more about praying

From last week's message:

GOD DOESN'T WANT PERFECT PRAYERS

HE WANTS HONEST PRAYERS

Why have we made prayer out to be a chore?

Why have we made prayer out to be a chore?

Prayer has become a chore, a ritual, a bore and sometimes a punishment. We’re to have a relationship with God by prayer. We owe Him THAT much, since he died for us and loved us first.

prayer [práir]

(plural prayers)

n

1. communication with God or other being: a spoken or unspoken communication with God, a deity, or a saint.

It may express praise, thanksgiving, confession or a request for something such as help or somebody’s wellbeing.

.

2. communicating with God or other being: the act or practice of making spoken or unspoken communication with God, a deity, or a saint

.

3. religious service with prayers: a religious service at which prayers are said (often used in the plural)

.

4. earnest request: an earnest request for something

1. communication with God or other being: a spoken or unspoken communication with God, a deity, or a saint.

[communicate: vi understand one another: to share a good personal understanding]

Many times, we (I admit, including me) use prayer for only things we want. Or maybe we advise ourselves and other people to pray every day. Like as if it’s a chore we have to do every day.

We shouldn’t be praying because we HAVE to; We should be praying (to) (communicating and having a personal understanding with) God cause we want to! He’s not going to force you to talk to Him. He won’t hold a threat over you if you forget one day.

Okay, it’s like this, EXAMPLE Aaron Tay and Jeremy Duke are the best of friends (example k? even though they are good friends, this is just an example). Why should Aaron or Jeremy get all bored talking to each other? Don’t they meet up and start talking to each other? Don’t they like act all buddy-buddy-ish? I mean, if you’re really best of friends with Jesus, when someone asks you to pray for something or someone or maybe just pray, why should you act like that person is so annoying, asking you to do something you really don’t want to do?

Or, maybe like me and jinyin or me and amelia, or me and carissa (EXAMPLE), we won't get together on Sunday after service cause we're forced by our parents to talk. We get together cause we WANT to chat with each other, (RIGHT jinyin? right amelia? right carissa?)
We talk cause we want to! I mean, prayer to God should just be talking and sharing your thoughts, dreams, aspirations and goals with our bestest friend in the world!

RIGHT? say amen if you agree!

3. religious service with prayers: a religious service at which prayers are said (often used in the plural)

Many people have made prayer a punishment too. Maybe if a child is naughty, and makes noise in Sunday school, they will have to be the one who prays for the food. That would put in to their heads that “if I’m naughty I will pray, so if I’m good, I won’t have to pray anymore!”

Also sometimes prayers after a while, get very fixed. e.g.:

“Lord Jesus, I pray for the food, bless it to our bodies. In Jesus name amen.”

“Lord Jesus, thank you for today, bless the Sunday service. Amen.”
After a while, we pray that for EVERY mealtime and EVERY event. It becomes something you say to get prayer over and done with.

4. earnest request: an earnest request for something

This is the all too famous reason why people pray. JUST to ask God for stuff; to make you better looking, to give you a bigger house than your friend, to have a PSP like your friend, to have a nicer Bible…It’s not all bad! Don’t take me wrong (I’ve always wanted to say that!), but be careful. That’s not what prayer is ALL about…

Another danger is that (sometimes) some people may compliment you about your prayer, as if it was a prayer to them. The way they tell you how good your prayer was, makes us want to pray using bigger words or add a few scriptures in there and make it sound so overdramatized or something like that. Prayer ends up being a thing to show-off. Which of course, isn’t right. We must all remember WHO we’re praying to.

In conclusion, don’t make prayer out to be a chore, a punishment or a thing you HAVE to do so God won’t throw you into hell. Prayer is communication with the ONLY being that will love you no matter what, and who died for you and who WANTS to talk to you!

Now how many of you can say you know someone else who is like that?

Definitions taken from Encarta ® World English Dictionary © & (P) 1998-2004 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved..

NO YOUTH CELL ON 8TH of NOVEMBER

Do you complain often?

Do you complain about your life often?

Answer honestly--- I sure do...

Look at these pictures and see if you dare complain more by the end of the post...

If you think you are unhappy, look at them


If you think your salary is low, how about her?



If you think you don't have many friends...


When you feel like giving up, think of this man



If you think you suffer in life, do you suffer as much as he does?



If you complain about your transport system, how about them?



If your society is unfair to you, how about her?

Enjoy life how it is and as it comes

Things are worse for others and a lot better for us

Welcome To The World, Natalie!

On the 18th of September 2008, angels in heaven (and some on earth) rejoice at the safe arrival of Natalie Ch'ng Su-Ern to planet earth!

Here are some photos of the youngest member of our church!
(Photos are courtesy of Christen Koh.)









Dear Jesus,
Thank You, Lord for the gift of this precious life to Shereen and Poh Leong! Thank You for her safe arrival to the world and thank You for keeping Shereen safe while in labor and delivery.

We bring baby Natalie to Your safe and loving hands, may You continue to keep her safe and protect her from any harm and danger. May Your grace be upon her for the rest of her living days and we pray too, as she grows physically and mentally, she would come to know You for who You are and she would grow very much spiritually in You that she'll do great things for Your glory, O Lord!

We also want to uphold Shereen and Poh Leong to You. May You grant them wisdom and knowledge and creativity even when they are handling Natalie, at every stage of her life. Give them patience and LOTS of grace when it comes to teaching Natalie. We just pray that they'll be great parents, just as You're a great and wonderful Father to us all!

We commit this beautiful and precious family into Your loving and mighty hands once again. In Jesus' most mighty and awesome name, AMEN.

Natalie Ch'ng Su Ern (not sure of the spelling), has been born on the 18th of September at 4 something in the afternoon!

Please pray for Aunty Shereen and Uncle Poh Leong and also Natalie that their health will be good and that no harm should fall on them. Pray for protection and that Natalie won't get sick anytime soon!

penguin puzzle

Read this first:

Numbers 13:30-14:4

26 They came back to Moses and Aaron and the whole Israelite community at Kadesh* in the Desert of Paran.* There they reported to them* and to the whole assembly and showed them the fruit of the land.*

27 They gave Moses this account: “We went into the land to which you sent us, and it does flow with milk and honey!* Here is its fruit.*

28 But the people who live there are powerful, and the cities are fortified and very large.* We even saw descendants of Anak* there.*

29 The Amalekites* live in the Negev; the Hittites,* Jebusites* and Amorites* live in the hill country;* and the Canaanites* live near the sea and along the Jordan.*”

30 Then Caleb* silenced the people before Moses and said, “We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it.”

31 But the men who had gone up with him said, “We can't attack those people; they are stronger than we are.”*

32 And they spread among the Israelites a bad report* about the land they had explored. They said, “The land we explored devours* those living in it. All the people we saw there are of great size.*

33 We saw the Nephilim* there (the descendants of Anak* come from the Nephilim). We seemed like grasshoppers* in our own eyes, and we looked the same to them.”

14:1 That night all the people of the community raised their voices and wept aloud.*

2 All the Israelites grumbled* against Moses and Aaron, and the whole assembly said to them, “If only we had died in Egypt!* Or in this desert!*

3 Why is the LORD bringing us to this land only to let us fall by the sword?* Our wives and children* will be taken as plunder.* Wouldn't it be better for us to go back to Egypt?*”

4 And they said to each other, “We should choose a leader and go back to Egypt."

___________________________

Penguin puzzle

Several years ago, some penguins engaged in a bit of bizarre behavior at the San Francisco Zoo. Six newcomers from Sea World in Ohio managed to persuade 46 locals to follow their lead. The zookeeper said at the time, “We’ve lost control. It’s a free-for-all in here.”

When the new guys showed up, all 52 began swimming around the circular pool from dawn to dusk. It was quite a sight to see them swim and swim and stagger out of the pool at night. Penguin experts were puzzled, but they said that web-footed friends are highly social and are “open to new ideas fostered by newcomers.”

It may be hard to explain penguin behavior, but people can be even more puzzling. As I read the biblical account of what happened soon after Moses led the huge group in their exodus from Egypt, I had to wonder how just a few were able to get the others to follow them in rebelling against Moses (Numbers 13:30-14:4).

After all they had been through—the miraculous escape and parting of the sea—they allowed the bad report of a few spies to turn them into doubting and grumbling rebels. They even wanted a leader who would take them back to Egypt.

I’d like to think that no followers of Jesus today would be so gullible, so foolish, so easily influenced by others. But how many of us have started out on the journey of faith, following Jesus, but have since begun to have second thoughts. We’ve been listening to somebody, maybe even a few friends, who have been suggesting that we’re missing out on life.

But is it too much for us to give our total allegiance to the One who gave His life for us?

-Kurt De Haan (Our Daily Journey)

__________________________________________

ASK YOURSELF:

1. What human relationships can negatively affect your fellowship with Jesus?
   

2. Have we been giving in to peer pressure?
   

3. Have people’s comments swayed your beliefs?
   

4. How will you pursue a deeper passion for Him today?

‘Don’t be fooled by those who say such things, for “bad company corrupts good character”’ 1 Corinthians 15:33

Random Story (read and have a good laugh. Or not)

This is exactly what's written on the paper... Spelling and grammatical mistakes are not corrected.

We had youth cell on ever saturday. and this is wat we do...in McD's, KFC ,the pooL,China, and England. Right now while mom was washing dirty unmentionables, so, he went to buy pigskins for his rheumatism. And then, when he gave a shout, his mother fainted and fell into unconsciousness. The next day, he went to his handphone and called his friend Zohan. He screamed in greeting and Zohan did the same. All of the sudden, Zohan dropped his phone. But- Then before before them, there shined a shiny monkey. AND HE SAID!! "Play the best, song in the world!","or I'll eat your feet!!!" Then he said, "Can't touch This!!". So he sang!-"I Love you" from the great TV series Barney! the he was satisfied. So then, they died and the undertaker said "Why so serious!!"

Remember Jason Lau

Let's just spend some time praying for Jason as he is now in US. Pray for protection and etc...

Talk about Talking.

Jeremiah 1:4-10 (Look, I have put My words in your mouth! v.9)

The speaker was talking about the power of words. Suzanne was listening carefully. She had been deeply hurt by a cruel gossip attack just a few weeks earlier. She still felt helplessness as the rumours swirled around her. Why did so many people take the gossip at face value instead of trying to see whether it was true? Because of the pain she was feeling, Suzanne resolved not to treat others the way she had been treated. She prayed these words of David: 'May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing to You, O LORD" (Psalm 19:14)

A study of three major prophets reveals that God did something to their mouths to prepare them to speak for Him. Isaiah reacted to God's call by saying, "I am doomed, for I am a sinful man" (Isaiah 6:5). An angel took a live coal from the altar and touched his lips to remove his sin and guilt (v.7).

Jeremiah said to the Lord, "I can't speak for you! I'm too young!" (Jeremiah 1:6). So God touched his lips and said, "Look, I have put My words in your mouth!" (v.9). Ezekiel was called to tell the stubborn and rebellious Israelites, "This is what the Sovereign Lord says" (Ezekiel 2:4). Then God showed him a scroll with words written on both sides and commanded him, "Fill your stomach with this" (3:3). It tasted sweet as honey. God told the prophet, "Go to the people of Israel and give them My messages" (v.4)

Perhaps you wish God would touch your mouth so you'll stop saying words that hurt. There are somethings you can do to keep your words holy. One of the best way is to pray Psalm 19:14 every morning.

Taken From Our Daily Journey
Sept. Oct. Nov. 2008

Another One.

It was supposedly three sets but the middle one kinda over lapped with the other 2. So only this worked.

More to come. :)

War!

To be continued. :)

Photo Teaser

More to come. :)

This Saturday NO YOUTH CELL!

LISTEN!

NO YOUTH CELL!

Instead, there is the Sports Carnival to which you are all ORDERED to go to.


ORDERED! You HAVE TO GO! (its at 8.00 AM this saturday)


=) see you there!

Please PRAY for Amelia Tay because she will be having an exam this Saturday while we go distribute fliers.

P.S.Those who have prayer requests just say so in the chatterbox. I'll post asking for prayer for you. =) and pray for you too...

Please pray for the upcoming Sports Carnival and the distributing of the fliers too.

Thanks! =)

Oh, and P.S.


HAPPY (belated and early) BIRTHDAY!

June

8th – Carmen Kam

10th – Diane Lee

30th – Rachel Ranita

July

21st – Adeline Tay

26th – Yong Sun Sun

random ramblings of a random rambler

Hey Guys!

I am finally allowed to post like ANYTHING because Jem doesn't have internet access or so he says... *rolls eyes*

Well, first things first, this Saturday there isn't any youth cell. You youth are all asked to participate in the distributing of fliers. The fliers for the Sports Carnival I mean. More details in the next post.


I gotta go now heh. Bye

more later

Update for the week

Now this week, our very own Diane will be sharing.

other than that, there has been an addition to the blog. We now have the monthly roster on the blog for your convenience =P

FGAKD Youth Blog - Serving You better =D

Missions week

Ladies and gents, there will be no yc this saturday as it is missions week, do turn up for the missions "expo" though. thanks.

Please pray

Youth, you all know Uncle Tim and his family have recently migrated to Australia. The bad news is that earlier today, someone broke into his car, smashed the side window and took quite a few belongings of his among which were, a jacket, his sunglasses and his GPS. Please pray for them. thanks.

Youth Camp name list

1.Alyssa Koh
2.Amelia Tay
3.Carissa Morais
4.Chew Jin Yin
5.Christen Koh
6.Diane Lee Sook Kuan
7.Esther
8.Hannah
9.Kimberly Koh
10.Melody Tan
11.Rachael Morais
12.Rachel Ranita
13.Rebecca
14.Sarah
15.Sun Sun
16.Trisha
17.Aaron Tay
18.Fadeli
19.Jeremy Duke
20.Jeremy Yap
21.Marcus Chew
22.Peter Yong

Remember your debt? (I'm not talking bout what Christ has already paid for)

To all the youth who went for the canopy walk in FRIM during the baptism earlier this year. Uncle Paul Tan paid for us but he did not belanjala... So please pay him RM 5 asap. Thx

A BIG BLESSED HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO
ALL THE MAY BABES AND DUDE =)

MAY GOD BLESS EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU :)

May

6th – Denise Yu

10th – Eileen Lau

11th – Alyssa Koh

22nd – Jared Yap

23rd – Carissa Morais

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!

Youth Camp 2008 registration

Hi guys, details are below. Please sign up by this Sunday because the nice people at Golden Sands need to know how many ppl are coming in advance so they'll be ready for us. Thanks

Programme




Application form

YOUTH CAMP 2008 DETAILS

Ok ladies and gents, the dates have been confirmed and the youth camp is a go. the details are as stated below:

Date: 5th to 7th June 2008.

Venue: Golden Sands Baptist Assembly, Port Dickson.

Fee: RM130 (price may vary, official price will be announced the Sunday before the camp. Full payment before the camp would be preferred, but if you are not able to pay the full fee before the camp, please see Pastor Koh Chu Soon or Uncle Wilson Duke.)

Places available: 25-27 places/people (you are allowed to invite friends, but FGAKDians will be given priority)e

10-05-08 Programme

Ladies and gents, this week we have a special speaker. It is none other than Aunty Kar Yoong. Other than that, youth will carry on normally. thx. BTW, still havent received any commentson the camp, so please comment.

YOUTH CAMP!!

    Okay guys, the Youth Camp 2008 is going to be held in Golden Sands Resort, Port Dickson on the 6TH (Friday) and 7TH (Saturday) of June. We may extend our stay by coming on the 5TH (Thursday). But that is not confirmed, as Golden Sands is currently fully booked on the day. The speaker for the camp will be Pastor Mike Constantine. For those who are interested please leave a comment. Thx

19-04-08 Programme

OK, this sat, the 19Th of April we will have Uncle Poh Leong as the speaker. And that's about it for the week, but there will be a post regarding the upcoming camp in a bit.

Letter from a long time no see brother

Dear youths,

It has been a long time since the last time i attended youth. For almost a month i wasnt back to church. Somehow my Uni just likes to put test on sundays. I heard that the programs are running accordingly, well done people. Sorry that it has been a long long time since i last catch up with you guys.

Few days back as i was burning the midnight oil, you guys just started coming into my mind. I was reminded of the days we use to spent together. The times when i'll always get you all to go mamak together, hang out in 1U together, sleep overs, bugging you all to finish the task given... I miss those days. I remember when i just stepped into FGAKD 2-3 years ago, i was so agitated by you guys, so were you all annoyed by me. The days that you all will run at the moment my shadow was seen. Later we became friends. I also didn't know when i started becoming a friend to you all.

Thanks to God's grace and you all, i was able to be a youth leader that is just me. I learnt so much in those days leading the youths. I remember at the start when i joined the youth, God had to deal with my pride and arrogance and knocked into me the verse "consider yourself not better than others". It was a life changing experience, for that day onwards, i didn't just learn from people older or more mature, but also from you all who are younger. I realise that learning is not just about the teachers but my own attitude is what matter the most, and if my attitude is right, i can learn and benefit from anyone, and i mean ANYONE. And it was because of this change, i was able to connect with you guys to understand the youths from youth point of view. And i've learnt so much.

However unlike grace, frienship and trust is not given freely, it has to be earned, and i think i have tried my best and put all my efforts to gain that friendship and trust with you all. I do not know whether i did a good job or not, but i tried hard. Here i ask for your forgiveness that in areas that i did not do well and i am sorry.

The most joyful thing of being your leader, is i get to be myself. I learned to not be what i'm not. Putting up the most "holy" front, to be the perfect rightheous character that a youth leader is suppose to be. But just to be WHO I AM. And because of being real to myself, i saw how God worked in my life. I guess it's about facing the truth of who i am. haha.

**Please do not get me wrong that i am so comfortable with WHO I AM so i don't need to change. But instead to change i have to first know who i really am and acknowledge that i am such lousy character, then turning to God and He will give us the grace and strength to change. In other words,

if i want to CHANGE myself , i have to first BE myself.

get it?

Through the last year i saw how each one of you grown, both spiritually and physically(so tall now). It is a great, to wittness how you all have grown. Its something that no words can describe. It really feels like seeing the tree you planted is bearing fruits(**not saying that because of me thats why you grow). That moment i manage to grasp the feeling of a father seeing his child grow. It is really awesome and would just give everything to experience it again.

My regret is the time serving with you all have to come to an end. Eventhough my name is still being put as the youth leader but you guys know that i am now so much involve anymore. Since i live in University college, i only come back during the weekends and not all weekends. I tried to run things from where i am but it was not practical. Since i do not even know whats going on in youth cell, church and I cant know the needs of you guys. I used to be so involve in church and i got a first-hand updates everytime, i get to know what your needs are through the fellowships. But being in Uni, i became the last to receive updates, i hardly communicate with you all (i did send sms to you guys once in awhile but not all reply) therefore i really do not know the needs of the youth I cant plan and i decided to focus on my service in campus. But thanks to the commitee classes and programmes still manage to go on and VERY WELL DONE.

To see you guys start to take on leadership role its just amazing. i regret i cant be there to wittness how you all grow in this new phase. But i trust that God will use you all mightily. and i believe in your capability. As long as you are willing to labor, God will give you the results. great serving with you all.

My dear fellow youths, lets not forget to be UNITED in one spirit in Truth. without unity you are WEAK. you gotta learn to hear God's voice as a group as a cell, ONE BODY. the start of unity will be love, and as a leader all the more you must love your sheeps, love one another. And love is not bed of rosses but you will need to give grace and forgive one another's weaknesses, to learn to be united eventhough you don't like certain thing about your fellow member. therefore LOVE one another.

by loving one another the world will see that you all are the children of God.

God bless you my dear youths. It was a great year. And it will be better in this new phase. Love you all and miss you all.

the Crazy youthleader,

Peter

Meetings and what-not

Hey people!

The youth cell this Saturday is still on and Uncle Soon Aun will be teaching. It will be at 3.30pm and end about 5.30 to 6.00, depending on the worship, teaching and chairing.

___________________________

As you all know, on the same day, FGAKL is having PLANETSHAKERS + JAMIE HAITH do a concert at 8PM, this SATURDAY!

Don't miss it!

There won't be any transport provided though.
If you would like to go, please find your own transport.
Sorry, and thank you.



___________________________


Apart from this Saturday, on the 26th, there are two meetings, one is in FGAKD for girls ONLY, on beauty and health; organized by the ladies fellowship.
For more information, please contact me at: kimberlykoh25@yahoo.com

And for the guys -- although girls can go too, there is a meeting in FGA Kepong and transport will be provided. Please contact Uncle Wilson at: _________
or me at the above email address.

Thank you and HAVE A NICE DAY. ;)

Youth Cell Event - 29.03.08

Ladies & gents, this saturday there will be a special meeting. The youth have been invited to the Ladies meeting this saturday for a cooking demonstration. Hope that all you will be able to make it. Thanks

Hello

Hi, as you can see this blog is currently under construction. We hope to update you on the happenings and events in the youth cell through this blog. This blog will also be used for announcements concerning the youth and will allow you to download messages that are shared in Youth cell every saturday. In the future, we intend to have youth cell online once in awhile, but right now we will just be posting up the programme for the week. Thanks

Hi everyone!

We're FGAKD's Youth... This blog is still kinda under construction (as you can see in the header), so just be patient while we create the background template and stuff.. :P

Hope you visit us soon!

=)