CHINESE NEW YEAR 2014

HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEAR 2014

Apparently, for this year's Chinese New Year, it lies on 31st January 2014 - Friday. By this we had to cancel our normal youth gathering and celebrate this special day together with our family and relatives. However, few of us actually met each other in different open house. And here are those of us who actually met each other! For others, we're looking forward to meet you guys next week during youth gathering then let's go house marathon!

Brian, Bernice, Valerie, Willy, Wilson & Alan met each other at Brandon's place

Global Inter-Churches Prayer Meeting 2014

Brian & Willy praying for the nation's youth

Prayer Items:

• Christian youths are able to stand strong in the word of God although they are asked to study about different religions in their respective schools

• Youths will be able to realise that they put so much effort to study is to glorify God. No matter what's the result they get, they are still able to praise God as He has His plan prepared just for them.

• Youths will be abler o find time for devotions. Too much things need to be done in too little time, but no matter how hectic the world's time is going, they will still be able to sit down and spend at least few minutes personally with their own creator.

• Their Companions - group of friends they hang out with that God will protect them from all evil beings.

• Righteous and Holiness in youths.

• Christian youths the be the Salt and Light in this nation.

• Youths will always bring Honour and Glory to God.

Youth Gathering - 24th January 2014

Pastor Bill Duncan from Hawaii sharing with the youths today at youth gathering 

Q: How are we created?

A: We are created in the image of God (Genesis 1:27 - So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.)

Simply because we are created in God's image, we have the responsibility to talk and be like God.

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 6:19

Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own;

Reflection: 

There are times that we think that we can do what ever we want to do. This is my body. I can do as I pleased. But...

We have to remember that: We are not our own. Our body is loan to us by our creator. 

We need to prayerfully allow the Holy Spirit to lead our life. Our body is the temple of God.

Where ever we go, whatever we do, We have to remember that Holy Spirit is in us and we have to protect our body to destroy our body - the temple of God.

Listening while Pastor Bill is sharing

Ephesian 6: 1-3 

Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. "Honour your father and mother"--which is the first commandment with a promise-- "so that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth."

This is a promise that God gave to every single of His believer. Yes. Sometimes the things that our parents say may not be right or relevant to us, but we are obligated to be their children and to obey them and respect them while we are still living on earth.

WATCH YOUR LIFE:

W - Watch your WORDS! 

When you get angry at someone, words might come out then you might regret it for as long as you live. You can never take back the words once you say it out.

A - Watch your ACTIONS! 

Watch how you act or react.

T - Watch your THOUGHTS!

The way we think about things. When you think of what you think in your heart, that's how you gonna live your life.

C - Watch your COMPANIONS!

Who you hang out with, They can either build you up or they can tear you down. They can encourage you to be strong or they can call you to let your God down. Peer pressure.

H - Watch your HABITS!

Drinks, Tobacco, Drugs, Pornography, etc.

Whatever you do, just remember that: God is either feel honoured, or heart-broken!

Great Surprise for YFG!

It's such a great surprise for the Youth For God. Whether it's all under God's plan or it's just so co-incident, we happened to be on the local newspaper - Borneo Bulletin for 18th January 2014! Although it's not officially about us, but somehow we are just happen to be there! Cheers! 

From left to right: Jasmine, Wilson, Arianne, Andrew, Basil, Gabriel, Willy
Photo Courtesy to Borneo Bulletin

First 2014 Outing!

17th January 2014 - The day when we have our very first outing! This first outing consists of Bowling Competition, Catching A Movie, Food Hunting for Dinner @ Pasar Malam & Back to Hall 2 for Dinner!

Meeting Up

Things supposed to start at 2:00 pm in which we were planning to meet at Coffee Bean, Time Squares but ended up we decided to meet straight at Bowling Alley in Airport Mall as it was already around 2:30 p.m. Haiz! Brunei Time! HAHAHA!

Let the Ten Pin Game BEGIN - Bowling!

Brandon S. & Brian T. - Top Scorers of the Day with 131 points each! Great score for beginners professionals like them! Congratulation!

Some random shots from Bowling session

However, despite the bowling game itself, one of the most amazing fact that amuse me today is the Mega-Strike's Fish & Chips! Guess how much does it cost? IT'S ONLY B$4.90 !!!!!!!!

And of course, simply because we're Asians, "Grouphies" is always a MUST!

Grabbing some KFC before heading to Movie!

Jyh Song, Brian & Jun Ming having their lunch at KFC before movie!

Movie Time!

So we happened to watch this movie! This movie is awesome despite too many swearing... However we learnt new Taliban word - Chaku which means Knife... and also some other interesting part in which ONLY US who watch the movie would know! Awesome movie!

Poster 1

Poster 2

Lone Survivor Official Trailer 1

IT'S MOVIE TIME!

Dinner Time!

So we managed to go to Pasar Malam @ Gadong to buy our dinner and went back to hall 2 to have our dinner! Such an awesome day spent! PTL!

Buy! Buy! and BUY!

CELEBRATION!

Dinner @ AQIL Thai Food Restaurant, Jerudong

Bible Study 1: Feeling Guilty? - 10th January, 2014

Background Scripture: 
Psalm 32; 1 John 1:1-10

Focal Scripture Text: 
Psalm 32:1-5; 1 John 1:8-10

Main Idea When we confess our sins to God, God forgives and frees us from our guilt.

Life Question How do I deal with the guilt I feel?

_______________________________________________________________

What the Bible Says

Background

Psalm 32 was obviously written by someone who knew the devastating effects of not confessing one’s sin. Some traditions consider the psalm to have been written by David after his affair with Bathsheba and murder of her husband.

Hundreds of years later, John wrote a letter to confront the false teachers that questioned everything from the deity of Christ to the sinfulness of human beings. The false teachers’ belief that people could live a sinless life was the occasion for John to write one of the classic passages about forgiveness.

Forgiveness Is a Blessing (Psalm 32:1-2)

The term “blessed” in the Psalms can be translated how rewarding is the life of . . . or happy. These first two verses refer to the joy that can be known when one has experienced forgiveness.

Three different terms in these verses refer to sin, and three different terms refer to forgiveness. 

More than likely, the psalmist was not referring to different kinds of sin and forgiveness. Rather he was utilising the parallel style of Hebrew poetry. In Hebrew poetry, one line would restate the meaning of the previous line by using different words.

The first word for sin is “transgressions” and refers to a willful disobedience to a divine command. It refers to deliberately rebelling against God. The second word, translated “sins,” refers to missing that which is aimed at. It is NOT an accidental miss, but rather, it is deliberate. The third word, also translated “sin” in the NIV (“iniquity” in NASB and NRSV), means crookedness or going astray. It can refer to the effects of sin.

The first expression for forgiveness uses a verb that means to carry or to bear. It paints a picture of sin as a burden that can be lifted from the back of the sinner and carried away. The second term, “covered,” means to cover up something that is offensive. This idea reminds us of the ugliness of our sin. The third phrase, “does not count against him,” refers to the release of a debt. God no longer holds the sinner accountable for his or her transgressions.

A person who has no deceit in his or her spirit is a person who honestly realizes that sin is indeed sin. There is no attempt to excuse wrong behaviour.

These vivid word pictures help us understand the magnificent grace of God in carrying away, covering up, and releasing us from our sin. This is why a person is “blessed” when this happens. Being forgiven is cause for celebration.

What the Bible Says to Me

Is forgiveness something you take for granted? We are eager to seek God’s forgiveness, but how often do we rejoice over God’s grace and mercy? The next time you ask for forgiveness, offer thanks for that which you receive.


Teenagers can be very hard on themselves because of their sin. Many times, a young believer feels anything but “blessed” when he or she must repent and seek forgiveness.



Silence Hurts (Psalm 32:3-5)

The next three verses could be interpreted in two different ways. Either the psalmist has not sought forgiveness and the result is a psychosomatic condition in which he thinks he is sick, or the psalmist has some physical illness that he believes is punishment for unconfessed sin.

32:3. When the psalmist “kept silent,” that is, refused to confess his sin, things began to deteriorate. The phrase should not be taken literally, since bones are the last part of the body to disintegrate. This is a picture of a person without hope, whether physically or spiritually. Today, we might say that things are falling apart. Indeed, refusing to talk to God about a particular sin can lead to all kinds of emotional unbalances. The lack of confession takes a toll on every part of our lives.


32:4. The poet experienced anguish around the clock. He felt that God was punishing him. As a result, he lost the stamina to continue life. The word for “sapped” literally means absence of moisture. Just as working in the summer heat leaves one feeling lethargic and without energy, so unconfessed sin leaves one with the spiritual blahs and no energy to enjoy life.


32:5. Such a state of despair and depression caused the author to realize what must be done.
He could no longer “cover up” his sin, or hide it from God. Of course, the sin was never really hidden. We have no sins that surprise God. Confession is not telling God what God does not already know. Rather, confession is simply agreeing with God that our actions are indeed sin. The phrase “guilt of my sin” may refer to the sickness that the author had experienced as a result of sin. Indeed, it may have been the “guilt” that caused the conditions mentioned in verses 3 and 4.

What the Bible Says to Me

How does unconfessed sin affect you? For some it can range from depression to a lack of joy. Many times, we try to treat the ailments with everything but acknowledgment of our sin. This verse should not be interpreted to mean that every physical, mental, or emotional problem is the result of unconfessed sin. However, we must acknowledge that our spiritual health does play a role in our physical and emotional well-being.

Youth often try to “cover” their sins. They may be good at hiding their wrongs from teachers, parents, and even peers. This may lead some into thinking that they have successfully “pulled one over” on God as well. They need to understand that acknowledging their sin is for their sake rather than for God’s sake.



Confession Feels Good (1 John 1:8-10)

1:8. Evidently people in the first century AD had the same problem as people in the twenty- first century. They did not believe they were sinners. Perhaps this was one of the false teachings that John was writing to counteract. False teachers may have been teaching that Christ’s death on the cross abolished all sin, including our tendency to sin. Some in that day taught that the body and spirit were so separate that nothing one did in the flesh could affect the spirit. Therefore, while people might sin, it didn’t count in their spiritual life. Of course, such teachings were wrong. John said that those who believed such nonsense were fooling themselves. Teaching contrary to God’s word involves deception.

We all sin. That simple truth is taught throughout the Bible. John said that those who reject this truth are merely deceiving themselves. If a person could be sinless, then Jesus Christ would not have had to die on the cross. At the heart of the gospel is this truth of how much people need the grace of God, a need we have because of our sin. John’s well-known remarks about confession in verse 9 must be understood in the context of verse 8.


1:9. To confess our sin means to agree with God that our action or thought is indeed wrong. Confession is an acknowledgement that we see sin the same way God sees it. Confession is a necessity to an ongoing relationship with God. Confession provides freedom. When we confess, God will forgive us. God does so because of God’s faithfulness and justice. God’s faithfulness means that God is dependable, trustworthy, and will keep his promise to forgive. We do not confess hoping that God might hear and might choose to forgive. Rather we have the assurance that God will forgive. This verse is a promise that believers refer to time after time again. God’s justice requires that our sin be paid for with a death. This is why Jesus Christ had to die in our place.

In addition to forgiveness, we experience purification. The word translated “purifies” speaks not only of cleansing but also of restoration. When we confess, God forgives and restores us to fellowship. This truth reminds us of how dirty sin can leave us and of how clean we need to be around God.


1:10. For those who would argue the simple truth of verse 9, John once again repeated the important truth that all have sinned. His assertion is stronger the second time. He now said that people who deny that they sin not only are deceiving themselves but are also calling God a “liar.” The false teachings about people not sinning did not come from God’s word, and thus those who believe such things do not have God’s word in their lives. People cannot be forgiven if they do not realize this basic truth, that they need forgiveness.


What the Bible Says to Me

Are there activities, thoughts, motivations, or desires in your life that you try to justify as not being sin? Many times, people who teach Sunday School, attend church regularly, and do not engage in self-destructive habits tend to compare their lives to other people and come out looking pretty good. It’s tempting to think, I don’t have any sin in my life. These verses were not written to pagans who partied every week, but rather to believers in the church. Have you fully realized the amount of sin in your life? Do you regularly practice confession to God?

You may have youth in your next Bible study session who have not acknowledged their sin before God for the very first time. They may still view sin as what the other person has a problem with, not themselves. Other youth will already be believers, but they may not recognize their need for confession of sin. They see their sin as a pattern they cannot break and their guilt as something they must learn to live with. They need to understand how confession leads to forgiveness and cleansing. 

Quiet Time:

Imagine a chalkboard. Think of a particular sin in your life and write it on the chalkboard. Ask God to forgive you of that sin. Imagine God’s hand erasing that sin with a big eraser :) 

Is confession a part of your daily prayer life?

Every time you wash your face or hands this week, utter a prayer of confession, asking God to forgive you of a specific sin. At the end of each day, record the number of times you remember asking for forgiveness that particular day.