Song Memory Playback of "Take All of Me" by Hillsongs

Ever had those moments when from out of nowhere you start humming or singing a song even though you have not heard that song for ages?

I sometimes randomly get this to random Jay Chou songs that I have heard in the past... I shall call this phenomena Song Memory Playback (SMP).

Today I had a more pleasant Song Memory Playback. Out of the recesses of my brain I suddenly started singing the chorus of this song. I did not realize that it is such a classic.

My love for You is simply a response to Your awesome love for me...

Some Thoughts on Worship

Been blessed the past few months to learn so much about worship.

A few Arrow Services back Pastor Daniel came and shared about Worship. He shared about one incident in the life of David, writer of most of the Psalms, when he was about to be caught by the person that is after his life, King Saul. Through some God-incidences David managed to escape and he wrote Psalm 18 at this point.

Another incident in David's life was when he was taking refuge in the Cave of Adullam. He was with his 400 mighty men (someone correct me if I'm wrong on the number) and all of them squeezed inside the cave which was most probably smelly and dark. Yet he wrote Psalm 34 even in that situation.

There is also the story of King Jehoshaphat in 2 Chronicles 20 where instead of sending an army to fight against the enemies, he sent worshippers to the front lines because God had assured him of victory.

What then is the significance of all these examples? For me it is a reminder that worship is more than just music and singing. For us believers, worship is a response to the goodness, grace and love of God that was embodied by Jesus. Worship is lifting up Jesus and declaring that his work is perfect and complete.

When we worship, it is like lifting up Jesus as a banner of our victory. Even though the victory may not be evident, it does not change the fact that Jesus has already won the victory.

When we raise our hands up to worship him it is declaring that Jesus is the victory that we need in our situation, just as Moses lifted up his hands in Rephidim when the Amalekites attacked the Israelites. (Exodus 17) Whenever Moses' hands were lifted up the Israelites prevailed against the Amalekites. And it was Joshua who was made captain of the armies of Israel; Jesus is the one who fights the battle.

When we shout Jesus' name it is more than just saying out the name of our Saviour. In Joshua 6 we can read the story of how the walls of the city of Jericho crumbled after the people shouted. They "shouted with a great shout" and the walls of the city fell down flat. Today, we do not just shout with a great shout but we shout out the name of Jesus, the name above every other name.

It really changes my view and response whenever a worship leader says, "Church, raise up your hands," or "Somebody shout, 'Jesus!' in this place". We do not worship to bring the victory but we worship because Jesus has already won the victory and we simply respond in worship and give God all the glory. Its very hard to look at worship the same way again.

Backflip

This conversation was inspired by the video below...

JG looks at George during dinner one time.

JG: Hey, George. Do you want to learn how to do a backflip?

George: No...

JG: C'mon I'll be your spotter. Because those who can't do, teach!

How to Give the Perfect Man Hug

Because real men hug...

Never Alone, Always Cared For (taken from New Creation Church Daily Devotional)

1 Peter 5:7
7casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.
It does not matter how tightly knit our families are or how many close friends we have. When we go through a difficult time or trial, many a time, we still feel all alone and that no one really cares or understands.

Martha knew that feeling. She had on one occasion cried out to Jesus, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone?” (Luke 10:40) Jesus’ disciples also knew what it was like to feel small, alone and in trouble. They cried out, “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?” when they were swept up in a terrifying storm. (Mark 4:38)

Today, maybe the cry of your heart is also, “Lord, do You not care that I am left all alone… that I am going under… that I am perishing?”

My friend, the Lord does care for you. He loves you so much that He wants you to cast all your cares upon Him — not just some but all your cares. He wants both your big and small cares. There is nothing too small or big for Him. If it is a care in your heart, He wants you to cast it upon Him.

When the apostle Peter wrote “casting all your care upon Him”, he was talking about the continuous act of casting all your cares upon the Lord. As a care comes, God wants you to cast it to Him. That is the lifestyle He wants you to adopt. Why? The verse gives us the reason — “for He cares for you”. You are casting all your cares upon the One who loves you, and who left all of heaven to come and die for you. That is who you are casting your cares to. It is not just any person, but it is the One who gave His life for you!

When you are going through a difficult time, God wants you to believe that you are never alone because He Himself has said that He will never leave you nor forsake you. (Hebrews 13:5) As the object of His care, He will take care of you for the rest of your life. You are never alone and always cared for!

Encounter Jesus Camp 08

Had a really blessed time at EJ camp. It was really an honour and a privilege to be able to come back to help out in DARE ministry and go for the camp.

At first I thought that the camp was really just for the youths. It was a camp for the youths to encounter Jesus. It was during one of the sessions that I realized the true reason why the camp is called "Encounter Jesus". It does not matter whether you are a youth, server, helper, committee member, or what ever - you will encounter Jesus!

I almost lost out on this when I had the wrong thinking that I cannot receive from the camp. I remember telling God that if the camp is called "Encounter Jesus" then I want that encounter.

It was during one of the ministering sessions when I had that encounter. Pastor Benjamin had just finished praying over a few people and I was helping catch people who fell under the power of God. When I thought that the ministering was over Pastor Benjamin suddenly just invited people again saying, "All those who want to experience what they just did for a second time just come up."

I don't know why but I some how felt like crying. Its not something I can explain but I just felt such a spirit of love. God was pouring out His love even giving out a second dose of anointing. He really wanted to transform the lives of the people there and when I felt that I knew that I had an encounter with Jesus. When I saw how much Daddy God was pouring out love I knew that I had my encounter with Jesus because Jesus is love personified.

Love's come down.

In the world but not of it.

Slowly I'm starting to have an experiential understanding of what it means to be in the world but not of it.

I've heard it said a lot of times before, "You are in the world but not of the world..." It often receives a resounding response of amens and nods when it is said.

We are in the world, in the natural but we are not bound by the natural ways of this world. As Christians we are not of this world but we live under the ways of the kingdom of God. And His kingdom is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.

It is when we are so spirit-filled that we begin to experience the righteousness, peace and joy that are the elements of the kingdom of God. Not only that but there is healing and prosperity in the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 10:7-8 "And as you go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give."

Matthew 6:25-30 is the famous passage where Jesus speaks of the birds of the air and the lilies of the field and the preceding verses, 31-34 speak of how God takes care of our needs: “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

No wonder there must be repentance, a radical change in the way we think, when the spirit begins to move and the kingdom of Heaven manifests. How will we respond when we see righteousness, peace, joy, healing and prosperity? How long will we continue in our natural mindset that is of this world and continue to worry? How long will we continue living like orphans without a Heavenly father watching over us?

After an awesome service about being spirit-filled its easy to believe that nothing can go wrong, that everything will work out together for my good. A few minutes later, the natural takes over again. A small mishap and doubts begin to rise. Its very easy to live in the world and be of it. It is a labour to enter into the rest.

But God is faithful. If a promise is in the Word and Jesus has fulfilled the requirements for that promise for me by His death on the cross then it is my right to receive it. I want to come to a place where I am so filled by the spirit that the kingdom of God manifests so strongly, readily, easily.

Perseverance, patience, it will not happen over night. It begins by speaking and praying in the spirit daily, continually, unceasingly until it becomes a river of flowing water. I love how God makes it so simple for us. His ways are simple yet powerful. It is also something that the natural, logical mind cannot comprehend.

And as we believe in the finished work of Christ on the cross, as we believe that the Holy Spirit now indwells us and teaches us and guides us in all things; therefore we speak.

Its about time to radically change the way we think. We may be in this world but we are not of it.