check out this nice video of the band"within temptations"song entitled "angels".enjoy!!
I shone with Jesus @ | 12:44 AM
*.* recommended song!! *.*
check out this nice video of the band"within temptations"song entitled "angels".enjoy!!
I shone with Jesus @ | 12:44 AM
Monday, March 27, 2006
*.* LOng time!!(+ acting in love) *.*
Its been a long time since i last blogged so i guess i will concentrate alot of stuff on this blog alone. this "lifesaving love.com" blog.However as for the other two its like me being sidetracked and trying to be someone i'm not.Haah the "simple direct specific " was made because i liked readinf John C. maxwells' book so much i thought i could be a leader.well do i have the gift in the frist place?i only know i can connect with pple very well.At the same time i think i should be more decisive when it comes to stuff.By the way why did i say this was because i want to address this issue of pressuring people to come to cell groups.
Firstly i understand cell leaders and their respective helpers care for each member's spiritual coverage.However one must learn to be considerate and understanding.the story went when one day after a family outing i was a deat beat cos we were doing this "expedition" at bukit timah hill...so i came back dirty ans sweaty and needed to sleep.However there was a cell group goin on so i wnated to rest.Each time my phone rang i got nervous.Cos i knew wats gonna happen.Someone would call and tell me loads of stuff on why i should go to cell groups.Yes its for my benefit but please be understanding when u genuinely are.U can talk to a person and say "i comprehend,i understand", when in the first place u dont.Its like asking a mother whose child was a victim of cholera who has scores of hope to be cured to sympathise with a mother whose child died in a car accident.Ok why am i talking about death???? lets ut it another way.Get a rock guitarist to talk to a banking and finance officer.Half the time both parties have no idea wats each other talking about.
Anyway,Its true that when one of the members called and told me to come to cell group either way,i hesitated and couldnt find a stand to say yes or no.so most of the time i kept silent.It must have irritated the person so the phone was passed to the cell leader.And then i got loads of stuff that told me off saying i pay lip service to God only.And i guessed its my indecisiveness that made my cell leader say such shockingly rough words.Must have irritated him so i guess it my fault. But anyway humans talk in any manner when they are mad.So i forgave both of them after i put down the phone.After all i irritated them.And one cant expect everyone to be perfect.
Secondly i surveyed most of my members about cell group relations.Most of them told me they would rather prefer to have another cell member calling them up to just have a genuinely heart to heart chat than to mention church and bible stuff.The bible says let everything have balance.Yes we have the mind of christ but we dont have to force the bible on each other all the time.Unless someone asks for a revelation.If need be,cut ur revelation short.Dont preach a long winded sermon that serves to confuse,and occasionally ,irritate people.Come straight to the main point.Further more a simple encouraging word or phrase is strong enough to build someone up. U cant recite word for word from a 300 page novel,let alone a 50 page nove can you?In a relationship,the most impactable phrase is "i love you".Such a simple phrase causes guys to smile day in day out..girls to be smiling dreamily ..hahah.So its like feeding on a bite sized nuggte that grow in u like a seed being sown.U dont have to sow so many seeds in a person's soul and then have weeds growing all over.Talk about overcrowding conditions.AHhaa science project in primary school.
I dont mean to to offend anyone but please act in love.coming to church and stuff is a willing act,not something that people have to push u or to be monitored.That can make u feel controlled and "cultish",like how cults use militaristic and nasty means to make sure u dont stray away.So please.If a member doesnt come..he or she loses out for that day..but it doesnt mean he or she is straying away!!people want to be treated nicely.pressuring them,even if they are a believer or not..is obviously not acting in love.And most of my fellow members agree to this!!
I shone with Jesus @ | 9:49 PM
Wednesday, January 18, 2006
*.* doubts... *.*
hey hey a long time of not posting again....well i have been recently feeling rather empty.Yes,i dunno why so i searched deep in myself and found out the reason.Like i told BRo,that i had honest feedbacks from my mom that i have not changed much even after numerous church services.So many sermons but little progress.well i really agree with it.So i talked it out with joannne,and this is what she told me:
"Do u think u have changed first?Is it true that u have not changed?If u have not changed,u wouldn't be here today in this church.So u just got to belive that u are changing for the better.Even Bro or Pastor Kong is imperfect...they may still be struggling with certain sins,but not that much."
From BRO:
"Ok,so u are trying real hard to implement what u learnt,that's good!But its unrealistic.We cant depend on human efforts,so we need God to change us.But its not that after every sermon we got to go find someone to practice on what we have learnt from the day.In such cases,wouldnt it be such a waste?relax,the holy spirit will bring to remembrance what has been taught to us,so that when the time comes,we will know what to do. "
I am truly aware that there is this bible reading in a whole year programme.But Truth to be told,i am not the least bit apologetic about not following the programme.Cos i dun want to rush through and then neglect my spiritual life.I can't implement it strongly.
OK one more thing.I need to be frank.I got attcked by doubts recently and i know this may shock all of u who read this new post.I just cant belive in the existence of God but i dunno why.I tried hard to pray but felt that i am just doing a duty to.And it seems to me that i never act up (like a demonic manifestation) until i got saved.All this never happened before until i belived in God and Demons.Its like if u think u are a worm,than u have succesfully made urself a failure in life.But if i see urself as a victorious person,then in your mind's eye u can be an achiever.I really dont knoe.Can anyone help me?i havent been praying or reading the bible this whole week. Cos i just find it hard i dunno why.Coming to church and cell group now seems so compulsory for me.And its like i am fighting against this feeling .I feel really reluctant now..BUT HEY ITS ALL OVER,AND I AM GOING BACK ON TRACK SLOWLY BUT SURELY.IF ANYONE OF YOU HAVE NOTICED THAT I HAVENT BEEN WILLING TO TALK TO YOU MUCH,PLEASE UNDERSTAND THIS.BUT ANYWAY BY FAITH I WILL OVERCOME THIS.
I shone with Jesus @ | 9:00 PM
Wednesday, December 28, 2005
*.* deja vu!!! *.*
Have not blogged for a long time again.On a heartier and lighter note...i will share with u the human psychology from a book i read,entitled "the mind's eye". Today,i will share with u how to create the illusion that makes people experience that they have been somewhere or did something before.More commonly,its known as deja vu.(pronounced dee-zsha-vuu)
Firstly,the book tells me that the human mind mostly thinks in words and languages.But if we all could use our imagery abilities,our memory will be better.But we express them in words to be understood.hence the contradiction here:Our eidetic ability (photographic memory )is destroyed by words.
Lets do an experiment.Say for example,u introduced me to two of ur close frens.Say i met up with u one day,and after that u met up with two other frens at two different times.And surprisingly,i may have the same fashion style and hair length as the 1st fren after me.Lets just say u met ur third fren later in the day,and that third fren has seen me and is trying so hard to express the fact that he saw me.But in words its just so hard for u to guess.U will be so confused u just did not know which one he or she is decribing to you about.And the more u ask,the more the description,the more u want to just give up.Have u ever experienced that before?
U have heard the saying:"a picture paints a thousand words" true.If i pased by you again on that day,ur third fren would finally go "there!!that one!!!the one I'm talking about."straightaway,in singaporean context,u go "orh...that one ah!!!aiyah u talk so much so actually its that one lah!!"
the above is just the basic knowledge of creating that illusion.Now for the real thing.First of all,dun try to talk so much.e.g:"Do you know what we did that day?u know what is deja vu?its the familiar feeling that we did something before at someplace or somewhere."
This can definitely put people on high alert,and they may prematurely start to figure out what you are up to.Before long,ur own plot is exposed.
Secondly,dont re-enact the same events at the same place.It will definitely hook up the person's memeory.instead re-enact the same sequence of event,at e different place with say,the particular fast food chain that u and ur fren had eaten at, earlier in another place.
Thirdly,the key events must be there,it doesnt matter if the sequence are a little messed up,so long as they are not so messed up ,its ok.To u urself u will know clearly what are the main events.and one more thing,it helps if u can remember what u wore on that particular day.And wear the same thing.(u r most probably treating ur fren like a victim of coma who just woke up and suffered memory loss!!!)
Lastly,just be natural.When frens go out,sometimes one takes the leadership of having the other one to follow and accompany around,and vice versa.Dont try to force ur frens to go to a certain place when it seems so far away.rememeber the first and second points,as this can help add an air of familiarity yet some tinge of disorientation.They may start to feel that what u are wearing looks quite familiar at a particular time,and are doing the same things,the only thing that they are unaware of is that the place has changed.It can feel really weird.But only u know the answer.TRy it,and tell me the results.Re eanct somehting that happened a year ago,somehting that u can vividly remeber,including what u were wearing.Dont do it one week or one month later,as the event itself is still fresh on the person's mind.Depends on how strong the person's memory is.
Ahhhh...aint that playing on their eidetic ability?*
(this article i wrote was inspired by Criss angel's critcially acclaimed tv series,MIndfreak,in which he did the wine barrel escape,and in between shots,he made a couple experience deja vu.)
I shone with Jesus @ | 9:29 PM
Sunday, December 04, 2005
*.* spiritual growth *.*
Hey good day its me here again..have not really blogged for a long time...Well i got some revelations recently and would like to share with anyone who reads this article!
first of all on cell group meetings and the taking in of the word...well i dunno what i should say but i really do love cell group but if i were a leader i wouldn't hold cell meetings on a consistent basis..i mean like once every week..if i were one i would hold a cell meeting fortnightly...well u know why? I am more concerned with growth and not just head knowledge.I discovered that after numerous sermons my life remains as per norm..only to successfully implement a few. Well after knowing so much i still have loads to learn!!!And i have to relearn and relearn.
I really cant help it but i kind of agree with the contents in "purpose driven life" written by rick warren...And i really really agree with what he says..to the extent that i somehow gone out of the mentality of most churchgoers.Which is me against popular church mentality dealing wiht worship and bible studies.Sometimes i do feel irritated to have to worship God in music and guitars alone..and not in other ways.(Cos we are built in different ways,and different interests!!) I can share with u some of the contents written by rick warren.(actually u can see this particular mentality of mine in the earlier article :"music or worship?" )
#1 bible studies (from purpose driven life) "....actually u can be so busy going to bible studies that u have no time to implement what u learn.the enemy doesnt mind u going to bible studies as long as u did not put into practise what u have learnt."
From here i really do agree with it.I remember having saturdays with like 3 bible studies in a row!!!first of all in cell group,next service,and lastly bible classes after service.To grow strong,we must take things slowly,by putting in our focus in one particular area at any one time.1 weeks time isnt enough for me to implement all i have learnt!by the time i have implemented say 45%..the next week comes up and the same 45% process of implementation recycles.I can never implement succesfully each lesson taught.and that has taken its toll.let m tell u why.
remember my previous articles on how i got depressed when i failed my O levels?that battle in my mind went on for 6 months with demons attacking my though life day and night.I almost wanted to attempt suicide because i thought life was not worth living being a useless teenager.Question: what happened to all the sermons that i learn then?have i forgotten that i need to live by faith not by sight?no.But that's because i did not let that verse grow strong in me.How about taking it as a perspective that its a trial to stregthten me?that too wasnt on my mind.And i didnt even implement.I prayed for comfort but it seems useless.And its all because i did not implement what i learn,meditate on it,and grow strong in the word.
sooner i began to read every verse with smith wigglesworth's popular advice:"only believe!!" and when i read romans 12:2 " do not be conformed to the standards of this world...renewing of mind."and phillipians 4:8"whatever that is honorable and of good report,think of these things." i decided to start thinking the good things to boost my morale.But those depressing thoughts showed up there and then..and i almost broke down.But the enemy's strongholds were clearly breaking down..but he was trying to break in even more.That turmoil in me was successfully gone after 2 and a half weeks of intense meditation and confessing the word to myself.In those two weeks i didnt really implement what i learnt from church sermons.I only cared about focusing on winning this battle first.otherwise it can obstruct me in future partaking of spiritual food.Can u take in advice or bible verses during ur most depressing and angry moments?most of us cant,to be frank.We need to calm down first and let the peace of God dwell in us before we can proceed in our walk with him.
umm.. its a little long winded again...i will continue in another article.....haah
I shone with Jesus @ | 7:59 PM
*.* spiritual growth *.*
Hey good day its me here again..have not really blogged for a long time...Well i got some revelations recently and would like to share with anyone who reads this article!
first of all on cell group meetings and the taking in of the word...well i dunno what i should say but i really do love cell group but if i were a leader i wouldn't hold cell meetings on a consistent basis..i mean like once every week..if i were one i would hold a cell meeting fortnightly...well u know why? I am more concerned with growth and not just head knowledge.I discovered that after numerous sermons my life remains as per norm..only to successfully implement a few. Well after knowing so much i still have loads to learn!!!And i have to relearn and relearn.
I really cant help it but i kind of agree with the contents in "purpose driven life" written by rick warren...And i really really agree with what he says..to the extent that i somehow gone out of the mentality of most churchgoers.Which is me against popular church mentality dealing wiht worship and bible studies.Sometimes i do feel irritated to have to worship God in music and guitars alone..and not in other ways.(Cos we are built in different ways,and different interests!!) I can share with u some of the contents written by rick warren.(actually u can see this particular mentality of mine in the earlier article :"music or worship?" )
#1 bible studies (from purpose driven life) "....actually u can be so busy going to bible studies that u have no time to implement what u learn.the enemy doesnt mind u going to bible studies as long as u did not put into practise what u have learnt."
From here i really do agree with it.I remember having saturdays with like 3 bible studies in a row!!!first of all in cell group,next service,and lastly bible classes after service.To grow strong,we must take things slowly,by putting in our focus in one particular area at any one time.1 weeks time isnt enough for me to implement all i have learnt!by the time i have implemented say 45%..the next week comes up and the same 45% process of implementation recycles.I can never implement succesfully each lesson taught.and that has taken its toll.let m tell u why.
remember my previous articles on how i got depressed when i failed my O levels?that battle in my mind went on for 6 months with demons attacking my though life day and night.I almost wanted to attempt suicide because i thought life was not worth living being a useless teenager.Question: what happened to all the sermons that i learn then?have i forgotten that i need to live by faith not by sight?no.But that's because i did not let that verse grow strong in me.How about taking it as a perspective that its a trial to stregthten me?that too wasnt on my mind.And i didnt even implement.I prayed for comfort but it seems useless.And its all because i did not implement what i learn,meditate on it,and grow strong in the word.
sooner i began to read every verse with smith wigglesworth's popular advice:"only believe!!" and when i read romans 12:2 " do not be conformed to the standards of this world...renewing of mind."and phillipians 4:8"whatever that is honorable and of good report,think of these things." i decided to start thinking the good things to boost my morale.But those depressing thoughts showed up there and then..and i almost broke down.But the enemy's strongholds were clearly breaking down..but he was trying to break in even more.That turmoil in me was successfully gone after 2 and a half weeks of intense meditation and confessing the word to myself.In those two weeks i didnt really implement what i learnt from church sermons.I only cared about focusing on winning this battle first.otherwise it can obstruct me in future partaking of spiritual food.Can u take in advice or bible verses during ur most depressing and angry moments?most of us cant,to be frank.We need to calm down first and let the peace of God dwell in us before we can proceed in our walk with him.
umm.. its a little long winded again...i will continue in another article.....haah
I shone with Jesus @ | 7:59 PM
Thursday, November 17, 2005
*.* music or worship? *.*
Lots of us in the church has a common misconception of many things. i read in the purpose driven life by rick warren, and this is what he wrote :
"fellowship"-now used to mean going out for a meal,hanging out.People commonly ask :"where do you fellowship?i"
"worship"-a gross misunderstanding.Fast songs means praise and slow songs mean worship. worship is not being moved by music,but a perpetual attitude.Music isnt mentioned in the garden of eded,as adam and eve were in constant communion with God.Music is mentioned in genesis some chapters after the garden of eden where the frist architects,and musicians were mentioned.THose who are non musical,can they ever worship(if u still think its slow songs during service)??
most terms are now church lingos that mean casual stuff.
true in depth fellowship is when a cell group shares one another's hurts,and comforting and praying for one another.Also it means getting to know one another more.I once played guitar for leisure on my way to church in the mrt.A sister came toward and say :"lets fellowship with Yan chen."She proceeded to take out some worship music scores and lyrics,and wanted me to play while accompanying her singing.Tell me,how can people know me better by the strum of a guitar?if i strummed a C chord,would u immediately know that i like to eat pancakes?Or if i strummed a Bm,would anyone know i am someone who loves to associate with people??NO!!!So know u see the misconception?Most people do tht after church service.To them strumming away and singing songs,eating with one another meant "fellowship".Even going out on outings too!!!think about it!!!
"worship"-many thouht these are slow numbers sung during a church service.NO!!!like rick warren said,worship is a perpetual attitude.Tell me how did adam and eve worship the lord in the garden of eden?at that time no music instruments were yet invented!!!The song "the heart of worship" was written beacause,matt redman,the worship leader,said that his pastor had banned singing in all services for a period of time to show that worship was not a song.Hence the lyrics:"i"ll bring u more than a song,more than a song,for a song is not what u have required.." Funny,when i sing this song,i feel its an oxymoron act!!! its like ig u mean evrything u sing in that song,why are u still singing it?and the people of matt redman's church had to find other ways to worship God.and to me that can be interesting.because whatevery u do,God is with u,whether u feel his prescence or not!!More to come!!!!
I shone with Jesus @ | 8:05 PM
Tuesday, November 15, 2005
*.* resilence and value *.*
Here i am back after recovering my password.If you were wondring what happen,as in u had never seen my new articles poppin up,its because i simply forgot my password!!!!
Ok enough of that.I would just want to share with u the importance of failing. #1stly,it aint a curse that u are born mentally deficient of any sort.So stop thinking like that.
#2ndly,i want u all to know that when u fail Big time (as in final year examinations,not class tests).Well one word of advice.RELAX!!
#3rdly why people are scared of failing is because they never thought it will come to them,or ever will.(GET THEE BEHIND,FAILURE!!!)
well whats my main point?I have been talking to people on this subject as i meet up to study with them,or having a conversation with them.Its kinda like a small survey but without ur statistical report.(ok i know i have been at this "facing failure "thing for months...)
first of all i did a phone convo ,asking my fren on her day's paper.she said she may not make it for math.reply? "huh..i dun wanna go for one more year just to retake"
I messaged a close fren on her math paper. She went :"don't talk about it" the other time i told her that my private school,CHEC, was quite a fun place to be, and i asked would she want to be there? reply:"CHOY!!(singlish:touch wood.In other words,GET THEE BEHIND,FAR BEHIND,FAILURE!!!)
Got a fren who was the top student to study. he told me his frens all said that he was a hardworking chap.Always scoring good results.he went in his head :"yeah,for what??" he couldnt find a purpose for studying.So he told me.
so much so these are evidences for the fear of failure.After recovering from a six months depression,i adjusted my expectations and start out with the worse in mind.Now my new mentality after days of thought- shaping is :COME,FAILURE!!!COME WHAT MAY!!" seems fearless.(haha)
I am not teaching anyone to be a pessimist,i am just saying u should have the worst expectations so u can know how to adjust ur expectation,and act accordingly to avoid the situation,should it nearly come to pass.yeah so u guys take care.train from failures,and take it as a chance as a failure to develop something others do not have,resilience(passionate determination and calmness when faced with an adversity)!!until next time!!!!
