Turn your eyes upon Jesus

This is a devotional reading from last friday. It has blessed me a lot since then, and I don't see why a reason not to share it with you. It's written by a preacher from my church (Chen Li Presbiterian Church), Pr. Ang Eng Hoe..

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March 20, 2009
Turn your eyes upon Jesus


Scripture reading taken from Mark 6:47-56

The story of Jesus walkin on water was recorded in the Gospel of Matthew 14:22-33, John 6:16-21, and Mark 6:45-52. According to the Gospel of Matthew and Mark, the event occured immediately after Jesus fed the five tousand men with five loaves of bread and two fish. Right after this, Jesus abruptly told the discples to get into a boat and to go ahead of him to Bethesda while he took care of sending people away. Half way through the boat journey to Bethesda, the disciples saw a figure approaching their boat. Thinking it was a ghost, the disciples became afraid. According to all three Gospels Jesus spoke to His disciples and these were His words: "It is I. Don't be afraid!"

Although the disciples had just witnessed the feeding of the five thousand performed by Jesus, they still missed the truth and were unable to grasp who jesus was. In Mark 6 verse 12, the disciples even drove out many demons and healed a lot of sick people. Obviously, God was at work in those disciples. How could the disciples still not be able to understand who Jesus was? How could it be? Isn't it not too long ago that the disciples witnessed a stunning ministry experience?

Are we not like the disciples too? We know Jesus. We attend church every Sunday. We pray in Jesus' name. We have experienced God's presence in the midst of our faith community and He helps us in our daily living as Christ's disciples. We even tell others about Christ. Yet there are still moments when we forget just who it is that is present with us.

When the storms of life scare us, when we become preoccupied with what threatens us, do we sometimes forget that Jesus is with us in the storm? As Christ's followers, we must not think that being Christians means we will always be protected from all hurts, criticisms or various forms of sufferings or unpleasant events. Jesus told us to expect tough times ahead and the history of the church testifies to the fact that Jesus was telling the truth. Jesus' presence with us in those storms may or may not result in an instant calming down, But there is comfort and hope. You and I are not alone. Jesus wants us to put out eyes o Him and not just the external circumstances.

When Leonardo da Vinci finished his painting, "The Last Supper," He invited a friend to view it. An excited exclamation greeted the artist. The friend was so drawn by the cup in the painting that he seemed to ignore everything else. Leonardo reached for his brush, dipped it into paint with one bold stroke, wiped out the cup from his painting! To the astonishment of his friend , the artist exclaimed, "Fool, look at the Master's face!" The friend almost missed the glory of the painting when he looked only at the cup. Likewise, today we need some painters of external truth to exclaim, "Look beyond the cup and circumstances and look at the Master's face."

A hymnal gives us a clear answer,

"Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
look full in his wonderful face,
and the thisngs of earth will grow strangely dim
in the light of his glory and grace."

Prayer: O Lord God, we give You thanks because for Your presence in every circumstances of our lives. In this season of Lent, help us once again to focus on Jesus rather than ourselves and our circumstances. In times of doubts, give us faith to believe in You. In times of fear, give us assurance because You are with us. In times of uncertainity, lead us through every moment.

When life's storms threaten to overwhelm you, remember this - Keep your eyes on Jesus. When all seems lost and you do not know where to turn, let Christ direct your way.

Oleh-oleh dari Tony Roma's

DISCLAIMER: BARANG JAYUZ... BUKTI BAHWA ORANG YANG KEKENYANGAN NGOMONG MERACAU...

ini sebagian dari entah berapa banyak jayuzan yang keluar selama dinner besar malam ini...

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"Software Design is like a Cathedral. You Build it and Pray afterwards."

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A mantau and a chicken pau went to a movie to watch a sad film together. Only chicken pau cried. Why?
Answer: Because mantau has no feelings

The chicken pau went to another sad movie with a char siew pau. Chicken pau cried, but char siew pau laughed. Why?
Answer: Because they have different feelings

Chicken pau went to a comedy with Big chicken pau- the big chicken pau laugh harder. Why?
Answer: Because he has more feelings

Chicken pau went to see a movie with Ikea meatball now. He can't decide whether to cry or to laugh. Why?
Answer: Because he has mixed feelings

Two scallops are never able to get popular in the oceans. Why?
Answer: Because they are two shellfish

(Note: try to read the word 'feelings')
(Note2: Ikea meatball is made from beef and pork.. if i'm not mistaken..)

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Kenapa Tan(a) hamil? Karena sin(a) diper cos(a) --> -___-'

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closing video... just click and see...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EUDvNmnYJRQ

selamat malam dan salam jayus...

The Season of Lent

Today is the Ash Wednesday, the first day of the Season of Lent. Its name comes from the ancient practice of placing ashes on worshippers’ heads or foreheads as a sign of humility before God, a symbol of mourning and sorrow at the death that sin brings to the world.

Ashes become symbolic of that attitude of penitence reflected in the Lord’s Prayer: “forgive our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone indebted to us”

Originating in the fourth century of the church, the season of Lent spans 40 weekdays beginning on Ash Wednesday and climaxing during Holy Week with Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and concluding Saturday before Easter. Originally, Lent was the time of concentrated study and prayer before baptism. But since new members were to be received into a living community of Faith, the entire community was called into preparation. Also, this was the time when those who had been separated from the Church would prepare to rejoin the community.

Today, Lent is marked by a time of prayer and preparation to celebrate Easter. Since Sundays celebrate the resurrection of Jesus, the six Sundays are not counted as part of the 40 days Lent. The number 40 is connected with many biblical events, but especially with the 40 days Jesus spent in the wilderness preparing for His ministry by facing the temptations from Satan. Lent has traditionally been marked by penitential prayer, fasting and almsgiving. Most Christian churches that observe Lent at all focus on it as a time of prayer, especially penance, repenting for failures and sin as a way to focus on the need for God’s grace. It is really a preparation to celebrate God’s marvelous redemption at Easter, and the resurrected life that we live and hope for as Christians.

Lenten is a period of time for Christians to walk with Jesus through the darkness of Good Friday. Lent is a way to place ourselves before God humbled, bringing in our hands no price whereby we can ourselves purchase our salvation, It is a way to confess our total inadequacy before God, to strip ourselves bare of all pretenses to righteousness, to come before God in dust and ashes. Through prayer that gives up self, we seek to open ourselves up before God, and to hear anew the call: “Come unto me!”

“On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross,

the emblem of suffering and shame;
And I love that old cross where the dearest and best,

for a world of lost sinners was slain.
So I'll cherish the old rugged cross,

till my trophies at last I lay down;
I will cling to the old rugged cross,

and exchange it some day for a crown.”

- George Bennard, The Old Rugged Cross

25 Random Things About Me

Copy pasted from:  http://ntu.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=54493600799

=P

When I wake up in the morning I noticed that someone tagged me on similar note about himself. The rules are that I must write back a notes about me and tag 25 person, and those who tagged me must be there as well.. I wonder why it must be 25? I am not a morning person at all, so usually what I do when I wake up is something 'geje'... so... here goes nothing.. haha..

1) I'm tagging friends from my two KTB's and Exco 07/08. I also tag those on Mbok's KTB since they're the sister KTB of my junior KTB. They've been a blessing to me as a brothers and sisters in Christ, and if I write something that's not true here, they should be able to correct me... haha.. of course the freshies are an exception.. =P

2) Actually that should make it exactly 25.. However... General Marlene doesn't have a facebook yet!!! so I'm at a crossroad whether to put Martin Tanned or ci Dian here.. well.. when these two are the choices, I think we all agree on what's the 'right' thing to do... =P

3) Basic information about me.. I'm 21, going 22 this March. I'm from Jogjakarta (I missed the gudeg), the youngest from 2 brothers. My mother passed away when I was in primary school year 4 because of car accident. My father is a self-employed businessman. I missed my family very much actually, though I may not look like it. I just missed them in a different way haha..

4) My father is quite successful, even though sometimes when we talk he always say that he need to pay for some loan for opening business.. but hey.. he always able to pay for them in the end (that's one of the Blessing the Lord gave to us). Most people from Jogja know at least one of his company (since he opens a broad array of business, from restaurant to computer store) and when they know that I'm his son they always bug me for freebies-- and I'm not too comfortable with it. But here in Singapore nobody knows about his company so I'm somewhat 'happy' about it =P

5) This is a very common conversation that I experienced:

Friend: "Hey Kristo, this food is not halal you know"
Me: "Yea I know... don't worry though.. I'm not a Moslem, I'm a Christian, so I can eat this"
Friend: "Oh, sorry.. I thought you don't eat pork since Malay/Javanese are mostly Moslem"
Me: "Don't worry I am used to that... By the way, I'm not a Javanese also.. I'm a Chinese"
Friend: "What??????!!" *stares*
Me: "Yes.. I'm a chinese..."
Friend: "But u don't look like one! One of your parents must be a Javanese!"
Me: "No.. both of them are chinese, so does my grandfathers and grandmothers.."
Friend: "Oooookaaay...." (Awkward silence or laughter followed afterwards)

6) I went to private school for my primary school, but for my SMP and SMA i went to public school instead, and when I think about it.. may be I got tanned because of it.. haha..

7) I love strolling around using my motorcycle. I usually ride it and wander aimlessly to relax when I'm in Jogja.. maybe that's why I'm tanned as well =P

8) I am very good at Maths and Physics. But at other subjects like Biology, Economy, Social Studies etc.. Well, let's just say.. I suck.. haha.. My ranking throughout my high school are 24-29-33-14-16-?? out of 40.

9) Continued from 8, That's why I'm very thankful that I can go to NTU. Normally, people with that kind of track record are not even invited to do the entrance test. But amazingly, God showed me a way through Mathematics Olympiad (I did say that I'm very good at Maths right?).. And because of that, I'm automatically invited to do the test--they don't check my rapport at all..... That's one of His miracle I guess.. =)

10) I wanted to be able to pay for my University studies (and onwards) without the help of my parents. That's just my philosphy. If I don't get a scholarship back then, I won't be accepting the offer from NTU. And again, God showed me the way by giving me a scholarship. That's why now when I think back, I realized that He wants me to come to NTU.. for some reason that I ponders and ask even now.

11) I have been a Christian since I was born. But to tell you the truth, I'm not much of a Christian at all- maybe free thinker. But God introduced me to brothers and sisters in my high school days that opens my eyes, and finally when I'm in my first year in NTU, I met with my KTB.. Now, I can call myself a Christian. That's another miracle from the Lord for me =). That's why I want to give special thanks to my KTB HUT (Cipto, Jefri, Adit, Hadi n K'Pet) for being a dear brothers in Christ.

12) Wait... it's only 12????!! I still have to write 14 more -___-'. Okay.. let me think for a while...

13) Oh right.. I almost forgot. I love ISCF. They have been a family to me this 4 years. I never feel alone here in NTU coz I have them. I always feel empty and lonely in Jogja coz my father works until late, and my brother studied in Bandung/Jakarta most of my primary-SMA life. That's why I'm thankful for ISCF.

14) My passion is in education field. Sometimes I wanted to be a teacher. But most of the time I'm aspired to be a professor/lecturer. Haha.. that's why I'm applying for PhD right now. I hope that I will get the scholarship (see #10). Please pray for me for this one. =)

15) I'm somewhat quiet person. You may not believe it, but basically I'm inclined to be an introvert. But I find myself very open to friends when I'm in NTU. I was a very heavyweight Pleghmatic person before.. now I guess I'm more balanced.. haha..

16) I can say "Yes", "No" and "I agree" easily. But when it comes to "I disagree", I don't think I am able to say it clearly. That's one of Javanese characteristics... Usually I will say "Well, that's a good idea, BUT..." (notice the capital BUT?) and then the discussion goes... hahaha.. I apologize to my exco 07/08 committee for this one =P

17) I view myself as a manipulative person. That's one of my weaknesses. I used people to gather information or to avoid doing work sometimes. I don't say lie (most of the times), but I tend to say what's necessary to achieve what I want to achieve, and most of the time, it involves not giving the whole information. That's a real bad habit for me.. I don't know if you feel that way about me-- any feedback?

18) I like watching House M.D. (TV series). I like the character of Dr. Gregory House. Somewhat.. twisted? haha.. I love watching Chuck and American Idol as well.

19) I like to write. However, I'm not able to write properly. Just see this notes. How many error did you find? haha.. I write on my blog occasionally. Visit kristokuntadi.blogspot.comfor more.

20) I put a plain "Christian" in my Facebook profile without my denomination. Well, I did that because my view is Interdenominational. Well, actually I'm more to evangelical (that's denomination). I dream of unity in diversity, achieving God's will together with all God's people.

21) I cried when I watch a touching movie. And I'm not ashamed to admit it haha..

22) I would like to say that I'm committed to what I'm doing. Once I put my commitment into one thing, I will put all my heart into it. And sometimes, I felt that I want to see others able to find their calling and put all their hearts into it as well

23) I love culinary. I really love to eat. So far, my favourite dish is "Bebek Bacem Klaten" hahaha...

24) One of my favourite song is "God is in control" by Avalon.

"God is in control
We believe that His children will not be forsaken"

"He has never let you down
Why start to worry now? Why start to worry now?
He is still the Lord of all we see and He is still the loving Father
Watching over you and me"

25) At long lasttt!! it's 25.. I just want to say that I am grateful for God's blessings, and it's a wonderful thing for me. Amazing Grace have a lyrics saying "I once was lost but now I'm found, Was blind but now I see" and that is a very true words for me.

That's it... I'm tired haha... I'll be waiting for you to tag me back =P
~Kr!StO~