After so many postings, I finally got a good mentor!
Really so thankful to have such a good and willing-to-teach tutor for my orthopaedics posting. Especially since the programme at SGH isn't that fantastic, to say the least.
I am so glad I am no longer just a fly on the wall in the clinic. I feel involved in the proceedings. He bothers to teach me whatever is relevant, tell me about the cases. He lets me examine the patients. Even allows me to clerk the new cases and write in the case files. Actually at times, I was actually running the clinic heh..
Yup it's really so important to have a good tutor to guide you in your learning, to pique your interest in the subject and to motivate you to read up on the topics.
Yah and not to forget, he is nice to his patients too!
So for once, I feel inspired and motivated!
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
Sunday, January 14, 2007
Meaningful Sunday
I feel super encouraged today! Really, I think God's word is so powerful, so rich..
Led the second Just Looking study today. Just Looking is a series of 7 studies looking at the gospel of John. It is tailored for newcomers. So anyone new in PUNJ, whether Christian or non-Christian, will go through the series. Anyway, while I was preparing for the study, John 3:1-21, I already knew that it was a super difficult study. At the same time, I think it is one of the most powerful passages in the bible.
Coincidentally, I began my Christian walk in PUNJ with JL2. Yup I remembered I could not make it for JL1 and HL had to call and check on me to see if I was still coming for JL. But while I was preparing for John 3, it felt really different reading it now compared to 2+ years ago. I guess back then, it didn't really sink in. But meditating upon it these past few days, instead of having the "yah I already know all this" feeling, I feel surprisingly enriched. I felt that God's word is really powerful.
Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again." And he reiterated,"I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit."
Very short, succinct sentences but they contain a whole lot of truth and meaning. Why does one need to be born again? Why does one need to be born of water? It says a lot about our initial state as human beings, right? If we are already perfect, why do we need to be born again? It's precisely because we were sinful in our ways, rejecting God and shaking our fists at Him, that we were unclean and totally unworthy and not good enough to enter the kingdom of God that Jesus says that we need to be born again. We need to be cleansed. We need to have a new heart, a new spirit.
Our first birth is physical. Everyone goes through our mothers' wombs and came into this physical world. After a while, we will pass away and leave this world. Jesus here offers us a new birth, a spiritual rebirth. Through this spiritual rebirth, we are then deemed worthy to enter the kingdom of God. In contrast to the physical birth which inevitably results in death, this spiritual birth leads to eternal life.
How then can we be born again? How can we be born of water and the Spirit?
"... so the Son of Man (Jesus) must be lifted up, that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life."
"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."
If the bible is to be believed, the only way into the kingdom of God, the only way to be born again of the Spirit is through Jesus Christ, through believing in him. Believing in him = Believing specifically in the work he has accomplished on the cross for us, his death and resurrection. And it is very much a personal decision. No one can make the decision for you.
Christianity is simple. No list of do's and don'ts. No list of criteria you have to meet. Just plain belief and trust in Jesus' work on the cross. And recognising your sin.
Christianity is difficult. Because of ourselves. Our intellect gets in the way. We are too clever for our own good. Our pride gets in the way. Our circumstances get in the way. Life is too good, I don't need Jesus. Life is so bad, how can a good God allow my life to be so bad? 1001 obstacles stand between us and Jesus. If only you make that giant leap of faith, and allow God to guide you, you will definitely come to have a personal relationship with God.
And yup I am thoroughly encouraged by the people who came to JL today.. Especially the 2 prebelievers who were really "just looking". Both are foreign students studying in a private school here and will take their O levels as private candidates. One came from China, the other from Vietnam. Despite the language barrier, they were really keen to find out more about Christ.. Besides the language difficulties, they are in a foreign land, they have no friends or family here, they hardly know anyone in church, they have had no prior knowledge of the bible.. Yet with child-like faith and an open mind, they are keen to seek.. and I am sure they will find.
Luke 11:9-10 Jesus says,"So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened."
Led the second Just Looking study today. Just Looking is a series of 7 studies looking at the gospel of John. It is tailored for newcomers. So anyone new in PUNJ, whether Christian or non-Christian, will go through the series. Anyway, while I was preparing for the study, John 3:1-21, I already knew that it was a super difficult study. At the same time, I think it is one of the most powerful passages in the bible.
Coincidentally, I began my Christian walk in PUNJ with JL2. Yup I remembered I could not make it for JL1 and HL had to call and check on me to see if I was still coming for JL. But while I was preparing for John 3, it felt really different reading it now compared to 2+ years ago. I guess back then, it didn't really sink in. But meditating upon it these past few days, instead of having the "yah I already know all this" feeling, I feel surprisingly enriched. I felt that God's word is really powerful.
Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again." And he reiterated,"I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit."
Very short, succinct sentences but they contain a whole lot of truth and meaning. Why does one need to be born again? Why does one need to be born of water? It says a lot about our initial state as human beings, right? If we are already perfect, why do we need to be born again? It's precisely because we were sinful in our ways, rejecting God and shaking our fists at Him, that we were unclean and totally unworthy and not good enough to enter the kingdom of God that Jesus says that we need to be born again. We need to be cleansed. We need to have a new heart, a new spirit.
Our first birth is physical. Everyone goes through our mothers' wombs and came into this physical world. After a while, we will pass away and leave this world. Jesus here offers us a new birth, a spiritual rebirth. Through this spiritual rebirth, we are then deemed worthy to enter the kingdom of God. In contrast to the physical birth which inevitably results in death, this spiritual birth leads to eternal life.
How then can we be born again? How can we be born of water and the Spirit?
"... so the Son of Man (Jesus) must be lifted up, that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life."
"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."
If the bible is to be believed, the only way into the kingdom of God, the only way to be born again of the Spirit is through Jesus Christ, through believing in him. Believing in him = Believing specifically in the work he has accomplished on the cross for us, his death and resurrection. And it is very much a personal decision. No one can make the decision for you.
Christianity is simple. No list of do's and don'ts. No list of criteria you have to meet. Just plain belief and trust in Jesus' work on the cross. And recognising your sin.
Christianity is difficult. Because of ourselves. Our intellect gets in the way. We are too clever for our own good. Our pride gets in the way. Our circumstances get in the way. Life is too good, I don't need Jesus. Life is so bad, how can a good God allow my life to be so bad? 1001 obstacles stand between us and Jesus. If only you make that giant leap of faith, and allow God to guide you, you will definitely come to have a personal relationship with God.
And yup I am thoroughly encouraged by the people who came to JL today.. Especially the 2 prebelievers who were really "just looking". Both are foreign students studying in a private school here and will take their O levels as private candidates. One came from China, the other from Vietnam. Despite the language barrier, they were really keen to find out more about Christ.. Besides the language difficulties, they are in a foreign land, they have no friends or family here, they hardly know anyone in church, they have had no prior knowledge of the bible.. Yet with child-like faith and an open mind, they are keen to seek.. and I am sure they will find.
Luke 11:9-10 Jesus says,"So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened."
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