Kingdom Online 2010 [X] ~ Finale

Phew, after typing for about three [3] hours, I feel so relieved that I have finally typed out the whole message! Two [2] purpose:- firstly, to remind myself of what I have learnt during the camp, and secondly, to share with those who did not attend the camp.

As I was typing, my memory flashed back to about two [2] months ago. I was at first enthusiastic about the camp when I first knew about it. However, I was disappointed that no one [young adults or youths] wanted to join. As time went by, I no longer wanted to go.

Somehow, something in me kept pushing me. At that time, I wanted to spend some quiet time with God, to discuss with Him on my career; so I was reluctant to attend. Anyway, in the end I registered myself at the very last minute.

Expected and unexpectedly, I did enjoy the camp. I was a bit lonely in the sense that I had no one to be with initially. I was glad to know that a junior youth went and she accompanied me most of the time. Unexpectedly, I made friends with children :s; and I did enjoy my time with them. Oh, how I love children :)

In the past, whenever we attended Church Camp, we would expect altar call sessions; but there was none here. Nonetheless, it did not matter, because I was touched by God most of the time. Kingdom Online, the theme for the camp, reminds us to get connected with God ALL the time! It turns out that when we have a intimate relationship with God, everything is going to be all right :)

Do you see this? What a beautiful scenery! As a nature lover, I love scenery! Given the chance, I would attend a Church Camp again. Oh, by the way, although I have been to Peacehaven numerous times, this was the first time I slept in the dormitory. Hm, not a bad experience after all :)

Finally, Praise the Lord and thank You to JESUS for giving me the opportunity to attend this camp, and to build up a relationship with Him.

Jesus, be my only satisfaction~ Amen!

Continuance of Message from Kingdom Online 2010 ~ 12th September 2010

I wanted to attend the Sunday Service at Mother Church but coud not make it. Thanks to Sister Marilyn for the notes =)

Gideon

Three [3] hundred warrior 

Judges 6: 1-16, 34-35 [please refer to Kingdom Online 2010 [IX] for the verse]

- if we are excited, God will respond to us

- if we are hungry, the power of God will manifest

Judges 7: 2-9 [please refer to Kingdom Online 2010 [IX] for the verse]

- the Bible tells us how to live in blessed life

- we must live like Joshua generation ~ he fought but never failed! 

- our feet will crash the enemy's head

- the Lord said: "do not be afraid, I will be with you. If you follow the rules and the word of God, you will prosper in whatever you do
- in God we trust ~ God will bless our lives

- we must always confess our sins and do not let our heart to be like a stone, we must always ask for the grace of the Lord.

Q: how God choose His people?

1) Ordinary people, provided that you are willing to let God use you
- follow God; He can use our failure and weakness to bless us.
- trust Him whole-hearted ~ normally ordinary people will humbly trust Him.

2) Moses life's 

(a) I am somebody (40 years ago) 

(b) I am nobody (when he was in the desert) 

(c) I am God's body ~ Exodus 3: 10-12

10 So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt."
11 But Moses said to God, "Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?"
12 And God said, "I will be with you. And this will be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you [a] will worship God on this mountain."

- he was a man who trusted God and the Lord was with him; and he became a strong weapon of God's hands

3) People with a "whole" heart 

Judges 4: 4-7

 ⁴ Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lappidoth, was leading ^[a] Israel at that time. ⁵ She held court under the Palm of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim, and the Israelites came to her to have their disputes decided. ⁶ She sent for Barak son of Abinoam from Kedesh in Naphtali and said to him, "The LORD, the God of Israel, commands you: 'Go, take with you ten thousand men of Naphtali and Zebulun and lead the way to Mount Tabor. ⁷ I will lure Sisera, the commander of Jabin's army, with his chariots and his troops to the Kishon River and give him into your hands.' "

- the men believe that they will do their best, because they believe that's why we share the gospel.

- the Mighty God will bless those who believe in Him and do their best!

Hope the message shared will bless all of you =)

Kingdom Online 2010 [IX] ~ Last Session, 11th September

21st Century belongs to CHINESE

Matthew 28: 18-20

¹⁸Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. ¹⁹Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in^[a] the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

- the Lord gives us a great mission
- main point: power and authority on heaven and earth have been given to us, therefore we must preach the gospel
- Jesus: "I will use the greatest source and power to fulfil my purpose"
- we live in this world to preach the gospel, we must bring our brothers and sisters to return to the Lord
- we are so precious that God is willing to shed all his blood for us
- when we are successful, God is successful
- we must connect our success with God's success
- we must love people, build relationships with other people
- we must care for those who care for us
- we must live in accordance to God's purpose, His purpose is our purpose

Kingdom Online 2010 [VIII] ~ Evening Session, 10th September

This was the last evening session, and I was expecting an altar call; however there was none. I came to realise that altar call was not the main selling point, most important was the message. From my past experiences, we always looked forward to altar call, however the truth was, if God wants to touch us, He does not need a special session, He could have just touch us there and then.

The message that night was about Gideon ~ Judges 6

v. 1-16

Gideon 

1 Again the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the LORD, and for seven years he gave them into the hands of the Midianites. 

2 Because the power of Midian was so oppressive, the Israelites prepared shelters for themselves in mountain clefts, caves and strongholds. 

3 Whenever the Israelites planted their crops, the Midianites, Amalekites and other eastern peoples invaded the country. 

4 They camped on the land and ruined the crops all the way to Gaza and did not spare a living thing for Israel, neither sheep nor cattle nor donkeys. 

5 They came up with their livestock and their tents like swarms of locusts. It was impossible to count the men and their camels; they invaded the land to ravage it. 

6 Midian so impoverished the Israelites that they cried out to the LORD for help.
7 When the Israelites cried to the LORD because of Midian, 

8 he sent them a prophet, who said, "This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: I brought you up out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. 

9 I snatched you from the power of Egypt and from the hand of all your oppressors. I drove them from before you and gave you their land. 

10 I said to you, 'I am the LORD your God; do not worship the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you live.' But you have not listened to me."
11 The angel of the LORD came and sat down under the oak in Ophrah that belonged to Joash the Abiezrite, where his son Gideon was threshing wheat in a winepress to keep it from the Midianites. 

12 When the angel of the LORD appeared to Gideon, he said, "The LORD is with you, mighty warrior."
13 "But sir," Gideon replied, "if the LORD is with us, why has all this happened to us? Where are all his wonders that our fathers told us about when they said, 'Did not the LORD bring us up out of Egypt?' But now the LORD has abandoned us and put us into the hand of Midian."
14 The LORD turned to him and said, "Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian's hand. Am I not sending you?"
15 "But Lord , [a] " Gideon asked, "how can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family."
16 The LORD answered, "I will be with you, and you will strike down all the Midianites together."

v. 34-35

34 Then the Spirit of the LORD came upon Gideon, and he blew a trumpet, summoning the Abiezrites to follow him. 

35 He sent messengers throughout Manasseh, calling them to arms, and also into Asher, Zebulun and Naphtali, so that they too went up to meet them.

Judges 7: 2-9

² The LORD said to Gideon, "You have too many men for me to deliver Midian into their hands. In order that Israel may not boast against me that her own strength has saved her, ³ announce now to the people, 'Anyone who trembles with fear may turn back and leave Mount Gilead.' " So twenty-two thousand men left, while ten thousand remained.  ⁴ But the LORD said to Gideon, "There are still too many men. Take them down to the water, and I will sift them for you there. If I say, 'This one shall go with you,' he shall go; but if I say, 'This one shall not go with you,' he shall not go."
 ⁵ So Gideon took the men down to the water. There the LORD told him, "Separate those who lap the water with their tongues like a dog from those who kneel down to drink." ⁶ Three hundred men lapped with their hands to their mouths. All the rest got down on their knees to drink.
 ⁷ The LORD said to Gideon, "With the three hundred men that lapped I will save you and give the Midianites into your hands. Let all the other men go, each to his own place." ⁸ So Gideon sent the rest of the Israelites to their tents but kept the three hundred, who took over the provisions and trumpets of the others.
      Now the camp of Midian lay below him in the valley. ⁹ During that night the LORD said to Gideon, "Get up, go down against the camp, because I am going to give it into your hands. 

4 Cycles

Evil - Slavery - Cry - God Saves - Evil - Slavery - Cry - God Saves (and it continues...)

- leaving God, sin - enemy's oppression

- Judges 2-6 [please refer to the Bible]

Q: What type of people does God use?

Plain and Normal people!

Weak People

1 Samuel 2:8

 ⁸ He raises the poor from the dust
       and lifts the needy from the ash heap;
       he seats them with princes
       and has them inherit a throne of honor.
       "For the foundations of the earth are the LORD's;
       upon them he has set the world.

Judges 6:12 [above]

- we must speak the word of truth
- when we meet obstacles, we must not speak language of "circumstances"
- we must look to God, look to His will, look to His plan
- we must learn to speak Bible's language and word
- we must see from God's perspective
- everyone is a champion
- only God's blessing can break the curse

Kingdom Online 2010 [VII] ~ Special Session, 10th September

Our Speaker, teaching us how to be a WISE WOMAN =)

Proverbs 31

The Words of King Lemuel’s Mother

 ¹ The words of King Lemuel, the utterance which his mother taught him:
       ² What, my son?
      And what, son of my womb?
      And what, son of my vows?
       ³ Do not give your strength to women,
      Nor your ways to that which destroys kings.
       ⁴ It is not for kings, O Lemuel,
      It is not for kings to drink wine,
      Nor for princes intoxicating drink;
       ⁵ Lest they drink and forget the law,
      And pervert the justice of all the afflicted.
       ⁶ Give strong drink to him who is perishing,
      And wine to those who are bitter of heart.
       ⁷ Let him drink and forget his poverty,
      And remember his misery no more.
       ⁸ Open your mouth for the speechless,
      In the cause of all who are appointed to die.^{[a]
       9} Open your mouth, judge righteously,
      And plead the cause of the poor and needy.

The Virtuous Wife

    ¹⁰ Who^[b] can find a virtuous^[c] wife?
      For her worth is far above rubies.
       ¹¹ The heart of her husband safely trusts her;
      So he will have no lack of gain.
       ¹² She does him good and not evil
      All the days of her life.
       ¹³ She seeks wool and flax,
      And willingly works with her hands.
       ¹⁴ She is like the merchant ships,
      She brings her food from afar.
       ¹⁵ She also rises while it is yet night,
      And provides food for her household,
      And a portion for her maidservants.
       ¹⁶ She considers a field and buys it;
      From her profits she plants a vineyard.
       ¹⁷ She girds herself with strength,
      And strengthens her arms.
       ¹⁸ She perceives that her merchandise is good,
      And her lamp does not go out by night.
       ¹⁹ She stretches out her hands to the distaff,
      And her hand holds the spindle.
       ²⁰ She extends her hand to the poor,
      Yes, she reaches out her hands to the needy.
       ²¹ She is not afraid of snow for her household,
      For all her household is clothed with scarlet.
       ²² She makes tapestry for herself;
      Her clothing is fine linen and purple.
       ²³ Her husband is known in the gates,
      When he sits among the elders of the land.
       ²⁴ She makes linen garments and sells them,
      And supplies sashes for the merchants.
       ²⁵ Strength and honor are her clothing;
      She shall rejoice in time to come.
       ²⁶ She opens her mouth with wisdom,
      And on her tongue is the law of kindness.
       ²⁷ She watches over the ways of her household,
      And does not eat the bread of idleness.
       ²⁸ Her children rise up and call her blessed;
      Her husband also, and he praises her:
       ²⁹ “ Many daughters have done well,
      But you excel them all.”
       ³⁰ Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing,
      But a woman who fears the LORD, she shall be praised.
       ³¹ Give her of the fruit of her hands,
      And let her own works praise her in the gates. 

Proverbs 14: 1

 ¹ The wise woman builds her house,
      But the foolish pulls it down with her hands. 

- we must be responsible in our destiny

A) Build up an independent character, break up the women' curse

- looked down by men, we must break this curse

- God is the only one who can fulfil us, we cannot depend on another human

- we must give freedom to our partner

- curse on the single: single women tend to think one must get married

B) Accept husband's character, do not think of changing him

- love him, then he will change

- must encourage our partner

- look into their strengths, and not weaknesses

- pray about his weaknesses, need not share with other people

- men long to be respected, accepted and loved

C) Do not be a foolish woman, avoid arguments and nagging

Proverbs 19: 13

¹³ A foolish son is the ruin of his father,
      And the contentions of a wife are a continual dripping. 

Proverbs 21: 9, 19

   ⁹ Better to dwell in a corner of a housetop,
      Than in a house shared with a contentious woman. 

  ¹⁹ Better to dwell in the wilderness,
      Than with a contentious and angry woman.  

Kingdom Online 2010 [VI] ~ Day Session, 10th September

As usual, we wake up early for devotion, Praise Dance, breakfast, Praise and Worship, and finally, to feed our souls with the Daily Bread =)

John 21: 1-14 (please refer to Kingdom Online 2010 [II] for the verse)

- we must build up a culture of the kingdom
- we must be a positive influence to other people
- God gives us the same chance, it is up to us whether we want to grab it or otherwise
- John 21 is meant for Peter

A) Jesus appears again before His disciples

- God does appear before us [Hosea 6:3] (please refer to Kingdom Online 2010 [II] for the verse)

- no one can use the past to be used today ~ new wine must be filled into new wineskin
- we must seek God continuously, invite God to appear before us

B) God will prepare breakfast for us

- Philippians 4: 4-7

⁴ Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!
5 Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand.
6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

- God will prepare breakfast for us

- John 21: 5 ⁵ Then Jesus said to them, “Children, have you any food?”
They answered Him, “No.” 

- one who has Jesus in life: EATS WELL, SLEEP WELL, LAUGH WELL

- whatever that God gives us,the world cannot give us

- Jesus is coming soon

- God cares for us everyday

- He enters into our heart

- our God is too great

- Morgan: God has a greater planning among His nation, He would not neglect our needs

- God has a special plan for each of us

- we must get to know God personally, to a deeper level

- Israel is an example to the world

- when we read the Bible, our purpose must be to know God better

- John 12: 26

26 If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor. 

- when we love God, He will remember us

- faith grows, it does not pops out just like that

C) God will give us prosperity ~ heading towards right

John 21: 6, 11

6 And He said to them, “Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” So they cast, and now they were not able to draw it in because of the multitude of fish.
11 Simon Peter went up and dragged the net to land, full of large fish, one hundred and fifty-three; and although there were so many, the net was not broken. 

Psalm 127: 1

1 Unless the LORD builds the house,
They labor in vain who build it;
Unless the LORD guards the city,
The watchman stays awake in vain. 

John 3: 27 

²⁷ John answered and said, “A man can receive nothing unless it has been given to him from heaven. 

Matthew 15: 13

¹³ But He answered and said, “Every plant which My heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted.

- God will let us to be prosperous

- our life will be changed when God is in us

- we must live in His plan

- our God wants to take part in our life, He speaks to us

- we do not know about tomorrow, but God knows it

- one's success is based on our relationship with God

- main point is: we must listen to God's voice and follow His voice

- we must involve God in our lives

Phew, time to rest again! Oops, forgot that we have a special session for Sisters ONLY :p

Stay tune ;-)

Kingdom Online 2010 [V] ~ Evening Session, 9th September

Erm, due to some technicalities, I have "terbalik" the second [II] and the third [III] sharing :p I guess so long as the message is there, that is the most important thing =)

The evening session started with Praise and Worship, followed by the Sermon:-

- if we are willing to be used by God, He may put us in a high position and/or do something great for Him

- we must prepare ourselves; although what we are doing may be very brief or for a short period of time (e.g. 20 seconds), but we must be well prepared ~ e.g. David and Goliath - he was trained for many years and made use of the skill

- we must be courageous to ask and to visualise

- we must enter the world in order to fulfil God's will

- whatever we do, we must do it for the will of God, to live on God's will

- do not lean on our own understanding, we must rely on God

- miracles belong to God

- we live according to God's word

- our biggest obstacle: we are not willing to live in accordance to God's word

- Christianity is NOT a religion

- we live to destroy Satan's plan, and to carry out God's plan

- we must not be narrow minded or self-centred, we must have a vision for God's kingdom

- we must change our perspective on Christianity

- it is useless for us to worry over petty things, we must look far, look to the sky like the eagle

- God is our provider, our shield, when we walk in accordance to His will

Phew, after a tiring day, it is time to sleep!

Kingdom Online 2010 [IV] ~ Games Session

After our lunch, we took the group photo:-

Thereafter, we had some game session:-

Erm, I think they are trying to pull out the gray hair :p

Discussing the strategy

Haha, my station :p it is NOT ticklish at all!

They are trying to solve a word puzzle

Walk to the left, walk to the right, now stop!

Just a few photos to illustrate the games we had =)

Kingdom Online 2010 [II] ~ Peter

9th September 2010
 
After a good rest, I had to wake up early the next day.

I was feeling very nervous to play the keyboard on stage, as that was the first time (erm, not the first time but it was the first time in this Church), I played a keyboard. I just try to relax myself and played in accordance to how God led me.

After the devotion, we had a brief session of PraiseDance! Well, I would not say I enjoy it, but I do not dislike it either. It was quite fun in the sense that I could move all my limbs, relaxing the tight muscles and yeah, after 30 minutes I did feel fresher :p

Breakfast time!

I was quite disappointed to have missed the first session of the message, as I was required to help to play the piano at the Children Service. Nonetheless, Praise the Lord! I got the notes from a sister =) Below was the summary:-

Session 1, 09:30 ~ Peter

John 21: 1-14 ~ Morning Miracle 

Breakfast by the Sea 

1 After these things Jesus showed Himself again to the disciples at the Sea of Tiberias, and in this way He showed Himself: 

2 Simon Peter, Thomas called the Twin, Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of His disciples were together. 

3 Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.”
They said to him, “We are going with you also.” They went out and immediately[a] got into the boat, and that night they caught nothing. 

4 But when the morning had now come, Jesus stood on the shore; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. 

5 Then Jesus said to them, “Children, have you any food?”
They answered Him, “No.”
6 And He said to them, “Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” So they cast, and now they were not able to draw it in because of the multitude of fish.
7 Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment (for he had removed it), and plunged into the sea. 

8 But the other disciples came in the little boat (for they were not far from land, but about two hundred cubits), dragging the net with fish. 

9 Then, as soon as they had come to land, they saw a fire of coals there, and fish laid on it, and bread. 

10 Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish which you have just caught.”
11 Simon Peter went up and dragged the net to land, full of large fish, one hundred and fifty-three; and although there were so many, the net was not broken. 

12 Jesus said to them, “Come and eat breakfast.” Yet none of the disciples dared ask Him, “Who are You?”—knowing that it was the Lord. 

13 Jesus then came and took the bread and gave it to them, and likewise the fish.
14 This is now the third time Jesus showed Himself to His disciples after He was raised from the dead.

- we must create a kingdom value or culture

- God will bless our life abundantly ~ like a net which is not broken, although it is filled with fishes

- we must pray that God will bless our spiritual life abundantly

- we must make sure that the intercession has no emptiness, we must always confess

- if we leave God, we cannot have anything

- Peter lives in God, so he got all the fishes

- we must always open our mouth to proclaim ans declare

- Peter connects to Kingdom

- Jesus manifests to His apostles and He can manifests to us as well

- Hosea 6:3 [Immanuel]

³ Let us know,
      Let us pursue the knowledge of the LORD.
      His going forth is established as the morning;
      He will come to us like the rain,
      Like the latter and former rain to the earth.

- like Job, we must experience God
- God knows our needs, so He walked to us
- we live because of God's words, not due to miracle
- we must live to taste the grace of God, in order to have abundance in the Kingdom 

- the joy of the Lord is my strength! we must live with joy!

Kingdom Online 2010 [III] ~ Moses

After a 15 minutes break, we continued with the second session with Mrs 刘群茂 sharing with us the message:-

Session 2, 11:00 ~ Moses

- Psalm 139:6 ~  ⁶ Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
         It is high, I cannot attain it. 

- Deuteronomy 34: 1-12

Moses Dies on Mount Nebo 
1 Then Moses went up from the plains of Moab to Mount Nebo, to the top of Pisgah, which is across from Jericho. And the LORD showed him all the land of Gilead as far as Dan, 
2 all Naphtali and the land of Ephraim and Manasseh, all the land of Judah as far as the Western Sea,[a] 
3 the South, and the plain of the Valley of Jericho, the city of palm trees, as far as Zoar. 
4 Then the LORD said to him, “This is the land of which I swore to give Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, saying, ‘I will give it to your descendants.’ I have caused you to see it with your eyes, but you shall not cross over there.”
5 So Moses the servant of the LORD died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the LORD. 
6And He buried him in a valley in the land of Moab, opposite Beth Peor; but no one knows his grave to this day. 
7 Moses was one hundred and twenty years old when he died. His eyes were not dim nor his natural vigor diminished.
8 And the children of Israel wept for Moses in the plains of Moab thirty days. So the days of weeping and mourning for Moses ended.
9 Now Joshua the son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom, for Moses had laid his hands on him; so the children of Israel heeded him, and did as the LORD had commanded Moses.
10 But since then there has not arisen in Israel a prophet like Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face, 
11 in all the signs and wonders which the LORD sent him to do in the land of Egypt, before Pharaoh, before all his servants, and in all his land, 
12 and by all that mighty power and all the great terror which Moses performed in the sight of all Israel.

 

- Q: everything will come to an end, what are we leaving behind?

- Moses gave us a very good example

- Hebrews 11: 24-26

24 By faith Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, 25 choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, 26 esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in[e] Egypt; for he looked to the reward.

- following Christ, serving Him ~ is the ultimate pleasure

A) Deuteronomy 34: 1-4 ~ Wide Vision

" Stand on the Mountain and Look at Canaan"

- if we fly high, things look small

- when we look far, our perspectives will be different

- our life must have a breakthrough

- we must "see" and have a vision, then only we will work towards it

- what we see is what we get

- what we visualise will be our fruit

- no vision = no direction

- in Taiwan, the Church goes by way of G-12 system

B) Deuteronomy 34: 10-12 ~ "Stay in Eternity"

(i) v. 10

- Moses is one whom God knew face to face

- God uses different types of method to speak to us

- God evaluates us by how we live on earth

Q: how do we treat God's son?

Q: how do we make use of what God has given us?

(ii) v. 12

- God has given to Moses a mighty power that no one else experienced

- our devotional life, and our relationship with God are very crucial

Q: where do we want to lead the people?

- it is not about how to serve, but about how to build a relationship with God

- being intimate with God determines our gifts and power

C) Deuteronomy 34: 5-6 ~ "The Most Glorious Wake"

- God was personally in charge of Moses' wake; He personally buried Moses

- God is the best employer

- we must put God as priority, to put His interest before ours

- God looks into our heart

- Haggai 1 ~ The Command to Build God’s House  

1 In the second year of King Darius, in the sixth month, on the first day of the month, the word of the LORD came by Haggai the prophet to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, saying, 

2 “Thus speaks the LORD of hosts, saying: ‘This people says, “The time has not come, the time that the LORD’s house should be built.”’”

3 Then the word of the LORD came by Haggai the prophet, saying, 

4 “Is it time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, and this temple[a]to lie in ruins?” 

5 Now therefore, thus says the LORD of hosts: “Consider your ways!
6 “ You have sown much, and bring in little;
You eat, but do not have enough;
You drink, but you are not filled with drink;
You clothe yourselves, but no one is warm;
And he who earns wages,
Earns wages to put into a bag with holes.”

7 Thus says the LORD of hosts: “Consider your ways! 

9 “You looked for much, but indeed it came to little; and when you brought it home, I blew it away. Why?” says the LORD of hosts. “Because of My house that is in ruins, while every one of you runs to his own house. 

10 Therefore the heavens above you withhold the dew, and the earth withholds its fruit. 

11 For I called for a drought on the land and the mountains, on the grain and the new wine and the oil, on whatever the ground brings forth, on men and livestock, and on all the labor of your hands.”
 

The People’s Obedience
12 Then Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, with all the remnant of the people, obeyed the voice of the LORD their God, and the words of Haggai the prophet, as the LORD their God had sent him; and the people feared the presence of the LORD. 

13 Then Haggai, the LORD’s messenger, spoke the LORD’s message to the people, saying, “I am with you, says the LORD.” 

14 So the LORD stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and the spirit of all the remnant of the people; and they came and worked on the house of the LORD of hosts, their God, 

15 on the twenty-fourth day of the sixth month, in the second year of King Darius.

Kingdom Online 2010 [I]

I was supposed to post this much earlier, but just could not find the time. Hmm, excuse :p and such a lame one =.=///

Perhaps I should give a brief introduction:

Date: 8th September - 11th September 2010

Venue: Peacehaven

Speaker: 刘群茂牧师

I took half day leave on 8th September and Pastor Anthony fetched me from my office. At about 15:15 I reached the destination. I was the only "youth" who attended the camp, and whilst waiting for a junior youth to come, I loitered around the vicinity, not knowing what to do.

I was happy to see few of my tambourine students at the camp; so happen I was in the same dormitory with two [2] of them. They are sisters, and I did not know this until a few weeks later. At this camp, I built a friendship with them =)

After my shower I walked around the place and then had my dinner with a sister whom I met at a Praise and Worship Camp back in February this year. Later on, we prepared ourselves for the first session.

The Speaker told us that the message he shared with us on the first night, was not what he intended to share. God had prepared another message for him to share with us, and below was the summary:-

God can do anything so long as we put our hope in Him.

There is nothing which is impossible with God.

So long as we are willing, God will make things possible.

I managed to summarise the whole message in three [3] sentences :p As usual, I was expecting that the Speaker will ask us to go out for prayers, at least that was what I thought would happen because from past experiences, we had prayers by the Speaker after every sermon, especially the evening session; since there was none, we were free to go.

I had a good chat with a sister on the first night. Thereafter, I went for practice, in preparation for the devotion session the next morning. It was quite last minute notice, and by the time we had the chance to practise, it was already after 23:00 (we were supposed to switch off all lights at 23:00); and there were aunties who complained that we were too loud, so we had no choice but to practise quietly.

That is the summary for the first day...