The Bible Story In a Durianshell.

One of the most daunting (but fulfilling) task in the world can be to read the Bible. Often, it can appear to us as disconnected pieces of a jigsaw puzzle and we aren't sure what the picture looks like when the pieces are assembled.

Sometime ago, I managed to complete reading the entire bible. It took about 1 year & 3 months. (In the midst of living a normal life, not in one sitting...) I managed to do it only after I attended a 'Walk-Thru-The-Bible' conference where I got the Big Picture and saw how all the pieces fits together. That really really helped.

So if you wish to read the whole bible from cover to cover or just start reading it, I've provided a short 'Walkthru', the whole story in a nut..erm...durianshell, to help you start. (It won't take you more than 10 - 15 minutes and I assure you it will be well spent.)

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Ready?

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Let's go!

The Bible opens by telling that in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth, and that everything God made was good. Sin enters the story when human beings want to become like God, and disobey God's command by eating fruit that God had told them not to eat. The effects of sin become evident when one man slays his brother out of anger toward God.

Violence multiplies until God determines to purge the earth by a flood. God commanded Noah to build a boat that could preserve animals from every species from destruction. After the flood, God put the rainbow in the sky to assure people that he would not destroy the earth again. Sin persisted, however, and people sought to make themselves great by building a tower that could reach to heaven. God responded by making people speak different languages, so that they could no longer understand each other, and they scattered over the face of the earth.

A new phase of the story begins when God calls a man named Abraham, who lived in the area near the Tigris and Euphrates rivers (modern day Iraq and Syria). God told Abraham to go to a land that God would show him., promising that Abraham would have many descendants and that all the nations of the earth would be blessed through him. Abraham responded to God's call, and with Sarah, his wife, he finally settled in the land of Canaan (modern-day Palestine or Israel). There they tended their flocks and herds. The period was about 2000-1700 B.C.

Abraham and Sarah became old and had no children until God gave them a son, whose name was Isaac. Isaac in turn had two sons, Jacob and Esau. By means of trickery, Jacob obtained a special blessing from his father. When his brother, Esau, became angry, Jacob fled to the home of an uncle, where he married and became wealthy before returning to Canaan. Jacob--whose name was changed to "Israel"--had twelve sons, but because of family rivalry, his son Joseph was sold as a slave and taken to Egypt. There Joseph managed to become a high-ranking official, and when famine drove the rest of the family into Egypt, the brothers became reconciled and settled there permanently.

The descendants of Jacob, who were called Hebrews or "children of Israel," continued to live in Egypt from about 1700 to 1275 B.C. During that time they were enslaved by the Egyptians and forced to make bricks and mortar. A Hebrew named Moses saw an Egyptian beating one of his kinsmen. Moses killed the Egyptian and fled to the desert regions east of Egypt. There he was called by God to return to Egypt and deliver his people from slavery.

Israel's deliverance from Egypt is commonly known as the "Exodus" and is one of the pivotal events in the Old Testament. The biblical account says that Moses returned to Egypt and told the king that the Hebrew people must be freed. When the king of Egypt refused, the Egyptians were afflicted with various plagues. The water of the Nile River became foul, frogs and insects multiplied, and diseases and darkness made life miserable for the Egyptians. Finally, after the firstborn children and animals of each Egyptian household suddenly died, the Egyptians momentarily relented and the people of Israel fled eastward by night. The Egyptians pursued them, but the Israelites escaped recapture by miraculously crossing a sea while the Egyptian chariots were swept away by the water.

The people of Israel began their new life of freedom by remaining in the desert regions east of Egypt for about forty years, from approximately 1275 to 1235 B.C. The central event of this period was establishing a covenant relationship between God and Israel at Mt. Sinai. The covenant reminded the people that it was God who had brought them "out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery" (Exodus 20:2), and called upon them to honor God alone and reject the deities of other nations. The primary provisions of this covenant, known as the Ten Commandments, became Israel's charter as a nation. After departing from Mt. Sinai, the people gradually moved north and east into what is now the kingdom of Jordan. The generation that escaped out of Egypt, including Moses himself, died out as the people of Israel approached the Jordan River and prepared to enter the land of Canaan once again.

The details of Israel's entry into the land are unclear, but the biblical account suggests that conquest began about 1235 B.C. under the leadership of Joshua. Military victories apparently helped Israel gain possession of part of the land, but the westward movement of the Israelites was halted by the Philistines, who held sizable portions of the country. For generations the twelve tribes of Israel led a precarious existence in Canaan, often subjugated by neighboring peoples until a leader arose to liberate them. One of these leaders or "judges" was Deborah, a prophetess who led the people to victory over the Canaanites. Another judge was the strong man Samson, who fraternized with Philistine women and then avenged himself against Philistine villages when the relationships turned sour.

The continued threat of being dominated by other nations finally led the people of Israel to clamor for a king who could lead them. Samuel, the last of the judges, designated a man named Saul as Israel's first king. Saul was a tall and handsome man. Soon after becoming king, Saul demonstrated his ability by leading the Israelite army to victory. But later Saul was plagued by sharp mood swings and became jealous of the popularity enjoyed by David, a promising young man from Bethlehem, who was a member of his court. David fled for his life and lived as the leader of an outlaw band at the periphery of the country until Saul was wounded in battle and committed suicide.

David became king about 1000 B.C. and ushered in Israel's golden age. He helped to unify Israel by capturing the city of Jerusalem, which was in the middle of the country, and making it his capital. Under David's leadership a series of successful military campaigns secured Israel's borders against the neighboring peoples. One of David's own sons (Absalom) tried to seize his throne, driving him into temporary exile, but David managed to regain power. Another son named Solomon was designated as David's successor.

Solomon's outstanding achievement was the construction of a temple in Jerusalem, which became the religious as well as the political center of the country. International commerce was expanded, the arts flourished, and an opulent palace was built for the king. To carry out his building projects, Solomon enslaved some of the non-Israelite peoples within his realm, and to secure his political position, he entered into several foreign alliances. He sealed these pacts by marrying women from the various allied peoples, and he permitted shrines to foreign deities in Jerusalem, even though worship of other gods had traditionally been condemned in Israel.

After Solomon died, his son Rehoboam ruled harshly and the kingdom split in two in 922 B.C. (1 Kings 12) The northern part was still called Israel, the southern part was called Judah, and relations between the two kingdoms shifted between uneasy coexistence and open hostility. The northern kingdom entered into close relations with the nations to the north, and the worship of the god Baal and goddess Astarte became common. The prophet Elijah protested the worship of these deities and challenged the priests of Baal to demonstrate the power of their gods by calling down fire from heaven. When they were unable to do so, Elijah prayed to the God of Israel, fire fell from heaven, and Elijah's followers slaughtered the prophets of Baal (I Kings 18:17-40).

In the eighth century B.C., the prophets Amos and Hosea joined the protest against the idolatrous and unjust practices of the northern kingdom (Israel). Finally, in 721 B.C., the army of Assyria, a powerful nation to the northeast, conquered the northern kingdom of Israel and exiled its leaders.

Meanwhile the southern kingdom of Judah also struggled with issues of idolatry and injustice. The oppressive practices of Judah's leaders were denounced by prophets such as Micah, who came from a village in the foothills, and Isaiah, a resident of Jerusalem. Some reforms were undertaken by King Hezekiah (2 Kings 18) in the late eighth century B.C., but his successors reverted to patterns of corruption. The prophet Jeremiah, who came from a priestly family, railed against Israel's attraction to foreign cults, some of which included child sacrifice. He warned that if Judah did not repent, it would be devastated like the northern kingdom had been. Major reforms were made in the late seventh century B. C., during the reign of King Josiah. Pagan practices were rejected and worship was centralized at Jerusalem, but in the decades after Josiah's death, the Babylonians brought Judean sovereignty to an end.

The Babylonians destroyed the Jerusalem Temple in 586 B.C.. Judah's leading citizens were exiled to Babylonia far to the northeast, leaving only a remnant in the country. The Babylonian exile was one of the great crises in Israel's history. People questioned how God could permit the brutal destruction of Jerusalem and the loss of Israel's homeland. Nevertheless, the prophet Ezekiel told the exiles that even though Israel seemed as lifeless as a field of dry bones, God would revitalize the people and take them home again (Ezekiel 37:1-14).

A turning point came when Cyrus, king of Persia, conquered Babylonia. In 538 B.C., Cyrus declared that the exiles, now known as Judeans or Jews, could return to their country. Some of the exiles chose to remain in Babylonia, but others returned and began the slow task of reconstruction. Urged on by prophets such as Haggai and Zechariah, whose writings appear in the Old Testament, the people eventually established a new temple and rebuilt Jerusalem. The scribes Ezra and Nehemiah called for renewed commitment to the laws and traditions of Israel that were being assembled into the form in which we now have them in the Pentateuch (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy). Together, the temple and the law became the two institutions that gave the people their distinct identity while living under Persian domination.

A significant change began when Alexander the Great swept down from Macedonia and Greece to conquer Palestine in 330 B.C. Alexander envisioned a grand world city in which people would not belong primarily to a given tribe or local community, but to the Greek Empire. The new vision of one world city differed significantly from the conviction that Israel was God's chosen people. Some of the Jewish people liked the new vision and began adopting Greek customs, but others rebelled and insisted that to do so would be to commit apostasy. The governor of that region tried to suppress the revolt by forbidding observance of Israel's law and by turning the Jerusalem temple into a shrine that he dedicated to Zeus in 167 B.C.

A group of Jews led by Judah Maccabee successfully recaptured the temple and purified it in 164 B.C. Soon they regained control of the country and set up their own government, the first independent government since Jerusalem had been conquered by the Babylonians four hundred years earlier. This Jewish kingdom endured for a century.

In 63 B.C. a Roman general conquered Jerusalem and brought Jewish independence to an end. The Romans eventually designated a man named Herod to rule Palestine. An ambitious and masterful politician, Herod accommodated devout Jews by transforming the modest Jerusalem temple that had been rebuilt after the exile into an imposing structure of gleaming white limestone adorned with gold.

New Testament

It was into this unsettled world that Jesus was born. He taught and examplified to all who listened, the way to live a life that pleases God. He went everywhere, preaching about God's Kingdom and healing the sick. He was then crucfied and died to save all of humanity from their sins. And on the third day, He rose to life. 40 days later, He acended into Heaven and sent the Holy Spirit to His Disciples. And on that day, the Church was born.

Belief that Jesus would return in a short time gave great urgency to the spread of the good news about him. Enlivened by the Spirit of God, they gathered in homes for prayer and fellowship. Many of the religious authorities opposed the new faith and some of Jesus' followers were imprisoned or killed. Others fled to places outside Judea, where the gospel message was received by Samaritans and Greeks as well as by Jews.

One of the Jewish leaders who persecuted the emerging church was Saul of Tarsus, better known to us as the apostle Paul. Near the city of Damascus he encountered the risen Christ, who called him to be a proclaimer of, rather than an adversary of, the gospel. Paul set out on a career as a missionary, proclaiming the message of Jesus Christ in the cities of what are now Syria, Turkey, and Greece. His preaching centered on a vivid proclamation of Jesus the crucified Messiah, a message that kindled faith in the hearts of many hearers who were stirred by the power of the Holy Spirit. Paul became a leading figure in the mission to non-Jewish people, who were known as Gentiles.

Paul was imprisoned because of his missionary activities. The book of Acts tells us that Paul eventually was taken to Rome as a prisoner. Later Christian writings also say he was executed there in A.D. 62, during the persecutions that took place under Nero.

The last book in the New Testament is Revelation, which is a letter written in about A.D. 95 by the Apostle John. The book calls Christians to renewed faith in God and in Jesus Christ, confident that God will triumph over evil. The final chapters bring the Biblical story back to its beginning. In the beginning, people were barred from the tree of life because of sin (Genesis 3:22-24), but in the end the redeemed come to the tree of life in God's new Jerusalem (Revelation 22:2).

And the rest, as they say, is His-tory.

Postscript:

I (Leo) want to testify that upon reading the Bible from cover to cover, my Faith and Spiritual life grew so much and went to the next level. The bible itself says "Faith Comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God." Its true. As I read the bible into my spirit, it grew stonger and stronger.

Try it.

It will be the best thing you will ever do.

Do drop a comment to tell us what you think!

Amplify Service Team Party on National Day

Service team party_lowres
Originally uploaded by creatsia.

Blood Covenants Wallpaper


I did a Wallpaper for Amplify's Blood Covenant Series.

You can download and smack it on your komputer screens by klicking on the picture.

I think.

No, actually you can't. Well, no worries, You can access the file at the URL:http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AmpM/files/BloodCwallpaper.jpg

If you want to know what a those cool symbols got to do with Blood Covenants, come this friday (28th July) to find out. Its going to be totally awesome!

Leo

A Love of Epic Proportions

Check out this trailer of the 4 week session at Amplify's Fridays entitled "Blood Covenants" Starts this week 21st July.

Come and have a bloody good time!

Recently I realised....

1. that my parents don't understand fashion.

I recently bought a Designer T-shirt with the words "Staying Alive" printed in front. It deliberately came with holes and a torn collar to go with the theme. After wearing it a couple of times, it just suddenly disappeared without a trace.

I found it a month later hanging over my window grill as a floor rag...

2. that we don't get burnt out for working too much. We get burnt out when we we are not enjoying the work we do.

When we enjoy something, it energizes us. When something we do is dreary, it sucks the life out of us.





3. that when I think about it, wholeness is simply the ability to give more than you take.

A person who is emotionally broken tends to see others only for the support they can provide. The greater the brokenness, the less a person contributes to the relationship and the more they demand. Emotional wholeness is seen in what you can contribute to others. The spiritually whole consider others more important than themselves.

4. that the small girl who runs up to the stall to buy 5 birds but than only have enough money for 1 is actually the youngest daughter of the stall owner. Yes, her brother is not going on a long journey, its actually a conspiracy to bluff rich AngMoh tourists.

(c'mon, if the girl and stall owner are both indians, why are they speaking in English?)

In fact, sources say her brother is another cute 7 year old who does the
same thing on tuesdays, thursdays and saturdays except on public holidays.

How do you think they can afford a satellite-linkup Credit Card Reader in the middle of the desert?

Those poor rich Ang Moh tourists....*sigh

5. That people want to be celebrated. Ain't we all well acquainted with our own problems/weaknesses? What we are really looking for is not another person to point out our failures, but for someone who would choose to see the good that is buried beneath the bad.

6. that people are empathetic towards God only because they have not experienced His Love and Power.





7. that God doesn't just love me like its an obligation for Him. He knows me and actually Likes me.





8. that prophesy is for the purpose of Encouraging, Strengthening and Comforting others.





9. that sometimes, its the people who used to know us who won't let us change.

Maybe I have changed, I used to be arragont but now I'm genuinely trying to be humble. Maybe I used to be selfish, but now I'm trying my best to be loving. But sometimes its the people who knew us before who keep reminding us of who we were. And before we know it, we are back to that person again.

All of us are flawed enough for anyone to look at us and say, "You?? Are you kidding? Seriously. Don't you remember who you are?"

I really hope I that I will be the kind of person who sees the good in others and draw out the best in everyone.

seriously.

10. that its awesome to play a part in helping someone experience the depth of God's love for them. That's why I enjoy serving in YISS every year.

But I feel that I am at a place in my life now where what really turns me on (spiritually) is when I am able to help someone realise the miracle that God can love and touch someone through them.





11. that sometimes people's lives can be messy. I shouldn't be afraid or shock of the mess. I need to get alongside them. And when the healing takes a while, not to fall into thinking that the gospel of Christ is not sufficient.





12. that I should look at my problems in the light of God's power instead of looking at God in the shadow of my problems.

love,

Leo & Cass

Welcome to the latest volume of "Enroute - God-adventures of leonard & cassilda".

For those of you who are new to this, 'Enroute' started out as 'Overseas Education' (when we were at Sydney) as a series of of mail-outs Cassilda and I send out every now and then, to share bite-size lessons we have learnt from trying to live the God-ward life.

We hope these words would encourage you, help you and make you smile as we journey together enroute, in this life. If you are interested, previous 'Overseas Education' and 'Enroute' volumes can be found on this blog.

Do drop us a note if anything touches you, we would love to hear from you.

God Bless,
leonard & cassilda



Recently I realised...

1. that carpenters got money to go for facial.






2. that you know the favor of God is on your life when your boss tells other people that you are prolific at work when a quick check back with your colleagues showed that your amount of output and theirs are the same.





3. that while following God is hard sometimes, nothing, ultimately is harder than not following Him.






4. that you can make more friends in two months by becoming interested in other people than you can in two years by trying to get other people interested in you.

If I aspire to be a good conversationalist, I need to be an attentive listener. To be interesting, I have to be interested. Ask questions that other persons will enjoy answering. Encourage them to talk about themselves and their accomplishments.





5. that we need to live life the most excellent way. Be a success in life. Excel in what I do.

If I'm a student, make it to the Dean's list. If you have looks, join the Miss Singapore contest. If you can sing, try Singapore idol. If you are an employee, be the Best Employee. If you have a business, do well and contribute to society.

Christians need to get out more and be more. Why?

Influence. We need to be influential people. Without influence, how are we going to lead others to Christ? The fact of the matter is that people are more attracted to people than they are to Christ. Living a life of excellence positions us to speak into people's life.







6. that they finally decided to name the new Pasir Ris Church 'Divine Mercy Church" (D.M.C).
Maybe because it sounds like 'UDMC'. Which is great.

"eh. I thot you say go Pasir lis chalet? Why you bring me to catholick church?"

Quite smart huh?






7. that we all make messes in our lives through ignorance of God's ways.

Even when we begin to learn His ways, it still takes a lot of time to see all the negative situations in our lives turned into positive ones. We can benefit one another greatly by being sensitive to the Holy Spirit's leading to help in various ways. Just being moved emotionally is not being led by the Holy Spirit.

Emotions should always be submitted to wisdom! If wisdom agrees, then we can go forward with our plan.







8. that Wisdom always waits for the right time to act, while emotion always pushes for action right now!

Emotionalism is rash. It calls for immediate action. While wisdom calmly looks ahead to determine how a decision will affect the future, emotions are only concerned with what is happening at the moment.

I have lost count of the number of times I have said or done something in the heat of emotion, then later experienced deep, deep regret for my rash action. "Oh, if I had only kept my mouth shut!"

It is amazing the damage that can be done to a relationship by one emotional outburst.





9. that we wear 30% of all our clothes 70% of the time.





10. that an attractive guy I think, is one who express self-confidence, excitment with life, optimism, interest in many things, a certain independence, and a certain ability to go on unconnected with anybody for the rest of their life if that's what God requires.

Habah-Habah.




11. that those who don't require respect don't recieve it.






12. that when others make mistakes, the tempting thing to do is to point it, and the harder, but more fruitful way is to offer genuine words of encouragement.

i can't recall the number of mistakes i have made at work each day since i've started. But my boss, a non-Christian, chose to motivate me by encouraging me and telling me that he sees potential in me. This makes me want to try harder, rather than hang my head in discouragement.

perhaps the next time you are tempted to point out a person's mistake, choose to see if that is an opportunity to present some words of encouragement instead.





13. that if don't think you are valuable, others won't either.

When you see a building whose windows go boken and unrepaired, you assume no one really cares for the building. As a result more people feel comfortable breaking more windows, and eventually criminals take over, all because no one values it.

This happens to people as well. When we de-value ourselves, we leak and broadcast our lack of self-esteem far and wide, opening ourselves to people who would take advantage of it.





14. that me (Cassilda) , my boss and Paris just doesn't go together. You see, Paris is a beautiful and romantic place - and romantic places are meant to be spent with your significant other half. So i found myself standing under the majestic Eiffel, with my boss and the rest of the tourists from the world, thinking to myself - "alamak! wrong company!

Where's Leo?!"

(everybody goes "awwWwww")

God Bless,
leonard & cassilda

A Vision for our Future.


I would like to share my vision for Amplify and CSC. The reason why I am so optimistic about dreaming big because I know we have great people in Amplify. I know if we put our shared efforts, experience and enthusiasm, there is nothing we cannot achieve.

We need to create environments that are relevant and attractive to Young people. Make inroads to their hearts before so we can later share God with them.


I get the feeling that God is more caught than taught.


I am really looking forward to us changing our prayer meeting to fridays. It is a wonderful arrangement with endless possiblilities and potential, especially when it also mean that our entire Saturdays are free. It's truly Double Happiness.



Thank God It's Friday!

Imagine.

CSC is such an quaint old place. Which means it has an incredible charm about it if we can spruce it up.

Think 'CHIJMES. '

A beautifully restored place that blends the modern and the old resulting in an environment of absolute wonder and charm. In CSC, fix up colored spotlights on trees, light them up with electric pink, smooth blue and lively green. Wash stairs and walls with a touch of color. Darken the place and release an array of lights and color, sights and sounds. Irresistable.


A beautiful balcony we have that overlooks the field. Can it not become a site for a Cafe? Serving up designer coffee enjoyed with chill out furniture, a blend of conversation and a touch of pool and cues. A tea light on every table, cane chairs, a solo guitarist and whiffs of cookie and cream. A charming setting patroned from 6pm to midnight? The young and old can hang out before prayer meeting and chill out after that? Amplify partners adorn aprons, serving in cheerful labour. Why not?


How about wireless internet? X-boxes? Manicure. Board games. Why just settle for a prayer meet? Make it an experience. Get young people down and half the battle is won. Provide an alternative to clubbing and other unsavoury places. A night of Praise and Worship, lively talks, video presentations and Adoration before the Blessed Sacrament. A place where God meets real life.


I imagine a huge crowd of young people gathering at the ghrotto, praying the rosary before meeting starts. Our talks recorded and podcasted on the internet. I see young people hanging out and bringing their friends and colleagues.


"I didn't know church could be like that."

It can. If we make it happen.







Saturday Surprise!

Saturday, awash in daylight brings myraid possibilites. CSC transforms into a youth Centre. The cafe business still opens. Leadership Meetings can be held at dawn. Ministry training can happen at noon. Band practices or cell groups.

Nothing new. Think further.

But what about a tution centre? Can the massive wood tables we have be converted into a study corner? Can those of us, with higher education offering free tution? Maths, Chinese, Econs etc. What about All-nighters? Man the Cafe through the night, offering fresh hot brews to students cramming for their exams?

And if Coffee is not enough to boost confidence, the Adoration Room is always open for last minute supplications!


What about screening movies or a monthly flea market?


What about football matches? We have a wonderfully big field for all our sporting needs. Interchurch soccer? Paintball?


What about a Speaker's Club? A Christian Toastmaster's Club to help young people build confidence in public speaking and raise more youth speakers.


What about a counselling centre where youths can talk about their problems in an open and friendly environment? Can more of us be able to get ourselves trained in counselling?


Worship workshops, baking classes, leadership conferences. Poetry Recite, Art explosions, guitar classes. What can't we do?


What about a Day where youths can spend the whole day with host of activities to enjoy and partake?


Imgaine the friendships can we form and the influence we can have with young people to lead them slowly to Jesus who inspires us to make all these happen?



There is so much we can do to reach out to young people. We need to look beyond simply the platform and prayer meetings. I know not all of us are called to be a speaker or a worship leader or an event planner, but surely we can put on an apron and a smile on your face to serve coffee? What about a Pool ministry or an X-box ministry? Tution ministry? Sports?

Any inroads to the hearts of young people, we can create, let's do it.

Amplify's Vision is make CSC an Epicenter of Youth Spiritual Awakening. And it starts with us making inroads. "Become all things to all men to save some." The possibilites are endless. We need more people to come forward with fresh ideas and make them happen. Rise up, initiate and take lead and make dreams come true.

Anyone want to join me?


leo

Something to say about The Wedding.

Recently, Cass and I had the great honor of hosting the Beach Wedding Dinner of the famed couple, Kevin and Sharon.

It was incredibly fun abeit nerve racking. Give me a good 1000 strong youth rally anytime. A wedding dinner???

Man, That takes some pretty serious guts.

Kevin and Sharon are such an inspiration when it comes to their wedding planning. No cookie cutter wedding, nope, not for this couple extraordinaire. These two...tsk...tsk... have broken more rules than any other couples I know. Most weddings I've been to have overtures of a well-scripted drama. You know, Act 1. Scene 1. Church Wedding. Get in, do your lines, exit stage.

But this one? There was such a refreshing spontaneity on that day, an authentic unpretensious feel about it. That it was really about the Couple and not just some custom that just HAD to be carried out. Well, perhaps I feel this way because this time I have backstage passes to the wedding and can see all the inner workings of this age old custom.

All in all, it was a great experience and we are just so grateful to Kevin and Sharon for sharing such an important part of their lives with us. From the Mall to the church to the beach. It was truly a hilariously great honor.

well, Cass, I hope you were taking notes.

Leonard

We would like to wish Kevin and Sharon the greatest Joys ahead. May God take them both to heights they never thought possible! As they Journey together, may they always feel the love of God filling them, giving them the strength to go on! Amen!

Dreams of God


"Many people do not consider themselves creative, often because they can’t draw or sing. However, every human being has been given the most essential tool for creativity, and that’s the human imagination. There isn’t a person alive on this planet without imagination. You may not be very imaginative, or you may limit your travels through your imagination, but you have one.

The imagination is God’s gift of creativity to humanity. It is the one way you can see the ideal, go to places you’ve never been, step into experiences you’ve never known. In your imagination you have unlimited resources, unlimited capacity, unlimited range of influence. In some ways, in our imaginations we are most like God.

Unfortunately the material for our imagination is primarily filtered through our hearts. When our hearts are separated from God, our imaginations can move to tremendous corruption. But when our hearts are joined to God, our imaginations can be the birthplace of the dreams of God for our lives. What dreams has God placed in your heart? Have you allowed him to take you in your imagination to places that now he desires to take you in history? When God dreams, reality forms. When we dream of God, we are both transformed and become agents of transformation.

The church can become the place where the great artists of our time paint their first strokes and the great musicians sing their first notes. The church can become the place where the great thinkers and the great scholars and the great writers emerge. The church can become the environment where the future’s poets and film directors, dancers and doctors, grow up in community and learn that their talents are a gift from God.

The future leaders of this world will come from somewhere. Shouldn’t it be the church? In a world filled with despair, drawn toward darkness, and conceding to existentialism and nihilism, where would the beauty that calls human beings to aspire toward greater things come from if not from the church?"

-Erwin Rapheal Mcmanus
(Leonard's personal hero)

Cold Water


"Cold, cold water Surrounds me now
And all I've got is your hand
Lord, can you hear me now?"

- Damien Rice


Sometimes I find myself in situations that are just beyond my control. Where I find my security, my sense of balance and my self worth rocking helplessly on the merciless waves of circumstance, blown off by winds of criticisms and pressed down by rains of discouragement. They threaten to take me, knock me off my feet and drench me till I get so heavy I just don't want to fight anymore. "Let the waves take me and swept my soul out to sea or sink me to the darkest depths."

Ever felt this way?


I was in the prayer room this morning, praying for my life. Last week had been a week like that. If you ask me for a reason, I can't tell you, I can't really pinpoint one. Sometimes, its just a whole lot of things coming at you and you just feel overwhelmed. A friend of mine, Annjoo used to call these times, 'Piranha Moments.'

Apt.

I think we all have times like that. A phone call comes with news that shatter our world. A slow build up of negative criticism that like a cancer that eats at you. A disappointment. A rejection. A death. A lost. Somestimes, its all the above.

All these thoughts ran through my mind today as I was reflecting on the story of Jesus calming the storm. Basically, the disciples under the direction of Jesus set off for short boat trip to the other side of the sea.

(Ever thought you heard from God about doing something and when you do, you got into whole lot of trouble? And you are like, "God told me to do this?? This is suppose to be easy!" Righttt.)

Midway, they ran into a storm and were in grave danger of sinking. Jesus, of course, being the Prince of Peace and all that was....asleep. I kinda understand how that feels, try conducting a retreat for 500 people the whole day and see if you don't sleep through an earthquake.

So anyway, the disciples freaked out, woke the Master from his slumber and got scolded. "hmmm..The faith is weak in you, I sense". He then proceeded to off the storm like it was the most normal thing to do. Like pulling a plug.

Peter: So what did you do today? Anything interesting?

Jesus: oh, nothing much. Calm a storm or two.

Peter: slow day huh?

Jesus: the usual.

So as I was thinking about this story and my week that had just passed, I realised that the truth of the matter is that even in the midst of my storm, I am not really alone. The One who calms the waves, tames the winds and shut out the rain is in the same boat with me.

He could, I realised, at anytime stop everything with a thought, a wink or a whisper. We maybe in a situation that is beyond our control but its certainly isn't the case with Jesus. He is in control and the fact is that we may be exactly where He wants us.

Sometimes God calms the storm. Other times, He let the storm rage and calms the child.

Perhaps you are in a difficult or painful situation that you wish could just go away. Perhaps you think that God is putting you through some test and is looking from the front of the class with a red pen in His hands, waiting to see if you pass or fail.

Frankly, I don't think thats entirely true. ( see the Lord's Prayer line 8, "do not bring us to the test.') I believe that God uses those difficult situations in our lives as opportunities to prove His Faithfulness and is working with us, showing us how to trust Him and to overcome them.

I came across this quote which help me a great deal in putting things in perspective:

"All Things work out in the end. If it hasn't. Its not yet the end."

Scripture says that 'all things work together for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose.' So I believe that everything I go through has a good purpose to it, I may not understand it now but someday I will look back on this time and say, "I'm glad it happened."

So if you are in a difficult time now, don't lose hope, God is in control. Good will come out of it. Hang on, trust in Jesus - the storm will soon pass. And when it does, you may find yourself stronger than when you were on familiar shores.

And perhaps even a whole lot bigger on the inside.


Oh Wait, I think I see land.

Leonard

I DREAM OF A CHURCH

I was thinking. When Jesus was on earth, He was irresistible. People flocked to Him, Children loved Him, the sick wanted to be near him. Jesus was Irresistible.

I believe that the Church, being Jesus' Body and him the head, has to reflect that same irresistibility on earth.

As I look at our Church today and honestly ask myself -
IS OUR CATHOLIC CHURCH IRRESISTIBLE? Are we reflecting who Jesus is? Are people flocking to church? Or do they can't wait to get out of there?

I believe change is needed. The worlds needs the Church. But they will not darken the doors of the church if we continue to be what we are. Already we see an Exodus of our own young people out of our church.

I believe a generation of Spirit-Filled Catholics can make a change. We are the Future of the Church. What we are is what the church will be in the Future.

That is why I dare to say...


I DREAM OF A CHURCH ...


I dream of a church in the future that is Irresistible.


I dream of a church where everyone is passionately satisfied by Jesus and are filled with the Holy Spirit.


I dream of a church where every man, woman and child would rush in every Sunday. An environment so irresistible, there is no better place to be.


I dream of a church that is relevant to culture. That sees culture not as a foe but as a friend, not as friction, but traction for the Gospel of Jesus Christ.


I dream of a church where people are real. Where perfection is not expected and grace is extended. Where we warm hearts and not pews. Where we are friends and not strangers.


I dream of a church where joy, not just knowledge, is the measure of faith.


I dream of a church where clergy and laity are equal, even partners.


I dream of a church where the Word of God meets Real Life. Where what is heard on Sunday can be used on Monday.


I dream of a church where the presence of the Lord is tangible and the joy of the peoples contagious.


I dream of a church where there are signs and wonders, healings and miracles, prophecies and deliverances.


I dream of a church that doesn't just have small groups but will be of small groups. Where people live shared lives and care for one another.


I dream of a church where character is the measure of maturity. Where people fear the Holiness of God, love Righteousness and do justice.


I dream of a church where every person discover their purpose and is released into ministry.
Where everyone is released to be everywhere.


I dream of a church that is irresistible to the lost, the hurting, the broken and the skeptic.


I dream of a church that is bold and dangerous enough to capture the imagination of the leaders, achievers, the artistic and the intellectuals of our society.


I dream of a church that change lives, impacts society, blesses the nation and touches the world practically with the Love and the Spirit of God



How?

We need to see a rising generation of radically God-Centered Catholics whose passion for Jesus will ellipses the pervious generations.

Students and young people so sold-out to the Kingdom and so broken for lives who do not yet know Him that they are willing to risks all. A people of great resolve to prudently challenge the present and forge a framework of a Future Church that will be able to speak in the culture in the most effective way possible. These people go on to establish communities and ministries that will embody the very blueprint of the future.

An Irresistible Church - as Jesus was when He was on earth.

It can happen. The Dream can become Reality. We have to start now.

One Generation. That's all it takes.

The Irresistible Church.

The BEST is yet to be.

ENROUTE VOL. 2


Welcome to another installment of ENROUTE.

Well, its the New Year 2006, time to stop writing '05'at the end of your dates and start getting used to writing '06'. I usually take about 3 weeksworth of cancelling and liquid papering before I finally get the hang of it. So all the best to you!

Here's wishing all our readers a Happy New Year! And should all acquaintance be forgot, you better check with your local brain specialist for a scan.





Recently, I realised...


1. that when you haven't jogged for two years, taking a deep breath at a traffic junction when you do is probably not a good idea.




2. that my new year resolution is 800 X 600




3. that it's important to note what God promise and what He doesn't. He promises we can be certain about who He is and we can be certain of our relationship with Him. But how the journey ofour lives plays out is full of uncertainties.

I may not know what tomorrow holds, but I know Who holds my future.





4.That Magnifying God has two distinct meanings. You can magnify like a telescope or like a microscope.

When you magnify like a microscope, you make something tiny look bigger than it is. A dust mite can look like a monster. Pretending to magnify God like that is wickedness.

But when you magnify like a telescope, you make something unimaginably great look more like what it really is. With the Hubble Space Telescope, pinprick galaxies in the sky are revealed for the billion-star giants that they are.

Magnifying God like that is worship.








5. that how we see ourselves very often affects the way we respond to situations and people in our lives. If we spend a greater part of our time condemning ourselves and thinking that we are not good enough, not pretty enough, not smart enough, not rich enough, then we will most likely interpret everyone else’s actions towards us through that same condemning lenses.

I’ve decided to spend the better part of my time mediating on the goodness of God and what He has already said about me, instead of repeating thoughts that say otherwise.






6. that the great things of God come out of small acts of faithfulness.






7. that there is something about me (Cassilda), rats and cockroaches. (refer to Overseas Education Vol 7 Pt 2 & 10) http://creatsia.blogspot.com/2005/12/overseas-education-vol_113558869117433308.html

I’ve been coughing for over a month now. My colleague came up to me the other day and told me that she was waiting for me to fall sick because the whole office is so dusty and dirty. She then proceeded to kindly informed me that rats and cockroaches have been sighted making their rounds around the place. The spaces in between the cubicle dividers, according to her, doubles up as a toilet for the local roaches.

Now she tells me. I’ve been leaving my cup in the open. I’ve been coughing. Go figure.






8. That residents of Pasir Ris and Loyang are going to get their very own Parish.

“A new church is to be built and a new parish established for the 3,700 catholic residence of thearea” – Catholic News p.2, 8 January






9. that no good thing will God withhold from those who fear Him. Yes, you heard me right, God gives only the BEST to those who fear Him.







10. That knowing that my God is alive, authoritative, omnipotent, resplendent, revered, holy and glorious is awesome enough. Knowing that he clothed all that power and potential in frail humanskin, walked on earth for 33 years and died for me on a roman cross just defies all understanding.

“How could it be, you were the one on the cross? Lifted for all our shame?
How can it be, the scars in your hands are for me? You are the King of all!"
- MORE THAN LIFE, Hillsong

11. that what a marvelous thing a promise is!

When I make a promise, I reach out into an unpredictable future and makes one thing predictable:that I will be there even when being there costs me more than I wants to pay. When I make apromise, I stretches myself out into circumstances that no one can control and controls at leastone thing: that I will be there no matter what the circumstances turn out to be. With one simpleword of promise, I create an island of certainty in a sea of uncertainty.

When I make a promise, I stake a claim on my personal freedom and power. When I make a promise, I take a hand in creating my own future





13. that in the ‘Spirit of a participatory church’, parishioners can suggest a name for the new Pasir Ris church.

I’m sorta in favor of using less popular Saints. I think Saints like Anthony, Francis are likesuper overexposed.

Here are some of my suggestions –

Our Lady of Ghisallo - She was made Patroness of Bicycle Riders on 13 October 1949 by Pope Pius XII.

Which I think is great for Pasir Ris residents.

St. Dymphna. - She is the patron saint of mental disorders and sleepwalkers. (hey, you never know..)

St. Bernardine of Siena. - He’s the patron saint of compulsive gambling. He might get quite popular in the future inSingapore.

St. Zeno- He’s the patron saint of fishing. Which is also quite good for Pasir Ris. But I just think his name is cool.

“Hey, which parish you from?”

“I’m from the St. Zeno.”

“woah..dude, Far out.”

“yah, quite lah. Pasir Ris leh.

ENRoute no Copyrights 2006 Leonard & Cassilda. All materials here can be downloaded, copied, borrowed or eaten.