JXTA - New Toy For AY0809

3.20 am, struggling with JXTA Shell. :(

Promises Follow After Expansion

About 3 months ago, I had an invitation to an event where there were many successful people attending. Initially I was not exactly very comfortable to go, in fact I felt inferior. I could almost imagined the people there saying, "25 years old and you are still in Polytechnic?". Having this thought in mind, I was struggling between attending and not attending. God is good, He always brings about illumination which leads to breakthroughs. He simply spoke about the importance of knowing our identity.

Everyone of us need to know our identity.

Knowing it will give us a sense of belonging and confidence.

When we know and trust who we are in Christ, we will have the confidence of who we are now and who we are going to be in the future.

Have the mindset and capacity according to who we want to be in the future regardless of who we are right now and who we are in the past.

• Millionaire in the future? Think like one now.
• Top student in the future? Think like one now.
• Leading a great cell group / connect group? Lead like one now.

We can afford to do it because of our confidence brought by the knowledge of our identity.

It is necessary for us to increase and expand in our mindset and capacity because God would never give us what we cannot handle.

• For e.g. An immature person or a child will not be able to handle a million dollars. Sooner or later he will lose it, regardless how huge the amount is. However given to a person with sufficient capacity and the correct mindset, this million dollars might become two or three or even ten million dollars.

It is always:

1. First the expansion then the inheritance -

• David had to fight the bear, the lion, Goliath and wait many years before he inherited the promises of becoming king.

2. First the expansion then the victory -

• Joshua had to first expand in his security as Moses' successor before becoming a great conqueror with many victories under his name.
  
• Gideon had to expand in his mindset and his self image before gaining the victory over the Midianites.

3. First the expansion then greatness -

• Jabez had to expand in his character first before becoming honorable in God's sight.

Run like giants today, don't hop like grasshoppers. :)

Fruitfulness

One of the important aspect in life is really fruitfulness. In my opinion, the 3 major areas that we need to be fruitful is in our relationships, the work of our hands and the kingdom of God.

Having looked around, very often we would hear of many different excuses of not being fruitful. One of which would be there is a problem with the 'harvest'.

Just six years ago, I was a person with no accomplishments and no direction in life. When others would come and ask me this question: "Why did you fail in your studies?", the first answer that I would often reply back would be: "I am not made to study. What I was studying was too hard, it would drive me crazy to get to a level to pass them.". In my mind, my failure is due to that which was given to me was an impossible task, something with a problem.

Isn't this very true, many people carry this mindset. Recently God showed me something which gave me a new perspective towards fruitfulness. I remembered clearly the phrase that was impressed within my heart: "Unfruitfulness is a mindset problem, not a harvest-problem.".

Jesus says in Matt 9:36-37

Then He said to His disciples, "The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few."

Notice, the problem was with the laborers, not with the harvest. In fact, the harvest is good, it is plentiful! Probably, the laborers have a mindset which is either lazy, cannot be done, cannot be bothered. I remembered my mindset when I approached my studies when I was younger was that even before I tried, in my mind I already given a verdict that I cannot do it well, so what for bother. Thus, it made me lazy and not willing to try at all, eventually leading to failure and unfruitfulness.

One of the essential key to fruitfulness is knowing that we are chosen, appointed and given the abilities to produce fruit in all that we do.

John 15:16-17

"You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you. "

Just a year ago, my mentor shared a powerful truth with me, which has impacted me deeply.

Eph 1:4-5

"just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, "

God has called and chosen us even before the forming of the world and in line with that, knowing that man being imperfect having the ability to fail, He provided us a way out even before we fail.

Rev 13:8

"All who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world."

Notice, Jesus was the sacrifice for us even before anything happened. This is just like God giving us unlimited 'Get out of Jail' cards in Monopoly. He has provided a way out for us in every situation. Thus though we might fail from time to time, but eventually if we continue and not be weary in giving our best, we will end up in being successful, taking away every excuse of being failures in life.

With a renewed mindset, let's start being fruitful!

Penning Down My Revelations, Dreams & Visions

Hab 2:2-3
Then the LORD answered me and said:

"Write the vision
And make it plain on tablets,
That he may run who reads it.
For the vision is yet for an appointed time;
But at the end it will speak, and it will not lie.
Though it tarries, wait for it;
Because it will surely come,
It will not tarry."

If you can't write out what is in your heart, probably you have not really thought it through. Cheers! :)

1st Quarter Evaluation

It's the 26th of March already and a third of the year has just passed by. In my mind, I can only think of one thing to describe how these 3 months have been - a Roller Coaster ride. Here's a recap of some of the highlights: -

• Ended my AY0708 with an Excellent GPA of 4.0 :)
  
• Had a traumatic car accident
• Had a wonderful Easter celebration

Indeed this year, I have went to the peak of the mountain of victory and the lowest valley of death, but nevertheless I stand tall because I am on the shoulders of a Mighty Giant.

In the midst of all these, an encouragement from my dearest Friend keeps me going.

Just 3 days after the terrible accident happened, I was feeling very discouraged and found no strength to do anything. I was waiting at the bus stop for my bus to come and was feeling tremendously edgy. In my heart, I was complaining, angry and feeling sorry for the events that turned out in my life. Then God spoke to me, " Hey, look at the sky." As March 2008 was a month of record rainfall, the sky was overcast with gloomy clouds. I mumbled in my heart, "Ya right! Even the clouds look bad. Things are definitely bad, there's no sun at all! How terrible a situation I am in!" At that instance, I suddenly had a revelation. God impressed within my heart saying, "Surely the overcast clouds are blocking the sun. Things look bad and the rain is definitely coming. However, remember the rain that falls is given the responsibility to water the harvest you are sowing for. And further more, how long can the rain last? Eventually, the rain will run out and the clouds will be gone, the sun is going to come out."

How true it is, no trials or tribulations will last forever.

Rom 5:3-4
And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope.

I am indeed coming out stronger, with a greater anointing for the rest of this exciting year, 2008.


PS: Anyway this is my favorite birthday present from my beloved CG, N363! Thanks guys!