Potter & Clay @ The-Vine Fellowship..

*mOmEnT bY mOmEnT mOuLdInGs*

Sunday, June 21, 2009

Pray Continually

Be joyful always;
pray continually;
give thanks in all circumstances,
for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.
-1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

the Potter moulded
1:16:00 AM

inthePotter'shandswearecrafted

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Saturday, May 23, 2009

Many of us at times, we tend not to realise that in our luxury which is God-given, we elevate the luxury to a level higher than God. Ever thought that if you received a gift which is the latest model of a handphone and say "wow! this mobile phone is great!" and then forget about the one that gave it to you? Ever wonder what is the real Gospel of Jesus? Ever wanted to find out if you are finding the gifts greater than the giver? Well, let us have a look at this video by John Piper that speaks of the Health and Weath "Gospel" and think of it, wheather we say "God is enough" or "a replacement is enough" when you lost an item.

God nevers promise a smooth and first-class flight, but God promises a safe landing. God never said that it was going to be easy carrying the cross, but He gurantees a crown of righteousness in the end. God never did say "Son, the route to heaven is wide and can fit your BMWs, your houses and your properties", but God did say "It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter heaven". Do you who still delight in the world's riches, delight in them more than God now?

the Potter moulded
3:48:00 AM

inthePotter'shandswearecrafted

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Friday, April 3, 2009

Hello dear siblings-in-Christ,
It’s nearing the end of the week again! How was your week? (think about your week, and answer the question!)

I can almost hear the words: “busy”, “tiring” and the list goes on.......
As the week comes to a close, lets detach ourselves from the ‘demands’ and ‘busyness’ of our lives, and take a little time to be still before and be with the Lord, for He grants strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak, and very importantly, He desires us to know Him :)

Be still and know that I am God
Psalm 46:10 says: “Be still and know that I am God”. Here, the word still comes from a Hebrew word meaning to “let go” or “release.” The meaning would be best understood to say “cause yourself to become restrained or to let go.” In other words, we need to come to a place where we are willing to submit ourselves to God and acknowledging that He is in sovereign control.When we realize that we are truly incapable of controlling life, we can surrender our will to God’s will. It may be a matter of finally saying we trust Him. This will open the door so that we may experience the fullness of all God wants and has for us. After all, He is our Creator and has a perfect plan for us when we let Him orchestrate it.

Be still and know that I am God – How can we know it’s God?
“…and know that I am God” denotes recognition, acknowledgement, and answering God. First, we must know that God is God, the one and only Supreme Being who created all the heavens and earth (Genesis 1:1) We can know Him by having an intimate relationship with Him. That does not come from knowing about Him, but rather getting to personally know Him by what He says (in His Holy Word, the Bible), recognizing the things He does in our lives, and by way of His Holy Spirit who comes to guide and comfort us. In John 14:26, Jesus says “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, He shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you” (KJV).When we read the Bible, we will learn to recognize the way God talks to us, the kinds of things He says, and the merciful love He offers.

God is:
Omniscient – all knowing
Omnipresent – universal presence at the same time
Omnipotent – all powerful
Holy, Faithful, and Sovereign
Infinite – without measure, forever

Be still and know that I am God – What is the next part of the verse?
“Be still and know that I am God; I will be honored by every nation, I will be honored throughout the world!” The KJV uses the word ‘exalted’ meaning lifted up. Honored means highly valued or glorified. We are being told in this verse that the entire world will someday lift up and glorify the Lord. Romans 14:11 says, “As surely as I live,’ says the Lord, ‘every knee will bow to me and every tongue will confess allegiance to God.’” And regarding Christ’s promised return, Revelation 19:16 says: “On His robe and thigh was written this title: KING OF KINGS and LORD OF LORDS.”

***

May you desire to seek the Lord with a quieted heart, and recognise that God is indeed above all. Take some time to say a prayer to thank God for the week that has past and to commit into His hands what you will be 'busy' with up ahead.

In His love <3,
Wei Heen on behalf of P&QT Comm 2009

the Potter moulded
4:31:00 PM

inthePotter'shandswearecrafted

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Friday, March 20, 2009

Christian Prayer: A Scriptural Model

A model for Christian prayer is found in the Gospel of Matthew.
Jesus Christ himself gave all of us a pattern for prayer:

"After this manner therefore pray ye:

Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.

Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread.

And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil:

For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever.

Amen"

(Matthew 6:9-13 KJV).

所以，你们祷告要这样说：
我们在天上的父：愿人都尊你的名为圣。
愿你的国降临；
愿你的旨意行在地上，如同行在天上。
我们日用的饮食，今日赐给我们。
免我们的债，如同我们免了人的债。
不叫我们遇见试探；救我们脱离凶恶（或作：脱离恶者）。
因为国度、权柄、荣耀，全是你的，直到永远。阿们。
(马太福音6:9-13)

Christian Prayer: An Interpretation For All Of Us
The model for Christian prayer in Matthew 6 is known as the Lord's Prayer.
Many of us have recited this prayer for years, but have never truly meditated on its meaning.

The following are spiritual snippets based on the Lord's Prayer that can help deepen your prayer life with God:

"Our Father" -
God wants us to approach Him as "Daddy" (Aramaic: Abba). He wants to take care of us and protect us. God desires intimacy. Remember, He has infinite love and grace. God wants us to be secure in His family as adopted children and heirs.

"Which Art in Heaven" -
Look up to God. Fear Him and revere Him. He is all-powerful and can deal with all our problems, even the big ones. But He loves us so much that He doesn't stay up there.

"Hallowed be Thy Name" -
Holy, holy, holy. Approach God with awe and wonder. Save the word "awesome" for God. Live a life that honors Him.

"Thy Kingdom Come" -
"Take this job and love it!" Working on behalf of God's kingdom is the ultimate joy. Bloom where you're planted. Do everything as unto the Lord. Find your gifts and use them. Be open to God's leading each day.

"Thy Will Be Done" -
God is the potter; we are the clay. God keeps us spinning on His potter's wheel, shaping and reshaping us as He bathes our lives in tears to make us more Christ-like so He can use us for His will. Surrender daily. Keep your clay moist through daily prayer.

"On Earth as it is in Heaven" -
Thy will be done - not my will be done!

"Give Us This Day Our Daily Bread" -
Trust! God will provide for our needs. His eye is on the sparrow and I know He cares for me.

"Forgive Us Our Debts as We Forgive Our Debtors" -
Forgiveness = Surrender. Don't carry your own backpack - surrender it to Him. Revealing the feeling is the beginning of healing. Act as if you have forgiven and the feeling will follow. In our weakness, God sends His strength and peace.

"Lead Us Not Into Temptation" -
Watch for unrecognized temptation. Pray, so you won't fall. We are tempted every day. It deepens our walk and strengthens our faith - but be careful of spiritual blindness. Open my eyes, Lord, to my blind spots - use honest friends and family.

"Deliver Us From Evil" -
The Evil One, Satan. We are saved from death to life. Jesus is more powerful than Satan - God is greater!

"For Thine Is the Kingdom (obedience), and the Power (confidence) and the Glory (joy), Forever" -
This is our Father's world. Everything we have is His. He is the ruler!

Amen!

It's not so much the content of our prayer, the eloquence of it..

But more so, the attitude by which we approach the throne of God in humble worship, a heart that yearns to meet Him.

In Our Majesty's service,
WeiTeen, on behalf of P & QT Comm

the Potter moulded
9:14:00 PM

inthePotter'shandswearecrafted

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Friday, March 13, 2009

Quiet Time

A quiet time is not a time for you to set aside to do something.
A quiet time is a time for you to set aside to meet with Someone.

The Privilege of Meeting With God

During our quiet times, we have the privilege of meeting with God - we get direction from Him, gain delight in Him, and become more like Jesus as we sit quietly in His presence. In our personal time of fellowship with the Creator, we reap the following:

#1 An opportunity to give God our devotion:
Devotions - from the Greek word “sebasma” means, object of worship.

The first benefit of time spent quietly with the Lord each day, is that it allows us the opportunity to give to God, instead of getting from Him. Psalm 29:2 says, "Give unto the LORD the glory due to His name; worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness. " Many Christians overemphasize their work for God and neglect to spend time simply worshipping Him. God deserves and desires our devotion (John 4:23). How long has it been since you sat quietly with Jesus and simply told Him, "I love you?" When was the last time you sang a worship song to Him outside of a church service?

#2 We get direction from God:
The second benefit of our daily devotion with the Lord is that we get direction from Him for our daily lives (Psalm 25:4-5; 40:8). When we sit quietly with the Lord it gives Him a great opportunity to speak to us and give us the wisdom we need. In our fast-paced world, we desperately need to slow down and hear from the One who knows the end from the beginning. Pascal once said, "All the troubles of man arise from his inability to sit still." Ask God to show you His will for the day and commit your schedule to Him.

#3 We gain delight in God:
The third benefit of our personal time with the Lord is enjoying Him and basking in His presence. The secret of real joy comes from knowing God (Psalm 34:8; Philippians 3:10). Do you know Jesus Christ personally, or do you merely know about Him? When we know a person intimately, we:
1. Spend quality time together.
2. Enjoy meaningful communication.
3. Know what each other's likes and dislikes are.

The Lord promises in his Word: “Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you," declares the LORD, "and will bring you back from captivity….” Jeremiah 29: 12-14

#4 We grow more like God:
How do we become more like Jesus? We are made holy through the Word (John 17:17; Romans 12:2). Our sanctification comes directly through the time we spend in the Scriptures, getting to know God intimately and allowing His Word to correct our hearts.

Finally, “… you do not leave God when you go from the quiet place any more than he leaves you. A ‘quiet time’ is a ‘tuning in’ time. You should not switch off the radio once you have tuned in to God’s wavelength.” - John White

In Our Majesty's service,
Weiheen, on behalf of P & QT Comm

the Potter moulded
5:23:00 PM

inthePotter'shandswearecrafted

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Friday, February 27, 2009

In times of persecution, what should i do?

As Christians/Children of God, wherever we go, satan is always there to put us down, because satan's will is to prove God wrong, however we know God would truimph, In fact, He already has when the light rose on the third day of death. Hence, i bring to you a poem which sounds like a psalm:

The Lord is my comforter,
I shall not hear anything more.
He makes me remember His prescence
In times of distress, He comforts me

He is the God on high,
No scheme of man can pluck me from Him.
He gives wisdom to those who hears,
He removes agony from those who hope is in Him.
He is my pillar of strength, my hope in life

The world sneers,
"Look! He who gave all for God".
The mockers mock,
"Why are you so stupid".
The jeerers jeer,
"Tell me where your God is!"
The foolish laugh,
"his God doesnt exist".
But they cannot stop Him from comforting me.

Their walk is not of God,
Their ways are of foolishness.
Their paths lead to destruction,
But the Lord delievers me from them.

I was once of them, but now rebornt!
Glory to the God most High!
He came to His own to bear our debt,
But the foolish do not realise.
Behold~ the lamb of God!
He who takes away the sin of man!
But to the perishing, it is foolishness to them.

He leadth me to be called His own,
He tooketh me from the miry clay.
By salvation He called me son,
By redemption He bought me life

My life is not my own, For i am His
And He is mine, bought with the precious blood of Christ.

Before the beginning of time,
Before the Earths were built,
Before I was formed in shape,
The Lord was already carrying me.

The strongest falls,
the weakest wails,
but He who rely is in the Lord
will find themselves renewed.

Not bound by time,
Not limited by materials,
His glory and honour rises on high.
Till the day where He takes me home,
On earth i will sing of His perfect love

Praise the Lord, O' my soul,
Be still before the Lord and know He is God.
Praise the Lord! For he alone is worthy.
Praise the Lord! For He loveth us so.

Praise the Lord!

the Potter moulded
6:43:00 PM

inthePotter'shandswearecrafted

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Friday, January 30, 2009

“What is success?”

Every CNY, no matter the economic outlook, people will talk about PROSPERITY and SUCCESS.But... Just what is success?
Please take a moment to think and ponder as you read the poem below.

“What is success?” I asked a tree,
Standing beside a wall.
The Leaves looked down at me and said,
“Why, success is growing tall.”
“What is success?” I asked a brook,
Gurgling through the leaves.
It laughing, dancing, said to me,
“A river, then to the sea.”
“What is success?” I asked the bird,
Singing in the wood.
It answered me in lilting song,
“Success is gratitude.”
“What is success?” I asked a man,
His cheek aglow with health.
He answered me with mighty scorn,
"Why, success is gaining wealth."
Then on bended knee I asked the Saviour,
“Who on the earth had trod,”
And a wee small voice within me said,
“Success is knowing God.”

- Author Unknown -

Now, if "a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth" (Luke 12:15) and
"Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither" (Job 1:21),
success is not about things temporal, but things eternal.
Success is knowing God.
Do you know God?

the Potter moulded
10:23:00 PM

inthePotter'shandswearecrafted

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Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	June
6 青少年主日& 联合团契 *浩阳/ 庆亮& 植华导师	3 专题: 透视基督徒 PR@教会 *志豪/ Pastor Simon/ 蔚莛	7 专题: 从圣经透视爱性恋爱 *盈洁/ 振隆& 爱贞传道	5 朋友主日专题: Choices *茵茵& 多佳& 信律/ Uncle Anthony	2 圣诞筹备 */	6 圣诞筹备 */
13 分享: 藏在心里 *蔚莛	10 专题: 透视基督徒 PR@社会 *信律/ Deacon Stuart/ 多佳	14 专题讨论: 爱性恋爱 *佳慧/ 团契	12 专题: 科学与信仰 *蔚蘅/ 欧长老	9 圣诞筹备 */	14 圣诞筹备 */
20 生日派对 *文苑/ 节目组	17 专题讨论& 分享 *蔚苓/ 团契	21 关怀 *京霖/ 关怀组	19 圣诞筹备 */	16 圣诞筹备 */	21 圣诞筹备 */
27 文慧美国之旅分享 *文慧/	24 联合团契 *蔚莛& 晶晶	23 联合团契茵茵&	27 联合团契 *俊玮&	25 联合团契 */	22 联合团契 */
-	31 圣诞剧讨论 *新杰/ 多佳	-	-	30 圣诞筹备 */	-

Jul	Aug	Sept	Oct	Nov	Dec
6 青少年主日& 联合团契 *浩阳/ 庆亮& 植华导师	3 专题: 透视基督徒 PR@教会 *志豪/ Pastor Simon/ 蔚莛	7 专题: 从圣经透视爱性恋爱 *盈洁/ 振隆& 爱贞传道	5 朋友主日专题: Choices *茵茵& 多佳& 信律/ Uncle Anthony	2 圣诞筹备 */	6 圣诞筹备 */
13 分享: 藏在心里 *蔚莛	10 专题: 透视基督徒 PR@社会 *信律/ Deacon Stuart/ 多佳	14 专题讨论: 爱性恋爱 *佳慧/ 团契	12 专题: 科学与信仰 *蔚蘅/ 欧长老	9 圣诞筹备 */	14 圣诞筹备 */
20 生日派对 *文苑/ 节目组	17 专题讨论& 分享 *蔚苓/ 团契	21 关怀 *京霖/ 关怀组	19 圣诞筹备 */	16 圣诞筹备 */	21 圣诞筹备 */
27 文慧美国之旅分享 *文慧/	24 联合团契 *蔚莛& 晶晶	23 联合团契茵茵&	27 联合团契 *俊玮&	25 联合团契 */	22 联合团契 */
-	31 圣诞剧讨论 *新杰/ 多佳	-	-	30 圣诞筹备 */	-