Allergy

I am very sick of this allergy I am having.

Hay Fever...ugh...I hate it.

It cost me a lot of incomes to buy tons of tissues and kleenex(although I don't use it).

Plus, it cost me a lot to go buy medicine to make it stable.

Most of the time whe I take medication, the effectiveness will work, sometimes.

When it does not work, it ruins my whole day with stuffy nose and itchy cheeks...whatever you call it inside our cheeks...it stoles our disugsting nostrils.

Jill must be saying, "eww..." and then laughs for mentioning her.

I wonder who else reads my blog?

Edward might be reading it casually...hmm...

Jessica might also think it's weird for mentioning the things above.

Penny...not sure what her reaction is.

ANYHOW, I'm glad that someone is not reading my blog or else I'll get heart attack if he/she reads my previous blogs in the past.

So, why does this sickness occur?
Why can't God heal me?
I would rather have other allergies than to have this hay fever!

Although....I don't want to have itchy bodies...or dry skin...coughing could be a pain but at least I could drink tons of water...

God has higher view than we do.

Romans 8:28

God can bring us to the good side in any situations.

Just like what Joseph said at the end of Genesis.

"You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives."

Well, this verse pretty much has nothing to do with allergy, but it can refer to bad situation being a good stuff.

God is not always the one who gets me sick.

Satan will always hit me with a curse.

Just like in the gospel where Satan enters into someone's body and caused them to be a maniac or something.

Sickness can also be refer to suffering.

It is not an easy thing to deal with.

We all are sick, exhausted, and in pain!

We are suffering everyday if you haven't knew about it.

We are suffering with the sin in us.

The sin causes to rebel against God, and pushing Him away from us.

We fall! (Romans 3:23)

God uses sickness to bring us back to Him also.

We learn our mistakes and how miserable we are.

Psalm 119: 65-72 greatly explains why God lets this sickness happen to us.

When I am sick today, I know I sin against Him for disobedience.

May God bring bring us out of our sickness.

Only He can sustain us and keep us stable now matter where we go.

A Vow

Is it wrong to break promises that you've made?
Is it wrong to break what you've commited to God?

When I say promises or commitment, I meant everything that you've vowed to God.

Serving in ministry can be tough when a person steps out of that ministry that he/she has commited.

When we first want to serve a ministry, there's a vow that needs to be commited.

It's like signing a contract with God.

Most people may misinterpret the contract.

You're not signing it for the person, you're signing it for God.

For example, "I commit to myself to serve this ministry for one year."

And less than one year, that person steps out.

So what is that person's point of serving when he/she steps out?

Is it because to do a little for God's kingdom and leave?
 That's not really pleasing God if you just leave.

I had a Chinese Intern Pastor, whom I started to look up to before he left.

He only had four months to serve at my church.

In those four months, he worked day and night to make this ministry happen.

He wanted the people in the congregation to experience God.

It is an important thing.

It did happen.

Brothers and Sisters adore he and his wife for serving God gratefully.

Never did they had the mind  to leave the church.

But his time was up and God was calling him to another place to serve.

Reflecting back to the Old Testament...

The books of Leviticus and Numbers have several references to vows in relation to offerings and sacrifices.

There were consequences for the Israelites who made and broke vows, especially vows to God.

Perhaps this is why Jesus gave a new commandment concerning vows.

Matthew 5:33-37

"Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, 'Do not break your oath, but keep the oaths you have made to the Lord.' But I tell you, Do not swear at all: either by heaven, for it is God's throne; or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. Simply let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No ,' 'No'; anything beyond this comes from the evil one."

Just to clarify some thoughts here, vow and commitment are different.

"I vow to commit this" is different from just wanting to commit for God.

I can say I promise to God that I will serve this ministry for a year.

I know that the readers are wondering why I am posting this.

Some of the readers might know that my church has a ministry called Awana.

Leaders are stepping out of Awana right now.

I totally don't know why.

I don't get it.

The only excuse I got is, "I'm busy on that day, so I don't think I am able to be there."

When I hear that, I felt very discouraged.

So what are there purpose in life?

Prosperity?

John and I were talking about it today.

Yes, I am very discourage knowing that few leaders are already stepping out.

Stepping out probably means not commited to serve God UNLESS God has a plan for them.

However, like I said, their excuse is just a simple word: busy.

Now, there is one female leader serving in one program called Sparks(kindergarden - grade 2 or 3?)

I don't want to lose her too because it is a lot of work.

But I forgive them.

If we have made a vow foolishly and realized we cannot or should not keep it, we should confess it to God, knowing that He is “faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness."

A broken vow, while serious, is not an unforgivable matter if taken to the Lord in true confession.

God will not hold us to vows made imprudently, but He expects us to obey Jesus and refrain from making vows in the future.

Devotion

As I was reading Matthew 18:15-20, I was thinking back to a friend of mine.

I actually looked up to him as my model and a leader when I was in High School.

I also tried helping him through his struggles.

He was my youth leader.

But things will turn out different for a lot of people.

Leaders will stumble since they're not perfect.

We all need to pray for our leaders though.

I go to his house and sleep over.

We played chess a lot whenever I go over to his house.

I missed the old times.

I don't know how he became the person he is today.

I don't know how he's living his life right now.

Maybe because it was my fault?

I don't usually put blames on myself.

However, it was not me who does it, but the sin in me that does.

Satan uses anyone to mislead others and others and so forth.

I wasn't a developed Christian in High School until near the end of grade 12 where I knew God personally.

I swear in front of him and say unappropriate words.
I started dying my hair again, and he followed me...I guess.

I went to the arcade and I asked him to tag along.

All this were my cravings(wants).

I sin against him.

By the time I knew God, he wasn't my youth leader anymore.

I wondered why at first.

I realized that he shouldn't have done the thing that a youth leader shouldn't be doing to our fellow youth.

Due to the huge age gap between the youth and the leader, it is not possible for them to be dating.

After that, it was vice versa.

What am I suppose to be doing right now?
Sometimes I do stumble in front of him by saying unnecessary stuff that would hurt our friendship.

I really want him to have a revival in him.

I couldn't do it, but it's only his decision whether or not he wants to go back to God...asking God for forgivness, and repenting from his sins by not living a lie.

Maybe the reader would think I shouldn't blog this.

It may hurt that person.

Yes, it may.

I may regret it for hurting that person.

BUT I do not regret for posting this.

Perhaps although it is none of my business and it is between him and God, I still have the right to represent him by telling him the truth...the truth of his life.

We can't escape the truth can we?

Why bother living a dishonest life?

God won't find favor in those who does not repent. (Not Favouritism, but Christ living in us)

So, my friend, if you are reading this, do I consider putting you down or judging you?

Paul...uses a lot of rage of encouragement by telling the people in churches how to live properly...especially the church of Corinth.

2 Corinthians 7:8-13

"Even if I caused you sorrow by my letter, I do not regret it. Though I did regret it - I see that my letter hurt you, but only for a little while - yet now I am happy, not because you were made sorry, but because your sorrow led you to repentance. For you became sorrowful as God intended and so were not harmed in anyway by us. Godly sorrows brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regrret, but worldy sorrow brings death. See what this godly sorrow has produced in you: what earnestness, what eagerness to cleary yourselves, what indignation, what alarm, what longing, what concern, what readiness to see justince done. At every point you have proved yourselves to be innocent in this matter. So even though I wrote to you, it was no on account of the one who did the wrong or of the injured party, but rather that before God you could see for yourselves how devoted to us you are. By all this we are encouraged."

I pray that you'll recover soon.

I pray that God will reveal His purpose and what your purpose in life is supposed to be.

Come back my brother, come back to our Father.

Near the end of 1st year

Last night was the Year-End Banquet.

When it was open-sharing time, I felt that each and every graduates have special memories together.

Thinking about myself right now, I have a long way to go.

And to grow and mature with my brothers and sisters in C4C.

God has placed many challenges in my life at C4C.

Sometimes I feel unworthy to take initiative.

I don't have authority over anyone.

Everyone has their own human rights.

However, if I give myself my own control of my own rights, then I'm not doing anything for God.

Yes, we all have free will to listen to His commands.

Our choice can be Yes or No.

We can't stop here, we must continue to build laborers.

In the beginning of the Fall Semester, Derek said there are not a lot of men stepping up.

Now, I see a lot of men growing and maturing in their position as Soldiers for Christ.

As for me, I see great changes each day in my life.

I chose Criminology as my Major, but I took it 'cause I was foolish.

I got deceived by an anime called Death Note which had some cool investigations.

Anyhow, I did very bad on my 1st semester, but at least I did not fail anything!

For 2nd semester, I consistently been thinking of changing my Major.

 I was reflecting back on my report cards, and the only thing that I did really well was Mathematics.

Now that I chose Math, I am actually doing a lot better than 1st semester.

God really slapped me for being foolish *laughs*.

And then Jill will have her unconscious laugh after reading that...maybe she already did laugh...

ok enough with the teasing XP

I really wanted to share some verses with the graduates and to other people, but I'll state it here.

Titus 3:1-11

Even though they have graduated, they have a long way to go.

If we have long way to go, then Satan will have tons of opportunity to lead us to astray, but if we continue to walk to Jesus, then there's nothing that Satan could stop us for we have the power of the Holy Spirit.

This may be for my 1st semester, but I may stumble badly at one point in my University career.

OBC

I can't take it!

I really want to express my joy and love for my beloved OBC brothers and sisters.

I know that I expressed my feeling for them and posted pictures on the January blog page, but I really do love them wholeheartedly.

God gave me this love...to love Him 'cause He first loved us.

As time is passing by, youth members are graduating one by one.

Technically, I can say that me and Daniel Chow were the first people in the youth who graduated from the youth.

Mable was supposed to be the first one, but she left when she was grade 11 and never came back...I prayed that she's doing well.

At first, I didn't know anybody.

Watching the kids and youth running down the stairs to chew on some refreshments after the Chinese Service.

I used to be in the Chinese Congregation and never went to the youth because I was too "cool" for them.

I didn't know anybody so it felt very weird for me to be there.

As time goes on, God keeps bringing people for me to know and talk to.

Now that I've graduated from High School, what was next?

I stayed at the youth group for another year because I can't stand living without them.

But as time goes back, they start graduating...and quarter of the people I grew up with for 5 years ( I went to OBC for 6 years) are heading their own ways...actually it's God's way.

As people graduating, more freshmen comes in.

The size of the youth is always around 10 people or more.

Now that the older ones are gone, little ones are less commited to be involve.

I know that God will strengthen them in the future, and continually maturing their faith and personality.

It's just like us...the graduates...weak and lost in the beginning, but we're still walking around not knowing what we're doing.

We are grown ups and have the sense of idea of the world that we're living in.

However, there are tons of time that Satan would tempt us.

I can fall for him.

God really did changed me through OBC.

I want to ummm....give my appreciation to my brothers and sisters...although there's alot...heh.

 

Pastor Jeff: You helped me realize many things in life. Looking out the lake and see where God is really affected me. Even though you're gone to other place to serve God, I pray that He will continue to call on you.

 

Masao: Thanks for teaching me tons of things when I was still young through Sunday School. Thanks for taking your time to listen to me for more than an hourwhen I was depress or in need of someone to talk to.

 

Vania: Thanks for your integrity and your commitment to serve in the youth. I know that you've worked really hard to serve God, but now may God bless you as you rest. Thanks for being mean to me when I was being big and stuff...yeah.

 

Angel: Thanks sister. God really used you to change my life. Sorry for the things I've done in the past that made you and I feel isolated. I was foolish, but I thank you for forgiving me. May God bless you and Caleb through your walk with our Lord.

 

Jackie: Thanks for entertaining the youth with your enthusiasm. You really do have a burning and passion heart for God. You always make us laugh. Pray that God will give you wisdom as you continue along the road with God.

 

Eliza: You are one of the biggest jokes in my life! JOKING! I love you sister! Thank you for being my wonderful little sister and "entertaining" me with your piano skills. May God keep using you to serve Him through your talent that God gifted you. PS: I really want to bite your shiny nose.

 

Dom: You're one weird looking guy sometimes when I first met you. Now, you're a Sargent! Keep flying my friend. May you know our Lord Jesus Christ deeply and understand His eternal love for us. God Blesss you.

 

Scott: Where are you these days? Anyhow, you and Dom should fight more often now since you guys are grown ups. I still remember that day you kicked Dom's stomach. May you also discover more about Jesus Christ and know Him personally. Keep seeking His face.

 

Marga: Sorry for being "cool" when I was young. Now that I think of it, you're a grown up person, although there's no changes there. Keep worshiping through dancing and singing to our God! May God Bless you.

 

Christina: Don't worry, I haven't forgotten you. I pray that you'll discover more and more about our Mighty God who is Mighty to Save. Hope that you and Billy will get along and become Godly parents. Keep seeking!

 

Steve: Oh my, I nearly forgotten you! You're growing taller and taller these days...Although you're still young in your faith, but I pray that God will reveal Himself to you because He did do it in my experience with Him. Keep reading His words and you'll discover more about His love.

 

These are...really the people I grew up with when I was grade 9 or 10 until I graduated.

Now I have Pastor Jason to look after me and blowing my mind through his lessons.

 

John: Although you and I didn't know each other very well until I was grade 12, but I really thank you for leading me to Christ and to know Him personally through our own discipleship time. Thank you.

 

hmm...today April Fool's day....oh well.