Keeping your eyes on the goal

Hey All!

Hope you've all been well!
Pretty Hot these few days but Thank God autumn is coming really soon!

Just wanted to share something that God placed in my heart.

(Philippians 3:12-16)(New Living Translation)

Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
All of us who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you. Only let us live up to what we have already attained.

Sometimes we look from a distance how God uses people mightily, it may even be uncomfortable to see the level of passion in people but you just can't understand how they arrive at that place, or maybe we don't even see the need to get so passionate?

I used to think that people that are "passionate" are some overly enthusiastic hippy christian. However, going from a point of being passionless to the present, its really about not giving up but PRESSING IN to the presence of GOD! What comes along with it is a wanting to be committed and connected to the church.

Where does your priority lie?
It is a year where a lot of crucial things are happening, final year of studies, stress at work, stress from needing to find work etc. Yes we have to be dilligent in what we're called to do presently. Yes be a good testimony thru all of that. BUT not at the expense of your relationship with God. lets not have the mentality of taking a year off to concentrate on studies or work and i'll work on my relationship with God later. Remember we are first a christian then a student, a valuer, a doctor , a pharmacist etc.

Its dangerous when we are satisfied where we are at with God, everyday do a bit of devotion, sunday go to church, go back home and the cycle goes on.
Do we have the hunger for God, his word and things of him?

In Philippians 3 Paul says that he hasn't attained it but he PRESSES ON toward Christlikeness. Being like Christ would mean having the heart of the things he is concerned about. For the people that have yet to know him. If you don't have the heart for that, pray and ask God to give it to you! Christ spent time with God whenever he could, lets be found doing that as well, and not because we have to.

Having passion and being Christlike dosen't come suddenly like a flood of emotions, or suddenly feeling like it. It comes from a heart that WANTS TO and despite not feeling like it and at the same time surrounded by various unconducive circumstances still pressing in and pressing on toward Christ!

It is not easy being a christian, but thank God for Christ who loved us to the point of death. Pressing on along the path to the cross.

Keep your eyes on the Goal. Its worth it!


Praying and committed on the journey with you :)


Sarah

Chinese New Year Celebration

Hello everyone!

How has your week been? I hope that all is well with all of you...

I'd just like to encourage each one of you to DARE to DREAM or SEE beyond what it is for this Saturday night. Hehe, to be honest, when I was first asked what were my expectations they were quite puny really..but you know, I've been challenged to DARE (or TRY) to IMAGINE what God can do this Saturday night. Don't get me wrong, it's not like I'm belieivng for people to get saved immediately this Saturday (though it would be awesome if it was!!) but it's really more about divine connectins to be made with our friends or the new people!

I tried to imagine at first and began inviting my friends and was a litlle disappointed when my friends werent able to come for this Saturday night for I thought that "Oh no..how is this whole thing about dreaming BIG for Saturday is going to come to pass?" But you know what, God taught me that I was relying on my own strength or ability to try to make that come to pass. That it was back to the fact that it's all about HIM and for His glory, and if He speaks the word, it will come to pass! But nevertheless, we all still have to do our part in inviting our friends, and let the LORD do the whole drawing bit. That's why we have to really PRAY for this Saturday night! Only the LORD can move in the supernaturral and physical!! So yeah, let's really take the time to pray about it this whole week! Let's not give up!!!

I watched this show once where a bad man really repented of his ways and followed the Lord's ways till it came to point where his car business was going bankrupt and he simply PRAYED EARNESTLY at the back of his house and trusted the LORD. Then suddenly, his friend ran up to him and said
"What are you doing back here? Come quickly and take a look!" To his amazement, people started pouring in and his business had hope again. And his friend said

"While you were busy praying, God was busy working!"

So yeah! hope that reallly encourages each one of you! Let's all prepare the nets so that it won't be broken when the people come in! =) Let's believe together for the Lord GOD to move mightily!!!!

BERSEMANGAT ya in whatever area that you guys are doing!!!!Let's give our best to the LORD ya! and PRAY!!!

See you alll sooon!!!

Cheers
Jasmine