Maturity in Christ

Posted on: Sunday, December 20, 2009
Posted at: 2:37 PM
Posted by: Yi Ren...
Hi. It seems long since I last posted something here. Pardon for my grammar mistakes, etc. >.<

I have this constant worry about the members of E290 (including myself). It's on the subject of maturity in Christ. Not exactly maturity, but enthusiasm one has for Christ + maturity of someone in Christ.

I am deeply concerned if one has a proper relationship with Christ or not. Many people assume that their presence in Church only would mean having a proper relationship with Christ. It is not necessary.

Having this proper relationship with Christ requires time, and of course, one's willingness to sacrifice one's time and energy. You have to pray and communicate with God constantly. Maturity in Christ will come forth when you have a proper relationship with Christ.

How can one have a proper relationship with Christ?
You have to pray to God, talk to Him everyday. Have a intimate conversation with God. You don't have to be too formal. Talk to Him like a normal friend. You can talk to God about every thing which had happened in your life on that day. You can also tell God about your expectations, what you want to see in your life, et cetera. Prayer is not only prayer. Prayer is actually talking to God. You will have a stronger faith when you keep talking to God.

However, having a proper relationship with Christ does not rely totally on prayers.
"Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God." - Romans 10:17

You have to read the bible constantly in order to have a closer relationship with Christ. When you talk to someone, you expect an answer from that person. Similary, when you talk to Christ, you may want an answer from Christ regarding a particular question. God can talk to you through the bible. He may want you to know certain information which will help you.

When you read the bible, you may highlight those verses which you find meaningful/encouraging. Have a notebook and a pen by your side. When you read certain verses which you don't understand, write down those verses on that notebook. Ask your leaders or someone who is more spiritually matured than you, and they will be glad to explain those verses to you. Also, when you are reading the bible, you may come across certain verses which may speak directly to you. Write down those verses, and further elaborate these verses by writing down what you think/feel about these verses. You msy also think about how you can encourage others using those verses which you had read. You are also welcomed to share these verses with your cell group friends on the next cell group meeting/gathering. Do tell God about what He has spoken to you!

You will definitely meet people who are of different level of maturity in church. It will be good if you are able to share with people from different cell groups about your Christian walk, your faith in God, et cetera. Also, you will get to experience and encounter God during church services. You will also get to worship God in a bigger place, with greater atmosphere. The message which is going to be shared by the speaker will bring you to another level of maturity.
You are encouraged reach church 15 to 30 minutes before the service start, so as to fellowship with your cell group friends and people from other cells. Use this time to encourage one another, pray with one another, pray that the sermon will speak to and impact each other's life.
During the service, do pay attention to the speaker, jot down notes, et cetera.
Do not be in a hurry to go home after the service. Have dinner with one another, fellowship with one another.

Cell group meeting is important too! Do turn up so as to fellowship with one another. It's not a waste of time.

Ultimately, it's your attitude which determine your relationship with God. When you have a proper relationship, you will have true maturity. You can't possibly wait for your leaders to make certain phone calls to encourage you in order for you to start reading your bible, et cetera. If that's the case, our leaders will be super super super busy, as they have to make phone calls to everyone else whom they know.

Start doing what you're supposed to do today. Start having a closer relationship with God. God is waiting for you everyday, waiting for you to talk to Him, listen to him, spend time with Him. Are you willing to make the sacrifice, to be a true Christian?

What do you really want?

Posted on: Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Posted at: 11:54 PM
Posted by: Geng Hao
Are you really satisfied with what you get out of life? Will things that you can see, hear, smell, taste and feel provide you with an everlasting abundance of value and joy?

Oftentimes, what we desire the most in our lives are outcomes that can only be fulfilled from within ourselves. Will dollar signs provide an answer to having a closer relationship with God? Will an impartial society mould a person into one who possesses deep values of integrity? Can an improving economy possibly make way for a clear direction in life?

According to Psalms 16:11, "In Your presence is fullness of joy". It's an inevitable fact that humans are greedy beings. Earthly gifts from God can only clear our skies for a day. We will not be satisfied unless we receive the fullness of joy that God provides.

So, remain in the right relationship with the Lord! Become thankful in prayer and trigger his power, worship and praise Him with an attitude that's truly expressed through your mind & body, but most importantly, let Him and His word rule in our hearts. :)

As the spirit's strength continues to build up our "inner man", we will realise that it's not up to an external entity to fulfill our desires, but that it's all about God and letting Him have a place in our hearts; within ourselves. Let Him be the right choice as we begin to realise and achieve our heartfelt outcomes and goals. He is and will bring us true happiness. :)

I know not by what methods rare
The Lord provides for me,
I only know that all my needs
He meets so graciously.

Just trying to revive this almost "dead" blog by putting up my first entry. I hope you like it - this entry is basically how I felt after reading my Daily Bread. :)

Cell Group Outing 2009!

Posted on: Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Posted at: 12:19 PM
Posted by: Ruth. Ai Lin .





Thank God for all of YOU!

<3 E290 :)

Posted on: Thursday, November 19, 2009
Posted at: 9:09 PM
Posted by: Ruth. Ai Lin .
Heys!
Back to clean the dust off this blog!

To me,pictures speaks a lot.
So I'll revive this blog by adding some pictures first.
Brought to you by E290!







Ps:There are more to be uploaded.Stay tune :)

Proverbs 7 - Avoid Sexual Sin (Pst Kong)

Posted on: Monday, October 19, 2009
Posted at: 4:34 PM
Posted by: Yi Ren...
Proverbs 7
1 My son, keep my words,
And treasure my commands within you.
2 Keep my commands and live,
And my law as the apple of your eye.
3 Bind them on your fingers;
Write them on the tablet of your heart.
4 Say to wisdom, “You are my sister,”
And call understanding your nearest kin,
5 That they may keep you from the immoral woman,
From the seductress who flatters with her words.

The Crafty Harlot
6 For at the window of my house
I looked through my lattice,
7 And saw among the simple,
I perceived among the youths,
A young man devoid of understanding,
8 Passing along the street near her corner;
And he took the path to her house
9 In the twilight, in the evening,
In the black and dark night.
10 And there a woman met him,
With the attire of a harlot, and a crafty heart.
11 She was loud and rebellious,
Her feet would not stay at home.
12 At times she was outside, at times in the open square,
Lurking at every corner.
13 So she caught him and kissed him;
With an impudent face she said to him:
14 “ I have peace offerings with me;
Today I have paid my vows.
15 So I came out to meet you,
Diligently to seek your face,
And I have found you.
16 I have spread my bed with tapestry,
Colored coverings of Egyptian linen.
17 I have perfumed my bed
With myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.
18 Come, let us take our fill of love until morning;
Let us delight ourselves with love.
19 For my husband is not at home;
He has gone on a long journey;
20 He has taken a bag of money with him,
And will come home on the appointed day.”
21 With her enticing speech she caused him to yield,
With her flattering lips she seduced him.
22 Immediately he went after her, as an ox goes to the slaughter,
Or as a fool to the correction of the stocks,[a]
23 Till an arrow struck his liver.
As a bird hastens to the snare,
He did not know it would cost his life.
24 Now therefore, listen to me, my children;
Pay attention to the words of my mouth:
25 Do not let your heart turn aside to her ways,
Do not stray into her paths;
26 For she has cast down many wounded,
And all who were slain by her were strong men.
27 Her house is the way to hell,[b]
Descending to the chambers of death.


Here in Proverbs 7, King Solomon writes as a minister and a prophet (who is by office a watchman) to give warning of the approach of the enemies, so that we may not be ignorant of Satan’s devices, but may know where to double our guard. He gives an account of a person who laid himself open to the temptations of a prostitute. This subsequently led to his destruction. The glory of young men is their strength (Prov. 20:29). Yet we read here about a young man who had fallen into sexual sin. What were the mistakes of this young man?

(1) He was a young man void of understanding (7:7). A man who lacks understanding does not know how to depart from evil (Job 28:28). He becomes an easy prey for Satan. So how do we get “understanding”? The psalmist says, “Through Your precepts I get understanding” (Ps. 119:104). Therefore to gain understanding, we need to live our life according to the Word of God.

(2) He kept company among the simple ones (Prov. 7:7). “He who walks with wise men will be wise, but the companion of fools will be destroyed” (13:20). This young man should have associated himself with those who were upright and wise. Then he would not have fallen into the snare of the evil one.

(3) He was sauntering and strolling along the streets aimlessly (7:8). One of the sins of Sodom was the abundance of idleness (Ezek. 16:49). An idle mind is the devil’s playground. Remember in the parable of the workers in the vineyard, there was a group of people standing idle in the marketplace (Matt. 20:3-6)? What was the solution for their idleness? WORK! Churches are not growing because Christians are spiritually unemployed. Let us stop idling and start getting down to work for the kingdom of God.

(4) He was a night-walker (Prov. 7:9). He was a man who despised truth and was living in darkness and hypocrisy. He could possibly have been living in secret sin and thought no one would know. Isaiah proclaimed, “Woe to those who seek deep to hide their counsel far from the LORD, and their works are in the dark; they say, ‘Who sees us?’ and, ‘Who knows us?’” (Is. 29:15) So what must we do to stay away from sexual sin? Let’s hold on dearly to the Word of God; keep company with the wise; live everyday in the light and serve God with purpose. “But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin” (1 John 1:7).