QMAN0804's Xanga

Grace Retreat 2009 - Pics

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 12:27:04 GMT

Here is the larger Pic of the Group Photo

and a smaller size
and few others

Day 26 of Passionate Pursuit of His Presence

Fri, 07 Nov 2008 13:02:25 GMT

Day 26 of 28

And who knows whether you have not attained royalty for such a time as this?

Simply amazing!

I was so moved and stirred by a testimony of a mother of two children.

She is a praying woman.

In late fall 2007, she had her second child, Emmanuel,

and at birth she was diagnosed with low muscle tone.

Then, mom who is from Myanmar started having dreams of strong wind

Which came and devastated her homeland.

At first, she thought this was a weird dream.

But as the dreams continued, she was sure this is real thing which is to come.

She shared her dreams with people and some came alongside her.

She contacted people back home and told them to buy and store up food.

She contacted churches to prepared for disaster teams.

Sure enough, in May 2008, Cyclone Nargis hit Myanmar

and took away many lives and leaving millions in homelessness and helplessness.

People around her raised up nearly $800,000 to aid those homeless and helpless.

With churches mobilized in Myanmar and other helps,

She was able to travel to Myanmar to help

And in the process finding favor with top government officials

(of a country of strong dictatorship & closed to gospel)

What God could do a mom who prays and seeks God!

H.O.P.E. stands for hope.

When people of God gathers to seek God and His help,

We become hope not only for our homes and lives

But also of nations and peoples.

Our hope is not in horses or chariots.

Our hope is not in princes nor kings.

Our hope is in the Lord, Maker of heaven and creator of the earth.

In such a times as we are living in…

God is calling the people of H.O.P.E. to become hope of the world.

Though, small and powerless we may be, our God whom we seek is all powerful and all wise.

A mother of two praying in her home brings more hope

Which no political leaders could bring.

A college student taking time out of her studies bring hope to her campus…

We passionately seek after God so that we may become hope we are called to be.

For God has promised Abraham, a man of faith, as he obeyed God’s call,

“And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed.”

Day 25 of Passionate Pursuit of His Presence

Thu, 06 Nov 2008 12:59:20 GMT

Day 25 of 28

I lift my eyes to the mountain; where does my help come from?

Yesterday was a day of travel.

Got packed late Tuesday night,

More than once I got my travel itineraries printed.

Asked faithful Ann to take care of the mornings for next few days.

She is such a friend and an intercessor.

Traveling through the airports,

The news of the results of the election was everywhere.

Barak Obama will be the first African-American president of our country.

A historic moment, many calls it.

Yes, we are not white America but America made up of many nations and peoples.

On Tuesday evening prayer meeting, I sensed God’s anointing coming upon people

to “Ask for the nations” while in midst of praying for our nation.

God was reminding H.O.P.E. that we are House of Prayer for all the peoples.

I will be very frank, since the election is over.

I was not for Obama. It is not because I liked McCain a lot more.

I was and still am worried about many of his values and stances

in matters which I think important and essential.

One thing is for sure… that I will pray for my president and will do so faithfully.

Would there be many changes? Probably.

Would I like them? Maybe not.

Would it be good for our nation? Probably in some and not in others.

But still changes loom whether for good or for bad.

But changes are needed, some say, if we need to progress.

Others say, if it ain’t broke, don’t change it.

Changes are necessary in most of the areas in our lives.

Changes do not necessarily mean better, though.

In John 15, Jesus says that our Father God is like the vinedresser

who takes away the branches that do not bear fruit and

who prunes the branches so that it may bear more fruit.

For a vine to be more fruitful, pruning is necessary.

Even the branches that bear fruit are pruned to be more fruitful.

My heavenly Father who loves me is changing me.

I can always trust in His loving hands.

God spoke to our church early in the year that He will do a new thing.

He asked us whether we will be aware of it.

He said that He will make highway in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.

Changes us oh Lord, I pray.

Make us more like You.

Align us to You and Your ways.

“How blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob,

whose hope is in the Lord His God.” (Ps. 146:5)

Day 23 of Passionate Pursuit of His Presence

Tue, 04 Nov 2008 11:54:06 GMT

Day 23 of 28

I lift my eyes to the mountain; where does my help come from?

I love surprises.

Unexpected kindnesses.

Unexpected realizations.

Those things make our lives rich with memories and gratitude.

As I walk into my favorite office each morning,

I am freshly reminded of the surprise love gift of my youth four years ago.

Handful of my youth gave up their spring break to give their pastor a new office.

Painted red, carpeted brand new, curtains, shelves for my books, desk and chair with tea table…

For me? For me?

On the walls in my office hang the pictures of four ministries.

Everyone was smiling in the pictures. I am smiling inside.

I am well loved by the people of H.O.P.E.

I was surprised by uncommon love.

Monday evening’s prayer meeting was to be led by ARC men’s group, BFF.

Those leading seemed awkward and uncomfortable.

Different ones took the mic to read scriptures and to lead prayer.

Honest and humble heart-felt confession and emotion raw prayer.

Then, there it was. God came near in that room.

Our prayers became earnest and His help was quite evident.

God’s healing anointing came upon some.

Joy filled the hearts of some.

Some danced and some wept.

Surprise by God’s presence!

God surprised us with a visit last night.

Nothing special we did. No great prayers. No speakers.

Not because of awesome prayer leaders or programs.

Simply because there was honest, earnest, humble prayer.
Simply because we humbled ourselves.

One simply prayed…

I lift up my eyes to the mountain; where does my help come from?

My help comes from the LORD; maker of heaven and creator of the earth.

We simply cried out.

We lift up our eyes to you LORD to come and help.

We look to You alone.

I Lift My Eyes Up (Psalm 121)

Brian Doerksen

I lift my eyes up, to the mountains

Where does my help come from

My help comes from You, Maker of Heaven

Creator of the earth

Oh, how I need You, Lord.

You are my only hope

You're my only prayer

So I will wait for You

to come and rescue me

Come and give me life

Day 19 of Passionate Pursuit of His Presence

Fri, 31 Oct 2008 14:20:06 GMT

Day 19 of 28

Worthy is the Lamb that was slain!

Having lived in Hawaii,

I longed for the snow and the four seasons.

As I say often to myself, good weather everyday is not good.

When I was in Hawaii, I rarely appreciated the crystal clear watered beaches,

the rainbows that were caught in the valleys after afternoon showers,

all year around 80 something sunshine days,

or the pollution free air that I breathed.

One afternoon driving in Philadelphia suburbs,

I saw cars that stopped on the sides of the road and people out of their cars watching the sky.

There was a half rainbow, a faint one, in the sky

and people just enjoyed and appreciated the beauty.

I thought to myself… I saw double rains almost everyday in Hawaii. You can’t call that a rainbow…

Yet, people appreciated even a half rainbow.

Good weather everyday is not good.

We take things for granted.

No reflection. No appreciation. No gratitude.

No time to stop and just take things in.

Yeah, it is there and it will always be there…

We live in an ugly world stained by blood violence, filled with brokenness, and shattered lives.

Enemy comes to kill, steal and destroy.

And we have invited the enemy in even to our living rooms.

Often it is not easy to see the beauty of this world or the hope in midst of despair.

It is easy to get cynical or apathetic.

We are entering a season of Thanksgiving.

As I take time and stopped to look up,

I see my God seated on the throne.

I see the beauty and the majesty of His creation.

I remember the age old promise that is still being fulfilled…

“For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us…

And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor,

Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace…”

He who came as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world

Will surely come as the Lion of Judah who will roar in His righteousness.

He will wipe away all the tears,

establish and uphold justice and righteousness,

and gather men and women from every tribe, tongue, people and nation.

He will make all things new!

I see the King of Glory coming on the clouds with fire;

The whole earth shakes, the whole earth shakes…

(Hosanna, by Hillsong)

I lift up my head to the heaven and cry out, “Maranatha! Lord, come quickly!”

Day 18 of Passionate Pursuit of His Presence

Thu, 30 Oct 2008 12:58:19 GMT

Day 18 of 28

Show me how to love like You have loved me, Break my heart for what breaks Yours

I want to care for things that my God care about.

Loving God means loving things that He love.

It is caring about things that He care about.

Knowing what is in His heart is the key.

I am a selfish person from birth and that is what I know best.

But, loving someone, truly loving someone takes me to a place beyond myself.

When I genuinely care and love someone, life is no longer about me.

If life is still about me, then it will be at best a self-centered love which is really not love at all.

So often, I thought I was loving someone when I was really loving myself.

I was seeking the pleasure of “loving” someone rather than loving the actual person.

I said I love someone for sake of my own delight and pleasure.

That is not a selfless love. It is at best a selfish thing.

Lord, teach me to love as you have loved me.

So, as I seek after the face of God in this season we call “fall” or “autumn”,

When the skies are bluer and higher,

When we shed the fatness of summer,

When we look for the serene cold winter

When our hearts get wiser

I want to know what is in Your heart.

What moves Your heart… in this season?

What grabs Your attention?

Each day, as I seek God in His presence night and day,

I hear God gently knock in my heart.

One morning, God has awakened a dream of mine from my youth.

It was about the next generation.

That morning I have prayed for the youngest ones in the church.

Samantha, Samuel, Jenna, Elisha, Elias…

Katelyn in Haymarket, Ellie in Nashville, and Aiden in Okinawa…

I started my ministry as 2^nd grade Sunday School teacher in 1979.

My first ministry as a seminary student was a children’s ministry pastor in NJ.

I have always loved children.

I called one children’s ministry as KFC (Kids For Christ).

Who will cry out for them?

Who will care for them?

Who will give life for them?

Our school system is in hostage.

We got our God in hostage away from education system.

As we have pushed God effectively out of our education system,

something else in many sinister ways infiltrated trying to shape and mold our little ones…
In the name of not forcing our values on children,

in the guise of value-free education,

hater of our soul feeds little ones with selfish proud humanism.

Teachers are often helpless and without ability to teach little ones

due to all the rules and regulations in the name of sensitivity, diversity & tolerance.

Our little ones live in a broken and shattered world.

Who will cry out for them?

Who will say “YES” and “Here I am, send me”?

Hosanna

[Bridge]

Heal my heart and make it clean

Open up my eyes to the things unseen

Show me how to love like You have loved me,

Break my heart for what breaks Yours

Everything I am for Your Kingdom's cause

As I walk from earth into eternity

Day 15 of Passionate Pursuit of His Presence

Mon, 27 Oct 2008 19:41:01 GMT

Day 15 of 28

I bring to you a fragrant offering. I pour out my love and I wash your feet…

Just days before that great and terrible day,

When my Lord hung between heaven and earth,

When my crimson red sins and guilt were washed away,

Jesus was resting at a home in Bethany.

A woman came with a jar of costly perfume.

I love this story. I have been stuck at this story for many years.

I am now listening to Rita Springer’s “Fragrant Offering.”

She broke that jar and poured on Jesus.

On the head, Gospels of Matthew & Mark highlight her action.

On her feet, Apostle John remembers the love of that woman.

Everyone including the disciples who were there were upset at the thought of waste

and argued that it could have been given to the poor

Jesus defended her and even commended her action as GOOD DEED done for Him.

Maybe a prophetic thing she did to speak of His death and burial…

Jesus told those who were there that

wherever the gospel is preached in the whole world,

what she has done will be spoken of in memory of her.

How many mornings I have come and sat before Him

and sang along this song, “Fragrant Offering.”

I want my life to be an offering pleasant to my God.

More than all things I could do, I want to bring pleasure unto Him.

Costly thing it sure was.

It was a sacrifice, a great sacrifice.

But, in love, there is no such thing as sacrifice.

It is just love. Not a sacrifice. Just a privilege.

Complete abandonment of future, security and comfort…

Just to bring refreshment to my God.

It was for Him and Him alone.

No thought of men’s applause or sympathies.

Just to confess that I love my Jesus.

Fragrant Offering

Rita Springer

I bring to you a fragrant offering
I pour out my love and I wash your feet
I offer up to you oh Lord this brokenness
What you can see in me shall be my confidence

May it be a pleasing fragrance
That I bring to you oh my Lord
I am so in need of your presence
That I bow before you now
I pour my vial of worship over you (2x)

I bring to you a humble sacrifice
I pour out my heart and I give you my life
I offer up to you oh Lord this costly gift
And with absolute abandon now
My love I confess

Day 12 of Passionate Pursuit of His Presence

Fri, 24 Oct 2008 13:23:54 GMT

Day 12 of 28

By faith, Abraham, when he was called, obeyed by going out to a place…

I do love changes… most of my times.

It is fun. It makes me feel alive.

I don’t know how many times I tried a new dish at a restaurant and turned out to be a bust.

But there were occasions when I found my taste bud delighted thoroughly.

I try new roads and occasionally find a short cut I never knew.

I am always expanding my love-that-food list as I try new things.

But, when it comes to my wife she, she is a stickler to what she knows and what she likes

Unless she absolutely has to, she stays with familiar and proven.

You always know what you are getting and it is safe.

But, you also do not have the joy of new found discoveries.

We are so different in so many ways.

I am thinking of the man of faith, Abraham.

He was 75 years OLD when he obeyed God’s call.

God’s call for him was to LEAVE his home, family, city and all that he was familiar with.

He was commanded to GO to a strange land where people he knows not live.

He had most of the things anyone would want in this life.

He had wealth, comfort, respect and security.

When God called him, Abraham obeyed.

He left everything… all the surrounding he know.

By faith, he left all things to a place where he will live by trusting God alone.

Would you or could you leave all your securities for what God has in stored for you?

People will say, “You are crazy. You are out of your mind.”

It is time to retire and chillax.

You are too old for this. You are not as young as you used to be.

This is not what people would do. At least not the normal people.

A road less traveled. A narrow road.

By faith, he left all things to a place where he will live by trusting God alone.

In God’s presence, there is life.

Where God called me to… there is life, a new life waiting for me.

Most of times, this is not a distance or geographical thing.

It is a faith and obedience thing.

Taking a step of faith by obeying what God calls us to.

When Jesus told Peter to come, Peter walked on the water.

No obedience, no miracle.

Day 11 of Passionate Pursuit of His Presence

Thu, 23 Oct 2008 12:17:55 GMT

Day 11 of 28

I will even make roadway in the wilderness, rivers in the desert.

There is a new song by Hillsong which speaks to me.

It is called, “Desert Song,” from their new album titled “This is our God.”

First line of the song goes:

This is my prayer in the desert

When all that’s within me feels dry

We all have been there.

The season of our lives when there is barrenness everywhere.

Sun is scorching hot and water not easily found.

Tired, weary and thirst rules the day.

It feels like dry, God-forsaken land for days after days.

We wonder… “Is the end anywhere near?”

Hopelessness and helplessness.

The song goes on to declare…

My God is God who provides…

There is faith proved more worth than gold

In those times, we sing and look unto God.

I will bring praise, I will bring praise

No weapon formed against me shall remain

I will rejoice, I will declare

God is my victory and He is here.

Every situation and circumstance is an opportunity to draw near to God

Where we have new revelation of God’s unchanging love and His kind care.

Desert is a time of special invitation into the heart of God.

Greatest of the Bible heroes found history-changing revelation of God’s glory in the desert.

Moses met God in the burning bush in the desert.

David saw God’s protective hands in the desert of Engedi and molded into a King after His heart.

It is not a place of despair but of trust in God’s provisions.

It is not a God-forsaken place, but place where we come to God face to face.

It is the place where our tears turn into joyful noise of praise.

All of my life, In every season

You are still God

I have a reason to sing

I have a reason to worship

God promises to us… He will make roadway in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.

I am going for a swim… in the desert.

Day 9 of Passionate Pursuit of His Presence

Tue, 21 Oct 2008 16:07:34 GMT

Day 9 of 28

Those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength… (NASB)

I hate waiting.

I am an impatient person. I honestly admit.

I hate waiting in line. I can’t stand those who cut in line.

Waiting never comes easy for me.

I fit perfectly well in this world, this generation of instant gratifications.

We have fast food for those who are in hurry.

For those who can’t find time to walk in, we have drive-thru for anything.

Yet, there are things in this world that require time.

Wine gets better with age… they say.

There is no instant maturity or excellence.

True love is proven through time.

A person of character is not made in an instant.

Waiting comes difficult for us.

I feel myself itching to do something rather than being still.

I want to defend myself, strike back, justify myself,

and do something rather than nothing.

Rather than being still before Almighty God who cares for me,

It is easier to run about… usually making mess of things.

Because Biblical waiting includes “trusting” in God

for His wisdom, His power and also His timing.

God spoke to me this morning on my way to Morning Prayer,

“Those who wait upon the Lord will renew their strength.”

He highlighted the word, “wait.”

God often speaks to me in NASB language.

The word, “wait”, can also be translated as “hope.”

The Everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth,

Our God commands us to wait on the Him.

We are called to put our hope and trust in Him.

Waiting upon the Lord displays our trust in Him.

As we wait, God transforms us to those who can receive His strength.

When I feel rushed, hectic, out of control and when frustration sets in…

I steal away to a quiet alone place and reflect on Psalm 37.

“Be still in the Lord and wait patiently for Him.. (Psalm 37:7)

“Those who wait for the Lord will inherit the land.” (Psalm 37:9)