Nice & Comfy :)

(Credits to tumblr, because I have no idea whose tumblr I got this from :X )

Tonight’s just one of those nights where I want to get all nice and cozy on my bed and read a nice book while sipping a cup of deliciously thick hot chocolate. Or call a dear friend and have heart to heart talks till the morning, or till we both fall asleep. Or stargaze and wonder at His creations, and be in awe of the Creator.

It’s a beautiful night tonight :)

Philippians 4

 ⁴ Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! ⁵ Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. ⁶ Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. ⁷ And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

⁸ Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. ⁹ Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

Today

Had a blessed day with my siblings and cousin at my Granddad’s house :)

I got reminded of Grandma just before dinner – how she would always nag at us to help lay out the table, to make less noise before dinner and all that – and I missed her. It deeply saddens me that she isn’t with the Lord, yet it’s a great reminder for me to continue to strive on and evangelize within my family.

Still, Chinese New Year is a time to rejoice, and I am really thankful for the reunion dinner that we had just now. It’s rare for such a large family to be able to get together and have dinner, and even more rare to have that much love amongst the families :,)

Also, I got new wallpapers for my Mac, and now whomever who has the chance to see my Mac will be able to see a glimpse of my heart hehe :)

#524

School has been insanely tiring. It’s barely 10.20pm, and I’m already half asleep (with no work done). But school has been good. Spending time with God in the morning has been really refreshing and it’s really by His grace that I may have the strength to push on with such joy.

I have so many things weighing upon my heart right now, but I trust His plan is best. I trust that all things will work out well in His way.

Jefferson Bethke’s poem (video in previous post)

What if I told you Jesus came to abolish religion
What if I told you voting republican really wasn’t his mission
What if I told you republican doesn’t automatically mean Christian
And just because you call some people blind
Doesn’t automatically give you vision
I mean if religion is so great, why has it started so many wars
Why does it build huge churches, but fails to feed the poor
Tells single moms God doesn’t love them if they’ve ever had a divorce
But in the old testament God actually calls religious people whores
Religion might preach grace, but another thing they practice
Tend to ridicule God’s people, they did it to John The Baptist
They can’t fix their problems, and so they just mask it
Not realizing religions like spraying perfume on a casket
See the problem with religion, is it never gets to the core
It’s just behavior modification, like a long list of chores
Like lets dress up the outside make look nice and neat
But it’s funny that’s what they use to do to mummies
While the corpse rots underneath
Now I ain’t judgin, I’m just saying quit putting on a fake look
Cause there’s a problem
If people only know you’re a Christian by your Facebook
I mean in every other aspect of life, you know that logic’s unworthy
It’s like saying you play for the Lakers just because you bought a jersey
You see this was me too, but no one seemed to be on to me
Acting like a church kid, while addicted to pornography
See on Sunday I’d go to church, but Saturday getting faded
Acting if I was simply created just to have sex and get wasted
See I spent my whole life building this facade of neatness
But now that I know Jesus, I boast in my weakness
Because if grace is water, then the church should be an ocean
It’s not a museum for good people, it’s a hospital for the broken
Which means I don’t have to hide my failure, I don’t have to hide my sin
Because it doesn’t depend on me it depends on Him
See because when I was God’s enemy and certainly not a fan
He looked down and said “I want that man”
Which is why Jesus hated religion, and for it he called them fools
Don’t you see so much better than just following some rules
Now let me clarify, I love the church, I love the Bible, and yes I believe in sin
But if Jesus came to your church, would they actually let him in
See remember he was called a glutton and a drunkard by religious men
But the son of God never supports self righteousness not now, not then
Now back to the point, one thing is vital to mention
How Jesus and religion are on opposite spectrums
See one’s the work of God, but one’s a man made invention
See one is the cure, but the other’s the infection
See because religion says do, Jesus says done
Religion says slave, Jesus says son
Religion puts you in bondage, while Jesus sets you free
Religion makes you blind, but Jesus makes you see
And that’s why religion and Jesus are two different clans
Religion is man searching for God, Christianity is God searching for man
Which is why salvation is freely mine, and forgiveness is my own
Not based on my merits but Jesus’s obedience alone
Because he took the crown of thorns, and the blood dripped down his face
He took what we all deserved, I guess that’s why you call it grace
And while being murdered he yelled
“Father forgive them they know not what they do.”
Because when he was dangling on that cross, he was thinking of you
And he absorbed all of your sin, and buried it in the tomb
Which is why I’m kneeling at the cross, saying come on there’s room
So for religion, no I hate it, in fact I literally resent it
Because when Jesus said it is finished, I believe he meant it

Take 4 Minutes Off To Watch This

It’s so powerful, I’m speechless.

Psalm 118:24

This is the day that the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. (Psalm 118:24)

It’s the first day of school and I can already feel the tiredness and panic kicking in. There’s a math test tomorrow, and I’m starting to worry that I can’t answer any of the questions, or that I’ll screw up the entire year, and eventually fail As.

Sometimes I feel like kicking myself for doubting God’s strength and sovereignty. Just last night, I was so excited for school because it was the first night-before-school that I felt so peaceful; so certain that God will has provided for this year. Yet today, when I couldn’t follow in Chem lecture, when I couldn’t understand Vectors, even when my GC wouldn’t update, I found myself doubting that this year was as good as I felt it’ll be. And just when I felt so disappointed at myself for not trusting God enough, I found this verse: “This is the day that the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.”.

Well, technically, I found this verse again, because this was the first verse that came into mind when I woke up this morning. It was the verse that made me start out the day with such a positive attitude. It was the verse that I couldn’t stop singing. And when I was all down and disappointed due to the world, I am reminded once again that I should rejoice and be glad because this is the day that the LORD has made; I am reminded again of why I’m studying so hard and how I can keep trudging on even though I fall so often.

Thank You, Father, for Your love :’)

1 Corinthians 13

¹ If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. ² If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. ³ If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.

⁴ Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. ⁵ It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. ⁶ Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. ⁷ It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. ^8a Love never fails.

^8bBut where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. ⁹ For we know in part and we prophesy in part, ¹⁰ but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. ¹¹ When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. ¹² For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

¹³ And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

 

New Year thought:

I want to honor God in all that I do:

Through the (humanly) good times and bad times,

In times of struggles and in times of peace,

Above all the temptations that I may face,

And to turn away from any shortcuts because God deserves the honor, glory and praise.

“Thank You”

It’s two very simple words that we’ve all learnt as little children, yet I don’t think we say it enough to God. At it’s core, “Thank You” is used to express gratefulness to someone, and being grateful means appreciating what someone has done for you.

Yes, it’s difficult to thank God for the “bad” times – the times where it seems like all the problems come rushing in and we struggle to do His will. But the thing is, how many of us make the conscious effort to thank God for the good times too? Are we taking things for granted, or are we forgetting that He is the one that provides?

And I guess when I prepared worship for Camp Comm’s debrief, God really spoke to me through this song. It really hit me how little I am thanking Him when compared to what He has done for me.

Thank You for loving us so much that You bridged the great divide (what an understatement this is) to reach out to us. Thank You for being so faithful even when I’m not. Thank You for giving me what I don’t deserve. Thank You for being with us throughout the whole Camp Comm process. Thank You for Your love.

Thank You – Hillsong United

Thank You for Your kindness
Thank You for Your mercy
Thank You for the cross
Thank You for the price You paid

Thank You for salvation
Thank You for unending grace
Thank You for Your hope
Thank You for this life You gave

There is no one like You
There is no one like You, God
All my hope is in You
Jesus, Jesus

Thank You for Your promise
Thank You for Your favor
And thank You for Your love
And everything You’ve done for me

There is no one like You
There is no one like You, God
All my hope is in You
Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, Jesus

To Your name
We give all the glory
To Your name
We give all the praise

You’re alive
Our God everlasting
So let Your face shine on us

There is no one like You
There is no one like You, God
And all my hope is in You
Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, Jesus

To Your name
We give all the glory
To Your name
We give all the praise

You’re alive
Our God everlasting
So let Your face shine on us

To Your name
We give all the glory
To Your name
We give all the praise

You’re alive
Our God everlasting
So let Your face shine on us
So let Your face shine on us
So let Your face shine on us