The King Beckons ..........

What are you doing with the invitation from the King?
You drop everything you're doing and you re-schedule your priorities so you will be able to make it to HIS presence.

"You will seek ME and find ME when you search for ME with all your heart" (Jeremiah 29:13)

While we can be assured of "finding GOD", this verse also gives a key condition. The condition is to search for HIM "with all your heart". We cannot find GOD if we are not seeking HIM with all our heart. It will be native on our part to think that we could just experience intimacy without giving GOD all our heart.

"Then they will call on me, but i will not answer, they will seek me diligently but they will not find me" (Proverbs 1:8)

"All our heart" does not refer to diligence (in effort or action) alone. It is an issue of complete dedication (heart) to the person. And it is best reflected in our attitude.

"Because they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the LORD" (Proverbs 1:29)

The attitude needed would be "fear of the LORD" ie a deep reverence for HIM

Can Intimacy and Fear go hand in hand?
Yes, fear of the LORD is the key to intimacy because it ensures we hate sin and all the things that turn the King's face away from us
We cannot enter HIS presence with a casual attitude and expect GOD to come near.

Entertainment For Lunar New Year

How did you spent your recent Lunar New Year? As for me, Lunar New Year has always been boring and mundane.

For the first time i have done something meaningful and useful on the first two days of this Lunar New Year instead of staying at home sleeping and watching television.
Spent my morning and early afternoon entertaining @ a local hospital for all its C class patients so as to liven their spirit and mood this festive period.

Being New Year, the hospital allows the patients to return home to celebrate with their families. Those that remains were mainly elderly folks, too ill or reluctant to travel home.
Unlike 'normal' days, the hospital was very 'quiet', many of the shops and food courts were also closed for business.

Armed myself with a keyboard, stand, adaptor and sponsor mandrain oranges, i travelled from ward to ward, room to room playing some Lunar New Year songs to the patients for about 15 to 2o mins each.
From doctors, nurses, workers and patients most were surprised with my presence. There were smiles and greetings from nurses who were mainly malays, indians and Fillipinoes.
Some families of the patients also thank me for providing the entertainment. One of them gave me a red packet for good luck. Another elderly patient also gave a red packet.

The response for my 2 days of entertainment were encouraging. Was glad and happy i have managed to cover all the wards either directly or indirectly. Tired esp after the first day but the effort and time was all worth it.
Shall try to make improvements in my approach next year maybe sing a song or two. (haha)

HAPPY LUNAR NEW YEAR
GONG XI GONG XI

3 Blessings From GOD (Lunar New Year)

1) from Psalm 37:3
"Trust in the LORD and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture."
God promises safety and protection when we trust and do what is good.

2) from verse 4,
"Delight yourself in the LORD and HE will give you the desires of your heart"
To delight ourselves in the LORD is to enjoy intimacy with GOD and to live in HIS presence. When we do that, this delight will translate our desires into realities.

3) from verse 5 & 6
"Commit your way to the LORD; trust in HIM and HE will do this; HE will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun".
This means that GOD will give you a bright and prosperous future if we commit our ways to the LORD in everything we do.

Believe GOD for safety, success and a bright future in HIM

Reflection

Sabbath gives us time to reflect. Reflecting in the presence of GOD is different from the normal reflection. Reflecting in the presence of GOD calls for us to reflect in the light of HIS Word and HIS Wisdom eg seeing our experience through HIS lens.

Do you see life as full of stumbling blocks or stepping stones? In Christ, every experiences can become a stepping stone in our journey to become more Christ-like.
Thus, there is a need for us to pause and to reflect, without which we cannot see GOD's hand at work in our lives.
Let the presence of GOD tutor us to see HIM in all the experiences we go through.

The Road To Intimacy With GOD

"O GOD! Thou hast made us for thyself and our souls are restless, searching, til they find their rest inThee" - St. Augustine

Preparation of Heart : "Be Still, and know that I am GOD ......." (Psalm 46:10)

Obstacles to Cross : External Distractions & Internal Chaos
Identify source and remove any encumbrances blocking your way (Hebrews 12:1)

Pathways you must take : Confession of Sin (1 John 1:9) Forgiveness (Colossians 3:12,13)
Forgetting (Philippians 3:13,14)

Direction & Focus : "Fixing your eyes upon JESUS, the author and perfecter of our faith ....." (Hebrews 12:2)

Food for the Journey : Word of GOD. Chew on it - Remember the lesson from the cow?

Motivation to Keep you going : JESUS, your joy and Reward!
"The condition of lostness is not the same as the outcome to which it leads. We're not lost because we are going to wind up in the wrong place. We're going to wind up in the wrong place because we're lost" (Dallas Willard)

Lunar New Year Special

Lunar New Year is and has always been a boring, mandane and routine affair for me except the one i had two years ago.

This year's Lunar New Year will be no different from the past so i have to try to make full use of the day instead of just staying at home sleeping and watching television the whole day. Have planned something meaningful, hope it will come true.

Second day will be the usual going to visit my 2 aunties in the afternoon. If i have not enough time to complete my undertakings on the first day, i can still make use of the second day eg morning to do it

If 'this' proves to be a success, i shall try to do it for every Lunar New Year.

Cereal

A new study shows that one of the simplest ways to live a healthier life is to add a bowl of whole grain cereal to your daily diet.
They say that people who do this is 20% less likely to die from heart disease or develop other diseases such as cancer or diabetes.

The study found that this was true even for people who indulge in high risk behaviour such as smoking and drinking alcohol or eating foods high in cholesterol.
Of course, it is no excuse for unhealthy habits, but it shows just how critical whole grains are to our diet.
But not all cereals that claim to be good for you passed the test.

A lot are made from refined grains or have a good deal of added sugar, and those did not get the same results as the whole grained ones.
Look for cereals that are low in sugar and made only from whole grains or wheat.
Just a bowl a day can go a long way towards a healthier life.

(Dr Bill Maier)