I'm not special!

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There's nothing really special about me, except that I have a special God & He's called me into a special relationship with Him.

He invested special gifts in me to serve the special people He created.

He gives me special ideas and does special things through me.

I'm a walking billboard of His special grace and the object of His special love.

So, you see, there's nothing really special about me.

"But by the grace of God I am what I am..." - 1 Corinthians 15:10.

How about you, what's special about you?

Why do people SHOUT when praying?!

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I woke in the middle of the night one Friday and heard some church in my new neighbourhood (yeah, we recently moved) praying and shouting (things like "Holy Ghoooooost fireeeee!" over and over); and the thought that hit me was, why do people shout at the top of their voices when praying?

I mean, it's not like you're talking to someone in a crowded noisy place that you need to raise our voices so loud for the person to hear you, right? Neither are you having an argument or shouting match with God that you need to "OUTSHOUT" Him!

God's not deaf, is He? Then why shout at the top of your voice in the name of praying? Or do louder prayers mean God will hear more clearly and answer more speedily? Why then do we fall for the temptation to shout our prayers, especially at vigils?!

The Prophet Elisha: 7 Lessons from his life and ministry

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Elisha is reputed in Scripture as the Prophet who took the place of Elijah after he was taken up. He is also known as the young prophet who requested and received a double portion of Elijah's spirit.

But there's a lot more to him than being Elijah's understudy and eventual successor - he was a man whose life and ministry we could learn much from.

6 prayers I coined from "the Lord's prayer"

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"In this manner, therefore, pray: Our father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. For yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen." - Matthew 6:9-13.

When Jesus was asked to "...teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples" by one of His disciples in Luke 11:1, He obliged, and gave us this beautiful prayer which we have all embraced.

Think Like God, Think Big!

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"...Go, borrow vessels from everywhere, from all your neighbours - empty vessels; DO NOT GATHER JUST A FEW." - 2 Kings 4:3.

The idea of thinking and dreaming big which us humans have only started exploring is something God has been practising since the beginning of time!

God is the biggest thinker alive! He is the biggest thinker and dreamer you'll ever know! He doesn't think in 'small' terms. He thinks and dreams big! What the French would call "Un grand penseur!"

Why God's the biggest dreamer and thinker? Here's a few reasons...

Does God take pleasure in seeing bad people punished?

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“The Lord is not slack concerning His promise as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but THAT ALL SHOULD COME TO REPENTANCE.” – 2 Peter 3:9.

In one word? No! God never takes pleasure or delight in seeing anyone, not even bad people, punished or suffer. No matter how evil, disobedient and sinful a person may be, God is not pleased to see them punished, He just has to do it.

A heartfelt letter to Jesus, My Everything

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I will start by saying thank you. I know that's a phrase you hear a lot, and I mean every letter of it.
Thank you for not giving up on me even when I had given up on myself, and almost stopped trying.
Thank you for pulling out of my mess, cleansing me with your precious blood and presenting me perfect and blameless to the world.
Thank you for rekindling hope, passion and enthusiasm in my heart.
Thank you for helping me trust and place my faith in you wholeheartedly.
Thank you for being the source of my strength, my confidence, my worth, my meaning, my joy, my peace, my hope, my help, my purpose, my life... my everything.

Jesus, only Jesus!

Who holds your hand and walks with you through all of life's fires and storms?
Jesus, only Jesus!

Who loves you to the point that He gave his life to save you?
Jesus, only Jesus!

In whose strength is our weakness made perfect?
Jesus, only Jesus!

#SSVBlogNuggets: What do you believe?

"He touched their eyes and said, "Become what you believe. It happened. They saw." - Matthew 9:29 (MSG)

We have always read this opening verse of Scripture in the King James Version (KJV) which has it as,
"Then touched He their eyes, saying, According to your faith be it unto you. And their eyes were opened..."
But The Message Bible's translation hit me right between the eyes, it reads: "Become what you believe"!

Yay, April is here! A good time to take stock? I think so

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A happy new month to you all!
Wow! It’s April already? You mean we’re past the first quarter of 2016? Hmm, time flies indeed.

Do you remember when 2016 looked like a planet away? I do.
Do you also remember when you were writing down your goals, hopes, expectations, desires and projects for 2016, and you were earnestly praying to God to make the year a good one? I do. Vividly, even. It’s still fresh in my mind.
Now, we’re firmly in that 2016, passed the first three months and staring squarely at the remaining nine of the same 2016.

God can still create something special out of your mess!

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One of the most fascinating things I have learned in my walk with God is that He can create the most beautiful piece of music from a broken instrument! He can paint the most beautiful picture on a dirty, trashed and trampled-upon canvas! He can create the most beautiful story from broken pieces!

It’s remarkable! And refreshing, too. It tells me that God doesn’t require the best working implement to do His work. Amazing! How refreshing that is. Indeed, He can still create something special out of your mess. He specializes in using broken pieces; and I’m guessing He loves it, too.

#SSVBlogEasterSeries: Be Like Jesus

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This is Jesus
He is the son of God (the only one)
He is sinless, flawless, faultless, spotless perfect, holy...
He left His glorious place in heaven
Humbled himself
Came down to this sin-filled world,

For when it seems all hell is let loose...

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Trying times are, indeed, hard to navigate, even for a word-filled spiritually-minded person. After all, we're still flesh, blood and flawed!

It is important then that we know where to turn, whom to consult and whose word to hold fast to at those times when it seems the gates of problems have been flung wide open! Those times when you just can't understand why it seems you have a heap of pressing issues all at once! Those times when it seems the noise is reaching its loudest! Those times when worry and anxiety have gripped you! Those times when we're overcome by fear!

We can find the strength and faith to hold on and press on in God's word!

The Bible is the world's book of answers! Find out why

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The Bible, indeed, is a practical manual for life! It is not some book written by people who lived in Space or some other world; about people, things and events in that world, and thus not applicable to earth, no!

People in flesh and blood (like you and I) were inspired by God to pen the Scriptures. Their personal experiences, fears, weaknesses, imperfections, hope, victories, mindset, beliefs and confidence shine through in the words. This makes the Bible very relatable!

Choose forgiveness, not revenge

Admittedly, it's hard to look into the eyes of someone who has hurt you and say "I forgive you", and actually mean it. The natural human reaction to hurt is to strike back; but that's the easy route! Everyone is capable of that, how about you try forgiveness!
Forgiveness is not natural to us humans, it's alien nature - we've become imperfect beings. It is an attitude that we have to learn and deliberately cultivate. The flawed human nature is rooted in "an eye for an eye" and "a limb for a limb", which would leave us blind and incapacitated eventually.

Why should I forgive, I have been really hurt you know? You might be thinking. Let's consider some reasons, shall we?

I know a man with a hole in his heart...

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I know a man suffering from a very critical condition; he has a hole in his heart - a quite sizable one.
He has tried filling it with different things; they seem to fit, filling it up for a while, only to come off, sadly. And he suffers because of it, crying silently.

He tried hard work, thinking it would fill the hole in his heart. He worked hard and hard. He rose to the top of the ladder; he achieved immense success, fame and influence. Yet the hole wasn't filled. He suffered on...

What this blog is all about...?

The idea behind the Still Small Voice Blog is pretty straightforward - to inspire, correct, instruct, and ultimately, transform young people to the image of Christ!

I believe that the closer we draw to God and become like Him; the better, wiser and stronger we become. Beyond that, we find clarity and purpose which enables us better navigate this ocean called life - and, ultimately, our world will be better for it!

OK, why "the still small voice"? you may be wondering; pretty straightforward, too. What better way to draw close to someone than to listen to His voice - the voice that speaks to your heart. What better to become God's split image than listening to Him...!

The Still Small Voice is...