the cg leader's homecoming

Testing..Testing!!

Hi guys & gals,

Just testing out this blog thingy.. never had a blog before..

Anyways.. really had a lot of fun last night and hopefully we will all be reading our Bibles diligently for the next few months and having some fun at the same time.

Remember to think of the 'forfeit' for each other which is to be carried out after the end of the 8 sessions.. 

Jo-Ann

Some thoughts on fasting

Just to recommend some interesting ideas from Dallas Willard (one of the co-founders of Renovare), here's some excerpts from an article in his website:

"Fasting is another long proven way of finding our way into Sabbath, where we live and do our work from the hand of God. In fasting we abstain from our ordinary food to some significant degree and for some significant length of time. Like solitude and silence, it is not done to impress God or merit favor, nor because there is anything wrong with food. Rather, it is done that we may consciously experience the direct sustenance of God to our body and our whole person...

"Fasting is, indeed, feasting. When we have learned well to fast, we will not suffer from it. It will bring strength and joy. We will not be miserable, and so Jesus tells us not to look miserable. (Matt 6:16) Was he suggesting that we fake a condition of joy and sufficiency when we fast? Surely not. He knew that we would "have meat to eat" that others "know not of." "

Interesting isn't it? The idea that fasting will bring strength and joy! That is why clearly those who put on a show of suffering while fasting clearly miss the point. They do it for merit. But in fact, the act itself brings us closer to God and we dwell in His presence... which is the reward itself! Not that we are legalists who try to "earn" grace, but that carrying out such activities like fasting is ITSELF beneficial and a vehicle for God's grace - i.e. His power acting in our lives.

For full article (also covers solitude & silence) : http://www.dwillard.org/articles/artview.asp?artid=40

Here's also another quote from a Christianity Today article (http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2006/september/28.49.html):

"Fasting is "prime self-denial," a way to expose "how much of our peace depends upon the pleasures of eating."

So when we abandon the pleasures of the flesh as a form of satisfying ourselves (i.e. the pleasures of eating), we can experience the joy of fellowship with the Lord, accessing the strength that comes from the Kingdom. Again another illustration of what Jesus described as trading our heavy yokes (of bondage of pleasures of eating) with his yoke which is light (freedom from bondage of eating pleasures and strength from His presence).

Of course, everything in context. There is a time & place for feasting, and some people need to eat more. But for many of us in modern city life, we have way too much to eat for our own good, and put too much primacy on a good meal.

Spiritual Discipline - The 12 Disciplines

Hi guys,

Just to give you some info as to what all the 12 spiritual disciplines we will be studying in the next couple of months or so...

INWARD DISCIPLINES
1. Meditation (done)
2. Prayer (done)
3. Fasting - Jenny
4. Study - Janet

OUTWARD DISCIPLINES
5. Simplicity - Ginny
6. Solitude (done)
7. Submission - Jenny
8. Service - Janet

CORPORATE DISCIPLINES
9. Confession - Ginny
10. Worship - Jenny
11. Guidance - Janet
12. Celebration - Ginny

Dear Encounters,

Our beloved CG leader is having his exams in just under a week. Those of us at cell yesterday decided to create a prayer chain for him this week. Please feel free to slot yourselves in anywhere you can:

Thursday 12April - Jenny
Friday 13April - Lydia
Saturday 14April - Irwin
Sunday 15April - Ginny
Monday 16April - Charles
Tuesday 17April - Hanna
Wednesday 18April (EXAM DAY 9:30-12:45) - Charmaine, Sunny

Love, Hanna.

I can post!

At last! I have figured out how to post using my own name! yay!
I have sent out some invites to the rest of the cell so if you follow the link on the invite e-mail, you should find yourself here.

Meditation on Ps 119:23-24

These verses read: "Even though princes sit plotting against me, your servant will meditate on your statutes. Your testimonies are my delight; they are my counselors."

Since taking up the role of acting manager at the office, I've had to face the reality of office politics in a much more concrete way than before when I was an executive. I've been tempted often to perceive colleagues/superiors' actions as being prejudiced or skewed. When I started meditating on the recommended list last Thursday morning, these verses hit me just at the right time.

Of course, my situation wasn't as dire as having "princes" plot against me - but it did seem as if people who had influence over my career were working against my favour. So these verses comforted me, and reminded me that there is a higher ultimate authority to which I'm answerable above all else, that it is His opinion that counts above all and it is His power that puts the earthly authorities in their place. I know some of you will have "enemies" in the office. But this reminded me that Jesus taught us to LOVE OUR ENEMIES because at the end of the day, they're NOT our enemy - our ultimate enemy is satan and the ones we think are our enemies are as much under satan's yoke as we are. So, since we're ALL in the same boat, we should encourage and love each other - even the ones who plot against us.

Reflecting on office politics, this is where I'm convinced that there are principalities and powers above/within/underlying the whole organisation. 99% of people in the office are not evil. In fact, they're created good but have a fallen nature. Somehow, the way organisations are structured, people are often put in a position which brings out their fallen-ness. When this is widespread throughout the organisation, it seems to create a culture that takes on a life of its own. So people start behaving in ways they would never have dreamt off when joining. That's why I think we need to be generous towards "difficult" colleagues - remind ourselves that we all (in general) want what's best for the organisation. Just that we disagree on how it should be achieved.

Ps 119:23&24 also reminded me that having His word & His law written in our hearts is the only way we are going to deal with our sticky situations. It's only as we breathe in His words & have them brought alive by the Holy Spirit as we meditate daily, only then will be able to build the sort of characters that will respond neither with violence nor building walls - but to reach out in vulnerability, to reach out for reconciliation.