prayers

in today morning's bible reading session, i came upon this verse in the book of James with regards to prayer:
"You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures."
Js 4:3

I then went on to share with the enduffmons (grp 4) about a contrasting verse in the gospel according to John:
"If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you."
Jn 15:7

as i sit here now reflecting on the past 5days of assisting in the pre-teens camp that has just come to a smooth end, i cant help but marvel at the amazing grace and mercy that the Lord has showered upon myself and my younger brothers and sisters in Christ. naturally, my heart is filled with praise and thanksgiving to Him who has chosen to look upon me and grant me my heart's desires.

thank You for allowing my leave to be approved even at such a crucial period of my training phase. thank You for guiding the participants safely throughout the camp without any emergencies. thank You for blessing us with beautiful weather and withholding the stormclouds as we carried out our main outdoor activities. thank You for giving me the opportunity to come to know and recognize more younger brothers and sisters who, in a twinking of an eye, will eventually become my co-workers in the near future. thank You for preserving my health and granting me the strength to carry on through each day despite the late nights everyday. thank You for the wonderful food prepared for us that never fails to uplift the tired body. thank You for allowing me to dwell in the house of the Lord and to come before you in daily prayers and bible reading sessions. thank You, dear Father, that though im underserving, yet you have heard my prayers and chose to answer me.

though sin abounded in my heart, His grace aboundeth more.

-less

for some reason, life feels more & more purpose-less. weekdays are spent in camp, where time passes immeasurably slow, & whatever meagre time left in the week is dedicated for church services. before booking back in yet again & the cycle renews itself. life as a man in d r-mi lacks goals & responsibilities, just follow instructions, do things rite, & hopefully book out on time. whereas life as a christian seems to be stabilising itself to the extent of simply being a custom or habit to go to church at the appointed times.

recently, ppl around have been asking me wat i intend to specialise in & work as after uni. frankly, i can never give them a straight, confident answer. life now seems to be without any far-reaching or broad-spectrumed aims or purposes.

to live is gain, to die is for Christ. at least i know what i shld die for, now all thats left is to fill the blanks in between.

this weekend, i did not attend fri evening service & youth service, not that i couldnt.

in the end, i felt bad.

courage

everyday i see him on his bed in front of me, sitting upright with his hands clasped together & murmuring seemingly to himself. he does this a couple of times a day, even when we're out in the field or company line. everyone else notices, but has eventually gotten used to his 'strange' behaviour. thankfully, we're pretty good frens & he knows im a christian . today i found out that he doesnt go to a fixed church like his parents but follows his frens around. he likes nc church becos of the pastor & the young crowd.

is this an opportunity You are presenting before me? is he a lost sheep of Your fold? have You been waiting for me to come to this realisation? what if i say the wrong thing & mess it all up? what if?

may the Lord grant me courage & wisdom to guide him into the truth of the Scriptures. timid & frightened i truly am.

courage

everyday i see him on his bed in front of me, sitting upright with his hands clasped together & murmuring seemingly to himself. he does this a couple of times a day, even when we're out in the field or company line. everyone else notices, but has eventually gotten used to his 'strange' behaviour. thankfully, we're pretty good frens & he knows im a christian . today i found out that he doesnt go to a fixed church like his parents but follows his frens around. he likes nc church becos of the pastor & the young crowd.

is this an opportunity You are presenting before me? is he a lost sheep of Your fold? have You been waiting for me to come to this realisation? what if i say the wrong thing & mess it all up? what if?

may the Lord grant me courage & wisdom to guide him into the truth of the Scriptures. timid & frightened i truly am.