BYE BYE TWO O O NINE!

Another year whizzed past, in fact, another decade rolled by on this earth. It is fearful to think that I could have wasted my God-gifted life away if I do not sieze whatever God given opportunity for His glory!

Here are some of the highlights of the year 2009

MINISTRY

1. Teaching Youth Enrichment School (YES) evangelism - I love evangelism!
2. Vineyard Church Youth Camp - Enjoyed it throroughly.
3. Cambodia mission trip - Annual Affair, simply loved it.
4. Started afresh Youth Ministry with new core leaders, meeting every month.
5. Launched Young Adult Ministry
6. Asia Pacific Youth Alive Conference - Refreshing to the max!
7. Taking Teens to Old Folk's Home - simply awesome to see the young communicate with the not so young.
8. Christmas and Watchnight Retreat.

PERSONAL

1. Taken Pastoral Counselling Course, the penultimate before completing my Masters in ministry, probably next year.
2. Started PS BIBLE MINISTRY blog to keep a file on all my writings and also to bless others.
3. Travelling to Scotland and Ireland - awesome countries!

THE BEST MOMENTS

1. Seeing my dad accepted the Lord as His personal Lord and Saviour.
2. Seeing three soul saved in the Youth Camp.
3. Baptizing new members of the Church to greater commitment to the Lord.
4. Watching more youth serving God fervently.

THE NOT SO BEST MOMENTS

1. Procrastination and being idle.
2. Did not put much emphasis on prayer.

THE MOST INSPIRING PERSON/S I MET THIS YEAR

1. PASTOR JULIE KHOO, YOUTH PASTOR GTPJ
2. SHER-MAYNE

THE MOST INSPIRING PERSON I HAVEN'T MET THIS YEAR

JOHN MAXWELL

THE BEST MESSAGE

PASTOR LESLIE'S CHRISTMAS MESSAGE

THE MOST POWERFUL MESSAGE

PASTOR CLEMENT'S NIGHT SESSION AT APYAC

THE MOST AWESOME TURNAROUND

HATS OFF TO JARYL CHONG

THE MOST INSPIRING YOUTH

LIXUAN
KARLYN
JARYL ...and all who tirelessly and joyfully serve God!

All in all, it was a good year for me personally. It started slowly but ends with a BANG! I think it was the busiest December as far as I can remember! Last words (should be the first words) - I give God all glory for all the fruitful stuffs and not so fruitful stuffs, I ask the LORD for forgiveness!

Have a wonderful 2010, everyone! Sieze the opportunities to serve God!

THE BABY MUST BE BORN

CHRISTMAS is just two days away and the shopping malls are being filled with Christmas decorations and shoppers, busy buying gifts for family and friends. Mostly last minute shopping. And the malls and most shoppers have one thing in common - they know not what Christmas means. Even Christians, planning parties, singing carollings just to add to the festive cheer and exchanging of gifts have also lost the true spirit of Christmas!

Celebrating Christmas is alright but losing the opportunity to tell the true story of the birth Jesus is losing the point of it all. In fact, 25th December is not really the actual birth of Jesus Christ, the Saviour of the world. But when the world somehow adopts 25th December as the birth of Christ, we have a wonderful opportunity to share the truth of God's love to mankind.

Although the cross is the centre of Christianity, the virgin birth of Christ started it all. The devil knew a little of the plan of God of sending a Messiah and that's why he wanted to destroy the baby before the King could be born. But God protected Joseph and Mary until the birth of baby Jesus, fulfilling age old prophecy of Emmanuel in prophet Isaiah. Emmanuel means “God with us” says it all. At last, God became flesh, visited the earth He created. He needed to come, the baby Jesus must be born.

The world needs a Saviour not Superman or Obama. It’s absolutely out of pure love that God sends His only Son to the world. Sin separates God with mankind but His love reconciles sinners to Him. Love gives God no choice but to bridge the gap of brokenness between God and man by a great price. The cute baby Jesus was born to be that price. Would any mothers or fathers understand the feeling of knowing that their only baby born would only result in a terrible death? What a price God paid to set us free! And sometimes we take for granted the birth of Jesus on Christmas day!

It is NOT about parties, Christmas trees, gifts and even carolling for fun that God intends Christmas to be but to explain with passion, the virgin birth of Christ, a Saviour born to set mankind free.

Truly good tidings to you, wherever you are! Merry Christmas!

GOD IS AWESOME IN APYAC!

Awesome God and awesome happenings at APYAC!

It was an awesome experience for me as I witnessed how God moved so powerfully in the conference. I was always at the back corner of the church during the sessions because of the bag(gage) I was carrying as I was the mobile central bank for YAM. It was a vantage point to see all the amazing things that were happening.

1. WORD OF GOD

The speakers were superb, especially Pastor Mike Pilavachi (although I heard the sermon before) and just like those participants, I wanted more of the Word of God! And there was our very own Youth Alive Director, Rev. Clement Wong who spoke Word of God boldly (sometimes aggresively) but it was timely! Nations need to hear and that's what the theme of this conference was all about, "Speak to the nations". The main anchor for the event, Rev. Julie Khoo was absolutely fantastic, hit all the right godly buttons everytime!

2. NATIONS

Twenty nine nations involved in APYAC and I dare say all came out of this conference touched and inspired! Although in the last days, where breakdown of religions were shown in each country and Christianity is often the minority, and much work needed to be done, there was a big HOPE that with our God, we are always the majority. Personally, I don't trust statistics because only God knows how many are truly His!

Different nationalities have come to me and said some great comments about the conference and I can see in their faces that they will be going back and do great things for their respective nation! One of the most memorable moments in APYAC was the unity shown in the Asia Pacific nations! With God, nothing is impossible!

3. WORKERS

The YAM committee have prepared this event for the last one year and on the last few weeks before the conference, it was a little bit messy with so many nations coming from everywhere, sometimes different flights and time. Furthermore, we have to arrange transportation and accomodations for some delegates as they just saved enough money for airfares and fees. Yes, YAM has prepared the groundwork but it was the GTPJ members (including parents support team) that implemented everything on the grounds during the conference. The huge responsibilities of actual running of this event were rested on their shoulders and they came out with top marks! Whenever I went around, I see smiling faces! I cannot describe what kind of people are you guys! I salute you all! (I also salute my church volunteers too who also serve with smiles on their faces and I am so proud of them)

4. THE HAPPENINGS!

The presentations from different nations were one of the highlights of APYAC to me. I see a glimpse of heaven where different tribes, tongues, nationality coming together for one purpose: to glorify the NAME ABOVE EVERY NAME - JESUS CHRIST! At the end of everything, Jesus deserves all praise and glory and honour!

The worship was fantastic! The bands from Indonesia and the Philippines were awesome! Brad, Rebecah and the team's songs were absolutely timely and somehow I believed God gave them inspiration for those songs to be written for such a conference as this! Last but not least, the YAM band, from various churches with some African flavour really brought out the best from the youth in worship! Especially the last night, it was simply magnificent just to sense the awesome presence of God!

The last night symbolic carrying of the cross across nations was something extraordinary! The cross of Jesus started it all! Then men and women who sacrificed their lives for the gospel, bringing it to nations not their own. And with their examples of sacrifices, so too, the next generation must dare take the challenge to step out and not only to take their nations for Jesus but also nations beyond their borders!

CONCLUSION

Until the whole world hears, we will serve and pray and give sacrificially!

See you at APYAC 2012

HERE I COME, APYAC!

Tomorrow Youth Alive Malaysia (YAM) is hosting APYAC (Asia Pacific Youth Alive Conference)! All in all, more than 1400 young people have registered, coming from all over Asia Pacific including Africa and the UK! I am privileged and honoured to be involved, albeit a small part in this youth event of the year in Malaysia. All I can say today is, "Let's bring it on!"

The planning started last year and it got to a feverish phase especially last few days, with so many angles needed to be covered. I thank God for Glad Tidings PJ for their wonderful and able workers who literally work round the clock to make this event a success! They did an excellent preparatory work which helps tremendously when APYAC kicks off tomorrow!

What I expect from APYAC....

1. Jesus Christ will be magnified and glorified!

2. Youth will be challenged to stand for Jesus no matter what!

3. Leaders, missionaries will be raised up by God in this conference!

4. Youth will be set free from all kinds of distractions and bondages to serve God all the way!

5. All participants will be blessed by the ever-gracious God who will pour out His grace in abundance. Everyone will be touched in a personal and powerful way!

Hallelujah! Amen!

UNTIL THE WHOLE WORLD HEARS!

I heard this song in U tube from a blog I frequented and I was fascinated by the lyrics. The song has some elements of the visions of our Youth Ministry. Anyway, this song is timely as the end draws near!

Song sung by a top Christian band, Casting Crowns - The band is at US #1 Christian chart right now and the song below, #2! Congratulations!



Lord I want to feel your heart
and see the world through your eyes
I want to be your hands and feet
I want to live a life that leadsChorus

Ready yourselves
Ready yourselves
Let us shine the light of Jesus in the darkest night
Ready yourselves
Ready yourselves
May the powers of darkness tremble as our praises rise

Until the whole world hears Lord we are calling out
Lifting up Your name for all to hear the sound
Like voices in the wilderness
we're crying outas the day draws near
We'll sing until the whole world hears

Lord let your sleeping giant arise
Catch the demons by surprise
Holy nation sanctified
Let this be our battle cry

Chorus

We'll sing until the whole world hears
We'll sing until the whole world hears
Want to be your hands and feet
Want to be a life that leads
To see you set the captive free
Until the whole world hears and
I pray that they will see more of you and less of me
Lord I want my life to be the song
You sing

Until the whole world hears
Lord we are calling out
Lifting up your name up for all to hear the sound
Like voices in the wilderness we're crying out
as the day draws near

We'll sing until the whole world hears
We'll sing until the whole world hears
We'll sing until the whole world hears
We'll sing until the whole world hears
We'll sing until the whole world hears
We'll sing until the whole world hears

CNN HERO OF THE YEAR: Efren Peñaflorida

Last week, I chanced upon the CNN - Hero of the Year awards ceremony and I almost hit myself for not tuning in earlier. I have never cried so much while watching television as this one. It was so inspiring to watch men and women who unselfishly gave their all to serve others! If this is not what the world needed, I don't know what is! God must have been smiling!

There were ten recipients of the HERO award chosen all over the world and only one, the best of the best, would receive HERO of the Year. The HERO award got USD 25,000 each and the HERO of the Year got extra USD 100,000 to further help them to serve others.

The winner this year for the HERO of the year is Efren Peñaflorida from the Philippines. He started the "Kariton Klassroom" to bring education to poor children who are easily influenced or pressured by gangs who will recruit them.

As a child, Peñaflorida was beaten and bullied by gangsters but he chose education over gang life in Cavite City where he was born. He vowed to create a way for other children to make the same choice. He set a Dynamic Teen Company and with teenage co-workers brought books to children in slums and on the streets, and the Company's 10,000 volunteers have brought reading, writing and hygiene to 1,500 youngsters.

The group later launched the “Kariton Klassroom,” an innovative way of bringing the classroom to the children in the depressed areas. The pushcart classroom is now complete with teaching aids, blackboards and even folding tables and chairs to allow children to sit and read materials.

Peñaflorida recalled that he and other volunteers had to endure discrimination and even being branded as “trash collectors” with their pushcarts whenever they carry out their noble mission.

The public, however, took notice of Peñaflorida’s ingenious way of bring education to poor children by nominating him to the CNN’s list of heroes for this year.

Peñaflorida urged the crowd to “be the hero to the next one in need.” He also called on them to “serve well, serve others above yourself and be happy to serve.”

“As I always tell to my co-volunteers... you are the change that you dream as I am the change that I dream and collectively we are the change that this world needs to be,” Peñaflorida said.

Peñaflorida created a program that “My message to children of all races, please, to embrace learning and love it for it will embrace and love you back and enable you to change your world,” Peñaflorida said.

Efren Peñaflorida, I salute you as I salute the rest of the nine CNN heroes and many million unsung heroes all over the world who helped to make this world a better place!

PS: What is your dream of serving others? Unleash what God has put inside you and with God, nothing is impossible!