This week for YF, we had BreakOut: Facing the Giants. This breakout was an interesting difference from our normal games session. This time around, we all got comfy on the wonderfully comfortable carpet flooring of the chapel as we were captivated and moved by the movie screening. The show Facing the Giants basically told the story of an American Football [or rugby as we more commonly know it as in Singapore] team that slowly changed after it understood that its purpose was to give God glory instead of winning medals. We saw how the coach of the team slowly changed their team philosophy towards Glory to God rather than glory to themselves.

The show was moving and reflective as it made us all think on why we do the things we do. Do we just do them so we can succeed and do well? or do we look at the things we do with eternity's values in view? Do the things i do today matter and count for Christ? We asked ourselves such questions as thoughts like these were cast onto the wall in a video form.

When the show ended, we broke up into discussion groups which were led by Michelle and Jamie. Each of our groups had an enlightening and very engaging discussion about our purpose on this earth. Why were we created and what are we doing now that contridicts this planned purpose for our lives. Moreover, how can we then change what we are doing now to fit to God's team philosophy. We discussed about whether putting studies ahead of God and church was the right thing to do when Singapore demands so much. We talked about what is success to us and what do we mean when we 'rate' ourselves according to the world's standards rather than God's standards. It was surely a tough time of reflecting and finger pointing [at ourselves of course] and we were able to come away with some interesting points of information such as a few good quotes from the movie.

All in all, it was a good learning lesson time for all of us as we pondered some issues that are normally out-of-sight-out-of-mind. I'm confident to say that we all enjoyed the movie and gleaned good topics of interest from the discussion. My only hope and prayer is that we don't stop talking bout such issues. that we keep the topics alive and burning in our minds so that we don't forget what's really important. It's not about getting 100 marks for an exam, not about whether we one day have a comfortable life with all the 5Cs nor is it about how we look in people's eyes of fame. It's about whether we please God and whether He derives and obtains Glory from our thoughts, actions and words.

I shall leave you with a few quotes from the movie that we all felt were good lessons learnt.

'If we win, we praise Him. If we lose, we praise Him.'
'There were two farmers who prayed for rain. One prepared his field to receive the rain. Which of these farmers, do you think, trusted God to send the rain? Which farmer are you? God will send the rain, you just go prepare your field to receive it.'

posted by Joel / Rui @ 10:42 AM
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Have you asked yourself what 'Worship' means? Like, really what it meant in the original text and how come so many people around us have so many different views? "Worship is a lifestyle" says one, "No! Worship is an attitude" screams another. "Are you crazy? Worship is an action!" retorts another. Now, how are we supposed to agree with any of them if they are all saying different things? Well, it's funny but they're actually all correct. Worship is all of the above and more. Just like many other words in the bible, the meaning of certain words are lost in translation [no, i'm not talking bout that bill murray show]. In the original text, the word WORSHIP can actually be translated into 6 different hebrew/greek words. 3 from the OT and 3 from the NT. What are they? well...

1. SACHAH & PROSKUNEO
Meaning: To bow down, pay honor.
The word prostrate came from the root word 'proskuneo' and this action was done by mostly OT people when they bowed down their faces to the ground, prostrate themselves and submitted to God's Will. Bowing is significant because it leaves you not only vulnerable to whoever you are bowing to but also a sign of how you are submitting to their rule. It is an outward expression of your willingness to let the person you are bowing to, lead your life.
Why don't we do that nowadays then? Maybe it's coz we don't really know who God is. We don't really understand the glory or awesomeness of the God we worship and thus, we don't see a need to bow or even think of submitting ourselves to Him.

2. ABAD & LATERIA
Meaning: Service, in sacrifice.
We're all familiar with the Romans 12:1 verse which says
But how often do we take it apart and analyse what each calling means?
a) By the mercies of God: Jesus died for us on the cross and it is because of that, that we can serve God directly. The price for this opportunity and chance to serve the God of all creation was Jesus' blood shed on the cross.

b) Present your bodies: Often we don't give everything to God. When the OT people sacrificed a lamb or an offering, it was complete sacrifice. They didn't chop off a leg from the sheep/lamb and burn it. They killed and burned the whole animal. Likewise, we should also present our bodies for God.

c) A Living Sacrifice: In OT times, the sacrifice was killed and burned at the altar. However, Jesus isn't asking us to jump into a pit of fire or jump off a building to offer ourselves in service to Him. He speaks of a LIVING sacrifice. One that is CONSTANTLY being sacrificed and choosing to die for Christ. What we do every day reflects on whether we are trying to give God honor and glory.

d) Holy: Holy means to be santified, to be set apart for glory. Are we, as Christians living in this generation, setting ourselves aside for God's glory. When we club, smoke, drink excessively, are we setting ourselves aside for God to be glorified? Or does that only happen on weekends when it is convenient?

e) Accceptable unto God: When Jesus died on the cross for us, we became acceptable to God. Our sacifice turned into something God desires rather than a burnt offering from a sinful dirty person. Because of Jesus, we no longer have this barrier between us and God and our offerings to Him [though not in the form of a burnt lamp] is acceptable to Him.

f) Which is your reasonable service: Ben gave us an illustration here which I personally felt was GREAT. He said that if he were to give his handphone to someone and asked how much they would pay him for it, it would reflect how much they valued the handphone. If he asked another person, it might be a totally different amount since it might not be very valuable or desired as compared to the first person.
Likewise, when Jesus died for us, it was a gift given to us free. Jesus isn't asking you to die on a cross in repayment. He askes us so little and yet we can't give it. Is that a reflection of how much we value Salvation? Salvation may be free, but it's not cheap and we should make it look or sound cheap.

3. YARE & SEBOMAI
Meaning: Revere
This is the common understanding of Worship. To revere the person we are worshipping [in this case, God] What is reverance? Well, to glimpse, we recall Moses and the burning bush. When he approached the bush, God's voice told him to take off his sandals as the place he was standing on was Holy Ground. When Moses came before the bush, he hid his face as it was glorious, bright and awesome. That God is the same God we say our daily grace to, the same God who we ask for more strength and more patience. Do we really believe He is God of all or is He just a powerful being that's all? Proper worship entails reverence and God looks at the heart, not the outward appearance of a man.

After we had gone thru what worship means to us, we broke up into our individual ministries to prepare ourselves for youth sunday.

All in all, it was a great YF and the meaning behind many things we do or say was brought up and pondered over.

posted by Joel / Rui @ 12:07 AM
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