lifesong
Everyone needs compassion
Love that's never failing
Let mercy fall on me
Everyone needs forgiveness
The kindness of a Saviour
The hope of nations
Saviour, He can move the mountains
My God is mighty to save
He is mighty to save
Forever author of salvation
He rose and conquered the grave
Jesus conquered the grave
So take me as you find me
All my fears and failures
Fill my life again
I give my life to follow
Everything I believe in
Now I surrender
Shine your light in
Let the whole world see
We're singing, for the glory
Of the risen King
Jesus, Shine your light in
Let the whole world see
We're singing for the glory
Of the risen king
Friday, June 24, 2005
-10:41 am
Tuesday night, 7pm Passion serviceArrived at church at 6.30pm, joined in with the rest of the sec 4s to pray for the night's service. I was so excited about ignyte that I hardly did any homework today. Anyways, when the doors opened, we all swarmed in. Being over-enthusiastic, I went with my cell to sit in the second front row of the auditorium. Bad move. We then later realised (a little too late) after worship that it was supposed to be reserved for the adults. Oopsie. *face goes all red* No wonder they were looking at us in a weird way. Anyways, Shuang, Joycelyn and the rest of us ran out to the front to jump for Jesus at the start of the music. Gave it all I've got and wow, the feeling was great. But more importantly, I'm sure it brought a huge smile to God's face to see us sing His praises in that way. It wasn't like a "you go then I'll go" thing. I truly wanted to go out there whether others went or not and show God just how much I love Him.
Worship was an awesome encounter with God. P. Gerald told us to press in, to cry out from the bottom of our hearts that we needed His touch. And I did. I forced my mind away from all distraction and thoughts that were not about God and just focused on reaching out to Him. I pressed in so hard and then I could just feel God's amazing presence descending in that place, right where I was at the altars. It was an awesome presence, so tangible, so peaceful, so loving, like an all-consuming fire and enters my heart with such warmth, melting away all fears, insecurities and weariness. Gosh it was just great. I just felt the need to kneel before the holy presence of my King and I did. It is a posture of worship that showed the total surrender of myself to God. When worship ended, I just felt so... I don't know how you call it. Like you've just stepped out of a dream, feeling light-headed and surreal. I just wanted more of God. I remember singing this song: "Take me deeper, deeper in love with You. Jesus hold me close in Your embrace.." in a way I've never done before. I didn't just sing it from the bottom of my heart; I cried out to God just yearning to get a touch of Him, wanting to fall deeper and deeper in love with Him. Ah... so beautiful is His love. Beyond the outpouring of emotions I experienced, it was that signature touch of God's love that consumed me... Amazing doesn't even begin to describe how it felt like.
Anyways the sermon P. Gerald preached was really radical and got me thinking about our youth generation. Dealing with the spirits behind the sins of this depraved and crooked generation. Indeed I could see how the enemy is wreaking havoc in the young people today. We were called to repent and pray against those spirits for our peers. Divine confrontation. We're fighting a spiritual war much like the one Elijah fought against Baal. Either you're prepared as an strong soldier with your allegiance for God clear, or you will be destroyed when the war is fought. A powerful message that rocked the entire ministry. I went home spiritually charged, never more ready to fight a war, sensing the urgency of the situation and knowing that God has called our ministry to arise and war for Him. God is going to use us mightily for His purposes.
Wednesday 15th June, Day 1 of IGNYTEP. Darick spoke about catching the shepherd's heart for the lost. And how we can nurture others, the difference one can make to turn a new salvation into a strong believer and not just commiting spiritual abortion. We're called to be leaders in the ministry and so we were annointed with oil and prayed for by the adults. Love (for God, for others), power (our power source is God alone so we'll never run dry) and self-discipline (being focused on our assignment to bring up SBs). We played team-building games during the afternoon in different groups. My group was group E and we came up with some really lame cheer that had sis elaine conducting us like in an orchestra, with us singing "Eeee...." Haha that was definitely memorable. One particularly difficult game was the one where everyone in the group was blindfolded, scattered around the chapel and an appointed leader was supposed to gather them and lead them out on a trail around the church. Guess what. Sis Elaine made me leader and the job was reeeeeeeeally tough. I didn't know what could get my group to move and then sis elaine said try that song (the blue danube) that we were singing earlier as a possible cheer. So I did and it worked. Too well. My group was gathered together but they refused to move out of the chapel! Remember germ waving her hands around and accidently slapping me in my head. Ouch. Yea so I sang and sang in an extremely out of tune way because I was losing my voice and I couldn't reach the high notes. Apologies to all those who were subjected to my awful voice. Now I bet all the SPs know that I can't sing! Ah... *cringes and wants to hide my face* And bro. Zhichao kept imitating me (it was easy cos anyone can sing off tune). Pooh. And to think that someone thought I was Yvette. Haha. I managed to lead everyone back to the chapel, with the help of Jeanette who was un-blindfolded to help me because I obviously wasn't coping very well. Justin had the knack of being lost or left behind.
P. Gerald's ending words were about servanthood. About how we as leaders should first learn how to serve our adults and pastors. And I found that true, that it was a lacking attitude that I must learn to adopt and practice. For Jesus did not come to lead but to serve.
Thursday 16th June, Day 2 of IGNYTEI realised that day before that I was to lead a group with Zhihe. Came to church in sandals and berms and then realised that we had morning devotion. Poof. So I went to change into jeans and shoes. The burning bush experience. I really want what Moses went through, that intimate encounter with God. The fire of God that refines, consumes and burns away all that "oogleh" stuff, or in proper english, ugly impurities. Sandra and I couldn't stop laughing about the way P.Da said "oogleh"! Hahahahaha (: The games were fun but tiring. Trying to rah-rah my group was tough cos everyone was quite dead. Thanks for Brenda Er though, she's so cute! Haha (: Our group cheer was some chinese new year song thing. We went "tong tong chiang" with funny hand actions. The only connection was the firecrackers and ignyte. It's amazing how we thought of it.
Concert was rocking! The band was fabulous, the music was great but more importantly, God was in da house! Forgot to bring my flashy-light pen thinghy but nice Charles lent me his cos he was dancing. And did I mention that he can really dance? Haha. Brought rayner. He didn't accept Christ but I could tell he experienced God in some way. Talked to him on the bus home and realised that he actually has started to believe in Christ, but is not willing to commit because he thinks it's too late- he already believes too much in himself. Oh well. Will keep praying. It all ended at almost 10 and I went home feeling very tired. Fell right asleep when my head hit the pillow.
Friday 17th June, Day 3 of IGNYTEThe last day of the conference. Was feeling sleepy but the workshops were great. Apocalypse made me realise the urgency of reaching out to others. I don't want anyone I love or know to be standing at the Great White Throne Judgement and saying "Why didn't you tell me the truth, about Jesus?" By then it would all be too late. It's the end times and truly there are flashes of familiar events happening today that can be found in the Bible regarding the Rapture. Kinda cool huh?
Was terribly sleepy during believe it or not- fact or fiction. But I managed to pull through somehow. Hannah was nodding off beside me and I'm telling you, sleepiness is very contagious. Was fascinated at how Dan Brown weaved all that rubbish into a bestseller novel- the Da Vinci Code- that was purely fiction, not facts. What a heresy. At least I know I'll definitely not see him in heaven (:
Was serving for the concert and I was paired with Sandra to take the right block of seats. We had so much fun jumping around and praising God, at the same time serving as well. Jerry Ong came- again! And his testimony was powerful. Concert ended was a blast and the last part was just explosive. I jumped and jumped until my sides ached. And even after P.Da wanted to dismiss us, we were still screaming for more. I could tell the band wanted to oblige but oh well, it was really getting late. Stayed back to clear up the auditorium. Only then did I realise that I was really really tired. But I've never felt better (:
PS: God ROCKS! One way!
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