Which one came first?

On the last Tuesday Chapel, December 1 2009, Rob asked a question that has been a question for decades and some people still get it wrong, including the Christians. But here is my observation and interpretation of the situation... Oh, and the question is this: "Which one came first...Chicken or the Egg?" For my observation, and based on what I study from the Bible, I would say that Chicken came first. The reason for this is very clear and we can also just use our common sense to answer this question if we carefully think about it. But let me answer it with my common sense before I give my answer based on my studying from the Bible. Common Sense Answer: if the egg came first, it will surely die. before it even crack open. The reason for this is because the egg needs some heat to keep itself warm so it can be fully develop. At the same time, even if the chick survive from that, it would not be able to survive on the second stage of its life because it does not know how to hunt their food or maybe can be killed by other creatures because it does not know how to protect itself yet, especially when it have not develop its wings to fly. But if the Chicken came first, it can actually conceive the egg and keep it warm. After the egg become chick, then the chicken will train the small one to hunt for its food and at the same time, protecting it from other creatures until it's fully grown. OK. Now, that is a Common Sense Answer. Let me bring our mind to the Bible now. Bible Answer: In the beginning, man and woman were created....not baby. In later days, God created plants and trees and said that they will bear fruits of its kind.... not fruit to become tree. Continuing with creation, God created beasts of the land. Baby lions are not beast yet. It will be beast if they are big and vicious already. All the creations happened in seven days....and we know that baby lion cannot develop to become a beast within seven days. I want to say that these are not speculations, but because I know that some people would disagree with me, I will say that you can say that I'm just speculating. Chicken came first.

Calling from God

Putting all the things that I experience in my life together and praying about the place that I want to serve in the future is really something to me right now. When it comes to preaching, I get disturbed too much. When I listen to the preacher on any Sundays, I get disturbed because when the person preach, I start thinking about some good sermons that pops out of my mind through his illustrations, examples, or sometimes only one of his point. When it comes to conversation about cross culture, I am really crazy about it. Sometimes I get too crazy that makes me want to quit school and go straight ahead to Thailand and serve there. But I know that if that happens, I probably succeed in some point but I know that I would struggle because it is not God's timing but my timing to go to Thailand. A lot of things happens in my life that seems so crazy and I know that some people get irritated about them because I speak about them too much, like mission abroad. But I know that there is a reason why I keep talking about them. Even before I went to Thai Mission Trip, I already start talking about it. My mentality is little bit different from a lot of people around me, whether over here in Guam of back in Palau. I always look beyond what normal viewer see. What I mean about that is that a lot of Christians over here in Micronesia only look within their territories because they see what strength and what weaknesses is happening around them. But what I am looking for is beyond that one. Some of the things that always comes to my mind are future Micronesian Church Leaders. What I am looking at is that I want them to go outside their own island to experience some cross-culture ministry and see other people's need so they will actually know what to talk about when it comes to church needs or the needs of a person struggling walking with Christ. I have told some of you that I want to be a full time missionary in Thailand. And what I want to do over there is to make a channel for future Micronesian Church leaders to come and experience Thailand Mission before they take their permanent or long term mission. I am talking about Thailand, because my heart is with those people over there. But if God does not want me to go to Thailand, then I will just pray and hope that He send me anywhere else but the States and anywhere over here in Micronesia.

I was raised with independent thinking, so with that kind of ability, I always wanted challenges. After I came from military and serving Palau church for over a year, I realized that I wanted more than just ministering over here in Micronesia. One of the first place that came to my mind was China. I wanted to do ministry to places that people hardly speak the Gospel, or places that are unreached when it comes to the Gospel. I had this thing that came to my mind that "there are a lot of Christians over here in Micronesia that can deal with struggles within their reach." That made me realize that there are not many people, or let me say Micronesians, doing ministries abroad, especially when it come to the 10-40 window. I have made up my mind that God is calling me to do ministry in Thailand. I have a feeling about it but I have not receive the confirmation. It's just made up in my mind. But I am ready. My mind and my heart and everything in me are ready to be sent to do ministry there right after I graduate. I no one will send me, I will do it myself. I have seen the needs of people over there in Thailand and they need people to stay there, not only two months, but I am talking about years. Mission trip during summer is good but it is not good enough. If there is someone that will change that two month ministry into years, that is gonna be me if it's according to the Will of Almighty God. I have been prompted by others, I have experienced or seen the needs over there, and I have a reasonable decision about going to do ministry over there so I am going. If you are reading this and you think that your gift is cross culture ministry and wanna give a try out, start praying right now so when the time comes for departure, you may know if this is your calling or not. I do not know that if my definition of full time missionary is right or not. I say I want to be a full time missionary over there, but if the definition of full time missionary is like 10-20, than I would want to change my word again. I want to be a lifer. I will do my ministry over there and plant my tomb stone over there after my last breath. God is calling me, and I know that Micronesia is not one of them. Calling from God... it does not hurt to give a try and you will not regret it if you go outside. You can always come back. But I believe that if you stay here in Micronesia without tasting the bit of mission abroad, you will regret it when someone come later after you and tell you the experience he/she gained when he/she went abroad. Money is just a little paper that destroys your focus on what God wants you to do. So don't ever say money is the problem. God's calling you. Are you there by the phone and ready to answer it? I know I am. Send me anywhere and I will take it. But I just pray that not over here in Micronesia or the States. And I am talking about life time or permanent mission. God is always by the telephone and waiting for you to call Him..."Call upon me in times of trouble, I will deliver you and you will honor Me." (Psalm 50:15) What about you? Are you ready to answer God's calling? Maybe your phone is ringing right now. I know I have and my respond to Him is this, "Send me anywhere and I will go."

THANKS BE TO GOD

There will be times that you will have to encourage people, but there are also times that you need encouragements. At this point of my life, I am really dry on encouragement. Sometimes I think that I am encouraging people, but instead, I bring more troubles to myself, more like a headache. There are some things that are happening in my life and sometimes, I just want to sleep and never come out of my room. I have lack of sleep; I hardly prioritize now; my head is not thinking well; I have family issues coming here and there that I am thinking of; I have some works as a Student Council President that needs to be done, actually, not some but a lot; I have some ministry things that I need to take care of.... There are many things in my life that I do not share right now. I am dry when it comes to encouragement. I really need encouragement. ITS HARD to wake up every morning when I know that I have a lot of things that i need to take care of. ITS HARD for me to face a day when I know that I am overwhelmed with my own problems or issues and some of my brothers come to me and seek encouragements. ITS HARD for me to help a person when he or she have the same problem that I have and I know that even me is struggling on that particular issue. I know that these things happens to my life for a reason. If it was not God's will for me to face these struggles, then it would never happened to me. I know God allow this in my life because He have a great plans for me. I am not complaining, but just want to give thanks to God for these because it helps me come to the Lord more than usual. I thank God for allowing me to face these things because these are sharpening stone in my life. I thank God that He gave me the ability to SEE so i can see the blessings surrounding me. I thank God for my ability to walk so I can WALK to my br0thers and sisters and bless them as they bless me. I thank God for my ability to TALK so i can give encouragement and receive encouragement from others. I thank God for my ability to LOVE so I can love others as HE loves me. But one thing is that I can never thank God enough for his GRACE and MERCY for giving me breath and sparing another day for me to live. And the last thing that I want to say is that I can never thank God enough for dying on a cross for my sins. Praise be to GOD and nothing else.

PIU Basketball

This past few weeks after the school stated, PIU had been battling their games inside the basketball court. On the first game, we took the win over Harvest so it kind of gave us a hope that we will make a good season for this year. After we played the next three games, our mind started to change because we lost those three or four games back-to-back but our hope were still high. There were times in the games that brought silence to our mouth because of how we hated the game and how we struggle to get the desire that we wanted in the game which was and still is winning. But we never lost hope and we continued believing in ourselves. There are some games that I feel so sad about because when we come back home from the game with a lose, one or sometimes couple of my brothers complained because they did not even get in the game at all. I do understand that one because it happened to me few times in this season. So I vividly know how they feel, especially when a person know that he was working hard and putting all of his effort on the practice, not hoping but desiring to go in the game and yet did not have any chance to play at all. Even though we faced those challenges in this particular ministry, we did overame them. I have to tell you one thing. This season, comparing to last year season, it turned out quite ok. Actually, it turned out much better than last year. Last year PIU only had two wins for the whole season so they did not have a chance to go to PlayOff. But this year, we have raised up our status. Right now our standing is 5-5. The amazing thing about it, as you know that we only won Harvest, right now we have five wins with four consecutive winning from these past four games including the one that we played today. We just broke the record from last year, and not only that, but we also just earned couple more games to play because we are now going for PlayOffs. I enjoy watching my brothers building their relationship not only inside the campus activities, but also outside like basketball with other church teams. Other than that, our team had been crying for the uniform. we are already getting toward the end of our season of the basketball and still have no uniforms. The uniforms cost $41.00 but most of the students in the team could not afford with that amount of money. I dont really want to see my brothers to play inside the court for PlayOffs and raise their fingers to show their numbers or shout their numbers. It's a PlayOffs and could be Championship after three of four year. They deserve uniforms. I am willing to sponsor one of them but I cannot sponsor all of them. I just hope that they will wear uniforms on the PlayOffs. This is the first Pacific Island University Basketball team and I want to see them in to court with PIU Basketball uniform on instead of yelling out their number or raising up their fingers to show their numbers. I can do something but I cannot do it on my own. It's just my wish and desire that my brothers will have uniforms before playoffs.

Spiritual Emphasis

This Spiritual Emphasis was very good and I believe that it met all the expectations of many people regarding our Spiritual lives. I know it did met my expectations. Even the speaker is very special because he flew from California all the way to this very island of Guam just to give us three sessions or messages (Word of God) with nothing to ask for. How amazing and blessing is that. So let me just tell the story through pictures. The name of the speaker is Matt. Ladies and Gentlemen, I introduce you Matt Augee.....

Sorry.. wrong picture... let's try again....

Sorry... wrong again...ok... one more time..
That's better...
Matt has been a good friend with Steve and coming to Guam is not his first time but this is like his second time after so many years. He said that coming to Guam is "coming home" for him. You can learn more about Matt on PIU blog. He came with Dan Fields who is a professional photographer, not only a professional photographer, but also is a Christian. Dan is not a Missionary but a Passionary.

I will let the pictures speak for itself about the Spiritual Emphasis.
First thing we did was to have some quiet time with God individually for about an hour...



Then there was Ice BreakerThen we were divided into our community group and prayed and discussed about what we felt about the passage that Rob gave us and how God spoke to us through that passage...


Then there was lunch
People were so lovable and cared for each other these days in this Spiritual Emphasis
Then we had competition between community groups
First one was blowing flour and find something under it...
RESULT....
We had some in between flour and watermelon... and watermelon was the last event.....
Oh yes... they were monster beast, torturing and ripping the layers and sucking the blood of these poor watermelons...wahhhahahahahha...After this, then we took off to Bay View



We had Commuter students that joined us and it was a blessing to have them with us... including these Chinese sisters of ours.....
We played some rubber rockets sponsored by Matt... thanx Matt...
Dan was there with us and he took a lot of pictures so you guys can check them on his website....
http://www.danfieldsphotographyblog.com/

Oh, well that's my roommate... call him Diki boo
After the fun and games, Matt gave us the first Session
Then he gave us instructions of how to put this very particular puzzle together, then he tossed them and let us solve it. It was also an exercise of communication.
After we played that, and Matt relate it to our spiritual lives, the basketball team took off for the game and we won over Abundant Life. We came back to Bay View and ate delicious dinner.
Then, we did a worship.
This was one of my best moment in my life, especially when I worship with my PIU Family. I was so moved.
Next day we had a Sunrise Service
Not only the Deans but also some staffs were with us... This is Hartmut ane Urte.
This is Kalvin and Ninio
Some of the students are not a morning people
Rob shared some Scriptures in the book of Psalm and I also shared Scriptures that was in the book 1Peter Chapter 2.
After this service, we split and did our quiet times. On my quiet time, after I meditate on Psalm 103, I spent some part of this quiet time enjoying the creations of God that was around me that moment...
Thanks to our sister because they were the ones preparing our breakfasts. I love you sisters.
After breakfast, Matt gave us his session #2

And again, there was another ice breaker which we enjoyed it too...After Matt delivered his message for that session #2, we were divided into community groups and shared of how God spoke to us in our quiet time.

During our sharing in our community groups, one student shared her experience and during her sharing, it brought tears of joy to here eyes because she felt really good so some of the sisters were comforting her with hugs and some thanksgiving of her sharing.
After the community group, people were so tired so some of them took a nap during lunch hour.
After lunch, we were free until 4:00pm then Matt delivered his last message on that third Session. This time i did not have pictures to take because by this time I was using Dan's camera to take pictures.
After the session, we broke out and there was dinner and clean up/pack-up. Then the best thing happened at the very end which was Wrap-up Worship Time.

And That's how we ended our Spiritual Emphasis this 2009
Word of thanks to these three sisters of our who were living outside and were willing to take part of this Spiritual Emphasis. They are from China and Taiwan.
This was the Best Spiritual Emphasis I've ever experienced. I tried to show the video but there were some technical problem of loading so I could not load it. Like what I always say in my saying and my prayers, I can never thank God enough for these blessings that He brings to my life. God is good all the time and everyday all day.

Some of you may think, "Why there's no post about the topic of the Spiritual Emphasis or the things that the Speaker was talking about." Well Students, the question is "What was the topic of the Spiritual Emphasis and what was the speaker talking about on each three sessions. This might come with the reward. I know what were they but I will not tell you. Whoever answer these questions will probably get some fair reward from me. This only goes to the students. Make sure put your name so no one will claim your answer if the answer is correct. If you cannot give me answer through this because you do not have a blog or access to blogger, then give me the answer around the campus.