As I'm (Brother Bernard) moving my bag, cell phone, wallet and books from my room to the living room, my home phone suddenly rang. I hurriedly put my things down and rush to pick up the phone. "Hello," I said. No reply. I said hello again but still hear no respond. I can hear the rustling sound from the phone but no one speaks. I started to get impatient and said, "If you are not going to talk I'm going to hang up the phone." Still no response. In anger, I slammed the phone and hang it up. I went back to the living room to get my stuff and as i pick up my cell phone, I realised that I had accidentally speed-dialed my home phone number!
I laughed at myself, but then wondered: How often are my prayers more like calling myself than calling on God?
In our daily quiet time with God everyday, do we find ourselves praying only for our own needs and wants? I find this a struggle for myself too. It is not wrong to come to God with our needs as God promised that He will bless us. But prayer is more than asking God for things. It is a constant communication with God. It's about asking God what He wants and how we as children can grow and be more like Him. It is a COMMUNION.
"My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me."
John 10:27
It is good to set aside prayer time everyday but prayer should be constant habit in our lives. Let's not just come to God when we are in trouble or when we need Him for something. It is not enough to pray once every night or at most 3 times; before our meals to give thanks for the food. Make every moment a prayer to God. By doing that, I believe we will be a better Christian and make it as our mission that our friends do know at least one person who truly follow Jesus. Be a prayer warrior for God, starting today.
The purpose of prayer is not to get what we want, but to become what God wants.
This week @ Detonate:
Whoa! Before the festive mood sets in, let's not give up meeting with one another this Saturday! Pastor Jean Peters is invited here with us to deliver the word of God and let's welcome God in to our midst with a wildDetonate cheer and our punctuality (be in church by 4.45pm!).
Prayers from the Body:
Let's make a point to pray for Detonate for every Saturday's service! We do not rely on men nor their strength, but the precious linger of the Holy Spirit, which we should not take for granted. So pray, for the presence of God to be with us, the worship team, and the speaker:) If you do have any prayer request that you would like Detonate to uphold you in, please let Esther Tan or any DG leaders know because we care for you:)
God of the impossibles
I guess one of the most exciting passages in the New Testament gospels is when Jesus walked through the streets of the earth (the thought of Jesus having once been like us walking on earth is AWESOME!) performing miracles and teachinghis followers the truth.
When Jesus was crucified on the cross, God did the impossible by validating all Christ's claims to be the Son of God and bringing Him back to life, so destroying 'him who holds the power of death - that is the devil' (Hebrews 2:14).
Peter, who preached the words we read today, is a striking example of our God who does the impossible. The Peter boldly addressing a crowd of thousands and fearlessly condemning the religious leaders who had engineered Christ's crucifixion is the same Peter who had denied his Master three times, just a few weeks earlier.
What had changed him? The power of the Holy Spirit and meeting with the risen Lord! The whole Bible resonates with the message: 'With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible' (Matthew 19:26). Think of Abraham, Moses, Joshua, Deborah, Hannah, Elizabeth, Mary, Lazarus... Our God can do the impossible!
He can bring to life to those who are spiritually dead. He can breathe life into hopeless situations and revitalise relationships. This 'God of the impossible' can demolish insurmountable barriers and divisions, turn around impossible situations and break deadlocks.
You are impossible? Not when you have the God of impossibles on your side:)
`adapted and edited from a devotional writing by Christine Orme.
Look forward to!:
Our very own testimonies from our youths! Yes! See how God has inspired a few of our youths in Ignite Conference 2008, right here at our Detonate blog!
This week @ Detonate:
Discipleship 2008 is finally kick-starting! Woohoo! Let's pray for Sis Christine as she shares her heart and God's direction in the area of discipleship. We have a part to play too! Come with a open spirit and a teachable heart:)
Prayers from the Body:
Let's pray for God's comfort to be with Dorena and Elysia as they cope with the departure of their late grandfather. We know that he is now in a better place with our Saviour in heaven and we pray for the spirit of love and unity to be with the entire family as they look to God for strength and joy at this time.
Thank God for all our 'O' Level students (Adora, Isaiah, Bernette) for reaping good fruits from their results! May God's name be glorified through them and we know for sure that God has many wonderful plans lining up for them! Let's give thanks!
Are you ready?
The Rapture.
(Turn on your speakers)
Ever been triggered to think a little about Jesus' Second Coming?
Have your friends ask you regarding the end of the world?
Or just a Chicken Little's saying 'The sky is falling'?
Do come and join the church on 24th and 30th Jan's Special Prayer Meeting.
Not everyone appreciates correction. But David did. He felt indebted to those who corrected him and realized how much he owned them.
"Let the righteous strike me; it shall be a kindness. Let him rebuke me; it shall be as excellent oil; let my head not refuse it" Psalm 141:5
Correction is a kindness, David insists, a word that suggests an act of loyalty. Loyal friends will correct one another, even when it's painful and disruptive to relationships to do so. It's one of the ways we show love and help one another to grow stronger.
"Faithful are the wounds of a friend" Proverbs 27:6
It takes grace to give godly correction; it takes greater grace to receive it. Unlike David, who accepted Nathan's correction, we are inclined to refuse it.We resent the interference; we will find that it does indeed become 'excellent oil' on our heads, an anointing that makes our lives a sweet aroma wherever we go.
Growth in grace sometimes comes through the kind but unpleasant correction of a loyal friend. Do not refuse it.
Glorify God and Touch Lives... One at a time.
Look Forward to!:
Discipleship Group 2008! YES! Though there was a small technical problem, but God is faithful! And thus the spirit of perseverance shall prevail! Let's be open spiritually to God's teaching through the lessons for this entire year! Are you excited?!
This Week @ Detonate:
IGNITE!IGNITE! With Pastor Joakim, bigger Body of Christ, and of course, our Lord and Saviour! Detonate will be meeting at PAYA LEBAR MRT control station @6pm (FRIDAY 18th Jan) and 12.30pm (SATURDAY 19th Jan). Please be punctual! In any case you're held up and will be late, please contact Vanessa, Weston, or your EG leaders to help in logistics:) NOTE Sunday is entirely on your own accord Detonate is not making it compulsory on this day. However, Sunday service is still not to be missed!
Prayers from the Body:
Our final year poly students (Ian, Ivy, Joshua T., YuPo) are hanging on to their last week (or more) for their FYP! Let's pray that God will honour them as they honour God with their diligence and faithfulness in their projects! Also, may they not be fearful or anxious with their presentations but they will speak with extraordinary courage and boldness:)
May God move mightily in the hearts of all Detonate students as they attend Ignite Conference 2008! We believe God has a plan and purpose for our schools and campuses, so let's go with an open spirit and heart and be ready for God to do His work in our nation through us!
Faith Unashamed
"... As Jesus was on His way, the crowds almost crushed Him. And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years, but no one could heal her. She came up behind Him (Jesus) and touched the edge of His cloak, and immediately her bleeding stopped. 'Who touched me?' Jesus asked. When they all denied it, Peter said, 'Master, the people are crowding and pressing against you.' But Jesus said, 'Someone touched me; I know that power has gone out from me.'
Then the woman, seeing that she could not go unnoticed, came trembling and fell at His feet. In the presence of all the people, she told why she had touched Him and how she has been instantly healed. Then He said to her, 'Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace.'"
Luke 8:42-48
Nowadays we see many icons and slogans everywhere around us. "Just do it", Rain, Heroes etc. It is so common til' it's resided at the back of our heads. In this post-modern society, everyone's out to capture attention, at least some, from us.How about the answer your friends will give when it comes to knowing anyone who is like Jesus?
Sometimes, we put on spirituality only when the situation calls for it, or when we're in church. In our circumstances, faith and prayer tends to be the last on our list. Has it occured to us that hey, we should be praying and believing above our nature to think of possible solutions! Demonstrating faith in our Lord isn't about knowing with full certainty that our problem will go away. It's about not relying on sight and with the attitude of boldness. It is about being unashamed of being known as a child of God.
The Bible speaks about the faith of the sickly woman, and it is remembered for generations. We can also be a 'sore thumb' (to be outstanding) amongst our friends as someone of faith and assurance in Jesus Christ. We don't have to do great things to show that we have faith! Start small. God asks us to start with a faith as small as a mustard seed! In our academic or work results, in health, in relationships etc. You never know how much impact you can make with that action that comes from your faith in Him!
For the sick woman, it was her inward confidence in Jesus that motivated her outward display of faith. We may not be known to many, but we can too be that lighthouse that our friends in our schools or colleagues in our workplaces can look to. Have faith in Jesus. Faith that is UNASHAMED.
Look Forward to!:
Ignite Conference 2008 up next! Yeah! We wanna see how God has been moving in the schools of our nation! Catch the heartbeat of God together with a BIGGER Body of Christ to pray, to seek and to be equipped in evangelism to our friends! NOTE that the venue for the conference has been switched back to Heart of God church @ SingPost Building, just next to Paya Lebar MRT station. More info on meet ups will be given on this Saturday's service! Don't miss it!
Calendar for January 2008 coming up! So do check out here next week to get a glimpse of what we will be doing this month!
This Week @ Detonate:
Our very first DG (Discipleship Group) session for 2008! Woohoo! Sister Christine will be introducing the DG plans, expectations and objectives on this Saturday's Detonate service! Let's be there early with a prepared and expectant heart, at 4.45pm!
Prayers from the Body:
`It's back to school! Yes! It's time to get back the momentum! May God grant all our secondary, poly and uni students a brand new start, with immerse enthusiasm and diligence for a new term! We believe in honouring God with our diligence so work hard guys! We are supporting one another! `Dear sister Phebe will be going back to U.S for her studies this Friday morning. Wherever we are, we know we are connected because of our bond in Christ! Let's pray that Phebe will be able to re-adjust to the curriculum and have sufficient strength to face the stress and academic requirements. We will be praying for you girl so strive on for Jesus Christ!
Our new batch of brothers have been enlisted or are going to be enlisting for National Service. For brother Ziyao, Josiah (12th Jan) and Martin, may the presence of God oversee and protect them as they go through the various trainings. Pray also that they will stand strong on what they believe in and be a living testimony that draws men to Jesus! Strive on brothers!
Detonate welcomes!
16th december.
The Light Moment.
A Detonate production.
You came.
friend of rach tan - ruijun.rach t.lydia
friends of esther l., ivin, enoch - ivin.wenyan.esther.michelle.julia.rachel.weichong.jude.
friend of leng - jason.jeremy.
friends of josh t. - kok rui. huei min. josh.
friend of nic - zehuan.nic.
friends of esther l. - bidan.zichee.esther.yiwei.meijie.leonice.alvina.
friends of esther l. and ivy - winsur.ivy.charlene.esther.ebellia.yuexin. friends of enoch and ivin - julia.edward.enoch.michelle.ivin. friend of mich - qianqian.mich.ql.leng.rachWoon.XiangTing.jl.
friend of daniel o. - andre.daniel.yupo.matt.
friends of van - lousia.joel.ivan.sarah.van.
friends of marcus - qin ning.joyce.marc. friends of sam y. - wenkai.aylwin.sam.
Year 2007 has finally come to an end! I believe 2007 has been a very eventful year for all of us. There are choices that we made that are good as well as some that could be better and things that we have done well and also those that you really regret doing. Do not let these unhappiness hold you down but review them and see how you can do it better. Let 2008 be a fruitful year where you can look back and only give thanks to God!
Similarly, as a ministry, they are things that we have done well as well as those that could be done better. The youth comm. have reviewed on the past year and some improvements will be made.However, for all of it to be possible, we will need YOU in terms of support and involvement!
Nevertheless, some men of Asher, Manasseh and Zebulun humbled themselves and went to Jerusalem. Also in Judah the hand of God was on the people to give them unity of mind to carry out what the king and his officials had ordered, following the word of the LORD.
2 Chronicles 30:11-12
Detonate ministry is OUR ministry with God and all of us belong here. No matter if you are an ordinary member or a leader, we are still under one Master and that is Jesus. Each of us are given different roles so as to facilitate the works of the ministry. But the bottom line is that we are one and everyone is important. Encourage one another including the leaders and spur them on towards love and good deeds.
The youth comm. will be sharing the vision of Detonate for 2008, together with some events coming up on our very first Detonate service this Saturday! IT's our prayer that we catch the vision with an open heart and together as a ministry we can be a lighthouse to the young people. LetDetonate ministry detonate in 2008!
This week @ Detonate:
Our very own Senior Pastor Alfred Yeo will be opening the year ahead with God's word and His vision and mission for Detonate together with the youth leaders! We encourage you to join us on this Detonate movement at 4.45pm! Get ready young people! We are about to DETONATE!
New NEW:
`It's back to school! Yes! It's time to get back the momentum! May God grant all students a brand new start, with immerse enthusiasm and diligence for a new term! We believe in honouring God with our diligence so work hard guys! We are supporting one another!
`Dear brother Alexie will be going back to Australia for his vocation this Saturday evening. Wherever we are, we know we are connected because of our bond in Christ! Let's pray that Alex will be able to re-adjust to the weather and have sufficient strength to face the workload.
`Our new batch of brothers have been enlisted or are going to be enlisting for National Service. For brother Ziyao, Josiah and Martin, may the presence of God oversee and protect them as they go through the various trainings. Pray also that they will stand strong on what they believe in and be a living testimony that draws men to Jesus! Strive on brothers!
