First Day of Canaanland Retreat 2009

Worked in the morning. Ordered lunch from nearby coffee shop. Did not have much appetite and therefore did not eat much as the countdown had almost begun. Went home to do last minute packing and rested in the lounge room for 15 mins.

Jacelyn Chung came to fetch me after 2.30p.m. We went straight up the mountain without detouring anywhere. Jacelyn’s twin sister Elizabeth was in her friend Lisa Ling’s car. There was slight drizzle half way up and as usual when encountering heavy vehicles, the journey was dragged on and trying the best to overtake these vehicles. I rested in the car as well.

We arrived at the resort after two hours and checked in. All the twelve single ladies were allocated to the three out of four chalets available with the balcony facing the mountain.

Outside of the chalets

Outside of the chalet

Inside of my chalet

Inside of my chalet

Inside of my chalet

Inside of my chalet

Inside the room which I shared with Jacelyn

Inside the room which I shared with Jacelyn

Inside the room which I shared with Jacelyn

Inside the room which I shared with Jacelyn

Besides our twin sharing room, there is a queen size bed in the other room shared by two of the American ladies.

The rest of the people were allocated to the Kinabalu Wing with the door facing the mountain.

The retreat programme started with dinner at 6.30p.m. and I invited Rev. Lee Tak Vui to give thanks for the food. I sat next to him and Ps. Steven Teo was sitting next to Rev. Lee. One of the American ladies sat next to Ps. Steven. Alice Hiew came to sit next to me and she told me the problems she encountered as she was in charge of the Praise and Worship (P&W) sessions.

Although all meals provided were buffet style, once again I did not have much appetite and ate for the strength and energy needed, not for the enjoyment of it.

Before P&W time, I welcomed everyone present especially our American guests. Without everyone being there, the retreat (with the Theme – Living for Christ) would not be possible.

Ng Lee Fong led the P&W for the First Session. Alice was playing the piano. Andrew Tai did not have to play the guitar. Nevertheless we still had a good P&W time.

After P&W, I welcomed Rev. Lee, Ps. Steven and Elder Fung.

Since I had dinner with Ps. Steven the night before and had learnt some personal things about him, I introduced him based on that information which was not written inside our retreat booklet. He is married to his high school sweetheart Dorothy. He has a son and a six months old grandson.

I was slightly nervous and was glad when it was time for Ps. Steven to take over the microphone.

During the First Session, he shared on the following.

Value

Value often changes with time. Life is about what we value. Spend time and value on what is important to us.

Where your treasure is, there your heart is.

Luke 20:45-47, 21:1-4

The Importance of Value

1. Value relationship with God more than anything else.

The widow gave 2 copper coins. By Jewish law, she was not obligated to give the second coin.

Relationship with God is more important than life itself.

The irony is the temple was supposed to look after her but she was totally unconditional. She was unconditional to God and His house.

2. Value generosity for God

Jesus used the word lavish giving. God is not concerned with how much we give. God wants to look beyond what we give but why we give.

God measures generosity individually.

Give as much as we can, sacrificial one.

The widow did something significant.

The widow valued purpose in God.

The widow did not focus on her lack.

She was there to give. She saw strength in her purpose.

We often look at our lack instead of what we have. We have a tendency to look at what we do not have.

Wealth is not a sin.

Excel in the grace of giving.

Jesus talked about money more than anything else.

When there is purpose, there is tenacity.

The widow has her priority in the right place. Her relationship with God dictated her living.

Generosity – inner disposition/character, ability to give, ability to help others.

Purposeful people is powerful people. We should love and serve God and people purposefully.

There are purposes God has for us. We should be history makers for God.

At the end Ps. Steven asked for rededication of lives and at first I saw only Elder Fung and Elizabeth’s friend Lisa Ling who went out. I felt that I needed to go out as well. At the end there were eight people who went out for prayers. Ps. Steven requested Rev. Lee to accompany him as he prayed for people.

If Ps. Steven had followed the order, I would be the last person to be prayed for. But since I had to wrap up the night, I was the sixth person he prayed for. He put anointing oil on my forehead.

What followed was not exat word to word account of what he said but some of the words I remembered.

1. The breakthrough you have been praying and waiting for all these years would finally be here for you starting from this moment onwards. You will experience the change as you walk out from the door, all throughout the camp, and not when you go down from the mountain. You would be a different person upon leaving this place.

2. The Lord’s anointing is very strong upon your life. But everything is mangle up to the extent that you should let the past be the past and not dwell upon them. Instead you should look towards the future. I prayed for double portion of God’s anointing to be upon your life.

When I heard of the way he was praying for the first item, I was so relieved and could not contain my tears. Just imagine obtaining the victory for something you have prayed for as long as you could remember ie. decades.

All I can say is God is always faithful, we are the ones who is faithless. He knows every deep thing inside our heart and mind. And to use someone who does not know anything about us to speak the ‘rhema’ word to us is simply beyond words and I can only say God is indeed an AWESOME GOD. And that is why the retreat was an AWESOME RETREAT for me.

After everyone had been prayed for, I wrapped up the night and thanked Ps. Steven. Supper and fellowship followed.

I spent a brief time talking to Ps. Steven and Rev. Lee. By the time we reached back the chalet was after 10p.m. and I spent some time to prepare for the treasure hunt on the last day.

I went to bed around midnight. The wind was howling and I kept on waking up throughout the night. The bed was also very hard to sleep on. Nevertheless I thanked God for everything He had done up until that moment for the retreat.