FAQ : Parenting

by Dr. Gary Chapman

1. I really feel strongly about certain types of discipline with our children, but my husband just laughs it off and does not support me. How do I handle this situation?

Disagreements over styles of discipline are fairly common for one simple reason: we each grew up in different families. We tend to discipline like our parents did, or if we believe that they treated us unfairly, we tend to do the opposite of what our parents did.

How do we resolve these differences? It is not likely that you will ever totally agree on this matter, but you can find a workable solution. It begins by each of you making a list of the basic rules you think you should have for the child and what the consequences should be if these rules are broken. With these lists in hand, you have a parental conference in which the two of you work through your lists. Check off the ones on which you agree and negotiate agreement on the others. Both must be willing to find common ground. Don’t insist that your way is the only way. With these in place, it is then a matter of making sure the child understands the rules and the consequences, and consistently applying the discipline when rules are broken. Kindness, but firmness, is the key in applying discipline.

An Invitation

Dear Brothers & Sisters.

We have heard many messages, read many books, bought many souvenirs that emphasize the need for prayer. Our church has regular meetings for Prayer ( Sunday Pre-Service Prayer, Wednesday Prayer Meetings and Saturday Morning Watches).

Presently, the participation for these meetings has been stagnant, with the same faces from the same age groups. There may be various reasons for this: unsuitable time/venue, baby sitting/children's needs, etc. 

As announced in the past two Sundays, we have reinvented the Morning Watches to enable everyone to join in. There are currently three Zones with (prayerfully and hopefully) more on the way. At present, the suggested time is 8 - 9am but the group can make adjustments if necessary.

• Zone 1: Rasah Kemayan (Michael & Jenny Lim) - Seremban 2 and surrounding areas
• Zone 2: Bukit Jed ( Liong KC & Karen) - Templer, Temiang and surrounding areas
• Zone 3: Taman Bidara (Christine Doray) - Rahang, Paroi, Ampangan and surrounding areas

We would like to encourage more members of all age groups to join us in prayer and intercession for the world, the region, the nation (Malaysia), the church and so on.

We would like to encourage the Young Adults, Youth and Children to come and participate and learn to pray.

The keywords here are "encourage", "all age groups" and "prayer".

Thank you.

New King James Version (NKJV) Isaiah 56:7 Even them I will bring to My holy mountain, And make them joyful in My house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and their sacrifices Will be accepted on My altar; For My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations.” 

Theme 2009 / 2011

Building Godly Family Relationships

Spiritual Intimacy

The Power Core

All your life as a couple will be influenced by the vitality and centrality of your spiritual life. Because of that, your relationship with God should be more than a compartment of your marriage, like one room in your house. Your relationship with God should be the core of your lives and the core of your marriage.

It’s like the nucleus of an atom. The nucleus keeps the particles that surround it in their proper orbits. Without it, there is no atom. Likewise, our connection with God holds the facets of our lives together in proper balance. Then every part of our marriage will show the transforming power and influence of our relationship with God through Christ Jesus.

But we must choose, for having our relationship with God at the center of our life and our marriage doesn’t happen automatically.

Worship Team 10 July 2011

Chairperson: Caleb R.

Worship leader: Peggy Tan
Vocalist: Gigi Lim, Jocelyn C., Colleen

Pianist: Prisca Sim
Synth: Meng Fhui
Guitarist: Terry C.
Bass: Niger
Drummer: Darren

Projectionist: Moses Tan

PA Personnel: Hiew FF, Tommy Q

Sunday Sermon 3-July-2011 - Ps Dave van den Berg

Speaker: Pastor Dave van den Berg
Missionary To Russia

http://www.mediafire.com/?50hdednb4crytrd

Ladies Fellowship 2-July-2011 - Ps Lydia Karthigesu

Speaker: Pastor Lydia Karthigesu
The Tabernacle, Seremban

Session 1:
http://www.mediafire.com/?4ho486jlh8y34s2

Session 2:
http://www.mediafire.com/?sdho2yor601r1xc

Forgiveness

Let’s update an old nursery rhyme:

Jack and Jill went up the hill
To fetch a pail of water
Jack fell down and broke his crown . . .
And Jill never let him forget how clumsy he was!

Poor Jack! He needed a wife who would comfort him, but instead he got pounded. Who knows why? Maybe his accident (and the resulting trip to the emergency room) interrupted an appointment at the beauty salon. Maybe his clumsiness had always embarrassed her. Who knows?

Every husband needs a forgiving wife, every wife a forgiving husband. The reason is obvious: we need forgiving because we make mistakes. That would explain two interesting facts in the Bible:

Thump-Thud, Thump-Thud

by Max Lucado

When a potter bakes a pot, he checks its solidity by pulling it out of the oven and thumping it. If it “sings,” it’s ready. If it “thuds,” it’s placed back in the oven.

The character of a person is also checked by thumping. Been thumped lately?

Late-night phone calls. Grouchy teacher. Grumpy moms. Burnt meals. Flat tires. You’ve-got-to-be-kidding deadlines. Those are thumps. Thumps are those irritating inconveniences that trigger the worst in us. They catch us off guard. Flat-footed. They aren’t big enough to be crises, but if you get enough of them, watch out! Traffic jams. Long lines. Empty mailboxes. Dirty clothes on the floor. Even as I write this, I’m being thumped. Because of interruptions, it has taken me almost two hours to write these two paragraphs. Thump. Thump. Thump.

How do I respond? Do I sing? Or do I thud?

Why Bishop Eddie Long Should Be Transparent

J. Lee Grady Newsletters - Fire In My Bones

The church has had enough spin, denial and closed-door settlements. Leaders must demonstrate humility and repentance.

A few years ago a minister in my city went through a divorce, and the messy details of the settlement between the pastor and his wife were reported in our newspaper. But when the divorce was finalized there was no public statement. The man’s wife disappeared from the stage, her photo vanished from the church website and nothing further was said. Zip. Nada. No comment.

The message: It’s none of your business what happened between the pastor and his wife. He’s the anointed messenger of God. Just follow him.

“People who talk out of both sides of their mouths certainly cannot preach an uncompromised gospel. And liars cannot be trusted to give us the truth.”

Snowball Your Way Out of Debt

There are many ways to get out of debt. Some are helpful; some are actually harmful. One strategy that often fails is debt consolidation. In our opinion there is always a better way.

Debt consolidation looks so appealing, but there are some dangers. You will possibly end up paying a much higher rate for a much longer term, so it costs you dearly. Also, debt consolidation can backfire if you look at your new, low monthly payment and decide that you can afford to make some other purchases on credit. Then you repeat the cycle that got you into financial bondage in the first place.

Remember that there are companies out there who seem to be offering you help, but in reality they are just increasing your financial bondage and their profits.

A far better system is one that helps you develop discipline and contentment while giving you the satisfaction of seeing your debt load steadily decrease. That is the beauty of the Snowball. I must tell you that we do not know who first came up with this plan or the name for it, but whoever it is we thank them! Many people have been helped by it.

Mastering Money, Part 2

Defeating the Debt Monster

If you are already in financial bondage, you will need to take some decisive steps toward freedom. Picture yourself in a deep hole. Here's a ladder that will let you climb out.

Step One: Recognize why you are in financial bondage.

Don't blame the economy. You must recognize that the real reason for your financial problems is your own unsound decisions. Times may be difficult, but many people survive difficult financial times because they follow the right principles and make wise resolutions.

Step Two: Do not borrow any more money from any person or any company.

This is a real step of faith shown by action. "What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him?" (James 2:14) Right actions must accompany faith, not just any actions. If you steadfastly decide not to borrow or buy anything on credit, God will honor your faith and provide honorable ways to meet your needs.

Worship Team 3 July 2011

Chairperson: Hong Lu

Worship Leader: Shankar R.
Back-ups: Siew Pin, Lydia Sim, Foong Yee

Pianist: Meng Fhui
Synth: Jonathan L
Guitarist: Ken Fhui
Bass: Weng Ern
Drummer: Anna Sim

Projectionist: Joseph Yap

PA Personnel: Manjit Singh, Tommy Q.

Sunday Sermon 26-June-2011 - Dr. Lay Kee Neu

Speaker: Dr. Lay Kee Neu
Full Gospel Mission Centre, Jelebu

http://www.mediafire.com/?15nq24z5ogw67dz

Mastering Money

Marriage counselors all agree that money problems are a chief source of marital stress. The following letter to John and Anne, a couple experiencing financial difficulties, gives some good, practical advice to couples about managing their finances. Without a doubt, money matters.

Dear John and Anne,

I hope you'll take this letter in the spirit of love and compassion in which I send it. Ever since I came to know about your financial difficulties, I've been deeply concerned for you. When a friend complained you had borrowed money from him and had not repaid it, I knew the problem was really serious. I soon discovered that you were in debt to many people, sometimes borrowing from one to pay something to the others. That’s quite desperate, wouldn’t you agree?

I want to share some principles with you that will help you recover from your financial snare. Of course, you are not alone. Many, many people find themselves caught in the same net. Like a trapped animal they fight against their bonds, spending all their strength and more than all their money. There is a way out, but it comes by humbly applying God's wisdom, not by frantically scheming.

Judas, The Man Who Never Knew

by Max Lucado

I’ve wondered at times what kind of man this Judas was. What he looked like, how he acted, who his friends were.

I guess I’ve stereotyped him. I’ve always pictured him as a wiry, beady-eyed, sly, wormy fellow, pointed beard and all. I’ve pictured him as estranged from the other apostles.

Friendless. Distant. Undoubtedly he was a traitor and a quisling. Probably the result of a broken home. A juvenile delinquent in his youth.

Yet I wonder if that is so true. We have no evidence (save Judas’s silence) that would suggest that he was isolated. At the Last Supper, when Jesus said that his betrayer sat at the table, we don’t find the apostles immediately turning to Judas as the logical traitor.

Booby Traps and Blowups

It wasn’t a great day for the Wilson marriage. Ninety-nine percent of their days were just wonderful, but this wasn’t one of them. If the day I am talking about had been videotaped, they would certainly want it erased.

It all started with an innocent comment Joyce, the wife, made about a project she and George had been working on. Joyce and their son, Morgan, had found a solution that George had spent hours tracking down. George should have felt happy about the solution. “Good job! That’s great!” That would have been a healthy response. But he didn’t. George became sullen, brooding, even angry. Actually, his reaction surprised him. It wasn’t the way he wanted to act, and he certainly didn’t plan it. His reaction was completely out-of sync with his usual responses. So why did he do it?

George analyzed that for hours. As we discussed the reaction, he said that he felt offended that he was left out. He wanted to feel that he was part of the process, a supplier of answers, a problem-solver. Instead he felt useless. Joyce and Morgan surely didn’t need his help. They had it all figured out.

Keep On Praying—a Breakthrough Is Near

  J. Lee Grady Newsletters - Fire In My Bones

Don’t lose hope. God has promised to answer when we persevere.

So you pray for something for years and then you wake up one day, breathe a big sigh and say to yourself: This is crazy. Nothing is happening. God must not be listening.

Congratulations. If this has been your experience you are not alone. You’ve been enrolled in the School of Persevering Prayer, and it’s not a one-semester class. It’s a lifelong journey designed to stretch your faith, develop your character, purify your motives, test your patience and increase your capacity to know and experience God’s amazing love.

“Have you ever been around a woman in her ninth month of pregnancy? She is often in a state of agitation—ready to give birth but weary of the strain. I know many Christians today who are in this same uncomfortable stage of spiritual travail.”

At Least Get Paid for It!

by Mark Gungor

There is a misconception, a mistaken way of thinking among Christians when it comes to having sex outside of marriage. Here is what many people think:

• The best circumstance to have sex in is within the bounds of matrimony or if you are not married, to remain sexually pure.
• The next best scenario is having sex with your boyfriend/girlfriend…but while you really shouldn’t do it, most people will give a pass to those who do. Because after all, you love each other, it’s just so difficult to wait; you can’t really control yourselves when you feel so strongly about one another.
• Then the lowest and most unacceptable sex (in most people’s minds) is prostitution—those who get paid to engage in sexual acts.

But that’s not actually how the list goes…at least according to the scripture in Ezekiel 16. Here God is chastising the nation of Israel for their unfaithfulness. And He uses the analogy of prostitutes when He says:

Get Out of Jail Free

Do you ever associate two or more thoughts or events that are completely unrelated? When we do that we will always arrive at faulty conclusions. Faulty conclusions frustrate relationships.

A friend of mine received a pretty severe reprimand at his work. It was an unpleasant experience for him, but he bore up under it. The next day his powerful computer was missing form his desk. His manager told him someone else needed it and assured him there was no connection to the reprimand.

Now my friend had a choice: either believe the two incidents were unrelated, or make a wrong connection. He chose to believe his manager. By leaving the two events unconnected he prevented friction from developing. Had he believed that the two events were connected, regardless of his boss's assurances, he would have reported to work everyday with a cloud over his head.

You're In The Jailhouse Now

Mark comes home from work. He’s tired, so he doesn't greet his wife, Sally, with much enthusiasm. That morning she awoke late, causing more tension than usual in their morning routine. Sally makes a connection between those two separate incidents. Watch the process:

Announcement: Morning Watch

Dear All,

Morning Watch:
The present Morning Watch in church has been marked by poor response for church members due to reasons of their own. There were people attending but more often than not it was poorly attended.

I am informing you that Bro. Liong and Bro. Michael Lim have graciously opened their homes for morning watches w.e.f. 2nd. July, 2011 between 8-9am.

• Zone 1 will be handle by Michael Lim at S2 and surrounding areas.
• Zone 2 will be handle by Liong KC at Bukit Jade and surrounding areas.
• If God wills we will like to open one at Blossom Heights and surrounding areas.

 Members of the church can contact Bro. Michael and Bro. Liong as to whether their watches are on or cancelled. We will have a briefing as to what should take place at our morning watches.Why are the people not attending? I could think of the following reasons:

• Time not suitable.
• Venue not suitable.
• Do not want to get the children up early as it is the only day in a week that children can sleep abit longer.
• Working people after 5 days of getting up early would like to sleep also for a bit longer.

The morning watches can only be conducted in homes that have air-condition since we do not want to disturb the neighbours by our singing and speaking in tongue. Morning Watches can be cancelled when the majority of the members within the group decides to do so. We want maximum participation. There is strength in numbers. 

Music & Worship Duty Roster

Please get it here

The ABCs of Healthy Communication

The human body needs basic elements to thrive and last. So does your marriage. With these qualities, expression and understanding thrive. Without them, they die.

Accept Each Other

Acceptance means taking one another just as you are. The English word even comes from a Latin word that means, literally, to take to oneself. Accepting your spouse doesn’t mean you totally approve of every action or attitude. But it does mean we’re on the same team, and glad of it.

Team members know each other’s strengths and weaknesses. Rather than wishing they were on another team, they learn to recognize their strengths and build on them, while strengthening their weaknesses.

The difference in winning and losing is often more about attitude than it is about ability. Sure, other people might have an easier time building a great marriage. They may have strengths that you and your spouse don’t naturally possess. But you are not other people. God knows how to bring you fulfillment, no matter what your flaws are.

Happy Fathers' Day 2011!!

Worship Team 26 June 2011

Chairperson: Dr. Siow KW

Worship leader: Prisca Sim
Vocalist: Lareina, Colleen, Peggy Tan

Pianist: Lydia Sim
Synth: Jocelyn Lee
Guitar: Weng Ern
Bass: Anna Sim
Drums: Ken Fhui

Projectionist: Moses Tan
PA Personnel: Tommy Q, Hiew FF.

Sunday Sermon 19-June-2011 - Bro Liong Kam Chong

Speaker: Bro Liong Kam Chong
White Fields Assembly Seremban

http://www.mediafire.com/?zoalaj6vxlb1l4b

Making Sex a Mutual Joy

Not Taboo

Contrary to the opinion of some, sex is not a topic that God finds taboo. In fact, sex was God's idea. He created us male and female and He instituted marriage with the intent that two would become 'one flesh'. Why then do so many couples fail to find satisfaction in this important area of marriage? I want to suggest one major reason: Unrealistic expectations.

Films, magazines, and novels convey the idea that sexual thrill and mutual satisfaction are automatic. That is simply not true. God told Israel that a young couple should 'take a year' and learn to pleasure each other. What makes us think that we can do so in less time?

The Truth About Sex

Some Christians have a negative attitude toward sex. It may have come from a distorted sex education, an unfortunate sexual experience as a child, or sexual involvement as a teenager that brought disappointment and guilt. The origin is relatively unimportant. The important thing is to understand that we choose our attitudes.

The first step in overcoming a negative attitude is exposure to the truth. The truth about sex is that within marriage it is God ordained and designed to bring mutual pleasure. As in all of life we are called to live by the truth. We admit our negative attitudes and feelings, but we don't serve them. With the help of God we live according to His revealed truth.

Expression and Understanding

The Keys to Communication

Walter, a psychologist, makes his living by helping hurting people. Although Walter cares about the people who come to him, he has learned to care without becoming emotionally involved. It's the only way he can survive the constant stream of critical problems that he faces every day. If he didn't practice a little detachment, he would burn out faster than a cheap candle.

Walter has a wonderful wife, Sharon. Sharon wants Walter (this man who makes his living by listening, understanding, and communicating) to pay some attention to her. However, she needs his attention as a husband, not as a professional. When Sharon has an emotional need, Walter responds calmly and logically, just like he does with his clients. That drives Sharon crazy. She thinks that Walter, the professional counselor, can understand just about anyone but her. She doesn't resent the people he helps. She just wishes Walter would give her more of himself than what he gives his clients.

Today I Will Make a Difference

by Max Lucado

Today I will make a difference. I will begin by controlling my thoughts. A person is the product of his thoughts. I want to be happy and hopeful. Therefore, I will have thoughts that are happy and hopeful. I refuse to be victimized by my circumstances. I will not let petty inconveniences such as stoplights, long lines, and traffic jams be my masters. I will avoid negativism and gossip. Optimism will be my companion, and victory will be my hallmark. Today I will make a difference.

I will be grateful for the twenty-four hours that are before me. Time is a precious commodity. I refuse to allow what little time I have to be contaminated by self-pity, anxiety, or boredom. I will face this day with the joy of a child and the courage of a giant. I will drink each minute as though it is my last. When tomorrow comes, today will be gone forever. While it is here, I will use it for loving and giving. Today I will make a difference.

I will not let past failures haunt me. Even though my life is scarred with mistakes, I refuse to rummage through my trash heap of failures. I will admit them. I will correct them. I will press on. Victoriously. No failure is fatal. It’s OK to stumble… . I will get up. It’s OK to fail… . I will rise again. Today I will make a difference.

I will spend time with those I love. My spouse, my children, my family. A man can own the world but be poor for the lack of love. A man can own nothing and yet be wealthy in relationships. Today I will spend at least five minutes with the significant people in my world. Five quality minutes of talking or hugging or thanking or listening. Five undiluted minutes with my mate, children, and friends.

Today I will make a difference.

From Shaped by God (original title: On the Anvil)

Copyright (Tyndale House, 1985, 2002) Max Lucado

Releasing Liberty in Romania’s Traditional Churches

 J. Lee Grady Newsletters - Fire In My Bones

In a nation known for communist oppression, intimidation and religious legalism, the Holy Spirit is sending a fresh wind of freedom.

Pentecost is a national holiday in Romania, and I celebrated it last Monday with members of Bucharest Christian Center, a growing congregation in the Romanian capital. The church was founded by my friend Ioan Ceuta, 54, a brave Christian leader who has served as president of the Assemblies of God since 1996. Like so many Romanian pastors who lived through the communist era, Ceuta has walked through fire and emerged stronger in his faith.

Ministry was not easy for Ceuta and his wife, Emilia, during the dark days of Nicolae Ceauşescu, the Romanian dictator who ruled with an iron fist and built one of the world’s largest buildings (second only to the Pentagon). Covert government informants strictly monitored all pastors during Ceauşescu’s era. The construction of church buildings was forbidden, frequency of meetings was limited, and Bibles were blacklisted as “mystical literature.”

“Because of Ceuta’s influence, about 10 percent of the ministers in the Assemblies of God in Romania are women. ‘Romanian ladies are gifted with a potential [for] leadership I have seen in few places in the world,’ ” Ceuta says.

The Tough Lover

Life's a tough proposition, and the first hundred years are the hardest. -Wilson Mizner

What that quotation says about life, we might just as well say about marriage. Strong marriages are always the result of the sustained efforts of determined people. Yes, a mediocre marriage can continue for many years, but what is it worth? We need toughness to build truly successful relationships.

What is toughness, and why does every marriage need it and require it? The dictionary defines tough as . . . strong and durable; capable of great endurance; sturdy; hardy. Men and women who have those characteristics build the best marriages, because marriage is much more than romantic emotions or good intentions. A healthy, lasting marriage requires tough, determined, endurance.

Not all strength is what it seems. How often have you heard someone described as a strong person, only to find, when you meet this person, that he or she is really inflexible, demanding, and manipulative? That's not a strong person you met; that's a person hiding weaknesses and fears under a hard shell.

Affirm Your Spouse

Affirm is a great word. In Latin it means to make firm, to strengthen. Applied to facts, it means to add our testimony to the fact to strengthen it. With people, it is similar. When we speak to them in a way that makes them stronger, firmer, more resolute, we are affirming them.

"Dear brothers and sisters, we always thank God for you, as is right, for we are thankful that your faith is flourishing and you are all growing in love for each other." –2 Thessalonians 1:3 (NLT)

Mighty messenger he was, but Paul always had the heart of a father when writing to the young churches. Habitually, he began his letters with affirmation.

Affirmation is a testimony to the truth. It isn’t flattery, for flattery has a self-serving motive. Affirmation is all about strengthening someone else. Your reward will be in knowing how much it has helped.

The Tenderhearted Lover

Some people think that tenderness is a synonym for weakness. Perhaps that is what the author of one book on management had in mind. She suggests that the way to get ahead is to never let anything reach your heart. At least, never let anyone see that it does. Be ruthless. Be aloof. That philosophy makes tenderness a critical weakness. It's also very wrong.

Tenderness makes us responsive to the pleasure or pain of another person. We need tender hearts to have any kind of healthy relationship, whether with friend or spouse. Why, then, do so many married people seem to live in isolation? A chief cause is self-centeredness. Self-centered people only care about what directly affects them. They detach themselves from everything else. In many marriages, that has become the normal condition. Normal, but not healthy.

Developing a tender heart has little connection to personality. True, some people are more emotionally sensitive. I am 100% man, but I cry at poignant moments in movies. Music, whether sung or played, can move me deeply. My heart swells when I hear my nation's anthem. I can go into raptures about a sunrise, though I will see thousands of them in my lifetime. The song of a bird will stop me in my tracks. In short, I am a sensitive man.

Worship Team 19 Jun 2011

Chairperson: Tom C .

Worship Leader: Peter Long
Vocalist: Hong Lu, Foong Yee, Lareina

Pianist: Jonathan L.
Keyboardist: Meng Fhui
Guitarist: Nigel
Bassist: Anna Sim
Drummer: Ken Fhui

Projectionist: Moses Tan

PA Personnel: Manjit Singh, Hiew FF

Sunday Sermon 12-June-2011 - Elder Lim Swee Boon

Speaker: Elder Lim Swee Boon
Chairman Elder & Senior Pastor
White Fields Assembly Seremban

http://www.mediafire.com/?gb9vtv9evgz04cd

The Thankful Lover

My friend’s father had a serious emotional infection. Let’s call it Paralysed Appreciation Disorder, or PAD. He simply could not express thankfulness or appreciation. His wife suffered most from her husband’s disorder. No matter what she did, big or small, her husband would never thank her

Sometimes she tried to force him to express appreciation by doing some distasteful task, like cleaning the mud off his shoes. Still he said nothing. The dear woman didn't want much. She just wanted to know the man she married needed her and appreciated her. Surely every good wife needs that, and deserves it too.

Over the years Ken’s mom became mentally ill, and because of that, unpredictable. Some would say her husband’s lack of appreciation contributed to her illness. It’s possible.

Late in his life, Ken’s dad developed a painful condition that put him in hospital. Ken went to visit his dad one day and found his mother there. She had a big jar of greasy ointment (like Vaseline) which she intended to use to massage her husband’s back. Ken wanted to stop her. Greasing her husband like a pig for roasting could not make him feel any better. Besides, she was crazy right?

The Wedding Prayer

Create in us a love, O Lord.
An eternal love …
Your love.
A love that forgives
any failure,
spans
any distance,
withstands
any tempest.
Create in us a love, O Lord.
A new love.
A fresh love.
A love with the tenderness
of a lamb,
the grandeur
of a mountain,
the strength
of a lion.
And make us one. Intimately one.
As you made a hundred colors into one sunset,
A thousand cedars into one forest,
and countless stars into one galaxy …
make our two hearts as
one,
Father, forever …
that you may be praised, Father,
forever.


From Shaped by God (original title: On the Anvil)
Copyright (Tyndale House, 1985, 2002) Max Lucado

Preparing For Marriage: Part 2

If you missed Part 1, you can read it by clicking here.

What I Know

One evening about six weeks after our wedding, Karolyn and I were engaged in a full-fledged argument. In the midst of the argument, she went to a closet, got her raincoat, slammed the front door and walked out into the pouring rain. My first thought was, "Why doesn't she stay and fight like a man?" My second thought was, "What have I done?"

I wish I'd known how to listen, how to respect her ideas and feelings, how to treat her with love, instead of demanding that she agree with me. There is so much I've learned in our 40 plus years of marriage.

The Thoughtful Lover

Behold, the sunny days of courtship! He calls every day, opens doors for her, takes the long way to take her home each night. He does everything to heap attention on her.

She takes special care to look nice for him, maybe cooks a special meal, and does everything she can to show that she likes his attention. Eventually all that thoughtfulness leads to a proposal, an acceptance, and marriage. Let the lifelong joys begin!

Over the years this couple begins acting very differently. In a hundred little ways they stop living as though they matter to one another. Without thoughtfulness, they live in separate worlds, only touching each other’s lives when necessary, and in some cases actually avoiding each other. Such carelessness is dangerous to any marriage.

Two words help us understand thoughtfulness: consideration and awareness.

A Growing Spiritual Hunger in Hungary

J. Lee Grady Newsletters - Fire In My Bones

The passion for revival I saw in eastern Europe this week rivaled what I have seen in Africa or Asia.

Europe is often described as post-Christian, and some people have already given up on the continent. We’ve heard discouraging statistics about mosques replacing churches in England. We know about dismal numbers of churchgoers in Germany and France. Some people assume that the region that gave us the Protestant Reformation is now a spiritual wasteland.

But that’s not what I found in Hungary this past week. On Sunday I preached to a congregation that meets in what used to be a communist hall in the Budapest suburb of Szigetszentmiklos. The Free Christian Church, a lively Pentecostal group pastored by Josef and Lila Gere, was celebrating its 20th anniversary—and the mayor of the town showed up for the service along with the local minister of religious affairs.

“Blind eyes opening … in Europe? Three-hour worship sessions … in Europe? Churches filled with teenagers and young adults … in Europe? It’s all happening in Hungary, a nation that borders seven other European countries—and could affect them all.”

The congregation was full of young people. The praise team led us in Hillsong choruses translated into Hungarian. A few people raised their hands when I invited those who were not Christians to invite Jesus into their hearts.

Commitment Testers

Come to a wedding with me. Flowered archways and candles adorn the church. Music plays softly. Friends and family fill every seat. The wedding party enters. Expectation rises with the music as the bridegroom, and all present, await the arrival of the woman who will join him in marriage.

Down the aisle she comes, a picture of beauty touched with hope, and a just a trace of anxiety. She joins her husband-to-be at the altar, there to make their vows of commitment in the presence of their friends, their family, and God.

With solemn words, the bride and groom make a mutual, lifelong commitment to their marriage and to each other. If they live another fifty years, they will have more than 18,250 days to prove their commitment. 18,250 days! That's a life sentence!

God Thinks You're Wonderful! by Max Lucado

God is fond of you.

If He had a wallet, your photo would be in it.

If He had a refrigerator, your picture would be on it.

He sends you flowers every spring and a sunrise every morning.

Whenever you want to talk, He'll listen.

He can live anywhere in the universe, and He chose your heart.

Face it, friend. He's crazy about you.

By the way, it may be difficult for you

to believe that God knows your name...

but He does.

Written on His hand.

Spoken by His mouth.

Whispered by His lips.

Your name.

I have written your name on my hand. Isaiah 49:16

You Can Have a Delightful Marriage

Alan and Mary have been married ten years. For most of their marriage, neither of them has felt happy or fulfilled. They seem to be trapped in the grip of a joyless routine. Their marriage isn't exactly bad, but their marriage is flat, like old Coca-Colathat has lost its sparkle. They endure their marriage, like one endures a gloomy room on a rainy day. The sunshine seems gone forever.

It wasn’t always this way. The early years of marriage held many challenges, but they always found ways to keep their marriage enjoyable. Not now. Now they can’t remember the last time they had a good laugh together. By degrees their marriage has become a little more dreary and a little less delightful. They only see each other at the end of a long and busy day. They seldom talk, and seldom smile either. Alan and Mary don’t have a bad marriage, exactly, just a dull one.

In some parts of the American West, and in most of the Australian outback, you can drive for hundreds of miles, on perfectly straight roads, through a featureless landscape. Nothing unexpected, nothing interesting, nothing but you, the car, and the long, long road. After a few hundred kilometers you start craving something, anything, different and exciting. That is precisely how Alan and Mary feel about their relationship.

Worship Team 12 Jun 2011

Chairperson: Caleb R.

Worship Leader: Shankar R
Vocalist: Jocelyn C, Colleen, Meng Fhui

Pianist: Grace Lee
Keyboardist: Prisca Sim
Guitarist: Terry C.
Bassist: Ken Fhui
Drummer: Darren

Projectionist: Joseph Yap

PA Personnel: Hiew FF, Tommy Q.

Sunday Sermon 5-June-2011 - Ps Ang Siew Khim

Speaker: Pastor Ang Siew Khim
River Of Life Sanctuary, Segambut, Kuala Lumpur

http://www.mediafire.com/?56utg7jkv2md46d

Restoring Trust

Marriages can die for many reasons. Usually it is not one thing, but a combination that brings a marriage to the point of death. The bottom line is this: marriages die when promise keepers become promise breakers.

The Power of Promises
Someone has observed that life becomes much more restful if we keep our covenant promises. Marriage is a covenant based on mutual promises of lifelong faithfulness.

As I said in an earlier article, our covenant promises are like a fence we build around our marriage. The fence defines our boundaries, keeps us safe, simplifies our lives, and focuses our affection.

But what if we don’t keep our promises? Then, of course, the relationship becomes shaky.Husband and wife feel like two house painters standing on a plank, supported by wobbly ladders. They experience constant tension and unsteadiness. Even worse, broken promises often lead to the total collapse of a marriage.

Preparing For Marriage: Part 1

For a number of years, I have wanted to write a book on preparation for marriage. I really believe that if we can help couples prepare for marriage, then they can be more successful. Let's face it most people spend far more time preparing for their vocation than preparing for their marriage. Perhaps that's why they are more successful in their vocations than in their marriages.

Things I Wish I'd Known Before We Got Married is my attempt to help couples get ready for marriage. I looked back on my own life and asked, "What do I know now that I wish I had known then?" I think if someone had told me these things, my marriage would have been much easier. I hope you'll learn from my mistakes.

Euphoric Feelings

Would it surprise you if I told you that "being in-love is not an adequate foundation for marriage?" It is highly possible to 'fall in love' with someone you should not marry. Many couples believe that if they are 'in love' then they will always be 'in love'. The reality is that the 'in love euphoria' last for an average of two years.

Devastated by Death : Max on Life #148

The following is a one of 172 questions and answers from the new book, Max on Life.

QUESTION #148:

The seven-year-old son of our neighbors died last week. They are devastated. So are we. What can we tell them?

God is a good God. We must begin here. Though we don’t understand his actions, we can trust his heart.

God does only what is good. But how can death be good? Some mourners don’t ask this question. When the quantity of years has outstripped the quality of years, we don’t ask how death can be good.

But the father of the dead teenager does. The widow of the young soldier does. The parents of a seven-year-old do. How could death be good?

God and Gender: It’s Really Not Confusing

J. Lee Grady Newsletters - Fire In My Bones

A Canadian couple’s decision to raise a “genderless” child has perplexed me.

I was scratching my head last week after hearing about the couple from Toronto, Canada, who announced they were going to raise a “genderless” child. Kathy Witterick and David Stocker, parents of two boys named Jazz and Kio, had a third child named Storm on New Year’s Day. Witterick announced to her family last month that she intends to keep the child’s gender a secret and let him/her figure it out on his own.

So far mom and dad have not granted interviews, but the mother said in a letter to the Edmonton Journal, published May 30, that letting Storm determine his/her gender was “a tribute to freedom and choice in place of limitation.”

“Gender is determined by the foreknowledge of God; it is not our choice. He is the Creator, we are the creature; He is the potter, we are the clay. To say that a child is going to “choose” his/her gender is the ultimate in rebellion against God’s created order.”

“Someday soon, Storm will have something to say about it,” the mom added. (And I’m thinking he/she also may grow up resenting its parents for this bizarre decision.)

Trust

It amazes me that experts on marriage talk so little about trust. They discuss compatibility, even administer personality profiles to help a couple see how they match up. All fine, and very worthwhile. When I do pre-marriage counseling I often use the same tools

But if the intent of marriage is to build and maintain a uniquely intimate relationship, trust is more important than any other quality. We simply do not develop intimacy with someone we don't trust. Furthermore, the depth of our intimacy will be in direct proportion to the depth of our trust.

Diane and I met in college and married just after graduation. Both of us felt we were making a good choice, but I wanted to know if there was one quality about me (beside my good looks?) that gave Diane the confidence to marry me. So one day I asked her just why she married me.

Mike & Dianne Constantine

• Intermin : international and internet help for marriages and families
• Peter's Wife : helping women connect with their world
• First Steps Today : Childhood's Journey

2011 Family Camp - Pastor Mike Constantine

Speaker: Pastor Mike Constantine

28 MAY 2011
Session 1:
http://www.mediafire.com/?838av8kfd9dqdkz

Session 2:
http://www.mediafire.com/?vnc4e9eld3uro0b

29 MAY 2011
Session 3:
http://www.mediafire.com/?ya7hn7qg1543cxi

Session 4:
http://www.mediafire.com/?f5yay4l7k7ybm2c

30 MAY 2011
Session 5:
http://www.mediafire.com/?bfok2p45prb8dr5

Marriage and Sex: The Private Garden

This is the third in a series that I call The Three Loves. In the first we discussed Fence Love, a love that protects marital intimacy. In the second we talked about friendship in marriage. In this article we will think about sexual love in marriage.

For married couples, sex can be either great or a great challenge. Take a moment to read some actual comments we have received from husbands and wives who have attended our seminars:

• We've been married only a year and my husband hasn't touched me in months! I want his affection; I want to make love to the man I married.” (from a Chinese Malaysian wife)
• “Asian Women! They are so cold and uninterested in sex.” (from a Chinese Malaysian husband)
• “We're just too busy, too tired, and have too many responsibilities. By the end of the day there's just no energy . . . and not much desire!”
• “My wife was very responsive before we had children, but now it seems they are more important than I am. We seldom have sex, and when we do we just can't seem to enjoy it.

Worship Team 5 Jun 2011

Chairperson: Barnabas P.

Worship Leader: Kai Yew
Vocalist: Colleen, Hong Lu, Foong Yee

Pianist: Prisca Sim
Keyboardist: Jocelyn Lee
Guitarist:
Bassist: Weng Ern
Drummer: Anna Sim

Projectionist: Meng Fhui

PA Personnel: Hiew FF, Tommy Q

Your Spouse, Your Friend

I have a question for you. Did you like each other before you decided to marry each other? Most people do. In other words, they marry a friend. As our son and daughter-in-law’s wedding announcement read: “Today I will marry my friend; the one I laugh with, live for, dream with, and love.” They have had eleven years to test that friendship. Thankfully they are still married, and still best friends.

Friendship develops marital intimacy. Some people think sex does that, but sex is a celebration of intimacy, not the substance of intimacy.

Most couples began their friendship before marriage, but many do not continue it in their marriage. Couples who do not keep their friendship in good shape find their marriages become empty.

It’s like the difference between a living garden and a dead one. When you walk in a beautiful garden your soul feels refreshed. You want to linger. But let that garden die, and you will feel depressed just looking at it. Marriage without friendship is the same.

Healing Prayer : Max on Life #67

The following is a one of 172 questions and answers from the new book, Max on Life.

QUESTION #67:
In my med-school class we discussed the place of prayer in the hospital. As you can imagine, we heard strong opinions on both sides. What are your thoughts? What is the purpose of healing prayer?

We tend toward one of two extremes on this subject: fanaticism or cynicism. Fanatics see the healing of the body as the aim of God and the measure of faith. Cynics consider any connection between prayer and healing as coincidental at best and misleading at worst. A fanatic might seek prayer at the exclusion of medicine; a cynic might seek medicine at the exclusion of prayer.

A healthy balance can be found. The physician is the friend of God. Prayer is the friend of the physician.

The example of Jesus is important.

Fence Love

Love that Protects

Behold, love! For that word armies have marched, fortunes have been squandered and perfectly normal men and women have made total fools of themselves, often in front of complete strangers. Preachers preach about it. Singers sing about it in every possible language. It has inspired operas and rock songs, poems and graffiti, little notes and endless novels.

Love has cured people and (some say) killed others. Yet no word confuses us more than love. In marriage the confusion continues. Do we marry for love? Is love important? It is. But only if we understand what it is. Can we develop the kind of intimacy a marriage needs without love? It isn’t likely, for love is the substance of all true intimacy.

To help us understand the link between love and intimacy, I want to give you three different expressions of love to consider. Each is vital to an intimate marriage, as you will see. In this installment we will look at Fence Love.

Has the Baton Been Passed to the Asian Church?

J. Lee Grady Newsletters - Fire In My Bones

Last week in Singapore I saw the future of Christianity—and it has a definite Chinese flavor.

Last week during a trip to Singapore I enjoyed all the tastes and smells of China—chili crab, salted milk crab, prawns, ban mian (flat noodles), bak chang (rice dumplings), lychee fruits, chicken feet (not my favorite!) and several varieties of fish. But the flavor I savored most was found in the worship times at Cornerstone Community Church.

“Missionary strategists have already predicted that by 2035 China will be a Christian nation. Then nations of Asia, including Singapore, are positioned to be 21st century Antiochs.”

I got choked up while watching the young people at Cornerstone last Sunday. Hundreds of young people—mostly Chinese, many first-generation converts to Christianity—jammed to the front of the auditorium at the close of their youth service. Many were on their knees. Some were sobbing. They were all singing:

Set this generation apart for You. Let me be a part of what You’re doing

I want to stand in purity and righteousness. Set this generation on fire

Lord I will burn, I will burn for You.

Punctuality and Your Spiritual Focus - 2/2

So what does the Bible have to say about punctuality? Does God care if you are often late to worship?

We read in Matthew 6:33 to “seek first the kingdom of God.” Jesus encourages Christians to “love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind” (Matt.22: 37). Is it possible to love Him whole-heartedly and seek Him first and still be habitually late to the assembling of His saints where He is reverenced and praised?

Consider an example of five girls who were late to a wedding, as recorded in Matthew 25:1-13. They were unprepared for the coming of the bridegroom. Hastily, they attempted to get themselves ready and then appeared at the wedding only to find the door shut and their entrance denied. If these ladies had been on time, with the necessary supplies, they wouldn’t have missed out on the celebration they obviously wanted to attend.

Drawing the Lines

by Mark Gungor

There is a great song by Michael Buble titled “Everything”. It’s quite romantic actually, as he is telling his girl how important she is to him:

You’re a falling star, You’re the get away car. You’re the line in the sand when I go too far.

You’re the swimming pool, on an August day. And you’re the perfect thing to say.

And you play it coy, but it’s kinda cute. Ah, when you smile at me you know exactly what you do.

Baby don’t pretend, that you don’t know it’s true. Cause you can see it when I look at you.

You’re a carousel, you’re a wishing well, And you light me up, when you ring my bell.

You’re a mystery, you’re from outer space, You’re every minute of my everyday.

And I can’t believe, uh that I’m your man, And I get to kiss you baby just because I can.

Whatever comes our way, ah we’ll see it through, And you know that’s what our love can do.

And in this crazy life, and through these crazy times. It’s you, it’s you, You make me sing.

You’re every line, you’re every word, you’re everything.

Did you catch this phrase: “You’re the line in the sand, when I go to far.” Do you realize that amongst all the wonderful things he is praising this woman for, he says it’s a positive thing that she acts as the one to draw the boundaries when he pushes the envelope.

Expectations and Limitations

A common obstacle to restoring intimacy is a lack of agreement about the need for positive change.

Janet is worried because Frank seldom talks to her. She tries to discuss it with him, but he doesn't see things the same way. He thinks he says all the necessary words, so what's the problem? This couple might need an honest discussion of their expectations and limitations. Let's define some terms.

Expectations are the attitudes and actions that we feel entitled to receive within a relationship. They grow out of our upbringing, but also from the ideas we have developed through reading, observing, and dreaming.

Limitations are the hindrances within us that keep us from meeting expectations. Many are temporary and we outgrow them or overcome them in time. Some, however, do not change. For example, no matter what she does my wife will find it hard to walk as fast as I do. She doesn't have the length of stride I do. If I expect that of her, she will always experience frustration and I will feel disappointed. So we have learned to walk together. I shorten my stride, she quickens her pace a bit, and we have many great walks.

Intimacy Lost

Robert and Freda met at university. Eventually they decided they had what it takes to make a good marriage. Everyone who knew them thought so too, so after graduation they married.

Love began dying during their first year of marriage, but they hardly noticed it. Like many couples, they allowed their careers (both were lawyers) to consume their lives, leaving little time for each other.

Strangely, their courtship years had been just as busy, maybe more. Love flourished, even in a typhoon of exams and research papers. In those days their relationship gave them relief from the stresses of school work. Now their marriage had become just one more drain on their time and energy.

It didn't help when Freda, feeling lonely, developed a close friendship with her young, male piano teacher. The friendship was apparently innocent, but potentially dangerous. There was a certain excitement and tenderness that she missed with her husband. And laughter! Freda enjoyed the bright humor of her piano teacher. Definitely dangerous, especially for a woman in Freda's situation.

Sunday Sermon 22-May-2011 - Dr Isaac Yim

Speaker: Ps. Dr. Isaac Yim

http://www.mediafire.com/?wqg0bi7f9v8py91

Understanding Intimacy

Have you ever met a couple whose marriage seemed to glow, even in the common, everyday times? Intimacy creates that glow. It is the warm core of every successful marriage.

But Martin and Janice (not their real names) are not that couple. Married more than 15 years, yet constantly drifting apart. Now it looks like their marriage might end. The reason? Lost intimacy.

Sadly, many couples have lost their intimacy. Some never even had any intimacy to lose. Instead of a warm glow, they experience a constant chill. And, like cold people everywhere, they cover up to protect themselves.

In a survey of married couples, family therapist Stuart Johnson emphasized the importance of intimacy to a successful marriage. He found that all the happily married couples he surveyed had developed healthy intimacy in four vital areas:

Necessitites of Life : Max on Life #145

The following is a one of 172 questions and answers from the new book, Max on Life.

QUESTION #145:

In most of my prayers I ask God for things I need each day. These are legitimate needs. (I’m not asking God to make me a millionaire, just to help me pay the mortgage.) Is God really concerned about the necessities of my life?

“Give us each day our daily bread” (Luke 11:3).

What is this daily bread Jesus spoke of, tucked inside the Lord’s Prayer? A loaf of warm Italian bread on my doorstep every morning? That would be nice.

Bread is a staple of every culture. From flat bread to yeast-filled loaves, grain has been mixed with water and oil and placed over a fire by every civilization. What’s the first thing a restaurant brings before the meal? Bread. (Okay, maybe Mexican restaurants don’t, but those chips are made from grain. They’re just fried in oil.)

But how about a slight change to the daily menu: “Give us this day our daily mocha chocolate chip ice cream” or “Give us this day our daily beluga whale caviar”?

Those are luxuries, not necessities. Sorry, God does not promise those.

Bread is a valued necessity, tasty and welcomed, but certainly not extravagant.

Jesus tells us to ask for the necessities in life, but does he promise to provide them?

Soon after this plea for daily bread, found also in Matthew 6, Jesus presents his famous “Don’t worry” passage: “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes?” (v. 25). God takes care of birds, flowers, and grass and provides the basics they need to exist (vv. 26–30). Why not us? Aren’t we more important than a barn swallow, a multiflora petunia, and a blade of Bahia grass?

You bet a loaf of sweet sourdough we are.

In that statement comes a promise from God to provide his most important creation on earth with food, clothing, and drink (vv. 25–34). The necessities once again.

Jesus tells us to ask, then promises to give us the basics we need to survive.

So don’t worry; be prayerful. God has something wonderful for us baking in the oven. Can you smell it?

NEW Book!

MAX ON LIFE: Answers and Insights to your Most Important Questions

Copyright (Thomas Nelson, 2011) Max Lucado

Making Decisions in Harmony

Decisions in Love

Most counselors agree that one of the greatest problems in marriage is decision-making. Visions of democracy dance in the minds of many young couples, but when there are only two voting members, democracy often results in deadlock. How does a couple move beyond deadlock? The answer is found in one word - love.

Love always asks the question, "What is best for you?" Love does not demand it's own way. Love seeks to bring pleasure to the one loved. That is why Christians should have less trouble making decisions than non-Christians. We are called to be lovers. When I love my wife, I will not seek to force my will upon her for selfish purposes.

Is There Anything Wrong With Rob Bell’s Gospel?

J. Lee Grady Newsletters - Fire In My Bones

The popular author’s controversial book Love Wins celebrates God's love but drifts dangerously into Universalism.

I'm usually quick to speak my mind. But in the case of Rob Bell's controversial book Love Wins, I've withheld comment until now because (1) I don't think Christians should judge books before reading them; (2) the theological issues addressed require careful analysis; and (3) I have many young friends who are fans of Bell's books, and they may write me off if I don't treat him fairly.

So I'll begin with a compliment. Bell is a masterful writer whose prose is poetic. As pastor of the 7,000-member Mars Hill Bible Church in Michigan, Bell has gained a following because of his casual style, his ultra-cool Nooma videos and the previous books he's released with Christian publisher Zondervan (especially Velvet Elvis).

How Healthy is Your Marriage?

An epidemic is sweeping the world. If this epidemic were medical in nature, if it was, for instance, a deadly virus that brought a painful death, the world's citizens would fight it with every weapon and tactic. But this epidemic doesn't cause sickness and death, at least not directly.

This is an epidemic of lifeless, joyless marriages and homes. It represents a social and spiritual catastrophe, a rising tide of broken relationships and broken people. You will find the symptoms in every country, in every culture, in all economic conditions. Sometimes it leads to divorce, sometimes only to chronic tension and unhappiness.

The technical word for this sickness is dysfunctional, as in, "They have a dysfunctional relationship." But let's not get too technical. Dysfunctional simply means, according to the Oxford Dictionary, not operating normally or properly. In other words, these marriages are broken and needing repair. How badly broken? How much repair do they need? It varies, but generally speaking, the longer the problems have been neglected, the more damage there is to repair.

Punctuality and Your Spiritual Focus - 1/2

published : November 26, 2006
by Michael Gibson

“If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affections on things above, not on things of the earth” (Col.3: 1-2).

In the verse above, Paul is admonishing the Christians in Colossae, and us today, to focus on spiritual matters and seek the things of God. What I want you to ask yourselves today, brethren, is how you can be setting “your affections on things above” if you are habitually late to the services? Since we, too, are risen with Christ, we are obligated to seek -- put diligent effort into -- putting our affections on things above.

“What is so bad,” you may ask, “about consistently being a few minutes late to services?” “Does the Bible have anything to say about punctuality?” I believe I can show you that it does! To clarify matters, let me make it perfectly clear that I am not talking about one who is occasionally late or one whose good intentions to be on time are derailed by unforeseen circumstances. I am addressing the practice of arriving at services tardy more often than arriving on time.

Skit Guys - Grace

In this conversation between Jesus and Peter, grace is illustrated when Jesus forgives the unforgivable.

The Marriage You Really Want

Do you have the marriage you really want? We do. Diane and I have been married for forty years. And most of the time, for most of those years, our marriage has brought us deep satisfaction. Perfect? No. Wonderful? Yes!

It could have been different. Diane and I could be like two prisoners serving a life sentence in a cold, dark jail. Prisoners have two choices. They can resign themselves to their captivity and make the most of it. Or, they can look for ways to escape. Pretty obvious, isn't it, that jail is not the place you want to be.

I am not writing as a prisoner. I am writing as a man who would not escape even if he could escape. We love each other, my wife and I, and we really enjoy our marriage. Can you say the same?

Worship Team 22 May 2011

Chairperson: Liong KC

Worship Leader: Prisca Sim
Vocalists: Jocelyn C., Siew Pin, Lareina

Pianist: Jocelyn Lee
Keyboardist: Jacinta Lee
Guitarist: Anna Sim
Bassist: Weng Ern
Drummer: Jaemy C.

Projectionist: Joseph Yap

PA Personnel: Manjit Singh, Hiew FF

Skit Guys - Romantically Challenged

A group of men gather to discuss their lack of romantic inclinations, when a more evolved member of the group reveals that the secret to romance is simply being there for your wife.

Sunday Sermon 15-May-2011 - Rev John Chin

Speaker: Rev John Chin
Asian Interior Network

http://www.mediafire.com/?uk8sbxzdp8w687b

A Psalm and Scriptures for Singles

This is a paraphrase of the twenty-third psalm that I wrote with singles in mind. As you read it remember Jesus is your Shepherd. He cares for you. He knows what it means to be single, for he lived as a single man himself. Who better to watch over you and keep you safe?

Jesus is my greatest friend,

My Protector,

My Guide:

I shall be contented.

My walk with him provides rest and refreshing.

He satisfies my inmost self.

I will face everything that comes with Jesus, my Lord.

I will know him as my constant companion.

My fellowship with him will be my greatest delight;

I will not let enemies steal it from me.

I have an overflowing cup;

I am fully satisfied;

And I will always be at home with him.

Can We Believe the Bible?

Max on Life #72 : The following is a one of 172 questions and answers from the new book, Max on Life.

QUESTION #72:
Can we believe the Bible? How can we know it is anything more than a collection of sayings and stories? Can we truly believe that the Bible is the Word of God?

There are many reasons I believe in the Bible. Here are a few:

Composition. It was composed over sixteen centuries by forty authors with one central theme. Written by soldiers, shepherds, scholars, and fishermen. Begun by Moses in lonely Arabia, finished by John on lonely Patmos. Penned by kings in palaces, shepherds in tents, and inmates in prisons.

Forty writers, most unknown to each other, writing in different countries and three different languages, separated by three times the number of centuries since Columbus discovered America—was it possible for these authors to produce a book of singular theme unless behind them there was one mind, one designer? The Bible is remarkable in composition.

Should Everyone Marry?

Marriage is part of God’s provision for men and women. He established it and set down the model of the marriage covenant: a man shall leave his father and mother and cleave to his wife, and the two shall be one flesh (See Genesis 2:24). Most of us will marry. But some will not. We can divide those people into two groups: those who choose to stay single, and those who would marry if someone showed interest in them.

Of the first class there are many notable examples. These single saints have enriched many lives. The Apostle Paul probably was married once. His wife may have died, or left him when he became a follower of Jesus. He chose to remain unmarried, as he says in I Corinthians 7, because he believed that he could serve God more effectively, in his unique calling, as a single man.

Why I Don't Buy the May 21 Prophecy

J. Lee Grady Newsletters - Fire In My Bones

Here are three reasons why Harold Camping's end-times prediction should be ignored.

I spent the past week in Guyana, a South American nation where the people are friendly, the food is spicy and churches are growing at a healthy pace. But Christians there face a serious challenge because of the sad legacy of Jim Jones, the American cult leader who ordered his followers to drink poisoned Kool-Aid at their compound in Jonestown in 1978. The mass suicide, which killed 909 people (including Jones), went down in history as the world's worst example of religion gone wrong.

"Even today, the Jim Jones tragedy poses a problem of credibility for us," one pastor in the city of Corriverton told me last week.

“As sincere as Camping's devotees may be, sincerity is no excuse for theological error. It is wrong-headed and irresponsible for any Christian to tell an unbeliever when Jesus is coming back or when the world will end.”

You can imagine my dismay when I arrived in Guyana and learned that groups of Americans were combing the streets and passing out literature claiming that Jesus will rapture the church on May 21. These Christians apparently are so convinced of the prediction that they traveled to the only English-speaking country in South America to deliver a last-minute warning.

Learning to Say No

by Mark Gungor on May 11th, 2011

One of the first words that a child learns is “no”. A small toddler knows what it means and it is an early entry in their verbal vocabulary as they wobble around repeating, “No, no, no” everywhere they go. Even a dog will quickly learn the word when you are training him. Yet while it is one of the earliest concepts that humans acquire, and extraordinarily simple to understand, many people never grasp the word or learn to act on it.

It is imperative that we get the whole idea of “NO!” drilled into our heads, learn to deny selfish desires and feelings, and do the right things in life. If you don’t get this, you will live a life that is nothing but a series of disasters that leave a wake of destruction in your path.

Parents must instill their children that they cannot act on every desire and need to teach them that the ability to delay gratification. Both are essential skills to acquire if you are going to live as a successful person. While this is especially important in many areas of life, it is critical when it comes to the area of sex.

How to Choose for Life

Choosing the person you will marry is just that- a choice. Some men and women feel they were swept off their feet by a rush of romantic love, true. But beneath all the emotions and all the thrills of knowing someone is crazy about you, there is still your will to decide. This section of our series, Choosing For Life, will help you make a wise decision, not just an emotional one.

Choose someone who is happy, not someone who relies on you for happiness.
Statistics show that people who have learned how to be happy when they are single have a better chance of being happy when they are married. The opposite is also true. An unhappy, depressed person who gets married, thinking marriage will create the happiness they lack, is usually disappointed.

Worship Team 15 May 2011

Chairperson: Caleb R.

Worship Leader: Peggy Tan
Vocalists: Hong Lu, Foong Yee, Gigi Lim

Pianist: Lydia Sim
Keyboardist: Jonathan L
Guitarist: Nigel
Bassist: Ken Fhui
Drummer: Anna Sim

Projectionist: Terry C.

PA Personnel: Hiew FF, Tommy Q.

How Far Can We Go?

You can only do something the first time, one time. A simple statement, but true. You only get one first time. Do you want your first intimate sexual experiences to be with the person you marry and will spend your life sleeping with? Or do you want to marry with the memories of other sexual experiences with other people?

Because sexual experience is sacred, the Lord has wisely prohibited it from any relationship except marriage. Sex is so powerful, involves so much of the total person, that it needs the strongest covenant to protect it from abuse. That covenant is marriage. In marriage it is safe; outside marriage it never is.

Skit Guys - The Mom Song

The Skit Guys deliver a special Mother’s Day message, but Tommy gets a little carried away in song.

Sunday Sermon 8-May-2011 - Sis. Romila Thomas Cheryan

Speaker: Sis. Romila Thomas Cheryan
White Fields Assembly Seremban

http://www.mediafire.com/?zvdjucryfwswqeb

How Should I Pray?

My wife prayed quite specifically for me, but probably not in the way you think. She prayed that the Lord would work in my life, help me develop in ways that pleased him and strengthened me, before she ever met me. She didn't know if I would be short or tall, with much hair or little (it turned out to be little). She prayed about the things that were most important to her and she prayed that God would bless her unknown future husband. When she met me she knew her prayers were answered! (It's just great being the answer to someone's prayers.) Praying specifically built her faith, too.

By the way, she does think I'm handsome and I think she's beautiful! Don't think that if you pray for a prince you will get a frog. God wants to give you the best possible person as your life partner. Looks aren't everything, though. And it seems to me that we make far too much of that part of courtship.

The Importance of Parental Love

Secure in Love

A mother recently said to me, "I don't know if I'm ready for my children to become teenagers. It seems like all teenagers are having sex, using drugs, and carrying guns to school. Is it really that bad?" The answer is 'no'. It is true that 10% of teenagers are troubled and get into trouble, but most of them were troubled children. Good kids don't suddenly go bad in adolescence.

When teens are secure in the love of their parents, they will have confidence to face the negative influences in our culture. In my opinion, nothing is more important than parental love. The teen wants to feel connected, accepted, and nurtured by parents. When this happens the teen will move through adolescence in a healthy manner.

Overtime : Max on Life #121

The following is a one of 172 questions and answers from the new book, Max on Life.

QUESTION #121 : My job requires lots of overtime, so I can’t attend many of my kids’ school activities. My wife worries about this a lot. Could this have a negative effect on our kids? Or on my relationship with them?

As a father of three girls, I struggled with the same issues. As God blessed my ministry, more and more calls came in from all over the world, wanting me to speak at churches, conferences, and grand openings of supermarkets. It was hard to say no at first. I felt every opportunity was from God.

Finally I realized that every time I said yes to something, I had to say no to something else. It’s called Max’s Yes Law of Inverse Dynamics. Look it up! It says this: with every yes in your schedule, there is an equal and opposite no reaction. When I said yes to another speaking engagement, I said no to another family dinner. When I said yes to another meeting, I said no to my girls’ volleyball game. When I said yes to another book tour, I said no to taking a walk with my wife.

Did Osama bin Laden Go to Hell?

J. Lee Grady Newsletters - Fire In My Bones 

Some people cheered when the world’s most hated terrorist was killed. 

But I don’t think God was happy about his death.

Like many other Americans who stayed up late to hear the news about Osama bin Laden on Sunday night, I had one eye on my television and the other on my laptop. I was waiting for President Obama to make his statement about the demise of the world’s most infamous terrorist, but the White House was moving as slow as Vermont syrup in December. When Obama finally stood in front of his teleprompter, many of us had already finished the story—by tweeting, texting and posting entries on Facebook.

These days we don’t just sit and watch TV. We are involved in the story, and sometimes we know the news before Wolf Blitzer does. Empowered by our lightning-fast digital media, we are the commentators now. Yet as I read some of the verbal shots fired into the Twitterverse by this new army of armchair journalists (“May Osama rot in hell!” for example, or “I’m glad he’s fish food now”), I had to ask myself: Is it right for Christians to rejoice over the death of a criminal—even one who masterminded a plot so evil as the 9/11 attacks?

“I had to ask myself: Is it right for Christians to rejoice over the death of a criminal—even one who masterminded a plot so evil as the 9/11 attacks?”

Can I Find the Perfect Person?

Personally, I think I have the perfect wife, the best I could have ever found. My mother once told me I could have searched the world over and not found a better wife than Diane. When your mother talks like that you know you have found someone quite special. Obviously, I agree.

But is Diane the only woman I could have married who would have been a good choice for me? Am I the only man in the world who was "the choice" for her? If so, what would have happened if one of us had resisted God’s will to marry the other? Think about where that kind of reasoning leads you and you will soon realize that there must be a better way to understand the will of the Lord concerning the person we choose to marry.

Should I Date Someone Who Doesn't Follow Jesus?

It is never, repeat never, God's will for a Christian to date or marry a non-Christian. There are many reasons for this, but the essence is basic incompatibility on the most fundamental level of life: who, or what, we worship. That's the core issue. Not how handsome of how cute; not how much money or what kind of car he drives. Who, or what, does he or she worship? If you date someone who worships someone or something other than your God, or someone who worships God with only half their heart, sooner or later you will be asked to abandon your convictions. You don't want to do that, do you? If not, don't date or marry anyone who loves anyone or anything more than God, our Father.

Bait Or Believer?

One student asked this question: "If we can't date unbelievers won't they be disappointed with out attitude? Shouldn't we date them so that we can win them to Christ?"

Worship Team 8 May 2011

Chairperson: Barnabas P.

Worship Leader: Terry Choong
Vocalists: Lydia Sim, Lareina, Colleen

Pianist: Lydia Sim
Keyboardist: Jocelyn Lee
Guitarist: Anna Sim
Bassist: Weng Ern
Drummer: Ken Fhui

Projectionist: Daniel

PA Personnel: Manjit Singh, Hiew FF

Suday Sermon 1-May-2011 - Elder Sim Say Khim

Speaker: Elder Sim Say Khim
White Fields Assembly Seremban

http://www.mediafire.com/?80hh4e7hyxs8jyp

First Things First

It is always wise to begin at the beginning. If you want to be a successful single and eventually have a successful marriage there is one principle for you to consider first. That principle is total commitment.

Romans, chapter 12, verses one and two, really explains total commitment. Here it is as it appears in the Good News Bible:

"So then, my brothers, because of God's great mercy to us I appeal to you: Offer yourselves as a living sacrifice to God, dedicated to his service and pleasing to him. This is the true worship you should offer." Do not conform yourselves to the standards of this world, but let God transform you inwardly by a complete change of your mind. Then you will be able to know the will of God, what is good and pleasing to him and is perfect."