CAN YOU HEAR ME?

A CA was held last Thursday right after everyone had a wonderful Raya break. We were first ushered in with radiant smiles from the adorable Ee Heng and Cassandra. CA then kicked off with emcees Joanne and MJ which humored us with their small banter on stage. A newcomer was introduced, before we led into an opening prayer by MJ.
Games soon followed, and Li Sia made us get into a big circle to be easily divided into two groups. The two groups then settled in a long line facing one another, and we held one another’s hand. The game resembled an electric current and one was supposed to squeeze the person on their left’s hand once they felt the squeeze from the person on their right. The first person from each line can only start squeezing after a coin was flipped. The last person of the line must then dash to grab the bottle placed between the two groups before the other group. After seven rounds, it was announced that Group 2 had won.

Praise and worship was then co-led by Zoe and Larry (guitar). The rest of the team members were Dian Han on the drums, Samantha on the piano, and Nicole and Elsha as the backup singers. Chewie played bass for one song, “One Way”. The songs included in the worship were “I’ve Got The Joy”, “One Way”, “Through It All” and “Above All”. Siew Wee was in charge of the projector.

It was a really inspirational time as the worship team was all set on fire for Jesus, and Zoe really led us to Him with her spirit and passion. It was her first time leading and she gave it her all. The rest of the team had given it their best to the Lord as well, and everyone could feel their fire.

After the worship session, it was time for a testimony from Samantha and Elsha. It was about the recent annual debate competition held by INTEC. (Battle of Minds). Sam and Elsha were the champions for this year's competition and they felt the need to share with us their experience with God through debate. Sam said that God brought them through it as both Elsha and Sam have had bad experiences with debate during high school. God gave them a chance to heal and to have strong faith in Him that He will bring them through it, through this debate competition.

It is amazing how God works, and as He is an amazing God, just as Elsha had said, He brought them both to victory, for they had done their very best for Him and held His name up high through debate.

Afterwards, we had a sermon by Pastor Joshua entitled Listening To God. The first step to listening to God, as Pastor Joshua said, is that we must prepare our heart. Before we can hear Him, we must be ready to listen. We wouldn’t be able to hear Him if we are not prepared to listen to Him just yet.

Pastor Joshua shared with us a story of his personal experience of listening to God in a particular garden that he had been with his son before. He told us that when he was bogged down with troubles about his job, he had went to that exact same spot where he had heard God speak in order to listen to Him again, and true enough, God did speak to him. Pastor Joshua was given another job just two days after God spoke to Him. Though, Pastor Joshua mentioned that the same problems occurred and after a year, he went to the same spot again in order to speak to God and to hear Him speak.

He said to God, “Lord, You promised, and You never break Your promises”. And God did speak to him yet again for God does not break His promises, and true enough, Pastor Joshua finally had a job in which he was happy in. Pastor Joshua said that we can only listen to Him, if we are prepared to listen to Him speak. For he waited for the Lord to speak, and true enough, the Lord did speak to him.

To be able to listen to Him as well, we must read the bible. This is the second step to listening to Him as the bible is His written Word.

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
– John 1:1

Pastor Joshua also shared with us a touching story about how his girlfriend who eventually got back together with him after a period of being apart. (His girlfriend eventually became his wife, and they lived happily ever after!) They both heard God speak, in different ways. He told us that God speaks, most of the time in a still voice that we have to strain to listen, and rarely does He speak in an audible voice. This is why we must always open our hearts to listen to Him and to learn His Word.

The third step to listening to Him is to check our motives. We have to know why we want to hear Him. Pastor Joshua shared with us a little story, that there were two people in Petaling Street but one of them actually heard a cricket sing. His friend did not believe him but he then parted the leaves of a nearby plant and actually found the cricket.

His friend then said, “How can you hear the cricket over all this noise?” The point is, when we strain to listen, we will hear something beyond the noise. The world around us is always filled with noise, and so, we must take that time off to actually still our mind and listen to God.

The story doesn’t just end there, the boy then rolled coins down the street, and everyone actually stopped and searched for those coins. Pastor Joshua then also mentioned that when we focus on something, we will then be able to listen to it. These people have set their motives on money, and as such, they were able to listen to the clinks of the coins over the noise.

If we focus on Him, and set our motives right, to listen to Him, we will be able to listen to Him.

Speaking first is the fourth step to listening. We must first begin, by saying, “Hello.” Pastor Joshua told us to pray to Him and to ask for confirmation for Him to speak. We must begin the conversation, and we must then be patient and listen.

And lastly, we must rely on the Holy Spirit. In John (16:7, 12-13), Jesus Christ said,

“Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you.”
– John 16:7

“I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.”
- John 16: 12-13

Pastor Joshua then begin praying for those who lifted up their hands, wanting to be able to listen to God, those who had not been able to listen to him, or even those who had fallen out momentarily but wished to listen to Him once more.

Afterwards, Pastor Joshua also urged those with examinations coming up to step forward for him to pray for them to be given the wisdom and strength by the Lord to get through it. However, due to the large number of people who stepped up, Pastor Joshua then told them to form small groups to pray for each other.
A small worship session was then held, and everyone had a really great time singing along to the songs and worshipping God. After the small closing worship session, it was then time for fellowship and we adjourned to the next room for refreshments prepared by Jonathan Chua, Pei Ling and Chewie who helped. They served us soup, with hard bread, and even banana cake.
One thing about this CA that was really touching was the fact that everyone had the passion to serve, and to worship Him. God really multiplied our time, and everyone felt that things concluded early and just in time for everything. Another great thing was that so many people turned up for this CA, and we were all encouraged by all the small little events that occurred during CA this time.

In His service,
Nicole.