I just got back from one of the BEST youth camps in my entire life. God's presence was so significant and so tangible whenever we came together to worship him! Everyone was SOOO filled with passion for Christ and our worship reached a TOTALLY new level! I love the song "From the Inside Out" by Hillsongs United... it expresses a true heart of worship, and enables me to sing my heart out to God.
There were a few altar calls for us to GET REAL with God... and to do away with all the superficiality and hypocrisy that we put on before leaving the front door every morning. Pastor Chris Field spoke about the Fear of Man, and how satan uses it to torment and enslave us. His words were clearly expressed, and they truely revealed what it meant to be living a pure and clean life.
We can constantly wary of how others will look at us, whether we look good in front of others, or if we're making the appropriate jokes, talking about the appropriate stuff and doing the appropraite things, even though it's just not in our nature to do so, just so that we can fit in with the crowd. By doing so, we're essentially acting in FEAR of the people around us. Pastor Chris related this to girls/guys and vainty - how they have to keep checking that they're looking perfect and all... it's such a chore... such a burden... to be under the Fear of Man.
God's really moved in my life through this camp. My granddad, back in Singapore, was recently diagnosed with cancer in it's advanced stages, and was given 3 more months to live. Well, i was resigned to the fact that he was going to heaven and that everyone had to die some day. But during a dinner last week, God spoke to me and said "What are you doing, isaac? Is this all you're gonna do your for granddad? Have Faith in Me."
So i decided to pray. To pray for his miraculous healing... and that through his healing many others may hear and know that the Lord God is real, and they he loves us and gave his Son to die for us! Well, when i was worshipping during the camp, i felt God telling me repeatedly, " have Faith in me... have Faith in me, my son."
It was during my Quiet Time with God this morning that He showed me the wonderful hills that he created all sloping down as though they were worshipping him. Pure white clouds floated all around these hills and made them look Perfect. I felt as though i just had a glimpse of Heaven. Then the passage that i was reading (Psalms 144) said:
"Bow down your heavens, O Lord, and come down. Touch the mountains and they shall smoke."
That was EXACTLY what i was looking at! God's wonderful creation just worshipping their creator! The passage continued to read:
"Lord, what is man, that You take knowledge of him? or the son of man, that you are so mindful of him? Man is like a breath; his days are like a passing shadow."
At that point, he assured me that he created all things... and that he IS in FULL Control! So i prayed that he would make my life, despite its short length, a sweet breath and a passing shadow that impacts the people around me that they might have a feel of God's love. Now, i put my faith totally in the Lord my God, and no matter what happens to my granddad, whether he passes away or if he gets healed... i know that it'll all be according to God's will. The will of Him that loves me, and always does what is best for me. Thank you God!=)
That was the testimony that i shared with the campers this morning.
This camp has also provided me with the opportunity to develop many more friendships. There was this awesome JYM (Just Your Mate) letter system going on where every camper is assigned a person to write encouraging letters to throughout the camp in secret. Well, i wrote about 20 letters or so to different people... and i received about 20+ too! haha! It felt good writing to people that i didn't really know...
I was writing to Angela most of the time cuz she's my JYM. But i had a really difficult time trying to figure out who was writing to me! I made casual remarks to Sonja about my JYM, saying that she must be a really young gal who doesn't know how to write proper letters as her letters are all so short and vague; lacking any genuine meaning. lol! I only found out today that Sonja WAS my JYM! lOL! I had to apologise profusely to her =P
Though my team, Mustang, came last out of all the 6 groups, we had a really fun time making the car and working on that hilarious skit that went bad at the ending! x.x" haha! Germaine, Ron, Li Ming, Angie, Tim, Rodney, Keean, Franny, Hui Yi, Alvin, Darrell and i were part of that group.
All in all, i really enjoyed that camp. I've taken another step towards commiting to God, and i'm sure that he'll use me even more to impact the lives of the people around me. I'm motivated not to swear anymore, and to wipe off every speck of phoniness about me, and just to be the person that God created me to be! =)
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