MyChronicledWalk

Exodus 33:14 (NIV)
¹⁴ The LORD replied, "My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest."

Moses was burdened by the cares of leading 2million people...his training did not prepare him for that...he was leading sheep in the far side of the desert...no wonder he had butterflies in his stomach and could not bear the weight of leading such a group of people....but he did what was right...he brought his burdens to God..

Israelites were free from Egypt and were travelling in the desert...everytime they stop and camped, Moses would erect a tent for God in which if anyone would want to meet God, they could...it was there that God would descend in a cloud to meet his people...

Moses would go to the tent to seek God..and when he did, people will watch until they saw God descend ina cloud...then they will begin to worship God. Lesson: When we connect with God, it will cause the people around us to worship HIm...

In one fo the Moses & God face to face conversations, God promised HIs presence...and his rest...Moses only asked for God's presence...but God gave him more than he asked for...Lesson: God always gives us the better end of the bargain...he gives us more than we ask.

The place God and Moses met, a tent of meeting...a place designated for that purpose...it was a place intentionally set aside-outside the camp..lesson: we need to set time aside from our God given schedule and meet with HIm...it is tehre at our face to face meeting that God will speak his promises and reminders of his presence and provision to us.

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MyChronicledWalk

i've met many people and i can't recall their names...this morning, i met a pastor i've met before...in my previous meeting, he walked for about 5 minutes in the rain with an umbrella to receive me from the train station and then walked me back to the bungalow. i asked his name....and remembered it only perhaps fro a couple of days.

Yesterday, i talked to him on the phone not knowing it was this man of God. During today's meeting, i recognized him but had forgotten his name...i asked him about another pastor's...hahaha...eventually i found found out and recalled his name...embarassing...we all have these moments..

but God is so different...oh so different

Psalms 8:4 (NIV) what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him?

The first few word that come to mind when i think of the word "mindful" is "the mind is full of something"... or "something that occupies the mind".

The concise oxford dictionary's definition is "to be careful, to be concious"

i read up a bit on the original hebrew word...it was significant for me...basically the word meant " to remember"...

Usually we remember those who have made a powerful impression, the really unusual people and the people we know well or are attracted to...remembering someones name reveals the that person's significance to the person who remembers, it also reveals a relationship....value and esteem. 

God remembers man...God remembers you and me...we're on his mind...always...and he can rememebr all of us at one go because he is God...but the powerful, comforting and identity booster is that God's mind is full of me...its beautiful...Big God Remembers Small man...

Surely he loves us more than we know...

a few implication:

God is thinking of me, so there no need for me to think so much of myself...

I should not feel unwanted or unloved because i'm always on God's mind...

I should feel significant and be purpose-filled because i don't have to worry about being accepted.

I should respond to this God who is so passionate about me...

thank you Lord for being mindful of me...

MyChronicledWalk

Young men who are willing to stand up for God at the cost of their life...Young men like Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego? Who would not bow down to another and was trusting God to deliver them...and were faith-filled enough to say that even if God did not come to rescue them, they would rather die...they believed that it was better to die at the hands of man than to face the living God who could take more than thier physical bodies...it was a sense of loyalty, a sense of pride, a sense of honour...i will not bow even if...

David, was another who wold not let the Philistines go up against the armies of the Living God...how dare they mock my God and his army...he stood up when trained soldiers trembled... even if he died at the hands of the giant, he could not let him go unopposed...someone needed to stand up to him for mocking God. it was a faith that knew that God won't let him down and will help him over come...and death perhaps crossed his mind..perhaps he counted the cost and the honour of God was not to be mocked...

Daniel...i'm so far from him...such faith...the lion...to live out his faith without fear...no complaining, no fighting, no anger...just trust...he knew his life was in his hands...and if God found him guilty, his life would be taken but if he was found innocent, his life will be spared...he did what he was accustomed to...pray...WOW!

Where are such men? everytime i think of this, my heart breaks because i want to be one and i want to be apart of developing one...

i long to see more David's and Daniel's and Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego's.

Lord, please raise them up, your church needs them, your world needs them...please raise up and embolden parents who dare to bring up their children to be such men...we need such men, we cry to you for such men...men who are willing to live their faith out fearlessly. if tehre is any fear is evident, it is a fear of you...

Lord hear my cry and raise up such men...use me to develop such men...make me such a man...

MyChronicledWalk

On sunday, i was shown love by my youths, even tho they didn't know how much it meant to me...it had been a long week and this week will not be any shorter or offer much respite...seems like it'll be like this until the end of the year...meetings, planning, arranging, encouraging, spurring, discipline, preparing, praying, waiting, hearing, reconciling, seeking, calling, dealing with disappointment, channeling people to the right place, helping those who need it-from the littlest things to the biggest thing...personal growth...each one of us will have our own plate of food to digest...

I can only draw strength fro Him who will supply all that is needed to do all that he asks. one way he supplied me strength and inspiration was on Sunday, during sports...for no apparent reason, throughout  our 4-630 time-slot for sports fellowship, 3 youths came up behind me and gave me each a very much welcomed shoulder massage...it felt good to be loved and also have my sore and tight muscles kneaded and relaxed. thanks to my youth who was a blessing to me without knowing it...

Another blessing is my mum who takes care of the home, my breakfasts and dinners and my laundry. i cna't emagine having to do them myself in the midst of all this busyness...not that i don't know how do it or i'm above it...i can and have done it and have no problems doing it...but she takes it as ministry to God to "serve" me as i serve Him.

Thank you Lord for your provision.

monday.
the usual yumcha at max brenners. still tired from last week because sunday's supposed to be my recovery day but tracy made me drink dicken's beer last night just so it would finish faster making it able for her to go back to the hotel earlier..so my sunday recovery/detox day was ruined. *GLARE. though of course i don't mind la haha. so i came home for a nap..but before even 15 minutes into it my friend ronald called saying "we're at rooftop bar come quick!" i say "drinks? no thanks..it's my belated recovery day..not drinking today" he says "dinner?" i say "yeah dinner sounds good..come pick me up when you're done with rooftop" he says "no you come here..i promise i won't force you to drink..but everyone is here..so..come!" so i dragged my ass to rooftop..where guess what? i got forced to drink T.T sigh friends and their empty promises these days..

tuesday.
we checked the weather forecast yesterday which said it was going to be 26 degrees today! so to the beach it is )) seriously melbourne has been deprived of sunlight/heat for way too long. it's halfway through spring (my favourite season!) but it's still generally around 10 to 15 degrees i think rawr. and so..lynn (my housemate) dragged me out of bed in the morning. and we went for dimsum as brunch! it's been SOOOO long since i last went for dimsum. like a year probably..seriously. so it was really good then we took a train to altona..this is also the first time i'm going out of the city after soooo long..come to think of it i've never been out of the city except chadstone and boxhill heh. so yeah..spent the evening just lying down on the sand enjoying the weather got hungry so we headed over to a little cafe near the beach for food..i had ceaser salad and a beer. i heart ceaser salad and i heart beer so yay! we eventually got tired so we headed back to the city. went home for a shower and out again to watch final destination in 3D..i hate 3D movies bleh the glasses give me migrains. plus the movie wasn't even good so..rawr.

wednesday.
*phone ringing* *presses pillow against ears* *phone doesn't stop ringing* finally picked up and got dragged out to lunch. my friend didn't even allow me to shower because he knows i'll take at least 30 minutes so..yeah i didn't even get to shower! rawr. it was nice and sunny again today so i didn't mind a bit accompanied him for lunch and lied down on the grass in front of the state library lol. then met up with lynn and some others at mr tulk for the usual yumcha session..but it was nice and sunny so we had beers instead of coffee but haih just when i got all settled and comfy it was time for me to leave for work oh wells. work was the usual.

thursday.
SUNNY AGAIN! got dragged out of bed 9ish omg. this time to st kilda beach! we had awesome lunch of fresh oysters/chilli mussels/fish and chips/lamb chops at beachcomber..this cafe situated right by the beach! so good. then we took a long walk along the beach..and finally settled at another cafe for desserts. and beer of course. then back to the city..and off to work again.

friday.
weather was just alright today. sunny but cold wind so i just lazed around at home till it was time for work. friday night..quite busy la. but fun nonetheless..and after-work drinks ))

saturday.
sunny! )) planned on going to rooftop bar to just sit under the sun but omg the place was SO packed! grr. so we walked down all the way to federation square..and settled for brunch at timeout. ceaser salad, fat chips, and a mojito. i craved beer so badly but refrained myself due to the ever bulging beer belly that i have then we went for a little shopping after that! just a little la..i'm dead broke. lately i've been spending way more on food and almost nothing on shopping..which is a good thing i guess *shrug. then off to work as usual.

and as usual..saturday nights with the silk road crew is awesome. considering i already had a few shots while i was working..i was all ready for the after-work drinks! so the dj stopped spinning and the lights were turned on..and the people were leaving and soon the doors were shut. and that's when we brought on the beers and blasted the music tonight there was even cake! i think it was a belated birthday cake for my manager jerry..i think. anyway my friend shane's favourite song started playing and he got all excited and started pole dancing and slowly..stripping! hahah not everything off la but it was damnnnnnnnn funny! we were all choking in laughters. went on till the bar manager was like.."okay enough for tonight..seriously we're out of tap asahi" *POUTTTT. so we decided to go for supper..three cars full of drunk noisy people headed over to china bar..it was probably 5ish in the morning already. the car i was in had four people in the backseat..which is illegal in australia. i was sitting on someone's lap when we saw a police car ahead and so i had to curl myself up and hide at like..er..the feet area? i felt like i was five years old all over again because really my parents always made me do that when i was a kid lol. so china bar..ah. it's called china bar but it's not actually a bar..it's just like a chinese fast food restaurant. we ordered ten beers. then my friend ash who was the last to arrive (because he was drunk so he walked really slow and went to pee etc) made the grand-est entrance ever by coming in and announcing realllllly loudly "OKAY BEFORE WE START WITH THE FOOD..SHOTS ANYONE? HMMMMMM HOW MANY OF US ARE THERE? ONE..TWO..THREE..EH? I LOST COUNT. WHATEVER. WHAT SHOTS DO YOU GUYS WANT? WET PUSSY OKAY OKAY?!" wet pussy is really a name of a shot la but all of us immediately covered our faces and went "oh noooooooooooooooo". especially the few of us who are chinese and actually knew what was going on..basically the aussies (ash is aussie) thought that we were at a bar lol. we were damn malu but five seconds later all of us just burst out laughing because we were all pretty drunk as well and it was kindaa funny la heh but damn malu with all the people at the other tables staring at us as if we were retarded. it didn't even stop there..we told ash this is a restaurant and not a bar..he goes "okay i know i know" then calls for the waitress and goes "okay this place sucks because you don't have shots..well just get me a vodka cranberry" SWT we all just burst out laughing all over again -.- finally got home at 7ish.

sunday.
my recovery day lazed around at home the whole day drinking nothing but green tea..and went for dinner at the restaurant downstairs. and here i am now having spaghetti bolognese for supper.

so that was my week. i'd say it was a really good week because the weather this week has been exceptionally awesome! it better stay like that..it's supposed to be spring!

MyChronicledWalk

This is somethng i want to document...its quirky and unusual, but a God encounter nevertheless...

I was driving to church for cell group and casually looked at the clock in my car...it was 6:33pm. immediately the verse Matt 6:33 came to my mind...Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things will be added to you.

then i got to church, got some work done and got ready for movie night with the Revelation Cell. We moved the sofas from Pr KA, Pr Peter & Pr Guan Hock's offices and also the sofa from the meeting room & also the lounge to the youthroom...it was a lot of work...but in the end it was worth it...thanks to the boys who lent their muscles. 

We watched Facing the Giants in the comforts of the soft sofa...

As i watched i learnt so many powerful lessons...and i wondered about how to summarize the movie and share with those who watched...i made a silent prayer to God and immediately, my car clock flashed befoer my eyes...6:33 and i immediately remembered Matt 6:33. then i realized that it was exactly what God wanted me to say to summarize the whole story. i was to find out only later that thatverse not only brought a general lesson to all who watched, but it ministered to one young man, who later in the night texted me to thank me for sharing that verse as God used it to remind him to seek first kingdom things...

So that is the account of God speaking to me thru my clock and how the released word brought truthful lessons and reminders to poeple.

Glory to the God who speaks to his people.

Try to memorize verses...maybe God can speak to you thru your clock as well...

MyChronicledWalk

When God wants us to do something, he will provide all that is necessary to get the job done and many times, he'll use what we already have...the 3 verses below reveal to us how God uses us...

Exodus 4:2 (NIV) ² Then the LORD said to him, "What is that in your hand?" "A staff," he replied.

God called Moses to lead, but Moses had various excuses. but God asked him for what he already had in his possession.

1 Samuel 17:39 (NIV) ³⁹ David fastened on his sword over the tunic and tried walking around, because he was not used to them. "I cannot go in these," he said to Saul, "because I am not used to them." So he took them off.

David was going to war against Goliath...and he was given someone elses armor....but it wasn't him...God used him as himself, a young man with his sling and pebbles. God used him, not him trying to be someone else...God used what he is.

Mark 8:5 (NIV) ⁵ "How many loaves do you have?" Jesus asked. "Seven," they replied.

the people wre hungry and needed food, there were 4000 people. the disciples asked about where they could find enough food for so many...Jesus asked: how many do you have?

So what can we bring to the table? God does not expect us to be someone else, to give to God what we don't have...he wants to use what we have...that's all...whatever that is lacking, he will provide, like the story of abraham sacrificing Isaac.

Genesis 22:7-8 (NIV) ⁷ Isaac spoke up and said to his father Abraham, "Father?" "Yes, my son?" Abraham replied. "The fire and wood are here," Isaac said, "but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?" ⁸ Abraham answered, "God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son." And the two of them went on together.

Perhaps the ultimate example of God providing for those he calls...is the provision of Jesus...God calls all of us to repent and return to Him...and knowing that we can only go so far as making a decision to believe and change, he sent Jesus to do the rest...to pay for our sins...no way we could have done it on our own...and God supplied the Sacrifice...

Conclusion? Dont hold back from serving God because of our feeling of lack or inadequacy...God wants to use us with what we have. and if there is something that he wants us to do that require more than we have, he'll provide as long as we trust him and obey. there are many times i feel helpless, i can plan and pray all i want and still feel helpless, especially when it comes to things that are beyond me...but i need to remind myself that what is beyond me is covered by God...and i should not let that helplessness, fear, doubt or whatever stop me from showing up with what i have...the rest- whatever is beyond me...is God's part...if i don't show up, God can't use me...

So lets serve God and see miracles. Don't let your fears and doubts stop you from seeing God work miracles out of our normal existence. Lets show up and give Him what you've got- nothing mroe and nothing less.

MyChronicledWalk

Hebrews 2:18 (NIV)
¹⁸ Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.

there are times when we go thru deep struggles that will shake our faith....there are struggles that will alter our perspectives, there are struggles that will leave its mark on our physical and emotional lives...parents losing their young child, newly married husband loses his wife, physical abuse, sexual abuse, persecution, being diagnosed witha terminal disease that showed no earlier symptoms, a broken heart once too many times, being cheated on...

these are hardships of life that can come anytime, anywhere, anyhow...when we least expect it...

but i believe that we need to be mentally, emotionally and spiritually prepared for these...as best we can...there are somethings we can't prepare for...

but in life, we can expect the unexpected...the only constant is change and uncertainties...and the other constant is one that we need to keep our eyes on...Jesus...

and this is our hope when we face the unwelcomed & unexpected hardships...that Jesus came to earth and faced the same things we did so that he is able to help us who are facing such circumstances...

He understands thru first-hand experience...and what he went thru is way mroe than we can ever go thru...

In him is our hope and comfort and redemption.