Today is my birthday. I have spent almost every birthday in tears until I met Denjz and he has made my past 2 birthdays quite peaceful. I'm 25 today. In the midst of all the buzz and fuss, I feel like I'm in the eye of a hurricane. I am not grieving anymore, I am happy that I stayed at home, I fasted and prayed and God's prescence is still real. Yesterday I made a careless mistake by not checking my phone that caused my friend to get upset with me. She was supposed to celebrate with me and it my only "real" celebration. But she didn't know that I thought it was confirmed so she waited for me to text her and lost her cool while I was foolishly preparing for our date until I saw her msgs. I have no idea how this misunderstanding caused her to feel that I don't put in effort to meet her all the time, or to make her so angry and bitter. It really made me wonder when she had started feeling like that. I started to evaluate our friendship and I see some cracks here and there over the past year or so. I've always let her have her way and followed her decisions. No doubt that I truly love her as my best friend. To say that I don't put in effort is not fair, I always try to show up unless I'm really so tired that I can't make it. I always try to take her calls and listen to all she has to say even if I'm in a rush. I tried asking her out before but most of the time she doesn't like my activities so I always just let her decide on when and where to meet, what to do. So that she's happy. When she got upset with me yesterday and called off our meeting, I just stayed home and cried the whole day. I felt really hurt even though it was my fault to begin with, but I didn't mean it. Y so angry? She didn't even text me today. She probably won't turn up for class later too. I won't be surprised, knowing her.. I'm gonna let the matter rest and wait and see what our friendship is built upon.
Tonight is cupcakes night.(Thanks to Ming)God is always good. He always has his way of cheering you up when you think you are so down.
sakura blossom falls at: 2:50 PM
These 3 posts are really a good slap on my face from God warning me to REPENT! I definately have some tongue disease and I am a fool and a hypocrite by saying that I'm a believer of Christ and yet I tell lies,speak foul language and gossip!!!! I talk too much, I exaggerate and I speak idle words! I am greatly impacted by God's word and I want to change. I will try to speak less, be honest and STOP gossiping! I will try to exercise self-control and not use foul language even when I am extremely angry or mad. I must learn to use words that are graceful and not say more than I mean. PLease help me Lord. Come and cleanse and Sanctify my tongue!
The Glory Of Your Tongue
20 Aug 2009
For we all stumble in many things. If anyone does not stumble in word, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle the whole body. James 3:2
James talks a great deal about our tongue: “If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one’s religion is useless” (James 1:26). It doesn’t matter how religious we may claim ourselves to be. If we do not keep our tongue under control, our religion is worthless and unacceptable to God.
In James 3:2-8, the tongue is likened to the little rudder of a ship. If it is not used properly, it can shipwreck our faith. The tongue is also likened to a little fire that can set a whole forest ablaze. Just like forest fires can cost millions of dollars in damages, careless words can financially ruin a person. James also likens the tongue to a source of poison that can corrupt the whole life stream.
James is, in essence, echoing what Jesus says in the Gospel: “Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or else make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for a tree is known by its fruit. Brood of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things. But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned” (Matt. 12:33-37). What is the real reason we have a tongue? Psalm 16:9 says, “Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices.” In quoting that same psalm on the Day of Pentecost, Peter says, “Therefore my heart rejoiced, and my tongue was glad” (Acts 2:26). When you compare the two verses, you will come to the conclusion that your tongue is your glory. The only reason God gave you a tongue is so that you may glorify Him with it.
Your tongue can be set ablaze by two kinds of fire: hell fire, or the fire of the Holy Spirit. And the way you choose the latter is to follow what Ephesians 5:18-20 says, “And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Thanking, praising and worshiping with your mouth have a powerful effect in cleansing and sanctifying your tongue.
The Wholesome Tongue
26 Oct 2009
A wholesome tongue is a tree of life, but perverseness in it breaks the spirit. Proverbs 15:4
When the tongue is guided by the Spirit of God and by the words of the Holy Scripture, it can impart truth and elicit thoughts which may be salutary to those who come under their influence. God planted the tree of life in the Garden of Eden (Gen. 2:9), and whoever ate from it—whether man or animal—would find life. Today, where can we find the tree of life?
According to Proverbs 15:4, it can be found from the wholesome speech that flows out from a man’s tongue. An unwholesome tongue on the other hand brings forth death. The Bible commands, “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen” (Eph. 4:29, NIV).
What are unwholesome talks?
(1) Foul language. “Their talk is foul, like the stench from an open grave” (Ps. 5:9, NLT). This kind of language produces death. As believers, we ought not to allow our mouths to speak any curses or foul language because we sing praises to God with our mouth. “Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so. Does a spring send forth fresh water and bitter from the same opening? Can a fig tree, my brethren, bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Thus no spring yields both salt water and fresh”
(James 3:10-12).
(2) Lies. “A false witness will not go unpunished, and he who speaks lies shall perish” (Prov. 19:9). Lying does not benefi t the hearers; it also brings death to the one who lies. Acts 5 gives a very solemn account of Ananias and Sapphira who lied to the Holy Spirit, and were immediately struck dead. King David says, “He who works deceit shall not dwell within my house; he who tells lies shall not continue in my presence” (Ps. 101:7). Similarly, God who has veracity would not allow a liar to continue in His presence.
(3) Gossip. In 2 Timothy 3:1-5, Paul warned that in the last days, perilous times will come and we are to stay away from a particular group of people—slanderers. Slanderers are malicious gossipers. The name “Devil” (Gr. diabolos) means one who slanders another for the purpose of injury; a maligner. When you gossip, you are associating yourself with the devil. In 1 Timothy 5:11-15, Paul warns Timothy of some younger widows who “learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house, and not only idle but also gossips and busybodies,” that they have “turned aside after Satan.” Gossip never brings life but death. Decide today to guard your tongue. Set it apart to speak wholesome words that bring life and grace to the hearers. Ephesians 4:29, “Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.”
The Disease Of The Tongue
11 Jul 2009
Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one. Colossians 4:6
There is something very significant concerning the way God designed the human head. Every human head has seven openings: the eyes, ears and nostrils have two openings each, while the mouth has one opening. That ought to tell you something—one mouth is more than we can handle! With more than 2,000 references concerning this one little organ, the Bible does have much to say concerning our mouth. There is no area in our personality that affects our total well-being more than our mouth and tongue.
It does not matter how religious we may claim to be; if we do not keep our tongue under control, our faith is worthless and unacceptable to God. Jesus says, “For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks” (Matt. 12:34). The words of our mouth inevitably indicates the true
condition of our heart.
Consider the following six “diseases” of the tongue:
(1) The disease of excessive talking. Proverbs 10:19 says, “In the multitude of words sin is not lacking, but he who restrains his lips is wise.”
(2) The disease of idle or careless words. Jesus says in Matthew 5:37 that exaggeration is from the devil; we should not say more than what we mean.
(3) The disease of gossip (Prov. 10:18). The very title of Satan in the New Testament is the “devil,” which means “slanderer.” If you gossip, you are actually doing the devil’s work for him.
(4) The disease of lying. Proverbs 6:16-19 says that two of the seven things God hates the most have to do with lying.
(5) The disease of flattery. Flattery is insincere complimenting of others, usually with the ulterior motive of gaining favors. God detests flattering lips (Ps. 12:3).
(6) The disease of hastiness of speech. Moses had to pay a heavy price for one hasty statement—he was disqualified from entering the Promised Land (Ps. 106:32-33).
Referring to the coming Messiah, Psalm 45:2 says, “You are fairer than the sons of men; grace is poured upon Your lips; therefore God has blessed You forever.” The grace that poured out from Jesus’ lips marked Him out as the Messiah. As followers of Christ, you are to do the same. May your speech always be with grace!
sakura blossom falls at: 10:34 PM
Im reposting some stuff that I read in Pst's blog and I am deeply convicted to repent and change the way things are. This is one of them and yes I will start fasting next week.
The Power of Fasting
Posted: 03 Dec 2009 07:13 PM PST
I have been fasting regularly since 1986. In the early days, I would fast once a week for 24 hours, from 6:00 a.m. on Wednesday to 6:00 a.m. on Thursday. However, since 2004, I have been going on 21-day full fasts once every 6 months. Once, in 2007, I fasted for 40 days.
Many people have asked me, “Kong, why do you fast so often?” This blog is dedicated to that question. There are many wonderful benefits of fasting:
1. Biological: The physical benefits fasting has toward the body have been so well documented that even non-Christians these days fast regularly for better health. According to World Health Net, a study by researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, shows that regular fasting can reduce risk of cancer, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, insulin resistance, immune disorders, and more generally, the slowing of the aging process, and the potential to increase maximum life span.
In Japan, “fasting clubs” are now in vogue. A June 16, 2003, issue of Newsweek states that “for decades Japanese doctors have treated obesity, diabetes and some psychiatric illnesses with fasting.”
During a fast, the body takes the opportunity to eliminate a lot of toxins (harmful substances) that have been built up over the years. The toxins are predominantly stored in fat and mucous cells. The body is “resetting” itself. A common detoxification reaction is headaches. This occurs because the toxins in the blood cause it to thicken and hence cause a headache. A simple remedy is to drink more water or have a bowel movement. In fact, a three-day fast has been used as a standard means of detox recommended by nutritionists the world over.
In America, it is now common to have a 28-day detox program. Books such as Get Healthy Through Detox and Fasting: How to Revitalize Your Body in 28 Days by Don Colbert, and New Again! The 28-Day Detox Plan for Body and Soul by Anna Selby, describe detoxification plans which remove harmful toxins from the body and revitalize it.
2. Spiritual: There are a number of very good reasons why we Christians should fast:
a. Breaking the power of the carnal flesh. Our fallen nature is so tightly linked to the physical appetites of our human body. The more inordinately we yield to our physical drives (such as hunger, sleep, sex), the more we embolden the carnal nature of our undisciplined flesh. Apostle Paul himself was fully aware of the power of the flesh, and constantly disciplined his body “to bring it into subjection” (1 Cor. 9:27). One of the ways he did this was “in fastings often.” (2 Cor. 11:27). As I deprive my body of its craving for food, I am taming my flesh and bringing it into subjection to my spirit. By the end of my fasting period, I often find myself more spiritual, more heavenly minded, more in tune with God, and more sensitive to His voice. In fact, the Scripture records that the reason the church leaders of Antioch were so sensitive to the voice of the Holy Spirit, concerning His plan to reach the Gentile world, was a direct result of prayer and fasting (Acts 13:2).
b. Self-humbling before the Lord. This is the reason why the saints in the Bible fast (Ps. 35:13). They were reminding themselves that they were weak in their own human strength to achieve the big visions and goals that God had set before them. The spirit is indeed willing, but the flesh is weak (Matt. 26:41). Therefore if our God-ordained dream is going to happen, it must be by a supernatural work of the Lord.
Fasting heightens that awareness. When I fast, I feel so weak in myself. I can’t workout in the gym. I can’t run five km (three miles) each day. After every service during my 21-day fasting season, I often felt like “crashing.” I would then cry out to the Lord, “Jesus, I can’t do it, please help me by the power of Your Holy Spirit!” God will always give grace to the humble (James 4:6; 1 Peter 5:5).
c. Increasing the anointing level. Jesus says that certain demons can’t be expelled except by prayer and fasting (Matt.17:21). Last month at the Kuala Lumpur Emerge (our annual youth conference in Malaysia), many commented that the preaching of the Word and the ministry time were some of the best they have ever had. Honestly, I didn’t feel any different. In fact, I felt I didn’t preach too well in a couple of the sessions because I was tired due to my long fast. However, many attendees sent me text messages and emails to say that their lives were so impacted and irrevocably changed. As I reflect on this, I can clearly see that God Himself was doing the work. He had so anointed my voice and let His power flow freely through the laying on of my hands. The presence and power of God made a huge difference in my time at KL.
3. Revival & Church Growth: In the Bible, whenever the people of God stopped fasting, they became dull and complacent. However, when a fast was decreed, the whole nation underwent revival and deliverance (2 Chr. 20:3-25; Esther 4:16; Ezra 8:21; Jonah 3:5-10). Last month, I fasted and prayed for three specific purposes: (1) 30 percent growth in every pastoral zone, (2) CHC to get its 10,000-seat arena in the city, and (3) my wife Sun to excel in her American singing career. Fasting greatly adds spiritual momentum to my prayer and faith.
What to Do When You Fast?
If you have a sickness, if you are pregnant, or if you are a nursing mother, please don’t fast.
If you have a history of weak health, please seek medical advice beforehand if you want to fast.
If you are on regular medication, please consult a doctor before you fast.
If you can’t fast throughout the week, just go for a three-day fast. But please don’t fast intermittently (stopping a few meals, eating a few meal) as this will affect the rhythm of your gastric flow and may hurt your body. Once you start fasting, don’t eat until you have finished the fast.
You must drink a lot of water when you fast. Be careful of juices and beverages (such as, coffee) that may give you gastric problems because of the acids they contain. For some people, milk may result in a lot of gas. Yoghurt may cause stomach rumblings, and is generally considered food. The best is electrolytes like 100-Plus, H-2-0, Pocari, et cetera. You need the minerals contained in them during a fast. Drinking clear soup in moderation is good when you need extra energy for work or ministry.
Don’t do anything strenuous like run 10 km, house-moving, dance performances, etc. Adopt a commonsense approach to fasting.
Brush your teeth often as you will tend to have bad breath (again, due to the release of toxins). I normally carry a toothbrush and toothpaste everywhere I go when I am fasting.
Most of all, when you fast, try to start or end the day with a time of deep personal devotion and prayer. Fasting must go with prayer. Otherwise, it is just dieting or a “hunger strike.”
How to Break a Fast?
After fasting, always begin with a light meal, even if you have fasted for only a short period of time. Don’t begin with anything too greasy, fatty or heavy.
The next thing to keep in mind is that the longer the fast, the more gradual it takes to break it. Somebody has said that you must take as long a time to break your fast as you do the period of fasting. When you have fasted for a long time (over three weeks), your stomach becomes like that of a baby’s. Feed yourself after that fast as you would a baby. It may take up to a week to get back to consuming normal food.
When you are in a fast, you usually don’t feel so hungry after the first three days. However, when you start to eat again, your hunger comes back. That is when you must really hold on to yourself. Exercise self-control. Fasting causes your stomach to contract. It is unwise to expand it again to the same extent. Fasting is a great way to change our eating habits, which many of us need to do. However, if you are planning to slim down or reduce your weight, fasting alone will not do that normally. You will get a few kilos off, but you will put them on just as quickly unless you combine it with a changed program of eating and exercise.
sakura blossom falls at: 10:30 PM
As a freelancer, I am often burdened by the thought of spending my time wisely and efficently. Therefore Im always busy even though I'm supposed to have more time than others. This can be extremely stressful if I become anal about it can can develop into an unhealthy pattern. But then again, if handled well. It is a good habit to always be aware of how I manage my time so that I can be a good steward of time. For time = life.
One of the highlights of the week, Clarissa the aneroxic girl I was talking about in my previous post dropped me a nasty surprise before I was supposed to meet her. On Thurs night, she texted me and asked to borrow 60 bucks. She claimed that her dad was giving her problems and she needed to return him the money. Under normal circumstances, I would have said NO and told the person to get real. I mean, We've only met ONCE and you are so bold to ask for money? But I always remember that look in her eyes, that sense of emptiness and lonliness when I spoke to her. That look of desperation to get out of her stronghold which I have no idea what it is. So I decided to ask my CGL for some advice. Fang shared that its hard to trust someone in such a short period. But 60 is not a large some, if I can trust her perhaps I would really make a difference in her life. So I waited on it and finally I decided to transfer it to her after 24hrs. All these while she texted me, thanking me and asking me if I had done the transfer. S when I finally did, I texted her but there was no reply and she did not pick up her call there after. I was prepared to lose the money, told myself that it was gonna be an ivestment. It can either be good or bad but if I don't try I will never know. So I woke up the nest day feeling discouraged and doubts and anger started to rise in my heart. I did pray about all these but I couldn't find peace in my heart. After struggling with myself for awhile, I decided to tell her how I feel. I send a a msg saying that I thought I could make a difference in her life by trusting her even though she was so insincere even when she borrowed money and there's nothing I could do anymore. I left it at that and went for my yoga class. When I was done a few hrs later, she actually did reply. She went "Pls don't misunderstand me. I hope you can still be my friend. I took medication that caused me to be so drowsy I couldn't even walk straight." I tried calling again much later but to no avail. It really made me wonder if I had gave her money to cure some drug fix. I happened to meet Jerryn for B.S that day and shared this matter with her. She shared some of her experiences with me about people who suffered from depression. I felt so much lighter in my heart after listening to her and decided to just let the matter wait. Waiting is good. So I made one last text to her telling her that I would love to be her friend and help her but I need her to talk to me and help understand her situation. But yet I'm not hung up on helping her if she's not interested to help herself. So it was a nice closing and for once, I finally felt peace in my heart. I have no idea where the money went to or if it really did help or harm her in any way. But I tried my best to love and trust this person and the rest is up to God.
Later I would be heading down to my new place to check out the painters. Finally! My house is gonna be coloured! I LOVE colours...purple, champange and lollipop makes me so excited! Im hope to save enough money to buy my own hoop by next June? Need to work hard and save, save ,save.... Just the house loan itself is killing me. But I've gotta be strong, and just handle it like everyone else. God is always good, I'm blessed in my ups and downs. Weekends are here, the Elves come out to play and next week would be the recitals. I'm so glad its gonna be over.
sakura blossom falls at: 10:49 AM
