M.C. Escher – Horsemen, 1946

Reference: Escher – Horsemen

I’m like a steward of my character. If people praise me for good character, I give glory to God. If people gives me constructive criticism to my character, I humbly accept the correction. I don’t need to get too full of myself or offended when these happen because these feedbacks do not change my identity. My identity remains the same – a child of God.

My character doesn’t determine my identity. My identity determines my character.

Since my identity is founded in Christ, my character will slowly be changed and moulded into Christ-likeness.

After watching these two similar yet contrasting videos, it reminded me to stay in this journey of being more Christ-like. Having my character to be moulded towards Christ-likeness not only pleases God, it also makes you shine. I said the videos are similar because both were badly sung auditions. However, the contrast is in the crowd’s reaction. People were turned off by the first, and were delighted by the second.

God does not force us like a master forcing his donkey to be on this path of Godliness. Instead, He gives us the choice and let us know that this path gives us a much-more life than just a great life. He wants us to be on this path because He loves us. He moulds us from a selfish person to a selfless person. From a greedy person to a giving person. From a worried person to a joyful person. And the list goes on.

Philippians 3:14 “I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”

Divine Yinyong (鸳鸯)

Love and truth seem to be like tea and coffee – you have one or the other, but not both. Let’s think about the possible combinations.

Truth – love = insensitive Perhaps you know someone who is free with their opinions but delivers them in an ugly way. They may well speak truth (and at lengthy detail) but they do it in a graceless way without respect to timing, audience, manner and purpose. Perhaps they are trying to ‘score’ a point against you, lack EQ or are unknowingly trying to bolster their insecurity with a ‘win’. This is ugly and never more so when it is religious truth. God’s cause is invariably harmed, not helped, when someone pushes their truth about of God on us without love.

Love – truth = indulgent Others may go to the opposite possibility. This is the person who avoids certain topics, withholds their real views or presents a false view in an effort to make and keep peace. Perhaps this person craves acceptance or avoids conflict so much that it’s a case of peace at any price. Or perhaps they are repelled, or have been bullied, by graceless truth. Or maybe they have a mistaken idea of what tolerance means.

Whatever the roots, love without truth is bound to end in tears. A peace created without truth is apt to be short-lived, for truth invariably comes out. Again, if we start avoiding certain topics to preserve peace we may end up with nothing to talk about apart from the weather. Something else: is it really loving to suppress the truth that makes people free and whole?

Where do we go with this? Let’s go back to tea and coffee. Have you tried yinyong? It is a Hong Kong mix of tea and coffee that makes a delightful combination. Likewise, godly love and truth make a delightful combination. Love + truth = inspired Consider these words: Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the head, that is Christ (Eph 4:15).

These words were written about relations between church members, but they apply more widely. Our personal integrity, our love for others and our love for God compel us to speak only truth, even if it is uncomfortable truth. However, those same forces should compel us to speak the truth in love as to audience, manner, intent and timing.

None shows us this better than Jesus. His dealings with people show a consistent combination of love and truth. Let us do the same and thus show ourselves to be children of he who came to bring ‘grace and truth’ from God (Jn 1:14).

Reference: bannerministry.sg

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At the edge conference, it was Matthew Barnette speaking. I think he was speaking about your destiny that God called you to pursue. During ministry time he got the whole congregation to go up for ministry. so everyone went. He said stuff during ministry like “someone’s going to US… someone’s going to this place… someone’s going to be…” The day before, also during ministry, he did the same thing by getting everyone down to the altar. He said “someone’s going to South Africa to set up a business.” I was like yeah that’s me man. So cool. Set up business in S. Africa… That’s definitely me since I’m from SMU. Singapore MANAGEMENT Uni. So he was repeating these words again at the ministry. So this time the altar call about destiny, I went up thinking, “yes i know God, You called me to family counseling already. (It’s another testimony how God called me to be a Family Counselor) I know my destiny. But here I am, expecting to hear what more You wanna say.” Again Barnette was saying “someone’s going to be a pastor. someone’s going to South Africa.” “I was like yah… that’s me, you said it yesterday. I know.” Then after he said someone’s going to South Africa, he said “someone’s going to Australia.” As soon as I heard that, I cried. I just couldn’t stop crying. I was like what’s wrong with me??! It’s just a word Australia.

Then while I was crying, everything else blur out. Barnette’s voice blurred out, my awareness of people around me blurred out. So I started looking around the hall. Then I saw, the girl with a white UK print top! I was like okay…. “i knew that.” and “freaky!” After i came back to “awareness”, Barnette challenged people to walk up to the stage to declare what they heard God speaking. He pointed in several directions that he feels someone has heard God spoke. One of the directions was in my direction. I felt like he was pointing at me. I felt this tugging to go up but I was hesitant because there were about 100++ people infront of me! So jam packed. Had loads of “what ifs” in my head. What if I squeeze through the 100+ people and by the time i reach there ministry is over. What if all these are just emotions, i’m just crying for fun and it isn’t God speaking. etc. After several people went up, he closed the time and ended the service. I realised that NO ONE from my direction, NO ONE from the 100+ people infront went up to declare! The ones who went up were from all different parts of the congregation except mine.

Later on in the afternoon, we were sitting in an afternoon workshop. I wanted to tell people about what I experienced at ministry. The person I wanted to tell first was my brother since it’s just me that I need to tell things to my family first. But I was afraid like what if isn’t God and it’s just me crying for fun at the ministry. So during the workshop, while taking notes, sitting beside my brother, I started to draw Australia flag. I was carrying a multi colour pen so I could fill in the colours too.

Strangely, I couldn’t draw the top left hand corner of the flag! I just didn’t know what was inside. So i asked my brother, what’s in that corner. He was like dont know. That’s weird because he’s a pro at flags. When he was younger he had a chart of flags and their names and he even can draw the weirdest flag like saudi arabia. Now is just australia flag like how could he not know?! So oh well. forgot about it, didn’t tell anyone.

When i reached home i eagerly searched on google. The top left hand corner was actually…

UK flag. The same UK flag on the top i wore at the altar. The same UK flag top I saw the girl wearing.

Too much coincidences I thought. But i was still like, NO. This isn’t from God. I was telling Him, God i want you to show me from the scripture that “you are going Australia.” Obviously that’s impossible. Instead He gave me the word from Deuteronomy 7. The whole chapter spoke to me.

zooming in to v7
The LORD did not set His love on you nor choose you because you were more in number than any other people, for you were the least of all peoples;

I really felt inadequate to be called in the area of family counseling because I do not have the most perfect family in the world to be able go out there and counsel other people’s family. But this verse simply encourages me sooo much. And the rest of the verses, v12 – 26, is about blessings of obedience.

So i was like okay, i know it’s from You God.

Few days later then came Youth Camp.

The first night Jeremy Seaward message was about True freedom. During altar call, he gave an opportunity for people to DECLARE WHAT DESTINY GOD IS CALLING. I was like, “oh man… not again?! i’m totally not saying. NOT SAYING!!! blah blah blah blah.” (acting like a child trying to block out the naggings of its parents) then after a few people declared, i was like ok. looks like You want me to declare huh. Like declaring is to make a statement so that my destiny isn’t just a moment of encounter. By declaring it’s like making a promise that you will pursue it. Okay then. Do or die. So I just sayed “Family Counselling. Australia.” After the session Shalyn said she got the strength to declare her destiny was because she felt soooo much strength from me when I said that. I didn’t even realise. That was really encouraging to hear.

So for now I’m still waiting on the Lord because I don’t know when am i going Australia. For how long am i going Australia. and for what purpose am i going Australia for. But it’s been an exciting journey to see what God has installed for me! I’m so in awe to see how the Holy Spirit, the Word and God work together in my life.

So what’s God’s reaction whenever you look at someone else lustfully? Same thing.

Stop lusting over someone.

Reference: I kissed dating goodbye, Joshua Harris