passion @ uwa

"Love Him with ALL your SOUL. Your soul is where you DECIDE. Have you ever decided to do something, even though you didnt feel like doing it? You have a will. You're NOT driven by emotions or even by your thoughts. YOUR SOUL DECIDES."

We read that yesterday. Today, we are given more insight into what that really means. And as I type this, like Stan, I am not in the attempt to type out a sermon note here. We are all on the same page, what I read this morning still needs to be digested in me but here are my thoughts thus far and this is what I would say to myself:

My soul decides. I have a will. My soul is the power by which I live. If that is so, then why is it that I so easily fall into temptation? If my soul is the POWER by which I live by, why do I feel defeated and weak so easily? If my soul decides, why is it so hard for me to say "NO" when I really need to say "no"? These are the battles that I constantly fight in my inward being. Struggles that trouble my heart though not visible by others. So i really need to ask myself honestly, have i been living by mere emotions? (my soul decides) Have I been driven by my own thoughts? (my soul decides) Have I given in or given up? (my soul decides)

I NEED TO WAKE UP! I need to start getting a grip of my own life. I am in control because GOD IN ME is in control. It's time for me to stand up, be in control and live a life of conviction. "Your soul is your will to decide; it has to do with the direction your life is taking." If I do not start taking control of myself, i will continue to go downstream; being blinded by emotions, tossed and turned around because: i. just. cant. decide.

"Your soul is your DESIRES and PASSIONS" So if I can just get myself to DECIDE, my PASSION will drive me to do many things in life. It's like the "IT" factor. If i have IT, IT will drive me to seek Him passionately. IT will drive me to love Him, love His people. IT will drive me to be so in love with His Word, prayer and worship. IT will drive me to serve. IT will drive me to be so madly and deeply in tuned with Him; just wanting to LIVE FOR HIM and be able to say "You know what God, dont worry about my own expectations of what life should be, YOUR WILL be done in my life. Here I am. Nah! Take me! Use me!"

That's IT! That's PASSION! I want that. I want to be so passionate, so hungry for more, so thirsty for His presence, so madly in love with Him that I am able to let go of my whole self - and it's just me and Him. sounds great. sounds inspiring. but it's almost always impossible. easier said than done. But I will strive towards it. I will be honest with Him when I pray, and to let Him know that I truly want to learn to love Him with ALL my soul and I need His help to work in me to get me there.

Why? Because I am the only ME in all of creation. That means He's longing to hear MY voice, He's longing to see ME grow, He's waiting on ME to listen to His voice. HE WANTS ME! He wants ME to read His Word (not letting others interpreting it for me, but I MYSELF understanding Him), He wants to listen to MY voice in prayer (and not just others interceeding for me), He wants to hear MY worship to Him, He wants to see ME dancing/jumping around passionately and excitedly for Him, He wants to see ME on my knees before His throne. Not others. But ME. He wants ME. I have to question myself honestly, am I giving Him: "ME"? I need to stop looking to the right and to the left; I need to start walking on my own path with my God.

My soul decides. I am deciding on HIM today.

-Let-

"Love Him with ALL your SOUL. Your soul is where you DECIDE. Have you ever decided to do something, even though you didnt feel like doing it? You have a will. You're NOT driven by emotions or even by your thoughts. YOUR SOUL DECIDES."

We read that yesterday. Today, we are given more insight into what that really means. And as I type this, like Stan, I am not in the attempt to type out a sermon note here. We are all on the same page, what I read this morning still needs to be digested in me but here are my thoughts thus far and this is what I would say to myself:

My soul decides. I have a will. My soul is the power by which I live. If that is so, then why is it that I so easily fall into temptation? If my soul is the POWER by which I live by, why do I feel defeated and weak so easily? If my soul decides, why is it so hard for me to say "NO" when I really need to say "no"? These are the battles that I constantly fight in my inward being. Struggles that trouble my heart though not visible by others. So i really need to ask myself honestly, have i been living by mere emotions? (my soul decides) Have I been driven by my own thoughts? (my soul decides) Have I given in or given up? (my soul decides)

I NEED TO WAKE UP! I need to start getting a grip of my own life. I am in control because GOD IN ME is in control. It's time for me to stand up, be in control and live a life of conviction. "Your soul is your will to decide; it has to do with the direction your life is taking." If I do not start taking control of myself, i will continue to go downstream; being blinded by emotions, tossed and turned around because: i. just. cant. decide.

"Your soul is your DESIRES and PASSIONS" So if I can just get myself to DECIDE, my PASSION will drive me to do many things in life. It's like the "IT" factor. If i have IT, IT will drive me to seek Him passionately. IT will drive me to love Him, love His people. IT will drive me to be so in love with His Word, prayer and worship. IT will drive me to serve. IT will drive me to be so madly and deeply in tuned with Him; just wanting to LIVE FOR HIM and be able to say "You know what God, dont worry about my own expectations of what life should be, YOUR WILL be done in my life. Here I am. Nah! Take me! Use me!"

That's IT! That's PASSION! I want that. I want to be so passionate, so hungry for more, so thirsty for His presence, so madly in love with Him that I am able to let go of my whole self - and it's just me and Him. sounds great. sounds inspiring. but it's almost always impossible. easier said than done. But I will strive towards it. I will be honest with Him when I pray, and to let Him know that I truly want to learn to love Him with ALL my soul and I need His help to work in me to get me there.

Why? Because I am the only ME in all of creation. That means He's longing to hear MY voice, He's longing to see ME grow, He's waiting on ME to listen to His voice. HE WANTS ME! He wants ME to read His Word (not letting others interpreting it for me, but I MYSELF understanding Him), He wants to listen to MY voice in prayer (and not just others interceeding for me), He wants to hear MY worship to Him, He wants to see ME dancing/jumping around passionately and excitedly for Him, He wants to see ME on my knees before His throne. Not others. But ME. He wants ME. I have to question myself honestly, am I giving Him: "ME"? I need to stop looking to the right and to the left; I need to start walking on my own path with my God.

My soul decides. I am deciding on HIM today.

-Let-

"Love Him with ALL your SOUL. Your soul is where you DECIDE. Have you ever decided to do something, even though you didnt feel like doing it? You have a will. You're NOT driven by emotions or even by your thoughts. YOUR SOUL DECIDES."

We read that yesterday. Today, we are given more insight into what that really means. And as I type this, like Stan, I am not in the attempt to type out a sermon note here. We are all on the same page, what I read this morning still needs to be digested in me but here are my thoughts thus far and this is what I would say to myself:

My soul decides. I have a will. My soul is the power by which I live. If that is so, then why is it that I so easily fall into temptation? If my soul is the POWER by which I live by, why do I feel defeated and weak so easily? If my soul decides, why is it so hard for me to say "NO" when I really need to say "no"? These are the battles that I constantly fight in my inward being. Struggles that trouble my heart though not visible by others. So i really need to ask myself honestly, have i been living by mere emotions? (my soul decides) Have I been driven by my own thoughts? (my soul decides) Have I given in or given up? (my soul decides)

I NEED TO WAKE UP! I need to start getting a grip of my own life. I am in control because GOD IN ME is in control. It's time for me to stand up, be in control and live a life of conviction. "Your soul is your will to decide; it has to do with the direction your life is taking." If I do not start taking control of myself, i will continue to go downstream; being blinded by emotions, tossed and turned around because: i. just. cant. decide.

"Your soul is your DESIRES and PASSIONS" So if I can just get myself to DECIDE, my PASSION will drive me to do many things in life. It's like the "IT" factor. If i have IT, IT will drive me to seek Him passionately. IT will drive me to love Him, love His people. IT will drive me to be so in love with His Word, prayer and worship. IT will drive me to serve. IT will drive me to be so madly and deeply in tuned with Him; just wanting to LIVE FOR HIM and be able to say "You know what God, dont worry about my own expectations of what life should be, YOUR WILL be done in my life. Here I am. Nah! Take me! Use me!"

That's IT! That's PASSION! I want that. I want to be so passionate, so hungry for more, so thirsty for His presence, so madly in love with Him that I am able to let go of my whole self - and it's just me and Him. sounds great. sounds inspiring. but it's almost always impossible. easier said than done. But I will strive towards it. I will be honest with Him when I pray, and to let Him know that I truly want to learn to love Him with ALL my soul and I need His help to work in me to get me there.

Why? Because I am the only ME in all of creation. That means He's longing to hear MY voice, He's longing to see ME grow, He's waiting on ME to listen to His voice. HE WANTS ME! He wants ME to read His Word (not letting others interpreting it for me, but I MYSELF understanding Him), He wants to listen to MY voice in prayer (and not just others interceeding for me), He wants to hear MY worship to Him, He wants to see ME dancing/jumping around passionately and excitedly for Him, He wants to see ME on my knees before His throne. Not others. But ME. He wants ME. I have to question myself honestly, am I giving Him: "ME"? I need to stop looking to the right and to the left; I need to start walking on my own path with my God.

My soul decides. I am deciding on HIM today.

-Let-

Loving God with all your HEART

Today, i write to you as a fellow Christian, not as a cell leader or music director but as a human with weaknesses and still on this journey with God. I hope that this post will not teach you or give you tips on how to love. Rather, i hope it will inspire you to really think about this aspect of loving God with all your heart and to learn from our God that is love.

Your heart is where you feel.

I have had the privilege of spending my last 3 days with my dad who came here on a surprise visit. He claims that it was "Hari Raya" (a public holiday in Malaysia) and could not find tickets back to Kuching but i think it's because he misses me so dearly. Over the last few days, i have come to a conclusion that my dad loves me. He really does.

I know that he loves me but does he know that I love him? Speaking from a 'son' point of view, it can be hard to look my dad in the eye and tell him that i love him what more to tell him all my feelings and emotions. Well, at least to me it is.

Ever wonder why Jesus refers to God as God the father? I reckon that in many ways, God is just like a father, my dad. Yes, my dad is flawed in many ways and he's not perfect but i can see the nature of God the father through him. You see, God is just like your earthly dad. It's just that God is like times 10000000 more better in everything and much much more patient, perfect and forgiving than our earthly dads.

But it's the same thing with all dads, they love us and they want our love back in return. I cant remember the number times my dad has asked me 'How are you?' and 'How's life?' over the past 3 days and it's always the same when we're on the phone. He always wants to know how I'm doing and how i'm feeling. The same is with God, He wants to know how we are doing and more importantly he wants us to express affection towards him.

Both of them want to know the things that we go through and struggles in life and basically open up our hearts to them. Not just the normal, 'I'm fine dad.........i ate KFC today' or 'Hello God........cell was awesome!!' Even though God knows every little detail about you and your lifestyle, he wants you to tell him how you feel and love Him by pouring out your heart. I know my dad feels love (and sometimes worry) when i pour out my heart to him.

I belive that it shows a deeper connection and a higher relationship level when i can tell him how i'm feeling and the struggles i face. The same is with God, our father when we pray to him emotionally, not out of our head and knowledge but when we pray out our hearts and feelings to him. Even though we might struggle when it comes to opening up with our eathly dads, we have a heavenly dad that already knows what is going on with us but just wants our affection and love in return.

It's not wrong to talk to God when your sad or angry or down or madly in attracted with somebody you saw at SFAS. I believe that we're all made in His image and God has feelings as well, just as we do, it's just that he can handle it much better.

So really think about it and tell Him about yourself and how and what you are feeling RIGHT NOW. He's yearning for us love Him by sharing our most hidden feelings and emotions.

"I am your creator. You were in my care even before you were born." Isaiah 44:2

~stano~

Loving God with all your HEART

Today, i write to you as a fellow Christian, not as a cell leader or music director but as a human with weaknesses and still on this journey with God. I hope that this post will not teach you or give you tips on how to love. Rather, i hope it will inspire you to really think about this aspect of loving God with all your heart and to learn from our God that is love.

Your heart is where you feel.

I have had the privilege of spending my last 3 days with my dad who came here on a surprise visit. He claims that it was "Hari Raya" (a public holiday in Malaysia) and could not find tickets back to Kuching but i think it's because he misses me so dearly. Over the last few days, i have come to a conclusion that my dad loves me. He really does.

I know that he loves me but does he know that I love him? Speaking from a 'son' point of view, it can be hard to look my dad in the eye and tell him that i love him what more to tell him all my feelings and emotions. Well, at least to me it is.

Ever wonder why Jesus refers to God as God the father? I reckon that in many ways, God is just like a father, my dad. Yes, my dad is flawed in many ways and he's not perfect but i can see the nature of God the father through him. You see, God is just like your earthly dad. It's just that God is like times 10000000 more better in everything and much much more patient, perfect and forgiving than our earthly dads.

But it's the same thing with all dads, they love us and they want our love back in return. I cant remember the number times my dad has asked me 'How are you?' and 'How's life?' over the past 3 days and it's always the same when we're on the phone. He always wants to know how I'm doing and how i'm feeling. The same is with God, He wants to know how we are doing and more importantly he wants us to express affection towards him.

Both of them want to know the things that we go through and struggles in life and basically open up our hearts to them. Not just the normal, 'I'm fine dad.........i ate KFC today' or 'Hello God........cell was awesome!!' Even though God knows every little detail about you and your lifestyle, he wants you to tell him how you feel and love Him by pouring out your heart. I know my dad feels love (and sometimes worry) when i pour out my heart to him.

I belive that it shows a deeper connection and a higher relationship level when i can tell him how i'm feeling and the struggles i face. The same is with God, our father when we pray to him emotionally, not out of our head and knowledge but when we pray out our hearts and feelings to him. Even though we might struggle when it comes to opening up with our eathly dads, we have a heavenly dad that already knows what is going on with us but just wants our affection and love in return.

It's not wrong to talk to God when your sad or angry or down or madly in attracted with somebody you saw at SFAS. I believe that we're all made in His image and God has feelings as well, just as we do, it's just that he can handle it much better.

So really think about it and tell Him about yourself and how and what you are feeling RIGHT NOW. He's yearning for us love Him by sharing our most hidden feelings and emotions.

"I am your creator. You were in my care even before you were born." Isaiah 44:2

~stano~

Loving God with all your HEART

Today, i write to you as a fellow Christian, not as a cell leader or music director but as a human with weaknesses and still on this journey with God. I hope that this post will not teach you or give you tips on how to love. Rather, i hope it will inspire you to really think about this aspect of loving God with all your heart and to learn from our God that is love.

Your heart is where you feel.

I have had the privilege of spending my last 3 days with my dad who came here on a surprise visit. He claims that it was "Hari Raya" (a public holiday in Malaysia) and could not find tickets back to Kuching but i think it's because he misses me so dearly. Over the last few days, i have come to a conclusion that my dad loves me. He really does.

I know that he loves me but does he know that I love him? Speaking from a 'son' point of view, it can be hard to look my dad in the eye and tell him that i love him what more to tell him all my feelings and emotions. Well, at least to me it is.

Ever wonder why Jesus refers to God as God the father? I reckon that in many ways, God is just like a father, my dad. Yes, my dad is flawed in many ways and he's not perfect but i can see the nature of God the father through him. You see, God is just like your earthly dad. It's just that God is like times 10000000 more better in everything and much much more patient, perfect and forgiving than our earthly dads.

But it's the same thing with all dads, they love us and they want our love back in return. I cant remember the number times my dad has asked me 'How are you?' and 'How's life?' over the past 3 days and it's always the same when we're on the phone. He always wants to know how I'm doing and how i'm feeling. The same is with God, He wants to know how we are doing and more importantly he wants us to express affection towards him.

Both of them want to know the things that we go through and struggles in life and basically open up our hearts to them. Not just the normal, 'I'm fine dad.........i ate KFC today' or 'Hello God........cell was awesome!!' Even though God knows every little detail about you and your lifestyle, he wants you to tell him how you feel and love Him by pouring out your heart. I know my dad feels love (and sometimes worry) when i pour out my heart to him.

I belive that it shows a deeper connection and a higher relationship level when i can tell him how i'm feeling and the struggles i face. The same is with God, our father when we pray to him emotionally, not out of our head and knowledge but when we pray out our hearts and feelings to him. Even though we might struggle when it comes to opening up with our eathly dads, we have a heavenly dad that already knows what is going on with us but just wants our affection and love in return.

It's not wrong to talk to God when your sad or angry or down or madly in attracted with somebody you saw at SFAS. I believe that we're all made in His image and God has feelings as well, just as we do, it's just that he can handle it much better.

So really think about it and tell Him about yourself and how and what you are feeling RIGHT NOW. He's yearning for us love Him by sharing our most hidden feelings and emotions.

"I am your creator. You were in my care even before you were born." Isaiah 44:2

~stano~

The Attraction of Lesser Things

Hey guys!! It's day 2 and here we go!!

As I read through this chapter, the first revelation I had ... is that I already know about this! I know that (1) relationships are more important than money and that (2) relationships are more important than tasks. Yes I heard that too many times, from too many preachers ... and chances are, that you're in the same boat with me. So let's do a little checkbox yeah?

Knowing these 2 facts - check
Understanding these 2 facts - check
Doing these 2 facts - not-so-check
Living these 2 facts - no comment pls

Yeah we know the principle and we know it is good stuff, but doing it constantly is a whole other ball game ... especially when we realize from Chapter 1 and from what Peter shared, that relationships are both wonderful and painful.

It's like how we see the opposite gender in that everlasting phrase "Can't live with them, can't live without them". So true when it comes to relationships ... sometimes we feel it would be much better to just simplify things by having surface or superficial relationships ... to avoid the heartaches, headaches and pain but that ultimately leads us to having no real & true relationships at all.

And what did Chapter 1 say about that? A life without relationships may well be a simpler life, but it is also an empty life. Let's remember this when we read on about relationships yeah?


Lesser values take less faith and less effort and The lesser value always seems easier

Again ... great pointers here BUT can we really understand and relate here? Most of us do not work full time, perhaps some part-time job to help out with the allowance and the nicer things in life but honestly ... none of us (Passion that is) really understands how $$ and the work that earns the $$ can control our lives. But we do understand something else quite clearly that funnily enough ... have the same excuses as working for money.

And that's our STUDIES. Let's look at our excuses yeah?

I got test/assignments coming up!
I got report/promotion coming up!

I have a responsibility to do well in my studies
I have a responsibility to earn a living

I'll have time after these exams/assignments
I'll have time after these promotions/project

Studies and work are important!! And we should excel in them because we honor God and become a good testimony and steward by doing well at our studies/work. But it shouldn't be what controls your life. I love the story of Bucky and I think we can slightly change his ending to make the moral more evident.

"I really can't afford to be gone right now, but decided that twenty years from now people wouldn't remember or care about my HDs, but the person who needs my time now will remember it for the rest of his/her life."

Friends, many of us make the excuse that "we will do it later when there's more time", but that will never happen. There's always another assignment, another report, another project. If we don't make the time now, we wouldn't when we start earning our wages.

Choose the greater value TODAY.

And there are some of us who worry about how little $$ we have as students and whether there will be enough at the end of the day. To this, God has the greatest encouragement for you.

"So I tell you, don't worry about everyday life - whether you have enough food, drink and clothes. Doesn't life consist of more than food and clothing?" Matthew 6:25 NLT

Doesn't life consist of more than food and clothing? Very strong words ... but very evident ones. We don't need to try to worry, there's plenty out there for us to worry about every single hour, minute and second. Life is more than just worrying, especially when we have the God of the how much more yeah?

In closing I want to share about a friend who recently found out he logged 300 DAYS PLAYING TIME on a certain game, that's close to a year in terms of time spent in front of the computer screen playing a game. I asked him what he had to show for all that time and money spent on that game ... what skills, what values, what impacting or life changing moments?

Friends, if we acknowledge the importance of money and time, then what do the ways in which I spend my time and money say about the top priorities in my life?

I don't judge my friend, and I actually think that game is really really awesome, something I could be sucked into as well! But this is a clear example of inbalance and like our book says ... A healthy relationship with God and healthy relationships with others have the power to keep our commitments to the things and the tasks in our lives from getting out of balance.

So let's invest in healthy relationships, towards others and especially to God. Remember ... choose the greater value today and not of those that are lesser things.

with much love,
Max