Below article shared with us a different prospective about LOVE, which is different from the worldly understanding...
We always think that LOVE is out of passion, indeed, LOVE is a choice and come with commitment... we must be responsible and accountable for our choice of LOVE... Pray that we are able to learn and practise a LOVE with choice and commitment in our daily lives and SG...
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Love Is a Choice
by Rick Warren
… That you may love the Lord your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the Lord is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Deuteronomy 30:20 (NIV)
*** *** *** ***
Love is a choice and a commitment. You choose to love or you choose not to love.
Today we’ve bought into this myth that love is uncontrollable, that it’s something that just happens to us; it’s not something we control. In fact, even the language we use implies the uncontrollability of love. We say, “I fell in love,” as if love is some kind of a ditch. It’s like I’m walking along one day and bam! – I fell in love. I couldn’t help myself.
But I have to tell you the truth – that’s not love. Love doesn’t just happen to you. Love is a choice and it represents a commitment.
There’s no doubt about it, attraction is uncontrollable and arousal is uncontrollable. But attraction and arousal are not love. They can lead to love, but they are not love. Love is a choice.
You must choose to love God; he won’t force you to love him (Deuteronomy 30:20). You can thumb your nose at God and go a totally different way. You can destroy your life if you choose to do that. God still won’t force you to love him. Because he knows love can’t be forced.
And this same principle is true about your relationships: you can choose to love others, but God won’t force you to love anyone.
© 2008 Purpose Driven Life. All rights reserved. Rick Warren is the founding pastor of Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, Calif., one of America's largest and best-known churches. In addition, Rick is author of the New York Times bestseller The Purpose Driven Life and The Purpose Driven Church, which was named one of the 100 Christian books that changed the 20th Century. He is also founder of Pastors.com, a global Internet community for ministers.
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Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Monday, November 24, 2008
SG outing!!
Good day my small group mates!
Jas n Simon are going off back to Msia for a while on 29 Nov 08.. so shall we have a small get-together just before they all leave?
Ideas thus far.
Friday - dinner/Ktv or just dinner
Sun - lunch / dinner
How How? Obviously the final vote will lie with Jasimon, but on which day can the others make it?
QUICK & SLOW
Found this article by Pastor Rick is pretty helpful. Indeed, many times we want things to move on fast, confront problems speedy, as well as handle matter with a quick method and solution. Somehow, bible taught us to confront problem “Quickly” but in a “Slow” approach; this sound interesting, “Slow” referring to “Slow come with patient, thoughtfulness, wisdom and correctness”, “Slow in wrathful”, “Slow to have a bit more time in prayers before response". I think this also apply to relationship....... God’s bless. :- ) :- )
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How to Deal with Conflict Quickly
by Rick Warren
My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry. James 1:19 (NIV)
*** *** *** ***
How do you deal with conflict quickly?
I’ll tell you, but you’re not going to like it. The solution to resolving conflict is confrontation.
That’s right; if you’re going to resolve conflict, you must confront.
You don’t have to confront in anger, though. In fact, you shouldn’t confront in anger. Lovingly go to the person and, speaking the truth in love, deal with the problem immediately.
In James (1:19), we’re taught three rules for confrontation: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry.
If you do the first two, the third one is automatic. If you’re quick to listen and you’re slow to speak, then you will be slow to anger.
What are you listening for?
You listen for the hurt in that person. Hurting people always hurt other people. When someone is being a jerk, more than likely, it’s because that person is hurting. When you understand their hurt, you have a better understanding of why they do what they do, and you’re a little more patient with them.
~~ end ~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
How to Deal with Conflict Quickly
by Rick Warren
My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry. James 1:19 (NIV)
*** *** *** ***
How do you deal with conflict quickly?
I’ll tell you, but you’re not going to like it. The solution to resolving conflict is confrontation.
That’s right; if you’re going to resolve conflict, you must confront.
You don’t have to confront in anger, though. In fact, you shouldn’t confront in anger. Lovingly go to the person and, speaking the truth in love, deal with the problem immediately.
In James (1:19), we’re taught three rules for confrontation: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry.
If you do the first two, the third one is automatic. If you’re quick to listen and you’re slow to speak, then you will be slow to anger.
What are you listening for?
You listen for the hurt in that person. Hurting people always hurt other people. When someone is being a jerk, more than likely, it’s because that person is hurting. When you understand their hurt, you have a better understanding of why they do what they do, and you’re a little more patient with them.
~~ end ~~
Monday, November 17, 2008
A murder case!!!!!
How to kill your mother in law ( in China )
A long time ago in China , a girl named Li-Li got married & went to live with her husband and mother-in-law. In a very short time, Li-Li found that she couldn't get along with her mother-in-law at all.
Their personalities were very different, and Li-Li was angered by many of her mother-in-law's habits. In addition, she criticized Li-Li constantly.
Days passed, and weeks passed. Li-Li and her mother-in-law never stopped arguing and fighting.
But what made the situation even worse was that, according to ancient Chinese tradition, Li-Li had to bow to her mother-in-law and obey her every wish. All the anger and unhappiness in the house was causing Li-Li's poor husband! D great distress.
Finally, Li-Li could not stand her mother-in-! law's bad temper and dictatorship any longer, and she decided to do something about it! Li-Li went to see her father's good friend, Mr. Huang, who sold herbs.
She told him the situation and asked if he would give her some poison so that she could solve the problem once and for all.
Mr. Huang thought for awhile, and finally said, "Li-Li, I will help you solve your problem, but you must listen to me and obey what I tell you."
Li-Li said, "Yes, Mr. Huang, I will do whatever you tell me to do. "Mr. Huang went into the back room, and returned in a few minutes with a package of herbs. He told Li-Li, "You can't use a quick-acting poison to get rid of your mother-in-law, because that would cause people to become suspicious Therefore, I have given you a number of herbs that will slowly build up poison in her body. Every other day prepare some delicious meal and put a little of these herbs in her serving.
Now, in order to make sure that nobody suspect you, when she dies, you must be very careful to act very friendly towards her. "Don't argue with her, obey her every wish, and treat her like a queen."
Li-Li was so happy.
She thanked Mr. Huang and hurried home to start her plot of murdering her mother-in-law.
Weeks went by, and months went by, and every other day, Li-Li served the specially treated food to her mother-in-law.
She remembered what Mr. Huang had said about avoiding suspicion, so she controlled her temper, obeyed her mother-in-law, and treated her like her own mother.
After six months had passed, the whole household had changed. Li-Li had practiced controlling her temper so much that she found that she almost never got mad or upset.
She hadn't had an argument with her mother-in-law in six months because she now seemed much kinder and easier to get along with.
The mother-in-law's attitude toward Li-Li changed, and she began to love Li-Li like her own daughter.
She kept telling friends and relatives that Li-Li was the best daughter-in-law one could ever find.
Li-Li and her mother-in-law were now treating each other like a real mother and daughter.
Li-Li's husband was very happy to see what was happening.
One day, Li-Li came to see Mr. Huang and asked for his help again She said, "Dear Mr. Huang, please help me to keep the poison from killing my mother-in-law.
She's changed into such a nice woman, and I love her like my own mother. I do not want her to die because of the poison I gave her."
Mr.. Huang smiled and nodded his head. "Li-Li, there's nothing to worry about. I never gave you any poison. The herbs I gave you were vitamins to improve her health. The only poison was in your mind and your attitude toward her, but that has been all washed away by the love which you gave to her."
HAVE YOU REALIZED that how you treat others is exactly how they will treat you? There is a wise Chinese saying: "The person who loves others will also be loved in return."
God might be trying to work in another person's life through you.
Matthew 5:42-44 (New International Version)
42. Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you. Love for Enemies
43. "You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor[a] and hate your enemy.'
44. But I tell you: Love your enemies[b] and pray for those who persecute you.
~~ End ~~
A long time ago in China , a girl named Li-Li got married & went to live with her husband and mother-in-law. In a very short time, Li-Li found that she couldn't get along with her mother-in-law at all.
Their personalities were very different, and Li-Li was angered by many of her mother-in-law's habits. In addition, she criticized Li-Li constantly.
Days passed, and weeks passed. Li-Li and her mother-in-law never stopped arguing and fighting.
But what made the situation even worse was that, according to ancient Chinese tradition, Li-Li had to bow to her mother-in-law and obey her every wish. All the anger and unhappiness in the house was causing Li-Li's poor husband! D great distress.
Finally, Li-Li could not stand her mother-in-! law's bad temper and dictatorship any longer, and she decided to do something about it! Li-Li went to see her father's good friend, Mr. Huang, who sold herbs.
She told him the situation and asked if he would give her some poison so that she could solve the problem once and for all.
Mr. Huang thought for awhile, and finally said, "Li-Li, I will help you solve your problem, but you must listen to me and obey what I tell you."
Li-Li said, "Yes, Mr. Huang, I will do whatever you tell me to do. "Mr. Huang went into the back room, and returned in a few minutes with a package of herbs. He told Li-Li, "You can't use a quick-acting poison to get rid of your mother-in-law, because that would cause people to become suspicious Therefore, I have given you a number of herbs that will slowly build up poison in her body. Every other day prepare some delicious meal and put a little of these herbs in her serving.
Now, in order to make sure that nobody suspect you, when she dies, you must be very careful to act very friendly towards her. "Don't argue with her, obey her every wish, and treat her like a queen."
Li-Li was so happy.
She thanked Mr. Huang and hurried home to start her plot of murdering her mother-in-law.
Weeks went by, and months went by, and every other day, Li-Li served the specially treated food to her mother-in-law.
She remembered what Mr. Huang had said about avoiding suspicion, so she controlled her temper, obeyed her mother-in-law, and treated her like her own mother.
After six months had passed, the whole household had changed. Li-Li had practiced controlling her temper so much that she found that she almost never got mad or upset.
She hadn't had an argument with her mother-in-law in six months because she now seemed much kinder and easier to get along with.
The mother-in-law's attitude toward Li-Li changed, and she began to love Li-Li like her own daughter.
She kept telling friends and relatives that Li-Li was the best daughter-in-law one could ever find.
Li-Li and her mother-in-law were now treating each other like a real mother and daughter.
Li-Li's husband was very happy to see what was happening.
One day, Li-Li came to see Mr. Huang and asked for his help again She said, "Dear Mr. Huang, please help me to keep the poison from killing my mother-in-law.
She's changed into such a nice woman, and I love her like my own mother. I do not want her to die because of the poison I gave her."
Mr.. Huang smiled and nodded his head. "Li-Li, there's nothing to worry about. I never gave you any poison. The herbs I gave you were vitamins to improve her health. The only poison was in your mind and your attitude toward her, but that has been all washed away by the love which you gave to her."
HAVE YOU REALIZED that how you treat others is exactly how they will treat you? There is a wise Chinese saying: "The person who loves others will also be loved in return."
God might be trying to work in another person's life through you.
Matthew 5:42-44 (New International Version)
42. Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you. Love for Enemies
43. "You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor[a] and hate your enemy.'
44. But I tell you: Love your enemies[b] and pray for those who persecute you.
~~ End ~~
Relationships......
Was touched by the devotional materials written by Pastor Holladay... After Daddy fall ill and admitted hospital, when adversity strike with God’s permission, our Lord has brought our family closer in His gracious Love....
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Jesus Taught Nothing Is More Important Than Relationships by Tom Holladay
Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 1 John 4:11 (NIV)
*** *** *** ***
Today’s guest devotional is from Tom Holladay, teaching pastor at Saddleback Church.
Relationships are filled with both wonder and pain. When I think of the pain of relationships, literally hundreds of pictures flood into my mind from my thirty years as a pastor:
· A couple on the verge of a divorce neither one wants yet both are choosing.
· Parents who can’t get through to their child, no matter how much time, money, and heartache they invest.
· A son whose dad has treated him with the cruel contempt of abuse.
· A friend whose feeling of betrayal is so deep that she never wants to trust anyone again.
When I consider the wonder of relationships, I am equally overwhelmed:
· A marriage no one thought could be restored — but it was.
· Friendships in a small group that have become the bedrock of life.
· A family that would surely fall apart when the pressure of an illness hit — and yet they all came together in the most amazing way.
When Jesus came to this earth, he demonstrated that he understands both the wonder and the pain of your relationships. He experienced them both.
He came to begin a new relationship with you — a relationship that will strengthen all your relationships. Here’s the truth Jesus taught us: Nothing is more important than relationships.
*** *** *** ***
Today’s devotional is excerpted from The Relationship Principles of Jesus by Tom Holladay (Zondervan 2008). You can find out more about this book at http://www.saddlebackresources.com/.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Jesus Taught Nothing Is More Important Than Relationships by Tom Holladay
Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 1 John 4:11 (NIV)
*** *** *** ***
Today’s guest devotional is from Tom Holladay, teaching pastor at Saddleback Church.
Relationships are filled with both wonder and pain. When I think of the pain of relationships, literally hundreds of pictures flood into my mind from my thirty years as a pastor:
· A couple on the verge of a divorce neither one wants yet both are choosing.
· Parents who can’t get through to their child, no matter how much time, money, and heartache they invest.
· A son whose dad has treated him with the cruel contempt of abuse.
· A friend whose feeling of betrayal is so deep that she never wants to trust anyone again.
When I consider the wonder of relationships, I am equally overwhelmed:
· A marriage no one thought could be restored — but it was.
· Friendships in a small group that have become the bedrock of life.
· A family that would surely fall apart when the pressure of an illness hit — and yet they all came together in the most amazing way.
When Jesus came to this earth, he demonstrated that he understands both the wonder and the pain of your relationships. He experienced them both.
He came to begin a new relationship with you — a relationship that will strengthen all your relationships. Here’s the truth Jesus taught us: Nothing is more important than relationships.
*** *** *** ***
Today’s devotional is excerpted from The Relationship Principles of Jesus by Tom Holladay (Zondervan 2008). You can find out more about this book at http://www.saddlebackresources.com/.
Monday, November 10, 2008
USA For Africa - We Are The World
Have wanted to put this up for the longest time! See how many people you guys know!
Saturday, November 8, 2008
HAPPY BD !!!!
JOYFUL FellowshipShare & Talk>>>>>
@@About Joy of Giving & Donation>>
++++++++++++Happy BD "BOY & GIRLS">>>
The Joyful Gang
~~~~The End~~~~
Wonderful HK Tour.......
Thanks God for blessing us with a Magnificent hoilday trip.....
We EAT.....
WAN TON mee .. More than 100 years....
Freash Prawns dumping --- So good...
Also hv Tender Beef >>
MUST eat fresh bake EGG TRATs !
AT TEMPLE Street 
Shopping @ Ladies Street :)
Wa!! Top Dim Sum.... 
@ The FANTASYLAND 
~~~ 
We EAT.....
WAN TON mee .. More than 100 years....
Freash Prawns dumping --- So good...Also hv Tender Beef >>
How can Dont eat ???>>>>
MUST eat fresh bake EGG TRATs !AT Central>>>>>>>>> 
WE SHOP------
AT TEMPLE Street 
Shopping @ Ladies Street :)We EAT... EAT.....
~~~~~~~
Wa!! Top Dim Sum.... 
>>>>> & Have FUN <<<<<<<<<
@ The FANTASYLAND 
~~~ 
wHAT a JOyful trip :) :) :)
NEXT TO COME >>> JAPAN >>> may be HOk......
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