Editorial Notes

Harlow to everyone! Welcome back to another new semester again! Uhh... Do I hear someone groaning???? Yeah, yeah... Back to the assignments, tests, mugging and EXAM (Oh! How that word send shiver down some of our spine!) Well, but one thing we all have in common is God! With His grace, power and strength, He will bring us all through.... If only YOU (Yes! YOU! Hello... Don't look to the left or the right. JUST YOU (including Yours truly here :)) PUT YOUR TRUST IN HIM!

S o, in this issue, we will explore on the word GRACE... The Times Chamber dictionary defines Grace as mercy (of God). Mercy??? Who needs mercy anyway.... Some of you out there may think? Well, to be truthful, all of us! The bible tells us that all of us have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23) And only God has the power to forgive!

O.K! Enough of my babbling, let's take a look at what this issue has in store for you...

First, we have the honour of Mr Nathanael Ang, who is so kind to provide us with an article on Grace (after a long chase....pant.... pant...:)) Well... I must say that the chase is worth it though! Good Job, Nat!

Next, a series of Updates on the activities during the past holiday to provide you guys and gals on the latest happenings. There is Lessons by Elizabeth, and The "Winter Cleaning" Day by Ah Lap. Flip through to find out the details and find God's grace through prayers....

Then, there is the weekly Friday Care group meeting and Sport and Recreation (anyone dying to jump around or trying to get fit spiritually or physically or both!...note these!)

Next.... a peep through the window (Ah Ha! Caught your attention! **in case you are zzzzzzing off**) of two of our sisters' life in how they have experience the unmeasureable grace of God.

In the Music section, Cze-Ee has provided us with a review of how music could heal the soul. Wow! God really works in wonderous way!

The Last Laugh section will provides you with some humour in the midst of your assignments. Thanks Diep for your contribution!

In case you would like to contact any of the committee members for one reason or another, you can flip to the last few pages and find our contact details starring at you. (Anyone got any contribution for the CCM News????) Check out our Website as well for all the activities too!

Flip to the second last page and find our list of kind sponsors where you can get discounts by just flashing you little blue card which says Membership! Make good use of it and get your $8 worth!

Okie Dokie... last but not least, hope that all of you can truly embrace the Grace of God in each and every day of your life!

Till the next issue, God bless!

- Karen Lee

To begin with, I would like to invite you for an imaginary ride. Ready?......

I magine with me that you're a typical Jewish teenager roaming about the temple courts one day when you heard a commotion. Being the curious sort of person, you approached the area where all the people were gathered. You saw some teachers of the law and t he Pharisees storming away from the crowd with furious expressions on their faces. Apparently, they had brought a woman who was caught in adultery to someone named Jesus. They had done that, hoping to put Him in a tight situation but their plan backfire d (which explained their anger and embarrassment). And this man, Jesus, even forgave the woman's sin!

"This sounds new to me!", you pondered, "Who has the authority to forgive sins but God?"

A fter that encounter, you heard news about how Jesus went about places where great crowds followed. He was later accused of blasphemy and was crucified. But news about Him didn't end there. Three days later, He rose from the dead. Some believed the res urrection but many didn't. You were the few who believed. As you looked back, you marveled at what Jesus did, His life, His death and His resurrection. You remembered how He so graciously forgave the woman caught in adultery. Acknowledging that throug h Jesus' death on the cross, He has forgiven all of your sins and given you eternal life, you asked, "What did I do to deserve His unmerited favour?"......

N ow getting back to reality, we're gonna take a short look at the great extent of the grace of God.

Grace of God
O ne attribute of God that I had always marveled at is His grace. Throughout the word of God, we see God's grace - in Genesis, He provided garments of skin for Adam and Eve after they sinned (Gen.3:21). Producing the garment of skin would have meant that an animal was sacrificed for the skin. This reflected the sacrifice of Jesus in order that we may be clothed in His righteousness. God poured out His love and His grace on us through this act of atonement.

I was amazed to find that the central theme of grace was so evident throughout the letters in the New Testament. Starting from the book of Romans, the word grace is mentioned at least twice, both in the beginning and the conclusion of the letter (Rom.1:7 a nd Rom.16:20b). Without fail, it appears in a similar manner for the other 12 letters as well. I've listed the verse references at the end of this article. I believe that just as the apostle Paul emphasized on grace, we need to learn so as well. It wa s through his encounter with the Lord on the road to Damascus that started his journey of living under grace. I trust that you are personally experiencing the grace of God in your life. If not, I would like to challenge you to pay particular attention t o the rest of this article.

Grace revealed
T o really comprehend grace, we need to understand our initial standing before a holy God, that is we, as sinful people, were separated from God since our birth. In fact, not only were we distant from God, we were enemies of God (Rom.5:10).

I magine (again??) with me that you're swimming in the stormy seas and you're in danger of being drowned. There's no one else around the distant shore except one person. And that person happened to be your sworn enemy. But instead of leaving you to drown , he risked his life to save you. He could have left you to struggle powerlessly but he didn't, because of his grace for you- an unmerited favour. That is how God showed His grace. As former enemies of God, He provided a way for redemption (through the death of Jesus on the cross) so that we could be reconciliated with Him. Never would you find in the world's court of law that the judge, after pronouncing the sentence to a guilty criminal, pays the penalty on the criminal's stead. That was exactly wh at Jesus did!

E phesians 2 refers to our former spiritual state before God, that is being dead in trespasses and sins (v1). But God has made us alive to Christ (v5). When I looked at the raising of Jairius' daughter from the dead (Mark 5:35-43), I could picture a paral lelism between that incident and these two verses. Suppose that our spiritual condition (being dead in our trespasses and sins) represented Jarius' daughter, who was physically dead. When Jesus went to her, He called out to her and she rose from the dea d. It was through the power of God and His grace that she arose. That same power and grace called us out of our spiritual death and made us alive to Christ! It's by His grace that we're made spiritually alive (Eph.2:1-10) that we may experience the abundant life that Satan had stolen from us.

Grace toward others
R ight, for those who've tasted the goodness and grace of God, what next? Simply, continue living under the grace of God and give grace to others too! Just as how we've received grace from God so undeservedly, we need to also emulate His character and giv e grace to the people around us as well. Of course, it must always be done in all wisdom. Just as God is the Righteous One, we need the power of the Holy Spirit to lead us into showing grace appropriately and in righteousness. We also need the word of God to direct us along the way.

A s I reflect back, I see that many who've really experienced and comprehended the grace of God were able to give a great measure of grace to people around them. We really need to learn to be more gracious and forgiving than being too judgmental to people. Indeed, where would we stand if God were to have dealt with all of us in the same measure that we sometimes deal with others?

Grace abounding
B efore I conclude, I would like to challenge those of you who've never received God's grace to really consider not missing out on the free gift of God. And for those who've doubted God and are "hiding" from Him, I would encourage you to look bac k and see the goodness of God in your life. You'd be amazed with how far His grace could go! It's beyond measure! And for those who're joyfully living under the grace of God, press on and remember to give grace to others wisely as well!

Grace undeserved
A s for the question posed earlier on, the answer's nothing - ABSOLUTELY NOTHING have we done to deserve His grace!

G race is really that amazing, just like what John Newton wrote:

Nathanael Ang

Endnote:
Rom.1:7 & 16:20b; 1 Cor.1:3 & 16:23; 2 Cor.1:2 & 13:14; Gal.1:3 & 6:18; Eph.1:2 & 6:24; Phil.1:2 & 4:23; Col.1:2 & 4:18b; 1 Thess.1:1 & 5:28; 2 Thess.1:2 & 3:18; 1 Tim.1:2 & 6:21b; 2 Tim.1:2 & 4:22b; Tit.1:4 & 3:15b; Philemon 1:3 & 1:25

D uring the holidays, many were determine not to fall into spiritual holiday but to be well-fed with the word of God. Lessons were laid out every night for many to feast on. Some found it difficult to have to see each other every day in the week but after the first lesson, the chore turned to joy. Not only is it a good time of sharing but also a good time of fellowship. Being a body in Christ, working together to be equipped in His word is a very powerful weapon. The lessons mainly revolved around follo wing-up, discipleship and shepherding. For those who do not know, the mission of our church is...

T he main idea of the lessons is about the importance of shepherding, and what is God's ideal shepherd. In many verses in the bible, we are referred to be like sheep (dumb and vulnerable as we are), always needing the guidance and care from a shepherd. Shep herds refer to people of a higher spiritual maturity, keeping in mind that God is the ultimate shepherd who leads and care for His flock.

T o many who are already shepherds, it served as a very good checklist for them (to see if all or most was fulfilled) as well as motivation to continue the extension of His kingdom. To many others who are new to us, the lessons are probably a good eye-open er to see why we do the things we do and see the reasons why we need guidance from God.

T o top it with ice-cream, the discussion was fabulous, allowing useful suggestion as well as clarifying doubts. Nothing beats a good debate to bring opinions together.

Elizabeth Beh

D uring the school holidays, after a Sunday service, we launched a winter cleaning campaign to wash the vans belonging to the church. The vans have been, for most of us, the mode of transport to care group meetings and Sunday services. They had got dirty a nd therefore badly in need of a wash.

A s some of us, with serving hearts and unity, prepared for the wash, the weather turned cold, windy and the drizzle threatened to turn into heavy rain. However, through the power of prayer, the drizzling stopped! God really opened the way for us to do Hi s work no matter how bad the situation may look. This reminds me of James 1:2-8 where it says:

W e started washing the vans one at a time even though we felt really cold and fingers numb. Although some of us got wet in the process of washing and splashing, at the end of the day, all of us had our share of fun and laughter. Now that the vans are cle an, shiny and comfortable, could everyone do a part in keeping it that way?

SHAKE OFF THE DIRT ON YOUR SHOES BEFORE GETTING IN, OKAY!

Lap Chan

D o not give up meeting together as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another - and all the more as you see the day approaching.

C CM meets regularly every week for a time of fellowship, praise & worship and Bible-study. Do come along for these meetings, as they are catered to refresh your heart, mind and soul with fresh words from our Father, and warm love from His children. Thi s is where friendships blossom and commitment grows as the Word is instilled in our lives and we experience the marvellous presence of Our God.

Transportation is not an issue with us as we have ample volunteers each week to drive our members and visitors home. So come along for a totally stress free, worshipful evening with your friends here at CCM!

Sports and Recreation

E very alternate Saturday, CCM organises a sporting day, where members get together for a time of fitness & fun. Most of this takes place at the very new, very improved sport complex at the Clayton campus, where we indulge in court games like Tennis, B asketball & Squash. So should you be interested in a fortnightly session of sports and rec and plain good company, give Newson a buzz at 0414-336-585 and I'm sure he'll be happy to fix you up with any of the available groups.

W hen I came to Australia last year, I was full of gratitude because it was truly a bonus for me to be able to study again and especially in Australia. However, thanksgiving soon became complains and I was quick to forget God's goodness. I skipped church se rvices and prayed less frequently. Eventually, I turned away from God totally. It was a year of fear and insecurity for me. Although I was faithless, God was still faithful.

T his year, He led me to a friend who brought me to Hope of God Melbourne. I was amazed at God's unmeasurable compassion. The passage through the spiritual desert last year had made me realise how much I really need God and the very fact that I'm living e ach day in His Grace.

Liyen

I was like a seed that fell on rocky soil before I came to Australia. However, God never let me go that easily. Truly, His mercy is new every morning and His plan is to bring me back.

I 've learnt to look at my backsliding days as times when the Lord was trying to tell me that I cannot live without Him. I learnt this lesson the hard way. During those times, things just fell apart. Stress, anxiety and fear clouded my mind most of the t ime. There was peer pressure as well as pressure from parents. Instead of crying out to God, I relied on my own strength to try to solve my problems. It wasn't easy at all. I wasn't that successful either.

G od has His ways of bringing lost sheep back and I wasn't an exception. Ever since, God has been teaching me and moulding me to be a better child. One very important aspect I've learnt is to love God whole-heartedly. Yes, God loves us very much, there's no doubt about it and in return He would like us to return this love too. I never understand how you could love God more than even your parents. Now, I do. It was partly because I just cannot resist falling in love with Him and by doing so, I learnt t o love others with this unlimited love. More importantly, the foundation of this love is the relationship with God that has grown over time. Like relationships between men, this relationship with God is even more special because God is just perfect in H is love.

I 'm very thankful to Him for His mercy and grace and I pray that others will be able to experience this great love of His too. God Bless U.

Ruth Hii

I truly believe that music heals the soul. This has been evident in my life and it was through the songs in this album that God's truth moulded my spiritual-being and helped me through my personal struggles. Sometimes in our busy walk of life, there are many demands that become a distraction and our heart, mind and actions stray from God.

Y ou alone are my heart's desire, the basis of the album's title, is exactly the answer to the intimacy we should hunger of God. Marty includes this phase in the lyrics of the song As the Deer. I can remember singing this song in church ever si nce young and it is only now where I have cried these words from my heart. I have realised that God is our strength, our only shield, our friend and brother and all I long for is to worship Him.

T here are times where I have felt dry, where I forgot the feeling of God's love and joy. Times of refreshing reminded me of how the presence of God can restore our soul and renew our mind and it all comes from just being with Him. I can sincerely say that, "There's no greater joy, Lord, than being with You."

I think the song that is closest to my heart is Your grace is sufficient. I came to a point in my life where I could no longer continue by my own strength. I tried so hard to be perfect in His eyes but I only became disappointed and frustrated. I have come to understand that we are what we are only by grace. It is through God's grace by which we have salvation, where we are set free. For our lives to change and empowerment to fulfil His will, it is through grace and grace alone. His grace is truly sufficient for you and I.

T hrough this album you will surely seek to be one "after God's own heart".

Cze-Ee Lee

" We're nearly there. Are you okay?" the second climber called. The first one shouted, "Yeeeeees...... Crunch!"

Teacher : "This year's class outing will be to the seaside."
Class : "Hooray!"

Teacher : "It will cost $40."
Class : "Boo!"

Teacher : "By train or $1.50 by coach."
Class : "Hooray!"

Teacher : "The headmaster will be coming."
Class : "Boo!"

Teacher : "To see us off."
Class : "Hooray!"

Teacher : "The weather will be wet and windy."
Class : "Boo!"

Teacher : "In Russia and warm and sunny in Britain."
Class : "Hooray!"

Teacher : "There will be no swimming."
Class : "Boo!"

Teacher : "Until we get there."
Class : "Hooray!"

Teacher : "Lunch will be boiled fish and cabbage."
Class : "Boo!"

Teacher : "for me and crisps, Coke and Smarties for you."
Class : "Hooray!"

Teacher : "There will be a visit to the museum."
Class : "Boo!"

Teacher : "Or if preferred, to the funfair."
Class : "Hooray!"

Teacher : "But we must be back at 12 o'clock."
Class : "Boo!"

Teacher : "Midnight!"
Class : "Hooray!"

John : "There were ten cats on a boat, one jumped off and none were left."

Bill : "How's that?"

John : "They were all copycats."

Will you remember me for a day?
Yes.

Will you remember me for two days?
Yes.

Will you remember me for a week?
Yes.

Will you remember me for a year?
Yes.

Will you remember me for ten years?
Yes.

Knock, Knock.
Who's there?

See, you've forgotten me already!

- What do you call a dinosaur with one eye?
Doyouthinkhesaurus.

- What do you call a dinosaur with no eyes?
Iknowheneversaurus.

- What do you call a dear with no eyes?
Noidea.

- What do you call a deer with no legs or eyes?
Stillnoidea.

Sharon Lee [President]
e-mail: yllee8@student.monash.edu.au

Nathanael Ang [Secretary]
e-mail: nath@yoyo.cc.monash.edu.au

Lily Hu [Treasurer]
e-mail: lily@yoyo.cc.monash.edu.au

Karen Lee [Publication]
e-mail: yllee5@student.monash.edu.au

Su Fern Khor [Publication]
email: sfkho1@student.monash.edu.au

Yvonne Kua [Publication]
email: evkua1@student.monash.edu.au

Camillia Soong [Publication]
email: camcam@hotmail.com

Jane Ho [Publicity]
e-mail: wcho10@student.monash.edu.au

Elizabeth Beh [Publicity]
email: tlbeh1@student.monash.edu.au

Ruth Hii [Administration]
e-mail: schii1@student.monash.edu.au

Meena Kumari Sharma [Clayton Co-ordinator]
email: mksha1@mfs03.com.edu.au

Keswick Bookshops Inc.

1^st Floor, Port Philip Arcade, 232

Flinders St., Melbourne 3000.

9654 8188

Sells Christian books, CDs, cassettes, gifts, posters, etc.

15% discount on all books purchased, 10% discount on videos, CDs and cassettes purchased. Discounts do not apply for items on special.

Chinatown Duty Free Shop

206 lt. Bourke St., Melbourne 3000.

9663 1390

Sells duty-free products such as abalone and seafood (fresh frozen or caned), nougat, macadamia nuts, chocolates, wool products, health products, souvenirs, T-shirts, perfume, opals, etc.

5-20% discount on different types of products.

Andy's Café

Cnr. Queens Avenue and Sir John Monash Drive, Caulfield East.

9571 0936

10% discount on all items.

Seng Hing Restaurant

1 Derby Road, Caulfield East

9571 9186

10% discount on main course items only.

Caulfield Chinese Restaurant

11-12 Sir John Monash Drive, Caulfield East.

10% discount on catering functions. (Value must be of $50 and above).

10% discount on dine-in meals. Main course only (Value must exceed $30).

NB. This applies only to a group.

McDonalds Restaurant

At Mac's Burwood, Chadstone, Clayton, Holmesglen, Noble Park and Waverley Gardens.

Show card before ordering a LARGE Extra Value Meal and receive a FREE dessert.

Tai-Pan Cake Shop

256 Swanston St., Melbourne 3000.

9663-2981

Sells wedding cakes, birthday cakes, Chinese and European cakes and Hong Kong style bread.

10% discount on all purchases.

Top 5 Computer Group

769 Centre Rd., Bentleigh East 3165

9571 8355

1375 Toorak Rd., Burwood 3125

98891355

45 William St., Melbourne 3000

9889 1355

5% discount on all computer systems purchased.

CDF Travel Pty. Ltd.

1^st Floor, 206 Lt. Bourke St., Melbourne 3000.

9663 7771

They

• Sell competitively priced air-tickets to Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia and Taiwan. (NB. Guarantee matches the competitors' price offer to you, just quote the price that other competitors are offering you.)

• Organise day tours for sightseeing trips, European Countries tour, America and Canada tour, Fishing Trips, Cruises and others

• Sell air-tickets to Australia and other countries.

CCM