Weblog
Sunday, 25 July 2010
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Do you know?
- "Muslim" means "one who submits (to God)."
- The Muslim Holy Book is called the Koran.
- Some of the prophets Muslims believe in are Old Testament Bible characters. For example, Ibrahim is actually Abraham in Genesis.
- The Muslim place of worship is called the mosque.
- Muslims pray 5 times a day.
- Allah is how Muslims refer to God.
- Ramadan is the month when Muslims fast.
- Malay men and women wear waist down a piece of cloth called the sarong as part of their cultural dressing.
- The cap that Malay men wear as part of their cultural dressing is called a songkok.
- Singaporean Malays celebrate 2 main festivals: Hari Raya Puasa and Hari Raya Haji.
- 2 flat pieces of stone or wood as the tombstones at the Malay grave indicates that the buried is a male.
- حلال is shown on food packagings when the food is said to be halal (lawful).
Monday, 28 December 2009
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The Way of the Cross
TGIF Today God Is First Volume 2, by Os Hillman 12-27-2009" ... come down from the cross and save yourself!" (Mark 15:30).God calls each of us to the cross in order for all the things that are alive in our flesh to die. Daily we are invited by the enemy of our souls to love ourselves and come away from the cross.What are the signs that you have come off the cross? When you are overly concerned with appearance, you have come off the cross. When the words of others cause you to react and defend, you have come off the cross. When you strive to have your world in perfect order, you have come off the cross. When you complain about circumstances, you have come off the cross.The way of the cross means letting go and letting God have His way in every matter, every relationship, every outcome."When God starts to deal with the old nature He heads straight for the center of all that you hold most dear. Allow Him to bring you to the cross in the very center of who you are. Don't grumble and become agitated when the process starts. Silence and peace will help you much more than being upset. To bear the cross simply, without letting your self-love add all sorts of dilemmas to it, will make your life easier. When you accept the cross simply allow it to do the work God intended, you will be happy because you will see what good fruit is produced in you."* Those were the words of Francois de Fenelon, a man who lived in the 1600s and was considered one of the most godly men of his time.The apostle Paul sums up the way of the cross: "For, as I have often told you before and now say again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body" (Phil 3:18-21).Let the cross have its way in you.
Sunday, 13 December 2009
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Yes
Yes, it's true. :)
I will share more later, but for now, I'll share a page in chapter 31 of Elisabeth Elliot's book Quest for Love to summarize:
"He is the one I have waited on God for (not very patiently sometimes) and prayed for. I feel secure in his love and the priority I have in his life. It's easy to admire a man who is God's, who lays down his life, as Jesus did, without a word. He is not perfect, but I am convinced he is God's choice, God's best, for me. Several asked how I knew. I tell them about my Father, His promises of guidance, His love, and His sovereign wisdom. I did not want to marry outside of His will if He intended me to be single in order to serve Him better. I struggled over that and sought His will, not just His blessings."
Saturday, 28 November 2009
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802 基督教敬拜會第八區
Yoki :祂的供應真的超出我所想!
信主前,我是個自私、使菸又滿口粗口的人。我自出世被父母拋棄,養父養母又只會打罵,令我只想盡快家,亦因而把盼望放在愛情與婚姻上。不過拍拖之中,卻不停為男朋友有第三者而受傷,盼望變為絕望,臉上長久找不到笑容。
後來,我因一位同事契而不捨地請我返教會的同事,第一次聽到耶穌,因弟兄姊妹關心、為我流淚,感動了我接受耶穌,其後我的男朋友亦因看到我信主後變得開郎而感到驚奇,抵擋不了神的愛而接受耶穌。
不過,教會不鼓勵情侶同居,返教會後,教會家長建議我和男朋友分開住,我出時接受不了,曾想離開教會,但心情平靜後決定與男掊有分居及計劃結婚,才發現神再當中的好意:因為分居,令我們更明白彼此有多需要對方,未婚因打下強心針。
後來我在受浸當天分享見證,看到媽媽為我而哭,令我明白家人的關心,多年與家人之間的破碎乖信得到修補,神亦漸漸拿走我的自卑,讓我認識到祂對每一個人都有不同計劃,而我認為改不到的惡習,包括新菸和講粗口都因神成功戒掉,自私的個性亦漸漸轉變,而學會體諒和關懷。
不過我當時仍為董在生活上完全信任神,我因背負咭數,金錢上無力奉獻之餘,籌備婚禮亦帶來經濟壓力,然而神事供應的神,聖經提到要對神有信心作「十一奉獻」,令我決定即使未還清咭數、甚至錢不夠用,也要先奉獻。奇妙的事因而開始:我除正職之外,Freelance工作的收入亦突然大大增多,直至婚後,我與老公都無再欠咭數,更成功買樓,證明當我們把困難完全交給神,祂的供應就會超出我所想。
Irene:夫妻淡如止水的感情,也重新有愛
自小欠缺家庭溫暖的我,中五畢業後就結婚生子,但我愈勤力工作,與老公、子女的關係就愈差,而且大兒子由小四開始反叛、無心向學,令我們決定把他痛到珠海讀寄宿學校。不過兒子到內地讀書,令家庭支出加大,我們再無力請工人,連小女兒也要加給我媽媽照顧,一個家庭分個地方生活,加上工作不如意,令我感到做人太苦,甚至想過自殺。
在我人生最失落時,妹妹邀請我返教會,我信耶穌後學會每天禱告,把問題交給主,耶穌不久就把我心裡多年的煩惱拿走,給我平安和喜樂,祂也祝福我的工作和家庭。我信主後數月,老公和大兒子也信了耶穌,改變了我們的關係:我老公由一個「大男人」,性格變得愈來愈溫和,對我們愈來愈體貼,我們夫妻淡如止水的感情,也重新有愛的感覺,在主裡重新學習相處和教子之道。
感謝耶穌!大兒子相信耶穌後,就由自我和無目標,變得有愛心、孝順和品學兼優。他去年返回香港讀中學,堅持依靠耶穌、不補習,竟考獲全班第一和全級第四。同時,扳回來與我們同住的小女兒也由一個「小霸王」變得聽話可愛、常給我們帶來歡笑。我們一家今日可共聚天倫,開心地一起生活,真要感謝我們的救主耶穌。
Ryan:耶穌在短短兩個月醫好了我!
紅斑狼瘡症:一個被公認難以醫好的惡疾,08年降臨於我,耶穌卻在短短兩月內完全醫治我!
今年初,我出現脫髮、食慾不振令體重暴跌40多磅及心口據痛等毛病,檢查下被證實換紅斑狼瘡症。因病情猛烈,腎臟被病毒重創,視力模糊,染病指數達頂點的1:320,需馬上接受化療。然而,化療的副作用包括脫髮及嘔吐,令我擔心不已,擔心會光頭和臉上出紅斑,更害怕自己年輕便回天家。
我馬上祈禱,求主耶穌醫治,神就差派弟兄姊妹每天探望我,祂又給我平安。讓我透過每天禱告,心中的憂慮消失,換來是猶如無病般的平安心境,深信在耶穌的保護下,我只要依靠祂,就必會很快戰勝病魔。耶穌視聽禱告的神!
我五月複診時,醫生說我的紅斑狼瘡指數已跌至1:20,代表病毒消失,等於正常人,幾乎壞死的腎臟恢復正常、視力改善、頭髮感覺濃密了,我在病中亦少有嘔吐,胃口反而不錯!醫生說其他患這病的人一般至少幾年才可以醫好,有些人患病數十年都根治不到,但我用大約兩個月時間已經痊癒,真是一個神蹟!
耶穌不單單醫治我的身體,還讓我和父母並他倆之間的關係和好:我想時候父母就分開,我自此跟爸爸生活,沒想過父母會再見面。但我患病令父母再走在一起:媽媽為我吹頭,爸爸餵我喝湯,待我像公主一樣。化寮期間,主又讓我重拾與媽媽生活的溫馨:每天與媽媽一起,享受她為我預備的三餐。
我與爸爸的關係亦變得深厚,以前我常認為他「長氣」,但治療期間,我卻發現爸爸為我流淚,明白他愛我,現在會拖著爸爸的手去飲茶,而當他「長氣」時,我亦不再駁口且了。
在神裡面,反事都能!我們只要依靠祂,祂必幫助我們,因聖經說:「只要信是得著的,就必得著」﹝可11:24﹞。
阿聲:我不再頂撞媽媽!!!
我是獨子,五歲時爸爸過身,在媽媽的寵愛下反變得依賴和無上進心,成績低落,又由於中三在家中抽了一口菸,令我與媽媽的關係惡化,漸漸我也把屋企當酒店,每天放學去玩,回家晚飯後玩電腦,與媽媽甚少交談。
中學生涯以會考四分結束後,我認識了一位心儀的基督徒女孩,為認識她多點,決定與她返教會。不過我第一次返教會,卻擔心教會有很煩的傳教士與神秘的儀式,抵達教會才發現它是充滿喜樂和笑容的地方,我政聽到一位姊妹分響家人關係得修補的見證,因我想家庭變好,當天就決志信耶穌。
又有一次我在聖經分享中學會孝敬父母,我回想自己從來都無孝順媽媽,便羞愧的跪在地上禱告痛哭,從此我不再頂撞媽媽,反而為我們的關係禱告,令我與媽媽的關係改善。我亦學會力祈禱戒煙,感謝主,一個月就成功了。
另外,我由小學開始已想拍拖,填補內心孤單,不過當時我以為開始一斷關係不須考慮甚麼,也以為只要不斷向心儀對象發出善意,就能感動對方,至信耶穌後才明白感情是為婚姻建立,好品格才能吸引異性,所以我便祈禱把感情事交給神,神靜把我的心態改變,讓我學會婚前先重視家庭,現在我不需要為拍拖的事著緊,祂就必祝福我將來的婚姻。
返教會後,常被台上的結他和鼓聲吸引,我很想學,卻又欠缺音樂感,唯有藉禱告交託。耶穌的恩典夠我用,在弟兄姊妹介紹下,我得到一位打鼓導師細心教導,又教我樂器是用來敬拜耶穌,並不是炫燿才華。想不到神真的佳給我打鼓的恩賜,現在能在主日打鼓敬拜,真是恩賜!
轉眼間,我再這叫會亦有六年多,與敬拜和講道都深深體會到,人依靠自己有線的能力就是驕傲,必定要謙卑禱告,順服神的旨意才能成功!
Spent the day clearing paper rubbish accumulated throughout the year. Found a church brochure with several life stories given to me by a friend I met in Hong Kong. Links at www.802hk.com and www.tpahk.com.
Monday, 12 October 2009
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Intimacy
Sharing who we are with others is often not easy. All love is a risk. I admit, it can be uncomfortable exposing the deepest parts of ourselves. Thankfully, you don't have to do it all at once because developing intimacy is like peeling an onion—it can happen just a little at a time while trust is developed.Because God made us, He intimately knows us better than anyone can. For this reason, He can make us feel known in a way that no one on earth is able; and in this we can experience intimacy in an indescribable way. Intimacy with God through His Son Jesus has been the most rewarding and life-changing thing I have ever experienced.
My prayer is that you will first experience the joy that comes from having an intimate relationship with God and that out of that love you have experienced with Him, that you will find intimacy with a special someone who will make the load of walking the earth a little lighter.
- Shana Schutte

