Friday, February 12, 2016

Hallelujah on the Hill - Original Christian song


Lyrics: 

On the hill, I look up heaven and wonder how it's like

I stand up high, and stretch out my hand to touch the sky

thinking deep, I wonder if You can read my mind

what do I do, to inherit the promise of old?

And out of the mount, the first light of the sun warms my face

As if I can glimpse Your Light on the highest hill

Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah x2

I praise Your name, deep down inside me I know that You care

Dwell in Your House, I want to hear the word of truth

and lead me to the Way the Truth and the Life

the promise of old where Your Spirit pours on the highest hill.

Wrote this song on a breezy day in the UK, 
imagining myself someone looking for heaven, for God, for those promises of old.
When God guides me to His highest hill, all I can sing is just Hallelujah.
Have a listen here at original song recorded live

Monday, January 25, 2016

Those Wonderful Feet

Isaiah 52: 7 
how beautiful on the mountains 
are the feet of those who bring good news,
proclaim peace, bring God's good tidings
and proclaim salvation!

Our feet symbolize the tools for practical actions "which bring good news" 
about the Gospel. Have you ever thickened your face to distribute church pamphlets to strangers by the street, or walked from house to house to tell about an evangelical service in the neighborhood? My view is, that action does more to edify the doer than the hearer. 

I would highlight several situations to invoke your passion for better servitude:

- O Feet, to the Shadowed Corners- 

Hidden in the shadows of the chapel, some are trying their best to stay "low-profile". Yet, they still desire to be loved. Most Asians are shy and, many are anti-social in TJC. 
Ask yourself, don't you want someone to actually understand your problems and needs? Instead of waiting to be loved, you can and should start to rekindle love among your spiritual family, starting from yourself to love others.
If I hadn't taken the effort to observe, I wouldn't notice an old aunty who can't find the bible page and she desperately needs help for it. In fact, I myself was unfamiliar with bible chapters but by helping this aunty to flip the bible, I learned to flip fast for the right page.
If you hadn't reached out on Facebook to ask "hallelujah, how is it going?"
you wouldn't know how much a brother or sister needed to be cared. 
Regardless of age (youths or elder), background, language, there is no barrier in love, 
but there are only excuses.
So, where do your feet go to at church? Was it the love feast in the kitchen, or the self-indulgent Candy Crush on your phone during boring sermons? Or simply, your feet find it comfy just staying wherever they are, doing absolutely nothing for God?

- O Feet, to the House of Mourning - 

I have a friend who lost his dear sibling due to a deadly disease. 
Due to lack of help, I assisted him with a simple funeral (not a Christian funeral). 
There were not a couple of visitors at the funeral parlour and we withstood the scorching Malaysian heat of the day with rarely anyone to come for comfort. 
That is the first time I felt that we really needed comfort and support
from people's attendance. 
I personally pictured in my mind, how wonderful would it be 
if my dear brothers and sisters in Christ could come visit us, 
although my friend was just a truthseeker. 
The following day, another church memorial service took place somewhere else. 
The family members were not zealous Christians. 
But at the end of the service, it was an uncle's turn to represent the family for a few words.
"I thank you, for your coming" he swallowed his emotion, "thank you for bringing us back to Jesus." 

- O Feet, to the House of the Sick- 

When the young student fellowship first headed out for the first visiting in a crammed Proton Satria, we had some names on the list, both believers and unbelievers. We visited my neighbour, a bed-ridden old uncle in the hospital. We simply went with smiles and wishes, and had a prayer with his consent, for his recovery. 
To our surprise, a big manly uncle as he had always been, he cried.Love nourishes the heart of the sick, and laughter brings healing (Proverbs 17:22).
Simply because, it was his time of need and we were there for him, bringing God's love with us.
Peter was reluctant at first to go to Cornelius' house, as he said to Cornelius,  "you are well aware that it is against our law for a Jew to associate with a Gentile or visit him", but God sent him there and Peter would "discipline" his feet to go there, probably against his ideals.
God manifested His great power, showering the Holy Spirit upon the Gentiles. 
It is not easy to control our feet to perform God's work.
Regardless, it is a spiritual battle that we have to consciously fight, with discipline against our fleshly desires for pleasurable things, instead of for lethargic work. I know how that feels, but let's work it out together. 
Send our feet where the Lord sends us.




Thursday, January 7, 2016

No Time No Talent No Mood, so no Church

Ever felt like you have lost your commitment in going to church 
and feel completely guilty about it?

Well, that guilt can save your life, the spiritual life that is.

Hebrews 10:25 "not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as ye see the Day approaching."

It is really easy to lose sight of spiritual needs once you lose sight of going to Church,
and you sink into the sandstorm of worldly troubles, if not worldly pleasures.
Knowing that True Jesus Church is the true Church,
but not believing from your heart cannot rouse you to any spiritual edification. If you are one whose faith is kind of lukewarm, and your faith is like walking along a tight rope,
knowing fully well that you need more commitment in church, yet your faith is so brittle and fragile,
maybe these could be your excuses: No time, no talent, no mood, lastly it lands you to "no church" anymore.

Praise be to God, for placing me in Manchester Prayer House in my summer semester in 2014.
In a small and unsightly and "nothing-so-special" church, my course mates have built their faith with God by watching and learning from brothers and sisters there. Nothing fanciful, yet it could cure us of those cliche excuses:

No Time

A brother who served as the church program planner, also served as a physician at the hospital. If you had even played in those roles, they are not easy. Both jobs are time-consuming.
Thank God, his wife testified, with eyes brimming with teary emotion, that he is always busy. So busy that whenever he had a short break from his job, he would waste no time and fumble out his phone, not to Facebook, but rush to schedule the church programs, to do divine work. He shows no sign of complaint, of fatigue, of tiredness. Every single time I saw him, he was always charged with joy and thankfulness to God. He and his wife lived such exemplary life of servitude together.
Then I guessed his secret recipe was none other than God Himself.
He has had seen God not in short-lived miracles, but in the preciousness of His Word and promises. Whenever I think back of his beautiful testimony, I yearn that God would say to him "well done, good and faithful servant!" (Matt 25:23)



No Talent

You cannot speak a sermon, cannot interpret, cannot play the instrument? Are you already bound in a box of those restrictions? Think out of the box. Service to God is not limited to those. And if you are interested in those areas of service, pray and work towards it. A talent can be gifted, but must be nurtured on your own initiative.

A sister in Manchester prayer house, travels to church on her own, despite her disability. She is disabled, yet more abled than any of us in her great love. She made handmade souvenirs for us foreign students. And during church fellowships, she cooks for us sitting in her wheelchair.
Have we ever done such actions of love to truthseekers or minority believers?

Being in the wheelchair, yet she is not confined to her disability in service to God.

There is no sign of sorrow and grumbling, just all sunny and cheery and always full of laughter.
There might be hard times for her but she has now resolved to serve the Lord and she is looking all sweet about it. It drove me to tears as I questioned myself, would I demand God for healing or otherwise reject God? Would I demand more than I am already blessed with? Blessing is not about finally getting what we want, but be contented with what we have and praise God.
Now, did you say "no transport" so you can't come to church? She never had to ask. She called a cab.


No Mood

Another sister there, came to church with her usual sweet and broad smiles and very heart-warming greetings. During the bible study at a youth sharing session, she surprisingly broke into tears.

She had been covering up the burdensome sorrow in her heart about her unemployment and the passing of someone really dear to her. She was disheartened that she couldn't even fork out enough money to travel to meet him before he passed on. It was heart-breaking.
Nonetheless, she insisted to come. She did not relent to sorrow by NOT coming to church. She knew she needed God more in these trying times.
If it were you, would that turn into your valid reason for missing a Sabbath service?
No mood due to broken courtship? No mood due to poor grades?
Don't let it. instead, let us "never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervour, serving the Lord" (Rom 12:11)


Hope this benefits you in our spiritual battles against flesh.
And resolve to be the driver to a glorious and spiritual Church. Glory to God. Amen.

Monday, April 29, 2013

《上行之诗 · 诗篇第一百二十一篇》

诗121:1 - 2
我要向山举目;我的帮助从何而来﹖
我的帮助从造天地的耶和华而来。


你的帮助从哪来? 你的靠山是什么?
钱财?是不是银行里的钱越多,心就越安定呢? (诗49:6-12;提前6:17;言3:4-5)
智慧?亿万富翁如BillGates,他们用脑赚钱。智慧是靠山? (林前1:19-21;赛29:14)
才能?黄金右脚,明星的美脸;歌手的声音。这些才能可以成为靠山吗? (诗20:7,59:5)

我们所谓的靠山,未必靠得住 (诗46:2)

诗121:1 我要向山举目;我的帮助从何而来﹖
作者看着锡安山,可是他的眼光已超越时空。作者看见他的帮助是从造天地的主而来。

如果有一天,靠山倒了你会怎样?
讲道的人不能讲,司琴的不能弹琴,或者是一个很有智慧的人突然中风。你所谓的靠山突然倒了,怎么办?
我们的生活及服侍神的日子中,我们自己的靠山靠不得,得把信心建立在永不倒的神身上。

诗121:3
他必不叫你的脚摇动;保护你的必不打盹!


保护你的脚 = 保护你人生道路 忐忑不安的人生
我们今天脚所踏的地都是荆棘及蒺藜之地。充满危险,一不小心就会被刺伤。(创3:18-19)
脚 = 人生旅途
人生当中,我们不知道下一步会是怎样的。
如果我们靠自己,你的路是不安心的,随时随地会绊倒/刺伤。
神会保护我们的脚,让我们不跌倒,不受伤,不动摇。
把依靠放在神的身上,你的人生道路就会安全。


1-2节 用“我……”第一人称
3节 用“你……”第二人称
可见,作者体验到在他人生中神的帮助,然后作者把这体验分享给别人。
以色列 = 神的王子,宝贵疼爱的神之儿女 (申33:1-3;赛46:3-4,49:14-15,40:30,28)
我们是祂手中疼爱的儿女。我们就是以色列,祂是我们天父,必保护我们。

诗121:4
保护以色列的,也不打盹也不睡觉。


父母能够为儿女的病,整夜守护不睡觉,这就是爱!可是这能够维持几天?7天?10天?行吗?

神为了保护我们,也不打盹也不睡觉。

有一则拉比的故事:
有一位妇人睡觉的时候,鸡被偷了,于是她去找所罗门王。
所罗门王问:“这干我何事?”妇人说:“你是我们的王,我们百姓睡,你不能睡,得不睡觉照顾我们安居乐业啊!”
所罗门王听了很有道理,便赐这妇人一只鸡。
所罗门王都不睡,神永不睡。
神要保护我们,但右边需要有空位,心中必须要有神。
神其实很愿意保护我们,只是我们很多时候是自己不愿意被神保护,自己离开了神。(太23:37)
神的羊听祂的声音,无人能夺走它们,只是它们自己选择离开。

诗121:6
白日,太阳必不伤你;夜间,月亮必不害你。


太阳和月亮:无论是魔鬼的灾难也好,自然的灾难也好。
不管到哪去,神必保护你。
随时地,神都会保护你。
但是,要确保我们自己在神里头。
只要我们的人生常常敬拜主,常在主路上,神都会永远随时随地保护这我们。

这就是神无微不至的爱~ <3

Friday, April 5, 2013

Hi old folks! Admit it, we're old now!

Hey Hey You You!
Today is 6/4/2013
The dates can be such significant source of nostalgia,
reading back some posts here, make us think back of the past.
How we were so simple-minded, whole-heartedly devoted to the Lord.

Amazing indeed!
Thank God for those fond memories, and those bitter times, too!

Grow up in age, in wisdom, in value
Life is a roller coaster, or some ocean waves,
full of ups and downs, of surprises, of changes.
The only thing constant in this world is called Change.
Our age, has changed! no more Form 3 boys and girls are we?!
:'(

Come on, we gotta grow up someday! :P
However, as our body grow, does our mind grow?
Some say,
Life doesn't count on how many years you've lived,
but on how much value you've lived.
Jesus lived 33 years but He created the greatest value in His life,
that brought change to all mankind, past and future.
We are His heir, His children, how much value have we lived? :D

Apart and Away
Now look, Chi Yang is in the teaching industry, Josh in accounting,
and everyone is on different paths.
One's career decides one's ways of life (lifestyle)
Your career can be a potential impact to your faith.
However, how do we attempt to blend our life with God's sacred presence?

Best of Both Worlds
Yes, the physical world and the spiritual world.
Like Daniel, one who pleases the mortal King and excelled in the palace,
and also pleases the King of kings who lives Above.
Like Nehemiah, devoted to his work and excelled,
also brought out time to rebuild the Wall.

Not here to nag or to teach,
no qualification lar me... haha
But hope this sharing can ring a bell,
bring us closer to God amidst this awfully busy and cruel society.
Work life is a different world.
Out there, lots of thoughts and wisdom and things good or bad,
 are waiting for us to explore, overcome, and claim victory from,
and lastly, give all glory to God. 


Friday, December 28, 2012

做一个被吐口水的土

台湾·黄传道 YTTC 2012.12.11

约 9 章
天生瞎眼的,被吩咐要去到西罗亚。历程虽然在两亩以内,但是有高有低,环山围绕。
当耶稣吩咐他去那里的时候,他很有信心地摸着去到那里。

之前,耶稣医治巴底买的眼睛时,只用了一句话。
拉撒路也是因一句话死里复活。。。等等

为什么这里要用土?而且是被吐了口水的土!
如果按照常理,这绝对不是医治的方法!

你们看不起这土吗?
主耶稣就是要用这卑贱的土来成为祂的工具。
就是要用它来彰显神迹、神的伟大、神的全能和荣耀。

撒上2:8他从灰尘里抬举贫寒人,从粪堆中提拔穷乏人;使他们与王子同坐,得着荣耀的座位。地的柱子属于耶和华,他将世界立在其上。

你觉得被吐口水的土很脏吗?
那是因为你没有瞎过,你不知道它有多珍贵!
当人走投无路的时候,凡是能治好的都是最好的。
当一个人患有医不了的绝症时,都会尝试任何希望,即使那个希望有多么不合常理。
而对于这个天生瞎眼的人来说,这个被吐口水的土就是最好的!
凡被神用的,他们都是最好的。

你想做神的工具吗?
你愿意做被吐口水的土吗?

赛41:14 你這蟲雅各和你們以色列人,不要害怕!耶和華說:我必幫助你。你的救贖主就是以色列的聖者。15看哪,我已使你成為有快齒打糧的新器具;你要把山嶺打得粉碎,使岡陵如同糠粃。

雅各是虫,一拍就烂。
虽然像虫一样弱,但是神会使他们变得想铁做的快齿打粮的器具。
但是如果你犯罪,你就是一只虫!


当不当被吐口水的土,是你能选择的吗?

赛10:15 斧豈可向用斧砍木的自誇呢?鋸豈可向用鋸的自大呢?好比棍掄起那舉棍的,好比杖舉起那非木的人。

我们无权选择当什么器具。

那要如何才能当这个被吐口水的土呢?
提后 2:21 人若自潔,脫離卑賤的事,就必作貴重的器皿,成為聖潔,合乎主用,預備行各樣的善事。

人能做到的只有这个,就是自洁,然后脱离卑贱的事。

诗歌415首,你认为你有资格唱吗?
当你在跟神说话的时候,你用什么身份跟神说话?

自洁,脱离卑贱的事,作贵重的器皿,成为圣洁,合乎主用,预备行各样的善事,
如果做不到,就没有资格做被吐口水的土!


羡慕那些被吐口水的土?

约瑟被卖,遭遇各种苦难,他原本圣洁,可是被卖到埃及当奴隶。
在雅各的儿子们当中,只有约瑟有资格当被吐口水的土!

约瑟拯救雅各一家,然后生大卫,大卫生耶稣。
因此,约瑟也是为了我们而受苦的!

再来,约瑟受苦,他有资格受!

保罗曾经说过一句很感人的话
罗马书9:1-3
我在基督裡說真話,並不謊言,有我良心被聖靈感動,給我作見證;
我是大有憂愁,心裡時常傷痛;
為我弟兄,我骨肉之親,就是自己被咒詛,與基督分離,我也願意。

换句话说就是:“如果我的兄弟能够得救,我愿意做被吐口水的土”

埃及王子,在宫中13年,他不快乐。
逃离罪中之乐,放羊40年,他也不快乐!
早上找草给羊吃,晚上防野兽来偷吃他的羊。
世界上没有人比摩西一样极其谦卑。
他做对了,这是应该的,
做错了,千错万错都是摩西的错!

人家做这个被吐口水的土,人家有这个资格!





PS: 当有一天你成了被吐口水的土,不只是你得福,大家也得福。

Monday, October 1, 2012

We are the Advertisement

Hey bro n sis, it's been a while since my last update.

The EMO Trend
Just here to share a very personal voice.
But youngsters nowadays are really getting into the "EMO trend".
Everyone gets EMO, well, everyone has the right to be; To be angry, sad, apologetic, and overjoyed, such expressions are simply human emotions.
And negative emotions become more rampant and overwhelming in your free time, like when you have nothing better to do. Haha. Just the human tendency.

Advertise
Well, since I am a media student, advertising a company, a product, a person is potentially crucial in today's context.
How do we advertise ourselves? Think about it if you haven't.
Our every conduct and word, thought and expression, is advertisement of ourselves, and things related to us. "Rom 14:7, 8 For none of us lives to himself alone and none of us dies to himself alone."

Advertise yourself: 
imagine yourself as a product, you need to be of great quality.
you need to make sure you sell off a good image, to attract "customers".

As a Christian of the True Church, advertise yourself well, you are the Church's ambassador, God's holy vessel. You must lead a much more joyful life than any other "products", much more reliable and dignified, always positive and thankful in times good or bad, always smiling from the innermost core. 

Why? Because you want to convey the Truth about having Christ, tell forth this to all friends, not necessarily by words, but by advertisement of your day-to-day lifestyle.

"Ephesians 4:29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen"

The Promise
bro n sis, thus, let's promise to live a much happier, joyful, forward-looking, godly life to attract the wanderers with the goodness of Christian lifestyle! It should really be the case. Christians are the happiest bunch even in the hardest of times, so live like one! God bless!