Thank God for that my friend came to church

God works in amazing ways! I had just posted a blog entry two days ago about sending an SMS to my two friends, on their birthday, reminding them to trust in Jesus. Never did I know that God will move in one of my friend's heart to attend church. I thought that this friend will not come to tabernacle church any more. God really surprise me this time! I am sure the gospel was preached on the pulpit again. I pray that their hearts will be soften and will one day really trust in the Lord. Who is the other two persons who is having birthday on the same day as this friend? Well it is my mother and Junfeng. This few days, my daily devotion is on the book of Acts. I was again reminded to proclaimed the gospel. I am leaving for mission trip in Kemaman on this Tuesday night and will be back on Saturday morning. I can see that the Lord is preparing my heart for this Vocation Bible School to share the story of Jesus to the children over there. It has been a long one year since I last taught bible stories using the Chinese language. It had become rusty now. However, I know that God will help me and give me the right words to say. My beloved brethren, if you happen to read this entry during this week, please pray for me that God will use the whole mission team effectively to proclaim the gospel. We heard that the responds over there are not very good, may God's Will be done in this matter.

13th November 2008-Thank God for a nice birthday celebration

Yo! On 13th November 2008, it is a very special day. I have two friends having their birthday on this day. Early in the morning, I sent SMS to greet them. They are still outside the kingdom of God. I reminded them to quickly believe in Jesus Christ soon. Later in the evening, I celebrated birthday with another group of people. Who are they? They are my relatives. My mother is also having the same birthday with my friends. Amazing right? We ate at Bukit Batok Swensen. Those present on that day were my 4th Aunt, her two children, my grandma, my sister and my niece. I took the opportunity to take a photo with my mum. Thank God for the celebration! Like I wrote earlier on, My greatest wish is that they will quickly come to the saving knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ!

Thank God my God-daughter was born this morning

After a hard labouring process, my God-daughter Arielle finally came into this world this morning. It must have been a though process for the mother to go through the operation because the baby cannot come out the natural way. Thank God that both the baby and mother are safe now. Baby Arielle must grow up in the fear and knowledge of God to 'repay' her mother's hard work. I was reminded how mothers have to endure the painful child delivery process just to bring us into this world. Mothers are great and they sacrifice a lot for a child. Appreciate your mother and be filial to them!

Thank God that for NICA my school won 2 awards.

I had requested prayers from Shomerim and the church to pray for the National Infocomm Club Award organised by IDA this year. There are some occasions that I am asked to lie during the competition period. Thank God that I did not allowed it to happen. If I am weak, I would have fallen. Thank God that He honoured my decision and our school won two awards; Merit Award and Students' Choice Award for the project "National eGame Creation". Truly God is really good to me. This really adds to my porfolio! This year we won three ICT competition awards. All glory and honour be to God above!

Thank God for attending the gospel workshop

Thank God for the Gospel Workshop that I had attended on the Deepavali Holiday. I had learnt how to excuse the excuses when sharing the gospel with other people. This poem that I had read on that day really moved my heart to do something for my 4 close friends. Hope to share it with you all! Live a life without regrets, do something for your friend if God burden your heart. The Lord is coming very soon! I thought you were my friend.... My friend, I stand in judgment now and feel that you’re to blame somehow. While on this earth I walked with you day by day and you never did point the way. You know the Lord in truth and glory but never did you ever tell the story. My knowledge then was very dim, you could have led me safe to Him. Though we lived together here on earth, you never told me of your second birth. And now I stand this day condemned because you failed to mention Him. You taught me many things, that’s true. I called you friend and trusted you. But I learned now that it’s too late, you could have kept me from this fate. We walked by day and talked by night, and yet you showed me not the light. And you let me live, love, and die, and all the while you knew I’d never live on high. Yes, I called you friend in life and I trusted you in joy and strife. And yet in coming to this end, I see you really weren’t my friend. by D. J. Higgins

Thank God for receiving forgiveness from a friend

On last Friday morning, I did something that is really wrong. On that night, I confessed it to this friend. Thank God that my friend forgive me after 2 days of cold silence. On Sunday afternoon, I received this SMS "Apology accepted, mercy released." I am so overjoyed that both God and my friend forgive me. This is a very painful lesson for me. Never will I did such a thing again!

Thank God for a well spend day

Yesterday was Childrens' Day and Hari Raya. Instead of staying at home to "nua". I went to SKS book store with a friend. After that, we met up with another friend and we sat down at Chinatown area to have some finger food. After that, we went to Swensen to sit down to talk. The three of us shared testimony of how God worked in us in each of our lives. It was a very blessed and fruitful session. In the end, we concluded that the verse "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose" has been a living verse in our life. Throughout the conversation, I was blessed and amazed with how God work in each individuals. Those who have not yet received Christ in their life will not be able to experience such wonderful encounters. I went home yesterday feeling very blessed. I was reminded of this hymn by Fanny Crosby:

To God be the glory, great things He has done;
So loved He the world that He gave us His Son,
Who yielded His life an atonement for sin,
And opened the life gate that all may go in.

Refrain

Praise the Lord, praise the Lord,
Let the earth hear His voice!
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord,
Let the people rejoice!
O come to the Father, through Jesus the Son,
And give Him the glory, great things He has done.

O perfect redemption, the purchase of blood,
To every believer the promise of God;
The vilest offender who truly believes,
That moment from Jesus a pardon receives.

Refrain

Great things He has taught us, great things He has done,
And great our rejoicing through Jesus the Son;
But purer, and higher, and greater will be
Our wonder, our transport, when Jesus we see.

Refrain

I was reminded of the great things God has done for me, how could I even delight in sin sometimes when I am tempted. Truly God, I had failed thee so many times, help me to fear thee and to keep close to thee. Amen!

Praise the Lord! God did it again.

On 27th Aug 2008, I took my Grade 7 piano exams in the afternoon. I thought I had prepared well but never did I expect that it is the worst piano exam that I had experienced. The examiner is a composer, and an expert in Choral Singing. To my horror, I played all my piano exam pieces with mistakes. I guess this time I am in trouble! That's not all, I think that I also screwed up in the aural. I don't think I answered the period the piece that was being played correctly. Thank God that the examiner was very lenient, he gave me a manageable sight reading piece. I actually did not expect a pass for this exam. After 23 days later, I checked my exam result on the ABRSM website. Since 15 days after the exam, I have been checking every week day for my result. I have been anticipating how I would react after I got my results. Thank God that He did it again. It is not how much I can do, but how He can bless me with ways that I could not expect!

Time flies really fast. I remember that I just started seriously learning the piano in 2004. In only four years time, I am now at Grade 8! This is not me but God worketh in me. He gives me opportunity to serve Him in the Chinese congregation in my church as a church pianist. Although I am not good enough to serve Him when I just started, day by day God had improved my skills amazingly! I realise that nobody is good enough to serve Him. It is only by God's grace that we can serve Him. I remember that I told people to please give me another five years before I serve God. However, God will not allowed His work to be hindered. There is a need at the Chinese congregation in the Sunday worship service. I took up the challenge with faith in God. Amazingly, I saw the mighty hand of God working in my life!

Praise God again that I got 113 for my Grade 7 piano exams! I must say that I felt overjoyed with God's blessing in me! Amen!

Thank God for good fellowship on Saturday afternoon

It has been a long time since I went to East Coast for cycling and relaxing at the seaside. The feeling is really good. What is most important is that I am dwelling among brethren of like-minded faith. We rent our bicycles for one hour and cycled around East Coast area. It is a really good break from our busy schedule from Monday to Friday. I also saw people building sand castles. They are beautiful. After that, we "buried" Rachel and Edmund alive. We took an individual photo of them covered with sand for their "birthday present". After some time, we get into the waters to have a relax swim. After the whole afternoon of events, at around 5pm, we left East Coast. Although at the end of the day I felt a bit tired, but never the least it is an eventful day!

Thank God for good progress in my piano playing

It is good to give thanks unto the Lord! Recently, I have people commented that I had progressed quite fast in my piano grades. It is really by God's grace. Sometimes, I just forget to give God the glory. Firstly, I thank God for my first piano teacher who had patiently guided me in my first piano theory and practical exams. I think these two exams will be the only two exams that I had done exceptionally well. Praise God for that!

After that, thank God that I had prayed for a Christian piano teacher and I had got one! She is a very strict teacher and she can really point out my mistakes every time I play. Sometimes she will scold me until I correct my mistakes. She is the teacher that reminded me, during a choir and piano playing workshop, that a good church pianist can follow what is written exactly in the score. I heed her advice and started to sight read and play what is exactly written. Thank God by doing that, I improved greatly in my sight reading. She also helped me to improved on my rhythmic and musical expression.

Not to forget, God is the one who help me the most. He gives me a lot of opportunity to serve Him in church prayer meeting and Chinese worship service in church. This really helps me improve so quickly. He use me even though I am still so lousy. In short, there is nothing to glory about finishing my grades at a short time. There is still a lot of things I need to improve in my playing. I still remember that last few weeks I am still struggling with my exam pieces. If it were not for God who had helped me; assuring me that if I just kept on practicing, He will help me, I would not have completed learning all the pieces. Yesterday, my piano teacher commented that if will continue to play in that manner, I would have failed. This few weeks, there is still a lot of work to be done in preparation for the piano exam. I need to improve on my playing. However, I am comforted to God is with me!