Showing posts with label praise. Show all posts
Showing posts with label praise. Show all posts

Monday, June 1, 2009

1a.m. MAY ENCOUNTER

There is amazing development in what God has been doing or speaking to us in our journey in wanting to do Change Your World (CYW).

On May 3rd - 5th , the team went away for 3 days just seeking God on why “Change Your World”. One of the reasons why we did that is because we’re not sure if it was really God or us being man trying to be heroes. To be honest, there are too many uncertainties and these are just a few things on how we felt:

  1. We are nobody in Malaysia - no one really knows who 1a.m. is.
  2. We don’t have the finance as it takes at least half a million if we want to do 14 States. Yeap our church is too small and do not have such finances to run this.
  3. We are a small church and the amount of man power needed to do this needs what maybe Hillsongs or Planetshakers kind of capacity. Maybe we are too ambitious.

But after a burning bush experience with God, I am not only fired up but the whole band is totally consumed by what God spoke in our retreat. This is the summary from Cuzario, Neil and Kelvin.

Two weekends ago we set for the mountainous hiding place, away from the city, to seek and hear from God hoping that He would reveal His immediate action plans for us in 1am as we unfold yet another new and interesting chapter of our ministry.

This year He is entrusting us with a 2-year project, our biggest so far, called Change Your World; due to kick off in August. Honestly speaking, though fully driven by our childlike faith (as always), we didn’t quite have the clearest picture of what the whole thing should be like. Crazy ideas were aplenty and scattered everywhere but pieced together the effect of braving the approximately 18 degrees centigrade Malaysian winter for a latte night at Starbucks, close to 6000 feet above sea level.

Things weren’t the same after we got our caffeine shot that night

Early the next morning as we battled against our growling tummies, God began to speak to each one of us mostly through His living Word, some pictures. The next few paragraphs are just a few of the amazing things revealed to us

In Luke 5:5 we observed that despite the many hours of trying, Simon did not grunt when Jesus told him to drop his net on the water for what would probably be one of his last attempts that night. Without complaining he did exactly as told saying, At Your Word (some translations because You say so) I will let this net down. Just like Simon we, for most of the time, have no slightest clue of what it takes to labor for or partner with God we come to a dead end without knowing it; typically choosing to stop, drop everything, quit, forget about it and never ever make a come back. But Simon was not a quitter. Instead, as a reward of his obedience, he was able to have the last laugh that night catching most likely his biggest catch in his entire fishing career. More than that, he was able to share the spoils with his buddies too! Being in the boat with Simon, we can’t but so wanting to emulate his feat and of course his great servant hood attitude. We want to obey Gods command like Simon did, believing in His every word without any hint of doubt. It didn’t require much and there’s nothing to lose, really. Because He said so, we will go

Moving on to verse 17 of the same chapter, the sentence that caught our attention was, the power of God was present.

Well, in all honesty, this is our truest desire for all the things we do in our ministry. Never in our mind will we ever take pride in the things we are doing or called to do. Our up most prayer is that for His power to be present so evident that others can’t deny that it is truly by His work we are able to execute everything put into our plates, be it in our small productions or gigantour concerts! All we are about is bringing His presence to every single life around us.

Lastly for this entry then He showed through one of us an image of a compass, one that has a hand as would an analog clock. Clockwise, the hand ticked beginning from the North proceeding to the East; then making a way passing the South at the six o clock mark before wrapping its not-so-complete cycle up in the West. Frankly, none of us knew what this exactly means (and yes, we are still trying to decipher the illustration) but in my humble opinion, I felt that this could probably be the route He wants us to take for this tour. As far as my geographically-challenged mind can go, I remembered we first introduced this tour in the Northern part of our country followed exactly by another state in the West. The third stop was a city in the Southern part of Peninsular Malaysia and the next, but not the last just yet, was in yes you got it right it was arguably to the West (actually North, depending on where and how your standing position is while reading this) of the previous city! So there you go, need me to say more?

Stay with us for more news

Wednesday, April 29, 2009

God's Kitchen

It is way past midnight (oh yes, my BEDTIME too!) and I’m still wide awake. The reddish grey cloud outside is already hinting that rain is inevitable while the accompanying cool breeze is saying amen to that! Lovely…

I can’t help myself from munching the hot potato PIK-NIK “Shoestrings” while writing this…it is so addictive I’m beginning to think that if I don’t stop now I’ll continue eating it like an Eat-To-Sleep Chewing Machine! Oh don’t worry, I don’t do that all the time…and my current weight is still bearable…so it’s okay…

By the way, there’s a SMALL bowl of Cruzer’s Daybreak Salad waiting for me in the kitchen!

Hmmm…anyway, I’m just thinking…

If again tomorrow night I can’t sleep, despite the perfect weather, will I drug myself with more junk food or will I turn to the solid spiritual food? Shhh…I know…

Yes; lately, I’ve been so challenged and healthily bugged by the word of God written in Joshua 1:8. It says…

“Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful”. (NIV)

You see…too many of us, me included, I’m pretty sure we’ve came across this scripture too many times we overlooked the lamb-chop-like juice of truth it contains. Often time I realize I’d focus more on the “God’s Promise” part of the scripture neglecting the “My Action” part. It is as though I was too hungry I couldn’t wait for my lamb chop to cook I ate it raw – far off from His plan for me to enjoy the meat well done.

The thing about me (and probably you too) is that I don’t really love waiting and I want what I want right here right now. That’s how I am sometimes. I wanna be prosperous and I wanna be successful and I want them both fast, minus having to go through any hurdles. It is like I’m demanding for the profit but totally choose to forget about the investments! It doesn’t work that way, right?

But God being the fair Boss, His strategy is different – always! Not that He loves to withhold His promises, but in my own opinion, He is just not a fan of having to fork out salary advances to any of His servants. Unless faith actions are constantly and sincerely shown, He can choose to delay in delivering the desires of my heart…and He will not surprisingly do just that!

The whole experience of being enlightened by this simple verse has really caused me to dig in whatever I read so much deeper with the quest to find a fresh revelation and the whole package that comes with it. Like those who serves in the oil and gas industry, they dig deeper not with the goal to find out more about dinosaurs or fossils they knew ever existed; their prize – the oil and gas itself! Likewise, my attitude is not to just read whatever that is visible but beyond.

That’s just one of the things I learned…would love to share more juice with you again next time…perhaps in one of my other sleepless nights. Til then, enjoy what I’m leaving behind for you…

Cruzer’s Daybreak Salad Recipe:

Chicken Sausages with Cheese and Chili – raw, sliced to your hotness;

Onions, sliced thin enough to remind you of the unnecessary fat you might gain;

Tomato, sliced to the number of hours you have left in bed;

Carrots, sliced enough to shut your Parrot mouth;

Coral Leaves/Lettuces, generously green enough to remind you Jude is a vegetarian;

Sprinkles of coarse Black Pepper, as desired as you would tiny sweet moles on your face;

French Dressing, poured to perfection to romance your taste bud.

*would be nicer with Parmesan Cheese & Croutons!

Best paired with: Iced Lemon Tea chilled at -2°c.

Total Preparation Time: 7 minutes

Accompanying Soundtracks:

Nightminds by Missy Higgins

Water Feels Warm by Electralow

Hide Me by Grandad Bob

Tuesday, April 14, 2009

Change Your World Tour - Teaser



Guys! GO TO YOUTUBE AND COPY THE URL OR EMBEDDED THIS VIDEO TO PLAY ON YOUR BLOG, WEBSITE OR MYSPACE.

SPREAD IT OUT AND TOGETHER LETS BRING CHANGE!!!!

1a.m. NEW WEBSITE LOOK

What a crazy month March turned out to be for us at 1a.m.! We are currently in the midst of fine-tuning a project we dreamed of embarking months ago called Change Your World, among others.


Concurrently, we are also in the last phase of upgrading our main website temporarily replacing it with the Change Your World website. If you would like to explore and check out the content, simply log on to our existing address at www.1am.com.my; you might just find something that will trigger your curiosity.


Just a little snippet of what you will find:


Facebook: Join us here and be a part of the 1a.m. community;

Twitter: To get instant updates about what we are up to;

Wordpress: To get details of our daily chores;

Indieheaven: Listen to our music and find out more about other Christian musicians near you;

Merch: Buy our merchandise;

Youtube: Watch our videos; Embed our new promo video to spread change!!!

Nominate Your City: Invite us to come to your city.


Well that is all we have for you this round. Have a great day! God bless..

Thursday, January 29, 2009

RISE of the LEADER


So it was a Friday afternoon, I had an Intro to Business class and my word, did I enjoy this class.


A little side note here.... when I was in high school I purposely chose the science stream coz I hated Business. Who would have known that I'll be learning a bit on Business in college again...wahhhhhhhhhhhhh ... definitely not me.


I kinda felt like Jonah where you like try to run away from what your suppose to do or face only to find yourself submit to whatever you are running from =)

Anyway, You got to love God coz for whatever reason you think ain't worth knowing is worth knowing In God's Eyes!


In other words, just move with the flow knowing that God is in Control!!!


We had this game which the teacher kinda like asked us to play in a room with 5 students (The rest must be running away... hehehe). It was a "Survival simulation game".

Now I don't know if it’s true but it’s the same game that companies use when hiring managers. In short the scenario is that you along with your people where in a plane, crashed landed somewhere up north of Canada (How north can you get?!?! =p), its cold, 25 below zero during day time, 40 below zero at night, the nearest town 20 miles away. So you and your surviving buddies manage to salvage a couple of things in the plane....


WHAT DO YOU DO?


The list are (not in order)


A ball of steel wool

A small axe

A loaded .45 Caliber pistol

Can of Crisco Shortening

News papers (One per person)

Cigarette lighter (Without Fluid)

Extra T-shirt and pants for each survivor

20x20 ft. piece of heavy duty canvas

A sectional air map made of plastic

One quart of 100-proof whiskey

A compass

Family-size chocolate (One per-person)


Try doing this and see whether you are manger material =) (Comment or email me personally if you want to know the answer to this)


Anyway, I did mine... And guess what?!?!?!?!


I'll be the first one to die in the COLD!!!! Oh man, that just dropped the nuclear bomb in me and I can hear God say "..... ... ..... . . . . ..."


In other words, sometimes (or most of the times) I get the best of me (overconfident side) to act upon my life rather than listening to Him first and consider the thoughts of others.

When I thought about it, ask me whether my fellow "plane crashers" where part of my survival plan, I'm ashamed to say "NO".

Wow that was an eye opener, heart opener, can opener (however you want to call it) for me. I can see my "humble status" rising as it left a scar in my heart and mind as it’s gonna be one of those memories that you'll never forget. I can be very selfish.


But you know what.... Praise God! He reminded me that He is the perfector of our Faith!

Don’t ever think “that because things are going great for you everything is ok”. We need Jesus all the more.

I'm still amazed with this scene in my life. I still have a lot to learn. I thank God that He's never given up on me despite how many times I feel like giving up.


“A thousand times I failed still your mercy remains,

should I stumble again, I'm caught by your Grace" (plays at the back of my mind when writing this =) )


So I "died" in managerial skills but that’s all part in Leadership training so I guess I'm in the right class in life.


To be a leader is to go through failures not because you’re destined to fail but destined to learn so that you can be a better leader not for yourself, but for God and others.


Rise up!


Neil1am

P.S HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEAR EVERYBODY!!!

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

FALL-LOW or FOLLOW?


Wasabi!!! How’s everyone’s weekend? Good I hope.

We just finished our 7 Day prayer and fasting as a church.


Let me break it down spiritually and physically.


- Physically I was hungry =p. Lost some kgs so it’s a good thing hahaha.


- Spiritually it was great. In a nut shell in conjunction to what I feel God spoke to me personally and ministry wise (which is the year 2009 is the “make it” or “break it” year) I felt God spoke to me about “starting right or miss out”. I mean think about it, if we start our day right with God (quiet time) the rest of the day would be perfect. Not that you won’t have challenges along the way but the strength, peace, grace, mercy, love etc of God is with you as you go through your day. Why? Coz you started your day right. Now this about this, how much more if you start youryear right?


I went to TGIF the other day with PC (Pastor Cat).

It was a dinner blessed by Roger, the dad of our youngest 1a.m. intern whose name is Eu Wyn, and had my favorite Jack Daniel Burger! It was amazing. I want to thank Manchester United for if it wasn’t for them thrashing Chelsea 3-0 I wouldn’t be eating at all… hahaha. Seriously.... Thanks Roger!!! You Rock!!! Man Utd Vs Intermilan next ;-)


Well today starts the 1st week of our Change Album recording. So it’s official. Cuza goes first so do keep him in prayers that he delivers the best in him for this album.


Yesterday me and Jude were doing guide tracks (What are guide tracks? They are songs that should not be heard online due to bad recording. For drummers only =p). We did a video blog, so you’ll probably see it online soon.

It short, the change album will be coming out in the middle of the year so please be excited!


Anyway, I led worship last weekend and had a conversation with God based on Ps 23.

Now most of us know what Ps 23 talks about. It’s where it famously starts with

“The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want”.

One of my challenges this year that I agree to work on is really pray and grow deeper in terms with the word of God. So I read onwards and stumble upon verse 6 where it goes

“Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life...”


I paused for a while and chatted with God a bit and asked Him “Why couldn’t goodness and love go ahead instead of following?” Not that I doubted His word but I guess its just one of those ways you use if you want to hear God speak back juicy stuff. You got to ask questions! =)

So I asked and He immediately replied (Love Him=)) and this is what He told me to think of.

In life, we move forward. Our life moves forward not backwards.


Imagine if goodness and love do go ahead of us, in other words we follow. Now there’s no guarantee of what life may bring tomorrow or maybe the next few hours so if we fall somewhere we “sort-of” miss out because goodness and love was ahead of us. Its like having 2 of your best buddies run a head of you to get movie tickets where along the way you tripped over the pavement and there was no-one behind you to help you out because your buddies are in front of you.


But lets say, the same incident as the first, goodness and love follow us all the days of our lives that when we fall, we sure won’t miss it.


Wow, to me that was comforting. I hope it is to you too.


I don’t know where your journey is today but be at peace that you won’t miss out the goodness and love of God. And even if you feel like it’s ahead of you or you’re falling behind, know that our God the Father is watching, turns back, picks you up and puts you on top of His shoulders.


That’s the God I love and that’s the God I serve.


Neil1am

Thursday, January 8, 2009

Grace Amazing


This week for the awesome Jude...

Or they call awesome hotness...

Or just hotness...

Or just awesome...


A new year has dawned...a new start to do things differently...

Newer challenges...newer things to learn...ANOTHER CHANCE to make my year glorify God...


Gosh so excited for this year. Relent recording is gonna resume again after a short hiatus. We just practiced and finalized arrangements for our songs...

Not to boast...but our songs are just so awesome...ok that’s boasting but it’s a God given song...so it’s for His glory...

What song doesn't need bells?! WE NEED THEM BELLS!!

Not to mention the tour we're gonna launch into this year...so much God has in store for us its just exciting..


If you dunno what I’m talking about then STAY TUNED!!


It’s the 1st week (2nd technically) but God has already started to reveal so much to me thru my time with him (sometimes I call it a date...lol)...

I remember on a particular Monday (actually that’s just a few days away) I was doing my devotions and the devo book mentioned something about God's grace...


Long story short, this guy was floating in the sea stranded...and almost got killed by sharks...but God's grace was upon him and he survived.


Many a times my surroundings fail my eyes...my existence blurs my heart...my work dulls my senses... and I, in turn fail to see that it was God's grace that made me Jude today...

Are my achievements fueled by my aptitude?

Are my moments of peace fed by my solitary shell?

Is my disposition shaped by my own understanding?

Neither...


WHERE I AM TODAY IS ENTIRELY BY GOD'S GRACE.


I have failed in many areas, yet God's grace pushes me to move.

I have stumbled many a times, yet God's grace picks me up.

I have shut my ears and ignore, yet God's grace spoke through my heart.


I remember during a concert 1a.m. was playing and I COMPLETELY MESSED UP MY GUITAR SOLO... (macam telinga mau koyak bah) no guitar sounded as cheap/weird/tormenting/hancur/all-in-all-really-bad as my guitar that moment... (which I quickly reacted by lowering my volume slightly to avoid further destruction of ears) but the spirit of God moved in the concert, and many people were touched. It wasn't my playing that moved the people (it moved them one step back though...lol)...but God's spirit...


I remember PC saying this so clearly...until now it has been a benchmark in what I do in ministry:


"WHAT WE DO IS NOT A MEASURE OF RELIGIOUSITY,

BUT A MEASURE OF GOD'S GRACE... "


I may be in the worst moments of my life,

be the worst guitarist of all,

be the worst person to have to cut your hair...

but God's grace makes the worst obsolete.


I thank God for his grace that carried me through...and I encourage you guys to give thanks to God for his never ending grace...

If not you even might not have a chance to read this...


God is awesome...


Jude1am

Monday, December 29, 2008

2008 so far - Daniel

This year have been a wonderful, purposeful and also a bittersweet one. The team has grown older, wiser and fatter, that’s why Neil and me are working out almost everyday now.


Earlier this year, one of our band mates, Mr. TJ Tan, who played the electric guitar left to Australia to further his studies.Just when he left God sent Jude Limus, a talented brother that can play various instruments. God is amazing.


This year we were busy with a lot of recordings, especially planning for next years album. This year we recorded two albums and that is Secret Place, which is our Chinese album and Adoration, which is the instrumental album.


I personally spent a lot of nights just recording and editing, fixing and more recording and editing. We recorded a lot, arranging guitar parts and thinking of ways to make our sound sweeter, bigger and more AWESOME. But one thing that I learnt throughout this tough, muddy, dirty, grueling process was I cannot make the sound in the recording bigger or sweeter or awesome if I depend on my own strength. Philippians 4:13 say I can do all things through Christ that strengthen me. I realized there was a time when I was exhausted and I felt like I cannot go on with the recordings, it was because I depended on my own strength and I did not rely on God.


It is the same with anyone out there; you need to draw strength from God daily. But how do you do that? By just coming to God daily before you start your day in prayer and reading His word. I have to admit there are times I struggle to read His word everyday (I know you guys struggle too) but I make it an effort to meet with Him almost everyday. I'm confident you'll start your day right and also He will provide you sufficient strength, anointing and blessing as well through out the day. God Bless.

Friday, December 26, 2008

2008 Briefly - Cuzario


Looking back, 2008 was like a roller-coaster ride for me personally.
There were lotsa ups and downs almost everywhere all the time.

Compared to the year before, there weren't many tours in 2008 but itdoesn't mean we didn't do much this year. What I personally perceive is that God kept us for a season just to prepare us for a greater year ahead.

Through this time of confinement God truly have brought us as a band to really dive in deeper into the ocean floor, understanding a new level of what worship is all about. Finding new revelations about how great God really is was almost like having an incurable brain tumor! Even mind-boggling doesn't come close to describing the magnitude of this God we are serving!

Generally, especially in the 2nd half of the year, we enjoyed our time ministering, empowering, equipping & training a few worship teams from some local churches around the country. Besides, we also prioritized to strengthen our own worship teams at home.

Personally, it was and still is a very emotionally-challenging year for me as relationships with friends turned rocky and all that. Worst, I had to fight with time as God welcomed some (in the last 2 years) of my dearest home to be with Him forever a bit sooner than I
could imagine.

In my brokenness facing the reality of life I'm thankful that
God is still so ever faithful in having so much interest in every area of my imperfect life. I cannot but keep thirsting for more of Him each day. It's His grace that fuels me to lift my heavy feet as I drag my own cross daily knowing that in my weaknesses I'm always made strong. More than often His comforting living Words has never failed to keep me sane and grounded each time unexpected storms came by, which in some desperate moments made me feel as though I'm clinging for my dear life on a sinking boat only to realize He's always there to grab me from sinking deeper into the troubled waters.

Overall, the journey this year wasn't easy at all but definitely rewarding. Surrendering everything to Him is still the best choice and the right thing todo. As I lay here waiting for a better tomorrow, all He's asking me to do is to be still and let God be God! So...I'll just stick to that in obedience. After all, He's the One who's in control over this broken
life.


~cruzer~

Monday, December 22, 2008

The year that was 2008 - Jude


Since joining 1a.m. on the 17th Feb 08 ( YES EXACT DATE.. )


My journey has been a most exciting one though its only a short amount of time. I remember being exposed to the different fields of work, like managing an entire academy, to overseeing the whole musical department as music director in training, things I'm not good at, but which 1a.m. had the confidence (or audacity) to entrust me with. But it is by God's grace the academy and music team is still surviving! (insert laughter here)


But really, journeying together with 1a.m. has really broaden my view towards God, from God only being my comfort and provider, to God being BIGGER THAN ALL MY PROBLEMS, and seeing him in a bigger worth. Being my 1st time away from home, often times I go to God for a "home security", which is good cos I i believe he wants us to go to him as often as we are able to.


But as God slowly reveals to me himself more and more, I felt God saying "MY PRESENCE IS BETTER THAN ANY HOME ON EARTH". So kinda like God became bigger than any castle mansion made. God has been so gracious even before I joined 1a.m. and I realized that often times I only acknowledge Him whenever He provides, intervenes in my problems, or when he delivers me from my grief.


Being with 1a.m. has open my eyes in worshipping Him, and honoring him EVEN WHEN HE SEEMS TO BE QUIET, or when things doesn't go MY WAY. God is always in control of everything regardless of different situations that we face. My heart has always been music, playing music, and anything to do with music, and when God gets involved in the music it just makes it even better. I've always wanted to play better, improve in my skills, learn everything possible, JUST so that I can equip myself. But...slowly God change me, as I journey with 1a.m. I now realized doing all the work, practicing 100 hours a day, trying to play faster than that speeding bullet, became secondary as MY HEART WAS MORE IMPORTANT ABOVE ANYTHING ELSE.


God changed me from WANTING TO BE ABLE TO PLAY EVERYTHING TO EQUIP MYSELF to WANTING TO IMPROVE MYSELF SO THAT I'M ABLE TO SERVE HIM BETTER.


This year has been awesome, 1 year flew by without me noticing the red light.

Throughout the year I met many a challenge, most of them made me feel extremely inadequate. I specially remember one of them where my playing styles completely differ from the current band members.. ( I grew up listening to classical, jazz and Prog Metal and music like Japanese pop...yes, worlds apart... ) Everyone was either...rock...or...not-classical-not-jazz-not-metal kinda thing... So a lot of times it was extremely hard for me to gel with them, to play skillfully up to an expectation, ( everyone thought highly of my musicality's apparently ) and being a musician it's hard to change instantly and suck in your pride. But I thank GOD for THE AWESOME journey He hooked me up in '08, for being such an AWESOME GOD, for BEING SO REAL, and walking me me thru all the moments where I felt I'm inadequate, cos that's where i feel him the most. Of course God is slowly changing me as well musically, at least now know jazz is not the band's thing :) ....


I look forward for '09 to come, cos I know God has in store for me MORE AWESOME THINGS that He wants me to experience.


It's been good being a guitarist for God, I regret nothing...

Thursday, September 4, 2008

Tuesday, September 2, 2008

Malaysia's Independence



The independence of Malaysia is different from much of the independence of other countries. What makes it so different? It is a peaceful independence achieved by holding talks with the British. No other country has ever done that before Malaysia. Addtionally, the Malaysian independence was realised by three people with different culture and religion. It is amazing how independence was gained that way. On the glorious day of 31 August 1957, Allahyarham Tunku Abdul Rahman proudly declared the independence of Malaya (now Malaysia) by shouting out "Merdeka" seven times at the Merdeka Stadium.

1a.m. is proud to be Malaysians and we believe that God has great plans for our nation. Please pray for us as we declare our 51st independence day.

Please go to our 1a.m youtube website to view our song “Malaysia Shout Your Praise” and you can download the song for free also at our website at www.1am.com.my .



God bless

1a.m. team

Friday, August 29, 2008

Malaysia Shouts Your Praise - Music Video/ Testimony

Here is 1a.m's new music video

This just came out last week. A collection of pictures showing what Malaysia's all about. A reminder that we should love our country. God Bless Malaysia!



Testimony of Malaysia Shouts Your Praise