2010 in Review

Another year has gone by me. Another 365 days. Let me think back for a moment. What exactly has happened for the last 365 days since my last review for 2009? Many things. Many thoughts. Many decisions made.

2010 is the year I turned 30. It is also the year where I have been a Christian for 9 years. 9 years of spiritual journey with Christ. This journey has been rough because Christ has put me through many tests to allow me to learn certain things from Him. Being the sinner, I often let Him down again and again. I know that He is always here beside me, even at this moment while I am typing this post. He has always been here with me through the thick and thin of my life in Utah.

Yes, Utah. I have spent another year of my life here. Gone through yet another four seasonal change. Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter. Time has always moved on in a twinkle of an eye, no matter whether I am enjoying or suffering in that moment. Time really waits for no man and because of this, I find this quote from the book, "Eat, Pray, Love" by Elizabeth Gilbert very interesting.

"As far as we know, we are the only species on the planet who have been given the gift – or curse, perhaps – of awareness about our own mortality."

Death looks like a great enemy who separates us from our loved ones. Everyone will have to go through it and even Wikipedia records some famous people who died in 2010. As I remembered myself writing a review annually in this little blog of mine, I am not really weary of death because I have trusted in Christ Whom has promised a better life ahead beyond death. In fact, death is merely the door which will lead me to the eternal life with Christ in a brand new sinless world.

Sorry, folks but writing an annual review for me has always led me to talk a little bit on time. Once again, I need to remind myself not to waste my life but to make my life count for Christ. As I read up on my review for 2009, I can only regretfully said that I did not fulfill my new year resolution for 2010 again.

With the coming of 2011, I wish to work at reading my Bible more, learning how to trust in my LORD Jesus Christ more, motivating myself to obey Him more and being more patient in waiting upon Him more. T.O.W principle will be the focal point of my spiritual life in 2011. In order to be able to focus on T.O.W, I search through the Bible to identify a verse for each different component of the principle so that I can memorise and meditate upon them for the upcoming 365 days of 2011.

Trust

Offer the sacrifices of righteousness, And trust in the LORD ~Psalm 4:5

Obey

But Peter and the apostles answered, "We must obey God rather than men." ~Acts 5:29

Wait

My soul languishes for Your salvation; I wait for Your word. ~Psalm 119:81

As I look back on December 31 every year to write an annual review of my life, my LORD Jesus seems to be showing me that no matter how I desire something so much in my own life, it does not really matter. The very thing which I want, be it a relationship or some other things which seems so dear to me, is only temporal. It may bring me happiness but only for a short while. What seems to be eternal is Jesus' relationship with me. Maybe being able to see Him face to face at the end of my life will surpass all other things which I pursure in this life. I said, "Maybe" is because at some point or moment in my life, I really cannot see the joy without the very thing which I want in my life. I figure that trusting in Him daily will be the key to really understand what a joyous life really is from His perspective.

As we step into 2011, I hereby wish everyone a very blessed new year ahead, making most of your time to spend it with your loved ones and learning how to truly experience joy in your life, no matter whether you are single, married, divorced or widowed.

Have a fabulous new year ahead.

מבורך השנה החדשה

The Uniqueness of Snowflakes

Every snowflake is unique like you and me!
What an AWESOME God we serve!

Link

Brighton Power Loss

Heard that Brighton Resort will be back in Action later this morning... Let's go, Snowboarders & Skiers!

A Privilege Not a Right

Looking at President Obama's proposal to extend the US tax cut recently, it brings to my mind what truly is a privilege versus what is a right. In my opinion, tax cut is never a right because the government has all the right to tax its people so as to increase its own revenue to cover for expenses. Well, most of the time the expenses that the government claims to be bearing in the process of serving its people. Sticky situation but basically, we all know that the government’s revenue comes from its people whom it is taxing. Taxes can come in all forms, including bus fares, parking fees, etc (a good example is Singapore).

Therefore, it's always a right for the government to tax us and to be giving a tax cut is actually a privilege. Not a right and never will it ever be.

In a similar sense, I think that God sends His only Begotten Son, Jesus Christ to die for our sins (John 3:16), to be cursed upon a tree (Galatians 3:13) so that we can all be saved (Ephesians 2:8-9) and reconciled to the Only Holy God of the Bible is a GREAT PRIVILEGE and not a right. Jesus Christ can actually leave us to be cursed in our own sins but He did not (Romans 5:8).

This is Amazing Love, my friends.

As you rejoice in having a little more cash from the upcoming tax cut to be spending on Christmas shopping this holiday season, please take a moment to think about the GREATEST PRIVILEGE which was already given to you. Because of this GREATEST PRIVILEGE, we have this special opportunity to truly know God the Father as He has revealed Himself in the special revelation of the person Jesus Christ as documented for us in the Bible. Christmas Day is all about commemorating about Christ and the only primary reason why we are commemorating about Christ is simply because He sacrificed Himself to be cursed on a tree for us, in order to save us from our sins (2 Corinthians 5:21).

I therefore truly implore whoever reads this on Christ's behalf, come now to be reconciled to God today (2 Corinthians 5:20).

Have a very blessed Christmas in Christ.

Hallelujah by Leonard Cohen

Now I've heard there was a secret chord
That David played, and it pleased the Lord
But you don't really care for music, do you?
It goes like this
The fourth, the fifth
The minor fall, the major lift
The baffled king composing Hallelujah
Hallelujah
Hallelujah
Hallelujah
Hallelujah

Your faith was strong but you needed proof
You saw her bathing on the roof
Her beauty and the moonlight overthrew you
She tied you
To a kitchen chair
She broke your throne, and she cut your hair
And from your lips she drew the Hallelujah

Baby I have been here before
I know this room, I've walked this floor
I used to live alone before I knew you.
I've seen your flag on the marble arch
Love is not a victory march
It's a cold and it's a broken Hallelujah

Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah

There was a time you let me know
What's really going on below
But now you never show it to me, do you?
And remember when I moved in you
The holy dove was moving too
And every breath we drew was Hallelujah

Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah

Maybe there’s a God above
But all I’ve ever learned from love
Was how to shoot at someone who outdrew you
It’s not a cry you can hear at night
It’s not somebody who has seen the light
It’s a cold and it’s a broken Hallelujah

Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah

You say I took the name in vain
I don't even know the name
But if I did, well really, what's it to you?
There's a blaze of light
In every word
It doesn't matter which you heard
The holy or the broken Hallelujah

Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah

I did my best, it wasn't much
I couldn't feel, so I tried to touch
I've told the truth, I didn't come to fool you
And even though
It all went wrong
I'll stand before the Lord of Song
With nothing on my tongue but Hallelujah

Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah

What Say You?

Over the course of the last few weeks, I realized that there is something which is very crucial when you are trying to communicate your point across. That is whether the people involved in the conversation is talking about the exact same thing. In other words, my American friends will put it in this manner, “Are we on the same page?”

There was this example of a friend who was telling me that another common friend at work was selling his snowboard when I thought he was referring to our common church friend. Both of us only realized that when I voiced out that our common friend in church cannot be wearing a US snowboard boots of size 8.5. This is just one of the many examples which I encountered over the course of the last few weeks.

I do think as we communicate a point across, we do need to be sure that we as the communicator and the listener are referring and thinking on the same subject / object. If not, the communication will not only break down but will also cause many unnecessary misunderstandings.

Hence as we being Christians seek to fulfill the Great Commission in presenting the Gospel to the people around us, let's be specific. Season your conversations with Jesus instead of merely God. Show the exact verses from the Bible instead of sharing your personal experiences with Jesus. Use the Word of Christ to bring out your points (2 Tim 2:15). Ask clarifying questions to ensure that your listeners get your point and all of us are on the same page. (“,)

gone snowboarding...

Need Prayers for GMO work

My Brothers / Sisters in Christ, I am writing this to ask that you may pray for me in my mission work in this Global Media Outreach. Please pray that I may have the wisdom from our Father to be able to share His Gospel and also His Doctrine clearly to those who seek Him through the internet. Please also pray for the seekers to be able to be moved by the Holy Spirit Himself, so that they can see Jesus as their Personal LORD and Savior. Thanks~...

Let It Snow... (x3)

KSL News Link

Hereafter

Often times, the passing away of someone reminds me once again of how precious life can be and also how life can be lost so suddenly without any prior warning at all. Today, I attended a memorial service of a church friend who passed away suddenly last week in her sleep. I am reminded once again of how the lives of your loved ones can be lost all of a sudden and causing one to question if there is indeed a place where you will be going after you have passed away from this present time and space.

Being a Christian myself, I know that I will be seeing my LORD and Savior, Jesus Christ face to face after my life here on earth is finished. My affirmation comes from this passage – 1 Cor 15:50-58 from the Bible whom my God, the Father has written and protected for centuries.

During the memorial service, my church pastor brought up the topic of Death. Death comes to all men and as a matter of fact, all of us are proceeding on the journey to death right here, right now. No matter what you are doing, or how successful you are in life, you will still die one day. This is because of sin. Rom 3:23 depicts that all of us are sinful men and separated from God. The repayment for being sinful is death.

Death is a kind of separation and as pointed out by my pastor, there are three kinds of death. They are namely, Physical Death, Spiritual Death and Second Death. All these three are separation in nature. Physical Death separates us from our loved ones. Spiritual Death separates us from the Only True God (YHWH). Second Death separates unbelieving men from the Christians who are Saints with Christ in heaven. If a person ever go through Second Death, he or she will be eternally separated from YHWH and His children (John 1:12) forever. There will definitely be no turning back after Second Death (Rev 20:14-15).

In my opinion, God created seasonal change to show us an analogy of life and death. Springtime is a beginning of life. While summertime shows us life in action, the coming of autumn brings the passing away of life with trees shedding leaves and animals going into hibernation. With the coming of winter, it brings about death to all life forms, cold and dark.

My friends, you do not have to be like the folks in the movie, “Hereafter” to be looking for psychics to know about life after death. You can be sure if you trust in Jesus Christ today. He has written the Bible (Basic Instruction Before Leaving Earth) to show Himself to us and help us to understand Eternal Life (John 17:3).

My friend may have passed away physically but I am sure that she definitely need not go through Spiritual Death or Second Death simply because she is in a relationship with Jesus Christ. I look forward to the Day where I can see her again in heaven…

Homesick - MercyMe

Honoring All Who Served...

Snowboarding Begins Tomorrow!

Real Stove, Real Cooking Feel

it definitely feels different to be cooking on gas stove instead of electric stove...

Beautiful Moab, UT...

Background of Moab, UT

Silence is Golden - The Tremeloes

Hebrews 12:4

This verse convicts me daily...

My Favorite Pony Car - MUSTANG!

Los Angeles Trip - Oct 6 to 8, 2010

Hollywood Mountain

The Social Network

Autumn is HERE!

John 18:37

own a death note, so?

In the Death Note animation, there is this guy called Light Yagami who has a death note and has the formidable ability to kill without even using his own hands. He seriously thinks that now he can rid the world of bad guys and create a better world without criminals. He thinks he himself is the KIRA who is god. What do you think?

Is having the power of controlling death makes you a god?

According to the Bible, Jesus said in Matthew 10:28 that we are not to fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. Only the One True God of the Bible is able to destroy both soul and body in hell and we are to fear Him with reverence, my brothers and sisters.

After the devil failed to succeed in tempting Jesus as recorded for us in the Bible, he proceeds to plan in killing Jesus. He thinks that once he kills Jesus, he will have rid of the world from knowing Jesus as the Only One True God. He employs those Pharisees and Judas into his plan and in so doing; he thought that he has won the battle…

Killing Jesus does nothing to change the fact that the devil is still condemned to burn in Hades. God the Father is well-pleased with what Jesus has accomplished on the cross for us that He raised Him up from the dead (1 Corinthians 15:1-4).

The Bible depicts for us beautifully in Colossians 1:13-22 and Philippians 2:5-11 with regards to what Jesus has won for us in his death. Besides these two passages, there are also numerous references in the Bible for us to mediate upon for the rest of our lives. This is indeed a mystery (Ephesians 5:32).

In concluding, there is absolutely no human being who can become a god, not even when you have the power of controlling death like Light Yagami. There is Only One True God who is Jesus Christ Himself, if not; He will not have said that He is the Way, the Truth and the Life and no one can come to the Father except through Him (John 14:6).

This is the Gospel: that Jesus Christ came to this world to save us from our sins and reconcile us back to God the Father by dying on the cross for us.

There has and will not be another different gospel. Call upon the LORD today and be saved. If there is anyone who shares with you another gospel which is different from what is documented in the Bible in 1 Corinthians 15:1-4, let that person be accursed (Galatians 1:8).

Remembering 911, 9 years later...

911
Ground Zero Memorial

what if you have DEATH NOTE?

Is having DEATH NOTE really makes you feel like a god?

-==to be continued...==-

Global Media Outreach

Become an online missionary today at G.M.O

nice car but...

temporal. 2 Corinthians 4:17-18

油菜花 - 成龙

作词:丁晟、小柯 作曲:小柯

一条大路呦通呀通我家

我家住在呦梁呀梁山下

山下土肥呦地呀地五亩啊

五亩良田呦种点啥

谁会记得我的模样

谁会记得我受过的伤

谁的欲望谁的战场

让我们都背离善良

何时才能回到故乡

何时才能看她的红妆

我用长剑劈断目光

劈不断我想家的狂

一条大河呦通呀通我家

有妻有儿呦瓦呀瓦房大

鸡肥鹅肥呦牛呀牛羊壮啊

种豆种稻呦油菜花

谁会记得我的模样

谁会记得我受过的伤

谁的欲望谁的战场

让我们都背离善良

何时才能回到故乡

何时才能看她的红妆

我用长剑劈断目光

劈不断我想家的狂

一条大路呦通呀通我家

我家住在呦梁呀梁山下

山下土肥呦地呀地五亩啊

五亩良田呦油菜花

My SIN staining like oil

I pray that my Father can continue to wash me clean of my sins daily like these oil-stained pelicans waiting to be cleaned off of the oil from their bodies.

Bowl for Kids' Sake

I will be joining my colleagues to participate in this Bowling Fund Raising Event on September 18, 2010. Please help in supporting financially for the Kids by clicking this link.

For more information, please visit their website.

The B.I.B.L.E Acronym

Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth so far is still pretty well-liked by most throughout the world. Leaving Earth for most of us is simply through death but there is also a possibility for Christians to skip this phase through rapture. Thus, we covered these last three words “Before Leaving Earth” of the Bible Acronym which is easy to understand.

Basic Instructions.

According to Oxford Dictionary, Basic literally means forming an essential foundation or starting point; fundamental while Instructions means detailed information telling how something should be done, operated or assembled.

I do think that many do not know the Only True God. (John 14:6) because they have never ever spend a moment to read the Bible at all. Indeed, although the Bible can be difficult to understand sometimes, many things which are mentioned are very direct and carry literal meanings. A good example is when the book of Genesis (Genesis 2:2) mentions about seven days of Creation, it is in fact seven literal days. The Bible says seven days and I do think on our part, we just need to believe that it is seven literal days which as a matter of fact, they indeed are. See this link for discussion.

Another excellent example is the Myth of the Flat Earth. If we just take God at His very word in Isaiah 40:22, we will know that the Earth is spherical all along.

Hebrews 1:1-2 points to us that in these last days, God has spoken to us through His Son. Let us as believers continue to embrace His Son Who is also the Word (John 1:14) daily and walk in full obedience to His Word (John 15:10). If you are someone who is like me nine years ago, seeking to find out more about the Only True God, whether He exists and whether He is knowable; may I encourage you to pick up a Bible and try searching for Him there. You may just find Him in the midst of His Basic Instructions to you before leaving earth for eternity…

Life is Short...

Life is too short to make wrong decisions and so we must definitely make the right decisions... actually, just one important decision...

That is to FOLLOW JESUS today...

Matthew 4:19

I'd Need a Savior

Every one of us needs a Savior and He can only be Jesus (John 14:6).
I thank Him personally for waiting for me and now I can only pray that He will also wait for my family too...

better than a hallelujah

happy birthday, SINGAPORE!

Red Rocks Amphitheatre

Background of Red Rocks Amphitheatre

my encounter with a BISON...

Praise You in this Storm

At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship and said:

"Naked I came from my mother's womb,
and naked I will depart.
The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away;
may the name of the LORD be praised.

-= Job 1:20-21 =-

Garden of the Gods

Background of Garden of the Gods

Rocky Mountain National Park

Background of Rocky Mountain National Park

Flying to Denver, CO

Be flying to Denver, CO in another couple of hours...

Please help to pray for my safety and also a fruitful time of fellowship with my Singapore Pastor.

Thanks.

My License Plate is HERE!

Aging Gracefully... (hopefully)

Being Family TWICE

A family is special to me as someone once said that F.A.M.I.L.Y actually stands for Father And Mother I Love You. However, I like what my pastor in church said during service once that it is even better when you can be related with your own family twice. First by physical relationship and second by spiritual relationship through our LORD and Savior, Jesus Christ.

John 1:12

The Need to be Born Again

"…they spoke against God and against Moses, and said, "Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the desert? There is no bread! There is no water! And we detest this miserable food!"

Then the LORD sent venomous snakes among them; they bit the people and many Israelites died. The people came to Moses and said, "We sinned when we spoke against the LORD and against you. Pray that the LORD will take the snakes away from us." So Moses prayed for the people.

The LORD said to Moses, "Make a snake and put it up on a pole; anyone who is bitten can look at it and live." So Moses made a bronze snake and put it up on a pole. Then when anyone was bitten by a snake and looked at the bronze snake, he lived.

Numbers 21:5-9

As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up; so that whoever believes will in Him have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.

John 3:14-17

Revelation Song

a cute picture

My Ginseng Chicken Soup

1 Corinthians 13:4-8

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.

And because God is love (1 John 4:8), so God can rightly replace every single ‘love’ word which appears in the passage above.

Quotable Quotes by Famous Men

I can see how it might be possible for a man to look down upon earth and be an atheist, but I cannot conceive how he could look up into the heavens and say there is no God.
- Abraham Lincoln

It is impossible to account for the creation of the universe without the agency of a Supreme Being.
- George Washington

As a house implies a builder, and a garment a weaver, and a door a carpenter, so does the existence of the Universe imply a Creator.
- Marquis de Vauvenargues

Psalm 19:1 says, "The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands...."

細水長流

Digging Deep for God’s Word

At Calvary Mountain Men’s monthly breakfast fellowship this morning, our Pastor shared with us some key questions to ask ourselves as we dig for God’s Word daily:

1. Is there any sin for me to avoid?
2. Is there a promise to claim?
3. What do I learn about the LORD?
4. What do I learn about myself?
5. Is there a commandment to obey?

Brothers & Sisters, let’s dig for God’s Word daily with these questions being the tools in our toolboxes (Psalm 1: 1-3). As we live on the edge, let’s hold on to God’s Word dearly and press on to fight the good fight, to finish the course and to keep our faith! (2 Tim 4:7)

A FM Radio i listen to in Utah

K Love

Incidentally, I did not know about this FM channel until my car dealer tuned it for me as I got my Ford Fusion... and I really like the songs played in this radio channel... 107.5 FM or 88.7 FM or 90.5 FM for residents in Utah...

我吃得起苦

A Bizarre Thought of Mine...

This is totally not Eschatology but as I was praying for the GOD of the Bible to intervene in the oil spill issue in the Gulf of Mexico, a bizarre thought suddenly crosses my mind with this passage found in 2 Peter 3:3-10:

First of all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. They will say, "Where is this 'coming' he promised? Ever since our fathers died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation." But they deliberately forget that long ago by God's word the heavens existed and the earth was formed out of water and by water. By these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed. By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the Day of Judgment and destruction of ungodly men.

But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare.

I really wonder this, “Is God going to use all this oil which has been spilled to set His Holy fire for the Day of Judgment and destruction of ungodly men?”

Let's be praying...

For the Oil Spill in the Gulf of Mexico...

this Sunday will be a day dedicated for all Christians to join our hearts together to pray for God's help in dealing with the oil disaster...

See CNN.com for more details.

From MUSTANG to FUSION

without CHRIST, i am nothing

The essence of being a Christian is living out one’s life with this only rule: Without Christ, one is nothing. We exist because of CHRIST – Gen 2:7. We love because of CHRIST – 1 John 4:19. We even look the way we are because of CHRIST – Gen 1:26-27.

The Bible says in John 1:1-4 that CHRIST was right there with God the Father and God the Holy Spirit at Creation. In John 1:14, it affirms that CHRIST is the WORD depicted in John 1:1-4.

Believers were first noted to be called Christians in the book of Acts - Acts 11:25-26. We as Christians want to live out our lives as faithful followers of CHRIST, living it out with the notion that all glory belongs to Him and Him alone. Therefore, we claim that “Without CHRIST, we are nothing.”

We as human beings are imperfect and sinful – Romans 3:23 and until the very day which our eyes are open to this fact by God the Holy Spirit, we will never be able to commune with God at all. Our spirits are dead; our souls follow blindly to our flesh which will only lead us to death and separation from God for all eternity.

Christ Jesus came into this world to give life to our spirits in order that our spirits can take charge to lead our souls to God. In order to give us life. Spiritual life. And in turn, we will be called children of God once we believe in His name – John 1:12.

What a GREAT BLESSING from the only True God!

Everyone needs to be saved through CHRIST – John 3:16-17. Let’s us stretch our hands to receive this blessing from CHRIST today.