What's a miracle?

Today, pastor was speaking of what had happened to me regarding the bidding of my modules and he said,

A miracle is what God does that separates us from disaster.

that's a pretty good definition. If I could in anyway have saved myself in my situation, then what God had done would not have been a miracle.

Had dinner to say farewell to Joel and Benjamin... Gave both of them an NASB inductive study Bible from the combined counsellors group. Seeing many brothers and sister off to Australia these days.

I pray that these few years would be time where they will grow ever closer to the Lord and greater in faith as they trust the providences of God in a foreign land.

Reminded of Daniel, when he was held captive in Babylon, a land foreign and hostile to him. Many Israelites forgot the Lord and worshipped the Babylonian gods. When we are separated and in foreign lands, only 2 things can happen... either we slip away from God as we no longer feel accountable to anyone or like Daniel, we can purpose in our hearts to honour God... in a foreign land when we are out of our comfort zone or even where God's name is scarcely mentioned, we thirst more for our God. To honour Him yet higher and greater then we ever did.

call unto me in the day of trouble... Psa 50:15

Saturday night while bathing, it dawned to me that I could be quite a "joke". There is this man, who claims that his God can provide for Him, blind faith... led him to only have 3 modules this semester... some kind of God... perhaps this would be what some of my non-Christian friends would think, after all the bidding rounds have closed. God had been gracious in providing me all my core-modules, yet the modules of Introduction to Jap Studies and Japanese 2 i've consistently been unable to bid succesfully. Even to the extent of forgetting to bid for the japanese module when it was 140+ in the 3rd round, which was uncharacteristic of me since I've been praying and thinking about it regularly. It was getting clear that God wanted to show me that if He were to give these modules to me, it would not be through my human effort... but truly by the grace of God.

Perhaps the reality of going through this semester with only 3 modules could not be any nearer, but that night I was reminded of God's grace to the Israelites despite disobeying Him. For His name's sake that the nation of Egypt will not mock at God because God who led His people out of Egypt, destroyed the people in the wilderness instead. God spared the nation of Israel for it's rebellion time and again, for His name's sake. I prayed that night, afraid of the uncertainty, that for His name's sake that He would preserve me... Nevermind if I don't get what I want, just don't let me be put to shame because I trust in Him...

Psa 119:31 I have stuck unto thy testimonies: O LORD, put me not to shame.

In thee, O LORD, do I put my trust; let me never be ashamed: deliver me in thy righteousness. (Psalms 31:1)

God is true to His word... and the whole time Psa50:15 kept ringing in my head and was spoken to me by 3 different people...

Psa 50:15 And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me.

Am glad that I did call... And it was putting my faith in who God is to the test... when head knowledge will become heart knowledge...

Monday morning, quiet time reading was on Numbers. The nation of Israel was ready to stone Caleb and Joshua for trusting God to give them the land of canaan. Then the Lord spoke and said He would disown Israel and send a plague to destroy all of them and through Moses will He make an even greater nation. Yet Moses pleaded with the Lord to spare Israel so that the Egyptians would not say that God destroyed them because He was not able to give them the promised land. And God relented, but punished them to roam the wilderness for 40 years. Wow! Yes, we can plead to God for His name's sake.. and for the 1st time I really did...

Reading Joy's blog at12pm in the noon and again I saw Psa50:15. God's promise to deliver me in the day of trouble... that in so doing I will glorify Him... and not be put to shame...
Amazing... isn't it? I've never really known of the existence of Psa50:15 until this experience...

Thereafter I checked my cors website and noticed that I had japanese 2 and intro to jap studies tutorials to bid for! wow!! can't believe my eyes! that means I got them both by appeal!! 110+ pts for japanese 2 and 349 points for Jap studies!! that's real cheap!

Praise God most high! His word is true... and I know it.. because I've experienced it. Those who trust in the Lord will never be ashamed. He will deliver thee. that's a promised that's true because it is said by God who doesn't change and is able and wanting to keep His promises.

Yes, God opened another 2 doors to Japan. This time perhaps the most difficult 2 doors thus far... I wonder what's ahead? but I take delight in knowing my God is ever present, guiding me in the way everlasting!

My God is so good, so strong and so mighty,
there's nothing my God cannot do.

Kids song- thanks to Allvina for teaching.

Lordship over my relations

Praise You for Your Lordship!
Praise You for being the One that I run to, sorry for what I've done.
Praise You for when words and reason are better left unsaid, that yet You know.

Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.
(Psalms 139:23-24)

Faith in the unknown

Charting unknown territory is scary... That's what I'm doing right now. Don't know when, don't know how, don't know what. 2 modules resting on appeals. After last semester, God has given me an even more trying situation. It's stretching my faith... to it's limit. Yet faith is not in knowing the unknown, or knowing what God will do for me. Faith is in knowing who God is. All-knowing, All-powerful, All-present. Who is able to do abundantly and exceedingly. O my soul, have faith in these things that you know about God.

Discrete Maths for 1 pt!

Praise God!

I was out-bidded in this module(which is unusually popular this semester) for the past few rounds as some rounds even chalked this up til 1000+ pts. But God is good, and He was to give it to me at the last stage of round 2 for a whopping 1 point only!

I have 3 modules now and 2 more to go. Japanese studies and Japanese Language 2 (this i was outbidded this round). can trust God to give what He would want me to take.

Operation Japan

Thank God for prayer answered! I committed to be more regular in praying for Japan this year, and just as I was wondering and asking how to pray for Japan when I think I only know nuts about it, God answered my prayer and the desire of my heart through sister Charissa!

She gave me a gift that can only be from God! Operation Japan, a detailed prayer book covering a comprehensive list of prayer items for Japan all year round! Though the book was published in 1997, it's still the best material there is for detailed prayer for the country. So glad I can now pray more intelligently.

Yes, God opened another door! and I just marvel.

Thanks Uncle Sha

Uncle Sha, leaves at 5am tomorrow for his homeland. His testimony is wonderful. No one is too far from the reach of God's saving grace! Not even a muslim shiite in an extreme fundamentalist country. God has changed this man and I think he will become instrumental in bringing more souls to His kingdom. I look forward to seeing him again, meanwhile I'll keep him and family in prayer. I thank God for his testimony that was truly an encouragement.

Modules continue to be a "nagging dull pain at my neck" as I've still got 3 more to get.
I thank God for allowing me to get 2 modules already! He's able and in fact more then able. It is at times like these in the new year ahead that I believe this year's church theme verse will ring with ever greater comfort, awe and anticipation.

Jeremiah 33:3
"Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not "

Go to the Lord 1st in prayer. That what I learnt from the study of Jonah, when the sailors tried to unload their cargo to save them from the storm, it did not help. Neither did calling out ot their own gods. And not even desperate rowing. It was only when they called out to God to spare their lives and do what He wanted them to do(which was to throw Jonah off the ship) that the storm stopped. I used to be like them... 1st thing is to try to solve it on my own.. then look for friends to help.. then anybody... the last thing I do is pray.. when I realise that I cannot do it in my own strength... How wrong. God wants me to do all things His way and thru His resources. Phi4:6 "Be careful(anxious) for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God."

So now I pray first before I do anything like appeal or bid.

He is indeed Jehovah Jireh, God my Provider.

And yes, He is in control.

SKS and dinner

went to SKS with Gwyneth yesterday. She got her Bible for her friend, while I actually picked up the last copy of "I kissed dating goodbye". Tho, i got tons of Bibles at home, this trip still got me further acquainted with the different versions and formats and pricing... but more importantly, got me fired up to study God's word even more.

Now, finishing up "I kiss dating goodbye", will soon start on 2 mentoring books.
Am also desiring to read some John Maxwell Leadership books.

Dinner with Gwyneth and Allvina was cool... Allvina leaves for Chiang Mai today. Makes me think of Gen12ii that will come in a twinkle of an eye. Time to sleep.. zzz...

A new year! Welcome 2006

It was a fascinating way to spend the new year with Allvina, Alex, Gwyneth and Jaime @ essential brew after watch night service.

Well, thank God for grace to still wake up early to be in church today and later for the prayer dedication at 5pm.

God's great as I recount my blessings over the year. It's felt like 3 years squeezed into 1. Got my license to drive, Church Camp, ORD!!!, led 2 souls to Christ!, kept an important promise, went into university, made tons of new friends, took Japanese, started Bible-study with Liz and Joy, finished 1st Sem in uni, SUnday School Camp, Combined Youth Leaders' Camp, Campus Crusade Metamorphosis and Gen12ii. And that's just a small portion of the highlights...

2006 holds greater challenges for me. With Junior Worship Service, Gen12ii and more Bible study. Looking forward... many more thanksgiving and praises to give to God!