Testimony 25/12/05: Linger Around

Disappointed. Disappointed at church. Disappointed at work. Disappointed by Christians. My heart sank. I started wondering why. Without realising, I went on a strike with God. A strike that did more damage to myself than to anyone else. I didn’t go to church in December. I stopped joining cell. And my personal relationship with God went dry.

But in His gentleness, Jesus came. He gave me the story of the shepherds. “And an angel of the Lord stood before them” (Luke 2:8 NCV). Their first reaction? Fear. The good thing was the shepherd stayed to hear the next verse. “Today your Saviour was born in the town of David. He is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:29 NCV). When I am scared, linger around Jesus. When I don’t understand what’s happening, stay. Just like John after the crucifixion of Jesus. All disciples were scattered. The Jews were still on the road looking for their heads. But thank God John stayed in the city… and ultimately saw the Saviour came back to life.

I might be on a wilderness now. So many things change this year. On a search for a church. Looking for cell group. Moving country. New job. New friends. New way of life. But when I am scared, and when I am confused, Jesus said, “Linger around.”

And oh… I did go to church this Christmas. And what a wonderful thing to be in the house of God.

News 21/12/05: Almost All

Remember how in October I took a wisdom tooth out? How my gum, my lower lip and my chin went numb? And how I had to take three doses of antibiotic? The good news is, by now I have gained almost all of my sensation back. Praise the Lord!

Prayer Requests 20/12/05: This Christmas

My writings are all in my laptop. However, my laptop is undergoing an upgrade at the moment. So I’m sorry to say that I do not have my writings with me at this stage. But I do have some prayer requests.

I have not gone to my church this month and am taking a break from my current cell group due to some issues. Personal relationship with Jesus was a bit dry but thank God for His grace that it is getting better now. Please pray that my love and passion for Jesus will only increase and that His favour to be upon me as I look around for a supportive, passionate-for-God group of people.

Pray also for peace. Dr. Azahari, the mastermind of Bali bombings and other terrorist actions, has been killed. However, in one of his hiding places were found 47 bombs, ready to be exploded this Christmas. We do not know where else are his hiding places and what are the plans they have beside “bomb party” this end of the year. His assistant, Mr. Noordin M. Top, is still on the run. I long to go to church this Christmas but I really have no peace.

Nevertheless, I would like to wish all of you a Merry Christmas! His goodness and love will follow you all the days of your life! Amen!

Have You Been Encouraged?

Have you been encouraged? Have you been enriched? Edified? Entertained? Send me an email by end of December and write how the posting in this site have touched you. I would love to hear from you! A book containing the writings from this blog and your emails will be compiled at the conclusion of the year for my personal record. Criticism is welcomed. Please write "alivingtestimony" as the title of your email. Thanks for all your support and prayers!

Testimony 30/11/05: Whoever Watches The Wind

I woke up late
The water is cold
The blanket is warm

Those are the top reasons why I cancel swimming in the morning. At night I would be as excited as a kid receiving a birthday present. But in the morning? I am as soft as an overnight cracker. Sometimes I think the sun is too hot it would make spots on my face. Other times I think it’s too cloudy it would make me freeze. Sometimes I think the pool is too crowded I wouldn’t be able to move. When no one is swimming, I wouldn’t swim fearing no one could help me if something should happen! I would have tons of other excuses why I should stay in my pajamas instead of working out.

But today I was reminded of an event that took place weeks ago. It was raining up in The Grampians. I have been praying for good weather but still the rain was pouring. I was so disappointed till I met a New Zealander in the hostel.

“Where are you going today?” she asked.
“Well… it’s raining. I think I’ll stay here. What about you?”
“Me? I’m buying a raincoat and explore The Grampians!”

Suddenly I woke up to this truth… sometimes we cannot wait until everything is comfortable for us. Sometimes we just have to do the things that need to be done! Just like Ecclesiastes 11:4 says, “Whoever watches the wind will not plant; whoever looks at the clouds will not reap”. The day when all the flowers bloom, when the air is filled with the scent of roses, when the sun is just right and the wind is just nice… it’s probably just a few days in a year! So let’s continue doing what needs to be done!


PS: Even though I didn’t manage to climb up The Pinnacles that day, I did walked up The Balconies and down the McKenzies Fall. And today… I went to the pool and swim.

Testimony 12/11/05: He Loves Us Anyway

Matthew 14:22-33

22 Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. 23 After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, 24 but the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.
25 During the fourth watch of the night Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. 26 When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. "It's a ghost," they said, and cried out in fear.
27 But Jesus immediately said to them: "Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid."
28 "Lord, if it's you," Peter replied, "tell me to come to you on the water."
29 "Come," he said.
Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, "Lord, save me!"
31 Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. "You of little faith," he said, "why did you doubt?"
32 And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. 33 Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, "Truly you are the Son of God."


***

Did you ever wonder how Peter went back to the boat? Nor did I. I have never thought of it until today, when Matt Fielder shared in The Planet Shakers City Church. The Bible never said that Jesus lifted him up and said, “Man… you are heavy!” Nor did the Bible say that Jesus piggy back Peter. Do you think Peter swam back to the boat? I don’t think so either. Matt said we could safely assume that Peter walked on water once again!

Our God is a God of the second chance. Of course we fail Him time and again. But we can always stand up knowing God is faithful no matter what. We screw up everyday… but He loves us anyway! Isn’t that beautiful?

Testimony 18/11/05: You Are Amazing, God

From the highest of height
To the depths of the sea
Creation’s revealing Your majesty
From the colours of fall
To the fragrance of spring
Every creature unique
And the song that it sings
All exclaiming…

Indescribable, uncontainable
You placed the stars in the sky
And You know them by name
You are amazing, God
All powerful, untamable
Awestruck, we fall on our knees
As we humbly proclaim
You are amazing, God

Who has told the lightning bolt
Where it should go?
Or seen heavenly storehouses
Laden with snow?Who imagined the sun
And gives source to its light?
Yet conceals it
To bring us the coolness of night
None can fathom…

Indescribable, uncontainable
You placed the stars in the sky
And You know them by name
You are amazing, God
Incomparable, unchangeable
You see the depths of my heart
And You love me the same
You are amazing, God

How great is our God
Sing with me how great is our God
All will see how great,
How great is our God

Then sings my soul, my Saviour God to Thee
How great Thou art, how great Thou art
Then sings my soul, my Saviour God to Thee
How great Thou art, how great Thou art

***

Father, I proclaim that You are big and all powerful. And I thank You that You are BIG enough to know my name and care for me. You are amazing, God. And You are worthy of all praise and honour and power and glory and love. Amen!


“Indescribable”, “How Great Is Our God” and “How Great Thou Art”, Passion 2005

Testimony 10/11/05: The Planetarium & The Lightning Room

Ever go to God’s factory and see how the lightning is formed? I’ve never been there either. But I’ve seen how a miniature lightning is formed. A three-meter tall machine in the lightning room at the Science Works Museum did it. With a 20,000-Volt engine, a lightning was created. It zapped. And it was gone. Just that one little jump required that much energy! And I wonder how much energy is needed to create the real lightning that jump kilometers away!

***

Ever feel so big? So powerful? So rich? So smart? What about this… A tiny dot on earth. No, not even a dot. It was just a speck… a speck that was barely there. A human. I watched it getting smaller and smaller as it moved away from me. It got so small it disappeared as the picture of the earth came into being. The world was still moving away when the moon came into the picture. The sun. The planets. Our solar system. Other solar systems. Then I saw our galaxy. Still other galaxies… I saw the universe in the Planetarium! And the vision of the earth was gone long time ago. How small we are!

***

And how small we are indeed! What I have now and what I can do now is nothing compared to what God has or what He can do. Surely our God is so big! He is mighty to save.


Isaiah 40:26
"Who created all these? He who brings out the starry host one by one, and calls them each by name. Because of His great power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing." (Emphasis mine)

Testimony 09/11/05: There Is More

“Can we stop for a while?” Emily asked. “Sure,” I said. So we found a boulder and sat. We were on the way up Mount Oberon at Wilsons Promontory National Park. The peak is 548 meter above the sea level and to reach it we need to snake 3.4km up the sloppy trail.

We continued the journey. But it was not long before we found ourselves out of breath again. “Let’s take some rest,” we told ourselves. And so we found another rock to sit on. Fire raged this mountain almost a year ago. With just burnt forest around us and nothing else to see, the journey felt like forever! We had no clue if we were half way up or when we would reach the top. The peak was well concealed by the trees. All we had was the rumor that the view from the top is “out of the world”.

At one stop, we rested for quite some time. Flowers grew around us and new branches shoot out a new life from the burnt tree trunks. We engaged ourselves in conversation. We talked. We listened. We laughed. We almost cried. It felt like a good place to settle. And for once we forgot where we were going.

Suddenly we realised that we had mountain to climb. Looking up … we couldn’t see the peak. Nor can we tell for sure if the destination is near or far. But looking down… No! We can’t go back! We can’t abort the mission half way! So we fixed our eyes up and started walking again. And walk we went! Till we see the top. Till we reach the peak and looked out…

The news proved to be true. The view was SO breathtaking! The mountains. The forest. The Tidal River. The beach. The ocean. The islands! Our hearts bubbled with joy and amazement.

Oh how many times do we settle for less than what God wants us to be! How many times do we chose to sit on a boulder, surrounded by little flowers and branches and forsake the greater things in store!

Praise God we didn’t choose to sit on that boulder for the rest of the day. Thank God we decided to walk on regardless our tired feet. Thank God we held on to the report of the out-of-the-world view regardless the peak that we can’t see! What about you? Are you sitting on a boulder? Well… I just want to let you know: there is more in store for you!