Church camp 2017 part 2

I was so deeply touched by God's word during thr church camp and there's so many things I wanna share abt it that I decided to write part 2 to this.

Of the many sessions shared by the various pastors, there was one in particular that was close to my heart and I hope that by writing it down, I will be able to refer to it when needed.

Embolden & empower to make life changing decisions by Rev Ong Sek Leong

What is life?

• It is a series of decisions made along the way periodically.

3 kinds of people:

1. People who don't want to make decisions
2. People who make decisions @ their own pace
3. People would rise to make all the decisions in life bcoz they trust God

Sometimes we want a blueprint from God but God seldom gives us a blueprint.  God gives us a game plan. It is not God’s nature to give you all the details.
Blueprint : details of all situations
Game plan: general parameters

God is in the process of making us and developing us as a person instead of bringing us to the destination. God don't give us a GPS to bring us to the destination, but He gives us a compass. 

4 parameters 

1) HOW u live is more impt than WHERE U live

• Genesis 13: 12-13
• The condition is more impt than yr location 
• Lot chose to leave God and stay at Sodom (wicked place) and eventually his decision impacted him & his family in a worse manner 
• Implication of How you live is more impt than where you work at.

2) AFFIRMATION of your spouse is more impt than the OFFER of yr bosses

• 1 Peter 3: 4,5,7
• Condition of yr family is more important that yr work/bosses offer
• Affirmation = condition of the heart, decisions that's felt and not directed/imposed
• Consider the feelings of yr family first, before you make any work decisions
• God put yr family together
• Verse 7: prayers will not be hindered

3) OBEDIENCE is more impt than PASSION

• Acts 16:3
• Acts 16: 6-39
• Passion is fundamental. But in the pursuit of passion, there is something more important than God-given passion, which is God, himself
• That's why always stop and ask.
• " Am I doing the right thing and am I doing it right?"
• Obey God
• Reality we faced may not match our vision
• Paul had passion, but God asked him to stop. And he obeyed (twice)
• Obedience can be very tough, and sometimes contradicting
• Obey even if You seem to be going from a bad place to a worse place
• Eg. Paul ended up in prison, but it turned out to be worthwhile coz he managed to preach and saved others

4) RIGHT decisions is not always inspirational

• Hebrews 11:6
• Without faith, it is impossible to please God
• Optimism vs faith
• Faith is believing God is there. When someone has faith, he doesn't need to know his environment. He just need to know God is in there.
• Very often when you seek God's direction, optimism itself is not enough
• Enjoy the process of reaching, not just the destination

In summary, God may give us a holy ministry, but He knows that we may not be that holy. And we may make mistakes. We may even be lost halfway. 

Genesis 28: 16-22

16 When Jacob awoke from his sleep, he thought, “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I was not aware of it.” 17 He was afraid and said, “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God; this is the gate of heaven.”

18 Early the next morning Jacob took the stone he had placed under his head and set it up as a pillar and poured oil on top of it. 19 He called that place Bethel,[a] though the city used to be called Luz.

20 Then Jacob made a vow, saying, “If God will be with me and will watch over me on this journey I am taking and will give me food to eat and clothes to wear 21 so that I return safely to my father’s household, then the Lord[b] will be my God 22 and[c] this stone that I have set up as a pillar will be God’s house, and of all that you give me I will give you a tenth.”

Let God be the centre of yr life. Live by the 4 parameters of God. Thankful that I managed to be there to listen to the sharing. And hopefully, that even though I might not be able to bring my friends to church, I hope that I can bring the church to my friends. :)