My Blog

What kind of fruits do you like to eat? well for me… i love water melon… love durians too except it can get a bit heaty and dry for my throat. Recently i met up with some people whom i discipled, cared and nurtured. Time passed so fast and now they are going to graduate soon, making life choice on their career life paths.

as i was hearing them sharing, inevitably my heart was filled with warmth and thankfulness and one of them said to me that we are where we are today is because of what you have done…not sounding egoistic or whatever….. but iam enjoying the fruits of my labor..the time i spoke… the faith i tried to live by…. hopefully they will catch something to grow… today they are great leaders in their own rights… and i can watch from afar and excited what they are going to do for God in the days to come… missed speaking to younger ppl really…nowadays i have a different set of challenges but i know it will forced me out of my comfort zone to go to the next level.

One of my ex youth just msg me randomly that He got a job…. how nice of him and i rejoiced with him…. well for those who are leaders in your own ways… don’t give up discipling…don’t get discouraged… not everyone will like you ….but every ounce of sincerity and faith, a bit more of more perseverance, God will give you the fruits… i had mine too..there were people who backslidded under my care but most stayed and became stronger… So look to God..don’t be hard on yourself..let Holy Spirit guide you to teach you to be a great farmer for the Kingdom of God.

there is this verse that says, though we sow in tears, we will reap with Joy… love you all.

Cheers!

Just recently, i have been meeting up with different people. Allow me to clarify, not that i am free to meet up with people (No way with Easter breathing down my neck!) but people would say hi to me from the streets as they are from my church.

there was a ignyte girl named Ruth from PL side, i was shopping with my wife at thomson plaza and she came up and asked me, are you Pastor Gary? she must be really one brave youth (Not many youth would come up to Pastor and ask such qns) the best part is that she remembered my face despite my rare visit to IGNYTE, PL. Really made my day when someone REMEMBERS you. And then another incident at the clementi bus stop, another youth saw me and said HI to me, from adam side this time…. and just last sat, i was going to my car and some of my ex youth saw me and they just screamed! And crazy enough, i screamed with them. My wife was amused at my youth reaction towards me but that sure made my day. That two weeks really made me feel like a Super Star.

And as i was just pondering over all these, a thought struck me of Jesus being the Superstar himself too esp in view of Easter. I mean, i was sure in Jesus time, everyone was clamoring for him,. wanting a piece of him. His miracles was well known and his teachings was profound yet simple and many believed that He was to be the earthly king that will come to rule  and lead Israel. But while man’s ideas may seem good, God had a greater plan and idea.  When everyone thought this superstar should be of certain style and way, God did the opposite. Our Superstar Jesus was flogged, beaten to broken bones, whipped with hook type of canes that ripped off his flesh. The people were disillusioned, earthly dreams were shattered, many turned their back on the Superstar. It was the darkest moment on earth and heaven. The angels were silent, God’s heart was in pain because of his one and only son. Jesus knew that the only way to save the world was hrough his blood ultimately his death. DId he have a choice? of course, because he is the Son of God, one command and the angels will come and destroy the earth but yet his divine love, grace and compassion overwhelmed his physical pain and emotions because he knew that was the only way to redeem the world plunged in darkness.

As Easter draws closer, let us really take time to reflect this SUPERSTART whom we call Jesus. Don’t make it a religious activity of just going through the motion of knowing Jesus died on the cross but take time to remember what He did, why He did and how He did. Say a quiet prayer and say thank you Jesus for loving me. thank you for being my special superstar. =)

Hi Folks!!!!! *cough cough.. okok i know i need a lot of updating and ‘cleaning’ of the house thing. Well i thought maybe i should abandon FRIENDSTER for FB. But then again Friendster is a great place to really write all my random thoughts about my life and experience, FB is just too much of a hassle. So for those who likes to blog walk, or interested in my simple life. I am back with a vegeance! I will try to write as often as possible… some short, long, meaning, no meaning.. ok u get the idea..   Well, thinking of what to start with. I decided to pan down some thoughts for the last 3months into 2009.  As some of you know, i have been repositioned to become the worship Pastor of my church (Up to now i still don’t understand at times hahahaha. =)) so it has been an interesting transition thus far.

From talking, preaching at IGNYTE, to singing, speaking to Adult congregation. It’s really a hugh change and transition in terms of my job scope cause i never ever ever x 10, thought i will be a worship Pastor, i see myself more of a preacher and just be a happy singer. Really missed the young people but NEED TO MOVE ON! hahhahaa… precious people in my memory but anyway 3months into my new job really opened my eyes. I shared in my blod that that in order for God to bring you to your destiny, circumstances will force you out of your comfort zone to somewhere unfamiliar and scary. Well, that was exact feeling i felt. It was like whatever i have been preaching to the young people, it was time for me to walk the talk. But i thanked God despite of my limitations, He revealed to me the vision, and the plans to lead the ministry ( I will share with you next time la). I remembered i told God, i said Lord i can’t do it at all.. it is too hugh, i am not ….you know… SOME great singers like some people we know… as i was lamenting… as always the voice of God will come gently and spoke to my heart. He said, dear gary, Haven’t you know by now, it is not the skills that i am looking for but people with the heart for my house. I have appointed you and this is your season. I stood slient but felt the tremendous peace in my heart.

So at the start of 2009, i began to take my new position with new zeal and passion. I want to see breakthroughs in worship services, experience his glory. Just to side track a bit. Worship is one of the powerful weapon that God has given to the church to experience his reality that means his presence, his wonderful love. So don’t take worship for granted!!!! Back to my topic, every week is kinda of exciting cause you are desiring God to move in a manner that you never expect before. The songs that i prepare, the song arrangements are all part of worship unto God. I told the worship team before, if u want to see breakthroughs in service then you must learn to love God passionately and Love his people passionately so that when we sing and play, we come with a heart of expectation and passion to move. I think the folks are catching the heart of it (Though they only know me and Ps Vict for three months)

Every week as i lead worship, i can only stand amazed what is God doing in a greater manner. it is a privilege of a worship leader to be able to just stand and see people crying out, lifting out their hands, singing the name of God. U get to see how people coming into worship hall with folded arms week in, week out begun to raise their hands to worship!!! What a joy and blessing, i always joke that now i don’t preach, i just do singing preaching…. hahaha… ok… nm what i said.

So what i am trying to say here? Are you ready?  Your Position is not appointed simply because of your giftings or skills but because it is simply appointed buy God!!!! It is the wonderful grace of God that calls us to build his Ministry. Moses did not feel ready but God said He was and He must!  It does not matter which position u are holding or you may be a ordinary member in church but serve God with a passion. Romans 12 talks about serving God with a zeal!!!! You see, when we learn to understand our position in God, we will become bold and confidence of the way we serve. Will there be times we will make mistakes? Yes of course. But these are natural law of learning. Don’t let the enemy put lies into your head that you are not good enough at all cause in God’s eyes, you are always good enough. When you serve with that sense of priviledge, you will see something good, postive that will happen. People will be blessed because of your passion to serve God. When you carry the sense of priviledge in your heart, you will NOT CARE what is ahead of you because God is on your side!!!!

So keep on giving God your best. Remember to learn to give thanks to God. Tell you a open secret, everytime when service ends and when i do all the briefing, i will be last few if not the last to go, and i will whisper a simple thank you by saying God thank you for loving and me and allowing me to serve in this area!

I hope this encourage you a little! All for Jesus or Nothing!

Blessings, Gary

Hi folks,, too long never write here..so decided to write something ya… don’t really like facebook writing cause it is bit too exposed…. so prefer friendster when i can write my thoughts down..

God has been speaking to me about having the courage to move forward. Lately, i experienced quite a few disappointments and discouragement in my life. i was a little upset but yet i know that i cannot dwell in that too much because God has bigger plans for me. Sometimes, it hard to move forward because there are people whom you care about, think about and then it affects you because the time and effort spent.

anyway in my conversation in God, he gave this word ‘Courage’ i begin to seek him more and really wanting to know more about this… i mean..surely i know what courage means right? but i was wrong… God revealed to me what IGNYTE, Trinity@Adam can become in 2009. I was in awe because it seems hard to pull it off. On top of that there are so many limtiations i see around me and disappointments, i told God..how can i move? so hard, so challenging. so many unknowns….. but isn’t this what you need? COURAGE.

It seems that only when we have courage to walk then we will see breakthroughs. Sometimes, limitations and discouragements slows us down from moving forward but GOd sees it as an opportunity for me to see limitations and obstacles break down! While in my natural mind, my intellect tells me it is gonna pretty hard..really difficult..God says… take courage and move forward..sometimes it is as simple as that..nothing spectular, no signs and wonders, no big time experience, just take the courage and go.

Sometimes it can kind of a lonely journey where no one can understand. But God understand and that’s all it matter. Friends, no matter where you are or how you feel… God is in control, he knows what we need, what we lack and He will fulfuil it in his timing He sees best.

Courage is when you choose to jump off the moutain and allow God’s hand to lift you up. Sometimes  it is that moment you just have to jump and trust God for it. Go ahead, ‘drink’ courage and plunge to the breakthrus of God in your life today. =>

yo folks! thanks to those who gave me some encouraging words through the blogging. It’s been really long since i write a blog. anyway lately i realized that most people are now on Facebook. well i have an account in facebook but haven really got time to get down to it..okok excuses but i am pretty comfortable where i am now. hahahaha. oh well see how it goes.

EXIT just ended not too long ago. God never fail to amaze me and this EXIT was reallly awesome. well of course we can’t just stay on one victory but have to look forward to the next. i kinda of think the next three, four months gonna be interesting for me. just three weeks ago, God spoke to me heart. And that is to really pray and seek his face for breakthrough in the ministry. So i have set aside a time to do so and it going to be exciting. Ever tried praying 5 hrs non stop? ya.// will something to that effect along with Bro andy and some of the leaders. Breakthrough does not come simply through great programs or preaching. of course it is important but we must not miss the essence of what God wants to do and that is to war in prayer.

I just got this funny sensing that God just can’t wait to pour out his greater blessings upon us.. but sometimes the human nature within me always struggle. There will be this another voice that says well.. you caught it but ignyte has not. I prayed about it and rejected all these lies cause i know my ignyters are not like that. They are gonna be prayer warriors, people of faith., people who will learn to trust God and not in their own abilities, people who will perservere deep in the things of God. this is the kind of generation God has called me to raise! But sometimes i really wonder, do the people know my heart? do they know God’s heart? sometimes it gets to be too tiring to keep on searching. i guess the best thing i can do is be faithful continually, believe in faith and trust God fully that according to his timing, it will be done.

So ignyters, whether you are in PL or Adam centre, learn to love your pastor more, trust them to lead you. I pray that you will receive greater anointing and victories in your life!

Love you all, Ps Gary

cough cough…… so long never write my thoughts already. well decided to write in here. like anyone else, need an outlet to just type and see how it goes. This month has been really exciting. Since we mutliplied, many new people has come to know Jesus.

it is great to really give thanks for what He has done but yet it also been challenging to run the ministry. Maybe sometimes i am very hard on myself because i have the passion for the youths. Somtimes, i get being misunderstood.. no matter how many times i discipline them, it is for them to grow but instead they chose to say Pastor dun understand. hahahha oh well..

then i have to handle some cases lately… a bit too much that i was getting a little discouraged. people that i really believed in, did not really do what they need to do… well.. i guess… it comes with a price serving God in this areana. then i read newpaper on youths treating sex as some form of just bonding deeper r/s which it is rubbish la… sigh…. so many thoughts ran through my mind.

i told God. if i were to chose growth in numbers compared to growth in the lives of my youths then it has to be the latter. maybe i believed in them a lot just as how my past leaders believed in me.

it never easy to rebuke someone but because u see the best, u see the future. the potential. what to do…  but on the other hand, i know there are many youths who are growing…

God… teach me… show me…. step by step….. let it be that the generation under me will become warriors, will persevere, walk in faith and a person of influence. Help me Lord.

Hi all. so looonnnggg never write already. been busy with so many things esp the multiplication of ignyte, trinity@adam. kinda of excited what God is going to do in the days to come. as i was seeking the Lord, i was wondering what is his Next move for me and ignyte? it been 1.5 years since i took the hot seat of leading ignyte, trinity@adam.  been really exciting journey. lately in my prayer time with the Lord, i have been asking this one question

What’s next? i dunno but have you ever felt that sometimes in your journey with God, you ask him GOd i have been faithful and all.. but what is next? i want to know more, i want to run after you!!!!

i am more then ever convinced that God is going to show me what will be the next wave to lead the ministry? i cant explain it but i am pretty excited. We must and we will grow! But more than just numerical, i am praying for life transformation growth in the youths.

just few days ago, shanna (Lower Sec) Chu Yi (Upper Sec) msged me that they have broke through by bringing someone to Jesus. They were overjoyed simply because someone they cared will be going to heaven with them! isn’t that wonderful that when we bring someone to Jesus, you can have the personal experience of seeing someone accepting Jesus. I was glad for them because they believed and persevered in their faith.

i think that is picture of what i want to see in ignyte ministry. never say die!!!! 

I believe the next move will be unexpected and powerful, just got to press on and believe in it.. => amen?

Have you have your friends asking you where are you going? then we will just respond naturally, oh i am going there..blah blah..

can you imagine if God were to ask you. where are you going? and maybe you find yourself unable to answer and then He ask you again, where are you going?  and then by now, maybe you would thought that God is asking a question within a question. You see sometimes we can get lost in direction. We get lost in our world and we seem to go the wrong direction of where God wants.

maybe mixing with friends that can get you in bad influence, things that may cause you to sin against God or grumbling against many things such as multiplying ignyte. kekekee.

over the past two weeks, as i was speaking to various ones, many of people were struggling to come to terms with it. from timing, venue, friends etc… and we can get really upset about all these things and then we talk to our friends who have the same feelings too and we get lost in our own world. But consider this, have we take time to seek the One who knows it all? who has the roadmap to his perfect plan?  Do we take time just to hear from him what He has to say about all these or all day long, do we just react?

sometimes, these things can misguide us to the wrong direction. and the sad stats actually shows that when there is tranisitions or multiplications take place, some ppl would not stay for long and leave. relationships get affected but yet God by his grace has blessed ignyte by growing this youth ministry to the present near 700. i mean we will experience some loss but yet we will gain more in God. i can’t really wait for the multplication.. am i concerned that friends will be affected? yes… but see the greater picture, God’s heart is to save the future generation. do we see the greater picture?

it’s time to get to to right direction, lay your rights before God and say Lord. wherever you lead, i will follow. I will go!

Hi folks, just coming in to just share my thoughts again… lately… i just celebrated my b day… well sort of.. ha. yup.. the most common thing about b day is this… there is this stuff call cake, and then candles..and then of course friends.

so the most common thing about b day is this.. your friends will tell you..make three wishes… two known and one to yourself… i was asked about three times.. and really i was a little lost in what to wish for…maybe i feel i got what i have already..nothing to wish for… of course….. i can wish for the spiritual stuff la..but then again..i wanted to sound as normal as possible… so a bit stuck….

then i realized that God has been really good to me in all things… i have a small nice house to stay, a great wife, blessed with a car to drive. great friends and ministry leaders to work with..what more can i ask for?? of course i could pray..less stress and all but i guess that is part of life? ya.. so my conclusion is… i am contended what God has given to me..and maybe sometimes when you go through b day… we all want something because we wish for something, we hope for something…that is only natural…it a hope that we all carry… i like to think that is how God wires us… that is .. to HOPE.

bible says..hope deferred makes the heart sick…. in other words..sometimes what we really hoping doesn’t come true and then we feel discouraged and upset with God. Hope with self expectations will only set yourself up for more disappointments.. why? because it may not come from God himself. But Hope upon God is a totally different thing all together. Because we are not basing our own selfish agenda and impose on God but rather we seek God’s heart and mind for our lives and when He tells us.. we hope!

God is not like a genie in the bottle that hears and beckon our call but He is a God who knows everything more than what we can ever imagine..which means to say.. he Holds our future.

when we understand that… our hope will not yield fruitless results but breakthrough in many areas in our lives.

on my b day, i took leave to rest and at the same time seeking God for his promises for my life… somehow i got a sense of what he is trying to say,.and now.. i am hoping… and my hope is not based on my feelings but based on what he has put in my heart.

so maybe if i were to make three wishes.. it will be:

1. Enlarge my area of influence in my ministry

2. Greater wisdom to handle things

3…….. Not supposed to tell you la.. hahahahaha remember??

ok…. so when your b day comes again….. try… seek God and see what promises He has for you!!!!!

love you all! Hugz.

busy is the buzz word for many of us here. we get busy with so many things and sometimes we wonder what are we busy about!!!!! we can get really busy with main thing like studying! hahahaa… few people really like studying la.. and if you reading this, likely that you and me are the majority who does not like studying.. but the reality is like this in students’ life.

everyday it seems that there is no air to breathe. School starts in the early morning and then afternoon is either tuition, piano lessons, ccas or extra classes… going home is to finish homesworks, projects. and then we begin to wonder how on earth we can commit our time to God by serving in church, involve in committes etc… sometimes we can really lost in the fast pace lifestyle that we forgot to put God as the centre of our focus!

so often the question is how we as Christians can balance all these, what to do when you get really busy?

well there are some things you can always take note:

1. Plan your time one week ahead. get a scheduler, design it and make it your own. many time we have time wasters that takes away our time and then we leave things to last minute. We got to be good stewardship of our time! So plan your study time, ccas, playtime, rest time. tawg, this will make you become more confident of who you are because YOU KNOW WHAT YOU are doing.

2. Share your burdens with someone..many times we are afraid to trouble people but to be in family of God, we have to share and carry each other’s burden so maybe you can send sms or email to your friends so that they can help you through encouragements. It always good to hear words of postiveness.

3. Harness your spiritual equipments -sometimes being busy is like climbing in the middle of a big mountain, sometimes it is really tough and tiring and when you are climbing, the last thing you want to do is to fall to your ‘death’ so think the rope as the bible..read your bible daily, and allow God to speak to you so as to strenghten you. the Hook is the Holy Spirit.. the Holy Spirit points us to God’s will and heart for our lives.. so continue to pray in the spirit and be sensitive to the voice of the Spirit daily. lastly, be focus! The best way to focus is to have daily worship life. plug into your fave christian music and let it minister to you before and after school. sing songs to him because He will fill your heart with joy.

remember. you live by faith and not by sight!!! The Joy of the Lord will be your strength!

Love you all, PGC