Fresh fodder!

Brothers and sisters and fellow bloggers, thanks for the understanding, prayers and support through my uphill task of maintaining this blog despite battling an obstinate cold caught during my winter trip to Japan about 2 weeks ago; a temperamental computer which had given me a fair share of his tandrums because its 2032 battery had ran out a week ago resulting in the date and time settings not being able to be saved; adapting to a new job and environment after I came back from Japan, getting to know my new boss and colleagues and finally the worsened chronic wrist pain due to poor ergonomics (posture) since two months ago. When things seemed to be picking up, I received a call from my dad informing me that my grandmother had passed away today. I pray for my family to find comfort from God during this time especially for my mum though she’s not a believer.

This period of turbulence has provided me unexpected rest to gain fresh fodder (ideas) for my blog. Soon, I will post again on …

1. New words/phrases for my vocab arsenal
2. Review on the first 3 chapters of intercessory prayers and my own prayer and intercessory experience from Japan trip till now; Part 1 and 2
3. “Die to live” – a post on my new job
4. AUL – on cell group living, we had thanksgiving, prayer, now we need the WORD!
5. Ouch, ouch !!! – My first acupuncture experience
6. The silent exit of a headstrong woman - about my deceased maternal grandmother
7. A post to claim my thinking blogger award
8. Gal 6:1

With humble apologies, thank you once again for your support for “outofthefort” and your love for me. Signing off … David aka attacking midfielder.

Restarting-to-blog-again

It has been more than a week ever since the last time I posted anything, I am then taking a few minutes to write a short post on what has been happening.

Praying has been difficult. Finally, I reached 1 month of intercession on 12 Feb 08 but this day I was overrun with a serious flu when I was at Asasuka, Tokyo. It was terrible. The cold air impeded the healing process and deep inside I was crying ”save me Lord” on the plane back to Singapore. Till today, I still carried some of its symptoms. 

Not bad enough, I had to start my first day of work at hospital today. It was a difficult day, with the new environment, colleagues, and all the waiting for the clock to tick away after long briefing by the manager, until I saw people starting to leave then I rejoiced and carried my wearied body home. Yesterday night, I wasn’t myself, said something nasty to someone I care a lot about so I didn’t get a good rest.

When I reached home I quickly opened the Bible to ”Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in ALL circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” ~ 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 . I could only pray: ” God help me.”

A short sharing, take care my friend. 

My burden; our burden

Gal 6:2-5

2 Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.

3 If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself.

4 Each one should test his own actions. Then he can take pride in himself, without comparing himself to somebody else,

5 for each one should carry his own load.

Have you ever once felt that your brothers and sisters in church only cared about their own business and have no time to mind your business? 2 years ago, I mentioned to a brother that I think this is commonplace in a meritocratic society like Singapore which is fast-paced and individualistic. However, we are indeed taught in the Bible we should mind our own business. In 1 Thessalonians 4:11,12  it says – make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you, so your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody. In Galatians 6:5, it says for each one should carry his own load. So, let us learn to do our own work and take pride and be contented in it, not comparing ourself with another person who has his own work to do. One practical way is to have an organiser and tick off the tasks you have achieved which gives you a sense of satisfaction for that day.

However, we must not neglect Gal 6 verse 2 which says “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.” Does it sound enigmatic; why verse 5 says to carry your own load but verse 2 says to carry each other’s burdens? It does not. For in verse 2 it means “heavy burdens” – those that are more than one person to carry; while in verse 5 it means your “pack”. In verse 2, Paul refers to helping christians , sharing their load whenever temptations oppress or life depresses them. Love being the fulfillment of law that is stated as the new commandment (John 13:34). Therefore, we should burden ourselves with mutual sympathy as well.

Two things may hinder mutual sympathy

• Conceit; thinking yourself more highly and important than others (Gal 6:3; Romans 12:3) and thus refusing to bear another’s burdens. This is self-deception as measured by God’s standards, no one amounts to anything.
• Comparing your works with the works of others; positive sense (“I’m happy I’m doing better than they are”) and negative sense (“I’m unable to do anything; everyone else is much better”)

To end off, I would like to use an analogy to illustrate this lesson. As you all know, my extended family and I are going to Japan from tomorrow. My aunt will be bringing along her friend who has weak knees and this friend required the use of a wheelchair. To facilitate this, my aunt reduced her luggage to just a backpack instead of a pull-luggage and backpack which most of us will be bringing; she said this will enable her to take care of her friend in wheelchair. I have to praise my aunt for her love for her friend. During this trip, not only has she to carry her own load (backpack) but also to bear her friend’s burden (moving in wheelchair).

I thank God for the people, friends and family, who bore my burdens while i was in bondage of sins and depression. I will be adding this new thing I have learnt to my prayer list and year-end reflection. 

In the next post, I will write on Gal 6:1 for the cell group category. It’s about restoration of a person who has sinned. Personally, I was very hurt by how this was done in a previous christian gathering I have joined. What is the most appropriate way?

At the end of the year 08, reflect – Have I taken pride in carrying my own load and also bear the burdens of other people. 

Finding grace and the presence of God in nicks and notches in small groups

Before the commencing of the Senior Youth cell group of Grace Jubilee Centre on 13 Feb 08, I came across an article written by the Sovereign Grace Ministries headed by CJ Mahaney which I thought would be a appropriate and uplifting reminder for each and every senior youth attending the cell group this year. 

We have often looked at what’s missing in the small group – enthusiasm, concern for one another, fervency of God’s words, obedience to the truth; seldom have we seen that in nicks and notches in the small group, the presence of God and his grace is evidently in the believers, how he worked unexpectedly and in increasing measure to build up the believers or carry the believers through by his grace the everyday struggles – praise the Lord!

Let us practise to abound more in love and faith as we poise to correct a brother or sister in sin. Read Perceiving God’s Work.

Packed and ready

Today was a FULLY PACKED day – I packed for what was necessary for my army mobilisation in march and also for my vacation trip to Japan from 6 feb 08 to 15 feb 08. After finishing packing, I felt a great sense of pride and achievement (Gal 6:5).

I will mass post on my blog as I doubt I will be getting any FOC internet access over there. 

Last sunday, I received a post card from a sister in church. Thank you. She wrote me the parable of the lost son from Luke chapter 15. A particular verse of the parable touched me - verse 22 – But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet.

This was because when I was struggling to come back to church, I was immersed in a dark cloud of shame and guilt. But when I decided to go back, God crowned me with the identity of a prince even when my deeds in the past had not matched it. He chose to first restore my identity before the feast or everything else. This is grace. From shame and guilt, I am now immersed in his grace.

A little bit of expository on this verse Luke 15:22, the robe was a ceremonial one for the guest of honour; the ring signified authority; and the sandals were those only a free man would wear.

Once I was dead and now I am alive; I was lost and is found (Luke 15:32).  

My reading reflections on “Intercessory Prayer” by Dutch Sheets – Chapter 3

Thank you for tolerating my long posts on my learning on prayers – I am beginning to love to pray after 25 days. It was a serendipitous journey where I discovered growing obedience, surrendering to God’s will, peace and faith.

I was sharing with my senior youth cell group leader on my newfound “crush” – prayer and encouraged him to pick up the discipline too. His reply didn’t indicate his commitment will be unflinching. Anyway, I will still be interceding for him everyday to become a man of prayer and a leader filled with wisdom and love trusting that God will not be oblivious to my pleas.

“Intercessory Prayer” by Dutch Sheets – Chapter 3. Re-presenting Jesus.

I am going to super-summarize what I have learnt from this chapter to appease those who are so patient with the previous long post (Jokingly).

All intercession by men is futile if not for Christ’s intercession for us in the heavens to the Father. This is why we ask “in His name.” (1 Tim 2:5)

Our intercession is different from His work of intercession, the difference being we are distributors while He is the generator. The generator Jesus wants to distribute through us. He wants his victory to be enforced through us. My prayers of intercession release Christ’s finished work of intercession.

So when you pray for salvation for your family, remember that Christ has already conquered death by His works on the cross, and you intercede to God by His name as He intercedes to God in Heavens.