found this in my email... still sifting through it.

One of the Twelve
TGIF Today God Is First, by Os Hillman

And He died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for Him who died for them and was raised again. - 2 Corinthians 5:15

It is believed that there were about 5,000 believers during the time of Christ. Among those believers, it was thought there were three types. The largest number of believers were those who came to Jesus for salvation. They served Him little beyond coming to Him to receive salvation. A much smaller number, say 500, actually followed Him and served Him. Then, there were the disciples. These were those who identified with Jesus. They lived the life that Jesus lived. Each of these ultimately died in difficult circumstances. They experienced the hardships, the miracles, and the fellowship with God in human form.

If you had to say which group best represented your life, which one would you fall into-the 5,000 who simply believed, the 500 who followed and sought to implement what they were learning from the Savior, or the 12 who identified completely with the life and mission of the Savior? Jesus has called each of us to identify with Him completely. "This is how we know we are in Him: Whoever claims to live in Him must walk as Jesus did" (1 Jn. 2:5b-6).

Pray that God will allow you to walk as Jesus did. Experience His power and love in your life today so that others will see the hope that lies in you.

Lovesong

Several years ago, Dave and Nechelle (who coincidentally are getting married end of this year) visited my place in Perth and stayed for a few weeks. Dave was doing an elective at UWA, and Nechelle came for a week to visit. It was a really fun time, and me and Dave jammed alot. Nechelle also cooked the whole family dinner (see, i do remember things =P)

Anyways, this was THE song me and Dave played all the time. I remember those times well... that was when i finally learnt what a harmonic was (thanks Dave!). And we both absolutely loved (well i still do) this song.

So what's so special about this song? I'm not generally a fan of romantic ballads, but this song is special. You can read the words, and each time a different meaning comes up, but the same theme is ever-present. A deep desire to fall more and more in love with God.

This Saviour of mine, who made the "daisies and the roses", who's stature goes beyond "the stars in the heavens", who's "as close as a heartbeat"... who is God (and sometimes it's hard to recognize that when life seems harsh). This is the Saviour I fell in love with.

And this is my prayer to Him...

Lovesong for a Saviour (Jars of Clay)
In open fields of wild flowers
She breathes the air and flies away
She thanks her Jesus for the daises and the roses
In no simple language, someday she'll understand the meaning of it all

He's more than the laughter or the stars in the heavens
As close a heartbeat or a song on her lips
Someday she'll trust Him and learn how to see Him
Someday He'll call her and she will come running
and fall in His arms and the tears will fall down and she'll pray

I want to fall in love with you

Sitting silent wearing their Sunday best
The sermon echoes through the walls
A great salvation through it calls to the people
Who stare into nowhere, and can't feel the chains on their souls

He's more than the laughter or the stars in the heavens
As close a heartbeat or a song on our lips
Someday we'll trust him and learn how to see Him
Someday He'll call us and we will come running
and fall in His arms and the tears will fall down and we'll pray

I want to fall in love with you

It seems too easy to call you "Savior"
Not close enough to call you "God"
So as i sit and think of words i can mention
To show my devotion

I want to fall in love with you

song of the week

This week's song is: Where the love lasts forever (Hillsong London)
it's been in my head for the whole week. so much that i'm doing it at band practice this week (God help my voice =p). But it's a great song. Lyrics are pretty meaningful.

Your mercy found me,
Upon the broken road,
And lifted me beyond my failing,
Into Your glory,
My sin and shame dissolved,
And now forever Yours I’ll stand.

In love never to end,
To call You more than Lord,
Glorious friend.

So I throw my life upon all You are,
‘Cause I know You gave it all for me,
And when all else fades,
My soul will dance with You,
Where the love lasts forever.

And forever I will sing,
Lord forever I will sing,
Of how You gave Your life away,
Just to save me, Lord You saved me.

I've just finished watching the FA Cup final. it happened again. United dominate extra time, and lose to a late... late goal... am i crushed? Definitely. Defeats hurt. But in the big picture, we've won the league... so it doesn't matter that much.

It's amazing how much emotion goes through watching a game of soccer: anticipation (Rooney picks up the ball on the run), hope (when the ultimate super-sub Solskjaer comes on), cynicism (when Robben "falls"), injustice (i swear THAT ball crossed the line) Heartbreak (cue in Drogba's goal)... yeah. the best part is going through that whole gamut of thoughts, and trying to realize that its just a game. at the end of it, whether my team wins or loses, it really wont affect my life in a really significant manner.

The scary thing is that there are ppl who take very seriously sportsperson halfway across the world winning/losing a game. I can refer you to the example of Andres Escobar, whose own goal in the 1994 World Cup led to Colombia's elimination. He was shot dead back home. There's probably some other issues there which led to his murder (his death was probably associated with large-scale gambling), but generally, who among us (i refer to us guys - have to admit girls are more logical about this =P) has never sworn or thrown something at a TV after seeing someone do something remarkably stupid played out on a sports field?

Which gets me thinking: why do we sometimes invest so much effort/emotions into things which really, at the end, don't matter? To escape a mundane reality? To be a part of something larger than yourself?

I remember a portion from the book Wild at Heart which alludes to why people might follow sport. We all want to be a part of a bigger picture. We all seek significance in some way... and sometimes we try to find it in being part of a winning team. I support Manchester Utd. We're a good team. We play good, flowing attractive football. Notice the "We". I've never played at Old Trafford. I've never even met any of the team, and yet immediately there's that association. I support a winning team. Therefore I'm a winner. And when they lose, am I a loser?

I've been listening to a Delirious CD, and there's a point when the lead singer goes "If we'd all just admit, that we all want to be winners here"... and he goes on and speaks of God. He speaks of how "there's a song the angels have been singing since the dawn of time... " and it is this: "Holy is the lord". And as I recall that now, I've just realized that sometimes we seek our significance in things which will fade away. One day, Sir Alex will retire, and United will go back to being an average team, which I'll continue to support ardently. One day, i will no longer be able to get away with dyeing my hair (refer you to my dad). One day, i will run into someone smarter, faster, funnier, stronger ... etc etc. For some of us, we've reached that point... where we sense that we're not that special after all. We're not the best. We're just normal people. Insignificant

But here's the thing. There's a greater story going on out there. It transcends sport. It goes beyond our daily routines, beyond our relationships. There's more to life than life, so to speak. As the song goes... "And I've found myself in You [God]". I want to live life that way. I cant say I'm at that point now, but i want to live my life in that place. That place where i find myself, my worth in where I am with God. That place where I'm part of a deeper story written by the One who made us. Where I stop striving to earn my significance, but where I start living in the significance of what God has done.

"so take me to that place / where i can see your face
cause all i want to do / and all i want to do is worship you" ("Found")

Congratulations, Nickolas!
Your IQ score is 136

This number is based on a scientific formula that compares how many questions you answered correctly on the Classic IQ Test relative to others.

Your Intellectual Type is Facts Curator. This means you are highly intelligent and have picked up an impressive and unique collection of facts and figures over the years. You've got a remarkable vocabulary and exceptional math skills — which puts you in the same class as brainiacs like Bill Gates...

*looks up at above results skeptically*
i love it when it mentions my "exceptional" math skills. I've spent the last 3 years of my degree avoiding all maths... to this date, mentions of the words "stochastic" or "regression" send shudders down my spine. I remember when my supervisor asked me to consider using regression analysis in my thesis. I think the look of horror on my face might be one he'd remember for a while (i really need to hide my emotions better).

wouldn't mind being Bill Gates for a day though, as long as i didn't have to look like him =p. I'd hope I'd make the world a better place. Or if not, at least I'd have a few extra effects pedals for my guitar... In which case the world would be a much noisier place...