oppsy, i didn't blog for almost two weeks!!
yup, kind of busy with some stuff =) but still was fulfilling =)
ended the 10-day fast already, it was a time where i could really focus more on God and understand better what He wants me to do at this moment and really thankful that God placed people in my life to help me have a direction, particularly sengkim and calyn who both met up with to talk about this. now i'm really clear what i want to do to prepare myself for greater service to God during this holiday where i do have quite a luxury of time. it is a time to reflect and discover about myself, a time for me to take things slowly and have a stop-check on what exactly is going on in my life. Cos the truth is i really do not really understand myself sometimes =( emotions sometimes take over and yet sometimes i need to convince things logically..seems quite confusing to me and many times i ask myself questions, i will have this feeling that it won't be the same at another time, for example now i say i'm fully convinced that i am in God's plan despite being in a course that i struggle in alot and really don't like but i really am unsure whether the answer will still be the same when the semester starts and i don't really know what i do help. that's kind of the irritating part that i want to work on to be able make sure that i will make wrong decisions at any point of time. Self-understanding is crucial.
here's what i'm gonna do:
- self-awareness: don't let go of any negative feelings, find the root of it and see what's not right about my mindset that has caused this feeling. is it just a random thought? is it bcos of insecurity? it is bcos of jealousy? ...
- humility: letting God to prune me, show me the negative things about me and convict me to change/ improve, not to put me down but to make myself even more fruitful =)
- heart towards growth and maturity for the sake of God's Kingdom: check my heart of doing this; it is not bcos i want to do this to make myself a pleasant person in other's eyes but to make myself pleasing and faithful vessel that God uses to do His works, His great and mighty works =)
Okie, readers, do pray for me that this season of self-discovery will be fruitful =)
Thank God for many blessings =)
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Sunday, June 07, 2009
Called community fasting
Had a sermon last week, by Ps. Michael and he talked about End Time Revival - Repentance that Leads to Revival. Was just very refreshed by the second point he talked about, community repentance. The verses he quoted was Joel 2:15-16
During the past few meetings, we have already been identifying areas that we need to repent from and have our hearts aligned with God, so now is the time that we carry them out in our lives to rid them and also draw closer to God.
To add on to what i mentioned in the previous post about fasting, i think the most important thing that we want to remind ourselves when we fast is that nothing can ensnare us from seeking God.
yup, so to share with you, the list that i made to fast from in this ten-days...
1. Lunch
depending on God alone to satisfy. Physical hunger will allow me to realise spiritual
hunger and feed on WOG
2. Chocolate
I can be reliant on chocolate to adjust my mood sometimes, always crave for choco when
having bad mood..
3. Going to bed after 1am
Unhealthy habit, not taking care of physical health
4. Sleeping for more than 8 hrs per day
Lazy habit, adequate rest is essential but sleeping too much ain't healthy too
5. Milo/any drink with milk in the morning
Have developed a reliance on it; it has become a must-have for me in the morning, so i wana
try and rid of any possible 'addiction'
6. Talking to stuffed soft/plush toy
finding comfort in unpractical manner, should instead talk to God or a fellow believer
7. Humanizing Rennie (my pet hamster)
creates emotional reliance on pet
8. Stoning on bus
idle-ing, unproductive, time could have been spent praying, reflecting or repenting
9. Dwelling in negative thoughts
magnifying problems instead of God
10. playing with nails
Bad habit that weakens my nails
Notice i not only mention the specific action/behaviour i wish to fast from, but also the reason why i want/need to carry out this fasting. Because this is not an opportunity to make myself appear spiritual but because i want fasting to be the tool for myself (not God) to see whether i am truly consecrating myself to God, not part of me but everything of me belongs to God.
Meditating on the passage Isaiah 58 =)
15 Blow the trumpet in Zion,
declare a holy fast,
call a sacred assembly.16 Gather the people,
consecrate the assembly;
bring together the elders,
gather the children,
those nursing at the breast.
Let the bridegroom leave his room
and the bride her chamber.
Indeed God wishes for all of us to be involved. Every member in the community ought to take part to repent and to be consecrated to God =)
During the past few meetings, we have already been identifying areas that we need to repent from and have our hearts aligned with God, so now is the time that we carry them out in our lives to rid them and also draw closer to God.
To add on to what i mentioned in the previous post about fasting, i think the most important thing that we want to remind ourselves when we fast is that nothing can ensnare us from seeking God.
yup, so to share with you, the list that i made to fast from in this ten-days...
1. Lunch
depending on God alone to satisfy. Physical hunger will allow me to realise spiritual
hunger and feed on WOG
2. Chocolate
I can be reliant on chocolate to adjust my mood sometimes, always crave for choco when
having bad mood..
3. Going to bed after 1am
Unhealthy habit, not taking care of physical health
4. Sleeping for more than 8 hrs per day
Lazy habit, adequate rest is essential but sleeping too much ain't healthy too
5. Milo/any drink with milk in the morning
Have developed a reliance on it; it has become a must-have for me in the morning, so i wana
try and rid of any possible 'addiction'
6. Talking to stuffed soft/plush toy
finding comfort in unpractical manner, should instead talk to God or a fellow believer
7. Humanizing Rennie (my pet hamster)
creates emotional reliance on pet
8. Stoning on bus
idle-ing, unproductive, time could have been spent praying, reflecting or repenting
9. Dwelling in negative thoughts
magnifying problems instead of God
10. playing with nails
Bad habit that weakens my nails
Notice i not only mention the specific action/behaviour i wish to fast from, but also the reason why i want/need to carry out this fasting. Because this is not an opportunity to make myself appear spiritual but because i want fasting to be the tool for myself (not God) to see whether i am truly consecrating myself to God, not part of me but everything of me belongs to God.
Meditating on the passage Isaiah 58 =)
True Fasting
1 "Shout it aloud, do not hold back.
Raise your voice like a trumpet.
Declare to my people their rebellion
and to the house of Jacob their sins.2 For day after day they seek me out;
they seem eager to know my ways,
as if they were a nation that does what is right
and has not forsaken the commands of its God.
They ask me for just decisions
and seem eager for God to come near them.3 'Why have we fasted,' they say,
'and you have not seen it?
Why have we humbled ourselves,
and you have not noticed?'
"Yet on the day of your fasting, you do as you please
and exploit all your workers.4 Your fasting ends in quarreling and strife,
and in striking each other with wicked fists.
You cannot fast as you do today
and expect your voice to be heard on high.5 Is this the kind of fast I have chosen,
only a day for a man to humble himself?
Is it only for bowing one's head like a reed
and for lying on sackcloth and ashes?
Is that what you call a fast,
a day acceptable to the LORD ?6 "Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen:
to loose the chains of injustice
and untie the cords of the yoke,
to set the oppressed free
and break every yoke?7 Is it not to share your food with the hungry
and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—
when you see the naked, to clothe him,
and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?8 Then your light will break forth like the dawn,
and your healing will quickly appear;
then your righteousness will go before you,
and the glory of the LORD will be your rear guard.9 Then you will call, and the LORD will answer;
you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I.
"If you do away with the yoke of oppression,
with the pointing finger and malicious talk,10 and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry
and satisfy the needs of the oppressed,
then your light will rise in the darkness,
and your night will become like the noonday.11 The LORD will guide you always;
he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land
and will strengthen your frame.
You will be like a well-watered garden,
like a spring whose waters never fail.12 Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins
and will raise up the age-old foundations;
you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls,
Restorer of Streets with Dwellings.13 "If you keep your feet from breaking the Sabbath
and from doing as you please on my holy day,
if you call the Sabbath a delight
and the LORD's holy day honorable,
and if you honor it by not going your own way
and not doing as you please or speaking idle words,14 then you will find your joy in the LORD,
and I will cause you to ride on the heights of the land
and to feast on the inheritance of your father Jacob."
The mouth of the LORD has spoken.
Tuesday, June 02, 2009
True Fasting
hi there, all readers..
cos my leader told the caregroup to fast tmr dinner together, i thought of posting this post about fasting, to remind myself the true meaning of fasting...
For me i did not receive any teaching on fasting before. It was difficult for me to understand at first how can fasting help in my prayer life. but, i was inquisitive enough to read up on it myself *pat on the back* lol yup, so today's sharing is mainly from a section of the book Spiritual Disciplines Handbook by Adele Ahlberg Calhoun.
Firstly, some examples of fasting in the OT are 1 Samuel 7:6, Nehemiah 1:4 and Esther 4:16. The characters fasted as they needed strength and mercy to persevere. Jesus, in the NT, also fasted before healings and to overcome temptation. This can be found in Matthew 4:2. That was before Jesus began His ministry.
One very important thing to note is fasting is not a magical guarantee that whatever you ask for, God would answer! We do not use fasting to manipulate God's plan to our plan. Fasting should be used to help us to intentionally open ourselves up to seek God's will.
The definition of fasting, given by this book is: A fast is the self-denial of normal necessities in order to intentionally attend to God in prayer. Bring attachments and cravings to the surface opens a place for prayer. This physical awareness of emptiness is the reminder to turn to Jesus who alone can satisfy.
This definition tells me the 'power' of fasting. Sometimes, our schedule is so busy, we don't find time to dwell in the presence of God, we just carry on with the things that we need to complete, without recognising the very presence of God, who is there to complete the work for you. Fasting, offers us the time, which originally will be used in self-indulgence, to now focus on God, one-on-one. Our attention on God is no longer shared with doing our own things.
Another important point to note about fasting is that it is a practice of self-denial. Through fasting of food, shopping, gaming... we realise how much control these things have over our lives. and we had not intended for that to happen. The practice of fasting can help us gain back control and stop us from self-indulging. Moreover, we all strive to lay down our lives, dying to ourselves and consecrate ourselves for God, because this is the only way for us to truly live life to the fullest, the life God intended for us. Self-denial is a process of human subtraction and divine addition, otherwise known as divine exchange. Feed on Jesus, the bread of life!
Finally, I really want to carry on my fasting, knowing that I must do this because God can give me grace, comfort and nurture that I can't find on my own!
cos my leader told the caregroup to fast tmr dinner together, i thought of posting this post about fasting, to remind myself the true meaning of fasting...
For me i did not receive any teaching on fasting before. It was difficult for me to understand at first how can fasting help in my prayer life. but, i was inquisitive enough to read up on it myself *pat on the back* lol yup, so today's sharing is mainly from a section of the book Spiritual Disciplines Handbook by Adele Ahlberg Calhoun.
Firstly, some examples of fasting in the OT are 1 Samuel 7:6, Nehemiah 1:4 and Esther 4:16. The characters fasted as they needed strength and mercy to persevere. Jesus, in the NT, also fasted before healings and to overcome temptation. This can be found in Matthew 4:2. That was before Jesus began His ministry.
One very important thing to note is fasting is not a magical guarantee that whatever you ask for, God would answer! We do not use fasting to manipulate God's plan to our plan. Fasting should be used to help us to intentionally open ourselves up to seek God's will.
The definition of fasting, given by this book is: A fast is the self-denial of normal necessities in order to intentionally attend to God in prayer. Bring attachments and cravings to the surface opens a place for prayer. This physical awareness of emptiness is the reminder to turn to Jesus who alone can satisfy.
This definition tells me the 'power' of fasting. Sometimes, our schedule is so busy, we don't find time to dwell in the presence of God, we just carry on with the things that we need to complete, without recognising the very presence of God, who is there to complete the work for you. Fasting, offers us the time, which originally will be used in self-indulgence, to now focus on God, one-on-one. Our attention on God is no longer shared with doing our own things.
Another important point to note about fasting is that it is a practice of self-denial. Through fasting of food, shopping, gaming... we realise how much control these things have over our lives. and we had not intended for that to happen. The practice of fasting can help us gain back control and stop us from self-indulging. Moreover, we all strive to lay down our lives, dying to ourselves and consecrate ourselves for God, because this is the only way for us to truly live life to the fullest, the life God intended for us. Self-denial is a process of human subtraction and divine addition, otherwise known as divine exchange. Feed on Jesus, the bread of life!
Finally, I really want to carry on my fasting, knowing that I must do this because God can give me grace, comfort and nurture that I can't find on my own!
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