1. The Meaty Stuff. →

    Finally collated all my “Meaty Posts” into a single page by category.

    For those who aren’t so keen on pretty pictures you can dive straight into the weighty stuff via the link.

    Categories include:

    1. Grace and Faith

    2. Friendship & Marriage

    3. Ministry & Missions

    4. Modesty & Materialism 

    5. Testimonies of Faith

  2. The Lord will not let your foot slip - he who watches you will not slumber; indeed he who watches over you will neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord watches over you - the Lord is your shade at your right hand; the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night.

    The Lord will keep you from all harm - he will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.

    Psalm 121

    — Father you made the sun rise and set today without my help. I am so grateful for the gift of rest that you grant to me each night. It humbles me  to know that even when darkness comes and my work stops, the world keeps spinning by the power of a God who neither slumbers nor sleeps.

  3. “When you leave a pimp, you leave with nothing…”

    Feeling unloved by her father and used by a boyfriend, teenager Annie Lobert yearned inside for the power to exact revenge over men. Money to have nice things. To be someone important. It over rode any caution in her life and within a short time she was selling her body, gaining the money she thought was her answer to a better life. 

    It was a lie. The money instead went to her violent pimp and for many years her world descended into a hell filled with prostitution, cancer, drug addiction and no future. Yet when she cried out to God in her darkest and most dangerous moment, hope arrived to give her a second chance.

    One of the most powerful testimonies I have EVER heard. Thank God for this woman!

  4. The greatest thing a woman can do for a man. →

    I get it. 

    It’s not easy to forgive our men when they are addicted to pornography and video games. It’s not easy to respect the 30 yr old boys who still live at home and rely on mummy to feed them. Loving men who are lazy, apathetic, angry and rebellious is almost an impossible task!

    Are you the bitter little girl who sits around complaining and gossiping about the men in the church? Or do you care about the gospel enough to fight and pray for the men that God has called to be labourers among the harvest? God never chooses the best of the best. He chooses sick, weak and broken people. He transforms them. He uses them to be instruments of HIS extraordinary work. 

    Women - you have a high calling - take the opportunity to join God’s work in raising up men of this generation to be like Him.

    Extract: “The greatest thing a woman can do for a man” Alyssa Fenton

  5. Over the past month I have been addicted to the ass kicking series Heroes. The series captivates me because all the characters are morally grey! I can’t tell whether the bad guys are that bad and whether the good guys are that good. Are humans inherently good or bad?  Should Niki a victim of multiple personality disorder be locked up and put down? When she is Niki she is a hard-working mum who will do anything to protect her son Micah. As her husband is a criminal on the run and bills need to be paid, she works as a stripper for the porn industry. Her alter ego is Jessica, an aggressive hit woman who will murder anyone who gets in her way. Is poverty a good enough excuse to take part in an industry that fuels the global sex slavery trade?  Episodes later, we learn that Nikki had a sister called Jessica who was strangled to death by their abusive father. Deep down, is Niki trying to revenge for the sins committed against her sister?  Is Noah Bennett, a man who tracks, abducts and experiments on people that possess superhuman phenomena, guilty if he does it in order to help these people learn to use their powers more effectively? Is he immoral if he uses his associate to wipe the memories of his family in order to protect them and to stop them from knowing the truth about his life? Noah loves his family deeply, in particular his adopted daughter Claire. In order to protect Claire, Noah is driven to make immoral decisions that comes at the cost of other people’s life and memories. Is love for a daughter a good enough excuse for murder? Later down the track we learn that Noah’s first wife Kate was murdered by a man who possessed telekintic powers. This led to his obsession with tracking down people with special abilities. Deep down is Noah seeking revenge for the sins committed to his first wife?  - I often justify my “bad works” by blaming others. A horrible experience that led to my present insecurities. A lonely childhood that drives me to do anything to be noticed, loved and to feel special. Sins committed against me that causes me to seek revenge and to sin against others.  I mask my bad works by good works. Charity, volunteer work, overseas missions, leading a youth group, a smile on my face. Only God knows the war that takes place in my heart. My desire to do good which is really just driven by my desire to play God. That I can somehow work myself up to heaven. That I can prove to people that I am capable. That my good works will be noticed and praised by people.  Before I became a Christian, I believed that I was deep down a good person - it’s the environment and past experiences that made me bad and head down the wrong path. I blamed everyone from my parents, teachers, ex boyfriends and friends. I benchmarked myself on the expectations of society. As long as I didn’t do too much or go too far then I’m okay.  The scriptures turned this proud notion of mine upside down:  There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands; there is no one who seeks God. All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one. Romans 3:10-12 HOWEVER: God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8 I am so thankful that my salvation does not rest on a balancing beam, where I hope that on the last day, my good works will outweigh the bad. How can I rely on any sort of “goodness” when everything I do is tainted by the sinful desire to elevate myself above God. To make myself feel or look better than my creator? To receive the praise of man as opposed to the praise of God? The beauty of the gospel is that no matter where you stand on the balancing beam of good and evil, Christ took the penalty for your sin. On the last day, no one will be able to boast because salvation is a reward of faith - not works. It means Christians can quit judging and sinners can now approach God in repentance and faith.  I am a sinner saved by grace and will continue by grace until Christ’s return. 

    Over the past month I have been addicted to the ass kicking series Heroes. The series captivates me because all the characters are morally grey! I can’t tell whether the bad guys are that bad and whether the good guys are that good. Are humans inherently good or bad? 

    Should Niki a victim of multiple personality disorder be locked up and put down? When she is Niki she is a hard-working mum who will do anything to protect her son Micah. As her husband is a criminal on the run and bills need to be paid, she works as a stripper for the porn industry. Her alter ego is Jessica, an aggressive hit woman who will murder anyone who gets in her way. Is poverty a good enough excuse to take part in an industry that fuels the global sex slavery trade? 

    Episodes later, we learn that Nikki had a sister called Jessica who was strangled to death by their abusive father. Deep down, is Niki trying to revenge for the sins committed against her sister? 

    Is Noah Bennett, a man who tracks, abducts and experiments on people that possess superhuman phenomena, guilty if he does it in order to help these people learn to use their powers more effectively? Is he immoral if he uses his associate to wipe the memories of his family in order to protect them and to stop them from knowing the truth about his life? Noah loves his family deeply, in particular his adopted daughter Claire. In order to protect Claire, Noah is driven to make immoral decisions that comes at the cost of other people’s life and memories. Is love for a daughter a good enough excuse for murder?

    Later down the track we learn that Noah’s first wife Kate was murdered by a man who possessed telekintic powers. This led to his obsession with tracking down people with special abilities. Deep down is Noah seeking revenge for the sins committed to his first wife? 

    -

    I often justify my “bad works” by blaming others. A horrible experience that led to my present insecurities. A lonely childhood that drives me to do anything to be noticed, loved and to feel special. Sins committed against me that causes me to seek revenge and to sin against others. 

    I mask my bad works by good works. Charity, volunteer work, overseas missions, leading a youth group, a smile on my face. Only God knows the war that takes place in my heart. My desire to do good which is really just driven by my desire to play God. That I can somehow work myself up to heaven. That I can prove to people that I am capable. That my good works will be noticed and praised by people. 

    Before I became a Christian, I believed that I was deep down a good person - it’s the environment and past experiences that made me bad and head down the wrong path. I blamed everyone from my parents, teachers, ex boyfriends and friends. I benchmarked myself on the expectations of society. As long as I didn’t do too much or go too far then I’m okay. 

    The scriptures turned this proud notion of mine upside down: 

    There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands; there is no one who seeks God. All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one. Romans 3:10-12

    HOWEVER:

    God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8

    I am so thankful that my salvation does not rest on a balancing beam, where I hope that on the last day, my good works will outweigh the bad. How can I rely on any sort of “goodness” when everything I do is tainted by the sinful desire to elevate myself above God. To make myself feel or look better than my creator? To receive the praise of man as opposed to the praise of God?

    The beauty of the gospel is that no matter where you stand on the balancing beam of good and evil, Christ took the penalty for your sin. On the last day, no one will be able to boast because salvation is a reward of faith - not works. It means Christians can quit judging and sinners can now approach God in repentance and faith. 

    I am a sinner saved by grace and will continue by grace until Christ’s return. 


  6. No man can come to Christ by faith and remain the same, anymore than he came into contact with a 220-volt wire and remain the same.

    — 

    Pastor Warren Wiersbe (Chicago)

    Thanks to Ian Wu for sharing this hilarious quote in his testimony! Thankful to God that you have been transformed for his glory!

  7. The best of the 2012 Gracepoint Church camp.

    This year’s church camp was themed around “Experiencing God”. The aim was not to come out as raving charismatics but to get a better understanding of what Christians should expect when it comes to “feeling” God’s presence. 

    Whilst evangelicals fail to bat an eyelid during Sunday worship, charismatics let out the waterworks week after week. So who has got it right and how much should we feel God? 

    Until we reach heaven, Christians will continue to thirst for God’s presence. Like a couple doing a long distance relationship or a child missing their dad who works overseas - the emails, telephone calls and exchange of photos will never compare to the moment that they get to be with their loved one. As a Christian, I will long to hear and see my Father in heaven - and that’s totally ok. I will lift up my hands during worship to express my emotions - and that’s totally ok. Reflecting on the gospel will at times, bring me to the ears - and that’s totally ok. What is not ok is to have faith in my feelings and to think that God is only present when there is an emotional response.

    I go to church to serve and to be encouraged by God’s people. I go to church to hear God’s word preached. The church building is not a spiritual temple where Christians seek to “find God”. Why rely on a building or a worship band to secure an experience of God when the Holy Spirit already dwells within you? Why seek to find spiritual answers in a building or relics when God is spiritually present with you every second of the day? 

    Our time on earth will not be perfect. I am bound to have a bad day where I feel distant from God, but instead of doubting Him based on feelings, I will turn to his Word which tells me that he is faithful and his love, unfailing. 

    It’s time to realise that in this world, hearing God’s word spoken to you in the Bible and communicating to him in prayer is as good as it gets.   Walking by faith is hard and wanting to be closer to God is normal - but to think that you can get heaven NOW is utter foolishness. 

    Hebrews 11

    Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for.  By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. And by faith even Sarah, who was past childbearing age, was enabled to bear children because she considered him [God] faithful who had made the promise. 

    Abraham and Sarah were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth. They were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them. 

    God has planned something better for us so that only together with us would we be made perfect. 

    Amen.
     

  8. Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

    — 

    1 Thessalonians 5:16-18


    There are so many things I would like to change about my past. At times I wish I could fast forward to the future so that I can be better prepared for what is to come. I am a woman marred by bad decisions, brokenness, regret and guilt. At times it is hard to rejoice and to give praise for the harm done to me and by me. I am quite sure though, that God pushed me off the cliff so that I could cry out for him to catch me. The Lord has caught me in his unfailing love and patience - time and time again. 

    Lord I will seek to find joy in trials because I know that in a few hours, days, months or years I will be rejoicing in your faithfulness. 

  9. Happy Birthday Samantha :)  It has been a joy to see God at work in your life. Even though you have faced many trials throughout your life I have seen you transform into a woman of faith, trusting in God’s goodness. I am praying that you will continue to fall in love with God’s word more and more, as you live out your faith in love and good deeds. I hope this verse encourages you: The Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one. We have confidence in the Lord that you are doing and will continue to do the things we command. May the Lord direct your hearts into God’s love and Christ’s perseverance. 2 Thessalonians 3:3-4

    Happy Birthday Samantha :) 

    It has been a joy to see God at work in your life. Even though you have faced many trials throughout your life I have seen you transform into a woman of faith, trusting in God’s goodness. I am praying that you will continue to fall in love with God’s word more and more, as you live out your faith in love and good deeds.

    I hope this verse encourages you:

    The Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one. We have confidence in the Lord that you are doing and will continue to do the things we command. May the Lord direct your hearts into God’s love and Christ’s perseverance.

    2 Thessalonians 3:3-4