I'm 15 + 2 days old! Haha. Oh wells.

Yes. It was my birthday two days ago. Hmmm. Its quite a birthday, I should say, different. I really really appreciated the Cat High guys who came together to celebrate my birthday with me, Darren, Beng, Ivan. Even Darrell and Ze Gang! Thanks guys! Really really enjoyed lunch at Sakae buffet. Oh, its my first time btw. And it was quite special. =) It wasnt a too great thing, neither was it a too small thing, I'm actually refering to my birthday. Yeah. So thanks guys! And for those who send blessings and encouragement, thanks lots too. The Lord has been great in preserving me and protecting me, not forgetting blessing me for the past 15 years, and two days! If not for Him, I wouldnt be who I am now. God brought me to this earth, saved me, and sustained me. And He has loved me before I was born, to now, and even into eternity. I think birthday is really also a time to remember what God has done for me, instead of focusing on myself, let us turn our eyes onto our redeemer. "Let he who observes a day, observe it to the Lord" Indeed, I believe that we should observe our birthdays to God! Hehhs. SO, I'm now 15! Thats good? Well. Makes not much difference lah. Rite. I mean I rather be growing spiritually then to be growing physically. So age, to me, isnt an issue. But thank God I'm 15. Hehhs.

Its been sometime since I've posted. Hmmm. Yes, I've been busy, in fact, very busy. And often find myself not having enough time for myself, so spending hours in front of the computer to blog has not been my priority. But I thank God that this time he has given me, a more relaxed weekend. I guess as its been quite sometime since I've last blogged, there were many thoughts, many consolidation of learnings and truths. To first update everyone on how I am now? I am finee.. Haha. I mean, really, I think that God has been so faithful to me and He has never left me even when I so often stray. God never ever did give up on me, nor will He ever give up on me. I've really never ever enjoyed the time spent in the morning , daily, before God, so much, than since school started and life became so busy, worldly, and "realistic". There is two reasons I need to come before God's throne to obtain mercy and grace every morn. Firstly, its because of the need to be renewed in my mind, to be prepared and guarded for the day's challenge. I've enjoyed my quiet time not even only because of this, but because the world is really too disgusting and so stressful, tiring, busy, filthy, that I have to come before my God to seek rest, comfort and draw grace. And to say that spending the morning with God is really a glimspe into heaven each day. I can testify to that. There has not been anytime of the day that I ever looked forward to, then my quiet time with the Lord. Sometimes, I would just wish I was never constrained by time.

Waking up at 5am daily has not been a problem to me, thanks to my Lord, who has been ever faithful to wake me up at that time. Sometimes I will be so tired and keep mumbling the same things while kneeling beside the bed. But I'll just cry out "Lord, Lord" and I become refreshed again. Haha. Sometimes, God knows that Im not ready to seek Him because I didnt sleep too early the night before. SO I was clearly tired out, and there isnt a pt to be praying when I am not conscious of doing so. Even though I wake up at 5am each day, I had not been so fortunate to complete all I have to say to the Lord. So, really, I feel the constrains of time having its effect on me. Well, personally, though I have nothing against doing QTs in the night, but I feel that doing it in the morning would be the time most appropiate. I once heard someone said that if we were to be doing our QT in the night, wouldnt we be putting on our armour to bed? Hehhs. ITs quite true. I think most of the time when I did my QT in the night last time, I find myself not remembering what I read in the bible the night before and what I prayed about. TO me, ITs not very appropiate because I do not feel prepared to start the day. And another thing, that I always suffer from, when I do my QT in the night (which I understand that many people also do) is feeling so tired to falling asleep halfway into prayer. Been there, done that. I think we're putting ourselves in a situation where we are so weak and so easily tempted to give in to weariness. And the next day, we find ourselves guilty for dozing off halfway through. I think through the business, and the stresses of the day, we find ourselves weakest and most worn out in the night, and humanly speaking we need the rest. So, if we find ourselves not able to spend a good time with God in the night, why not try the morning? Oh btw, there isnt any issue between doing in the morning or in the night. Nothing at all. Just suggestions from my personal experience. I mean, if doing it in the night keeps us close to the Lord, by all means.

But I feel that in comparison, with the previous year where I leave my quiet time to the last part of the day to do, and this year when I wake up early to seek God, I have benefitted much more this year. There are several reasons why I enjoy doing my quiet time in the morning.

Firstly, I prefer to think that we should start the day with the Lord, and end the day with Him too! If possible, I do like to think back and reflect on how my day is spent before I sleep. But I like the idea of guarding two points in our day, that is crucial to how the whole day is spend. Of course, we cannot neglect the fact that we have to be constantly abiding in God for the rest of the day. But we do know that by starting the day well with God is really important. If we go into battle, unarmed, unarmoured, how can we survive? Likewise, if we were to go into our battle field not prepared to face the filth and impurities, not prepared to break down satan's strongholds and win souls, how can we survive? One reason I choose the morning, is because of this, starting the day well prepares us for the challenges ahead.

Secondly, as I said before, due to fatigue, I often doze off halfway into prayer when I do my quiet time in the night. It can also be accounted to not sincere, but I rather place it under "too tired". I mean, our bodies need rest when we need rest. Doing it in the day, is a totally different thing. I believe that if we purpose to do so, and ask God to wake us up earlier every morning to seek Him, He will! I can testify to that! Doing my quiet time in the day keeps me refreshed, instead of tired due to the lack of sleep. I believe by renewing our spiritual minds, we also renew our physical strength through God. So, for me, I benefitted alot from doing my quiet time in the morning.

Thirdly, I really like the idea of this verse. "O God, You are my God. Early will I seek You. My soul thirsts for you, my flesh longs for you, in a dry and thristy land where there is no water. So I have looked for You in the santuary, to see Your power and Your glory." Early will I seek you. I believe that waking up early in the morning to seek God, we will see Him in His power and His glory. As this verse suggests. This is really a verse I love to quote when I wake up early early to seek God. Sometimes when my body hopes to catch more sleep, I remind myself of this verse, that I need to seek God early in the morning. Indeed, O God, You are my God, early will I seek Thee!

Lastly, I believe that God would honor those who honor Him. God sees the sincerity of the heart and He honors those who sacrifice things for His sake. In this case, I am refering to sacrifice precious MINS of slumber to satisfy our flesh. In a sense, its also fasting. Ha. But anyways, I believe we should remember to offer our best to the Lord. The time when we hope and wish we could have more of it, is the time we should choose to offer to God as our sacrifice of praise and worship. If watching this favourite TV programme is a MUST for us, learn to give God this time and see how He honors you back! We should never give God the "excess" time of our lives, and offer it to Him. Remember, God wants our best, and He definitely deserves our best! SO I believe that by waking up early and offering "time" signifying God's priority in my life, God will honor me by blessing me through the day.

Oh, I really do not have an issue between doing QT in the morning or night. I also want to share on how my quiet time is spent, and why I do what I do. So don't get me wrong. For those who are happy with spending time in the night with God, by all means. But for those who are struggling to do so, this is my sharing and suggestions from my own experience. But do seek God yourself and ask Him to grant you a time to seek Him.

Hehhs. I side-tracked so much. Hmmm. How I am doing now? I should say I'm really slowly learning to adapt to the new system of the school, the business, the weariness, and the stress. I'm learning to trust and lean not in my own understanding but to depend fully on the grace of God, for He has promised that His grace is sufficient for us! There is a verse which says, "Where sin abounds, grace abounds more". God's grace is indeed sufficient for us! Those who are burdened, weary, stressed, who are on the verge of breaking down, remember His grace is sufficient for us! I think God really has been pouring out His glorious truths day by day, into my heart, and it has been encouraging to me to know that He delights in doing so in my life. But sometimes I fear of not able to remember everything, and hence, not living out what I have learnt. Let me type out this short excerpt from a book called " of the Imitation of Christ" by Thomas A Kempis. I've been encouraged by this short passage.

Admonitions Useful for a Spiritual Life - Doctrine of truth

O God, who art the truth, make me one with Thee in continual love! I am weary often to read and hear many things. In Thee is all that I desire and long for. Let all teachers hold their peace; let all creatures be silent in Thy sight; speak to me alone.

The more a man is at one within himself, and becomes single in heart, so much the more and higher things does he understand without labour; for he recieves the light of understanding from above (Luke 10:21). A pure, sincere, and stable spirit is not distracted in a multitute of affairs, for it works all to the honor of God, and inwardly strives to be at rest from all self-seeking.


It's been two weeks at school. David asked avery interesting question in the forum page of our youth's website.

Just to start off a new topic here. Wanna hear from you youthies what your studies mean to you all.

-Is it just something we slog through and get done and over with asap everyday?
-Do we give just the bare minimum in it and hope to clear our exams?
-Are we doing it because our parents/government force us to?
-Do our studies matter to God?
-Do our studies fall into God's plan for our lives?

Do contribute and if possible share some verses which could shed light on this "elusive" issue..

And I hope to share about my feelings about this. I havent been able to look for verses, or able to shed light to this topic. But somethings that happened, that I've thought about during lesson time. And when I thought of this question, I thought it was quite appropiate to share about it.

Perhaphs I should say something about why, we as Christians ought to go to school and do our best in it. We have studied in sunday school, "Enjoying your vocation". We know that:

• we can serve the Lord in our vocation, by witnessing to others
• we can support ourselves and our families, in our case, when we grow up to be able to work and support our families,
• we can support the Lord's work, if we have the money when we grow up and work, to give back to God,
• we can share with others, if we have the money to, we can provide for the needs of our brothers and sisters
• we can support our government.

I think some may not be very appropiate to our lives now. I shall share some verse before going on to what I feel about this topic.

Colossians 3:23 And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men,

Remember that we should be studying hard because of God! Doing it HEARTILY as to the Lord and not to men.

Matthew 5:14-16 "You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.

Remember that we are lights for Christ. We are suppose to be serving Christ in our school by ministering the Word of God to our friends. If we are not there to reach out for them, who will? AS it is written, "Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house." See ourselves as the lamp, and the school as our lampstand. Do we hide ourselves our shine for Christ in school? And God teaches us to "Let our light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven." Let us therefore bring glory to our Lord in our school!

James 4:15 Instead you ought to say, "If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that."

Ecclesiastes 9:10 Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might; for there is no work or device or knowledge or wisdom in the grave where you are going.

I think these verses speak for themselves. If God wills, let us do it with our might and live do do it!

Okay. Now to what I feel about this topic. I believe that it includes these points.
1. Our testimony is at stake
2. Its our area of ministry
3. Education is God's plan for us
4. God can be found in our classrooms!

I'll like to share on how God can be found in our classrooms! Well. This is my first year taking up Bio as a subject itself. It has been so tough memorising all the names the "things" inside a cell. And to understand what does what, and where the "things" are. ITs really a headache. But consider this. Place humans in the middle. We see how amazing Biology can be, when we are already so small. COnsider the organs in us, then consider how many cells there are in an organ. Then consider how many chromosomes there are in one cell. Then consider the number of genes
there are in a cell. The answer- 30, 000. And do you know that a one single base change, that means a change in the DNA, one small one can cause dire consequences? "The power of life, and yet, the fraility of it". And know consider that every single cell has sub-cells and its own functions. Consider how small it can get? And now to return to the human body. Consider how small we are in just one country. Then consider earth. Consider the solar system, then consider the universe! Guess why am I telling you all these? What do you see in all these infomation? I see God in them. God is really everywhere. I've realised that if I opened my mind to really learn, I can understand that God is trying to reach out to every human, to prove His existence to us humans, even in our education system. I challenged my friend on who could have created this? Really, could evolution really cause such maverlous things?

Even in my Humans Core subject. We were studying on Colonisation. My teacher was introducing the historical background of the situation back in the 1800 and 1900s. When imperialism occured. Anyway. He told us that during that time, Darwin's theory of evolution was very popular, and the europeans, because considering the fact that the theory taught that some animals are more superior than others and thus some deserve to be eliminated or extinct. The europeans were actually thinking of wiping out Asians and Africans to take over the lands as thier colonies. However, because of a Christian missionary revival in the west at that time, they remembered that Christ came to save the sins of ALL men, and there shouldnt be race-superiority. So they didnt execute what they have planned based on darwin's theory. Well. I see God's power to save through this historical study on colonisation. I see how God saved us, Asians and also Africans from our deaths. Consider how God has revealed Himself so many ways through our class.

So, in conclusion, I'd like to challenge everyone to enjoy our vocation. Learn to see God work in every single cirumstance and every single hour of our life.

I pray that everyone will seek to grow and be strengthened in our Lord! May we all never neglect the fact that we are to glorify God and make disciples as we go.. Press on dear Christians!