"You can't be a social activist without being a contemplative." These words of the author Jim Wallis (God's Politics) really struck me recently. It re-affirms this idea that worship and justice cannot be separated - they are two sides of the same coin. In loving the poor, the weak and abused we are in fact loving Jesus. In spending time contemplating the beauty, wonder, faithfulness and might of God we are inspired to love as He loves, to be full of compassion in the way He is.

When we look at the world, marred by pain and brokenness, a world in which people murder, rape and destroy, we can lose any sense of hope. The Nazi camp survivor, Corrie Ten Boom, who was exposed to the most horrific injustices once said, "If you look at the world, you'll be distressed. If you look within, you'll be depressed. If you look at God you'll be at rest." In worship our perspective changes. Our minds are renewed, our souls are refreshed and our hearts begin to believe again. It's in the presence of God that we are empowered to be a people that make a difference.

Hey Oakers
Check out the birthday boy here:





haha. Happy Birthday Ryan! I hope you can learn a trick or two from here. And try to show us how you did that dance. hehe.

Camp Set Apart Reflections Before the Japan Trip, i was already straying away from God. Not quickly, but surely i was. I was getting less intimate, being less ready for him. I was unable to feel connected to him anymore, so to speak, i felt he was moving away from me. Quiet time had no effect, in fact it was a chore, or so to speak, boring. I felt like a typical non-christian, forced upon a task to do quiet time daily, even though it was not my kinda thing. But i couldn't find a cure to it, i didn't know what was happening, i was searching deep inside me a reason, or a sin which i've not let God known about. But i failed, i couldn't find any.

When i was in Japan, to say the truth, i didn't enjoy it. Because something wasn't right inside me, Life didn't seem like Life, and Without God, it was purely living hell on Earth. There was no intimacy nothing at all, and it was worrying. At night i would cry silently for God to return, but nothing happens, i was dejected, i was losing faith, i was demoralize!

When i came back from Japan, i knew in 2 days time i'm gonna go to a camp, but this was the first time i wasn't excited for the camp, i had no enthusiasm, i had no aim, i had no objective, no goal! I just wanted to get it done and over with, i didn't expect to meet God there, i didn't expect anything!

When the last night of the camp approached, before i went into the ballroom, i told God this " If you're God, then let this night count." However, I didn't have the faith anything would happen.

However, something weird happened during worship though, the worship was excellent, but more importantly the spirit was moving strongly. The first time i experienced an alter call during worship, and everything was delayed because Mike wanted God to finish doing what He was doing.

It was a great alter call, as you can see what God was doing in each individual lives.. But i was more uncertain about myself, because i felt nothing, and as the alter call was coming to a close, i knew, that was it, i wouldn't have a revival for this camp. But when Mike said " Can we have the worship team to play 1 last song " Kaimin came to pray for me, i was quite shocked at first, but i thought, yeah alright, i'd just pray and i'd see what God would do.

He mainly prayed for 1 thing, to surrender fully to God things, that i've hidden back, i've not surrendered fully. And when he said that, i knew yeah, this was it, this was what God wanted me to do. It all just somehow clicked together, the missing puzzles became living puzzles. I knew what i had to do, i went to the right of the ballroom and i just knelt down. The moment i touched the floor, i couldn't stop my tears anymore, it was overwhelming, God's love, God's peace, God's mercies, God's grace. It all came back to me, the assistance he has given me, the strength, the power, the anointing. This was How Great my God is.

Submission to God is obedience, Sub-Submission is dis-obedience. I can't give anything half heartedly to God, that is purely disobedience, and i was a fool all along, thinking i can hide some stuff, or i can only give half and keep the rest to myself. But God is omni-present, he knows everything, what foolishness i was in. The subtle state of mind. God was transforming me, from pillars of weakness that surrounded me, to pillars of strength and power. The Empowering from God keeps man Alive and the Love of God keeps man Moving.

God, give us strength, empower us, so that we can do your Work on Earth. We can do what you do, because we can see what our Father in Heaven is doing. Keep us safe in your arms, never let us Go, show us what you want us to do, and give us the required empowerment to do it. With you, definitely, nothing is impossible.

Let us be Authentic in our prayer lives, yet Bold in our spiritual walk, but more importantly courageous in doing God's work on Earth.

-Junting