love

Hey Sapphirites..have you guys been too busy to come online to post something here?
Heh heh...today I'm gonna put a bit of emphasis on how much God loves us...

Genesis 18:22-33
Abraham kept bargaining with God for the safety of righteous people, from 50 people to a mere 10. Imagine, if somebody kept asking you for more, would you give? God loved us, He still does, and He gives. Even when the number of people were less than 10, God still saved every member of Lot's family (Genesis 19:12), except those who didn't believe (Genesis 19:14).
As I was reading through this chapter, I also noticed something interesting. In Genesis 19:4-11, Lot was trying to get the men of Sodom off their backs. For that, he had to offer his two virgin daughters, and yet he was threatened. But just before the men were going to break down the door, the 2 angels of God pulled Lot in his house and blinded the men.

In a way, the same could be said about our trials. First, we attempt to defend God, or stay strong. Then everybody, or everything comes crashing down on us, and we must give up something very dear to us, in order to keep our relationship. Yet still, we are persecuted, and only at the last minute moment, does God intervene and save us. Sometimes that is all we have to do, to stay strong till the very end, in order to be saved.

So I urge you, Sapphirites, to be strong!

Besides that, if any of you are backsliding...

"Knowing that God loves us comes by faith;
feeling His love for us comes by relationship."
(quoted from ODB)

Have we been paying less attention to our relationship with God? It is just like OUR, sapphire relationship. Though we cannot see each other, we know that we love each other. And how do we feel it? By posting it through this blog. God has His 'blog' too, and you were commanded in camp to read it everyday. Always find time for God...because all His time is for you...and how great is Godly time compared to human time?

That is all I can stay for now..I pray for the Spirit to strengthen all of you...don't forget to keep on praying...prayer is strong...never forsake it...

question

sapphirites! attention!

how have you guys been? been doing QT? i hope none of you have crumbled into nothing.

but as for me, honestly, its been hard keeping faith.but with the help of God, anything is possible.

He is constantly placing miracles in our lives. have faith, stay strong, pray, and do QT...

hit me back and let me know (comments, so everyone can see) how you guys are doing ok?

God is amazing...

Edw!N's Blog..

hey guys..u wan sum1 to post sumthing up right?
haha..here am i to post sumthing

http://babycutelife26.blogspot.com

gogogogogogogogogo...view...hehe..
take care..lol

May He will be remembered

As A Little Child...

We were the only family with children in the restaurant.

I sat my infant son Erik in a high chair and noticed everyone was quietly eating and talking.
Suddenly, Erik squealed with glee and said, "Hi there."

He pounded his fat baby hands on the highchair tray.

His eyes were wide with excitement and his mouth was bared in a toothless grin.

He wriggled and giggled with merriment.

I looked around and saw the source of his merriment.

It was a man with a tattered rag of a coat; dirty, greasy and worn.

His pants were baggy with a zipper at half-mast and his toes poked out of would-be shoes.

His shirt was dirty and his hair was uncombed and unwashed.

His whiskers were too short to be called a beard

and his nose was so varicose it looked like a road map.

We were too far from him to smell, but I was sure he smelled.

His hands waved and flapped on loose wrists.

"Hi there, baby; hi there, big boy.

I see ya, buster," the man said to Erik.

My husband and I exchanged looks, "What do we do?"

Erik continued to laugh and answer, "Hi, hi there."

Everyone in the restaurant noticed and looked at us and then at the man.

The old geezer was creating a nuisance with my beautiful baby.

Our meal came and the man began shouting from across the room,

"Do ya know patty cake? Do you know peek-a-boo?

Hey, look, he knows peek-a-boo."

Nobody thought the old man was cute.

He was obviously drunk.

My husband and I were embarrassed.

We ate in silence;

all except for Erik,

who was running through his repertoire for the admiring skid-row bum,

who in turn,

reciprocated with his cute comments.

We finally got through the meal and headed for the door.

My husband went to pay the check and told me to meet him in the parking lot.

The old man sat poised between me and the door.

"Lord, just let me out of here before he speaks to me or Erik,"

I prayed.

As I drew closer to the man,

I turned my back trying to Erik leaned over my arm,

reaching with both arms in a baby's "pick-me-up" position.
Before I could stop him, Erik had propelled himself from my arms to the man's.

Suddenly a very old smelly man and a very young baby consummated their love relationship. Erik in an act of total trust, love,

and submission laid his tiny head upon the man's ragged shoulder.

The man's eyes closed, and I saw tears hover beneath his lashes.

His aged hands full of grime, pain, and hard labor -- gently, so gently,

cradled my baby's bottom and stroked his back.

No two beings have ever loved so deeply for so short a time.

I stood awestruck.

The old man rocked and cradled Erik in his arms for a moment,

and then his eyes opened and set squarely on mine.

He said in a firm commanding voice, "You take care of this baby."
Somehow I managed,

"I will," from a throat that contained a stone.

He pried Erik from his chest -- unwillingly, longingly, as though he were in pain.

I received my baby,

and the man said, "God bless you, ma'am, you've given me my Christmas gift." I said nothing more than a muttered thanks.

With Erik in my arms, I ran for the car.

My husband was wondering why I was crying and holding Erik so tightly,

and why I was saying, "My God, my God, forgive me."

I had just witnessed complete and unconditional love shown through the innocence of a tiny child who saw no sin, who made no judgment;

a child who saw a soul, and a mother who saw a suit of clothes.

I was a Christian who was blind, holding a child who was not.

I felt it was God asking -- "Are you willing to share your son for a moment?"

-- when He shared His for all eternity.

The ragged old man, unwittingly, had reminded me,

"To enter the Kingdom of Heaven, we must become as little children."

vision?

dear sapphirites,

in broad daylight, i saw a vision.
whether it is a vision or imagination,
by me or by God,
that i leave you to translate.

in that place, i saw all of us. 11 sapphirites, and one God.
before us was a great oak table.
around us, four walls with amazingly huge windows,
with subdued heaven-like light shining through.

there were five chairs each on each side of the table.
and only one chair on each end.
God sat at one end of the table.
and anna sat at the other.

10 of us, were seated where we liked.
those who sat closest to God could enjoy His glory.
those who sat further from Him were dwindling in faith
but anna was seated directly facing God, confronting the truth.

now, the meaning of the vision came to me later...

the 11 chairs represent our faith in God
in every time, we would exchange seats with others.
some of us were reluctant to move, some of us were eager, some of us were forced.
now, those who sat nearest to God had the Spirit upon them.
some of us, were drifting away.
but eventually if we drifted away for too long, we would arrive at the end seat.
where we faced God directly.
and from there, we would move slowly towards him.
everybody had a turn in every seat.
the seats were numbered.
at one end (our end) the seat was numbered '1'
at one side, '2','3','4','5','6'
and finally, at our Father's end of the table,
'7'
the other side, '8','9','10','11','12'
every time we would change seats
time being an immeasurable word.

one day came, where we would not just sit at the table.
and on that one day, the position of where we sat did not matter longer.
suddenly, there was a banquet on the table.
and we dined together with our Father.
and the lights that shone through the windows were no longer subdued.
it was a heavenly place.

My Father is Real!

There is no way I'm gonna fight it
I'm gonna tell you how I feel
There is no reason to deny it
My God is real

Modern man has thought of ways
To deny my God today
They think they're so educated
They don't need Him
They write their theories to deny Him
But even they can't verify them
But I know that my God is living
Through the evidence He gave

Chorus:
He is real (He is)
I can see Him in the trees
I can see Him in the children
As they're playing in the leaves (in the leaves)
He is real (He is)
I can see Him in the stars
And if you will let Him in
He will live within your heart (in your heart)

It's very strange indeed
'Bout these educated men
With the reasoning God gave them
They turn away and deny Him
If they hold but just a portion
Of the intelligence they claim
They would cast aside all foolish pride
And bow down to praise His name

Chorus

What is this world coming to
They want us to believe
The complexities of life
They say by accident conceived
Don't ignore the One with power
Creation to achieve (I believe, I believe)
Open up your heart to Him
His blessings you'll receive (hey)

Chorus

Here's another song I grew up with, but I can't really say I knew the whole thing (Haiya when a little girl hear any song am hentam what words as long can masuk can d rite? I only get to recognise the chorus) So, I only realized the lyrics now.....and like, wow....The way they talk of science and modern mentality...

P/S: This may be one my lasts few posts cause I'm goin back Kedah 2mrw and I'm not encourage to go on9 anymore. So, Keep this blog goin u guys...I just found out how useful the net can be to shine for God. And this one to still knit us up together..esp me since I'm in the very super up NORTH region.....X(
Will miss u guys kay! Love Y'all!!!

JTJL

~Note 02~

There I saw her
Holding her hands up, her tiny hands...
Stretching it as far as it can go.....
Reaching out unto the beyonds and yet to reaching none
There I saw her
Staring deep into the stars of night
Though clouds may destroy her view
She'd rather be blind, than to leave this to her so real
There I saw her
Pursuing what she thought everyone saw
She smiled and storms came pouring over
She was cold but held on she did; a fool~
There I saw her
Laughing at her
The thunders roar, the window shattered
The lightning strike and blinded us all
There I saw her
Covered in glass
The beauty she was no more
But an ugly being
Fool she was! Fool I thought!
There I saw her
Dying slowly
My heart ached with laughter
What stupidity!
There I saw her...
There I saw her...
Green with envy....
For I awoke~
Her scars were there
Her hands still the same
But the clouds and pain had gone away
There I saw her
She turned to me
and smiled as her face was filled with joy
She held up the other hand
Her mother calls
And she smiled the more
But never did she leave
Never did she put her hands down
Only awaiting me...
''What have I been doing?''

JTJL

My beloved Sapphirites.. how has your QT been? Been keeping it up? Remember, consistency over length.

I've mentioned this before, but i'd like to stress again that QT is extremely important in our walk with God. Yes, we learn from sermons and sessions and speakers, but it is really through QT that our own personal growth occurs. Think about it. In a christian community, be it church or cf and all its sub-communities (prayer meetings, bible studies), everyone in that community receives the same sermons and lessons as everybody else. The difference in terms of one's spiritual life is determined by what goes on outside of that community- perhaps how the person applies what s/he has learned- which comes under the umbrella of what goes on in that person's personal walk with God- their quiet time. What happens during a person's quiet time (whether it's even there or not) is what sets him/her apart from the rest. It’s really where the relationship with God exists and occurs.

In short, ceteris paribus (all other factors being equal), which is usually the case, a person's spiritual growth is determined by their quiet time- time spent with God.

What if the day comes when Christians are no longer allowed to have church? What if sermons and speakers were banned? Sad it would be for the person who had no personal walk with God- that would be the end of his/her journey.

I began doing QT somewhere in form 1 or 2 when my eldest sister encouraged it, which was after I personally made a confession of faith at the end of standard 6. And come to think of it, I have no memories of any personal walk with God whatsoever before I started doing QT. Sure, I went to church and Sunday school, but whatever happened in church was left in church. The rest of the time, I just got on with my own life and did my own things. God wasn’t a part of my life.

It was only when I started doing QT that God began to permeate into the other areas of my life, because that’s really when the relationship began, and that’s where the relationship really exists. Because it is a daily thing, by doing QT, I’m bringing Him into my everyday life- from Monday to Sunday, from January to December. So He naturally becomes a part of every area of my life, and is no longer confined to just church. And this is how my spiritual being began growing.

Doing QT is practically communicating with Him daily, and He with us, and it is through these quiet times that we grow in our knowledge of Him as well as in our personal relationship with Him.

Have you had your dose of QT today?

Dreamy Holiday

There's some weird things happened to me lately. In these 2 days I've been having camping dreams. In fact its the dream about the very NSCFL camp we attend back in STM, Seremban. In the dream I was very happy to find myself back there I'm having more fun with my friends than what I did in real life(camp). In one of the dreams I was sitting with my school CF people at a table(the one we use to have meals in the canteen) with some few strangers and some of our group members inside the hall. The only members from our group that I see in the dream is Edwin and Raymond. We were listening to the officers who are giving a talk and then we have discussions and group activities. During the so-called "activity", we were fooling around laughing at each other.

And the another thing I dream about is about Dylan attending the next NSCFL camp. It was the first day of camp and I was in his dorm room and we were talking when Dylan's roommate arrive. He's a quite guy and he have a close resemblance looking face with Reuben. Or is it him? I don't remember that well though.

I can't much remember the details but I can tell that God is using these dreams to tell me to continue with the spiritual life I've practised in camp because I can tell that I'm going further and further away from it. Looks like I have to take some serious action about it.

Weird thing I did not dream of any girls from our group...LOL. Hey what bout you guys, I couldn't be the only one dreaming about camp since you guys miss it much more than I do. :D

awesome encounter

today, i had a really great face to face (in my face) talk, or rather, an arguement with God and..Satan. yes.

ok, since i dont have much time, i'll go on pretty fast, and anyway nobody likes to read long boring posts :P

so it all started when mum asked me to go for tennis. and for those who know me really well, u would knw that i get really emotional during sports, like every point was God's will, and every fail was my shortcoming. so i was like,

"dowanna go lar mum.."

but at last, got pushed into it, so ok, okok lar.the Spirit filled me with visions of..err..fun during tennis. so i was like, ok, i'll have fun, i WILL have fun! then in the car i slept...

and when i woke up i realized that, i'm pretty sensitive when i just wake up... so...

mom was bugging me to follow dad coz he already went out of the car, and he was free, bcz dad always played with his frens n din hv time for me. so, i was still sleepy..din wanna wake up.so i told mum i dowan.then she kept bugging, i got a lil annoyed, but i woke up n felt better.feeling kinda frustrated that i was forced into it, i saw dad fixing the tennis net n proceeded to help him.

after helping dad, he grabbed his raquet and played with me. in my family, its counted a privilege to even do something (interaction) with dad.soo..i din wanna waste this chance ma, and at the same time, i havent warm up, so i played very suckily with dad.n he was like advising and i was having that attitude "its not that i dunno, its i hvnt warm up"

dad got on my nerves for that short while.then he played with his frens. i was on my own to practice serving then.

thats when the fight began.i was serving VERY badly. (i mean, just last week, with the help of God, i could do like almost perfect serve) so,

sensitivity after waking up
frustration
regret that i was like that to dad
emotional during sports
+naturally, blaming it on God or myself
= DISASTER

so ofcz i was frustrated.and, i'll be honest here.i actually cursed God.and i cursed Satan too, for making me feel this way. ofcz, not forgetting, i cursed myself.

then i actually fought the evil inside me.but i din welcome the good, either.i was opposing all forces, and God knows thats bad. amazingly, i could still feel His smile upon me, and satan's snickering. i told satan, "stop tempting me, devil, and go back. i banish you...."

and it was gone.no, i'm not being hysterical/retarded.i really did that.the nagging voice to sin just stopped.and i could feel His presence, still welcoming me.

at that moment i felt so down, so broken.i already did something so evil.how could i go back to God? yet He still wanted me.. i told God..

"Lord, i am unworthy of Your presence..i do not deserve Your grace..please...leave me to death.."

but i kept feeling Him, urging me to come to Him, without a worry. then it made sense, because i was so unworthy and i owed such a big debt, i could only pay it off by showing even more love to Him. i was feeling kinda miserable. but, Lord reassured me that He was there.

before that, i was trying to reach job thru my cellphone to discuss tmr's tennis.but i couldnt get thru.msg oso never reply. so in my mind i was telling Him.."God..just to show that You're there..please let me talk to job.."

when i called, i was filled with doubt, but at the 3rd ring, he answered.

"eh, sorry, no credit just now."

wow.

then i could hear Him again. "go and try your serve again. I'll make sure it passes."

3 times in a row.pass, angled, and perfect serve. wow.

i wuz super speechless.then something in my mind resurfaced...

Proverbs 16:33
We may throw the dice, but the LORD determines how they fall.

maybe, just maybe, it said to me

"you can train all ur tennis strokes the way u want them, perfect anything, but God will determine how well u do."

and yes, have i mentioned that i'm really emotional during sports?

God bless.

Made in His Image, Work in the Image~

Here's a song I found on the net that have been a song in my heart since I was 3 years old.....
I lost it long ago d....But, it always makes me think although the lyrics maybe simple...

Chorus:
We were made in His image
Being formed by a perfect hand
At the dawn of creation
In His likeness He made man
When I'm down and weary is the time that I forget
How He came to make me like the best

There are people around me who don't know who they are
They were made in the image of the highest power
No one's told them good news that been made so clear
I must tell it now so every one can hear

Repeat Chorus

There are brothers around me who don't show who they are
They were made in the image of Jehovah God
They don't stop and think of what that really means
Being fashioned after Jesus the King of Kings

Bridge:
Made in His image
Made in His image
Made in the image of the best

The entire song has it's words and all la, But the one I coloured hit me most~

2.38 pm

I was just on YouTube listening to my 2nd fav hymn..when I read their comments
And one of them were really frustrated over the thought of God existing~
He challenged us saying that prayers are unanswered, and how smart was I to actually answer him to look around and see all the answered prayers~
he replied more to it then, and asked if somebody wished for war, poverty, sickness and abuse
It was a scary thing~
I know that if we were to be face to face...I could just give him a lifetime lecture....
But, how much would that just make him understand?
What have we been doing nowadays as Christians???
and there were many who replied him, but not one of them was understood by him, that's how important it is for us to learn to be humble and to know that these people are no diffrent from us, we are no diffrent from them, for they too were made in His image...

JTJL