Musings

LoL = LIVE OUT LOUD!

Have you LoL-ed today?

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This song is really great. Speaks so much. Listen, and ponder the lyrics.

Sometimes it's hard to see You, but I see Your people.
Sometimes it's hard to hear You, but I heard Your preachers
My proof is in the way, the way that they shine
That's how I know that

The sun is coming down
I get the feeling that I'm not home yet.
Yeah, it's Your people
They're Jesus to the world

When it was hard to see You, they gave me another chance like You.
When it was hard to hear You, I could hear them speak Your words.
My proof is in the way, the way that they shine.
That's how I know that

The sun is coming down
I get the feeling that I'm not home yet.
Yeah, it's Your people
They're Jesus to the world

It's always the way I know
It's always the way, the way I know
It's always the way I know
It's always the way I know that

The sun is coming down
I get the feeling that I'm not home yet.
The sun is coming down
Yeah, it's Your people
They're Your people
They're Jesus to the world
They're Jesus to the world

I find it really encouraging that there are such people out there. People who are really being Jesus to their world, to the people around them. These are the ones impacting lives for real, for Him. People who are willing to walk in Jesus' footsteps, reaching out to the hurting. And these people are proof, that Jesus is real, that His love is real.

Now bring it closer to home. Are we living our lives like that? Are we Jesus to our world? Do we really live that way? When people find it hard to see Jesus in the world out there, do they see Him in us? When they find it hard to hear His voice in all the noise around them, do they hear His voice speaking through us? Are we proof that Jesus is real, by being Jesus to the people we know, His representative here? Do we shine with His love and hope? Or are we just as dark as everything else, maybe even darker?

Come on Christians of today. Let's rise up out of our seats, our comfort zones. Let's be real. Let's be the Jesus to our world. We have what it takes. We've got the Holy Spirit in us. All God needs now is our willingness to follow. I know I want to. Will you? I pray you do.

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Turn your eyes upon Jesus
Look full in His wonderful face
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim
In the light of His glory and grace

I have always seen this song as one of encouragement. To me, this song had always been about turning one’s eyes to Jesus when life is hard. Gazing upon His wonderful face in times of trouble, His glory and grace making those hardships dim.

But today I just realised, that it can also mean so much more than that. It is also a call to turn and focus our eyes on Him, even when things are going well. He should be our life’s focus. So many times we get distracted with all sorts of stuff. Things like work, tasks at hand, the endless quest for more stuff, popularity, romantic relationships, and all the other things that keep us too busy to focus on Him. They all just seem so important, significant and urgent. But when we do fix our eyes on Jesus, all these things no longer seem so important or significant anymore. As the song says, the things of earth will grow strangely dim.

When we are once again at awe with our Saviour, nothing else seems as important. It’s like falling in love all over again. When people are truly, madly, deeply in love, everything else seems to take second importance. The lover comes first. And likewise, our relationship with God should be like that. Fixing our focus on Him, wanting what He wants in our life, in our world. He comes first, above all else, above the things of earth. He is, the center of not just the universe, but our own personal world, our lives. Will we make that decision to make Him the center of our lives, our world?

Oh Christ be the center of our lives
Be the place we fix our eyes
Be the center of our lives

You’re the center of the universe
Everything was made in You Jesus
Breath of every living thing
Everyone was made for You

You hold everything together
You hold everything together

Oh Christ be the center of our lives
Be the place we fix our eyes
Be the center of our lives

Oh Christ be the center of our lives
Be the place we fix our eyes
Be the center of our lives

You’re the center of the universe
Everything was made in You Jesus
Breath of every living thing
Everyone was made for You

You hold everything together
You hold everything together
You hold everything together
You hold everything together

Oh Christ be the center of our lives
Be the place we fix our eyes
Be the center of our lives

We lift our eyes to heaven
We wrap our lives around your life
We lift our eyes to heaven, to You

We lift our eyes to heaven
We wrap our lives around your life
We lift our eyes to heaven, to You

Oh Christ be the center of our lives
Be the place we fix our eyes
Be the center of our lives
Center of our lives

We lift our eyes to heaven
We wrap our lives around your life
We lift our eyes to heaven, to You

We lift our eyes to heaven
We wrap our lives around your life
We lift our eyes to heaven, to You

Turn your eyes upon Jesus
Look full in His wonderful face
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim
In the light of His glory and grace

P.S. It was a "Woah..." moment for me when I listened to the video above. I was just looking for the song Center by Charlie Hall on YouTube when I came upon this one. Let it load, then listen. And low and behold, at the end they have that song passage I was writing about. Totally unplanned and unaware. God is amazing. =)

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I'm sure most of us know what has recently happened in Malaysia. Go google for news if you don't. But I don't want to go into the specifics of what's going on. This is not a news report. Many would have written their views on this, and I don't exactly want to dwell deep in it either. I will just leave you with these thoughts.

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

Psalms 23:4

You know what, even when things seem bleak, and I literally walk in the valley of the shadow of death, I pray I will not fear, and will stand up for You. I do not condone violence. We cannot retaliate with violence. It would be stupid. It will only make things worse. Proverbs 10:12 says "Hatred stirs up strife, But love covers all sins." Let us not fight in anger. We do not need to wage a holy war against people. We are not to hate these people. But instead to love them. We fight against injustice with love, not with a sword.

But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.

Matthew 5:44,45

Pray people, that's the best thing you can do. It is not to take up weapons, but to appeal to the Highest Authority.

Finally, a closing quote from Pastor Andy Yeoh.

Timely reminder that the Church is more than juz a building. Buildings can b destroyed by fire, but a "church on fire" does not easily fall!

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death
Your perfect love is casting out fear
And even when I’m caught in the middle of the storms of this life
I won’t turn back
I know You are near

And I will fear no evil
For my God is with me
And if my God is with me
Whom then shall I fear?
Whom then shall I fear?

Oh no, You never let go
Through the calm and through the storm
Oh no, You never let go
In every high and every low
Oh no, You never let go
Lord, You never let go of me

And I can see a light that is coming for the heart that holds on
A glorious light beyond all compare
And there will be an end to these troubles
But until that day comes
We’ll live to know You here on the earth

And I will fear no evil
For my God is with me
And if my God is with me
Whom then shall I fear?
Whom then shall I fear?

Oh no, You never let go
Through the calm and through the storm
Oh no, You never let go
In every high and every low
Oh no, You never let go
Lord, You never let go of me
You keep on loving and You never let go

Singing  oh no, You never let go
Through the calm and through the storm
Oh no, You never let go
In every high and every low
Oh no, You never let go
Lord, You never let go of me

Yes, I can see a light that is coming for the heart that holds on
And there will be an end to these troubles
But until that day comes
Still I will praise You, still I will praise You

Yes, I can see a light that is coming for the heart that holds on
And there will be an end to these troubles
But until that day comes
Still I will praise You, still I will praise You

Oh no, You never let go
Through the calm and through the storm
Oh no, You never let go
In every high and every low
Oh no, You never let go
Lord, You never let go of me
(So strong, so wise, so loving....)

Oh no, You never let go
Through the calm and through the storm
Oh no, You never let go
In every high and every low
Oh no, You never let go
Lord, You never let go of me
Lord, You never let go of me

P.S. Click here, here, and here for some other individuals' own views that I have found to be worth a read.

P.P.S. Please people, let's not wage jihad over this? A Malay proverb to ponder on: Menang jadi arang, kalah jadi abu.

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My friend recently made a really interesting statement on his Facebook. It went:

Life is a roller coaster... Just gotta ride it

And I'm like, "Hey, that's very true actually." Life, like a roller coaster, is full of ups and downs. Life is not just good all the time, nor is it just spiralling down. There will be high points in life, as well as low points. Like he said, you just have to ride it. Get on the roller coaster. Have you fun while in those situations. You go down, but there will be a hill up ahead. Just have to stick it out and wait for it. Roller coasters are there for your enjoyment aren't they? Life is meant to be lived to the fullest.

Then, another person made an interesting comment to on that update. It went:

But sometimes you fly out of it and die.

And again, true isn't it? Life can really throw you around just like in a roller coaster. And at times people do get derailed. The momentum and movement of it all thrashing them. But, you only fly out of the roller coaster if you didn't put on your safety belt! Or if you didn't fasten them properly. In our own life, the safety belt is like boundaries that we live by, the guidelines. It inhibits our movements somewhat, stopping us from moving freely like standing up during a ride. Same as boundaries we put in our lives. They stop us from doing things that we shouldn't, stopping absolute freedom. The reason safety belts and boundaries are there, are to keep us safe first and foremost. They stop us from doing crazy things that will ultimately harms us. Or quite literally, cause us to fall out of the roller coaster of life and die.

Another thing, or more accurately a person, that safety belts can also represent is God. He is the security that keeps us from harm, as long as we choose to listen to Him and follow Him.

So, life is a roller coaster ride, with all its ups and downs. There will be bumpy rides in life, as well as times that we enjoy and cherish. Whatever the ride has to offer, just buckle your seat belt, and enjoy the ride....

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I was listening to my library of songs a while ago, and I got to this song by The Script. It was the one titled ‘Anybody There’. And I was listening to the lyrics of the song while I was at it. The writer sings about not wanting to go to heaven. And of course you would wonder, “Why does someone in his or her right mind not want to go to heaven? What is his reason for this?” Then the last two lines of the chorus comes in. It sings:

But I don’t care, ‘cause I don’t know, anybody there.

So, the singer doesn’t want to go to heaven because he will not know anybody there. He is afraid he will be lonely in heaven. And this of course speaks a lot. One, would be the people he knows and are friends with, are not fit to be in heaven, even in his own eyes. He knows that their lifestyles will not get them to heaven. And what does the singer do about it? He decides that he will join along and be just like them, living life not wanting to go to heaven, not caring to want to get there, and be with his friends in the only other place other than heaven in the afterlife. The song continues to sing about his attitude towards the whole issue, what he is doing with his own life. About going against his own thoughts that tell him ‘no’, rationalising that’s it just part of him, ‘under his skin’.

Also, it also shows the priorities of the person. Here, his priorities would be to be with his friends, doing the same things they do, and going to the same place they will go. His own salvation is of second importance, not to mention that God would definitely be lower than that, it we follow the trend here.

Now here, I would like to challenge you and me. Will you have anybody there in heaven with you? What will you do about your friends, and relatives? Will you go to heaven alone, or will you try to bring them to heaven with you? Will you even bother to try to bring them along, or will you be the only one there, with no people to meet when you get there? Or will you be like the singer, to totally give up and let loose, not even wanting to get yourself there in heaven so that you can be with your friends in the alternative to heaven?

What will you do?...

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This post is quite sudden and random. I just felt that I should post this up and share the song. The “Song of Hope (Heaven Come Down)” by Robbie Seay Band. The lyrics of this song speaks a lot about the hope we have in Jesus. It praises Jesus and at the same time sings of the great hope that He brings. A declaration of sorts. It is a great song to declare when situations around us seem tough, and to remind us of our hope in Jesus. I love this song and love to sing it whenever I feel like I need to declare my hope in Christ into my life, and also to just praise Him. I chose the acoustic version of the song because the lyrics can come out clearer, and I also like the acoustic hooks. This makes a great personal declaration song. The full band rock version would be more suitable in a congregational setting, although the acoustic version would still suit a congregational setting if you want to tone things down a little, and reflect more on the words sung. Maybe I should bring this song to my church worship team and see what they say...

Anyways, presenting Song of Hope (Heaven Come Down) Acoustic version by Robbie Seay Band. I pray this blesses you, whoever God wants to hear this.

All things bright and beautiful You are
All things wise and wonderful You are
In my darkest night, You brighten up the skies
A song will rise

I will sing a song of hope
Sing along
God of heaven come down
Heaven come down
Just to know that You are near is enough
God of heaven come down, heaven come down oh

All things new
I can start again
Creator, God
Calling me Your friend
Sing praise, my soul
To the Maker of the skies
A song will rise

I will sing a song of hope
Sing along
God of heaven come down
Heaven come down
Just to know that You are near is enough
God of heaven come down, heaven come down

Oh sing a song of hope
Sing along
God of heaven come down
Heaven come down
Just to know You and be loved is enough
God of heaven come down, heaven come down oh

Hallelujah, sing, sing
Hallelujah, sing, oh sing
Hallelujah, sing, oh no oh

Sing a song of hope
Sing along
God of heaven come down
Heaven come down
Just to know that You are near is enough
God of heaven come down, oh come down

Sing a song of hope
Sing along
God of heaven come down
Heaven come down
Just to know You and be loved is enough
God of heaven come down, heaven come down

Oh sing a song of hope
Sing along
God of heaven come down
Heaven come down
Just to know You that You are near is enough
God of heaven come down, heaven come down oh

Heaven come down
Heaven come down

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You have to make a choice. Choose to live.

Nazruddinn as Zack Imran, on Ghost.

The quote above is from the finale of the Malaysian TV series titled ‘Ghost’, season two. That series is about this girl who is able to see ghosts. *Spoiler Warning* In that particular episode, she dies, to stop the antagonist from fulfilling his wishes. Another reason why she decided to die was to be together with Zack Imran, her first love (from season one), who happens to be a ghost.  However, he said they weren’t meant to be together, not that way, as in she dying. So he said “You have to make a choice. Choose to live.” A choice, to live or to die. The series ends without telling us her decision.

So that was in the series. But I find that line can also apply to many who are still breathing in the real world. It’s not a choice to literally live or die. It is a figurative choice. Many of us may be alive physically, but are we alive on the inside? Are we alive emotionally and spiritually? Sometimes, we are actually dead on the inside. Our bodies are still functioning, but we live as though we are dead. There is no life in our life. No excitement, no adventure, no hopes or dreams, no drive to keep moving on. Life is boring, mundane, uneventful, other than the routine we have set for ourselves. We have become walking zombies, with no zeal or passion in life.

When was the last time you felt fired up? When was the last time you felt alive? Most of us get fired up at certain points in our lives, but then we let circumstances and our surroundings to kill that fire, to suck out the life from us. We let routine set in, complacency to set in. And in the process we become walking zombies, shadows of ourselves, of what could have been.

So, when faced with the choice to live life to the fullest, or to let circumstances kill that life you ought to have, which will you choose? As in the words of Zack, “You have to make a choice. Choose to live.”

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When you are always right, someday you will have no one left.

Ele Musael

In life we always have arguments. And in most cases, one party is right or the winner, while the other party is wrong or gives in. In arguments, we always win some, and lose some. It’s our flawed mentality where we make mistakes sometimes. No human is perfect, thus, no one can be right all the time.

But then, some may insist that they are right, even though they are wrong. These people will pressurise others into taking them as right, although everyone knows they are wrong. They throw tantrums when people confront them. Pressure and tension mount until the other party cannot stand it any longer that they give in, although they know they are right. Others manipulate their way until they are right, i.e.. they have their way. Some may even go as far as to eliminate those that do not conform to their wishes.

This applies to both individuals as well as organisations or parties. This way of things may help you to get your way. But, in the long run, others will get feed-up of you that they will leave you. Or they will no longer support you. So think again, when you want your way no matter what. It will only be in time that you will find yourself all alone, or without support, people refusing to back you up or re-elect you. You can never be always right because you will be wrong someday. And when it comes, acknowledge that you are and improve.

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We don’t really like them now do we? Every time we hear a cliché, we go “So clichéd…” and then just shrug it off. We push aside those phrases, sometimes even belittling the people who have tried to comfort us with them. We give that one-kind look at them, and think that they’re not really doing a good job.

But the funny thing is, most of the time, those clichés are found to be true. If we were to really test them out in life, they do stand true.

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