yes i'm firstt

I think it's been a long time since I posted something first.
So here it goes.

First, I hope that Steven and his family are okay from the accident. We missed you dearly.
Second, we missed Hannah and her voice today.. hope you had fun at the choir retreat
Third, we missed Cathy at the EM service.
Fourth, to Allan, Roh, Isaac, Michael and Jacob (and Cathy in the Hi-C service), I don't know about you guys, but I loved our worship service..

Is it just me or are we kind of .. awesome? That coloring took quite some time...

Luke 9
v.5 "If people do not welcome you, shake the dust off your feet when you leave their town, as a testimony against them."
Jesus tells His disciples not to bring anything else than themselves to preach because He wants people to accept them for who they are- followers of God. I think that this verse says a lot about Jesus Himself. He wants believers to believe in Him, more than what He can provide them. Sure, Jesus performed many miracles and blessed people around Him, but we shouldn't accept Him just for those miracles, but for the love that he has for us sinful people. I'm not sure if I'm explaining this very well, but I think it would be worthwhile to ask ourselves why it is that we love God so much. I think our hearts are at the right place once we answer this question by saying that God's love is what we love most about Him.

v.13 "You give them something to eat." "We have only five loaves of bread and two fish-unless we go and buy food for all this crowd."
Right at the beginning of this chapter, it says that "He [Jesus] gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases." This verse shows how the disciples are still underestimating Jesus' power and their own power. Today, Sam talked about how people underestimate the power of prayer, and I think that it's hard for Christians to believe and be sure that God will solve every one of our problems. It's difficult, but by resorting to prayer and faith during trouble times, God will work through us so that we will be able to endure, just as He wanted to work through His disciples at Bethsaida.


I don't want to go to schoooool

Steven, hope you + your family are good now
and ya, worship was good today =] props

Cool, this is the Chapter that Sam preached about today in EM service... for those of you who weren't there hope you guys don't mind me filling you guys in, because it was a good sermon.
Sam mainly talked about the "JESUS HEALS A DEMON-POSSESSED BOY" part
K.. so Sam's bible's version is different, so I won't be using direct quotes or anything.
Summary:
Jesus comes back from praying, father ask his boy to be healed by Him because disciples failed.
Jesus heals the boy, who looks like he's dead after the healing has been done.
Jesus puts the boy on his feet and the boy lives.
People (maybe it was disciples, forgot) ask, "Why couldn't we do that?" or, "How did you do that?"
Jesus says, "all it needs is prayer."

First thing, Verse 41... Kinda forgot this actually, having a brain fart lol.
Someone else do this part?

Second thing. Only in Sam's version.
Basically, there is the repetition of Jesus lifting up the boy to his feet, and then it says the boy stood up again.
So it goes something like: "Jesus stood up the boy on his feet, then the boy stood up alive."
The repetition may sound stupid, but it has a deep meaning which is: ascension to higher faith and love for God.
After experiencing such miracle, I think the only reaction that is possible is to have greater faith and love for God.

Last thing. The part about "How did you do that?"
The disciples relied too much on their own selves rather than Jesus.
They began to think that it was their powers that healed the sick and made miracles happen.
Therefore, when they tried to heal the boy with that mindset, it obviously didn't work.
Also, prayer - even though it may be your last resort - works wonders and heals everyone/everything in need.

That's Sam's sermon today at the EM in a nutshell (the real thing was a lot better).

Alrite... anyways
I learned from this Chapter about the definite hardships that face people who will follow God...
The life outlined by God goes against everything that we see in society as "common sense" or being "normal"
I believe God loves naiveness, hates cunning; loves forgiveness, hates grudges; loves givers, hates collectors.
If you live only giving, believing everything people say, and forgive people for even the most dreadful trespasses, people will think you are the biggest idiot ever when in reality, you are the greatest human being ever.
I hope I won't be blinded by society, which is men's creation, and be able to see past the veil of such artificial.. thing..

agreed with what the 2 up there said.
Steven hope everything is alright, especially your mom.

I'll fill in for Michael here although Sam's version was better. Verse 41. So instead of just healing this boy, Jesus says wow guys... this is pathetic. (basically) This also has to do with the last part Mike talked about, when they relied too much on themselves. Jesus says they are faithless and corrupt. Meaning they rely too much on themselves and not one the One who they're suppose to rely on. These 12 disciples were Jesus's chosen ones, yet they couldn't make anytyhing happen, they were like every other human. I want to make a point now, if they are like every human in the world, and then EVENTUALLY they get this miraculous power of haling and stuff, shouldn't we too? It doesn't say in Luke, but i remember one part Jesus said " This can only be done by prayer." and Sam talked about how people don't believe in the power of prayer so they don't believe prayer exists. There are always doubts like this mans father who said" I believe, but help me overcome my unbelief." which doesn't make sense at all. I just want us to never have second thoughts when it comes to God, no hesitations, no resistance. It should always be in one direction, to its fullest.

I like the 2 verse from 49- 50.
The disciples say we told him to stop because he isn't in our group. What a clique eh?
But i like what Jesus had to say, " Don't stop him! Anyone who is not against you is for you." I like to see it as our praise team, maybe we can get a little too cliquey, but we hang out ALL the time so ahahaha. Anyway when people that aren't part of our praise team want to come and hang out, we never say no. Thats the one thing i love abotu us, we always welcome and i think taht's crucial in our ministry. Someone people never want to go to church because they don't make friends. What Jesus said reminds me of our congregation. We as a praise team are a group, but when others in our ministry declare the name Jesus, we dont' say" Yo stop... only we can say Jesus" We let everyone get a chance to know who he is, and like how Jesus says anyone who isn't against us is for us, our congregation is the same. They aren't entirely with us as a praise team, but we all worship the same One God.
Sorry my grammar is sooo bad, i rushed this ahaha, and i'm all over the place.

Side note. i like Luke, cause theres a million things to write about.
From verse 57 now.
I would like to keep it short.
When God asks you to do something, he means it.
But we're all humans right? we have other things on our mind. SO when GOd says this, we say " how about this though?"
We always fail to see the bigger picture. JUst like how this man had soo many excuses and things to take care of before he left Jesus we tend to do the same. So when God says " Come, follow Me." We should GO, and not think abotu anything else. It's not easy of course, but God will provide.


"Anyone who puts a hand to the plow and then looks back is not fit for the kingdom of God
He doesn't need people who need a quick second or have to do an errand first. He wants people who will want to follow God, to put everything behind him and just Go.

Have a sick monday guys!

HOLLA.

I missed you guys terribly today. Actually. I'm gonna feel like I've been robbed of my Sunday for the rest of the week. Aisshhh.
But the choir retreat was good. Had pizza post-dinner last night at like 8.30. It was beautiful. And DERICIOUS.

Stevie, you're in our prayers!
And I heard that worship was BOMB today - whoowhoo!

Luke 9

I'm finding with Luke there's just so much...metaphorical meat to every chapter. It's absolutely gravy, but it's like, what to say, what to say, what to say! Haha.

v1. "When Jesus had called the Twelve together, he gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases, and he sent them out to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick...So they set out and went from village to village, preaching the gospel and healing people everywhere."
This one, I'm gonna have a doozy trying to explain, but for me, reading this was inspiring and encouraging. I think growing up, I always set the 12 disciples as these like, "Greater Beings" that could do 'magical things' in my mind, because they were the select 12 that Jesus had chosen. But reading this, it kinda lit that light up in my head that reminded me that these 12 were very normal men, fishermen and tax collectors - people that the society of their time might even look down upon. And under God's eyes we are all His children, none more significant that the next, so we might as well put ourselves in the same boat as the disciples for a moment. If Jesus could grant these 12 very normal individuals the authority to drive out demons, cure diseases, etc. etc. in the name of the Father, it makes me curious and excited and aware as to the abilities that we can enable on behalf of the kingdom of God in our lives, on the earth. I'm not saying we can go all "Matilda" if it's for the right cause, I'm not thinking things of epic proportions, but just the idea that if God is able to allow the disciples to go out and perform miracles akin to those that Jesus did, imagine what great things He can do with our lives if we just let ourselves be that vessel.

V.21 "Jesus strictly warned them not to tell this to anyone. And he said, 'The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief riests and teachers of the law, and he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.'"
At first, I didn't really understand this. But, eventually I got to really like it. Jesus recognized that he needed to fulfill what was written in scripture, even if it meant the suffering, rejection, and his eventual crucifixion. And that seems simple enough, but reading through Luke, I keep getting reminded that as much as Jesus was this unspeakably wise man, who makes me think that whatever I say in an entire day couldn't measure up to the wisdom he can get across in a couple sentences, as much as he was 100% God, he was also 100% man, and I think I often fail to remember that. I just assume that since he's God's son and can do all these miracles through the Holy Spirit, he doesn't feel anything from the world and it never affects him, but he's also 100% man - he can feel all the pains of a human being, etc. So I'm sure that when he was rejected by chief priests and teachers of the law, while we might think that it didn't amount to much to him because he's this "greater being", I'm sure that sometimes it hurt. And to see him hold on sooo steadfast to the fulfillment of the scripture with such discipline, was...awe-inspiring. He's an incredible individual. Eaowiejfa.

That is all. I feel like that was mad verbal-diarrhea. Hope it made some sense.

Have great Fundays, everyone.

- H

Accomplishments of the day :
1. KICKBUTT WORSHIP, YEYE GOOD JOB EVERYONE!
2. CONQUERED a large bowl of pho at the choo choo train place on steeles. yum =)
3. 2000 words of literary genius. Or just a lot of BS, in which half of the words were synonyms of the word power. (where would i be without thesaurus.com?) haha 99.9% certainty that it's the second option. haha

anyhoo
Firstly STEVEN HONG IM STILL PRAYING FOR YOU! i hope everything is alright and I hope that God will work healing powers on your mom!

LUKE 9:
I love the story about Jesus feeding the five thousand. When we go into the meeting room on sundays and we pray for our worship service, I always get reminded ofthis passage. In the passage, Jesus takes the five loaves of bread and two fish and he blesses it, and it is magically able to feed fivethousand people! Similarly, when we lift up what little that we bring him and bring it to God, he MULTILPLIES it into something that is so much greater - something that feeds, nurtures, and brings people to God. And that's really h ow I like to think of our praise team. I mean, we do work hard, we practice every Friday, come early on Sunday mornins, and all that. But really, it's not like. a HUGE LIFE SACRIFICING thing that we do - it is very little in comparison to what God does. But when we bring it to God and lift it up to him, we ask him to take control. Instead of logically and realistically relying on our own abilities to play, sing and lead, we ask God to work through us. THe little that we bring him can be multiplied into something that really touches peoples hearts, helps them encounter God, open up their hearts, and most importantly, to WORSHIP! And none of that can be done without God - no matter how much we practice, no matter how absolutely talented we are. And it's exactly the same with what happens in the story - no matter how strategically you can try to divide the 5 loaves and 2 fish, it logically and realistically cant feed 5000 people. But with the power of God, he makes it happen! Let's apply it in all other aspects in our lives, not just with our praise! Sometimes we refuse to or get too lazy to the little acts of kindness and love, because we think.. how my good can it do or how much impact can it really have? But let's remember that nothing is too little - not when we lift it up to God and ask him to work through it!

I'm sure you guys know that story about the depressed guy in highschool that was made fun of a lot and very suciidal. One day he was packing up his locker, when some of his books fell. At the same time, this ultimate macho football quarterback-like kind of guy walked by and the depressed guy expected him to kick him around and make fun of him. Instead, he helped him pick up his books, gave him a smile and shared a bit of small talk with him. As a result, the deprssed guy put the stuff back in his locker - it turns out that he was packing his locker up b ecuase he weas going to go home and committ suicide. But because of the small act of kindness that was shared, it really made his day, and crazily enough, saved his life.
Who can limit what God can do? Let's go out there and start off this week with the hearts that want to bring everything up to God!

Have a fantabulous week everyone!
And sorry i couldn't be there for EM im hearing that it was amazing though! Wish I could've joined you, but I guess next time! glad you guys rocked out and had amazing worship!

PS the yellow bus never came so we all took the ttc - most awkward ride of my LIFEEEE with like. james, simon and his scary looking friends, steven lee, alex, etc.
I remembered how comfortable I am with my praise team family and how much you guys save me from being the awkward turtle, which i DEFINETLY was today
(i was hoping there would be a turtle emoticon but the elephant was the closest i could get. OOH or maybe the pig! or maybe this one at least its green )

-Cathy

Hey guys! Sorry I missed devos yesterday I slept at 5 and didn't stop til morning. My apologies.

I'm doing this at school instead of studying... I figure reading the word is more important than some accounting test.

For those of you who were at sams EM service, it was cool to read a different view of the boy who was possesed.
I didn't know a lot of these books were of the sam story but different out look.
I m trying to do my devos on my blackberry and its kinda hard.. Cause I can't look back of the passage. Ill try not to do this again.

E-Sek OUT!

sexy guys