Is God real? If Yes, why not turn to Him today through JESUS?

Watch this short video on the miracles that happen recently and how the Lord Jesus Christ is reaching out to you today - trust and give your life to Him TODAY!!!

God is good - cliche or truth?

We often say "God is good all the time and all the time God is good". Do we really believe it? Do we really trust Him that all things work together for good?

As for me, let me recount the ways God has been good even through trying times this year.
1. The year began with challenges at work - new assignments and projects. Much leaning on God's grace to tackle them.
2. In April, the multiplication of one to two cells started. The 'breaking' of long-time relationships to form new ones is often trying and tests our faith in Him who knows all. As I trust Him, I see the fruit of obedience in the past outreach events especially this Christmas. Two cells are able to reach out and see more souls saved. The 'pruning' process has borne fruit!
3. This year also is a year of different milestones - turning 55, 30 years of marriage, 27 years in post-secondary education, becoming grandparents. I humbled that the Lord has led me to this point in time to look back and see His Hand in all things.
4. The birth of my grandson is a joy and a delight. Little did I know that 2 months after his birth, my wife and I had to experience a testing of our faith as he was hospitalised for meningitis. The 12 days in hospital was a time to hold steadfastly to Jehovah Rapha to heal and restore. We experienced the love and unity of the cell community as they prayed with us for him.
5. This unity was translated in many ways recently during the Christmas outreach events. Seeing God's favour in many groups and working together as one body, our Lord is pleased.

The old year is closing and the new is coming. Are there more challenges? Yes. Are there perhaps suffering and tests? Yes. Is God good despite the tests? YES!
"For me to live is Christ, to die is gain" - this is no cliche but the transforming grace that enables us to believe, to trust, to obey and to live or die fully assured that God is fully in control and all He does is GOOD! Hallelujah!
Blessed Christmas and Joyous New Year to all!

Believe, Obey, Pray - Key to the Unstoppable

Unstoppable life of faith is possible as we believe, obey and pray.
This 3-step key can be illustrated with the picture of the train engine on a track.

The train engine is analogous to believing (trusting) in God and His ability and power. We cannot on our own strength do anything great without His help. Like a engine-less train, we cannot move in unstoppable faith without His enabling. We need to continue believing and trusting even when we do not see (yet) in the natural what we ask for.

The track is analogous to obedience to God and His plan. When the train remains on the track and move along it, the train will be able to reach its destination. Hence we too, when we obey the prompting of the Holy Spirit, we will be able to achieve what God has purposed for us to accomplish.

Prayer is analogous to the oil that is necessary to lubricate the wheels of the train as it moves along the track. Without prayer, which is the most important part of any ministry or service for God, we move in God with much difficulty even when we believe and obey. For in prayer, we 'oil' our service, bringing all our petitions to Him who in return gives us peace, joy and love in the midst of all our work. Then like the well-oiled train, we move in unstoppable faith with a burden that is light and a yoke that is easy.

The 'So Much MORE' God

The Lord God that we serve is truly a 'so much MORE' God as seen in the Scriptures:

1. We are MORE valuable than all of His creation. Matt 6:26,  12:12
2. He loves us MORE than we realise. "...how much MORE will your Father in heaven give good gifts (to us)" Matt 7:11
3. We are worth MORE than many sparrows. Matt 10:31
4. He says "Whoever has will be given MORE, and he will have an abundance." Matt 13:12
5. He has MORE mercy than we can imagined. "one more year..." Luke 13:8
6. There is so much MORE rejoicing in heaven over all who repent and turn to Him. Luke 15:7
7. Because of His words many MORE become believers as we dare to preach them. John 14:41
8. He prunes us so that we will be even MORE fruitful. John 15:2
9. He tells us that He has so much MORE to say to us. John 16:12
10. We are MORE blessed to give than to receive. Acts 20:35
11. How much MORE shall we be saved from God's wrath through Him! Rom 5:9
12. How much MORE did God's grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to (us) the many! Rom 5:15
13. His grace increased all the MORE. Rom 5:20
14. In all these things we are MORE than conquerors through Him who loved us. Rom 8:37
15. (Through Him), will not the ministry of the Spirit be even MORE glorious and how much MORE glorious is the ministry that brings righteousness! 2 Cor 3:8-9
16. (He) is able to do immeasurably MORE than all we ask or imagine. Eph 3:20
17. He enables our love that it may abound MORE and MORE in knowledge and depth of insight. Phil 1:9
18. He enables our faith that it is growing MORE and MORE each day. 2 Thess 1:3
19. He reminds us to encourage one another--and all the MORE as we see the Day approaching.
Heb 10:25
20. He gives us MORE grace. James 4:6

Trust AND Obey

Trust and Obey - key words for our daily discipleship living. We long for revival and transformation for our lives, our church and our nation.

To see this happen, we need to ask the Lord to give us a burdened heart for the lost, bended knees to continue persistently praying for them, a clear mind to visualise the goal of winning/consolidating/discipling/sending and calloused hands to do the work each day (seeking God's divine appointments and opportunities)

Let us NOT negate the small but significant faith that we have by the words of our mouth by declaring the difficulties BUT let us speak forth that we can see salvation of the 12 and 144 in these next 10 months!

Just like Elijah when praying for rain (1 Kings 18:41-45) and Peter walking on water (Matt 14:28-31), we look to Jesus ignoring all the negative things that are thrown at us and confessing that the God of the impossibles is able and willing to move in and through us to do the very thing He desires - to see the harvest brought in and discipled!

Jesus said that we will have what we say if we do not doubt but speak faith!
Mark 11:22-24: "Have faith in God," Jesus answered. "I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, `Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.

So let us arise, shine! This is the season of harvest!

Free Thinking?

I have always wonder why someone would call themselves a freethinker. What does that mean? That you are thinking freely or you are freely thinking?
What does mean to be truly a free thinker or a thinker who is free?
Jesus said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." He also said, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."
It is obvious that freedom is tied to truth - knowing the truth will set one free. Deception or deceptive thinking will cause one to be in bondage but Truth or 'truth' thinking will set one free.
Knowing the truth is more than just cognitive knowledge but it is actually knowing the very Person who embodies all truth - the Truth Himself, Jesus Christ.
So if you really want to think freely or freely think - you need to know the Truth then truly You are free to think as the Truth thinks.

'Smooth and Rough' Blessings

In this life, we often want everything to go smoothly and we pray for blessings from the Lord to make all things work according to our plans. Yet there are times when it seems everything is falling apart and it is a rough and bumpy road we travel on.

I learn that God's blessings are for both the 'smooth sailing times' as well as the 'rough seas'.

He never rescinds on His promises and His purposes. He is always there with us whether we experience smooth or rough situations. This is the first and greatest blessing - He is ever-present (His omnipresence).

In the smooth times, we may experience all things are in our favour and all things seem to fit nicely. We rejoice as we see God answering our prayers and see His omnipotent power at work.

But in the rough times, we tend to forget and start to question why our prayers seem to go no where. We realise often after reflecting when the rough time has passed, that He knows all things (His omniscience) and what we think was a loss was actually working out for our good according to His plans.

So the test comes - will we continue to trust and rejoice in the rough times just like the smooth times or do we start to grumble, criticise and forget He is there?

Longing for heaven

Have been thinking about heaven recently. Read about it, thought about it and spoke about it. Perhaps I am getting to an age where I am a step closer to the door that leads to it.
Often people do not want to think about what lies beyond death preferring to focus on the here and now.
But I submit that we cannot truly live till we are ready to die. 
Our purpose and meaning for our lives are tightly coupled to our readiness and understanding of what lies beyond the doorway of death.
Jesus said "I am the door, if anyone enters through Me, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture". 
Incredible words but how true its promise - only one door to eternal bliss and rest - Jesus Christ.
The other door (of self-effort, self belief, self-centredness) leads to eternal misery and unrest.
Heaven is for real for God is real and where God is, there is heaven.
Hell is for real for where there is no presence of God, that is hell.
Dear reader, choose this day which door you will enter for eternity starts today.

Creator, Servant, Saviour King

Truly God is our Creator King!
He did not just create us and let us fend for ourselves. Nor did He rule us with an iron hand as a dictator. No, He created us AND desire to reign over us for our good (if we allow Him to do so).
We are NOT created as robots but as free-will agents with choice - to choose to love Him and submit to Him or to reject and rebel against Him.

Truly God is our Servant King!
He came to serve us and not to be served. Yet His servanthood does not diminish His dignity and authority as King of kings. His exemplary Servant model of leading us shows us what His kingdom is like - leading by serving.

Truly God is our Saviour King!
He gave up His life willingly for us on the Cross of Calvary. He is the righteous King who judges and punishes all who are evil. All of us are evil sinners - we all know our hearts. Yet our King, after pronouncing the sentence, took upon Himself, our punishment so that we do not have to do so. Do we willingly allow Him to reign in us with the thought of "Amazing Love, how can it be, that You my God would die for me!" or do we reject Him and treat with contempt His salvation freely given to us?

This Good Friday/Easter, let us be reminded to continually thank our Lord Jesus, our Creator, Servant and Saviour King!

Ungratefulness - the scourge of mankind

It is increasingly evident that the trend towards ungratefulness is increasing as many nations and societies become more affluent. Ungratefulness results in many boorish behaviour exhibited in society - whether road bullies, inconsiderate neighbours and habitual complainers.
Ungratefulness breeds a wrong mindset that assumes a right to be served first and always - requiring all to meet the needs and wants of the ungrateful.
To counter this, all of us need to learn to be grateful and thankful each day. 
Gratefulness to God who created us and all things for us to enjoy.
Gratefulness to God for those people He brings into our lives that encourages us and even rebukes us in love.
Gratefulness to God in His sovereign purpose and will that places us where we should live and work.
And the list goes on... being thankful never ends as long as we live.
Why not start today to thank God for one thing? Then continue each day to add one more and one more till you have 10,000 reasons or more why we should be grateful.
May we, made in the image of God, redeemed by the blood of Jesus and daily being filled by the Holy Spirit, exhibit an attitude and mindset of thankfulness always.
"To thank or not to thank, there is no question about it - always be thankful"

Can Jesus find faith when He comes again?

In Luke 18:8, the Lord Jesus asked this question: "when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?"
This faith is NOT faith in ourselves though many (even Christians) profess faith with their mouths in the Lord but inwardly their faith is in themselves and their abilities.
This faith is NOT faith in systems though there are good ways of doing things but ultimately these systems cannot replace doing God's will (which sometimes may seem illogical or foolish).
This faith is NOT faith in leaders and their teachings though they may be walking in God's purpose for every human person cannot always be right and never make a mistake.
True faith is in the Lord Jesus that we can say and act on the premise that Forsaking All I Trust Him only and this is sufficient to make all things possible and to do all things.

Where is your faith today?

My Story 10 (the final chapter)

How time moves!
I realised that I have been working for 30 years since my first job in 1983.
I was introduced to the world of work in my third year of university which was the year of industry attachment. The Lord enabled me to work in two different companies for 6 months each. It was an interesting learning experience to work in companies with different management style and culture.

The first company was a British company dealing with computers. The division I was attached to was the research and development arm of the company. Hence I had the opportunity to work on projects related to state-of-the-art computer technology back then. I learned that following Christ in the workplace meant that I will do my best at work and being a listening ear to colleagues whom the Lord bring me in contact with.

The second company for the second half of my year in industry was a Japanese manufacturing giant. This particular division was manufacturing television sets, refrigerators and other home appliances. What an interesting exposure I had to a totally different management style and culture! Morning exercise was mandatory back then! Dress code was company shirt (dark grey) with the unwritten but widely followed rule that junior executives cannot leave work before their bosses leave. It was good that I was not an employee and hence I could leave at the end of the day without waiting for my supervisor to leave! I learned that even though the company had a regimented (almost military) style of management, the Lord could open opportunities to witness. I managed to start a short Bible study during the lunch hour with a few operators with the help of a sister-in-Christ who used to be with Jehovah Witness. She said she left the cult because one day she realised that Jesus is God because the Bible said "Jesus is the Shepherd" and in Psalm 23, the Lord is the Shepherd and hence Jesus must be the Lord. How wonderful is the Holy Spirit to illuminate her with understanding and bringing her to Himself. It was during this six months too that I had an opportunity to rent a room from a house church. The pastor and his wife even gave me opportunities to lead worship and share the Word during some of their meetings.

My first job after graduation was a miracle orchestrated by God. When I returned from England after my studies, I applied for a dozen jobs but none replied. Then I tried this company - an American multi-national dealing with wafer fabrication and testing. They replied within the week and asked me to come down for an interview. They offered me a job on the spot and I joined them as an Equipment Engineer in September 1983. It was training on the job as my degree was in telecommunications and the work I was doing in the company was software maintenance and assembly level programming. What a challenge it was to learn as I worked! In terms of workplace ministry, the Lord opened up an opportunity to start a office group in which we even had a bi-monthly newsletter. We had many opportunities to sow the gospel and I believed some of the seed sown have borne fruit though I was only in the company for 3.5 years. Flexibility and innovation were key values of this first company I worked in. When I conducted a training class for some technical staff because of some software changes that I did, the Lord used that to kindle the desire in my heart to consider training and education as my next step in my career.

I applied to a local polytechnic in the west and after two interviews, I joined the institution in 1987 to start my career in polytechnic education. This is a milestone in my working life as I have been teaching in post-secondary education since then (more than 26 years!) Learning to teach and teaching to learn - this is the life of an educator. Over the years I have taught many different subject areas ranging from hardware-related to software programming. I spent 7 years in this polytechnic in the west of the island before joining my current institution in the east. In those seven years, I worked under 2 principals. The second principal was a man of character and integrity. He was one who lived out his Christian faith openly (he literally wear his faith on his shirt collar with a miniature cross pinned to it everyday). Under his leadership, I had the opportunity to see various para-church organisations reached out to staff and students with the gospel in various events such as having Andre Kole, a professional illusionist, presenting the gospel through magic. (It is interesting that many years before my own pastor began his magic/illusion ministry, I had an opportunity to have a front row seat to this kind of ministry!)
I continued to share my faith at every opportunity that God gave. A few years ago, I met an ex-student in church and he asked whether I remembered him. I vaguely remembered that I taught him before. He said he remembered the day I shared with the class my testimony. Praise the Lord for the seed sown!

In 1994, the opportunity came for me to move to the east in terms of workplace. I had been travelling every day for about a hour from my home in the east to work in the west. Now, I have been working in my current place of work, which is my third employer, for almost 20 years. When I came in, we were among the early pioneering batch of staff and most things (including the current location) were not in place. It was challenging but enjoyable to be part of that work in doing things from scratch. Being a small number, relationships were closer and I managed to use the early years of email to encourage the first group of believers among the staff. Most of them have left over the years. Even my years are numbered as I approach retirement age. But God has been working and I believe His Word will go forth to accomplish His purposes in my workplace (Lord, revival and more salvation!).

Dear reader, always remember that we are called to serve wherever we are and when we work, we work for the glory of our Lord and to do His will. May you experience His leading in everything you do even at your work place. Arise and shine for His glory is upon you!

The End and the Beginning

One year ends and another begins. What can we learn?

I learned that we can:
1) Look Back in thanksgiving on how our Heavenly Father has shown His Love to  us in helping us throughout the year.
2) Look Forward in anticipation and Hope to what He will do in the coming year.
3) Look Up daily in Faith to believe and trust His promises that what He said will come true.
We all have a choice to believe and obey the Truth of God or the lies of the evil one. Who do you believe today?

I learned too that we have the Triple A rating before the Lord.
We, His children, all have been:
a) Appointed by Him having a destiny to achieve (the Hope of our salvation)
b) Anointed by Him having the power to achieve (the Faith of our salvation)
c) Approved by Him having the motivation to achieve - not to gain favour in service but having favour to serve in gratitude (the unconditional Love of our salvation)

Let us move into the new year with this assurance, we are on God's side and He has given us His Triple A rating to fulfill our destiny and purpose. Hallelujah and Amen!

Spirit of sonship or slavery

It is often we come to a point in our relationship with our Heavenly Father where we need to choose whether we serve Him out of a spirit of sonship or of a spirit of slavery.
We have been delivered from being Sin's slaves to become born again as sons and daughters of God.
But often we walk not in that knowledge but act and behave as if we are still under slavery.
When we serve in different ministries and use our gifts and talents in various services, do we serve with pleasure and willingness, out of a grateful heart or are we serving out of duty as servants/slaves only?
Yes, often we can begin to serve without much emotional desire or joy, but as we mature, we need to understand and grow to serve with the knowledge that our service pleases our Father because we do so willingly and joyfully.
Look at the example of the two brothers in Luke 15:11-32.
The younger son sinned and felt unworthy to be called a son. He returned (repented) but wanted to be called a servant/slave only. BUT what did the father do? He ran, threw his arms around his son and kissed him!
Wow! Our Heavenly Father still accepts and loves us though we sinned and; when we return, He embraces us and still calls us 'son'!
So let this knowledge sink in: "We are much loved because of our Lord Jesus" - hence let us serve with this immovable understanding that our Father knows us and loves us.
The older son - never strayed, always faithfully serving yet what of his heart? Was he serving with gratefulness and pleasure or is it in duty only? Look at what he says in Luke 15:29 "Look! All these years I've been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders."
He was a faithful son yet he serve as a slave! See the father's reply in Luke 15:31: "`My son,' the father said, `you are always with me, and everything I have is yours."
Like this father, our Heavenly Father is well-pleased that we serve Him faithfully but let us guard against the attitude that we serve because we HAVE to and not because we WANT to. Let us come to the full realisation that our Father is ALWAYS with us and have gave us ALL we need to serve Him (not just resources but all the joy and strength we need to serve Him willingly and with pleasure!)
So which son are you? Are you feeling guilty and unworthy to serve? Are you feeling angry and unhappy that you serve?
Look to our Lord Jesus, our Elder Brother. He served His Father and our Father with joy and pleasure.
Let us do so every day with the Holy Spirit's help as sons and NOT slaves.
"Duty says I have done enough. But love asks can I do more?"

My Story 9

Discipleship and discipling both go hand in hand. Being a disciple continues on to being a discipler (or disciple-maker). You cannot have one without the other. If we are truly disciples of the Lord then we must take the discipling of disciples, who in turn will disciple others, seriously.
My own journey in growing in discipleship and in discipling others began after a year of coming to the Lord. My motivation and conviction was the realisation that a new believer is like a new-born baby who needs to be followed up in spiritual matters. So starting from my student days in university, I have decided that discipling and helping new believers grow is my top priority in ministry. With my first individual follow-up to small group discipling, I have found the joy of seeing these new believers grow, and more so when they in turn help others to grow.
I am still praying regularly for these disciples of mine over the past 33 years. Are all walking faithfully in the Lord? Some are not as far as I know. It would have been wonderful to see all of them faithfully reproducing in the Lord more disciples who will disciple others. But for various reasons, like the 4 types of hearts mentioned in Mark 4:3-8; only those whose hearts are like good soil will they produce a harvest. Nevertheless, I pray that ALL will return to the Lord and have their hearts transformed for a bountiful harvest.
My disciples come from various races and nationalities: British Caucasian, Filipino and Chinese from Hong Kong, Taiwan, Malaysia, Brunei, Singapore and Indonesia. I have discipled in England, Malaysia and Singapore. Some are serving in full-time ministries with churches while others serve in their church as volunteers. Those who are on fire for God have reproduced themselves many times in disciples who are now discipling others. This is the legacy that I am glad to be part of.
Currently in my church which has adopted the G12 vision and strategy of discipling, multiplication and governing, my wife and I are involved in an open cell that we pray will grow to become a G12 cell with 12 men and women who are in turn discipling others.
The Lord says only 2 things will last - His Word and people who will call Him their God. I am glad I am giving my life to bring His Word into the lives of His people to see them do the same for many others.
What about you, dear reader? What are you giving your life to?

THE LARGE SHIELD OF BELIEF

As we pray for 3x3 and seek our 12, our enemy, who was defeated at the Cross, seeks to discourage, distract and divert our focus. His schemes are aimed to get our eyes of faith from focusing on the Lord and His plans to unduly focusing on our problems and difficulties so that we cannot move in faith and victory.

We lose our peace when we give in to stress and troubles which can be work-related, family-related or even personal struggles. We think that our enemy is human though the root of it is that we wrestle not against flesh and blood but against all the principalities (spiritual forces) of darkness.

The solution is found in the word of the Lord to us in Ephesians 6 to take up our full armour especially the shield of faith (literally translated as THE LARGE SHIELD OF BELIEF). This mighty and large shield is able to quench (extinguish) all the fiery darts (flaming arrows) that is aimed to harm us. Let us raise up this invincible shield so that we are covered.

Wear our helmets as well as it protects our minds from all the negative and destructive thoughts that come from the wicked one. Put on the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness and the shoes of the gospel of peace.

Then let us take up the Sword of the Spirit which is the word (literally translated as declaration i.e. rhema) of God on our lips testifying (speaking forth) against and defeating our enemy.

As in Rev 12:11, we overcome (literally conquer) our accuser through the Blood of Jesus (the Lamb) and the word of our testimony (literally, through the saying of our witness). We are already under the Blood because we trust in Jesus so we declare out loud to our accuser that we have victory, we have joy, we have freedom and we will walk in the Lord's plan for our lives.

Finally in persevering (holding on) prayer and petition in the spirit (with our spiritual language) for the Lord's help and deliverance in and through all our trials, we have victory and peace! Come on, be strong and courageous and let's fight on - we are on the winning side!

Abundant & Eternal Life

All of us who trusted by faith in our Lord Jesus have eternal life when we were born again through the Holy Spirit. This gift is ours forever made possible to us unconditionally because of our faith in Jesus.
But in John 10:10, the Lord said that He came to give us life and life to the full (more abundantly). The Greek word for full/abundant is "perissos" which means superabundant, extraordinary, something further or more. The word abundant is often used in connection to grace in the New Testament. Hence we can receive abundant grace daily as we walk in faith and obedience to Jesus.
When do we need abundant grace? Is it not when we desire to be more like Jesus in our character and in our service?
We don't need much grace if we are self-sufficient having received eternal life and now just need to cruise along till our home-going. But is this the life we are to live? Has not our Lord called us to be disciples who make disciples who in turn will make disciples?
Being a disciple and making disciple-makers need all the superabundant grace that the Lord offers each day.
We cannot store up the grace so that we can use it another day. The Lord gives it to us one day at a time, more than sufficient for all we have to face.
Let us live this superabundant life of discipleship for it is a blessing like no other.
We have the gift of eternal life, let us also ask and receive the blessing of abundant life as we walk in willing obedience to His calling and commission to make disciples of all nations.

Fruit versus Gift

Some years ago I came across a message that provided a good illustration between the fruit of the Spirit and the gifts of the Spirit.

The fruit of the Spirit is like an apple tree - the apple (fruit) is related to the tree. Only apples can come from apple trees and not other kinds of fruit. Similarly, we who have the Holy Spirit will bear His fruit in us - that of Christlikeness if we abide in Him.
Also the fruit of the apple tree will only come when the tree is matured enough to produce apples. Similarly, the fruit of the Spirit is a sign of our maturity. The more we grow in Christ, the more of His fruit we will see in our lives.

The gifts of the Spirit, on the other hand, is like a Christmas tree ( a pine tree) where we hang our Christmas gifts and decorations on. The gifts bear no resemblance to the tree. Similarly, the gifts of the Spirit are not marks of a Christian's maturity. They do not convey spiritual growth nor personal holiness. They are gifts given by the Spirit for the good of all regardless of the spiritual life of the recipient. All the Spirit requires for the receiver of His gifts is their availability to be His channels.

Hence let us walk in trust and obedience to the Holy Spirit daily, bearing His fruit and sharing His gifts.

Note to all who are beginning...

I wrote this commencement letter some 15 years ago for friends who have graduated and were returning to their respective homes to begin their career and life. I think what was written still applies today.
-----------------------------
For some of you it's time to head home as you complete your studies.

The experiences and things you have learnt over here is a stepping stone to greater maturity and growth in Christ.
I have listed 3 things that you need to commit to so that you can continue to grow and mature from glory to glory and from grace to grace.

1) Guard your devotional time with God -
Guard this time well as it is the most crucial point of faith in your life. What you have started here - a time spent with God on a daily basis, feeding on His Word and praying and worshiping Him, needs to be maintain when you are back in your homeland. The 'safety and security' of friends here will no longer be present at home but the security in Christ still remains.

2) Get into fellowship with a church -
If you have your home church, return with a gusto and be involved. If not, pray and seek out a church to worship and participate in. Be a participant and not a pew-sitter! Get involved in church Sunday celebration - worship in a large group. Get involved in church cell group - worship/participation in a small group.
Both are important as the Lord will work through preaching of the word and the fellowship & accountability of a small group. Find a cell group that will genuinely accept you and care enough for you to rebuke you in love if necessary.
A word of caution - do not try to find the current kind of atmosphere for your cell group or even church meeting. You will be frustrated as a home setting will be different from a student-oriented kind of fellowship.

3) Give yourself fully to the Lordship of Christ
This is a very important area as you start your career and gain cash and even pursue courtship.
Surrender your career to the Lord from the beginning that it will not be a hindrance to your faith in Christ but a stepping stone towards all that He has plan for you.
Surrender your cash to Him and regularly tithe - you will find that He is no man's debtor - He will provide all you need.
Surrender your courtship to Him - if you have begun relationship or seeking to begin one, seek the Lord for His choice for you. Two is better than one but they must not be unequally yoked! Pray that your partner-to-be will have a heart for God and the things of God.

Finally understand the times we are in. These are not easy times so walk in much prayer and faith that God will fulfill His purpose which is the ultimate return of Christ and establishment of His kingdom.

My prayers and blessings in Christ to all of you. May the Lord grant you a heart that is settled in Him and a faith and a love that continues to grow in Him and for Him.
Shalom.

My Story 8

What's my passion? What do I believe God created me to be and do?

These are questions that all of us ask one time or another. Passion can be defined as an intense, driving, or overmastering feeling or conviction for something or someone.

When I was a child, I was curious about things and would often take apart things to see how they work (of course, my parents try to make sure these things were already unusable!). From this, I develop an interest in engineering and pursue a degree in telecommunication engineering.

After graduation, I worked with a multinational company but not in the area of telecom. In the Lord's design, I worked on programming the various test machines of the company - an area I had little training in. These were the early years that computers were not personal machines like now but basically workstations connected to a mainframe.

About halfway through my career at the company, my boss tasked me to train some technicians on the updated software that I had implemented. It seem I enjoyed that task very much as I seek to teach and train them to the best of my abilities.Hence it was without hesitation that I took up a lecturing position at a local polytechnic though it meant a drastic cut in pay.

Teaching post-secondary students in the knowledge and skills of electronic engineering meant learning to mould the vast amount of information to digestible bits for them. It meant simplifying and condensing so that students can understand and apply what was important. I found that I enjoyed this process more and more and strive to improve in content delivery every semester.

Looking back after 26 years of polytechnic education, I enjoy teaching because as I teach, I learn twice as much and more. I enjoy teaching not only youth but also young children and older adults which I had an opportunity to provide training to. Over the years, my students have varied from as young as aged 2 to as old as 70 years old.

It is a wonderful experience to do what you know you have been created for. This experience is possible for all of us who are willing to let our Creator God take control and lead us. He knows us and His plans for us are good. Let us trust and obey Him as He leads each day. Walking in His path and plans for us will bring much fulfillment and joy. Doing His will each day brings pleasure both to Him and us.