Flowers

As I was sending off my cousins at the car porch of my house yesterday morning, I saw this flower plant that is planted by my mom. It had bore some beautiful flowers. I took this rare opportunity to take this photo:

Just beautiful

In the evening, my friends and I went to a flower garden to buy some flowers for one of my church member's wedding. Again, I took the chance to take some pictures(below).

Truly a 'Wow', absolutely beautiful

Through these pictures, the flowers reminded me of two points:

1) God's Word

2) Life
Let's talk about the first point 1st - the Power of God's Word - Jesus said "I tell you the truth, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away." (Matthew 24:34-35)

In the Bible, the book of Isaiah(40:6-8) tells us: "A voice says, "Cry out." And I said, "What shall I cry?" "All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field. The grass withers and the flowers fall, because the breath of the LORD blows on them. Surely the people are grass. The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God stands forever."

(1 Peter 1:23-25) "For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. For, "All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of the Lord stands forever." And this is the word that was preached to you."

What about life? What does the Bible tells us? "Let the lowly brother glory in his exhalation, but the rich in his humiliation, because as a flower of the field he will pass away. For no sooner has the sun risen with a burning heat than it withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beautiful appearance perishes. So the rich man also will fade away in his pursuits" (James 1:9-11). I found this following passage from the Internet:

-Our life is like a flower. We live and die. We are soon forgotten. Someone makes a fuss over us for a short time and then our existence on earth is forgotten. Thousands of years from now, no one living will remember our life. Yes, history may record our birth and death; and it may even record a moment in time of our life. But no one will stay up night after night grieving our passing. At most, our life will be but a fleeting thought.

Comprehending that life is like a flower has a positive impact upon us. If I comprehend the brevity of life, I will live each day as if it were my last. Indeed, it may be my last day to live. Think about this: What would you do today if you knew you were going to die tomorrow? Would you change anything about yourself?

If I comprehend the brevity of life, I will be ready to stand before the Lord in judgment. I will look forward to the day that I may see my Lord and worship at His feet. Therefore, I will count it all joy when I fall into various trials (James 1:2-8), I will endure temptations and not sin (James 1:12-18), I will be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath (James 1:19-20), I will be a doer of God's word and not only a hearer (James 1:21-27).

Do you comprehend the brevity of life?-

Back to choir

"Show me your ways, O Lord, teach me your paths; guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long." (Psalms 25:4-5)

Whoa, what a busy day(this was yesterday). At 9a.m, I drove to school and met my long-time-no-see choir members and teachers. (at this point, I was thinking about the times when I was a choir member in my school -Time flies so fast). We talked for a while(update ourselves with the things going on in our lives) before going to the choir room to practice the songs that we were going to present at night. The songs were "Getaran Jiwa" and "Aduh, Sayang". These songs, I reckon, were some of the works of the renowned Tan Sri P. Ramlee, an actor, singer, and composer in the 50s-70s. Anyways, it was great to be with my friends again and we started to 'bla, bla' around. Soon, my choir teacher, Mdm. Luk, asked all of us to go and take a walk outside around the block 3 times(if you are guessing, this is a warming-up session to get you prepared to sing). And so it went.....

Scences - b4 everything started with Mdm Luk at the table(top), a walk around the block(middle), getting ready, the guy in black is Wee Cheng, one of the potential conductors of the choir(bottom)

Then, it's time to 'open' our voices. As usual, we sang the la la la la la, hummmm, roll our tongues and sing, relax ourselves, and the others to get ready(you can expect that b4 a choir practice). I took a look across the room and couldn't identify some members(I then knew them at the end of the day). I realised how young these new singers are and I put myself into my seniors' shoes when I first joined the choir 3 1/2 years ago. That time, I was still a greenhorn. Wow, time flies(I must mention this again). Anyways, after the warming-up session, Mdm. Luk introduced the ex- members who came back. There were 4(if I'm not wrong....hmmm..). They were Samuel(an ex-tenor of the boy singers), Azrin(an ex-soprano of the girl singers), Ryner(an ex-pianist, conductor and tenor boy) and me(an ex-bass of the boy singers). It was good to be together again after so long.

Ryner is at the piano, with Mdm. Luk beside him. The boy standing is Eugene, with Fiona sitting, both are violinists.

From left: Samuel, Jeremy(conductor and a bass), Wee Cheng, and Ambrose

This is Christopher, a new member that joined this year

So we practiced and practiced the songs and soon, it's time to get our costumes(let the pictures do the talking).

The girls chose first

Then the guys

To cut things short, we finish our practice after 2 hours and went home to get ready ourselves. We went back to school at 1:30pm to catch the rented bus to Crowne Plaza at Riverside.

In the bus

Me with Azrin and Chris behind

Group practice

The VIPs tables

On-stage Rehearsal

The hall with the SONS(State Orchestra) orchestra at the left

Men in black

Food, food, food!

Final preparation

Back to school again

And so, to cut the story short, we met our Chief Minister and the deputies as well as other ministers. We had to stand on the stage waiting for nearly 20 minutes(if i'm not wrong) before they settled down(the spotlight was like shining straight into my eyes, so you can guess how was the feeling). After the performance, we went back to our room. According to the teachers, we performed well and sang beautifully.

Looking back, it had really been a long journey. We went through times of difficulties, sadness, and joy. In all, it's not about how much we had won or achieved, but it was the time that we spent together as friends and members. It was indeed a memorable one.

Go Batu Lintang go!

God bless.

Busy, busy, busy

"You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance." (Psalms 32:7)

I have to delay the post about my church camp(the details and pictures) due to some busy activities that I am joining these days. The time is getting tighter. Anyways, I received my offer letter from AIMST University last Friday, so I'm gonna leave my home on the 17th of June(it's just around the corner.

Thank God!

I also received a call from my ex- secondary school choir bass leader(and also conductor) last night, asking me if I have time to join them tomorrow for a presentation at the Yayasan Sarawak. The choir is lack of boy singers so they are finding the ex-choir members to join them for the day. To cut things short, I agreed to do it. This is a good time to be with my choir members again(just like the old days) and have a chance to know more about the choir updates since the ex-members left.

Once again, I'll try to blog a post about my church camp as soon as possible. For the choir presentation tomorrow, I'll also try to blog about it on the day after tomorrow(if I have nothing going on).

Please pray for me that God will continue to guide me in the days to come and strengthen my faith in Him so that I will not go astray from His Will and commandments.

God bless. Jesus loves you.

MYF+JMYF Camp

Finally, after countless hours of meeting and discussion, as one of the commitee members of the camp events organizer, the organizer group has finally came to a conclusion. Praise God, we are able to carry out our plans and work as one in Christ all this while. The days of busy ness were tiring yet memorable. Some 35 church members are going to Matang Wildlife Centre tomorrow for a 2D/1N MYF (Methodist Youth Fellowship) + JMYF (Juniour Methodist Youth Fellowship) church camp. Its theme is "Love gather us together again". The participants are to gather at church early tommorow morning. So as the night is getting 'old'(not young, although for some, it is), I got to get lots of rest tonight for a big day tomorrow.

Let's pray that God will lead and guide all the participants for tomorrow's event and everything will go as acoording to plan and go in accord to God's Will.

Till then, good night and God bless.

P/S: I'll try to take some photos and blog it on the next post(more details on the camp events too!).

Matang Wildlife Centre, here I come!

Above All

"For thou, Lord, art high above all the earth; thou art exalted far above all gods." (Psalm 97:9) KJV

This song below is one of the many Christians songs that I like to listen. The lyrics is very meaningful. It reveals how sovereign, how glorious, and how loving our Lord is. God sent His only Son, Jesus Christ to die on the cross for our sins, so that we can ask for forgiveness of our sins through Him and put our faith in Him, and have Salvation.

Above All - by Michael W. Smith

Verse 1

Above all powers above all kings

Above all nature and all created things

Above all wisdom and all the ways of man

You were here before the world began

Above all kingdoms above all thrones

Above all wonders the world has ever known

Above all wealth and treasures of the earth

There's no way to measure what You're worth

Verse 2

Crucified laid behind the stone

You lived to die rejected and alone

Like a Rose trampled on the ground

You took the fall and thought of me

Above all

Above all powers above all kings

Above all nature and all created things
Above all wisdom and all the ways of man
You were here before the world began

Above all kingdoms above all thrones
Above all wonders the world has ever known
Above all wealth and treasures of the earth
There's no way to measure what You're worth

-CHORUS-

Crucified

Laid behind the stone

You lived to die

Rejected and alone

Like a rose

Trampled on the ground

You took the fall

And thought of me

Above all

(Chorus)

Crucified

laid behind the stone

You lived to die rejected and alone

Like a Rose

trampled on the ground

You took the fall and thought of me

Above all

Narnia ROAR!!!

God is love.

Together with my church friends, we went to watch the The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian movie. It was a fantastic movie and worth to watch. However, it is best if you watched the first one: The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. With it's terrific graphics and new plot line(not to mention, more touching), TCoN: Prince Caspian is definitely better than its predecessor. TCoN: Prince Caspian movie tells the story of the Pevensie children's second trip to Narnia, during which they discover that an evil king has usurped the throne. Once again, they set out to save Narnia, this time with the help of the rightful ruler, Prince Caspian.

The first of the first

A movie well-done

The seven Narnia books

The Chronicles of Narnia movies are actually based on the story books written by C.S. Lewis, a re-converted Christian at the age of 33, when he started to view his religion as a chore and as a duty . These books and movies have Christian themes in them. For example, some of the scenes in TCoN: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe are indirectly based on biblical facts. In all, the stories are great(there are a series of seven 'Narnian' novels)and credit should be given to it's author.

Through these two movies, I learnt that the most obvious theme is - Love. Without love, the good will fall and the evil will triumph. Likewise, God is love. "...God is love. Whoever lives in God, and God in him. In this way, love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgement, because in this world we are like him. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love." (1 John 4:16-18)

So what is God's love? The Word of God says: "This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son(Jesus Christ) into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we love God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins." (1 John 4:9-10) ""For GOD so loved the world that He gave His one and Only One Son that whoever BELIEVE in Him shall not perish but have ETERNAL LIFE." (John 3:16) “God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8)

The Bible also tells us that since God loves us, we also ought to love one another. "We love because he first love us. If anyone says, "I love God," yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. And he has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother." (1 John 4:19-21)

God gives us the promise of salvation, if only we have faith(believe and accepting Jesus Christ as our personal Savior) and repentance(confession of our sins) through Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Nothing can compare God's love towards us.

God bless.

"Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. [2] Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God." (Romans 5:1-2)

Side note: You can also visit http://babyninja87.blogspot.com/ for more info. on The Chronicles of Narnia.

Rejoice!

"Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing." (James 1:2-4).

These few fays are probably some of my busiest days in my life. Apply to study at AIMST University in Kedah, organizing events with some of my church friends for the church camping trip which is going to be held at Matang Wildlife Center next week, giving tuition at home, family gathering, and other stuffs. Well, I finally got my own personal laptop, thanks to my dad. It is a Hp Compaq Presario. Although it is not the latest model, I don't mind cause it's main purpose is for my education and for doing my assingments. As long as it has the basic components and softwares as well as programs(wireless connection, a big memory, enough RAM and GHz, a just-an-okay graphic card, embeded webcam and microphone, enough USB slots, and.......a few more.) I'm fine with it. This is a preview of it:

Top view(laptop closed)

Front view

Side view

The long awaited JPA(Jabatan Perkhidmatan Awam) scholarship result was finally announced through the Internet last week. I didn't know that it had been announced until my friend told me through MSN. I was shocked and chatted with another friend who had also applied. He gave me the website where I can checked for myself. I clicked it and typed in my IC number into the blank as instructed. Full with eagerness, I then clicked the SEMAK(send) button and waited for approximately a minute until the screen appeared in front of me - Maaf, anda tidak terpilih(Sorry, you are not chosen). At that moment, I was quite disappointed but the feeling quickly faded. Truly speaking, I didn't feel sad or anything after that. I know that this is God's Will. Everything that has been said and done is according to His will and we cannot change it. God is sovereign: He rules over all; nothing happens without His permission (Daniel 4:34-35). I also remember what God tells me through His words: "Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing." (James 1:2-4). We must continue to put our trust in Him and not blame God. I also read this phrase from a Christian book: "Disappointments are God's appointment. He allows them to seep through His fingers, for in His omniscience God knows their end result will be for our good and His glory. If the disappointment, the trial, were not for your benefit and His glory, He would never have allowed it to seep through His fingers into your life.......God wants you to have every opportunity to be Christlike and fruitful. God doesn't want you to have regrets when you see Him face-to-face."

Through these trials and circumstances, in fact, we should rejoice in Him! "Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!" (Philippians 4:4) The Bible also tells us not to be anxious about tomorrow but seek His Kingdom first, and then everything will be given to us. Jesus said: "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. Life is more than food, and the body more than clothes..........But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well." (Luke 12:22-31) When we are worried, we should also pray and give thanks. "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God." (Philippians 4:6) The act of thanksgiving is a demonstration of the fact that we are going to trust, to believe God. "Without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is[that's where our general prayer come in] and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him [this is where supplication comes in]" (Hebrews 11:6).

I read the news about some high achievers who failed to obtain the scholarship too. The look on their faces can tell us how disappointed they are and the lost of hope in their hearts. When we find our self in a state of despair, we need to say with the psalmist, "Why are you despair, O soul? And why have you become disturbed within me? Hope in God, for I shall again praise Him for the help of His presence." (Psalm 42:5)

To those who are having times of hardship and difficulties, I want to share with you this song: 'Be Strong and Take Courage' by Intergrity Ministries.

Be Strong And Take Courage-By Don Moen

Be strong and take courage

Do not fear or be dismayed

For the Lord will go before you

And His light will show the way

Be strong and take courage

Do not fear or be dismayed

For the one who lives within you

Will be strong in you today

Why don' you give him all of your fears

Why don't you let him wipe all of your tears

He knows, He's been through pain before

And He knows all that you've been looking for

So, be strong and take courage

Do not fear or be dismayed

For the Lord will go before you

And His light will show the way

Be Strong and take courage

Do not fear or be dismayed

For the one who lives within you

Will be strong in you today

Nothing can take you out of his hand

Nothing can face you can't command

I know that you will always be

In His love, in His power you will be free!!

So, be strong and take courage

Do not fear or be dismayed

For the Lord will go before you

And His light will show the way

Be Strong and take courage

Do not fear or be dismayed

For the one who lives within youWill be strong in you today

Let's continue to be strong through our faith in Jesus Christ and remember each other in our prayers.

God bless.

All We Like Sheep

"This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely be his grace through the redemption that came by Jesus Christ." (Romans 3:22-24)

Some of my church one-day trip pictures at a sheep farm

Sheep, according to my pastor, are short-sighted animals. A sheep is very easy to be tamed and if we offer it a clump of grass, it can come to us and eat it straight from our hand. Likewise, we are also like sheep. In this slippery world, we can't really see what is lying in front(ahead) of us and be easily trapped by lies and the evil desires, commit sins and fall short of God's Glory. For that, God sends His only Son, Jesus Christ, who is the sacrificed lamb, to die on the cross for our sins. Through our faith in Jesus can we then commit our sins to God and ask for forgiveness(be a renewed person in Christ) and have eternal life in Heaven. When we were born into this world, we were sinners already. "If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us."(1 John 1:8) Yet again, God loves everyone and wants us to live a godly life, not a sinful one. "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." (1 John 1:9). I will remember this song whenever I think about the things I have done that have gone against God's Word and Will, and realised to see how sinful I am but was still forgiven by God, all because of His Grace and everlasting Love. Praise the Lord!

All We Like Sheep - Don Moen

All we like sheep Have gone astray

Each of us turning Our own separate way

We have all sinned and Fallen short of Your glory

But Your glory is What we desire to see

And in Your presence is Where we long to be

2)Taking our sickness

Taking our pain

Jesus the sacrifice Lamb Has been slain

He was despised

Rejected by men

He took our sin

Draw us near to you, Father Through Jesus Your Son

Let us worship before You Cleansed by Your blood

(chorus)

O Lord

show us Your mercy and grace

Take us to Your holy place

Forgive our sin

And heal our land

We long to live In Your presence Once again

The other side of Laser Tag

"Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes." (Ephesians 6:11)

I went to play Laser Tag with some of my friends at a shop near Swinburne University(one of the shophouses behind KWSP building along Ong Tiang Swee Road) last Saturday. It was a thrilled experience for me and very tiring. I will recommend you to go and have a try. It involves teamwork and skill. It will be a bonus if you have played it before. Players are first divided into two teams, mainly red team and green team, each consisting 1-5 players. There are lots of game-modes, but playing unlimited is most worth your money. If you play unlimited mode, the winning team is the team that scores the higher points. It is like a counter-strike game except that you are holding a gun which emits(or shoots) harmless infrared to your opponent. It must be aimed at a 'laser detector' you are wearing. Your 'armor' and the gun is something like this(notice the two white patches in front? that is the place you must aim and shoot at your opponent, there are several more at your back.):

Gear up, people!


The place is just a room with lots of obstacles and few good hiding place. Once you are in action(the game starts), the room darkens and the music starts blaring out from the speakers. Lasers start to shoot crazily around and across the room and dry gas(formed from dry ice, the gas is actually carbon dioxide) is emitted for the best effects(like a Sci-fi battlefield, Star Wars perhaps?). The room is quite small and heaty so you will expect to have difficulty in breathing and lots of sweating after some time. A game costs RM 4 per person. There are two rounds per game, 10 minutes each. If you think this is just short time, think again. After my friends and I played a round, we went out of the room and each of us has the similar expression on our faces- exhaustion(not to be gross, if you carefully smell the air, you can catch some sweaty odour from your friends or yourself). In conclusion, it's a great fun if there are lots of players battling against each other.

When I reached home, I became curious and surf the net for more info about laser tag. I was marvelled by the designs and the sizes. Here are the reasons(just look at the pictures and compare to the one above):

Is this cool or what?

Is this from Star-Trek(nice design and looks good)?

Hmm...realistic

I also search more on Wikipedia and found this:

Soldiers training with the Laser Tag equipment

Went to Google and found this too:

Ready for battle

As we can see, these soldiers(including players) are wearing their full armor and equipped with high-tech guns to train themselves and gain some experience. How about in reality, what armor should we wear to protect ourselves from the spiritual forces of evil?

Well, we do not need to go to some blacksmith(if there is) and make a real tough armor. What we really need is the armor of God. "Finally, be strong in the Lord and his mighty power. Put the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition of all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrow of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in this Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests....." (Ephesians 6:10-18)

Belt of TRUTH - His sovereignty, love, wisdom, and holiness. (Deut. 4:39; Ps. 18:1-3)

Breastplate of RIGHTEOUSNESS - Jesus Christ and His blood, which cleanses us from sin. The cross which frees us from bondage to selfish nature.

Sandals of PEACE - Our peace through our union and ongoing relationship with Jesus Christ.


Shield of FAITH - Our continual trust in God, His Word, and His promises.


Helmet of SALVATION - God's promises of daily and eternal salvation in Jesus Christ.

Sword of the Spirit His WORD - The power of God's Word to counter deception and triumph over spiritual foes.

I also want to share with you the following passage I read from a Christian website:

God's armor brings victory because it is far more than a protective covering. It is the very life of Jesus Christ Himself. "[P]ut on the armor of light," wrote Paul in his letter to the Romans, "...clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ." (Romans 13:12-14) When you do, He becomes your hiding place, and shelter in the storm--just as He was to David. Hidden in Him, you can count on His victory, for He not only covers you as a shield, He also fills you with His life.

"I am the vine; you are the branches," said Jesus. "If a man abides in Me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing." (John 15:5)

Since living in the safety of the armor means oneness with Jesus, we can expect to share His struggles as well as His peace. Remember, God has promised us victory in the midst of trials, not immunity from pain. So "do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you, but rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ..." (1 Peter 4:12-13) Christian heroes who have been tortured for their faith continue to testify to the supernatural strength--even joy--that enables them to endure unthinkable pain.

They affirm with Paul -

"that in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.... For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers.... will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:37-39)

This wonderful truth has become reality to all who believe and follow Jesus. When you put on His armor, His life surrounds you, keeping you safe, close to Himself, and free to be His precious friend and trusted companion. So "put on Christ." (Galatians 3:27) He is your victory!

God bless.