Stretched and Challenged in many ways

I'm tired, got many things to do in very little time. Much of time spent on school work, then followed by things for God (church, cell, crusade). What's left is for eating, drinking, rushing here and there, sleeping, etc.

Almost no time for myself. Or if I have, it just passes by way too quickly.

So much things to do. But I'm not complaining. In fact, I'm thankful that such a chain of events is occurring. Must be from God. To keep me on the move and on the ball all the time for Him.

It's like a marathon. To keep going is to keep going. If you want to keep going, you have to keep going (maintaining momentum). To keep the fire for God burning, you will have to exercise your passion and live out your faith daily.

I'm glad that in such a context, there is an abundance of opportunities to step out of your comfort zones, to be challenged by God and to stretch your hunger for Him. It's only in the midst of the storms and when the rubber hits the road when you can finally put all you have envisioned and planned into practice.

I'm being optimistic on this one. It's not that I'm ignoring the pile of work to be done, but I'm seeing things with a different perspective.

Seeing problems as challenges and viewing burdens as opportunities to rely totally on God.

I'm really in a situation where I need God more than ever before.

• If you're tired or exhausted, don't give up, give it to God and ask Him for His refreshment
• If you're pissed by the world, don't flare up in anger, ask God for His grace
• If you're hard-pressed for time, don't ask for less work, ask God for better time management
• If you're faced with intimidating quantities of work, don't ask to be excused from them, instead, ask God to grant you stronger arms and tougher bodies to bear them

It's only in the furnace of affliction where God refines you. It's only in the pressures of life, where your character will be hardened.

If you're stressed or burdened in the future, think about the diamond. It's because of pressure which transformed filthy carbon into precious stones.

God bless.

How do you know if something is of God's will?

Interesting question, right?

I think it would be easier to answer if the question was: How do you know if something is OUT/NOT of God's will?

Hmm...from experience (personal and from others), here's some things I found out.

[Disclaimer: These aren't absolute/ten-year-series answers. They are just observations. Such experiences can vary from person to person.]

• that something is hindering you from worshipping God wholeheartedly
• that something is something you probably wouldn't proudly and publicly share with fellow believers
• you feel promptings and spiritual nudges when doing that something and you know it doesn't give you a sense of peace
• to do that something, you have to make deliberate actions and plans (like the opposite of a God-ordained event)
• that something is making you suffocated and constipated inside (may be mentally, emotionally, spiritually, or a combination of them)
• that something makes you spiritually numb in the house of God and in the worst case scenario, makes your heart hardened

So, the conclusion is: Stick to His will. Not our wills but His be done.

My maths tutorial, ahh....

Lemme tell u something. I just finished doing my maths tutorial (even though there are some questions which I have no idea how to deal with them). Started on them since 8 or 9 plus.

Well, that's typical of my maths tutorials. I still remembered my first math tutorial in semester 1 (I'm right now doing my 2nd semester). It's a Friday night and people have left for home after lessons and stuff. And I'm in my hostel doing my math. From 6 plus after dinner right until 10 plus.

My other church cellmates at that time were viewing fireworks at the Esplanade, I can still remember.

And guess what, this piece of work which I spent 4+ hours on is just covered in a 1-hour tutorial slot. Heh...sounds, like not worth it, right?

Wrong! Still must do. Because I am student and I want to be good good student. I want to make God and my parents proud of me.

Wah! I tell you, the sense of satisfaction from finishing it is veri veri shiok, one!

...but my brain going to explode liao...

My theme for 2007

I know this may be a little late to state things for 2007, but better late than never.

Ever since a certain string of events in late 2006, the Lord somehow challenged me to take my faith and trust in Him to a higher level for 2007.

So, the theme for 2007 goes along the lines of doing more for God.

During the last week of the holidays (before school starts), by brother (in-Christ) WR and I decided to take time off to do a prayer-walk in NTU and SIM. The night before while I was seeking God for His leading and direction, He gave me some thoughts.

CFC. Not the gas which depletes the ozone layer, but Courage for Christ. It's corresponding question will be: Do we dare?

Do we dare to:

• make a difference/make an impact
• do more for Him
• sacrifice for Him
• be holy and set apart
• obey Him
• step out of our comfort zones

The list is definitely inexhaustive. You should get the gist of it all by now, right?

=====

As much as this is a challenge, this is also a choice. We aren't forced or threatened to do more for God. We still have our free wills intact. God is gentle and gracious.

Bluntly speaking, you don't have to do this. You can still do your own thing, do whatever you are doing, go to church, go to cell, day-in and day-out. Nothing wrong with that. Not sinful. No criminal intent involved.

But ask yourself this question: Is that all? Can I do more?

If we were to do more for God, we have to make the intentional effort to sacrifice and surrender certain things to Him. He can't use us if we still stubbornly hang on to our wills and things not of Him.

If you decide to take the bold leap of faith, prepare for more challenges on the road ahead. Certain things God will remove, certain things God will add. But whatever the case, it's all from His good intentions.

=====

Yup. School's already begun. Instead of feeling reluctant to hit the books and lecture threatres, let us embrace it with anticipation and enthusiasm because God placed us in our respective institutions for a reason.

Take each day, week, month, semester, academic year as opportunities to give glory to God. To be good stewards of His resources. To live the life He made you to live.

Lastly, here's a thought:

Instead of just doing what you/others think you can do, strive for what God knows you can do.

How's your first day of school?

Just came back from my first Campus Crusade DG (Discipleship Group) meeting. Got to know one another better (background, course of study, plans for the year, etc). And we prayed for one another's needs.

I must say I'm really refreshed just by that 1-hour something meet. It's not that we're doing non-academic stuff, but it's because God's there.

=====

Even though we may know the system better this time round, but that's no excuse for complacency. Instead, we should learn from our past mistakes and anticipate future challenges on the road ahead.

From what I know, there's something in me that's just different from this world.

Disclaimer first....that I'm not boasting. You may find this in you too. I won't be surprised.

There's something in me which wants to make a difference. It wants to have a proactive part to play in the course of things. Yes, making a difference (I know you heard that many times), not waiting for a difference.

Like, I don't need drugs or alcohol to make myself rot, just inactivity, passiveness. Yeah, just daydream, do nothing, talk only, fantasize, wonder, etc.

But in many cases, this 'thing' has been pacified by peer pressure, complacency and procrastination.

Just to sidetrack, the reason why I love war-films (with all the battle scenes) is because the soldiers are doing something. They have an active and crucial role to play. They are giving up their lives for a cause. Seeing them charge at the frontlines gives me the adrenaline rush. Partially due to effects or dynamic cinematography, but mainly because the 'thing' in me wishes to do the same.

Gore and bloodshed aside, sometimes I feel like jumping into the screen and have a part to play in the war.

=====

That's about making a difference. Life, you can say consists of several battles. And as Christians, yes, there's spiritual warfare waging around us as well.

In fact, we are participating in the war whether we know it or not. We all have a part to play. That's why the Bible mentions about the armour of God.

I realised that many times, at most, I'm just cheering on my fellow comrades in the battlefield. I hide behind cover and in the safety of the barracks while they charge and march forward. But God somehow made me realise that I'm not made for this. Through certain events He somehow transferred me back to the frontlines.

Feels and sounds scary to me at first, but I know that this is something I have to do. I need to do something about it.

I want to be in the frontlines. I want to trade my life for His glory, my blood for His honour. All that I have for Him. Bullets may whiz pass me (peer pressure) and shrapnel pierce me (persecution) but I know that it's worth it.

Some thing is only worth living for, if it's worth dying for.

=====

Been exceptionally encouraged by the book I borrowed which talks about the lives of Chinese missionaries, in their vision and efforts to spread the gospel in the strongholds of Islam, Hinduism and Buddhism.

It's not that we need to become missionaries to live a life worthy of God. What we need is their passion and attitude. That's what makes the difference.

(I'm not out of my mind when I'm typing this.) I thank God for allowing all the adversities, trials, tribulations and hardships in my life. Thank you God for all these. My character can only be refined in the furnace of affliction and hardened under the pressures of life.