Reflections from Church Camp '08

This is going to be a long, wordy post. You've been warned xD

The theme for this year's church camp was Transformed! By His grace and power. It was anchored on one of the verses in our scripture memory list

1Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. 2Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
Romans 12:1-2

Testimonies were shared throughout the camp, and it just leaves me smiling and awed by what our God can do.

There was one testimony on the first night about a lady's lost luggage which was left at the side of the road in Singapore for a few hours, and who should pick it up but her friend. Coincidence? The auntie (oops) contemplated on whether to put a luggage tag the night before since she thought the luggage will be put together with all the rest from her coach. She put the luggage tag on anyway. Coincidence? Someone could have called the police to report a "suspicious article" seen by the side of the busy road but no, the lone bag was ignored. Coincidence? I don't think so.

Transformed - by the renewing of our mind(set). Pastor Derek said something which really struck me and I believe many others too. He said sickness and disease was never meant for us. We were created clean and "without blemish", and any form of illness (allergies included) were not from God because He did not create us to be sick. In the Lord's prayer, part of it says in Matthew 6:10, "your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven." Note that there's no form of illness or unhappiness in heaven. It's a similar case for our planet. Healing belongs to the church, the body of Christ.
Exodus 15:26 "the Lord who heals you."
Psalm 103:3 "heals all your diseases."

Thus healing of the sick and physical abnormalities took place for all 3-4 days. It felt more like a healing camp. I was just thankful that I was and am physically well. Health is a blessing, and we deserve it!

Pastor Mike Connell was with the Chinese congregation throughout the camp except on the 'free and easy' time on the 2nd day where we youths had the privilege of having him speak to us, and then Pastor Mike again that night with the rest of the English congregation. He did the same thing with us for both sessions. He taught us how to hear from God for a word or vision FOR someone, one whom we aren't familiar with...and then pray for that person using whatever we've heard or saw. We practiced this with different people.

It was quite an experience for me because I really had to put aside every self-consciousness and doubt, and not question myself, whether it's part of my imagination or something from God Himself. I wrote this in my notes, "Receive God's revelations in your mind and, not argue with it. Learn how to receive info from God, act on it. Renew your mind." I found it difficult... and I still find it a little challenging, because in my opinion, one has to have an extremely close walk with God in order to hear Him that well and be 100% sure it's from Him. I'm glad that afternoon's 'free and easy' was taken up by that session. That was when I REALLY felt God's presence as compared to the other sessions. I wanted to continue to worship Him, but the closing closed too soon. Haha.

How to renew your mind/activate the renewed mind
- memorise scriptures
- meditate on the word of God
(- use your imagination to visualise a story in the Bible, like you're a part of the story
--> visualise aspects not recorded in the Bible)
- pray in tongues
--> spirit is praying
- pray and tune in
--> expressing our longing to hear from Him; desire to communicate with Him
--> God DOES speak to us. Job 33:14-18


As for Holy Spirit Night, this year's was slightly different. The many testimonies shared again left me at a loss for words, it's wonderful to hear how prayer and faith can get rid of salompas (you konw, that plaster for body aches), can make one (who's initially unable to even squat) RUN, improve one's eyesight by leaps and bounds, etc. There's so much, I can't recall everything.
This year, all the elders and elders' wifes (not 'wives' right?) made a sort of tunnel where every single one of us were supposed to walk through it, stopping at each couple for them to pray a short prayer for us. All we had to do was to receive. At the end of the tunnel, we'd get ushered to either SP or Pastor Derek to be anointed with oil... that's when many got slain, especially at Pastor Derek's side. He was "firing" all through the night. I didn't get slain, I simply took a few steps back when his oily hand touched my forehead. I don't know how it's like to be slained.. and I'm not questioning God either, but I'm curious to know what happens. That, I know, varies from person to person.

Another main thing I learned was that Jesus was born as a human, fully man, not a supernatural being.

5Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:
6Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
7but made himself nothing,
taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
8And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
and became obedient to death—
even death on a cross!
Philippians 2:5-8 (NIV)

Jesus has to become fully man so that He can take the sins for us, so we can identify with His sacrifices.

19Jesus gave them this answer: "I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does.
John 5:19 (NIV)

Jesus did not perform miracles as God, He was "Son of Man", remember?

38how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him.
Acts 10:38 (NIV)

So much for the Da Vinci Code arguing that Jesus was a man... well, he WAS!! The other arguement in the book/movie is just lame, not for the weak in faith.

I have this motion sickness which acts up every now and then when I'm in the car or public bus and I'd feel like puking. I don't la, I end up burping at the end of the ride. But it still feels horrible. I can't even talk on the phone or reply SMSes in the car. Amazingly, I did not feel that way during the journey to and from KL in the coach!! I could even STUDY in the bus and sing songs and talk, without feeling any discomfort. I sat right at the back of the coach on the first day, mind you, supposedly the most motion sickness-prone seats but no, nothing happened! Praise God! :D

Christians put on display the reality of God. We are ambassadors of Christ (something which came to my mind right before Pastor Mike mentioned it). So we should show it, prove it, through our actions. Realise how the media creates such a huge fuss over Christians who commit crimes... it's just this discrimination which I cannot understand.

You give and take away
You give and take away
My heart will choose to say
Lord blessed be Your name