Vanguard.

Been giving alot of thoughts of my current cell group M.A.D - which stands for "Making A Difference". But some of us have spun other versions like "My Army Days" and "Mutually Assured Dependance". I kinda like the last one, coz it speaks of us been dependant on each other. An army that fights together is a powerful force to be reckoned with.

As i continued to persist in prayer for the cell, God laid many things in my heart regarding my cell. Some people see the Army Lifegroup as a condemned place, a purgatory for all Singaporean males who have no choice in functioning properly in any other cells other than the place where they can find similar people. So we are sometimes viewed in a way as a dumping ground, a place to await for our ORD to release us from this purgatory in the ministry before moving on. To disprove that, just take a look at all the Disciple-makers we have dispatched to all the different cells, army guys who are all making an impact in the lives of the younger ones. But spiritually i know that we are so much more....

As i was pondering and praying over the cell, God placed in me a passion; a passion to make this cell into a Vanguard Unit. Traditionally the Vanguard unit was the elite of the elite, the ones that went forth to meet the enemy first. They can always be found where the battle is the most intense, sending chills down the enemy's spine by their sheer agression and ferocious in battle.

Constantine had his Varagian Guards; Caesar had his Praetorians; Hitler had his SS - now it's time for Christ to have His elite MAD troopers.

My vision is that we would be a cell, though small in number, be skillful and much feared by the enemy in spiritual battle. My prayer is that we would all become pillars in the ministry, going forth to lead, teach, and to encourage others in the ministry. A place of healing, a place of empowering...

It's not an impossible dream; it's not a difficult vision....

If everyone put their back to the plow. It's takes everyone to make it happen.

Everyone.

It's been a long week. A really long week of preparation and standing by for the Queen of a certain country that apparently for no reason decided to visit us. You must understand, foreign state visitation = lots of trouble for me.

Enough. I'm pretty much challenged by what my friend said. "I have decided to stop whining to others, instead, i shall complain to God." Well done, just like what David did. So i guess you'll hear less of my accounts on how i find people in camp extremely irritating and dumb.

University application result draws near. This time it would be my second attempt. I got this weird feeling that i'm destined to go somewhere else; for now, i linger and wait for the final verdict to come.

Okie, it's a short post, but as usual i'm pretty tired. So i guess you'll have to wait another week for me to post anything substantial.

Winter Offensive

I realized that i've never really explained what Winter Offensive really meant. It's been the title of my site, and yet not many people really know the true meaning of it, so here i am, after a long week of madness in camp.

Winter Offensive - the title has it's origin in the Second World War (my goodness), as the Germans beseiged the City of Stalingrad of the River Volga, and it was summer when the 6th German Army encircled the city other than the bank off the river. Under General Von Paulus, the battle was to be the major turning point in history.

Okie hey, before you fade into a distant grey and sleep, just bear with me. This is a free lesson on one of the major historical events that shaped our modern world - so you better be listening

Hey! Don't click the X! Okie i'll get to the point (Sigh)

As the Germans continued their assault on Stalingrad, winter approached and enveloped the entire 6th Army. At this very moment, the Soviets mounted a huge offensive named "Operation Uranus", crushing the flanks of the 6th Army and her allies and ultimately resulting in the surrendering of Von Paulus' Army.

I chose the term Winter Offensive at that point of my life when i felt i was at my darkest period in life, when it seem that everyone was moving on so fast, so fast.... And i realised that it was my winter period, a desert experience. As i huddled up, cold and defeated, surrounded by my enemies on all fronts, i remembered His love.

And i decided enough was enough.

It was time to strike back. It was time to launch my winter offensive on the enemy.

We have been so battered by the enemy on all fronts, and as Christians we are called to be more than conquerors. It's time we stop playing victim, and strike back at the enemy. The best defense is offense; we must rally and strike at the heart of the enemy.

Every encouragement in times of failure, every word of faith given in times of doubt, every whisper of comfort in times of pain, every strong word of rebuke in times of rebellion - all these are the ammunition by which we hit back. The prayers, the visions, every act of simple obedience strikes fire into the enemy's camp.

Alright, i hear the yawning already.

"Dom, why must everything you say or do evolve around the military?!" my friends once asked me.

Good question. It's like why do people enjoy watching the sunrise? Why are some more incline to reading than watching a movie? The list goes on, but what it really means is this - i was created this way, with this preference. I loved all things military since young, often going about in my diapers with a toy gun in my hand and a helmet on my head. (Yeah and my mom caught it on photo) I remembered my most prized collection when i was a young boy was my soldier figurines, the sort where you lay out on a map in mock battle array, the sort where you can get from cheap mama shops at any void decks. I remember firing the rifle for the very first time... it felt good. And i totally enjoyed my fieldcamp and sit test. (Okie fine, i'm crazy, so what?) This preference cannot be explained, and most of the time it puts people off. But i'll never forget what Rev. James Singh said to me sometime back. He said that God made us this way for a purpose, and God is gracious and loving enough to send you vision according to what you really enjoy. I remember for a good part of my visions that God granted me, almost 85% were of a military setting. IE i had a vision of ranks of Vikings banging their shields with their swords, it was about getting ready for the conflict that was to come back then in my christian walk. I remember the artillery vision i had which was about prayer, and the list goes on and on.

Guess i'll stop here about this military stuff and go on to something milder.

I've been hunting for a few good CDs recently, but alas to no avail. I'm particularly looking for CDs by Chris Rice and Caedmon's Call, and aparently they're all sold out. Sad. =(

I really enjoy their style of music, even though it may not be your typical Hillsongs or Planetshakers. I got sick of those stuff, and i prefer quieter stuff, or songs that tell a story. Like Caedmon's Call's song "Table For Two" which so beautifully depicts the unnecessary worries we create regarding the who's and the when's of our future. Chris Rice's song "Big Enough" talks about coming to God as a child, and in the chorus it says

"God if You're there, i need You to show me
And God if You care, i need You to know me
I hope You don't mind me asking these questions
but i figured that You're big enough
figured that You're big enough..."

And ohhh... i spent 52 bucks on a Benny Hinn CD set on the Feasts of Israel. I hope this investment would be a worthy one as i let go and give God my best - everything, talents and passions. Perhaps i can be someone who will be able to teach the pure Word of God effectively.

=)

Passover Us....

Today i was listening to a song from my new CD "Behold The Lamb Of God", and there was this track called "Passover Us". As i listened as the singer repeated "Let Your judgment passover us", i couldn't help but have that sense of awe and fear, that the angel of death was there to slay the first born of Egypt, yet spared the children of Israel from such great calamity. I can imagine how the Hebrew children would huddle together with their family in their broken-down slave quarters made up of mud and straw, holding tightly to their mothers as the angel of judgment "passover" them. They witnessed the demonstration of a powerful and terrible act of God, yet they experienced first hand the mercy of a God that has kept His promise to their forefathers. They were afraid, yet they knew the promise that God will not harm His people, especially the little children. The blood on the door post was His proof, and the blood on the door post was their redemption.

I couldn't help but feel a great sense of awe invading into my heart as i listened to the song. God, in all His mercy and power, smite Egypt in order to free His people. Moses wasn't the deliverer; he was merely a servant. God was their deliverer. Later in history, God will once again deliver His people, this time with a Lamb too. A spotless and pure lamb, led to His slaughter so that the wrath of God may "Passover" us, seeing the blood on the door post of the hearts of those who chose to believe.

My heart's prayer is that i'll never lose the wonder of it all, to see in fear and awe as the wrath of God passover me, passover all those that i love and cherish, family and friends.

Lord, let Your judgment Passover us
Lord, let Your love hover near
Don't let Your sweet mercy Passover us
Let this blood cover over us here...

Fufillment

I think i got the spelling right. How you hate it when there are certain times when you just can't get the right word, right grammer, or the right spelling. I get this all the time, and it does irks me.

It's been a hard 9 days in camp, and in the beginning you don't really miss home. And when it's the weekends, and i realized that i should be in church, yet i'm playing a game of mindless RISK with Sulaiman, Sam Mok and Aidan... I should be in church, then suddenly i find myself in the dusty IPE store, shifting thru endless stores and catching a flu in the process. I should be in church when i feel the frustration and agony of trying to create something out of nothing.

But nevertheless i cannot dictate what should happen and what should not. But what i can do is to take it like a man.

It wasn't easy. Soon the feeling of homesickness gave way to a certain kind of indifference, and when i had the chance to go home for juz one night, i didn't. Instead i went out with the guys and with my best efforts try to enjoy and unwind. It didn't work, as we walked the streets of Toa Payoh - so near to home, yet so far. On the very last day (Tuesday) i was completely numb, and as i returned home. To see my bedroom again brought no joy to me, well at least i was glad to see my mom and dad again.

This feeling has haunted me for a long time, even as i tried to unwind with a game of Rome Total War, it didn't really fill the void in me. I decided to go for a walk outside in the civilian world, and i made my way down to PS to meet Shian and the rest of the guys. Caught the movie Underworld Evolution and then hopped down to Manhattan Fish Market to grab a bite. The whole gathering ended with a nice soya bean milk getaway at Middle Road, and then it was home for me. I bought two CDs today, Behold the Lamb of God by Andrew Peterson, and The Mission Bell by Delirious. Behold the Lamb of God is good stuff, especially since no one has heard about it. It's in such rare CDs that i find treasures... Delirious wasn't as good as i thought it would be. I guess they call it maturity in song writing, but i still like their originals like Did You Feel The Mountain Tremble...

My point is, after all these activities, i still feel lethargic - i don't know why.

And then i come to realise... It's been a long time since i took a plunge into God's presence...

So here i go.

"Jump on three!!!"

"Yes sir!"