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8 BENEFITS OF FASTING
| SPEEDLIGHT (Sheryl) |
1 | Staff Team - Doug, Vinnie, Justin, Kenny (New Youth Minister ...uh, is that the name??), Pastor Pacer, Alvin Chia - Health (esp burn out), spiritual discernment and direction, ease of connecting with the youths and adults, creativity, receptiveness to suggestions etc etc |
2 | Youths - Challenged to bond and grow in God's direction - Dare to put forth new ideas to improve Speedlight - like Leon coming up with fitttlight :) - Not neglect spiritual disciplines - read your bible pray everyday hehe - Health - Studies - Family |
3 | Emphasis on Missions and Outreach for 2010 - Smooth planning of events e.g. Lovesg, Speedlight Camp 2010 (which I heard has some outreach thing), and whatever programmes that we have not heard news of. - Speedlighters will be convicted of the need to reach out to our society (be it to socially disadvantaged or just to spread the gospel) and start to be participative in the events - To quote Hosanna, "Break my heart for what breaks Yours." - To let the love of Christ be central in all we do. |
| CELL (Shaun) |
| Girls who will be going insane battling the A levels and guys ( + girl) who will go insane doing projects. |
| Health - very important as we strive to conquer the tasks as mentioned above |
| Spiritual direction |
| Time Management as people take up different roles and responsibilities in Speedlight (e.g. Shaun in pub comm, Nick the admin ic etc, Leon the fitttlight head, Serene the back up singer, ...)
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| To always remember that our help and strength comes from the One above. |
| Unity; something we built over six years and I hope it'll never be broken. May it be stronger as we go through life changing milestones of 2011.
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| Keep to the 3 insults a week... Okay you know I'm kidding : ) |
| FAMILY & FRIENDS (Patty) |
| Harmony in the family – less arguments, everyone grows closer as a family, that parents will be more understanding and that we can reach a consensus if there are any disagreements. |
| Parents not troubled by financial burdens. |
| For God to use us to reach out to our unsaved family members (eg cousins) and friends. We won’t be afraid to share with them and that they can see God working in us and so go to Christ. |
| For us to be better sons, daughters, friends, siblings. That God may bless our family & friends through us. |
| SINGAPORE (Connie) |
| Peace & stability in the country, no outbreak of wars/riots, racial harmony |
| Good governance – leaders who are not corrupt, with foresight More Christians rising up as leaders. |
| We will not be affected by any natural disasters. For example, aftershocks from earthquakes, recent flash flood at Orchard, etc |
| Good relations with other countries |
| Development and growth of nation |
| With opening of the casino, people will not get addicted to gambling because stuff like this tears families apart. |
| Unemployment rates go down, standard of living go up. |
Psalm 23 - A Shepherd's Perspective"Shalom my friends. My name is Yeshua ben Yosef. I am from the ancient land of Palestine and I’m ashepherd by trade. It is an honor for a man of my occupation to be allowed to stand here and speak with you today. You see in my nation shepherding is not looked upon with favor. For most of my countrymen it is a job to be avoided rather than sought. The hours are long.The work is dirty and backbreaking. You should see the thick calluses on my feet. And the pay ... well let’s just say you’ll never get rich tending sheep for a living.
I learned the trade from my father and I continue the family tradition.Your pastor thought it would be helpful for me to come and speak with youtoday about my lowly occupation. I’m not really sure what a humble mansuch as I could teach you, but I’ll tell you everything that I know.Did you know that in the Bible you read, God refers to his people, youand me, as sheep nearly two hundred times? You may have never consideredthe significance of that comparison but I have because I work with sheepday and night. Let me tell you it’s not a compliment to be called asheep. Why not rather eagles - majestic, swift and beautiful? No, Godcalls us his sheep. Why not lions - strong, fearless, terrifying? No,instead, God calls us his sheep.
Oh they’re unique, but to be comparedto one is nearly an insult. A sheep is perhaps the stupidest animal onthe face of the earth. Have you ever seen a trained sheep in the circus?You’ll see elephants, horses, bears, seals even hippos, but not sheep.They’re too stupid to train. Sheep are also quite filthy. The woolthat you see in clothing has been cleaned thoroughly. The fluffy whitesheep that you view on your television sets didn’t get that way ontheir own. Sheep will not and cannot clean themselves. The shepherd orhis hired hands must do it for them. Not only are they dumb and dirty,sheep are utterly defenseless. They have no claws, no fangs, no wings.They can’t run fast or scare an enemy off with a loud roar or spray apredator with a noxious scent. All they can do is bleat.Sheep are completely reliant on their shepherds. Their lives andwell-being depend on the person who oversees them each day.
If God callsus his sheep I wonder just what he’s trying to say?Maybe you would understand God a little better if you spent a day withme. Come with me on a journey shepherding sheep.The day begins early, before dawn. It is my job to provide food andwater for my sheep. This is not an easy task. You see in my country theland is parched and dry. We have nothing like the vast green pasturelands that your sheep and cattle enjoy here. You can just turn youranimals loose and they have all the food they need. But not in mycountry. Oh no. Grass can be found only in narrow strips separated bylong stretches of rock and dust.
Except during the rainy season, water is provided by natural springs or wells spread out here and there. Isometimes have to lead my sheepmiles just for a few yards of grass or a quick drink of water. It is forthat reason that we arise early. It takes all day to find thenourishment my sheep need.I know the area like the back of my hand. I’ve walked every squarefoot of it many times. This is how I’m able to lead my sheep. You mayhave imagined that shepherding is like those old Westerns you’ve seenwhere the cowboys, riding their horses behind the herd, drive the cattleforward. Shepherding is somewhat different. I walk in front of the herd and they follow me. Wherever I go they go. If I were unfamiliar with theland or the sheep were left on their own they’d starve to death. But Ilead them. I know where the grass is. I’ve been there beforehand.We spend the entire morning traveling from pasture to pasture.
By mid-day the sheep are exhausted and thirsty. They need refreshing orthey will die. Along the route I know the location of several oasis.These places have shade and lush pasture for the sheep to rest. I makethey lie down and drink. Speaking of which, did you know that sheepwon’t drink from just any water source. Oh no. They will only drinkfrom quiet still pools. They have a natural fear of fast moving waterand for good reason. If a sheep should slip into a river or stream its wool would soon soak up the water and become completely saturated. Sheep are poor swimmers anyway, but the weight of the water in their woolwould cause them to sink and drown. That’s why the waters must begentle and still. If I can’t find a pool I have to create one bydiverting water from a stream.
Now you’re beginning to understand whathard work shepherding is.My sheep will be fine and have everything that they need as long as theyfollow me. I lead them along well-worn paths where I know we will findfood and water. They need my guidance.My sheep also need my protection. The land where we travel is fraught with dangers. Predators like lions and bears stalk the herds. There’s the occasional pack of wild dogs. Some harmless looking plants, thoughtasty, prove to be poisonous. A sheep might easily stumble over a cliffor fall into a ravine and die. But my sheep have no need to fear. Iwatch out for them. If they begin to wander off in the wrong direction Ihave my trusty shepherd’s staff to prod them back in the right direction. If they should fall into a pit or a ravine I use the otherend of my staff to reach down and lift them to safety.
I carry two sticks, though. One is a staff, but the other is a club. The staff isfor my sheep, but the club is for predators. My sheep may be dumb, butI’m quite attached to them. I’ll fight tooth and nail for their lives. Some of the hirelings and other shepherds I’m acquainted with have seen me battle a few of those big carnivores. They laugh and joke and tell me that some day one of those lions or bears will have me for lunch. That may be true, but I can tell you that I won’t look the other way or run the other way like those cowards. No, that’s the difference between a good and a bad shepherd. A good shepherd will laydown his life for his sheep.As long as they follow me I guide and protect my sheep. It’s tough work, but I always make sure my sheep have food to eat.
I always checkout the fields before I allow them to graze. If there are poisonous plants in the area and go through and weed out everyone by hand. I alsocheck the ground for snake holes. I told you it’s dangerous in myland. We have tiny little vipers that live underground in some of the pasture lands. When they sense the sheep grazing, they pop their ugly heads out of the ground and bite the sheep on the nose. The infection orvenom from the bite could kill them. But I have a remedy for those viscous little enemies. I walk off the entire area looking for snake holes. When I find them I pour a little olive oil into the entrance of the hole. Then I anoint the head and nose of each sheep with the sameoil and allow them to graze. The oil prevents the slick bodies of thesnakes from crawling out of their holes. They’re powerless to harm my sheep. It makes me laugh to watch my little lambs have a picnic in the very presence of their enemies.
By evening we return to the sheepfold. One by one I examine each ofthem. If I find any cuts or scraps on their bodies I apply healing ointment to their wounds. I make sure they have water to drink. If Ifind one nearly overcome with thirst I have a special cup-shaped bucket and let him drink by himself. Sometimes those sheep are so thirsty thatthey stick their heads in too fast and too far and the water overflows and wets their heads.Before bedding down for the night I always count my flock. Occasionally one of the lambs will stray, and there’s nothing more vulnerable than a sheep without it’s shepherd. I go immediately to find it and bringit back to the sheepfold.Every once in a while one of my lambs will develop a habit of straying.I remember one little fellow. I named him Jake. He came from a finefamily. His grandfather was one of my very first sheep. I called him OldAbe. Jake’s father was Isaac. Both Old Abe and Isaac faithfullyfollowed me and stayed on the path, but not that little rascal Jake. Heturned up missing more times than I could count. Sometimes he was insearch of greener pastures while at other times I found him chasing butterflies. He never realized the danger he in, but I understood it clearly.Something had to be done.
We shepherds have developed a technique guaranteed to prevent straying. It is used only as a last resort -- whena sheep refuses to stay with the flock. The last time I caught him straying I used it on little Jake. No doubt you will think that it’s cruel, but it saves the life of my sheep. At the end of the day I found little Jake wandering dangerously toward a steep gorge. I picked him up,put him on my shoulders and carried him back to the sheepfold. He didn’t struggle. Jake just looked at me with only trust in his eyes. I sat him down and quickly placed his right front leg across my staff.With one swift motion I pulled down of the long bone of his leg andbroke it. Wild-eyed, Jake struggled to get away. He immediately fell tothe ground in pain. He couldn’t understand. The one who provided for him and rescued him, the one who he trusted was inflicting the most excruciating suffering he’d ever endured. I didn’t want to, but Ihad to do it to save his life.Over the next few days, little Jake could barely get up. As the flocks moved from pasture to pasture I carried him every step of the way. I held him close in those days. He was suffering with that broken leg, but all the while I carried him close to my heart. I sat him down to eat and drink. Gradually he was able to walk again, but the smallest hill looked like a mountain to him and the shallowest stream like a mile-wide river.Whenever he encountered and obstacle all he could do was stop and look to me. Then I’d pick him up and help him over. Jake learned to trust and to follow. I had to break him to save his life. It worked. Jake is still with me today and one of my most loyal sheep.
Well that’s a day in the life of a shepherd. It’s not glamorous, butit’s a living. As undignified as my profession is it still amazes me that God compares himself to a shepherd and his people to sheep. I can see the truth in itthough. After all he meets our needs by providing the necessities of life, by guiding us each day and by protecting us. I guess we would be as content and at peace as my sheep if we’d just learn to trust and follow him. Even if we don’t understand where he’s leading or whathe’s doing in our lives, if we’d just trust him and follow himwe’d be satisfied.Thank you for listening. I’ve got to get back to work. This shepherding is a never-ending job if you know what I mean?"
Psalm 23
The LORD is my shepherd; Ishall not want.
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside thestill waters.
He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness forhis name's sake.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I willfear no evil:
for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfortme.
Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies:
thouanointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life:
and Iwill dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.