AYC - Agape Youth Camp 2007

My dear busy (who have the time to surf the Internet) friend:

I am writing this on behalf of the Agape Youth Camp 2007 Organising Committee , to invite you to come and join in the Agape Youth Camp in March 2007.



This Youth Camp is supported by the Peninsular Malaysia Mission and is listed as one of the official mission-wide youth programmes for next year.



The Venue is at The Air Keroh d'village Resort, in the state of Malacca , Malaysia .

The dates are from March 14th to 18th, 2007, Wednesday evening to Sunday morning. This period falls within the Malaysia school holidays.



The main speaker, Dr Ron Du Preez, holds a Double Doctorate degrees in Theology and in Ministry, currently he is working towards a PHD in New Testament Studies. An ordained pastor, he currently serves two churches near Andrews University, Michigan. We believe that he has a timely message for our young people.



The Conference registration fee includes the boarding and lodging during the conference and a T-shirt.



This is a bilingual camp meeting, we will use both English and Mandarin throughout the meeting.



You may send in the registration form by post or by email. ( Please ensure that you receive an email of acknowledgement in reply when you register through email.)



If you register before 31st Dec 2006, your fees will be partially subsidies by some generous rich uncle. That means, you will be saving lots of money if you register early!



What you can expect from AYC:



Seriously, that video is just a small teeny-weeny glimpse of it. You can expect more. Don't believe? That is why you need to register and find out!

So don't forget. BOOK A PLACE before DEC 31, 2006!

Yours in Christ,
Esther Cheng Pui Kong ( Chairperson ) &
Chong Lee Poh ( Secretary )
Agape Youth Camp 2007
chengpuikong[at]yahoo{dot}com
lpchong[at]gmail{dot}com

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What THE WORLD don't want you to know!

email: 091381@gmail.com for details.

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PS: please forgive me for not updating my blog as often as it should be. I am just hibernating here. Will be reactivated after recharged.

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3:16 (part 6) - Let Jesus' Words Richly Dwell in You

Colossians 3:16

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.


Hello, sorry for the super long delay. Please don't angry with me, okay. It is completely my fault.

Okay, so I assumed that all the previous verses is up embedded in your head:

John 3:16,
1 John 3:16,
Philippians 3:16,
1 Timothy 3:16,
Luke 3:16,
and
Ephesians 3:16


Re-cap:

John 3:16 >> God loves me...

1 John 3:16 >> So, I gotta love my brethen the way how God loves me...

Philippians 3:16 >> That is why, we as a church need to be united by walking the same rule...

1 Timothy 3:16 >> And, based on the testimonial of Jesus (the mystery of godliness), we preach the gospel to the Gentiles.

Luke 3:16 >> It is a great honor to preaching the gospel (serving Jesus) and John said that he is unworthy to serve Jesus.


Ephesians 3:16 >> ...But by serving Jesus, He will grant us according to the richess of His infinite glory! jackpot!

How Jesus grant us all His richess glory?

Look up to your bible at Colossians 3:16.

Let's memorize:

"Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom;..."

Jesus' glory is in His word! Jesus is God and He is the source of the inspiration of the bible. In another words, He co-authored the bible with the Father and the Holy Spirit. That means, by reading the scripture daily, we are immersing ourself with the glory of God. The 'untapped' richess of His Glory is right there in front of you -- in your holy bible.


"...teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

And you thought God is tired of hymns and songs praises to Him? nope, nope, nope. You just gotta sing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. It is not a routine-thing nor some kind of funeral songs.

It also interesting to note that, "teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns". I do find that today's (or contemporary) Christian songs is really lacking of the 'teaching' and the 'admonishing' element. Seriously. I guess, it is time for us, Christian community to learn from people of the days of Isaac Watts and John Newton.

God bless


next verse: please come back in about 7 days time.

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Sorry for the delay

Thanks to Melvin for reminding me to update this blog. Honestly, I am really sorry and at the same time, grateful to people like Melvin.

My uncanny yet lame excuses for not updating promptly are:

1)I am having some trouble with the new version of blogger. I shouldn't have upgrade this blog to the newer version. In the newer version, I got mess up with the 'edit html' thing. (hope you know what I am talking about)

2) busyness laziness. Seriously, I think that is the main reason.


I beg you to bear with me for another few grace days period, can? Please lah.

Okay, I catch you up later. Please stay tuned.

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product review : His Song In My Heart

Learning Scripture song is one of the best methods to memorize scripture. It is easy to memorize with the musical aid, and the bible verses will be deeply and lastingly embedded in our mind.




YoungDisciple.com release some really nice scripture songs.

the link

About the CD from their website:

Each song in this collection is taken directly from the King James Version of scripture. Each song is chosen both because of it's spiritual message and the beauty of the music.

This exciting collection of Scripture Songs is available in a complete set of books for your church or youth group: A song leader's book with guitar chords; the melody and chords for learning or playing on a piano/keyboard; and packs of song sheets so that each person can have a copy. (All books use the same song-numbers and are designed to be use together. Mix-and-match the collection that is perfect for your group!)

Kids and adults love these songs! These songs have been a favorite part of our Youth Bible Camps, and now are available for your youth ministry.

Songs are good. They are relaxing and therapeutic. I like I Have Learned in Whatsoever (Philippians 4:11). Do listen to the CD preview.

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3:16 (part 5) - Grant You, According to the Riches of His Glory

Ephesians 3:16

That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;


At this point, you have completely memorize John 3:16, 1 John 3:16, Philippians 3:16, 1 Timothy 3:16 and Luke 3:16.

Association:

John 3:16 >> God love me...

1 John 3:16 >> So, I gotta love by brethen how God love me...

Philippians 3:16 >> That is why, we need to be united by walking the same rule...

1 Timothy 3:16 >> And, based on the testimonial of Jesus (the mystery of godliness), we preach the gospel to the Gentiles.

Luke 3:16 >> It is a great honor to preaching the gospel (serving Jesus) and John said that he is unworthy to serve Jesus

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In Ephesians 3:16, Paul remind us that our God is will grant us according to His glory. Wow! Our God is infinitely RICH! And our God sits on the top of the hierarchy of this universe.

So, what more we need? The whole world can not match the wealth of the glory of God.

Isn't that amazing?

Try to associate this verse with Luke 3:16.

next verse: please come back in about 7 days time.

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3:16 (part 4) - Whose Shoes I am Not Worthy to unloose

Luke 3:16

John answered, saying unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water; but one mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire:


Hi, did you completely memorized John 3:16, 1 John 3:16, Philippians 3:16, and 1 Timothy 3:16 ?

Can you try to associate all these verses in your mind?

No? You got to try to memorize all of them. It is easy. If you have completed, please come back here. I will wait for you. :)

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Okay. Lets recap and associate all the verses we had memorized. Here is the summary:

John 3:16 >> God love me...

1 John 3:16 >> So, I gotta love by brethen how God love me...

Philippians 3:16 >> That is why, we need to be united by walking the same rule...

1 Timothy 3:16 >> And, based on the testimonial of Jesus (the mystery of godliness), we preach the gospel to the Gentiles.

But, while we labor for Jesus, at some point of time, we feel like we deserve some "extra- points" from God. We think that we have done God a big favor. I believe there is a natural tendency for human to feel like that. To feel as if we are "extra-spiritual" because we did the job.

But let us meditate on John had said:

"...the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose..."

John, himself do not feel worthy to serve Jesus. For him, serving Jesus indeed is a honor and a privilege.

Don't we think we should pray so that we will feel likewise?

God bless

next verse: Grant You, According to the Riches of His Glory (memorize Ephesians 3:16)

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3:16 (part 3) - God Manifest in the Flesh

1 Timothy 3:16

And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.

Okay, you are now able to memorize John 3:16, 1 John 3:16, and Philippians 3:16.

How about another 3:16? - 1 Timothy 3:16.

This verse is a little harder because it is slightly longer than the previous verses that we had already memorized.

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In 1 Timothy 3:16:

"And without controversy great..."

That means, with certainty and no rooms for arguments.

"is the mystery of godliness:"

In 1 Corinthians 2:7, speaks of mystery as the hidden wisdom. Barnes states that:

This passage, therefore, should not be used to prove that there is anything unintelligible, or anything that surpasses human comprehension, in that doctrine, whatever may be the truth on that point; but that the doctrine which he now proceeds to state, and which had been so long concealed from mankind, was of the utmost consequence.

"God was manifest in the flesh,..."

Jesus Christ is God came to this earth in human form.

"justified in the Spirit,..."

The Spirit refers to the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit also plays an very important role in the whole plan of redemption.

"seen of angels,..."

The millions of angels in heaven are the witnesses of God's greatest sacrifice for us.

"preached unto the Gentiles,..."

Salvation is both to the Jews and Gentiles. And the Gospel are to preach to every nations and tongues and people.

"believed on in the world,..."

People of the world believe in Him..

"received up into glory."

Jesus be glorified!

Fuh! This is a difficult text.

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Can you associate 1 Timothy 3:16 with the previous the '3:16' text that we had already memorized?


next: Whose Shoes I am Not Worthy to unloose (memorize Luke 3:16)

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3:16 (part 2) - Walk by the Same Rule

Philippians 3:16

Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing.

You are now able to memorize:
John 3:16 > Jesus laying His life for us
1 John 3:16 >We ought, like wise, laying our life for our brethen

We can associate Philippians 3:16 (same chapter, same verse) with:

1)John 3:16 - It is by believing in Jesus, we are united in Him. Hence, in Phlilppians 3:16, Paul admonished us to walk the same rule and mind the same thing

2)1 John 3:16 - Walking the same rule and minding the same thing is a sense of unity; in which we love our brethen's life as we love ours'.

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Let us memorize Philippians 3:16:

"Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained,..."

By referring to the previous verse(that is verse 9), those "already attained" means those having the righteousness of Jesus.

so, after attaining the righteousness of Jesus Christ, what should we do?

"let us walk by the same rule,..."

and?

"let us mind the same thing."

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Did we walk the same rule and minding the same thing as prescribed in the Bible?

next: God Manifest in the Flesh(memorize 1 Timothy 3:16)

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3:16 (part 1) - Following God's example

1 John 3:16

Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.

I am sure you are already well verse with John 3:16.

Now, let us memorize 1 John 3 :16.
Compared to John 3:16, this verse is by written the same author, John, same chapter, and the same verse.

So you can associate both texts which will aid your memory.

John 3:16 tells us what God have done for us > by laying His life for us.
1 John 3:16 tells us what should we do > by also laying our life for others.

The break down of the verse:

Hereby perceive we the love of God, (that means now we see God's love)

how?

because he laid down his life for us:

so, what should we do?

and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.

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To lay down our lives for the brethen? You may perceive this text to be too radical. Surely, it is very normal for our carnal flesh to be not in harmony with the Holiness of our loving Father.

But, let us consider what the Jesus have done for us. He gave it all.

He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. (Isaiah 53:5)

Albert Barnes (1798-1870) put it this way:

"We ought to have such love for Christians as to be willing to jeopard our lives to aid them - as in case of a pestilence or plague, or when they are in danger by fire, or flood, or foes."

"We ought to have such love for the truth as to be willing to sacrifice our lives rather than deny it."

"We ought to have such love for the cause of our Master as to be willing to cross oceans, and snows, and sands; to visit distant and barbarous regions, though at imminent risk of our lives, and though with the prospect that we shall never see our country again."

next: Walk by the Same Rule (memorize Philippians 3:16)

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The Greatest Promise

John 3:16

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

I am sure, many of you are familar with this verse. This is the most common, most remembered, widely quoted verse. Perhaps you want to skip this verse and memorize the next verse.

But for start, for those who haven't memorize this text, please learn this words by heart.

It is easy to remember:

"For God so loved the world...."

to what extend His love for us?

"...that he gave his only begotten Son..."

so, what is the big deal?

"...that whosoever believeth in him should not perish,"

and your reward is

"...but have everlasting life. "


try that :)

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from wikipedia :

A typical interpretation of the verse might go as follows:

• For God so loved the world... - God is a God of love and this love motivates His action in the rest of the verse
• ...that he gave... - there was God giving something, His Son as a sacrifice
• ...his only begotten Son... - the human Jesus of Nazareth is also the Son of God, He is also the Second Person of the Trinity
• ...that whosoever... - that salvation is open to all who will believe
• ...believeth... - being saved is based on belief or faith, rather than based on human works.
• ...in him... - the belief being in Jesus, the Saviour
• ...should not perish... - implies the fate of those who do not believe
• ...but have everlasting life. - shows the reward of those who believe

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The parable

My Son Died, Don’t You Care

The day is over, you are driving home. You tune in your radio. You hear a little blurb about a little village in India where some villagers have died suddenly, strangely, of a flu that has never been seen before.

It’s not influenza, but three or four fellows are dead, and it’s kind of interesting. They’re sending some doctors over there to investigate it. You don’t think much about it, but on Sunday, coming home from church, you hear another radio spot. Only they say it’s not three villagers, it’s 30,000 villagers in the back hills of this particular area of India, and it’s on TV that night.

CNN runs a little blurb; people are heading there from the disease center in Atlanta because this disease strain has never been seen before.

By Monday morning when you get up, it’s the lead story. For it’s not just India; it’s Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran, and before you know it, you’re hearing this story everywhere and they have coined it now as “the mystery flu.”

The President has made some comment that he and everyone are praying and hoping that all will go well over there.

But everyone is wondering, “How are we going to contain it?” That’s when the President of France makes an announcement that shocks Europe. He is closing their borders. No flights from India, Pakistan, or any of the countries where this thing has been seen.

That night you are watching a little bit of CNN before going to bed. Your jaw hits your chest, when a weeping woman is translated from a French news program into English: “There’s a man lying in a hospital in Paris dying of the mystery flu. It has come to Europe.”

Panic strikes.

As best they can tell, once you get it, you have it for a week and you don’t know it. Then you have four days of unbelievable symptoms. Then you die.

Britain closes it’s borders, but it’s too late. Southampton, Liverpool, Northhampton, and it’s Tuesday morning when the President of the United States makes the following announcement: “Due to a national security risk, all flights to and from Europe and Asia have been canceled. If your loved ones are overseas, I’m sorry. They cannot come back until we find a cure for this thing. Within four days our nation has been plunged into an unbelievable fear.

People are selling little masks for your face. Some are talking about what if it comes to this country, and preachers on Tuesday are saying, “It’s the scourge of God.” It’s Wednesday night and you are at a church prayer meeting when somebody runs in from the parking lot and says, “Turn on a radio, turn on a radio.” While the church listens to a little transistor radio with a microphone stuck up to it, the announcement is made, “Two women are lying in a Long Island hospital dying from the mystery flu.” Within hours it seems, this thing just sweeps across the country.

People are working around the clock trying to find an antidote. Nothing is working. California, Oregon, Arizona, Florida, Massachusetts. It’s as though it’s just sweeping in from the borders.

Then, all of a sudden the news comes out. The code has been broken. A cure can be found. A vaccine can be made. It’s going to take the blood of somebody who hasn’t been infected, and so, sure enough, all through the Midwest, through all those channels of emergency broadcasting, everyone is asked to do one simple thing: “Go to your downtown hospital and have your blood type taken. That’s all we ask of you. When you hear the sirens go off in your neighborhood, please make your way quickly, quietly, and safely to the hospitals.”

Sure enough, when you and your family get down there late on that Friday night, there is a long line, and they’ve got nurses and doctors coming out and pricking fingers and taking blood and putting labels on it.

Your spouse and your kids are out there, and they take your blood type and they say, “Wait here in the parking lot and if we call your name, you can be dismissed and go home.”

You stand around scared with your neighbors, wondering what in the world is going on, and that this is the end of the world. Suddenly a young man comes running out of the hospital screaming. He’s yelling a name and waving a clipboard. What? He yells it again! And your son tugs on your jacket and says with a grin, “Daddy, that’s me.”

Before you know it, they have grabbed your boy. “Wait a minute, hold it!” And they say, “It’s okay, his blood is clean. His blood is pure. We want to make sure he doesn’t have the disease. We think he has got the right type.”

Five tense minutes later, out come the doctors and nurses, crying and hugging one another - some are even laughing. It’s the first time you have seen anybody laugh in a week, and an old doctor walks up to you and says, “Thank you, sir. Your son’s blood type is perfect. It’s clean, it is pure, and we can make the vaccine.”

As the word begins to spread all across that parking lot full of folks, people are screaming and praying and laughing and crying. But then the gray-haired doctor pulls you and your wife aside and says, “May we see you for a moment?

We didn’t realize that the donor would be a minor and we need . . . we need you to sign a consent form.”

You begin to sign and then you see that the number of pints of blood to be taken is empty. “H-h-h-how many pints?,” you ask. And that is when the old doctor’s smile fades and he says, “We had no idea it would be a little child. We weren’t prepared. We need it all!”

“But -but...” “You don’t understand. We are talking about the world here. Please sign. We - we need it all -we need it all!”

“But can’t you give him a transfusion?”

“If we had clean blood we would. Can you sign? Would you sign?”

In numb silence you do. Then they say, “Would you like to have a moment with your son?” You go into that room where he sits on a table saying, “Daddy? Mommy? What’s going on?”

Can you take his hands and say, “Son, we love you, and we would never ever let anything happen to you that didn’t just have to be. Do you understand that?”

When that old doctor comes back in and says, “I’m sorry, we’ve -we’ve got to get started. People all over the world are dying.” Can you leave? Can you walk out while he is saying, “Dad? Mom? Why - why have you forsaken me?”

And then next week, when they have the ceremony to honor your son, some folks sleep through it, and some folks don’t even come because they go to the lake, and some folks come with a pretentious attitude.

“MY SON DIED! DON’T YOU CARE?”

Is that what God may be saying? “MY SON DIED. DON’T YOU KNOW HOW MUCH I CARE?”

“Father, seeing it from your eyes breaks our hearts. Maybe now we can begin to comprehend the great love you have for us. Amen “

Source unknown

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next: Following God's example (memorize 1 John 3:16)

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