Father, we will lead them home.

I wish Blogger provided a less-cramped box for writing posts. Like really.

Okay, grouses aside, it's time for the opposite, because:

Youth service last saturday was phenomenal.

Wanna know why? Read on! (no this is not some sorta advert) (yes maybe i'm trying to make a joke... ahh just read lah.)

***

POP QUIZ 1: What happens at 7:30p.m.?
A. Service starts.
B. ohh i know this one, they mentioned it soo many times! TOILET BREAK =D
C. Floorball training.
D. I eat fish.

Jokes aside (i know, as if there were any in the first place xP), it was time to get back-to-the-basics (a monthly practice) and strip everything down.

Simplistic was the way to go and so there were no chairs. Everyone sat down in a circle amoeboid shape in the sanctuary.

Simplistic was the way to go and so it was a keyboard, a worship leader (who was James that night) and two backups (who were Sharon and Yan).

But first Pr Victor started the night off by reading a passage from Malachi, about how the people offered blemished sacrifices to God and how it parallels with the way we worship God today.

well amoeboid enough, with some pseudopodia extending out here and there..

Hearts prepared and it was time to worship God through song.


Worship. What can I say?

It was indescribable. Because I really can't put words to it that would do justice.


Come and experience it with God for yourself, why don't you?


***

POP QUIZ 2: Apakah antara isu yang diutarakan semasa 'announcements' dibuat pada hari Sabtu yang lepas?
I Kem Belia Tahunan 2010
II Cara membuat kek coklat
III Orang baru yang datang pada malam tersebut
IV Saya tak kisah-ibbean
A. I, II dan III sahaja.
B. I, II dan IV sahaja.
C. I, III dan IV sahaja.
D. II, III dan IV sahaja.

No that's not preaching, it's announcements. haha.

Okay, firstly, t-shirt sizes for AYC were read out (in numbers) for guys and girls. So y'all know how big and how small XS and XL actually are. Sorry I didn't take them down, if you wanna know and you didn't come on Saturday, ask pastor:)

PLEASE PASS UP YOUR AYC FORMS IMMEDIATELY! (money can be handed in later)

Nextt, Pirates of the I-Don't-Care-ibbean!
How wacky is that?!
Produced by our very own FGA Mighty Warriors, you are encouraged to go! It's on the 30th of November, further details can be gotten from your respective zone.

And newcomers! Really a blessing to have new people each week, so among those we met last Saturday was:

Aun Wei, invited by Vern Ern.

And not forgetting, we prayed for the fireBRANDS taking PMR:

andd what's awesome is that they still came for youth service that night! DO continue to pray for them throughout this week and till PMR ends, then you can pray for the SPM-ers and STPM-ers instead. haha.

***

POP QUIZ 3: Okay, what's next?
A. Siesta.
B. Sermon.
C. Supper.
D. ...Paintball!



He preached on one thing, and it was definitely the word of God for fireBRANDS on that night:

MISSIONS

When Christians today befriend the wealth, comfort and security of the world, that's when missions becomes a forgotten mandate.

What's missions? It comes from the Latin word meaning send/sending.

In John 17:14-18 (NLT), here's what Jesus says:

¹⁴ I have given them your word. And the world hates them because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. ¹⁵ I’m not asking you to take them out of the world, but to keep them safe from the evil one. ¹⁶ They do not belong to this world any more than I do. ¹⁷ Make them holy by your truth; teach them your word, which is truth. ¹⁸ Just as you sent me into the world, I am sending them into the world.

We're called to be the light of the world, not part of the world.


But, today's expectations of the world are:
1. Career/Education comes first. (don't take this out of context: you must still study hard, but God must always come first and your career/education can then be used to help in missions)
2. Success financially and with possessions.
3. A big retirement plan.

Why is it so hard to mobilize people for missions?
We live in an individualistic world.

Though, what does a man profit if he gains the whole world but loses his soul?

Those who do the will of God will be saved.

If you lose your dreams and follow the will of God, you will find life.
It does not mean that you can't like fulfill your childhood dream of bungee-jumping. It means, sure, go ahead and have fun, but just make sure you carry out God's will for your life. Don't ever forget it.

You are made for the will of God and for nothing else.

Missions is a commission. (Matt 28:18-20 - the great commission)
A commission is an authoritative order and so is missions, if God is the authority of your life and if you confess that Jesus is Lord.

When Jesus said, "Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations...", the word 'nations' comes from the Greek word 'ethno', meaning ethnic group (Hokkien, Cantonese, etc.). And so there are still 6000+ unreached people groups in the world today.


Find God's will for your life, and do it with all your heart.
So, if God calls you to be an engineer, then do it with all your heart!

Acts 1:6-8
⁶ So when the apostles were with Jesus, they kept asking him, “Lord, has the time come for you to free Israel and restore our kingdom?”

⁷ He replied, “The Father alone has the authority to set those dates and times, and they are not for you to know. ⁸ But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

'Witnesses' there basically meant martyrs when Jesus was saying it. Martyrs are people who die for their belief/religion, and in this case they're people who die for the sake of the Gospel.

All the disciples were martyred, except two: Judas who hang himself and John who lived to a ripe, old age.

Here's a question: If you know that in 10 years' time you'll die for the name 'Christian', would you still follow Him?

Missions is eternal significance.

In Acts 20:24, Paul says:

²⁴ But my life is worth nothing to me unless I use it for finishing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus—the work of telling others the Good News about the wonderful grace of God.

So, if there's one thing to take away from the night's sharing, it's definitely:

Remember the will of God for your life and do it.

"We must quickly carry out the task assigned us by the One who sent us. The night is coming, and then no one can work." - Jesus, in John 9:4