Prophecies . . .

Ok, better write some concrete reality things. Got my teaching post letter today. Good that now I have a framework to work with on how much free time I still have, will help. Happy and scared. Guess I just want people to be happy for me, and not say they already knew. I already knew too, but I'm happy to get the news anyway. I already knew too, and that's what's scary. Like if you were given a set of scary prophecies and the first one came true...

It looks kinda unreal, esp the letter in my hand and the briefing next week, like it can't be happening. Like one of those times I get a great idea at night and is all excited to start carrying it out the next day, and then the next day the idea looks ...so strange, like how could I have such an idea at all.

Maybe I'm in denial. It's got a "you mean it's real?" feeling to it. But then I chose it not because I want it, but because I chose it.

Memories

Some more pieces of paper . . . I know they're boring to other people, but they're kinda precious to me, like part of my past. And they have a special meaning people wun understand. Like these boring, sermon-like things are the lessons I learnt from books and all over the place when I couldn't go to church, but somehow, the Lord still always makes sure I learned. I'm preserving them here so I can thrown the yellowed hard copies.

The following are actually from a book I found in the library, in 1995 I think. Kind of summary of some chapters of that book, Everyday Evangelism, I think. I liked it a lot then. Well, if anyone wants to sue me for plagarism pls just let me know, I'll delete the whole thing. And forgive an innocent 14-year-old who never heard the word 'plagarism'...

You'll notice a lot of very obvious spelling errors, they're as per original, din noe my spelling was that bad at 14 ... Found out how to put in a midi! Think I'm making this whole thing like a webpage...

Sharing

the act of two who receive and give be open to learning new things about others and about yourself try new things together do things you both enjoy (common interest) Do things together. Go places together The most important part if the communication of your faith in Jesus Christ (introduction)

Evangelizing

more than giving an impression of Jesus to others inviting others to put their trust in him

Difficulties

people are not “good with words and fear saying it wrong an intentional caring act (done without words of explanation, as be view simply as thoughtfulness most church people have a “theological vocabulary” that is largely unknown to the outside world

tools

lead people from the known to the unknown tell God’s story to each person in her own language. Discover some of the key words in the language of your friends and use these words to tell God’s storey Tell storys connected to the person’s interest

Ask those person if they would be willing to trust in a God who relates to their needs and interests, who created them they way they are, and whose only Son came to earth to bring their salvation

Character	Action
Great difficulty speaking about themselves	Make personal statements by talking about the problems of others
Feel weak and inferior	Try to appear strong and speak with deliberation and firmness
Frightened	Appear very aggressive and controlled

If you listen carefully, you will hear their questions and begin to understand their needs.
Then we can refer to those questions in talking about faith.



NEEDS

SECURITY

: concerned about having adequate food, clothing, shelter and money for themselves and their family : personal safety from danger : shy away from taking risks : hesitant to try new things : slow to trust someone else : slow to accept what they consider to be new ideas : (desire material things) : (always doing new things) A friend they can count on A friend who can guide them into the knowledge of a God they can count on

AFFECTION

: desire to be included in a group : need to feel they belong : need to be loved : even try to force friendships : act out of fear and loneliness : (always doing things to please others) To be invited to a group of caring people Learn of a God who cares for them and who has even prepared a place for them

ESTEEM

: wants to be seen as significant : need to be recognized for specific reasons : to be treated by others as respect : to have their opinions considered : (desire material things) : (always doing things to please others) Need to be encouraged to become involved in service See service as a response to the Servant

GROWTH

: desire to be stretched : experience new things : likes challenges : long to expand their horizons, improve themselves or gain deeper understanding of their lifes : want to be all they were meant to be and live on “the growing” edge : to be challenged with opportunities through which they will learn : (always doing new things) Friendship from the “movers and thinkers” of the faith, people who will show them that faith is life’s greatest challenge

BUILDING

1. Make friendships a priority

• Require time
  
• Priority over other activities

2. Accept others

• Accept people without necessarily condoning what they may do or how they may act
  
• Deal with what kept them from becoming all that God intended them to be
  
• See people in terms of their potential
  
• See her as a person of worth
  
• Accept people as God accepts them

Our acceptance becomes a living example of God’s acceptance. They will come to understabd abd experience the acceptance of God as we live it out with them

3. Listen actively

• Requires conscious effort
  
• Move beyond words to “hear” the nonverbal clues given by a person
  
• In tone of voice, facial expressions and the chioce and order of words
  
• Hear what is really being said
  
• Determind our friends’ background and needs
  
• By stories of daily experiences which reveal their spiritual quests
  
• Every tory hides a truth, question, etc
  
• (Most people are unaware of all they are sharing as they narrate their everyday stories
  
• discover how to introduce God to that person at her point of interest and need
  
• Your friends’ words and ways tell you a lot about her

4. Listening helps you to discover the religious convictions of your friend.

• People give clues to their beliefs in speech and behaviour
  These clues must be matched up to the part of God’s story that will be good news for the seeker
  
• Ask yourself how you can relate God’s love to the person in the most natural and direct way
  
• Determine whether your friend need your companionship, your actions or your words
  
• Determind which words are the most important and meaningful at that moment
  Keep confidence with your friends
  
• As you listen carefully, you learn much about others
  
• Refrain from relating what you know to anyone

If you break confidence. Your credibility as a friend and witness will be lowered.

If your friend can't trust you. Christ's representative, how can she trust Christ?

Listening draws you silently into the lines of others. Sharing draws you silently into the lives of others

Differences in personalities and experiences relate better to some people than others (similar problems)

Listen carefully to hear questions being asked. Refer to those questions by talking about faith

Thanksgiving in 2000

This is a thanksgiving prayer I found, written at the end of 2000...



Abba,

Thank You for my job, for planning a special ‘immersion program all for me. For the two stages You prepared thru Ps Edwin beforehand. For showing me who worship You just as I do, for showing me I wasn’t strange.

Thank You, Lord, for letting me live among people who love You so passionately, so wholeheartedly, people who center of their lives is You. And yet for showing me their humanness, their realness, that they have faults though many strengths. And thank You, Lord, for showing people who are matured and confident enough to behave like children, who are not too old to play games, have fun and laugh heartily, who treasure childlikeness more than ‘face’.

Father, I thank You for Your promise that You will teach me, for fulfilling that promise so abundantly I couldn’t begin to count my blessings, though I’m trying to now. I thank You for changing my attitude, giving me a good attitude I never had, one that says, of all kinds of things to be tried, to be learned, thing I don’t know or have never seen before, even things I was afraid of & afraid to learn, all kinds of new things in new worlds, simply this: “I can learn” Father, You said You would teach me, so I just assumed I could learn anything.

Father, I thank You for Lijun & Qingyu. For giving me friends at the moment when I was in a strange place & had none. For the nicest horrible instant noodles they cooked me, with bitter vege in it. I ate it with tears in my eyes. & I ate all the vege . . . most. & for my colleages who prefer to use their idling time to sing to You than gossip.

Father, I thank You for showing me that it isn’t true I couldn’t live with You people & love them. For giving me Lijun, Qingyu, Vivien, later Wanting, still later Louis, Angie, Delci, and then Anqi, Xiangyu, Zhaoyan & so many, many more. Even Doris, Ps Yee Theng, Ps Debra, Ps Edwin, Linda, Siew Ping, Ps Asher, Ps Roland, Ps David, Ps Hee Guan, Ps Cheong How, Joy, Sharon, Wynne, Maisie, Pamela, Xiuxin, Fang Xiang, Grace, Crystal . . . Father, I can’t name them all. You know.

More scraps

More scraps from the past. I realised I don't agree with some of the things I wrote now. Not the big things, just the details here and there.



Sometimes love means ...

Being willing, even eager, to give up all your other chances, close down any alternative options to choose the one you love.

Commitment, more than fun. Being exciting and wonderful may make people in 'love' with you, but in the end, you don’t love anybody for being exciting or fun, though you like the good times you have together. You love people who cares what happens to you, who shares tears as well as laughter with you. In the end the times you really treasure may be when you cried together.



...about God's glory being 1st and His love for us a 2nd.

... passion. A passion for God. To say 'Lord, I want to fallen love with you. '

... faith. If you believe, and only if you believe the vision God has given you, will you work towards the goal

... obedience. The difference between fear and unwillingness. You can fear, and yet obey. If you fear, and are unwilling to obey, it can only be called this – disobedience

If you lack passion, ask the Lord for passion. If you lack faith, ask the Lord for it. Go to Him in willingness.

If you love Me, keep My commandments.

Lord, teach me. Teach me to do that. I want to. I want to . . . Obey You, Lord, and go with you. No matter where. I promised You, Lord Father, that I’ll march till I collapse . . . I am sure, Father. Oh Father, Lord you know I have to. All of us live on Your love. And Father, send us a revival, just like You said. Lord, You said You’d deliver us. Must I tell them?

Father, when I can’t please can. Please can for me.



John
1
v. 10 -13 God’s heart: wanting His people to know, recognise and receive Him

v.15 – 34 Points to Jesus
John always puts the focus on Jesus, never on himself. He only explains himself as sent to testify for Jesus. (3:30) “He must become greater; I must become less.”

v. 27 sandals

2
Water to Wine (v.1 – 11)
- He cares about our practical, even mundane needs
- He always gives us the best, even in little things, not just ‘good enough’
- He changes His schedule for those He loves?

Clears Temple
- Jesus insists on a ‘clean’ temple
o There were a lot of other injustices then also. Jesus taught about a lot of them (adultery, Samaritans, etc), but only in this case He 发火。
o We are called temples of the living God, so . . .