D.I.P

Radical Church #2 - A Radical Sacrifice

2012-01-23T03:09:00.000+08:00

To be the radical church, it calls us to do certain things and not to do certain things. It calls us to be apart from the social norm, for what the world wants is different from what God values.

The question for us hence is, are we going to remain the same, or are we going to do something about it?

It calls for a radical sacrifice. In the book of Acts, the early church were filled with love so much so that they put away selfishness, sold their own possessions to help those in need (Acts 4). The way they shared is something that we could hardly imagine in today's society!

Yet they did it, and they were simply following the example of Christ who gave his life for us, a radical sacrifice for the King of Kings to die for Man. He loved us, and gave Himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God (Eph 5:2).

There are three levels of giving, the 'I have to', 'I need to' and 'I want to'. Let our giving to God be at a deeper level, a sacrificial life for God. It may mean that we lose some things in the present, it may be tough, but in the context of eternity, our reward is in heaven.

Let us live like Paul who had written 'I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God' (Acts 20:24). Like Esther, who boldly declared as she decided to approach her king, 'If I perish, I perish' (Est 4:16). Even in modern days, we had people like William Hunter and Elizabeth Fry who had given their lives for the Gospel.

We may not be faced with a life and death choice, but what if such a situation where our life is put on a line comes around, what will our choice be? What if revival depends on us? Our prayer, our obedience, our faith, and without us the church would never experience revival. Will we be a people who will stand up for God and say here I am, I am willing to be an agent for Him?

The generation we live in is unfortunately a perverse generation, but the choice is ultimately ours. Instead of conforming, all the more we must choose to stand up for Christ and live out loud!

The radical church begins with our radical sacrifice!

Radical Church #1

2012-01-15T20:53:00.004+08:00

This week, Destiny Impact started on a new series,

Personally, when I think about radical, the Acts church naturally came into my mind.

Like Jesus, the Acts church turned the world upside down. (Acts 17:6)

They were willing to give their all to Jesus.

So what made them press on to be radical for Jesus?

It was further elaborated in the following point:

#1. Jesus left behind for His church The unfinished task.

that is, to be His witness to the world. (Acts 1:8)

and the time is NOW. not later, not tomorrow, not next week. For the harvest is ready! (John 4:35)

God has given us this great privilege to hear the Good News, so let us not keep

it to ourselves but share it with our friends! Don't keep quiet about what God has done in our lives and also, let us stop helping our friends to give excuses to not invite them to church.

However, living a radical life is not easy, we may face persecutions, trials, etc (just like what the Acts church faced), but Christ needs to be proclaimed and God will help us(Ephesians 6:19)! By calling and doing the Great Commission, we are expressing our love to Jesus. Since Jesus has offered up His life for us, let us offer our lives to Him as well!

Coca Cola Company has a huge dream. Their vision is that everyone around the world will hold a can of coke in their hands. A soft drink company can have such a huge dream, how much more should we think about the Gospel to reach to the ends of the Earth which God has called us to do?

Lastly, every single one of us has a mission field. Let us join hands with God to do the unfinished task!

Be radical and let's give our all to Jesus!

Simplify for Greatness.

2012-01-08T19:11:00.002+08:00

It was the first saturday of the year! Impactors streamed into honor room excitedly to learn the formula to simplify!

nope, it wasn't any ordinary math formula for simplification, but, the formula to...

Simplify for Greatness!

Is your life filled with many complexities? Do you feel like you can't breathe from the many things at hand?

Do you feel like there's not enough time to finish all the things on the to-do list? Do you live on to-do lists?

Do you speak faster because you feel that there is not enough time to say all you want to say? Do you multitask and try to get more than one things done at a time?

Do you find it difficult to say no to things that add on to our burdens? We're packed with many activities in our lives.

A schedule from a typical student (like me.)

Besides, in this world of technology, we can do anything on the go. The after-effects? We become slaves to our time-saving gadgets. Ironic, isn't it? We become hungry for speed, wanting things fast and quick. However, if we are ten times more advanced than our ancestors, why are we not ten times more contented than them? More people are getting stressed up.

This lifestyle will be subtly reflected in our spiritual life as well. We can't wait for God, because we want things now. Now! NOW!!!

Some may even be addicted to being busy. If we're packed in our lives, we might end up becoming spiritually dry. If we have so many things to do, we'd have no time to talk to God and read His Word.

Lets take a look into Jesus' life. He is highly demanded and wanted by many. He has to heal, to preach, to do so many things, but he was never in a rush. We need to learn from Jesus - To simplify for Greatness.

Matthew 11:28-30

"Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly."

Find a place to retreat and regain our sanity, an escape from this world. We need to get away with God and enjoy being in the presence of God. The world still runs on without us doing our projects.

God wants to simplify our lives.

Say NO to things that lead to complexity and a stressful, tired life. We tend to say yes without thinking of the consequences of our actions because we want to be loved and accepted. We tend to think doing additional things and OVERcommitting our time to please others will get us accepted by them. Let us not let the world determine our identity in Christ, but have a deep understanding of who you are in Him, and an understanding of God's love for us.

Let's make 3 decisions in our lives today:

Acknowledge that there is too much in our lives and simplify it. (before we start believing that busyness is good, cut it.)

Say yes to the values of God. To the truth. Let us live life according to God's values and not of the world's, for the world chase after busyness, while God is asking us to get away with him and slowdown. Let God's values guide our lives.

Speaking of values, these are some of the values of God.

God loves us for who we are- He's crazy about us. His love has the power to transform our lives. Let us be secured in the love of God, and not of men. (Ephesians 3)
God made us to be in a community. God did not make you to be in this world alone. (Hebrews 10:25)
God made us to rest. Our bodies are wired to rest (spiritually, mentally, physically)

Say yes to what's really important. We make decisions daily, so let our decisions be something. May God grant us wisdom to make decisions according to His will and not our's! Gauge what's important in our lives by the will and the values of God as mentioned in the Bible!

Have a great week ahead, Impactors!

Live Out Loud! (Part II)

2012-01-08T01:07:00.000+08:00

Heres just one additional one from our very own camp commandant!

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Eugene Leong - Kairos - Member of Grenothiesssu - Camp Commandant

For many, camps end with a plunging feeling, due to an array of reasons. Perhaps it is due to the end to the back-to-back fellowship with the family we have in God; perhaps due to the end to the exciting games that span the day; perhaps due to the end of the breather we take from the harsh and hectic routines of studies and CCAs.

I've always missed the feeling of attending a camp. Youth camps, especially, are a personal favourite. Those who share this feeling would agree that we identify ourselves with the camp, the activities, the people and the things we learn about ourselves, one another and God.

We feel fondly for the experiences we have even in that short four days or so. After all, we're on a learning journey. It is God's blessing that I was privileged to experience and learn even more this year than in the previous years. I've learnt from God; from myself; from the faithful committee serving alongside me; from the Eagles who introduced me to edifying leadership and service; and from many unique "commoners".

I've learnt to Listen to the opinions of others and value their perspectives; to Offer my assistance whenever people may need it; to Value other as the ones Jesus died for; and to Encourage others to be the people God envisioned them to be in His great plans. I've learnt to LOVE with actions, to live out loud the love God pours into our lives so we can pour it into the lives of others.

To me, a camp is successful not because of perfect plans or excellent executions -- but because we encountered God in the midst of it all. In that same spirit, may we value every encounter with God, even our weekly Saturday gatherings to meet God as a family.

To God be all glory!

Preparing for the new year

2012-01-07T08:34:00.003+08:00

As we start the new year, we examine our lives and our plans from henceforth, even questioning the purpose of which we are living for. We ask ourselves- do our purposes have lasting value? What will happen to us when they lose their meaning? Or are they simply distractions in the first place, pulling us from what we should actually be focusing on?

With the fresh start of the new year, let's set our focus right! Phil 3:10-14 encourages us - as we remember our downs, let us remember that Jesus had it more than us! Press on with the power of Christ!

Often, one of the barriers we face is the inability to forget what is behind. Some of us can't look forward because we can't move on from our regrets. We fail to forget what we should forget and remember what we should remember. Indeed, the past can be a prison that entraps us, haunting us and affecting the present. Things like our failures, sin add up to condemn us and cripple us from being able to break the pattern of the world. Often we are unable to see past this hurdle.

We need to let go of the past, and trust in God's record of it! Hebrews 10:17 confirms that God will "remember no more", and He means it! It is not that He is forgetful, but he chooses to. Yet it doesn't mean that God doesn't care about the broken-hearted (Psalm 147:3 and Psalm 34:18). Let's learn to let go, and let God (if we hold any memories that hurt us) for there is no broken heart that is too big for God to mend.

Also, we have to strain towards what is ahead. Let's not be comfortable with what we currently have - but instead have holy discontent, for the things of God! [Strain] suggests stretching a muscle further and further, continuously pushing forcibly towards something. In the same way, let us strain spiritually! We shouldn't follow Jesus as and when we feel like it. To be christian means to be a little Christ, a follower that keeps his eyes on God. So give God your best life and not the leftovers, because He gave us His best!

However, we can't do that just by having that in our minds alone. Serve God! Not only in church, but in schools, in our workplaces. Indeed, no matter where or who we are, let us give God our best. We must also remember to not let the world determine who we are, and value ourselves the way God values us!

In 2012, let us be an example to the people around us! And let us rise up, as people of God, who are not made to settle for anything less than Him. Let us not lose our roles in the kingdom of God, for we are made for greater things(:

So let us look ahead! Are you ready? The year where God is with us starts now.

Live Out Loud!

2012-01-04T02:50:00.001+08:00

Its been two weeks since LOL ended, but memories certainly do remain fresh. Through the camp, lives have been touched and changed. Here are some camp reflections/testimonies by some of the campers and camp committee members!

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Nicholas Lim - Rhema - AGL of Nepaceit

Firstly, the camp was awesome!! It was the first awesome-est(if there is such a word) camp I have ever attended!! Before the camp, I felt very excited for the camp because most of my friends were attending and I thought that this camp was going to be like the other camps that I have went. But something happened in this camp, I had my very first encounter with God!! During the camp, I was encountering God everywhere I went!! I must admit that the feeling (God's encounter) was simply amazing, it was the best feeling I have ever had in my entire life.

Hmmm.. I was appointed to being a assist group leader for my group. It was not an easy job but I managed to do it with the help of the Sheena, who was the leader for my group, and not forgetting God. Without both of them, I would not know what to do, how to bring the group together. And without the effort and hardwork the camp committee invested into planning and running, and also those who went for the camp, this camp would not be a camp anymore!!

Lastly, I have learnt to live out loud!! Thank God for this camp :D

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Sheena Ang - Zoe - GL of Nepaceit

LOL is an abbreviation commonly used by the world to imply Laughing Out Loud. Now, it serves as a connection trigger, a constant reminder to myself to live my life out loud for God. The first interpretation upon reading LOL is no longer Laughing Out Loud. Instead, it's Living Out Loud.

Emmanuel, God with us.

There may be times when we feel abandoned by God and we questioned God. God knows our heart. He knows all our struggles and weaknesses. He knows what we have been going through. He knows all the frustrations, all the stress, all the temptations we have been battling. He knows all our hopes and desires. He knows all our dreams and aspirations. He understands the plans and goals we have set for ourselves. He knows everything about us, and he cares about our lives.

We asked for 80 campers and indeed, He intervened and gave us 80 campers. I was in awe upon knowing how the number of campers increased exponentially as the date draws near. Hallelujah!

God is with us throughout our day in all our activities. God charts the path ahead for us. He gives us directions as he guides our steps. God places his hand of blessing on our head, blessing us along the way. God has us in his care and watches over us both ahead and behind.

The mere thought of how God zooms into the little details of the lives of every individual overwhelms me. How great is His love.

Behind every baby step that we take, behind every decision that we make, God is in control and everything is part of His plan to bless us abundantly. I thank God for even allowing me to manage my schedule such that I am able to avail myself for this camp.

For those who know, my December schedule was crazily packed with events. I thank God for granting me a pink health and sufficient energy to accompany me throughout both CIA and DI camps, Phuket trip, and Christmas celebrations. We tend to assume that all these are possible because we're still young. Indeed, these are not all wrong, but these are not all right either. I thank God for allowing me to rest in Him, for He is the one who makes all things possible!

The LOL camp experience allows me to revisit my purpose in God's kingdom. God has a plan for me. God has a plan for every individual. We have to keep our eyes open to see what God has for us, we have to keep our hearts open to accept and trust in Him, we have to keep ours hands lifted up to receive what He intends to give us. God sees our merits and flaws, but He still loves us as who we are. His love for us is beyond our comprehension. Let us stop comparing ourselves with others and feeling lousy in return. Let us stop allowing the world to determine our worth. Instead, let's take in constructive feedbacks on what others say about us, keep ourselves in check, improve and better ourselves as children of God. Let what the world says be a fuel to our lamps, and not a shade to dim our lights. As an adage goes, "failure is the mother of success", failure is not final. Everyone encounters failure or failures in life, but whether or not we become successful depends on how we deal with these failures in life. Let's not wallow in sorrow or self-pity, instead, take every opportunity to learn from these failures and emerge as victors. Be a light that shines brightly, be a joy to the people around you. Live a life out loud for God and be a walking testimony of God's word.

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Cherie Soon - Sophia - Member of Yerittign - Welfare IC

LOL camp have been really really exciting, busy and awesome!

Firstly, serving in the committee made me view youth camps from a different perspective and i gained experiences from serving God in this camp. I'm grateful to play a part in organizing a camp for our enthusiastic campers! Seeing campers from different zones getting to know each other better, sophia growing closer(YAY!). It was really heartwarming to receive encouragement cards from different people in my sock. And we definitely want to thank God for the new friends who joined us!

Secondly, i want to thank Gladys for her message! For me, the message really spoke to me. It has reassured me that God loves us no matter what happens, who we are, and there is no need to compare ourselves or long for anything other than God!

Sometimes, our worldly desires might be so strong that we want these things more than God, but hey guys! Living out loud is not about what the world has! Neither is it about trends ok! WE HAVE A GREAT GOD THAT WE WANT THE WORLD TO KNOW! So let's go out and be a light giver, impacting the souls that God has placed in our lives!

Lastly, thank you camp comm, fun campers for this memorable camp!

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Amaris Lee - Sophia - AGL of Urstt

I really thank God for giving me an opportunity to be an AGL in Urstt. If not for that, I wouldn't have made the effort to talk to the new friends huhu! ^^ This camp had also brought me closer to God & have taught me the real meaning of 'Living Out Loud' for Him

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Jethro Tay - Phoster - Game Master

Having been called to serve in this year's camp committee, it was indeed a great challenge for me. Time was definitely not on my side as I struggled to balance army, ministry and planning for the camp's games. Many a times I felt like giving up, contented with just letting my fellow game-mistress Jeraldine handle everything. However, God was indeed gracious and faithful, and He never failed to grant me strength, both physically as well as spiritually. This was the first youth camp I did not belong to any games group, and it allowed me to see campers and the entire camp from another perspective. Serving God's people was such an awesome feeling. Though there were plenty of hiccups and obstacles along the way, God's hand was there to pick us up time and time again. Many lives were touched and transformed, and I believe God was working and moving during this camp. I really want to thank God for all that He has provided and blessed us with, and I pray that the change in the hearts of the campers will last a lifetime, and not ust during the duration of the camp. All glory be to God!! :)

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Teo Weiyang - Kairos - Member of Cestuji

Another wonderful year with DI, and another camp, with another fresh encounter with God. Even though there is a camp every year, I believe that each one is significant and precious in their own way, and unique because of the way God moves with us.

LOL camp has certainly been a camp where God moved. The games were really fun, exploring the eastern landmarks of Singapore, losing oneself in the role of a detective in a world of treachery and murder, and even the wet games, which were strangely as exciting as it was dirty (which it was, in spades). The messages were powerful and inspired me to truly use my life to glorify God, even in my youth. Of course, the people present made the camp what it was too – there is something wonderful about living four days together with your brothers and sisters in Christ!

But most endearing to me, the evidence of God’s moving in the camp, was the little things. The good weather that we so hoped for so the games could run smoothly was a testament to God’s enduring faithfulness. Friends encouraging one another, campers encouraging the games ICs (you guys did a great job!) were a representation of God’s love in our lives, reflected in the love shown towards each other. Campers who volunteered to bathe and eat later to clean up after games; Encounter Service Team members who continually cut short their mealtimes to prepare for worship; Imagine team who stayed up all night to prepare the camp video – all these displayed sacrifice, and reminded me of Jesus’ own sacrifice on the cross for us. Our voices may have been broken and hoarse, but God must have felt that this was true worship, for our voices were lost because of the effort we put in so that each camper could enjoy this camp as much as possible.

At the end of the day, I realise that God moves in large ways – powerful encounters with the Spirit of God, moving and rousing sermons, awesome miraculous healings… but also in the small ways – personal sacrifices and all. Ultimately, He is the glue that binds us all together. Here’s to a great camp that we’ve experienced!

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Surely the camp has been a great experience for all. Yet we must all remember, the camp was never meant to be an end in itself, but the beginning of a new journey. It must never remain just a memory, but what we have learnt in the camp must translate into our lives, in our drawing closer to God, in our understanding of what it really means to live out loud.

You Could Even Say It Glows!

2011-12-29T23:59:00.001+08:00

You Could Even Say It Glows was the highly anticipated Christmas event organised by Destiny Impact on Christmas Eve, where impactors gathered to come and discover the true meaning of Christmas together. Impactors were told to come dressed in green or red and also to bring a gift worth at least two dollars.

As impactors entered the room, they were all given a green card with a number on it. When the event began, each impactor was randomly handed a yellow card with another number on it. They then had to find the person who held the green card with the same number and pass their gift to them. The gift exchange soon began as impactors walked around the room looking to find the people who they have to pass their gifts to as well as those whom they hope to receive from.

Following the gift exchange, there began a time of fun and games. Pass the parcel was one such game, where music would be played in the background as a parcel is passed around a huge circle. When the music stops, the person holding on the parcel would have to open it and follow the instructions written on it, usually a forfeit for the entire zone involving the YCESIG dance.

Another game played would be pin the nose on rudolf. The game comes with a twist, the blindfolded person is guided by two other people, one of whom speaks the truth of where rudolf's nose is while the other is a saboteur. Hilarity ensues as the two impactors fight for the attention of the confused blindfolded impactor who does not quite know who to listen to.

Neither gifts nor games were enough to capture the true spirit of Christmas however. As such, boss peixuan took the stage to deliver a short message, inclusive of a pop quiz and a truth vs myth section, about what Christmas is really all about.

Eventually, it is revealed that the true spirit of Christmas is indeed found in the birth of Christ, the coming of the Light of the world. As the lights were turned off, a lone candle is seen burning in a corner of the room, previously unnoticed by many impactors. The message is clear, in the darkness, even a small light can be seen. As Christ is the Light of the world, we are all called to be lights of the world as well. The mystery of what is it that glows is finally revealed, it is the impactors, who shine the light of Christ to the rest of the world.

Thats not the end though, impactors were treated to a sumptuous christmas eve meal, consisting of oversized fishballs, curry puffs, sardine puffs and chicken wings! In addition to that, the YCESIG team also baked delicious cupcakes for each and every single impactor!

Truly, YCESIG has shown all what Christmas really means. It is not simply about games and gifts, but in reality about the wonder of the incarnation of Jesus Christ.

Refuel part 2

2011-12-04T18:56:00.003+08:00

Last week, we were reminded of how God doesn't want us to live our lives emptily, but instead be filled with power and life. We learnt that filling up check-lists do not necessarily equate to a filled life, especially if we are merely doing them for the sake of it. In light of this, what are the attitudes we should adopt such that we connect with Him?

This might be familiar to many of us - sometimes we go through life opening its 'boxes', expectant, yet ending up getting disappointed, even disillusioned. For example, while we may get excited making up resolutions, there may be times where we inevitably burn out and become unable to sustain them. That is because our objectives should fueled by our desire, stemmed from our connection with God, for our lives change radically as we grow in Him.

Psalm 25:14 encourages us greatly - "The LORD confides in those who fear him; he makes his covenant known to them", indicating how those who fear Him - those who truly and properly revere Him, seeking Him, are admitted into the intimacy of friendship with Him.

With this in mind, there are three pointers which we must keep close to our hearts.

Firstly, stop thinking that God as a entity faraway, or even unreachable, but rather one who is personal and close to each and every one of us. There are so many reminders of this truth in the bible!

1 Corinthians 3:16 - "Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst?"

Romans 8:11 - "And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you." (Indeed, the same spirit who lifted Jesus from death lives in us!)

Ephesians 1:13 - "And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit"

Revelations 3:20 - "Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me."

Matthew 28:20 - "and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

Hebrews 13:5 - "Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”

Let us hold fast to His promises, for God does not lie!

Secondly, start enjoying small connections with Him. Constantly communicate throughout the day, making full use of the privilege we are blessed with, that we do not have to make appointments to contact our God! Call to Him and He'll be with you, as Jeremiah 33:3 confirms. However, that does not mean that all our connections with God have to be small, but rather, we must not underestimate the significance of these little moments of connection in refueling!

Thirdly, start looking for connection triggers, which are things and moments personal to us that cause us to be reminded of Him. Let us be constantly reminded and inspired by God's work around us. Indeed, the greatness of our God is unmistakable - let us be wide-eyed and grateful! Rather then just allocating time out for Him, we should involve Him in every moment of our lives (:

Refuel!

2011-12-02T13:17:00.003+08:00

Most of us are familiar with fuel gauges – an instrument which indicates the level of fuel contained in the tank. This is significant as it translates roughly to the duration in which the vehicle can function; as the needle tilts towards “E” (empty), there is a necessity to turn to the next petrol kiosk for refilling. If we carry on without heeding the sign, we might end up stuck in the middle of the road.

Our spiritual lives require refueling too. Yet a key difference is that we should not wait till we’re running on empty, spiritually dry before filling up. Nor should we just count on camps and Saturday encounters. Our journey with God must be consistent, and our refueling must happen each and every day.

While it is true that we cannot completely fathom the depth of God’s love, we are meant to be filled. In Ephesians 3:14-21:

“For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.”

Keeping in mind that our Christian walk should not fluctuate, and that we should always “top up” and be constantly filled, let us also examine our lives and recall the fundamental aspect of what it means to be a Christian – that is to connect with Him, to have a relationship with Him. Have our spiritual lives become a check-list, our faith turned into the sum of the responsibilities we have fulfilled? While these responsibilities are not to be undermined, it is of paramount importance to understand that they are not a need, but rather a want that is derived from our connection with Him.

In other words, we should not be bogged down by what we have not done, nor is Christianity focused upon our performance. Let us remember that Jesus’ approach was invitational (Matthew 11:28), and in the same way, despite all our shortcomings, we are accepted and invited to connect with Him.

Hence, let us

• Stop feeling like a failure (Romans 3:22)

• Start thinking of God as a friend ( John 15:15)

- And Come boldly to the throne of our gracious God, approaching with confidence

• Look for connection opportunities

Do not have a performance-based faith, for it leads to rituals, checklists, failure to uphold them, guilt, and ultimately even withdrawal and emptiness. This undermines our relationship with Him! Let’s not feel unworthy of His love, and reject Him as a result. After all, He died on the cross for us.

In conclusion, refueling occurs when we connect with God. Activities like bible study and going to Church are effects of this connection, a wanting that is spurred within us rather than a regulation or merely a habit. Let us not forget our motivation in the first place lies in developing our relationship with Him. If we lose sight of this, there is no point in what we do.

LOL Camp Video 3

2011-11-26T21:21:00.002+08:00

For the win!

2011-11-21T23:08:00.000+08:00

On 19th November, Destiny Impact celebrated the end of year holidays (for most students at least) with an event that promised great fun and food, and it certainly did deliver on what was promised!

Impactors and new friends came down to honour room where after a time of worship, the hosts of the day, Scarlet and Rachel, introduced the games that we would be playing to us, starting with icebreakers which allowed for the people in their various groups to get acquainted with one another. A game of broken telephone was played, but with a twist - each person had to place a marshmallow in their mouth while passing on the message! And if anyone thought that was too easy, the stakes were raised in the next two rounds as marshmallows were substituted for celery and even listerine ice cubes!

The station games then began, with four different stations for impactors to travel to, with games played ranging from hangman and charades to seeking for 'cold hard cash'. Teams competed with one another and scored points, these of which were translated into currency for the bidding of condiments for some ice cream!

All in all, it was a highly enjoyable day and certainly a good break to have after all the intensive examination periods not too long before. Impactors had fun, had a good dessert, and most importantly strengthened old bonds, made new friends. It would certainly be one of the times of which impactors will look back and remember.

To Save A Life

2011-11-14T09:17:00.004+08:00

Many impactors were perhaps pleasantly surprised by the deviation of our usual routine of D.I. Encounter on Saturday - instead of having chairs, we sat on the floor. And that's not the fun part - we got to eat chips while we watched snippets from the movie "To Save A Life"!

I shan't spoil the movie for those who have not watched it before. All I can say is that it's basically about a teenage boy trying to find meaning in life and God after his friend committed suicide.

The movie was very well made and thought provoking as it touches upon issues of the common-yet-difficult struggles of a youth in this messed up world. As we multiply into our cell groups to share about what we've watched, we discovered that perhaps we as Christians have too often judged a person through their appearance or actions and have failed to really just relate with that person.

I won't go into great detail of the movie and the lessons learnt but I'll just leave you guys with this question that we've heard on Saturday as well: What's the point of going to church, reading the bible etc if we're not going to let them change us?

Once you've lost something you thought you couldn't live without, only to find that God Himself will sustain you, it gives you faith to move forward after the next setback.

To learn more about the movie, click here.

Hour of Power (19th November 2011)

2011-11-09T21:56:00.008+08:00

This evening we gathered for meaning, we gathered for power. We sang our hearts out at the grace and love of our God - who held nothing back in His pursuit of you and me. He inspired us to love beyond ourselves and to intercede with our hearts for people and things that mattered for eternity. Here're some snapshots and what Impactors have to say!

Meditation during worship:

And I remember how You saw me

Through the eyes of Your grace

And though the cost was Your beloved for me

Still You made a way

We individually drew prayer request slips submitted last Saturday and began to seek the Holy Spirit's inspiration in intercession.

After interceding, we decided to text words of encouragement to the Impactors whose requests we were praying for.

We've not finished praying for every slip of prayer request that matters, would you join us next week?!

Some shouts from the dudes @ HOP this evening:

@Boss

We are a family that prays for one another. A praying church is a growing church. Praying for this family as we grow together.

@Le Fa

Really wish to see the people whom I do not know yet prayed for come to DI one day. And when I've befriended them, I can tell them, "I prayed for you before I even knew you! Haha!" Praise God! :D

@Scarlet

Familiar, yet refreshing!

@Lynette

The prayer snippets are really encouraging, to know that others also care for the same bits and pieces of things as you, and are praying for the same issues as you. It's also a portal where we can get to know another Impactor at a deeper level and thus grow in unity! :D Praise God! :)

@Andy Philip

Praise God! As I was praying, I had a revelation that I am actually part of the answer to that very prayer I'm saying. Here's what I drew:

I suppose as I pray for Impactors to unite in love for one another, I want and need to get involved too right?!

@Petrina

Tonight's HOP was amazing! Really reminded me that prayer is not a dead thing or just empty words going into space, but is the living, active outpouring of the Holy Spirit in our words, actions, attitudes and lives as we stand in the gap for the people of God! :)

@Justin
The prayer snippets really taught me the meaning of loving beyond our zones. To pray for a person of another zone about a specific need helps to connect with one another and to know the heart of each Impactor. So come, every Wednesday, Keep It Real and Make It Loud!

Thought of the Day: As we gather to pray, we may discover that God wants to use us (every Impactor) to be an agent of love, encouragement and blessing to our fellow Impactors. Who knows? You might be part of the answer to an Impactor's prayer request!

Colossians 4:2-6

2011-11-06T22:35:00.002+08:00

Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart. ³ Pray for us, too, that God will give us many opportunities to speak about his mysterious plan concerning Christ. That is why I am here in chains. ⁴ Pray that I will proclaim this message as clearly as I should.

⁵ Live wisely among those who are not believers, and make the most of every opportunity. ⁶ Let your conversation be gracious and attractive^[a] so that you will have the right response for everyone.

Prayer delights God:

The LORD detests the sacrifice of the wicked, but he delights in the prayers of the upright.
Proverbs 15:8

God is seated at His throne listening to his children (us) praying to him. I believe, if we could see Him, He'd be smiling as He delights Himself in our prayers. God is looking out for the prayer of a righteous man (us, since we're made righteous through the Blood of Christ!)

Since prayer delights God, let us talk to God wherever we are, because God is interested in it, no matter how boring or little the issue may be to us. We can be assured that God always listens and he understands our circumstance. Like a loving Father, God is delighted when we speak and He takes pleasure in His children.

Prayer is a Privilege.

Everyone pray. However, prayer is a privilege the the people of God. Why should we find it a chore to do our daily devotionals to God? In fact, we should do all we can to pray and speak to God. (No matter how tired we are.)

How to Pray?

We should all devote ourselves in prayer. (root word of devote: Be strong) Prayer should not be something that we do during a crisis or out of desperation. Even earthly relationships require communication to stand strong, let alone our relationship with our Father in Heaven? Without prayer, our relationship with God would be at the stage where 'we don't talk anymore'. If that happens, our relationship with God would be at the pits.

Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
Matthew 26:41

Always remember that the devil knows the power of prayer and is afraid of it. Therefore, he'll do all he can to make us sleepy or unfocused whenever we try to pray.

And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart.
Luke 18:1

Never lose heart,

Pray without ceasing
1 Thessalonians 5:17

Even though it may seem like nothing is happening, we should have Faith and trust in God, for we know He hears our prayers!

Then, be like Meerkats!

We need to be alert and watchful for the spiritual attacks in all directions and ways. The devil is on the watch for imitators of Christ (us) and strives to bring them down. Be alert for our own spiritual life, and pray against temptations and bad habits. At the same time, watch out for our fellow brother in Christ, always giving support to one another. Lastly, watch out for the world and its condonation of laws that are not of the Word.
Finally, Pray with thanksgiving in all circumstances. Amidst exams, amidst the stress we face at work, we ought to be thankful; thankful for education, thankful for a stable income.

Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you who belong to Christ Jesus
1 Thessalonians 5:18

In addition, being thankful and contented makes our heart open for the spirit:

Never worry about anything. Instead, in every situation let your petitions be made known to God through prayers and requests, with thanksgiving.
Philippians 4:6

What can we pray about?

At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison—
Colossians 4:3

We can spread God's word if the heart of the recipient is hardened. It is impossible to soften and break the hearts of others spiritually by our own strength. But with Man, this is impossible, but with God, all things are possible! (Matt 19:26) Only by the power of His holy spirit, can we touch the hearts of others.

On a sidenote, we should know how to proclaim the word of God clearly and know how to share the Gospel:
4 spiritual laws:
1. God loves you and have a wonderful plan for your life. (John 3:16, John 10:10)
2. Man is sinful and separated from God. (Romans 3:23)
3. Jesus is God's provision for man's sin.
4. We need to receive Jesus in our life as savior and Lord.
Besides saying this to others, we should remind ourselves of this good news every morning, and give thanks to God for Jesus :)

Watch out for our conduct and our actions.
Be wise in the way we live our lives.

Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time.

Colossians 4:5

If time is currency, what would you spend it on? If you had to pay 1 million dollars for 1 hour of your life, (thank God we don't have to) would you spend it on things that are temporal, or things that actually matter for eternity?

Let your speech always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person.
Colossians 4:6

Know how to apply our knowledge of God's word. Live it out loud, and not keep it within your mind! Is your knowledge of God's word mind-knowledge or heart-knowledge? Can other's see God's word through you? Are you living it out?

and to aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we instructed you, so that you may walk properly before outsiders and be dependent on no one.
(1 Thessalonians 4:11-12 ESV)

People have higher standards for Christians and are constantly looking at us and watching our every behaviour. Let people see our actions and glorify the name of our Father who is in Heaven!

In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.
Matthew 5:16

Futhermore, be reminded that everyone is a child of God, that we should appreciate each person for who they are. Always be polite and say a word of thanks to others for helping us out. (even to the auntie at the Kopitiam! -- you wouldn't know the difference it makes to her day!)

Every moment is an opportunity to honor God.

Watch how we respond to things and circumstance,

The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks.
Luke 6:14

Watch our heart, watch our conduct, watch our lives, watch our prayers. Be alert!

Have a good week!

Colossians 3:18-22

2011-10-30T14:36:00.005+08:00

Instructions for Christian Households

18 Wives, submit yourselves to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.
19 Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them.

20 Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord.

21 Fathers,[c] do not embitter your children, or they will become discouraged.

22 Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything; and do it, not only when their eye is on you and to curry their favor, but with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord. 23 Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, 24 since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. 25 Anyone who does wrong will be repaid for their wrongs, and there is no favoritism.

We all hate it. The moments when our parents are striken with strange symptoms like naggyness, overprotectiveness, over-reaction to the littlest things and the list goes on.

And yet as we've seen in verse 20, in order to please God, we gotta obey our parents! Hmm, and I'm pretty sure Impactors love God and want to please Him right? (WE ARE GOD CHASERS!)

In addition, if we would look closely into verse 20, God is calling us to obey our parents IN EVERYTHING! Ahh we are such sinful creatures.

Also in verses 22-25 (and it's not really only talking about poor slaves literally, so we really can't sit back and shake leg), God calls us to be work at everything with all our hearts, as if working for the Lord. It sounds easy in principle, yet when we're faced with that pile of unending homework, the looming and dreadful examinations, the annoying project mates who do not do their work, the irritating officers in army who keep pushing our buttons etc etc, we conveniently chuck God aside. And how about the good things like getting good grades, gaining recognition in our CCAs or rising the ranks in army/work? How often are we susceptible to receive that glory as if it was by our own strength that has enabled us to achieve all those and forget that it is God whom we serve?

*ahem ahem* are we all super discouraged now?

During this week's cell group time in Phoster, I got my members to share what are the struggles that they face and I wrote them on the whiteboard. Then, I drew a big circle around the list and gave them a huge reality check - that all these are gonna stay! (and of course, they started whining and being angsty.. what adorable folks). Sorry guys, life isn't a bed of roses.

So what then? Well, like what Gladys also shared in her message, it all boils down to our attitudes and choices. We do not have control over the difficult situations. Sure we can keep praying for God to change our parents, that difficult teacher/projectmate/officer/supervisor..but seriously..how many of us have really succeeded in such prayers? It's really not about them, but it's about us - what kind of attitudes are we gonna adopt. It's really the attitude of obedience that makes us different from the rest of the world. Amen?

So what's next? MAKE WISE CHOICES! Will you make the wise choice, starting this week, to adopt the right attitude in our walk with God? :)

Just to end off, I'd like to share a quote which I shared with Phoster:

We do this not to be loved by God, but because we already are loved by God.

-----------

Here's what a Phostee Hui Ling has to say:

I was really quite delighted that DI actually went quite in dept into the topic of honouring our parents. Like besides trying to put God as the center, focus on eternal things, sat's message was a good and timely reminder for me that another way to make my actions count as a Christian is to honor my parents, be grateful that I have them and am greatly loved by them:)

So the action for me to take would be to be more patient with my parents. Like not to be too quick in dismissing what they say, but to give them due respect they need. To treat them better than how I treat my friends, to reciprocate their love for me by helping them in the small things they want me to do and not procrastinate. Yup and to pray for them too:)

Its superrrrrr easy to say, but its so difficult to do. Cause as a child, I'm so used to depending on them that there's this unconscious part of me that is so used to just "taking" from my parents, putting my demands on them. Yeahh...so it time that I realise that they are still human beings who love to be loved back by their children. YUP! And yes try to portion some of my time for them:)
:):):):):):)

I Am.

2011-10-23T21:42:00.003+08:00

I AM.

Colossians 3:12 - 17

"Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, 13 bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. 14 And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. 15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. 17 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him."

Using the OBSM that we learnt about, we zoom into Colossians 3:16,

'Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God."

Therefore, we should let the word of Christ be the monopoly of our lives.

Comparing John 8:58 and Exodus 3, we read that God is the great I Am. Other forms of english come and go, but 'I am' will stay the same - Yesterday, today, tomorrow, always. By saying that He is 'I Am', God is affirming us that He is unchanging. Like the bible characters Abraham, Jacob, Zechariah, Mary, Joseph and many others, our lives are but a few words in God's history book, that surpasses beyond the pages of Revelations. Contrary to us, God's name is there throughout the pages of the book and beyond.

Humans are competitive. We tend to want to look good, decked out in labels of being the best in class, best in CCA, best in platoon, most popular, most retweeted, most reblogged person. However, this quest to be the best is extremely exhausting. It's a never-ending climb. Relying on our own strength to achieve such material labels will soon drain us one day. Why not look to God and serve Him, "And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him?" I believe, God will provide according to His will. He gives us strength to work on things that matter for eternity, and blesses us along the way with his gifts. In addition, we should do everything in the name of the Lord, and not use His name to make ourselves look good. We should purely want to serve Him, and not be like the Pharisees, living their lives putting themselves at the centre-- its going to go terribly wrong. We should serve to bless His name, and not to use His name to bless ours. We want to glorify God through our designs, our worship, our actions, anot not by proclaiming God's name, make ourselves look 'good' and 'holy'.

All in all, we should reach a point when we enjoy being small.

God is Able.

God is Saviour.

God is the Centre.

God is the Maker.

God is All-knowing.

God is Powerful.

God is Liberating.

God is Everything.

If God is 'I Am', We are not.

We're not Able.

We're not Saviour.

We're not the Centre.

We're not the Maker.

We're not All-knowing.

We're not Powerful.

We're not Liberating.

We're not Everything.

We. Are. Not. God.

Let us live our lives with open palms, for God to give and take anything away. Let Him be more than a Saviour. Let Him be Lord.

One Word Bible Study Method

2011-10-22T21:54:00.002+08:00

[Testimony] My Promos Experience

2011-10-18T16:48:00.004+08:00

[A testimony from Cheong Yue Seng, Rhema]

Hi Impactors,

Well, I just want to share with my Promos experience. Not to scare you about JC but to testify that God is a sovereign God..

Hm.. I dont really know how to start but the here is some background on my situation..
I had screwed up my CTs badly, but thankfully it was not all Us. My results for CTs were around the E and S grade. Note: S does not mean Superb, instead, it means Subpass which in layman terms leads to a FAIL! So in order to promote, everything would be relied entirely on my Promos!! Note: CTs only tested about 5 chaps per subject, in Promos, I would be tested about 13 chapters per subject!!

So maybe you can hear the sarcastic celebration in my heart.. Well.. Promoting seemed like it was going to be as hard as climbing Mount Everest.. And like every other slacker without motivation, I slacked again...

Then only 2 weeks before Promos did I wake up from my slumber!! Oh My!! So many chapters to mug in 14 days!! And of course, as you can see.. I am dead seriously!! But though I seemed to have dig myself another grave, and well God was going to be the only way out!

Lets back track to the time when computers were non-existent and dinosaurs ruled the world. Ok, fast forward slightly from there to my CTs.. Hm.. How do I say it. I was like how I am now in my preparation in Promos.. Having dug a cosy grave to lie in.. And instead of seriously just trustly God for my CTs, I look at mount Kinabalu (its a mountain that is smaller than Everest?) and said, "Oh gosh! I am totally screwed!".. And how I regret having done that, because it showed that I made God look like a dog.. Couldn't He move mountains, why was I so faithless.. So please fast forward to the time when Greece are in debt. And here I am in a similiar position as my CTs.. But instead of being faithless like last time, this felt like a second chance for me.. It was like Jesus giving Peter a second chance (in John 21:15-18) and so He was doing the same to me.. Giving me a chance to "redeem" myself.

During this peroid, I wasn't panicking despite having 14 days left. Instead, my heart was at peace like everything was alright! I was not afraid, I was in the grip of His grace.. I just studied properly, not rushing through everything but trying to understand the concepts fully. And God granted me his wisdom, as I could finish uderstanding the chapter in 3-4 hours!! (For a person who sees the notes for the first time, 4 hours is pretty good!) and I did not study at every possible moment.

Hm.. I wont explain the feeling I had these 14 days in vivid detail but I will say I was stressed, yet everytime I was stressed out. God reminded that this was not my battle to fight alone. And it helped me tell myself that I was just going to give my best, and let God do the rest. I believe this was what he wanted me to learn and do. And just the day before the battle that decided if I was going to waste one year started, I had a "revelation" when praying and singing songs. Well, I somehow had found faith to say "My Promos Results will show how Great my God is, and not how smart I am" even before anything was written!

I did not managed to completely cover everything but just what seemed barely sufficient to pass. So time passed as fast as Sebestian Vettel won the Singapore F1, and I was sitting in the exam hall waiting for, what people would call a "death sentence", with a very calm mind heart. Well, I am going to trust God this time round and not fail this trial a second time!

So day one was GP and Biology! Wow!! I did not understand the GP passage nor know what to write for the essay! Then when I took my Biology paper, I had a really bad headache!! My mind was blank, all info lost and I had to nap for 20 mins during my MCQ! So lets stop here and agree that it really does look like I am gonna retain! Ok, thy shall not dwell on the past.

Lets move on, day 2 was Chemistry. I really God to thank God for
Chong Hui whom has helped me abundently in my Chemistry and sometimes maths too... Back to the commentary, I was breezing through the first 3 question!! Completing them in slightly more than an hour. Then here comes the problem! My brain when blanked! It was all white!! And of course, I panicked! Not joking! I really did, and that meant I lost 20 marks! So as I went out of the examination hall, for the second day running, I was not feeling confident on promoting or passing..

Hm.. For my economics, I just got to thank God for helping me be able to complete studying all the syllabus that would have been tested.. So for once in my Promos, something seemed to have gone well! Haha!

But then came the day during the Promos, when it was the biggest test of faith for me arrived. Its like all the games where you battle the boss monster at the end. So at the end of this journey, I had to battle 2 papers that I expected to flunk!! Like U grade for CHINESE & MATH! And I won't lie how I thought I was a goner!! Well, I got to admit I nearly when back to looking at how big my problem was and returning to that faithless self that I so hated myself for. Well, lets me explain how stressed and freaked I was. The day before, I was mugging math like crazy! Seriously! I attempted 2 papers however, I could not do any questions correctly!! Imagine the panicked I was experienced!! No more time to practice, no more time to do anything!! The only thing to do was trust, and just enter the exam hall with nothing but God. Ok, maybe your pencilcase and calculator too.

So monday arrived and well, I just whacked Chinese without uderstanding a single thing it was talking about!! Ok, I understood the Facebook and Twitter in the question paper cause they were written in English. Haha!! But other than that I just whacked MCQ and copy the passage blindly. And of course, pray for the best!

Then it was Math up next! I dont have to explain how it when, do I? I lost about 47 marks... Yes, 47!! If you were in my shoes, I believe you would be thinking, "looks like next year, I am going to be a J1.5" too! But after every bad, the good things will come. So here is the miracle.

My Result solely for Promos!!

Chemistry (H2) - B
Economics (H2) - B
Math (H2)- C
Biology (H1) - D
Chinese - S
GP - Unknown

Yes, I am PROMOTING!! Well, I know it also does not make sense! It does not have a logical explanation, and I also question if the results are really mine because its feels like a dream.

Hm.. So I just want to encourage you guys, to have faith. Well, God has taught me a lesson. To have faith because he is faithful. To believe in Him, and He showed me how great he can be.

Well, I always have a song to share everytime I share something. So here are 3 songs that really stood out of the 439 songs I listen during the whole month, each representing one of the 3 phase of life I had talked about in this sharing. Do listen to them, they really touched my heart.

1.I Lift My Hands – Chris Tomlin (You can find it on Presence Eternal Fan page on Facebook too)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3GIeVIWwujI

2. Greater - New Live Worship
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lrdc75t18Ik

3. You are Faithful
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GM82BnKl4Fo

So I shall end of here. BELIEVE!! If God could pull out such trick to save me, why would he not do it for you? And for those studying for you’re A’levels or those who are studying for Uni exams, jiayou!! :D

P.S I might not have place emphasis on how much I prayed, but I did pray a lot! There were times when I was really stressed and afraid and I could just sit there and sing songs to God, and pray for intervention! Sometimes, I would just breakdown and cry as I did them..

2011-10-16T00:30:00.000+08:00

Colossians 3:1-11

Its easy to miss something you're not looking for.

What if the bear was like something that God wants us to focus upon, but our eyes are instead fixated on the men in white?

If we are serious about our faith in Christ, we must live our lives seriously. We can joke and we can laugh of course, God is no a boring God, but the focus in our lives must be clear. We set our minds on things above, not on earthly things. We live our lives surrounding things like God's kingdom, souls and the Word of God, not on materialistic things like money, games and food.

The message translation of Colossians 3:5-6 says: 'And that means killing off everything connected with that way of death: sexual promiscuity, impurity, lust, doing whatever you feel like whenever you feel like it, and grabbing whatever attracts your fancy. That's a life shaped by things and feelings instead of by God.'

To kill it indicates that it is never coming back, for it has been slain. when it comes to issues of sin, it is easier to give in then to resist. To give money to a bully extorting it is indeed easier than trying to confront him, but it is necessary. Are we stuck in a bad habit? Make a decisive break away from sin. If its the songs we listen to in our lives that influence us, then choose to not let it surround us. Kill it!

We want to be connected with God once again, and we cant do that with sin in our lives. We need to come to know who we are in Christ. Are we comfortable in the barnyard of the world we live in, eagles acting like chickens? We were meant to live for higher realms.

We are called to live our lives radically, so let us let our lives please God, as we chase after His heart!

HOUR OF POWER - 12 OCTOBER

2011-10-13T23:58:00.004+08:00

There wasn't really a specific prayer pointers as we met on wed, but this was what was shared, and i hope that God will place upon your heart what to pray for.

We need to live a RADICAL life. Are we satisfied with just doing the norm of society? the norm of traditions?

Jesus was a RADICAL man, he overturned laws and traditions.

"I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does."

Are we doing what Jesus did? Are we doing what God is doing?

IMPACTORS, make a decision TODAY to live RADICALLY!

*COME THIS SATURDAY TO HEAR MORE! READ COLOSSIANS 3:1-11 IN ADVANCE :)*

HOUR OF POWER - 05 OCTOBER

2011-10-06T00:52:00.002+08:00

Wishing can never be substitute for prayer - Ed Cole

Let's pray for...

#1: Our desire be - GOD

not just his blessings,

not to do his work and substitute him with work

our deepest desire is GOD

#2: IMPACTORS TO BE DEEPLY GROUNDED

#3: FAITH TO ARISE

Faith is the substance of things hope for, the evidence of things not seen.

#4: FRIENDS

God will touch hearts and bring them to know who Christ is.

2011-10-02T14:58:00.003+08:00

Colossians 2.
Main Point: Beware!

Colossians 2:6-7
My counsel for you is simple and straightforward: Just go ahead with what you've been given. You received Christ Jesus, the Master; now live him. You're deeply rooted in him. You're well constructed upon him. You know your way around the faith. Now do what you've been taught. School's out; quit studying the subject and start living it! And let your living spill over into thanksgiving.

We should learn to live in Jesus, regulating our lives and behaving according to what we believe - like Jesus!

Like a tree, we should grow UP and grow DEEP!
Grow UPwards and know God by reading the Bible. A tree's roots stop growing during winter when the soil is cold; so let us pray against cold hearts and for God to keep our flame burning and our soil fertile for more growth!
We shouldn't hesitate to make mistakes; but instead, go ahead and step out in faith. If a baby is afraid of falling down, he'll never learn how to walk!

Colossians 2:8-10

Watch out for people who try to dazzle you with big words and intellectual double-talk. They want to drag you off into endless arguments that never amount to anything. They spread their ideas through the empty traditions of human beings and the empty superstitions of spirit beings. But that's not the way of Christ. Everything of God gets expressed in him, so you can see and hear him clearly. You don't need a telescope, a microscope, or a horoscope to realize the fullness of Christ, and the emptiness of the universe without him. When you come to him, that fullness comes together for you, too. His power extends over everything.

We should beware of philosophy (love for wisdom, but not that of the wisdom of God) and empty deceit. Any form of wisdom that gets us away from the truth of God is to be rejected. (ie. Evolution) The world says that there are certain grey areas of life where there is no real answer. However, is it really true?

God installed within us a form of godly wisdom called our conscience. Most importantly, we have His word that let's us know what is the truth and what is not.

We should always base our knowledge from God and remember that the influence of our knowledge is important- Follow the things of this world (horoscopes to determine our lives), or follow Jesus (the maker of our lives)?

We should beware of 'the empty traditions of human beings and the empty superstitions of spirit beings'. Our practices cannot contradict the word of God; because if it contradicts, it is not of God.

Lastly, we ended by questioning ourselves. What are the redherrings in our lives that distract us from our ultimate goal?

Colossians 2: 16-17

So don't put up with anyone pressuring you in details of diet, worship services, or holy days. All those things are mere shadows cast before what was to come; the substance is Christ.

If we place our values on things that are not of God, we're missing the point. We won't be talking directly to Him, but instead, to His shadow. Then, Christianity would neither be a two-way conversation nor a relationship-- it'll just be a religion.

Finally, we should beware of false beliefs.

Matthew 4:10

Revelation 19:10

Revelation 22:8-9

1 Corinthians 6:3

Colossians 2:18

Don't tolerate people who try to run your life, ordering you to bow and scrape, insisting that you join their obsession with angels and that you seek out visions.

What we have is already what we need- God!

Christ has already made the way. Therefore, let no one trick us and we should learn to discern about what's right/wrong for ourselves with the knowledge of God.

Remember, the devil wants our minds because he can't have our hearts (its kept with God!). Thus, he'll use all ways to distract us from God.

Never EVER let anything take away the place of God in our lives. Never EVER let redherrings distract us from our ultimate Goal!

Have a blessed week ahead!

HOUR OF POWER - 28 SEPTEMBER

2011-09-29T19:04:00.003+08:00

"Satan does not care how many people read about prayer if only he can keep them from praying."

LET'S PRAY!!!

1) Brothers & Sisters in DI

to see the greatness of God than to see the greatness of our problems

2.Unity of Impactors & unity of WAC

3. LOL Camp

camp committee

Wanting. Scarlet. Cherie. Jeraldine. Jethro. Rachel. Eugene. Isaac

*left to right*

unity of camp comm

spirit of excellence in planning & executing

impactors

impacted to be impactors

friends

friends to join us in this year's camp!

2011-09-28T21:41:00.001+08:00

Colossians: Life in Christ (II) – Colossians 1:15-29

Christ is…

1. Supreme over all
‘Supreme’: highest in rank/authority, ultimate/final/last, and the list of definitions goes on…
Simply put, Christ is the alpha and the omega, the beginning and the end.

2. The image of the invisible God
’Image’: representation AND manifestation
Christ is not only made in the likeness of God, but He is also fully man and fully God.

3. Firstborn over all creation
Highest honor; first in rank and authority

4. The Creator of all 5. Before all things 6. The sustainer of creation
Hebrews 1:3 – “The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word.”If Christ is sufficient to sustain a universe, shouldn’t He be sufficient to sustain our lives?

7. The head of the Church
Christ may be the ‘brain’ of the Church, but that doesn’t, by any measure, diminish His cosmic role.

8. Firstborn from the dead
The word ‘firstborn’ signifies priority, therefore this phrase expresses Christ’s sovereignty over all creation. Christ is supreme by His resurrection over what was and is and is to come.

9. The reconciler of all things
Our sinful nature prevented us from having a personal relationship with the holy God, however when Christ bridged the gap when He died on the cross. It is also
important to note that Christ died for us while we were still His enemies because of our evil behavior, but with His death on the cross comes reconciliation and restoration of our relationship with our heavenly Father (v. 21-23).

10. Fullness of God
In Colossians 2:24-29, Paul, a servant commissioned by God, rejoiced in his sufferings knowing that it would benefit his readers. How many of us would be willing to be like Paul, giving up a life of relative comfort for the expansion of God’s kingdom, yet having absolutely no complaints whatsoever and even rejoicing despite the trials and tribulations? Perhaps one thing that we need to keep in mind is that our place in eternity is not just a destination of comfort, but also a motivation to live a life worthy of God (refer to part one of the series on what it means to live a life worthy of God)It is often easy for us to allow God’s priority to diminish in our lives, especially when in times of fatigue or busyness. As many of us are going through exams now, it may be tempting for us to try and justify the amount of time, or lack thereof, that we spend with God. We may think that going to church two to three times a week, and doing QT daily should more than suffice, given our busy lives. However, let us never forget that God should not just be a portion of our segmented lives, no matter how big the portion, for our tiny lives would never be able to contain all of Christ. Instead, let Christ contain all of our lives. Let Him hold our lives in His hand; surrender everything to Him and let Him take the wheel. Always remember that if Christ is anything, He must be everything.

Do you know this Christ that Paul is talking about? Will you live for Him and let Him be your King?
-Jeraldine, Zoe

Colossian: Life in Christ

2011-09-24T12:56:00.007+08:00

Colossians 1:9-12

1) We need to be filled with knowledge of His will

Practical knowledge that is right and necessary in our spiritual life

- To discern between good and evil

- To differentiate and choose passion (fueled internally by God) over hype (dependent on external stimuli); and be people that are described as being on fire throughout our lives, and not just in our youth

Proverbs 3:9-10 indicates how God wants to fill us to the overflowing. It is the same for the knowledge of His will!

Romans 10:2 warns us that we must know why and what we are believing in - do not have misdirected zeal, not based on knowledge! And indeed, let us grow as we study the Word - and let out understanding be experiential instead of intellectual.

James 1:5 promises that when we ask wisdom from God, it will be given to us.

2) We need to walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him

Walking represents our conduct, that honors Christ. It suggests how our daily lives are influenced, to be passionate about things that matter for eternity, and passive about things that do not.

When we conduct ourselves worthy of the Lord, we may be

1) Fruitful in every good work (a christian is meant to win souls, just as apples to bear fruits)

2) Increasing in the knowledge of God (DIVE into the Word of God, and not be satisfied with the treading on the surface/the shallowness of the baby pool)

3) Strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, unto all patience and long suffering with joyfulness

4) Giving thanks to the Father (An attitude of gratitude)

Take up the challenge to dive - we may feel the pressure initially but just do it! Ask ourselves, "Are we walking worthy of God?" work towards having a God-centered life! (:

XDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD

HOP - 22 September

2011-09-22T00:22:00.003+08:00

Let's pray!

1. Against the work of Satan.

"For the enemy has been defeated,

and death couldn't hold You down.

We gonna lift our voice in victory

We gonna make your praises loud"

2. Impactors to honor God

to Honor God is to do what pleases Him

3. Impactors to DIVE into the Word of God

(James 1:5) If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.

4. Impactors having Exam

God will be our PEACE during this time of STRESS.

God to grant us WISDOM

Impactors will study with a spirit of EXCELLENCE

LOL Camp Teaser #1

2011-09-17T00:01:00.001+08:00

D.I. Camp Prayer Pointers

2011-09-16T15:35:00.003+08:00

Eugene, our dearest Camp Commandant this year, has a call to all Impactors to pray for this year's camp!
If you want this year's camp to be mega-awesome and most importantly for God to move in people's hearts, then what we need to do is PRAY!

1. PRAY for UNITY
Pray that God's direction will unify the different people being involved in the planning and organisation process, even though we are from different backgrounds and on different levels in the leadership. Pray that we will seek God collectively as one Destiny Impact rather than as divided zones.

2. PRAY for EXCELLENCE
Pray that the people involved in planning and organisation will not be satisfied with accomplishing the most basic level required. Pray that they will instead pursue excellence and improvement, and worship God in new, creative ways and perspectives, in music (Encounter), creativity (Imagine and comm), in messages (PX), in leading and preparing to lead (eagles and eaglets).

3. PRAY for URGENCY
Pray that hearts will see lives as lives. Pray that we will see lives the way we need to - either destined for an eternity in heaven or an eternity in hell. Pray for urgency in sharing God's message, because lives are fragile. Pray for real, bold love with which to declare God's salvation over the lives of the people around us.

4. PRAY FOR PASSION
Pray that passion will grow even amidst the hype. Pray that what will differentiate DI from just a group of excited people is a consistency in prayer, a consistency in determination and a consistency in anticipation for God's work in our lives, the lives of those around us and for the building of God's kingdom on earth. Pray that we will become God-centred people who see God's will as above our own and working to reshape our own.

5. PRAY against the ENEMY
Pray against the devil and his works in the following aspects:

A. Pray against undesirable negative thoughts of hopelessness of the situation, personal inability to do something, self-glorification, self-centred satisfaction of personal wants and anything else that contributes towards disunity. Pray against the speaking and declaring of these negative things. Instead, let what we speak edify (build up) and encourage.

B. Pray that we will be able to understand how the devil works, so that we may not fall to the snares and traps of the devil and his demons. Pray that God will bind the devil and his demons and crush their snares, traps and plots underfoot. Believe that what we bind on earth in Jesus' name, we also bind in heaven.

C. Pray against the common ways that the devil hinders the people of God from pursuing God: deception, discouragement and distraction. Pray that we will embrace God's word as truth so that we may refute the devil's lies just as Jesus did when he was tempted. Pray that encouragement and edification will begin with us and extend to our zones and to the whole of Destiny Impact. Pray that we will as focused as we can on fulfilling God's will, knowing the the devil and his demons are focused in preventing the fulfilment of God's will.

HOP - 14 September

2011-09-16T00:18:00.004+08:00

1. Hype or Passion

Impactors to be a people PASSIONATE for God, not just a people hyped up for events
Impactors, a people standing firm in the Word of God.

2. Cannot!

Pray for God to stir up our hearts, we CANNOT live life as status quo.

3. Spirit-filled Church

DI to be a Spirit-led Church
Pray against the work of Satan! *For God has given us the authority to trample on Satan*

KEEP IT REAL, MAKE IT LOUD

2011-09-12T11:53:00.007+08:00

I remember it rained and drizzled around noon time on Saturday, 10 September 2011. However, that didn't stop Impactors from attending D.I.'s "Keep It Real, Make It Loud" September Surprise event! We were hungering for God's presence and glory to shine upon us and for His blessings to rain down upon us.

Impactors, like always, gathered at Honor Room at 3.15-3.30pm, and upon reaching our doorstep, we realised something(s) was(were) missing! WHERE DID ALL THE CHAIRS GO?! Haha. We had done away with the chairs and the girls had been previously forewarned not to wear skirts (for modesty).

KIRMIL (short for Keep It Real, Make It Loud) wasn't just a one-time-off event. All of us had a part to play in it since the previous few weeks leading up to KIRMIL. In fact, if Impactors remember, we had received cards from the event planners (i.e. Andy, Wei Yang and Yue Seng) on which we had to answer some questions that needed us to reflect upon various aspects of our spiritual walk. Some others received additional questions via text messages, while others were kindly asked to be videoed. As the event unfolded, we slowly realised that our sharings were strung together painstakingly by the planners in the form of videos so that as we worshipped God and prayed, we could see the videos and be encouraged at the same time.

The event was, like how a fellow brother in DI put it on Facebook, "like Hour Of Power but double the length". Indeed, it was an extended time of prayer and worship for us Impactors and a lot of prayers and effort have been put in by the planners and leaders. But most importantly, it was necessary and primary that God meets us in our hearts.

Our prayer pointers included praying for our families (to love and honour our parents and also for the salvation of unsaved family members), school, army/work and our church.

For those who have missed the event and if you'd like to recall what had been shared, here's a message from Andy:

Hey Impactors of great destinies, I believe every single one of us experienced God in an intimate and powerful way on Saturday! Praise God for the work He is doing in every single one of our lives! I believe we are inspired to continually seek God in solitude, in prayer, in songs - as God (who is jealous for us) desires to have intimate fellowship with us any day, time and place.

Now, I know that many of us felt the physical tiredness after Keep It Real, Make It Loud? It's pretty normal, if you're wondering - I felt it too.

“Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
Matthew 26:41 (NIV)

The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions.
Galatians 5:17 (NLT)

The above scriptures suggest to us that there is an ongoing war between our flesh and the spirit who dwells in us. I don't suppose we feel that tired after watching a 3 hours movie do we? But when it comes to prayer (something of the spirit), our flesh will rage war, hence explaining the times when we're so excited to read the Word of God, but when we actually get to it, we begin to feel tired or get distracted.The more we discipline ourselves to pray, the stronger we are spiritually to resist the flesh and its sinful nature. I encourage us to come for HoP on Wednesdays and 2:30pm prayer time on Saturdays, as these are divine opportunities to train up!

I always tell my boys in Kairos, the hype/spiritual high of experiencing God will not last past that Honor Room door. If it did, it'll not be there when we awake on Sunday morning. Our God is a jealous God, He will not displace Himself with our good feelings of experiencing Him. He reveals Himself on a day by day, hour by hour, minute by minute, second by second basis, allowing us to experience life in His presence and respond to Him - all the time. May I say the same for September Surprise? Don't look back and feel good about what happened on that day, because what we are really interested in is what happened in our lives on that day and what happens after that day. May we praise God for how majestically He showed up, thank God for what He'd spoken to us and continue to seek Him - keeping our faith real and making our lives loud for Jesus!

Again I say to us: Today (12th September 2011), I dream that heaven and earth will collide, we will see God clearly, embrace His perfect will for our lives - go out there and impact our generation. This is our faith: keep it real, make it loud!

If you have enjoyed God's sweet presence and want to share it with us, please feel free to post it in the comments section! We'd love to hear from you!

Last but not least, let us not forget that prayer and worship is a lifestyle. It doesn't just end when KIRMIL is over. Have a blessed week ahead Impactors!

(Here's the final video that was shown during KIRMIL):

Hour of Power - 7 September 2011

2011-09-07T22:28:00.010+08:00

The desperation of our heart's cries heard through our prayers:

1. Hearts of Impactors: to fear, obey and serve.

2. For our zones (Kairos, Phoster, Rhema, Sophia, Zoe): soak every impactor in areas specific to your zone!

Protection from spiritual attacks and protection from worldy influence

3. Faith, Hope, Love to arise in the area of Light Givers!

4. For all to have a spirit of excellence in academics and work, and God's grace to achieve it!

5. September Surprise!

2011-09-06T23:22:00.001+08:00

During last Saturday’s sermon, Eunice continued to share with us more about Samuel, a man dedicated to God! That week, we took a look at 1 Samuel: 12 and read Samuel’s farewell speech. Naturally, anyone who makes a farewell speech would want to grab the opportunity to say their most important stuff, yes? This is why it is important for us Impactors to read it carefully to find out what Samuel wanted to say to Israel from the bottom of his heart!(:

Firstly, God desires integrity. What is meant by integrity? There are two meanings to this: 1. it means to do and have good morals and 2. to be truthful in whatever you say and do. In Samuel’s case, he did exactly both! First of all, Samuel lived integrity alongside the Bible. He was constantly aware of God being aware of how he had led his life. As such, from 1 Samuel 12:3, we know that he did not steal and led a very honest life. This was most unusual as many judges that ruled Israel became corrupt, whereas Samuel remained an honest judge from the time when he was a youth until he was “old and gray”! I think we can all learn from Samuel to fear the Lord at all times. (In this context, fear means to regard God with reverence and awe, so don’t take it the wrong way! :/) At this point, do stop and ponder; is my life in line with what the Bible teaches? Second of all, Samuel meant what he said. Whatever he told Israel to do, he did too. He kept this attitude of integrity throughout his entire time of leadership. This Chinese idiom, 心口如一, sums up the above point. In direct translation of the idiom, it literally reads “heart and mouth are one”! Cool right! :D Anyway, this allows us to reflect on ourselves; is what I say on the outside the same as what I do on the inside? We are once again reminded of the fact that obedience translates to actions (things done on the outside), not intentions (things done on the inside)!

Secondly, God desires our mind, passions and will. Throughout Samuel’s speech, these three words “fear”, “serve” and “obey” are constantly said over and over again to urge the Israelites to do so. In the last paragraph of Samuel’s speech, Samuel also constantly emphasizes on serving the Lord “with all your heart”. Here, heart means our mind, passions and will. Mind refers to our thinking and knowledge, passions refers to our appetite and desires, and will refers to our choices and inclinations. So, all in all, the Lord is our number 1 in our thoughts, our desires and our choices!

Thirdly, God desires to work within us. We have to surrender ourselves to Him and do the work of the Lord, as said in Phillipians 2:21: “For everyone looks out for his own interests, not those of Jesus Christ”. We must always keep in mind our purpose here on this Earth. With reference to last last Saturday’s sermon on resisting Satan, isn’t it awfully sad that even Satan is more focused on his purpose than us? We have already won the war, but that’s not it, it is the victory that we now have to claim. And how else to claim the victory than to let God into our lives and allow him to work within us?(:

So let us remember to FEAR, SERVE and OBEY at all times with all our heart, and to place Him above everything else in our mind, passions and desires! (: While God has already chosen us, we too have to keep choosing God day by day, hour by hour, minute by minute, and second by second! (: Have a great week ahead and GOD BLESS~!

- Luk Ching, Sophia

Vote For Your Top 2 Favourite D.I. Badge Designs!

2011-09-03T10:06:00.011+08:00

Out of the many designs we've received, we've hand-picked these top 4 designs for you to choose!

Look at these designs, and pick your top 2 favourite!

The winning designs will be used as our very own D.I. badges!

P.S. Yes, design #2 is considered as one design. It's just one design split into 2 badges.

To vote, please visit this link:

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/8N6Z2C9

VOTING ENDS 9 SEP 2011, FRIDAY!

Hour of POWER - 31 August 2011

2011-09-01T00:56:00.006+08:00

Let's pray!

1. Challenges, Circumstances (Lay it down)

When we focus on our challenges, our challenge gets bigger and bigger. Today, make a decision! Lay down all your challenges before God, Look up to God, because God is able! Let God become bigger and bigger!

2. There must be something different about us when we are with God!

(Exodus 34:29) When Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the covenant law in his hands, he was not aware that his face was radiant because he had spoken with the LORD.

3. Zones

4. URGENCY IN OUR HEARTS
Hell is a very real place. We need to take actions!

2011-08-27T23:34:00.000+08:00

For this week's DIP post, Jon Huang from Kairos decided to do something a little more interesting =).

---

Our Daily Jon,
27th August 2011

Message on 27th August 2011

各位親愛的 IMPACTORS 好! 聽了今天的講道，我有一些感觸想和大家分享。

世界上有好多好多的新鮮物，好多好多大大小小，稀奇古怪(weird)的物件存在。而我們人類往往會被這些稀奇古怪的物件給吸引，引起我們的好奇心。而有些人再不知不覺中，早已深深地被這些毫無價值(no value)，毫無根絕地物件控制了。打個比方來說，本人身為個吉他手，常聽見其他吉他手大力贊揚(highly recommend)在美國地默默吉他手。說他再舞台上地動作，外表，甚至所發出地魅力，簡直就如神一般。更加瘋狂的人還會預他地穿作，外型拿來參考。這默默歌手／音樂家所演唱或創作出的作品，自然而然的也會變成他們學習的“好”榜樣。我想提醒大家，黨你下次深深投入，專著在任何東西之前。請先問一問自己，這些東西，能夠給我們永恆的快樂嗎？

生為基督徒，我們時時刻刻更要提醒自己不能掉以輕心。因為一旦我們疏忽，在戰場上敵人會毫不餘裕的攻擊我們。這裡我將把由泥絲（Eunice）所和我們分享的重點再次拿出來說。。。

我們所面臨(Face)的敵人不是一般地。它生性狡猾，兇狠，心機超重。黨我們面臨任何問題時，要先問一問自己：“這是不是敵人地手段呢？” 那麼。。。我們要如何分析呢？以下將列入出一些敵人所常用地手段。

（甲）欺騙我們（deceiving us ）
（乙）黨我們碰到挫折時，不斷加詞，讓我們感到失落（discouraging us）
（丙）指控我們（accusing us）
（丁）在而三的轉移我們定下心完成的任務（distracting us）

我們的敵人會用盡權力(exploit all possible ways)的把我們打垮。敵人也常常把我們過去所犯下的錯，和將來能得到的奬賞拿出來說，讓不愉快的回憶不斷浮現在我們腦海里，讓完美地錯覺領導我們去相信毫無根據的未來。千萬不要被這些回憶或未來給打敗哦！

你今天是否感到傷心，難過，或內心受到創傷？問一問自己吧，此刻敵人是不是偷偷的在幕後狂笑這你呢？勇敢的勇士們，要記得我們早已贏得這場戰爭（羅馬書8：31）神若幫助我們，誰能敵擋我們呢。碰上大大小小的挫折時，我們更是要告訴自己親愛的主從來沒有離開過我們，一至都陪伴在旁和我們打這一戰！

那麼。。。我們到底要如何領取禮物呢？黨讓，要領取 “禮物” 我們不能只改變外表。但，日復一日，月復一月，年復一年，外表雖然變了，內心的還是和以前一抹一樣。完完全全的沒有一絲的變化！

真正的快樂，是黨我們把內心打開迎接上帝所帶來的點點滴滴。不管前方的路有多麼坎坷，我們要勇敢相信沒什麼事情能夠主檔我們，失落時更是要感到安慰。因為，耶穌是我們慶祝的原因！ Keep Holding on，and live it out loud！

HOUR OF POWER - 24 August

2011-08-27T11:22:00.007+08:00

IMPACTORS, this came late but.. it's never too late to PRAY :)

1. YOURSELF

- hearts to be dedicated to God

- Draw near to Him

(James 4:8) Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

2. DI ZONES

Pray for your own zones today!

RHEMA

SOPHIA

PHOSTER

ZOE

KAIROS

3. SALVATION OF our FAMILY & FRIENDS

Samuel part II

2011-08-23T20:24:00.001+08:00

Last Saturday, our dear Eunice shared with us about Samuel, a man who was dedicated to God, and this time, she shared with all of us a continuation regarding her message about Samuel, as well as how it relates to us in our present day, even though it’s a very long time after Samuel’s era.

As Eunice had shared with us from 1 Samuel 3 (which was interestingly read by our Impactors), Samuel did not know God’s voice even though he had been serving Him. He knew about God, but he did not know God intimately. However, he was willing to listen to God’s commands for him, and he anticipated hearing Him speak with attentive ears. With that, she brought us forward to John 10:1-5, about Jesus’ parable of the sheep listening to their shepherd’s voice calling them, and following him.

God calls all of us by our name, and when that happens, we would recognize Him; He has something very personal to share with us! Isn’t that just great? So, be ready, and when God calls, let’s all open our ears and listen attentively to His voice, and read His word!

Following that, in 1 Samuel 15, Samuel hacked King Agag to death so as to obey what the Lord had commanded. King Agag had kept the fattened cows to himself, and Samuel displayed extreme obedience to the Lord by mercilessly killing him. Eunice then said a series of things, which I somehow summarized it in my notes to be this: obedience links to fear, fear links to pleasing God, pleasing God links to His blessings of peace. Fearing God is not just about being scared of Him; it’s really obeying Him and living like how He has commanded us to. God doesn’t want us to just fear Him like how everyone would normally interpret that word as. He really wants to have that intimate relationship with us as well! He’s our Heavenly Father! So, in short, obey the Lord and you’ll be rewarded by Him! Our God will never shortchange us; He loves us beyond all words! In Samuel’s instance, he was rewarded with an important position in the spiritual realm even as he grew. He became the man God chose; His spokesperson.

Even as we obey God and listen to His word, our friends and other people close to us might think of us as ‘weird’. But are you going to let that affect you? God is our approval; not man, not ourselves. So what if people are going to think of us differently because of our faith? Jesus is all we need, Amen? Seek God and all things shall be added unto us! Don’t forget, Destiny Impactors, we’re all there for each other as brothers and sisters of Christ, sharing the same faith! We are ONE! We will never be alone!

Let us all obey God and listen to Him; but don’t just do it because we HAVE to, but WILLINGLY obey. If we don’t do it passionately, it’s not worth it, because this kind of obedience is unreal, and not because we’re obliged to obey. Our God is higher than any other. Draw near to Him and He will draw near to us! Let’s get rid of all the King Agag-like things in our lives and submit to God authentically today! It may be a little hard and painful at first, but the riches of God’s love will always be enough! Close that umbrella and let God’s love rain down and drench you! All the best for everything dear Impactors, God bless!

(He shall RAIN forever, He shall RAIN forever, He shall RAIN forever and ever Our God~)

- Charis, Sophia