Changed.
Hey all. I'm back from the two TNG camps! I just wanna thank God and give Him the praise that only He deserves. During the past week, my life has been totally changed once again due to the realness of Christ. I went into both camps feeling pretty empty spiritually. This emptiness caused me to hide behind a mask that said I was feeling happy and life was going smoothly. But deep down, the emptiness had been there for a long time. I was hoping for a sign or an indication of God thru the camps, and I got much more than that.
During the Junior Camp, I really really felt God's presence in the camp. No matter what was said about the spiritual atmosphere, I believe that He was there right from the start. It was He who granted safety for the campers, for holding back the rain and for the spiritual enrichment of all involved. As I saw my juniors enjoying themselves in the presence of God, a wave of power surged thru my body. I saw God working thru them. Edifying them. Making known that He is REAL. There's nothing like the inner peace that God can give. It's the best kind of drug. He leaves you hungering and craving for more of His peace. And the thing is. There are absolutely no side effects. Thru the camp, I saw many of my peers not only receiving prayers but praying for others as well. And that's what truly moved me. In Isaiah 40:29-31, it says, "e gives power to the weak, and to those who have no might He increases strength. Even if the youths become weary and fall, those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength, shall mount with wings like eagles and run and not be weary, walk and not be faint." How true. All we have to do is to give Him our trust and faith, and He shall do great things. We have no need to fear anymore, for He has already overcome the world. Just like Pastor B said. Place your faith in Him, and He will fight your battles for you. That really hit home hard. I've tried many times to overcome seemingly impossible things, but had I put my trust in Him, He will give me strength.
Romans 12:2 says "Do not be conformed to this world". Why? Cos although we are living on this world, we are not OF this world. Our true home is in Heaven cos He has already died for us and repaid our sins. We are merely travellers in the world, so why be influenced by worldly desires? Sometimes, God works in ways which are unknown to man. Therefore, we should just trust in the Lord and not depend on our own understanding. It has been said that the oceans of the world only fit into the palm of God's hand. Can we imagine how big God is? And yet, He is loving enough to save us for our sins. He had a choice. He could leave us to rot and fall so far short of the Kingdom of Heaven but He didnt. He couldnt bear to see His children suffer. So He sent His only begotten son Jesus Christ, who came to this world, with one purpose, to die for us. He lived a perfect life. There's nothing which He did wrong. But still He chose to die. So that we could be reunited with our Father, who art in Heaven. We were undeserving, but He bore the sins of the world and sacrificed himself to die for us. He went to Hell and overcame death, on the third day He rose again, and cos of that, we are saved. If God chose not to care about us, we would all suffer and rot in hell. But He loved us so much that He gave us His only begotten son.
We call God the King of Kings. So if God is a King, and we are His children, that makes us all Princes and Princesses of God. Are we ready to claim our throne? If we are, what are we doing to show it? The story of the Prodigal Son never fails to strike a chord. Why? Cos we have all run away from God before. But we must bear in mind that no matter where we run to, when we turn back, there He will be, waiting for us with open arms. How great is our God!
People question, why Jesus? Cos it's only in Him where we find our true identity and true security. The reason why Christians are all so happy is cos we find security in God. With God, there is no need for any more masks. He knows us for who we are. And I dont wanna be the guy that goes to Heaven at the end of my life and see my friends all suffering in Hell just cos I didnt share the Word with them when opportunities arose. It is my prayer that I can see my friends coming to God and acknowledging Him as their personal Lord and Saviour. And I believe that I will have a part to play in all this. So I just wanna take this opportunity to re-dedicate my life to God, that He will just lead me to green pastures and still waters. That He will use me to touch the lives of the people around me.
I wanna conclude by saying that the emptiness has been filled now, and the whole of me is back again. So till the next time, this is Dan signing off.
