Psalms 18:1-3

¹ I will love You, O LORD, my strength.
² The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer;
My God, my strength, in whom I will trust;
My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
³ I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised;
So shall I be saved from my enemies.

Counting on God - New Life Worship

VERSE 1
I'm in a fight not physical
And I'm in a war
But not with this world
You are the light that's beautiful
And I want more
I want all that's Yours

PRE-CHORUS
Joy unspeakable that won't go away
And just enough strength
To live for today
So I never have to worry
What tomorrow will bring
'Cause my faith is on solid rock
I am counting on God

CHORUS
I am counting on
I am counting on God

BRIDGE
The miracle of Christ in me
Is the mystery that sets me free
I'm nothing like I used to be
Open up your eyes you'll see

This is what happened in Malaysia on the 9th July 2011

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=odU5gJ7UHII&feature=player_embedded

Quote from a friend

"Watching this brings tears to my eyes and a hope for this nation, a reason to fight against corruption.

Let’s keep praying and doing our part. Change is around the corner."

Hope this inspires you, to keep on praying :)

Everywhere that I go - Israel Houghton

I belong to you
You belong to me Lord
I'm surrounded everywhere that I go

I will walk with you
You will walk with me
Lord I'm surrounded everywhere that I go

And i am yours and you are mine
Oh Oh

You promise me
You'll never leave
You promise me
I'm never forsaken
And I believe that goodneess
And mercy will follow me
Surrounding me where I go
Everywhere that i go

You Lord are as shield about me
Everywhere everywhere that I go
Your grace and love surround me
everywhere everywhere

Heading for Outreach

In just about 6 days I head for outreach, to two villages in Sabah for 3 weeks and to peninsula for another 5 weeks, before coming back to Sabah for another 3 and then home in July :)

It has been a while since any email/update has gone out from me (I apologize for that), it has been busy and crazy here and sometimes it has just been impossible for me to sit down and write a proper update but it will come!

First off, I just want to take this time to thank you guys so much for your support (be it through prayer, financially or by any other means), you guys are totally awesome and I am truly grateful, thankful, appreciative (and all the other thank you words). Your support has truly impacted the students here at YWAM Sabah, and I am here to convey their message of thanks to you J Quite a significant amount has come in from peninsula for the students, who have now been able to pay for their school fees and support has also been coming for their outreach fees. Praise the Lord! Your reward is truly in heaven

A brief summary of how the past few weeks went (it went really fast!) We went to a Kampung for a week to do ministry and build relationships with the locals, that was a pretty crazy experience of harvesting rice, surviving with no proper toilets, no clear running water and electricity sometimes and so forth, but it was really good experience :) We also had a night of All night prayer and intercession, and other ministry opportunities with Boys brigade, Rumah Sayang and National service camp! God has been good!

Will send a proper update when I can!!

Japheth

Are you Jesus?

A few years ago a group of salesmen went to a regional sales convention in Chicago . They had assured their wives that they would be home in plenty of time for Friday night's dinner.

In their rush, with tickets and briefcases, one of these salesmen inadvertently kicked over a table which held a display of apples at the airport. Apples flew everywhere. Without stopping or looking back, they all managed to reach the plane in time for their nearly missed boarding. ALL BUT ONE !!! He paused, took a deep breath, and experienced a twinge of compassion for the girl whose apple stand had been overturned. He told his buddies to go on without him, waved good-bye, told one of them to call his
wife when they arrived at their home destination and explain his taking a later flight. Then he returned to the terminal where the apples were all over the terminal floor. He was glad he did.

The 16 year old girl was totally blind! She was softly crying, tears running down her cheeks in frustration, and at the same time helplessly groping for her spilled produce as the crowd swirled about her, no one stopping and no one to care for her plight.

The salesman knelt on the floor with her, gathered up the apples, put them back on the table and helped organize her display. As he did this, he noticed that many of them had become battered and bruised; these he set aside in another basket. When he had finished, he pulled out his wallet and said to the girl, 'Here, please take this $40 for the damage we did. Are you okay?' She nodded through her tears. He continued on with, 'I hope we didn't spoil your day too badly.'

As the salesman started to walk away, the bewildered blind girl called out to him, 'Mister....' He paused and turned to look back into those blind eyes. She continued, 'Are you Jesus?' He stopped in mid-stride, and he wondered. Then slowly he made his way to catch the later flight with that question burning and bouncing about in his soul: 'Are you Jesus?' Do people mistake you for Jesus? That's our Destiny, is it not? To be so much like Jesus that people cannot tell the difference as we live and interact with a world that is blind to His love, life and grace.

If we claim to know Him, we should live, walk and act as He would.

Knowing Him is more than simply quoting Scripture and going to church. It's actually living the Word as life unfolds day to day. You are the apple of His eye even though we, too, have been bruised by a fall. He stopped what He was doing and picked you and me up on a hill called Calvary and paid in full for our damaged fruit

Miracles!!

It's been one after another in a few short days

Story #1 - Sunday 13/2

It started with me losing the key to the jeep. Now, I'm quite prone sometimes to losing things but losing a key to jeep was a big thing, it's only one key without anything connected to it, it is thin and could easily be lost, and lost it was. and although we searched everywhere (even the compose and trash). I was down.

We went to church that morning and I couldn't really concentrate, my mind was a zillion places. The speaker spoke about trusting in God, something about trusting Him to provide, lead and some other things which I can't really remember. All I remember was I was challenged to trust in Him for this. I would trust in Him for the key, as I have seen His faithfulness for countless other things that I've lost before, glasses, wallet, laptop you name it I'd probably lost it before :p but He has been faithful. I'll tell some of those stories later.

I decided to let my heart rest and trust although of course my mind races with 'oh man how now' every now and then. Pause. We'll come back to this story in a minute

Story #2 - Valentines 14/2

The DTS school has heaps of financial needs, many students and staff are faced with the enormous challenge of trusting God to provide for them financially to be able to pay for their lecture fees for the school. Some had only been able to afford small amounts, but trusted in God to leave their kampungs to do the dts. Many of them waiting, and trusting and crying out to God. literally. Today was valentines and a graph was put up to show the needs of the school, the various fees that have been yet to be paid, it seemed like a hill to climb. Students began to pray for one another, were challenged to give if the Lord led them to for others, some were close to tears because of the hill to climb. God was providing, amounts are coming from various places for the students, but it still seemed like an impossible hill to achieve, as outreach is coming soon, and large amounts are needed for that too (flights, transport and so forth).

Miracle #1 - Valentine night 14/2

We had our largest valentines gift from God today :)

God had miraculously provided the school with a large amount that was able to cover all the students and staff remaining lecture fees.

Just like that.

In one sms, one reply, one check. from Penang

It was unbelievable, how God provided figures accurate to the need, when students/staff began to release and be transparent before Him in brokenness, and trust God.

Miracle #2 - Morning Worship 15/2

It blew me away, well, it blew all of us away when the news was released the next morning after valentines before worship. Tears of joy. Thanksgiving. Rejoicing. It was unreal

And just when I was thinking during worship, wow God You really provide, and we/I didn't even need to do anything (sorta), it was like it was too easy for God. As we were singing, another miracle happened. My base leader who was about to leave the compound had the urge to look around the compound, and found the jeep key right somewhere behind the jeep on the parking lot! As she past it to me I almost broke down, it was as if God was saying to me, 'hey, you trusted me, here you go :)'. Singing the song, 'You are my Father, Provider, You're my deliverer', was so REAL. He is a God who provides. He is faithful. He knows where your keys are!

Back to story #1

As some of us began to wonder, how on earth did this happen? a couple of us searched the compound thoroughly, on our knees too! It was as if God just decided to place it there conveniently. Just then, I had two misscalls from my base leader, my phone had been on silent so i didn't feel it. Somehow I had an urge to check my phone, and found out the misscalls, called back and found out that they were stuck at home, their car couldn't start, and they needed to come to the base and guess what, God has just provided the key to the jeep and the base leader had the urge that morning to pass me the key right before they left for home! I could pick them! It was as if God was orchestrating ALL this for HIS glory! coincidence? I don't think so!

There were so many miracles that happened these few days but these were the few that really had made an impact on me. God provided me with support from home, I found my broadband and glasses which I thought went missing (Yes after all these experiences I AM GOING TO BE EXTRA CAREFUL!), the key, finances for ALL the students, and the best thing is I know more is to come. He has been faithful to provide and He will continue to be

Praise the Lord!

To God be the glory!

S2S DTS Update Feb 11

It's been a while since a proper update came in!

God's been moving heaps in this school! Before the school started three weeks ago it has been pretty hectic; moving in equipment for the school, making preperations and praying for the school. By 2 weeks before the school started we didn't have a location for the school and only about less than 5 confirmed students. Now we have 12 students, 7 staff and a large building which can house everyone. Praise the Lord. The accomodation, transport that we have, food and so forth are simple but sufficient. Initially it took a while to get used to the simple lifestyle but i'm used to it now :) We're staying about a short drive from Kota Kinabalu city, the weather has been raining frequently (which makes it hard for clothes to dry haha), most of the students are dusun, rungus, tobilong and two chinese from peninsula. The staff are also locals, except the base leaders and me ('my chinese friend' as i am affectionately known, or ah seong :p). I am the only male staff besides the base leader, which is exceptionally challengeing when it comes to ministering to my guy one-on-ones and marking journals because I have to do so in Bahasa, but i've been able to! Praise the Lord! Managed to minister to a student and PRAY in bahasa too recently. yay!

Week 1 was on the "nature and character of God', a topic in which Mary Liew (my DTS leader while in Brisbane) spoke to us about. We learnt that God is absalutely limitless, no one can fathom who He fully is and yet, He is personal, He is love. Many of the students were blessed in knowing for sure who they believed and were serving. Week 2 was on 'Hearing God's voice' and 'The father heart of God'. We learnt the steps of intercession, how to hear God's voice for oneself and for others, many words were released, many got pictures and visions for one another, it was pretty cool. Someone saw a picture of me jumping on stepping stones across a lake, some were far away but at the end I could reach them, and others were following behind. Another felt God was telling me not to worry, but to ask and I shall receive, seek and I shall find. Encouraging :) The Father Heart of God has always been my favourite topic on a DTS and this time it was quite the same experience that I have felt before. Many students received inner healing from past hurts, rejection, abuse and so forth. It was just a beautiful sight to see students opening up, being utterly honest and transparent before God and others, crying and receiving healing and restoration. My favourite part though was the last night of lectures that week, there was such a release of joy, peace, and laughter. We laughed till over 10pm that night, and for the first time I really couldn't tell what was happening to me as I was laughing as well. Praise the Lord for restoration, peace and JOY!

This week was on 'Identity in Christ'. This week we learnt on who we are in Christ, who God has made us to be, about self image, self worth, and finding out identity in Christ. It was cool to be able to be released from expectations, pressures, past hurts, experiences, and lies about who the students identities were. There was much healing as well. We learnt about the 10 unchangeables that God has created us with; e.g parents, siblings, time and history, national identity, race, gender, aging, physical appearance and so forth. We finally learnt that God has a purpose and destiny for each of the students, we were created 'for such a time as this!'

Thank you for all your prayers and support. Things have been hectic and lots have been learnt but God has been faithful. I've been able to take some rest; last weekend was a first free weekend for us, and we visited the Muzium, it was cool to be able to see a life sized kampung of the various tribes (their houses, traditional costumes and lifestyle). I've also been able to learn how to drive around, fetch people here and there, and attend church. Have also been able to catch a stroll at sutera harbour :p and enjoy some lighted musical dancing fountain thingy at a park ;)

We're about to know our outreach locations soon which is something i'm absalutely stoked about! Whether I end up in Brunei, Sarawak or wherever I'm excited to be part of His plan for this nation and the nations around Sabah. Do continue to keep the students and staff in prayer as we continue to wait on God regarding outreach locations and so forth. Besides lectures, students are also being trained for outreach, how to give a testimony, how to preach, how games can be used as a tool for outreach and more is to come. Finances have been coming in for the students in the school as well which is really cool to see how God provides. We've been able to have a CNY special night, and Valentines special event is coming up soon too :D

Once again, thank you for your prayers and support, May God trully bless you abundanly as you sow into His kingdom. Prayer requests:- for continued strength, love, joy in serving; along with continued word of the Lord and guidance in everything i do :) Would be great to also know things are doing back home too, would love to be able to pray for you and things that are happening back home. Internet access for me is limited at the moment and I don't have access to newspapers too, so it would be great to know what is happening back home too :)

Take care and God Bless!
Japheth Chew

quick update #2

Things have been pretty hectic these past few days; mainly cause i've been through some labour of carrying carrying heavy equipment to the dts house which we shifted into - fridge, ping pong table, tables, chairs, mattresses, beds, washing machine, pots/pans and heaps of other random stuff that a house needs. I've also just finished organising/handling orientation over the weekend so that has been pretty crazy (organising games, talent time, worship etc). so today was first day of lecture which was a bit chilling for me. praise God. life for the next few months though would be pretty much like this:- handling worship, special events, transport, prayer, discipling students (one-on-ones), leading small group, preparing for outreach, and cleaning up for dinner. pretty crazy schedule eh? this does not include the book reports i still need to do for my own bls training, journals to write, journals to mark! i need all the prayer i can get :)

quick update

Things are doing good, I have adjusted much better these past few days, initially it was a bit hard to blend it BUT, I am doing much better now, my malay has improved and I am helping out much more at the base, I helped cook lunch yesterday afternoon, besides this i have been helping out cleaning the base and dts house, washing dishes and would be soon gonna learn how to drive their manual van. I do feel more at home now then I was a couple of days ago. Praise God. The accomodation at the kinder would be a little different than the base, as the furnitures and fans has yet to be moved in and i don't think there will be internet but i do have my own broadband connection, so i should still be connectable:) training so far has been about ywam and dts staffing, and seeking God for guidance and training for leadership etc. My prayer request would be for continued strength and guidance, and for continued ability to speak malay more fluently :)

Japh's upcoming YWAM journey

And so here is the proposed itinerary of my stay in Sabah *subject to change some of them butthis is roughly what is going to happen throughout the 6 months. To answer some questions that i have received, No i am not doing evangelism everyday and neither am i chilling around everyday. Besides the above (which are mostly speaker topics and lectures) are work duties, book reports, journal reports, outreach reports, discipling students and other miscellaneous stuff that may pop up along the way. So Yes, although these past few days have been pretty 'chilling' since the school hasn't started, prep has started and things are gonna get more intense as the days go by :) Appreciate your continued prayers and support :) take care and God bless

a little bit more about what i'm doing in sabah

for the benefit of those who am unsure of what i'm doing in sabah :)

In 2006 i took a gap year after spm to join a missions organisation called ywam - youth with a mission. i chose frontiers dts - discipleship training school (the most basic school of ywam) at brisbane and did my outreach in India. a dts is basically a 6 months course which has 3 months of lecture phase (kinda like bible school) and another 3 for outreach (missions). It was in that school that i felt a calling to my home - Malaysia, to reach out to my own backyard, culture and language. i felt a calling towards sabah and to love malaysia whilst doing my dts. i determined to fulfill this call once i had completed my studies. my call here was further confirmed when i visited sabah somewhere in 2007, while overlooking the town of kota kinabalu alone one night.

Upon completion of my studies at monash university this year and a couple of awesome years in between, i head back to ywam - this time to sabah, doing a bls - basic leadership school (a second level ywam school which basically means staffing two dts's - co-leading an outreach team on one and leading an outreach team on the other). i might, however, just be staffing one dts, which means just 6 months instead of a year (with an interval of 6 months in between too). for more info about dts/bls/ywam kindly google it :p

so here am i in kk, as the only guy staff at the school along with the base leader, in training and awaiting the students and school to start on the 22nd. mark and tammy (the base leaders) have been pretty awesome and the environment here is very family and home oriented. the main language here is bahasa, with a slight sabahan slang 'ba'. i need to learn up my malay, and fast! food here is similar, which is awesome, the weather's the same too.

Am excited for these next few months, God's doing great things already! like providing for us a place to run the school and other provisions in the nick of time. just found out that awesome people like josh yeoh (penhop) are coming as speakers too! how cool is that yo! haha

would appreciate your prayers and continued support, am still trying to figure out more about my role here, blend in to the environment, communicate effectively in bahasa and get used to the hang of things, along with hearing the voice of God and growing in Him, to be an effective witness while i'm here.

i will try to update as much as possible / or at least as long as there's internet connection :p He is good :) i need to constantly remember that :) till the next update, take care :)

kota kinabalu

and so here i am in kota kinabalu, Sabah. Learning fast about the life here even though it's just day one. there's wifi at the base! praise God! hehe

things here are really chilling, really laid back, something that i think i would need to get myself used to :p *current feeling- what am i supposed to be doing now? hehe

i expect to be caught in the thick of action soon, staff training starts on monday and the dts itself starts on the 24th, and i think i'm expected to brush up on my malay, and manual driving *yikes

the leaders here are really nice people, really hospitable.

there's this cat right next to me now :s

so yes. this is the start of my 6 month journey, till the next time an update comes, take care everyone :)

Back to YWAM

In 3 weeks i journey back to Youth with a mission, this time in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, east Malaysia for 6 months. flight from air asia. 5.10pm. 8th jan. i don't expect many to be there, but it would be nice to see some of you guys before i go, some of which i may not see again, at least not for a long time.

It has been an intense couple of years since my ywam adventure in 06. and i have to say this 5 years has seen the most transitions happening in my life, and as far as i can see, in the lives of many of my friends too. some for worse, others for better.

i'm grateful that He has always been strong. always faithful. always there in the nick of time. the fact that i have graduated from Monash University is a testimony to His grace. cuz i still feel that i don't deserve it at all. but then again. i don't deserve Him too, but He's there. and He kept His promise and still remains faithful. and for that reason (among many others) is why my faith to Him can never die.

even though everything may seem like it's changing. situations, circumstances, He remains the same. Love never fails. He never fails.

may this post be an encouragement to those who may feel like giving up hope, or begun to doubt and lose faith, keep persevering, keep trusting, keep walking by faith and not by sight. i pray that even as you read this that your faith may be stirred once again, to experience His love once again.

keep in touch hey. i may not have as much access to internet soon, but when i do it would mean a lot to know that you guys are still there. i do not expect much online time soon but when i do i will try my best to update.

Stay close to Jesus! Draw near to Him. He's much nearer than you think He is. Run to Him. Walk by faith and not by sight. God bless you

Japheth Chew

He still speaks

Even though i keep complaining that it's so hard to hear, that i wish he would shout it out, speak out of a burning bush, appear in a cloud by day and pillar of fire by night and so forth..

He still speaks

Sometimes, at the random'est moments of your life. the moments you least expect Him to.

He's there

and He's speaking

will we listen?

i think i may just have gotten some answers

thank you God :)

Melbourne adventures

So I'm slowly getting used to getting around the city, am able to take trams and trains (thank God for maps and friends and the metlink metro card, plus the fact that chris's apartment is at swanston's street which is close to melb central :D)

Planetshakers service on sunday morning was awesome. pst russel and matt fielder always help stir up my passion for more of Him. good stuff good stuff.

chinatown shanghai dumpling noodles was good. much cheaper than yesterday's chicken parma, which was good too hehe.

got an aussie number and walked around the city. oh! I finally found the egg salad dip!!! it can't be found in malaysia, you eat it with crackers.. *words cannot describe the awesomeness*. and chris got me to eat ice cream. IN SUPER COLD WEATHER! yes. melb is freezing. in summer.

went to frankston's for jo's surprise b'day party. took train and bus with li wen for the long trip southeast'ish. huge portions of food are good. lots of pictures along the beach pier.

thank God for his protection, we were walking around the beach area when we were slightly assaulted by a bunch of huge random people (drunk perhaps). andrew got hit slightly and his glasses fell off, then they left us. it was quite scary and tense. thank God we're all safe home now. and i caught the last train after running towards the station at clayton somewhere! woot!

2nd day. and it's getting pretty intense :p continued prayers appreciated :)

God-time

So last mon-wed i find myself in Glory Place, Mantin seeking Him, fasting and praying for those 2 days 2 nights, with just water, bible, books, journal and guitar.

As normal in the previous personal retreats i have chucked myself into, it always ends up being refreshing and refilling. this is of course after successfully getting through the second night (which is always the worst in terms of hunger). This time round, i was dreaming of food! ohhh it was bad. char siu fan... anything u name it i probably dreamt about it. so my stomach was aching and i couldn't sleep. so everytime i woke up i just sat up and read the bible, slept, woke up, read the bible, slept again :)

This time round, i managed to finish all of the apostle Paul's letters! (from romans to titus), wrote many letters, journal entries and read parts of a couple of books, composed a chorus which i think i forgot :p, and prayed heaps

Main thing i got this time round was direction regarding the future, with various verses hitting me time and time again as i read the bible during my stay, such as 1 Tim 5:16, 2 Thess 3:8-10, 1 Thess 2:9, Eph 4:28b, Col 1:10 and so forth. So yes, my next season in life after YWAM would be to work!

I also got phil 2:4 regarding living my life for the interests of others, not only for my own. and to love the one that He has given to me :)

Certain other things i was seeking Him for was for direction on which church to call home. silent response so far, so i guess i'll be waiting for now.

there are times and seasons when we need a break, and i've learnt that taking time off to seek the Father is crucial. i've also learnt that there is really no end to ministry, not while He's still got work to be done through us. but in that continuous ministry of ours, to always take time to come back to the Father, in fasting and solitude, receiving from Him so to be able to continuously pour our lives out.

I will be away for the next two weeks, am off to JB tomorrow to help out parents at a kids camp, and to Melbourne from friday night till the 7th dec. After that i'll be home for a month before flying off to Sabah in Jan for the next 6 months. So. if you wanna catch me catch me soon! :)

japh

He is faithful!

Words alone cannot describe this feeling of thanksgiving that I have towards Him for bringing me through. He is faithful. Always has been, always will be.

I've completed my final paper of my degree, and, *fingers crossed* if I pass everything I would be a Monash University graduate.

This three years in Monash have been absolutely crazy, intense X100 other words. If I were to write everthing that has happened I would fill up many pages so I'll just get to the basic jist of what I've learnt throughout my time in Monash.

1. When God says He'll never leave you nor forsake you, He keeps to that promise. He is faithful. He will bring you through. Only obey and trust Him. Many times I found myself lonely, emotionally unstable or down in the dumps, Yet He is always there to say, 'hey, I'm the one you are looking for'

2. His grace is sufficient. In my weakness He is made strong. This can be seen in last minute assignments, and exam results. Though I still think I don't deserve to graduate, I know he has held me by His hand and given me grace, and I've never failed any papers *not yet at least :p*

3. If you honour God, God will honour you. Serving in CF has been one of the best thing about being in Monash. It's been such an honour to serve others. It is so humbling. It is so rewarding.

4. I am nothing without Him. Running by my own strength only makes me look like a headless chicken :p Many times I think I can do things myself, through my own effort, only to find myself tired, weary and burnt out at the end. Yet in His mercy He lifts me up when I wait upon Him

5. Focus pocus! doing so many things at the same time is NOT a good idea. Focus on what you need to do and do it well. FB and blogging and gaming and all those entertainment stuff is such a distraction, you can do so much more with those time! Do your assignments early *so u can avoid point no#9*

6. Don't live life for yourself. Live life for others. Life is too short. Cheer up. Help others climb rocks. It rocks!

7. Pray pray Pray and did I mention Pray? it helps. really.

8. God surprises you when you least expect it. Even with the love of your life ;) Key is to wait. and to trust :)

9. Never try to pull an all-nighter. Sleep is essential. It helps you in many ways :) Eat well too. Be healthy, or you'll be fat *sighs*

10. Never be too busy for family and friends. Just asking the question 'how are you doing?' has serious affect to show that you care, it can make someones day.

All in all, this journey is one to remember for many years to come, hopefully for a lifetime. There are many downfalls and bad memories too, but I chose to overcome them, and end on a note of victory. Proclaiming His faithfulness and learning from them. I will not let any frustrations or negative feelings from failures hinder my progress from moving forward. He has healed my wounds and now I can learn through the scars. I will not be broken. He has made me stronger.

A new phase of life has begun, and I'm excited :)

Japheth Chew

So help me Lord~ HeartBeat

Too many obstacles to face

I cannot handle on my own

So I'm asking Lord of You

Grant me patience, strength, and courage too

Help me Lord to go Your way

Help me not to go astray

Cuz this world's a crazy place

But You have made it safe for me

When the time comes for me

To stand up for You

I know You'll be by my side

On my own I'll never make it

But with You
Anything is possible

Away from fb and blogging

till exams finish on the 12th nov :)

42 days :)