Let's shine again

你迷失了吗？你的生活感到彷徨，不知该怎么走下去吗？
你是否觉得为什么许多事情都冲着你而来？你快窒息了吗？
生活的忙碌，社会环境的熏陶，是否把我们的心，从神的面前拉得越来越远了呢？
好不好让我们现在就静下心来，好好的亲近神？
让我们再次把生命的主权交在上帝的手中，让他来引导我们前面的路，让我们再次为他发光。

因为路加福音11：33-36
33. 没有人点灯放在地窨子里、或是斗底下、总是放在灯台上、使进来的人得见亮光。
34. 你眼睛就是身上的灯、你的眼睛若瞭亮、全身就光明．眼睛若昏花、全身就黑暗。
35. 所以你要省察、恐怕你里头的光、或者黑暗了。
36. 若是你全身光明、毫无黑暗、就必全然光明、如同灯的明光照亮你。

我们在社会上打滚的，若我们不影响这社会，不影响我们身边的人，我们不成为光照照亮他们，
我们就会被他们影响，这是没有中立的。我们不影响他们，就会被他们影响了。
上帝给我们的大使命乃是要我们去使万名做他的门徒，我们做到了吗？

It's been a while

It's been a while this blog is visited and blog-in.

I myself are busy with life, wondering should I be continue to do this? Now most people also facebook liao, not much of fans in blogging already...

What do you think ?

Heart of Worship

When the music fades,
All is stripped away,
And I simply come;
Longing just to bring something that´s of worth
That will bless Your heart.

I´ll bring You more than a song,
For a song in itself
Is not what You have required.
You search much deeper within
Through the way things appear;
You´re looking into my heart.

In the chorus I tried to sum up where we were at with worship:

I´m coming back to the heart of worship,
And it´s all about You,
All about You, Jesus.
I´m sorry, Lord, for the thing I´ve made it,
When it´s all about You,
All about You, Jesus.

（This extract is taken from Chapter 8 of ´The Unquenchable Worshipper´ by Matt Redman, Kingsway Publications）

It is Matt Redman who tells the story and here is how it goes:

A few years back in our church, we realised some of the things we thought were helping us in our worship were actually hindering us. They were throwing us off the scent of what it means to really worship. We had always set aside lots of time in our meetings for worshipping God through music. But it began to dawn on us that we´d lost something. The fire that used to characterise our worship had somehow grown cold. In some ways, everything looked great. We had some wonderful musicians, and a good quality sound system. There were lots of new songs coming through, too. But somehow we´d started to rely on these things a little too much, and they´d become distractions. Where once people would enter in no matter what, we´d now wait to see what the band was like first, how good the sound was, or whether we were ´into´ the songs chosen.

Mike, the pastor, decided on a pretty drastic course of action: we´d strip everything away for a season, just to see where our hearts were. So the very next Sunday when we turned up at church, there was no sound system to be seen, and no band to lead us. The new approach was simple - we weren´t going to lean so hard on those outward things any more. Mike would say, ´When you come through the doors of the church on Sunday, what are you bringing as your offering to God? What are you going to sacrifice today?´

If I´m honest, at first I was pretty offended by the whole thing. The worship was my job! But as God softened my heart, I started to see His wisdom all over these actions. At first the meetings were a bit awkward: there were long periods of silence, and there wasn´t too much singing going on. But we soon began to learn how to bring heart offerings to God without any external trappings we´d grown used to. Stripping everything away, we slowly started to rediscover the heart of worship.

After a while, the worship band and the sound system re-appeared, but now it was different. The songs of our hearts had caught up with the songs of our lips.

Out of this season, I reflected on where we had come to as a church, and wrote this song:

Pay a price

Thank God for our Life Group (it's called Small Group) now.

I see some young people willing to be trained to help in the Kingdom and I also see some new visitors turning from bad decisions to Godly decisions.

These may not be the sign of revival but definitely a sign of God's children turning to God day by day. It's amazing.

We had a good leadership life group session the other night, with Pastor.

Many have been asked what do they enjoyed the most out of the Life Group ministry. Some say visitors converted to believer, some say member really responded to care, and all kind of responds to the question. Most of the answer reflects very little fun, or no fun lah.

However, I noticed something really interesting pattern.... that is everyone seems to have very little "natural enjoyment" over the Life Group leadership life style, but yet the strange things are they continue to do it despite little "fun" in it.

I remember in 1 Chronicle, bible stated "..... But King David said to Ornan, “No; I will buy them for the full price. I will not take for the Lord what is yours, nor offer burnt offerings that cost me nothing.”

Kind David was offered from Ornan many things free to build altar and offer unto God, but David decided to pay for the items in full price,not even in discount. He definitely understood the teaching of paying a price for serving, and offering to God.

I believe our CG leaders understands that as well, most of all, struggle to serve, with 'little" or "no joy" sometimes but continue to serve, and learn to 'enjoy' out of 'no so enjoyable' task.

I believe that itself is a price for building the altar to such offering that God will treasure the most.

:- )

感恩！

从来不懂得感恩的我，不懂的感谢上帝给我的一切，
觉得一切都是自然的，理所当然的！
但是昨天小组的分享却唤醒了我，
因为每一次小组都会有分享见证的时刻，
但每一次我都没有见证，头脑就只有一片空白。

但是昨天，带领见证的姐妹就分享了一句说，
"我们每一次到见证的时刻都没有人要分享，
这是因为我们在我们的生活中，我们都没有察觉到神的工作"
我觉得这句话很真，很对，我们常常有见证的时候都是一些大风大浪的时候，
当我们生活在平静的时候，我们就不察觉上帝的手在我们身上！

但是今天，我感谢神，我觉得我有的一切并不是偶然的，
从我接触电脑到现在，当中有好多奇妙的事情发生，
但这些奇妙事情的发生没有让我想到是上帝的手，上帝的恩赐，
而是让我觉得这是我的本领，我的聪明，所以渐渐的我自己陷入骄傲里，也不知道！

我开始接触电脑的时候是在我小学的时候，那时候学校的电脑课是我最害怕的，
因为从来没有接触过电脑，家里也没有电脑，所以每一次上电脑课的时候，
我一不小心按错键的时候，我就很害怕的找隔壁的朋友求救，
害怕自己乱按，电脑会坏！

小学毕业后，中学的时候我都没有碰过电脑，
直到我念中四的时候，爸爸买了一台电脑给哥哥，
那时候才开始玩电脑的游戏，但是每一次用电脑的时候都会很紧张，
过后哥哥把电脑带去念书了，我就没有碰电脑了，虽然那时候很流行网咖，
但是我都没有去过！

就算在念大专的时候，我的功课也从来没有用过电脑，
如果真的有需要也只是找朋友帮忙，不是自己做的！

时间过得好快，我就出来社会工作了，第一份工作就在协传服事，
那时候还是很怕碰电脑，但是没有办法之下，
逼自己碰电脑把工作完成，
就这样开始对电脑有点认识，也开始大胆了，
这些的种种对人来说是没有什么大不了的，
但是真的感谢神，他给我得真的超过我所求所想，
从一个完全不会电脑的，到一个现在被称为电脑奇才的，
这些我真的从来都不敢想，根本不是我的努力可以做到的！
无论是在旧公司，到现在的教会，都一直有人在问我电脑的问题，
虽然有时候我也不懂，但是我就用我所知道的一点点来帮助，
有时候还上网寻找解决的方法！

这些的聪明智慧，不是我读书可以读回来的，
因为我之前念大专的时候我是念商业行政，根本就没有读过电脑，
我真的不敢想象今天的自己，竟然能够对电脑不再有任何的恐惧，
而且大部分的问题都可以迎刃而解！
感谢神，不是上帝赐给我的恩典，我不可能从一个对电脑一窍不通的，
在短短几年内，成为一个能够帮助其他人解决电脑问题的人！
我不敢夸说我对电脑很认识，就真的还有很多地方正在揣摩当中！

再次的感谢主，让我有这个恩典帮助身边的朋友！

3rd one is don't play play...

It's been great to be able to have a loud baby cries at home once in a while. I remember the time when Cassandra was still 1 month old, both Chii and I were very "gen jiong" about her, many often we tends to overreact.

First time parents mah...

Now that after about 7 years after our first child and 3 years after Jefferson, Grace is borned and we have mixed feeling over the birth of our new baby girl. One is the newborn joy and the dear baby hugging warmth, also the not so bright side would surely be the worries over the night cry and the "hardship" in nurturing the small little baby from zero life skill to a full "functional" adult.

But all in all, I believe God is still go

od. As I looked back, no matter how many times I thought "oh sh**! " or many moments of "How am I going to deal with this?", we still manage to survive the challenges ... Sometime I'm still confused how I managed to overcome them "was it me? my own strength? Saya boleh meh?".

However, bible teaches me that FAITH is when I choose to believe it's Him. So I choose to believe that it was His hand that led me and leads me. Choosing to believe is the first step for Faith in Exercising for me...

It's complicated but so simple, it's easy and yet difficult to comprehend and master. No wonder Jesus wants me to be a like child when it comes to faith.

But sure enough, what happened has caused Chii and I to grow so much, whether in parenting or how to become a better son or daughter for our parents.

He is good, all the time. Praise Him.

James， 加油！琦琦，加油！（傻傻的，自己跟自己讲话）

:- )

God is good, she and the little one are safe!

感谢主，母女平安。谢谢！

真正好的事

蒙神的祝福，我们一家大小4口，连女佣5人，年初到现在都能平安的度过。

神对我们真正好， 祂祝福了我们有了这新家，也通过我的兄弟姐妹的祝福了我们，

我们也喜欢这家，感谢主，也住得平安！

感谢神的保守，医生说琦琦母女都平安健康，并说这星期五要让我们的小女儿出来见面了。

在此，愿祂更不间断的保守琦琦母女俩都能平安，健康和生产顺利。

感谢神！

from,

神的小兵

迟来的祝福，父亲节快乐！

祝愿所有的父亲们，
父亲节快乐，愿上帝的祝福恩典永远追随着你！



我有多久沒有對你說我愛你 詞曲/演唱：羅文裕

記得小時後　在家巷子口　爸爸教我騎單車
發燒的時候　媽媽抱著我　燒退了　冰塊卻凍傷她的手
長大後　努力追求嚮往天空　沉默卻比話說的還多

我有多久沒有對你說我愛你　你卻愛我更勝你自己
你的白髮和眼角多了幾條魚　讓你孤單單怎麼忍心

舊舊的收音機　泛黃的老歌曲　刻畫著我虧欠的過去
抬頭看天上星　水中的倒影　回家的路有我陪著你

我有多久沒有對你說我愛你　你卻愛我更勝你自己
你的白髮和眼角多了幾條魚　讓你孤單單怎麼忍心
我有多久沒有對你說我愛你　讓你孤單單怎麼忍心

************************************

我们有多久没有对阿爸天父说“我爱你”了呢？
我们会不会因为自己的梦想，
选择走自己觉得对的道路，
选择去实现自己的理想梦想，
而忘了祷告寻求，
忘了原来还有一位爱我们的上帝在默默的等候我们回家呢？？

复活节来了！

来临星期日就是我们庆祝耶稣复活的日子。

我要挑战我自己，给自己15分钟时间，安静的，什么都不做，单单的来思想关于耶稣复活前后的事.

I think it's not a bad idea, for me to settle down, it maybe easy to "freeze" body movement, but it's not easy to try fill our thoughts with God's things for 15 minutes for me, esp. without the help of music or worship, just give thanks and thinking of Him.

I admire some brother sisters that could easily do this... Praise God.

but one way I figured can help me do this, is to pray in the spirit (i.e. pray in tongue), that helps me focus on Him.

DO try this at home :- )

Invite God to the home, not only the house

Thank God the 3rd Saturday of Mar-2010, we have officially moved into our house in Jalan B7. God has been good because it is not easy to lower our renovation cost without His intervention. He blessed me with many.

The house is not perfect, some leakage here and there still, haven't been settled but we still like the house. Not only because it's a bigger place for a bigger family now, but more importantly every inch of our own effort from concept, execution to reality... It's like a dream come true in certain extend :-P

The other day our previous landlord said Bukit Mas has brought us many blessing and we have 3 children since we stay, and I thought it's true. God uses a good place to bless His people, and I believe we are blessed because we invite Him to not only the house, but also to the home.

Therefore, I believe our new place of stay will continue to prosper us and be blessed by God, because the very same wonderful and merciful God is with us, whichever place we stay.

Same goes to Metro, I believe we will be blessed not because we are in the bigger hall or place, but the very same God that dwells with His people wherever we moved.

Glory to His name ! and Thankful :- )

热忱

有时候我真的在想，我失去了写部落格的热忱吗？当初的热忱是冲动吗？为什么现在就完全没有“写”的冲动了呢？难道真的是因为自己觉得没人看了，灰心了吗？

热忱（Enthusiasm）在希腊字源中意思为“神在其中”（God Within），当我们离开了神，我们就失去了热忱。很多时候我们对一件事情失去了当初的热忱，对自己目前所服事的岗位开始有不满，有埋怨，原因无它，就只因为我们已经渐渐的远离了神。

God has no problem blessing us

I may have read it many times, thought about it many times, or taught it to someone, or even experienced it many times, but some how it is still difficult for me to TRUST that our God is a God of many blessings, no God of stingy. I guess I tried hard to understand God, but still does it from a human way.

When I give away something that I have, then I would have less in my pocket. So subconsciously I would think God is also like me, not easy to give away. Or maybe I think, He will always be over careful that if He bless me more than enough, the blessings may "spoilt" me or something. Point is, very hard to believe His abundant blessing is real.

As God spoke to me recently, then I understand (again) that He owns everything, including even things that I own. He can make things out of nothing, and He has all the resources in the world that He can mobilised to make my 'wish come true', that means if He like it, he can make Bill Gates knock on my door and give me a cheque. Well, sometimes He may choose to train up my 'fishing skill' or give me fishing rod rather than feeding me fish all the time.

All this that He has planned for me, has got one purpose. He loves me and has planned a good plan to bless me.

God wants to bless His church, Metro. and what I understand from Him is, He wants to bless His church through His people. I learned that if God wants to bless His church through me, He can choose to bless my 'pocket' so that He can bless the church through me.

But before that happen, I guess I must 'practise' give more than I should to the Kingdom.... then He will look down from heaven and maybe He'll says this ... " Hmmmm... this fellow is picking it up already, he's cool. I think He won't hold the money to himself. Let's give him more, might as well work through one of our kids then other means... "

Good plan huh? Let me practise to give more. Because through the telescope of faith, that's where we see His plan coming to past. If we stop believing, He would hold the horse, waiting for me to connect with Him with faith again.

God will bless Metro as a church, and God will bless us a child of God !

新年快乐

怎么这么快就又新年了？唉~ 老了老了！

最近工作后回家看到我的太太，和一天一天长大的孩子，我有一种错觉 。。。

让我感觉好像我所忙的和打拼的， 像都在为着我的家庭而已。难道我没有了理想，没有了自己的要求，没有了我自己想要的东西了吗？

我不是喜欢打篮球吗？不是很喜欢看电影吗？我不是很喜欢追新科技吗？还有好车， 好吃的啦等等。喂？难道我没有了自我？不会吧？

但是，每一次当我喝到了琦琦煲的汤，看到了恩欣画的画，听到了Jefferson的叫我“抱抱”的哭闹声，我就知道那是假象了。因为他们比我所爱看的电影更真实。比我喜爱的新科技更多“功能”。如果没有他们在车上，好车也无趣。好食物也乏味。原来我自己需要他们，比他们需要我更多。他们带给我的幸福，比我想要的更浓厚。。。

原来是人类老毛病，我把我“想要”当成了“需要”了！

上帝的心意也是一样，在祂的美意里面，祂把那我们的需要都一一的安排好了。但人毕竟是不易满足的，常把“想要”当作“需要”来办，来求。

怪不得我常学不会如何祷告。

求神赦免！

我们搬了进去新会所了！

感谢主，我们终于搬了。

24-Jan-2010, 是我们的第一个主日崇拜。

能够这么快进去，不是因为我们有任何特别的官民关系，或者我们很会管理教会，或者我们有什麽特别有力的 architech 为我们申请CF。我们其实所做的，基本上跟别的建筑物物主所做的没什么分别。甚至一般上的人的方法，如 makan kopi 都会比我们的方法更快。

但上帝的方法，就是最快最干净的。我们的上帝，祂就是得胜的上帝。

感谢主！

:- )

上帝的美意

很多时候我们觉得是悲惨的事情，
但上帝却有他的美意！
教会被纵火，底层办公室都没有了，
所有的资料都毁了！
在人看来真的好像没有了，
但是神却在这当中行了奇妙的神迹！



很快，很快，就要搬进去新教会了！！

自有永有的神, 也有生日

看到了宣轩的贴子, 让我想起在我生日的那一天, 我的好太太和女儿在我进家门的时候叫我闭上眼睛. 带着摸索的我到了桌前, 给了我这个surprise ! 是我太太特地为我而做的生日蛋糕.

Wah, 我活这么大, 第一次收到这么重的礼物, 我想一定是付出了很多的时间和心思.

我在想, 圣诞节是纪念耶稣的降生日.

自有永有的神, 也让自己有道成肉身的生日纪念日,

让祂放宝座, 为我这不值得这么做的人, 受尽了最极端的侮辱和离弃.

如此的爱恩典祂尚且为我付出, 还有什么祂不肯为我做的呢 ?

谁的生日？

现今的社会，已经忘了圣诞节的真正意义。我们每一年都在庆祝圣诞节，我们是否还记得圣诞节的意义呢？不说基督徒记不记得当中的意义，就算记得，我们很多时候都只因为是教会的活动而有所庆祝！我们与朋友交换礼物，彼此赠送礼物；上帝也把他的独生儿子送给我们了，那我们又以什么礼物与上帝交换呢？

WoW ! ! ! God is Awesome

God always gives at the Last “Perfect” minute.
It is snowing at Houston. This is my first time playing snow ball ,,,heheeh. Praise God!!!!!
If you have known me for long enough, you will know that I do not like last minute. For the past five months, God has been challenging me to wait for His last “Perfect” minute. This was not easy for me. My faith went up and down. Until a point, I let go of everything and surrendered them to God. I no longer fought for myself with my own strength, but God. Then I passed my two tests at the very last minute. Moreover, God has blessed me abundantly.

I spent my first month of summer to study musicology cumulative exam. This is an important exam. If I did not pass this exam, I would need to take this class at the following semester, which meant I needed to spend more time and money. I took the exam and I did not pass because I did not take this class at my university. Bur I transferred my credit hours from Malaysia and I had forgotten a lot of them. On the third month of summer, I studied it again. This time I asked for a friend’s help and prayed real hard to pass it. I took the exam at the last day of summer and I passed it with God’s strength.

After this exam, I still had another exam to pass, which was THEA—Texas Higher Education Assessment. I spent my second month of summer to study for the test. I did not pass all the three sections. I kept on taking the test. After a few attempts, I finally passed the test at the last week of Fall Semester. If I did not pass this test, the following semester, I could not continue my study. Praise God for another blessing.

About two months ago, my car broke down in a flood. At Houston, without a car seems like without a pair of leg, especially for me, I go around to teach. My old car had been giving me many troubles; however, each time God provided the money I needed for repairs. This time, the water went into the car engine. The mechanic told me that 70% was gone. I was so disappointed. Since the time my car broke down to the time I got a new car, I saw God was providing. My car broke down after my lesson and not far away from my student’s house. I called them. My student’s parents came to help. While I was waiting for them to come over, the neighborhood residents helped me to push my car to the side. When my student’s parent arrived, they call AAA, an insurance company, to tow my car to their place, it was free, so that the next morning the daddy could repair my car. But it did not work; we towed it to the garage to fix it. I called my pastor on that Friday and let him know and asked for suggestion. I went to Impact, and my church members prayed for me. The next morning, my pastor called me and told me that they were going to give me their Toyota Camary, 1998, for free because they just bought a new car. A week latter my car was fixed with $200. Two weeks latter my car was sold for $700. Praise God for all the good things He has done for me. Through the whole process, I saw how our God love me so much.

I am going to end at here with a story. When you are reading the story, you are free to use your creativity to imagine a picture with me.

Once upon a time, there was a boyish princes was so excited to go for hiking. She had all her hiking gears ready a night before and woke up early in the morning and happily went for her hiking. During her path, she enjoyed and praised God for His creatures. Then she saw a beautiful view, and she was so excited. Quickly, she ran to the cliff of the mountain to have a better view. Carelessly, she kicked on a stone and fell. She tried to catch any thing that she could. She was managed to catch on a few small branches, but they were not strong enough to support his weigh. Finally, she was able to catch on a bigger branch. So she held on the branch, at the same time she shouted for help. Time passed by, no one came to help. Suddenly, she heard a voice. “My beautiful princes, let go your hand and trust in Me.” Princes. “Who is this?” God, “ I am your Heavenly Father. Do not doubt! Trust in me! Let go of your hand. I will reach out My hand to catch you.” Princes, “But,,, but,,,,,, God, this is impossible, I can’t see You. Where are You?” God, “Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Princes, “Ok God! I trust in You. I surrender everything to You. Ai-Chin has no strength to go through this anymore. Ai-Chin is going to let go of her hand and trust that You will reach out Your hand for her. Ai-Chin is going to close her eyes, and fall on Your comfortable arms.”
This is who I was for the past few months. Although it was really tough and challenge, with God’s strength I survive.

Praise God for His love and faithfulness.

Ai-chin

因为有你

因为有你 我挥别过去 Because of You I was born again
因为有你 生命能延续 Because of You I’m ransomed by your grace
因为有你我不再有恐惧 Because of You My heart has found a home
心能够得安息 A refuge for my soul
因为有你 罪已得洁净 Because of You Sins are washed away
因为有你 恩典丰沛如雨 Because of You Heaven knows my name
因为有你 生命有新旋律Because of You I can live again
你已释放我心You’ve broken every chain

无尽的爱 毫无保留Unfailing love So unreserved
主你宝血 为我而流 You gave yourself On Calvary
如今我能 得着自由And now I stand Forever free
因耶稣拯救我My Savior rescued me

因为有你 软弱的能刚强 Because of You The weak say “ I am strong”
因为有你 破碎的能歌唱 Because of You The broken have a song
因为有你 心中充满盼望 Because of You There’s no need to fear
我能活出梦想Hope steadfast, ever sure

天堂门 今敞开Now heaven, be open
神大能 降下来 Our God is unshaken
神百姓 近前来 We worship, Christ risen
宣扬主爱 High above
天堂门 今敞开Now heaven, be open
神百姓 来敬拜 All kingdoms, all nations
全能神 已同在 Declare that “you are God"






这首歌，感动了我，"因为有你，我挥别过去，因为有你，生命能延续，因为有你，我不再有恐惧”。那种的感动真的无法形容！我不知道该如何形容那种的感动，就与你们分享这两首歌（一首中文+一首英文）吧！