food you can find here: baby squids on a stick, crab beehoon, mini crab on a tomyum cookie, glutinous rice koi fish, konyaku jenny koi fish, nian kao koi fish [hahaha.].. ok, i think you get the gyst of it.
It's so cool to get to try those weird and wonderful things.. .have yet to try the really weird ones like frogs' legs porridge :0)
Anywayz, today, I'm set for Little India.
Oh, yeah, the connection to the Nanny Diaries quote? It's been interesting as I observe people on the train, in the shops, eating ... I discover things .. Discovering the reasoning behind the acting/behaviour I've seen ... explains things .. and makes me think too.. How would I behave? Would it be differently?
Something to ask myself too: WWJD [what would Jesus do?]
Sometimes, it's not about what would we do but what would Jesus expect us to do and to shine for Him no matter where we are. It's not always about immersing yourself into a culture and blending into it.
That's the quote that came to me when I started this post :0)
It's been great those past 2 days. Managed to do so much. On Monday, did one part of Orchard Road. Tuesday, did the other half :) Walking more than 5 hours a day is killing my ankles but hey, I only have 10 more days for shopping so, I should suck it in, take it in my stride[very long ones indeed] and wait till I reach Mauritius to slack by the beach. hahah.
It's fascinating the number of different kinds of food you can find here: baby squids on a stick, crab beehoon, mini crab on a tomyum cookie, glutinous rice koi fish, konyaku jenny koi fish, nian kao koi fish [hahaha.].. ok, i think you get the gyst of it.
It's so cool to get to try those weird and wonderful things.. .have yet to try the really weird ones like frogs' legs porridge :0)
Anywayz, today, I'm set for Little India.
Oh, yeah, the connection to the Nanny Diaries quote? It's been interesting as I observe people on the train, in the shops, eating ... I discover things .. Discovering the reasoning behind the acting/behaviour I've seen ... explains things .. and makes me think too.. How would I behave? Would it be differently?
Something to ask myself too: WWJD [what would Jesus do?]
Sometimes, it's not about what would we do but what would Jesus expect us to do and to shine for Him no matter where we are. It's not always about immersing yourself into a culture and blending into it.
12 Jan 2009
Lessons by JetStar
It's such a great privilege to be in Singapore once again. Really looking forward to the next 12 days. And thanks to the hospitality of Stan and Dorcas, I have no doubt, it'd be a really wonderful time.
New experience. Not in the sense that I haven't been on a plane before but because it was the most cramped plane I've ever been in... [people were packed like sardines in a tin, we would say in creole]
But it was comfy and quite pleasant [mainly because I was sleeping the whole way to Singapore ..which is not so good, given that I kept my fellow 'middle-seat' and 'window-seat' neighbours prisoners for 5 hours :0) .. One of them did manage a spectacular prison break but apart from that, it was all snores for 5 hours straight [Sorry you people who can't sleep on a plane. I'm a plane-sleeper. Slept for 12 hours..ok ok actually was 10 hours straight once on a Mauritius to London flight. haha.]
This plane trip from Perth to Singapore was a very sad one for me, mainly because I am leaving Perth for Mauritius for a long period of time, at least till September. I was sad to leave so many things behind: time-tabled, mostly on time public transport; fast internet! lovely parks on every street corner! Lakes! Bunbury! STONE FRUITS! CHERRIES! WONDERFUL RELATIVES!
As the plane took off and I was thinking of all the things that I was missing already, a Bible verse came to mind, the one that goes something like: 'Do not fix your eyes on things that are seen but on things unseen. For seen things will soon perish but unseen things last forever'..
I certainly am leaving many 'seen' comforts behind. My decision to go back to Mauritius to share God's love and grace and hope, is an investment on things that are mostly unseen...
I see a difficult road ahead of me with trials and temptations, hardship and obstacles...But you know what else God showed me on that plane trip? God is not bound by space or time or location. He is with me everywhere I go because He has made my heart, His home.
Something I realised is that like I can't make a plane fly by willing it to, I can't do anything by willpower. I can only trust God as I trusted that plane to get me safely to Singapore and soon, another to get me to Mauritius.
If God is so much bigger than a JetStar budget airplane, how much easier it is to trust Him.. and sometimes how much harder it can be too..
But something I would tell you: Trust Him, He will certainly show Himself much more faithful and trust-worthy than a plane or anything else for that matter. See for yourself :0)
New experience. Not in the sense that I haven't been on a plane before but because it was the most cramped plane I've ever been in... [people were packed like sardines in a tin, we would say in creole]
But it was comfy and quite pleasant [mainly because I was sleeping the whole way to Singapore ..which is not so good, given that I kept my fellow 'middle-seat' and 'window-seat' neighbours prisoners for 5 hours :0) .. One of them did manage a spectacular prison break but apart from that, it was all snores for 5 hours straight [Sorry you people who can't sleep on a plane. I'm a plane-sleeper. Slept for 12 hours..ok ok actually was 10 hours straight once on a Mauritius to London flight. haha.]
This plane trip from Perth to Singapore was a very sad one for me, mainly because I am leaving Perth for Mauritius for a long period of time, at least till September. I was sad to leave so many things behind: time-tabled, mostly on time public transport; fast internet! lovely parks on every street corner! Lakes! Bunbury! STONE FRUITS! CHERRIES! WONDERFUL RELATIVES!
As the plane took off and I was thinking of all the things that I was missing already, a Bible verse came to mind, the one that goes something like: 'Do not fix your eyes on things that are seen but on things unseen. For seen things will soon perish but unseen things last forever'..
I certainly am leaving many 'seen' comforts behind. My decision to go back to Mauritius to share God's love and grace and hope, is an investment on things that are mostly unseen...
I see a difficult road ahead of me with trials and temptations, hardship and obstacles...But you know what else God showed me on that plane trip? God is not bound by space or time or location. He is with me everywhere I go because He has made my heart, His home.
Something I realised is that like I can't make a plane fly by willing it to, I can't do anything by willpower. I can only trust God as I trusted that plane to get me safely to Singapore and soon, another to get me to Mauritius.
If God is so much bigger than a JetStar budget airplane, how much easier it is to trust Him.. and sometimes how much harder it can be too..
But something I would tell you: Trust Him, He will certainly show Himself much more faithful and trust-worthy than a plane or anything else for that matter. See for yourself :0)
2 Dec 2008
FAQs
Why did Jesus have to die?
Because there was no other way we could be right with God otherwise.
Why is that?
Because in the Bible, God says that all human beings have sinned. NOT a single one is perfect. God says we deserve death as a result of our sins.
How does Jesus save us by dying on the cross?
Jesus was without sin. He was perfect. And by dying on the cross, He took the punishment we deserved, on Himself. Like in the movies, where a person who puts himself in the line of fire to save his best friend's life.
But if Jesus is dead now, how can he save us?
Well, Jesus didn't only die but He rose again, after 3 days [YES! On Easter Sunday] .. One day, even though we could be physically dead, that same power that made Jesus rise to life, will rise us to eternal life...to our place in heaven
So then, everyone will go to heaven?
Well, unfortunately not everyone! Heaven is God's House! Only those who believe in Him and want to worship Him FOREVER would find it Heaven! What misery it would be for someone to be forced to stay there and to worship God FOREVER!
That's hard to believe!
Well, yeah...
Don't let me persuade you to believe in God. Deal with Him yourself!
3 Nov 2008
Days of my life :)
When I walked up the gangway for the first time, I didn't know what to expect nor did I know what was expected of me but I was soon to find out that days on the Doulos are days of humility and service.
The welcome was fantastic. We had cake and drinks and our Volunteers' Coordinator talked to us about the Doulos. How it started and how it got to be the Doulos.
It was first called the Medina and it was used mainly to carry onions. Then it was sold, renamed Roma and carried immigrants from Italy to Australia [Over my ten Doulos days, I was to get a phone call from a gentleman who wanted to visit the ship because he remembered the ship, when his mother and sister came to Australia on that same ship. wow!]
It was sold again and converted into a luxury cruise ship, the Franca C. Finally, it was bought by a German company called GBA(Good Books for All) and was named Doulos, which means 'servant' in Greek.
It is interesting how we can have similar stories to the ship. We come to this earth and have humble beginnings. We carry onions. We go to school. Then, we get to do better things, experience life a bit more. Go to high school, meet new people, reach new horizons. Migrate from Italy to Australia. But still there are greater things, we go to university, we dream of converting our lives to ocean-liner style, cruising along in life.
But God obviously has something much greater for us - a servant's life! A servant? How can that be better, we might ask.
Just as in the eyes of others, it might seem strange why or how we can sacrifice 2 years of our lives to serve the ship, without any salary whatsoever, some doing the laundry, others cooking, others working out on the deck, it might seem strange how we can sacrifice our whole lives, careers and ocean-liner lifestyle to serve the lowly and poor people. For us to impact the world by telling them about God and His son Jesus who died for us on the cross, because He loved us and wants to have a relationship with us.
But one thing is for sure. When we believe God and love Him, as surely as He lives, He honours things done for Him. He blesses us beyond measure and we see marvellous things and touch many lives.
[this post is for you, Dorcas since it was your special request to hear more about my experience on the Doulos :)
The welcome was fantastic. We had cake and drinks and our Volunteers' Coordinator talked to us about the Doulos. How it started and how it got to be the Doulos.
It was first called the Medina and it was used mainly to carry onions. Then it was sold, renamed Roma and carried immigrants from Italy to Australia [Over my ten Doulos days, I was to get a phone call from a gentleman who wanted to visit the ship because he remembered the ship, when his mother and sister came to Australia on that same ship. wow!]
It was sold again and converted into a luxury cruise ship, the Franca C. Finally, it was bought by a German company called GBA(Good Books for All) and was named Doulos, which means 'servant' in Greek.
It is interesting how we can have similar stories to the ship. We come to this earth and have humble beginnings. We carry onions. We go to school. Then, we get to do better things, experience life a bit more. Go to high school, meet new people, reach new horizons. Migrate from Italy to Australia. But still there are greater things, we go to university, we dream of converting our lives to ocean-liner style, cruising along in life.
But God obviously has something much greater for us - a servant's life! A servant? How can that be better, we might ask.
Just as in the eyes of others, it might seem strange why or how we can sacrifice 2 years of our lives to serve the ship, without any salary whatsoever, some doing the laundry, others cooking, others working out on the deck, it might seem strange how we can sacrifice our whole lives, careers and ocean-liner lifestyle to serve the lowly and poor people. For us to impact the world by telling them about God and His son Jesus who died for us on the cross, because He loved us and wants to have a relationship with us.
But one thing is for sure. When we believe God and love Him, as surely as He lives, He honours things done for Him. He blesses us beyond measure and we see marvellous things and touch many lives.
[this post is for you, Dorcas since it was your special request to hear more about my experience on the Doulos :)
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