Galatians 4:4-5
"But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons"
In a flash on an eye, the year is coming to an end and soon it's Christmas! Somehow, I'm always excited over Christmas because it's THE season which gets me tingly with a festive mood of happiness. I'm quite certain it's also to do with all that buying and receiving of gifts. Although, as we age, the process of buying endless amount of gifts is getting more taxing and often get a bit meaningless when we give them to people simply because we feel obligated to.
Perhaps you have certain expectations of what you hope to find waiting for you on Christmas day. In church, we give out Christmas presents to friends after the sunday Christmas service. It is an annual Christmas gift exchange frenzy as we lug all our gifts to church and then rush about to find people to give presents to. Often, when someone buys us a gift and we didn't buy them one in return, we'll end up feeling guilty. This would then result in adding them to next year's Christmas present list which of course would balloon in size. That truely makes Christmas a nightmarish time of the year.
If you put your hope in what Christmas gifts you'll get and who will give it to you, be prepared to be very disappointed. But if you can get past that to what Christmas is really all about, it truly can be "the most wonderful time of the year."
The wise men brought the rather unusual gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh to Jesus. But the first Christmas gifts were not gifts to the Child. The first Christmas gift was the gift of the Child. Christmas, at its best and purest state, is a promise of God's love for mankind, something that no holiday or experience or earthly thing can satisfy.
When the actual day of Christmas is over, all presents are opened and the floor is strewn with discarded wrapping paper, what do we have left? It often doesn't enrich our lives one bit more.
Last Christmas, I recalled seeing how Christmas can be a boring, lonely thing for the few who don't have many friends in their inner circle. I realised that I rather get a gift for them than to get gifts for the friends which I already spend time, money and love throughout the year. So, this year I shall start to celebrate Christmas differently, and I'm choosing to start with those who have lesser presents during Christmas and hopefully demonstrate the love of God for them during this Christmas.
The real message of Christmas is not the gifts that we give to each other. Rather, it is a reminder of the gift that God has given to each of us. It is the only gift that truly keeps on giving and with what we have, I pray that you too will show to someone that God loves them, not just your inner clique of friends.
blessings,
M.
"This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him." (1 John 4:9)
03 December 2008
12 November 2008
Nothing
2 Corinthians 2:5
"Not that we are sufficient of ourselves...to claim anything for ourselves, but our sufficiency comes from God."
This is a spiritual paradox, but so true. We may have stuff, but we can only be sufficient when we surrender everything to God and trust Him to provide.
God has given us ability, gifts, talents, and discernment, but these virtues must be surrendered to His control and authority. Otherwise, we plod through life making our own decisions, doing our thing, and living on the perimeter of all God wants to do in and through us. It's really easy for me to live life on auto-pilot as I utilise what I have to make decisions. I'm not talking about easy what to eat decisions, but those which consume more of my time and effort, and what I will place effort in. For example, I have ideal jobs which I just want to apply for and get. However, I must learn to be dependent on God that He will dictate the job which I am to have.
As long as you and I are self-sufficient, we need not ask God for anything. God will not impose His will or way on us. He has given us a "free will" to either obey Him or disobey Him. Have you ever prayed harder than when you are no longer in control and desperate for help that you ask God to make things happen, because we simply can't?
Our choice will determine the consequences we will experience. It is only when we surrender our rights that we can learn to lean and trust God to be our sufficiency. God wants us to be in the center of His will and for Him to be the center of our life.
It's little wonder why people who have little are often the happiest when they receive simple pleasures, rather than us contented folks who can never be satisfied. May we learn to be surrender our self-sufficiency to God.
blessings,
M.
"My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest upon me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weakness, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then am I strong" (2 Corinthians 12:9-10).
"Not that we are sufficient of ourselves...to claim anything for ourselves, but our sufficiency comes from God."
This is a spiritual paradox, but so true. We may have stuff, but we can only be sufficient when we surrender everything to God and trust Him to provide.
God has given us ability, gifts, talents, and discernment, but these virtues must be surrendered to His control and authority. Otherwise, we plod through life making our own decisions, doing our thing, and living on the perimeter of all God wants to do in and through us. It's really easy for me to live life on auto-pilot as I utilise what I have to make decisions. I'm not talking about easy what to eat decisions, but those which consume more of my time and effort, and what I will place effort in. For example, I have ideal jobs which I just want to apply for and get. However, I must learn to be dependent on God that He will dictate the job which I am to have.
As long as you and I are self-sufficient, we need not ask God for anything. God will not impose His will or way on us. He has given us a "free will" to either obey Him or disobey Him. Have you ever prayed harder than when you are no longer in control and desperate for help that you ask God to make things happen, because we simply can't?
Our choice will determine the consequences we will experience. It is only when we surrender our rights that we can learn to lean and trust God to be our sufficiency. God wants us to be in the center of His will and for Him to be the center of our life.
It's little wonder why people who have little are often the happiest when they receive simple pleasures, rather than us contented folks who can never be satisfied. May we learn to be surrender our self-sufficiency to God.
blessings,
M.
"My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest upon me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weakness, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then am I strong" (2 Corinthians 12:9-10).
06 November 2008
Perspectives
Psalm 73:17
"Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end."
It's only day 2 since I returned from my holidays and here I am sitting in irritation and annoyance at the idiocy of my superior/s. People who sit there and do nothing and yet look extremely busy. Apart from creating problems which they can't or won't solve, they sit on work and do nothing until I return. What's worst, the two of them claim to be church attending folks. Yah right!Right now, I've the right frame of mind to call down heaven's fire down on them. Grrrh....
Why do we have such frustration over the many circumstances in life? We are perplexed by the actions and life-style of believers who profess to be devoted to the Lord and cannot understand the ways of man in relation to God. How can they fare so well and yet be so ungodly and abusive to others and live in such unethical principles.
Until, this verse and insights of it came into my inbox some 30 minutes ago, I realised that we, as David, need to go into the sanctuary.
David had this problem as viewed in Psalm 73. He could not understand the prosperity of the wicked, their wealth and welfare, when their life-style was so averse to God. He even thought his efforts to follow God and to live godly was in vain. He said, "When I tried to understand all this, it was oppressive to me." BUT then he said, "Till I entered the sanctuary of God; then I understood their final destiny."
In His presence, God speaks to us through the Holy Spirit who dwells within each believer. He gives us His perspective, and an understanding that He is in control and all these little, petty frustrations are temporal and not meant to consume us. Honestly, one day we will all pass away and all these won't matter, so why spend the time fretting and getting agitated over people who don't matter to us?
So I say to myself today, Perspective! Relook at things and adopt a better, clearer perspective because all that is creating annoyance to me is nothing in God's eternal timeframe. As to the idiocy of those above me and still living successfully. Who cares! I'm fine in God's plans and purposes and I shall choose to be happy because His joy is my strength.
blessings,
M.
"For of Him, and through Him, and to Him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever" (Romans 11:36).
"Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end."
It's only day 2 since I returned from my holidays and here I am sitting in irritation and annoyance at the idiocy of my superior/s. People who sit there and do nothing and yet look extremely busy. Apart from creating problems which they can't or won't solve, they sit on work and do nothing until I return. What's worst, the two of them claim to be church attending folks. Yah right!Right now, I've the right frame of mind to call down heaven's fire down on them. Grrrh....
Why do we have such frustration over the many circumstances in life? We are perplexed by the actions and life-style of believers who profess to be devoted to the Lord and cannot understand the ways of man in relation to God. How can they fare so well and yet be so ungodly and abusive to others and live in such unethical principles.
Until, this verse and insights of it came into my inbox some 30 minutes ago, I realised that we, as David, need to go into the sanctuary.
David had this problem as viewed in Psalm 73. He could not understand the prosperity of the wicked, their wealth and welfare, when their life-style was so averse to God. He even thought his efforts to follow God and to live godly was in vain. He said, "When I tried to understand all this, it was oppressive to me." BUT then he said, "Till I entered the sanctuary of God; then I understood their final destiny."
In His presence, God speaks to us through the Holy Spirit who dwells within each believer. He gives us His perspective, and an understanding that He is in control and all these little, petty frustrations are temporal and not meant to consume us. Honestly, one day we will all pass away and all these won't matter, so why spend the time fretting and getting agitated over people who don't matter to us?
So I say to myself today, Perspective! Relook at things and adopt a better, clearer perspective because all that is creating annoyance to me is nothing in God's eternal timeframe. As to the idiocy of those above me and still living successfully. Who cares! I'm fine in God's plans and purposes and I shall choose to be happy because His joy is my strength.
blessings,
M.
"For of Him, and through Him, and to Him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever" (Romans 11:36).
04 November 2008
Overseeing your flock
Acts 20:28
"Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood."
I stand here in the morning of Kansai Airport awaiting for my flight back home. It has been a fast 8 days of holiday and extremely purposeful. The most purposeful holiday I ever had in all my trips to Japan.
Many reasons exists for me being here and one of the key top priorities is for me to be here for one of my flock. Despite the fact that I have an annual national leaders conference to attend, I willingly skipped it, not because there was a social holiday excuse, but because I knew this was the most opportune time for me to be here to talk, counsel and encourage one of my mentees.
As I read this verse via my email newsletter, I am again reminded of the purpose of the call of a leader. Firstly, we are to be vigilent over ourselves. Without taking good care of our lives and soul, we will be unable to do anything more. A maintained vehicle is a operational vehicle good for transporting people.
Thereafter, being ministered, we need to keep our eyes over the others placed before us. Life comprises more than US, OUR STUFF and OUR GOALS. People whom the Lord purchased with His blood are treasure which need to be guarded and watchfully monitored. What good does it do when we someday go up to heaven, safe and sound, but without bringing along people with us?
May you too recognise the truth of this passage as I did, standing here in front of the free internet portal, with the morning sun shining at the airport runway. Keep watch over yourself, and then, the flock which is before you.
blessings,
M.
"May the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen." (Hebrews 13:20-21)
"Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood."
I stand here in the morning of Kansai Airport awaiting for my flight back home. It has been a fast 8 days of holiday and extremely purposeful. The most purposeful holiday I ever had in all my trips to Japan.
Many reasons exists for me being here and one of the key top priorities is for me to be here for one of my flock. Despite the fact that I have an annual national leaders conference to attend, I willingly skipped it, not because there was a social holiday excuse, but because I knew this was the most opportune time for me to be here to talk, counsel and encourage one of my mentees.
As I read this verse via my email newsletter, I am again reminded of the purpose of the call of a leader. Firstly, we are to be vigilent over ourselves. Without taking good care of our lives and soul, we will be unable to do anything more. A maintained vehicle is a operational vehicle good for transporting people.
Thereafter, being ministered, we need to keep our eyes over the others placed before us. Life comprises more than US, OUR STUFF and OUR GOALS. People whom the Lord purchased with His blood are treasure which need to be guarded and watchfully monitored. What good does it do when we someday go up to heaven, safe and sound, but without bringing along people with us?
May you too recognise the truth of this passage as I did, standing here in front of the free internet portal, with the morning sun shining at the airport runway. Keep watch over yourself, and then, the flock which is before you.
blessings,
M.
"May the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen." (Hebrews 13:20-21)
23 October 2008
Righteous Living
Titus 2:7-8
"In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness, and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us."
It's really hard to be live a blameless life before man, but it is something we really need to try to achieve.
Today in the new paper, the trashy cover story of the day writes about a girl who encounters a cyberspace pervert who flashes at her via his webcam. While he was exposing himself to her, she was capturing images of him so that she could use it as evidence to bring him to justice. However, despite the evidence at hand, she does not want to report the issue to her parents and the police as she herself is breaking a rule set by her parent - she is not supposed to be using instant messaging. To quote her "I was afraid my parents would scold me if they find out that I had disobeyed them and used instant messaging. My father has read articles and think there are a lot of bad guys oline... I guess he was right."
Thus, she cannot bring the man to justice as she would incriminate herself and be liable for punishment.
In the book of John 8-1:11, when Jesus was dealing with the prostitute and the pharisees who were condemning her, he challenged them. "Let he who has not sinned cast the first stone". Naturally, no one responded and eventually everyone left.
Today, as we amble through life, can we honestly say that we are actively living lives of integrity and setting an example by doing what is good? Or are we so subdued by our daily routines that we live as per everyone else?
May you and I be reminded to try harder. That our lives will demonstrate the goodness of God before man. Be distinguished.
blessings,
M.
"Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds." (Romans 12:2)
"In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness, and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us."
It's really hard to be live a blameless life before man, but it is something we really need to try to achieve.
Today in the new paper, the trashy cover story of the day writes about a girl who encounters a cyberspace pervert who flashes at her via his webcam. While he was exposing himself to her, she was capturing images of him so that she could use it as evidence to bring him to justice. However, despite the evidence at hand, she does not want to report the issue to her parents and the police as she herself is breaking a rule set by her parent - she is not supposed to be using instant messaging. To quote her "I was afraid my parents would scold me if they find out that I had disobeyed them and used instant messaging. My father has read articles and think there are a lot of bad guys oline... I guess he was right."
Thus, she cannot bring the man to justice as she would incriminate herself and be liable for punishment.
In the book of John 8-1:11, when Jesus was dealing with the prostitute and the pharisees who were condemning her, he challenged them. "Let he who has not sinned cast the first stone". Naturally, no one responded and eventually everyone left.
Today, as we amble through life, can we honestly say that we are actively living lives of integrity and setting an example by doing what is good? Or are we so subdued by our daily routines that we live as per everyone else?
May you and I be reminded to try harder. That our lives will demonstrate the goodness of God before man. Be distinguished.
blessings,
M.
"Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds." (Romans 12:2)
17 October 2008
Quick to Listen, BUT slow to react
James 1:19-20
My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires.
I received this verse via an email on a work day and I stopped to look at it for a while. Immediately, I told myself, how difficult it is for me to be quick to listen and slow to speak or react. Especially at work where I do my stuff at a hyper fast speed. Typically, when I start my day, the moment I see all my emails, I'll start working to read thoroughly and settle them one at a time. Call it a perculiar behaviour, but unlike most colleagues, I simply cannot have an inbox which is filled with unread emails. I simply must read everyone of them and settle them as soon as I can.
This also is seen in the way which I handle my projects. Everything must be quickly resolved and talked through. I cannot stand it when I resolve matters and it gets stuck in the next level due to people who work slowly or take their own time to read the email only at the end of the day. You can imagine me at an irritable mood the moment I wait for half a day and get no response or approval.
The moment I laid my eyes on this verse and resigned myself to it, I sighed because I knew that it's a virtue to be slow in reaction. It prevents one from acting impulsively. I know because I normally react to situations quickly in anger, some friends react quickly in compassion or with good intentions. But often, if we pondered and deliberated, we would have done things differently.
Today, may we learn to to be attentive and allow God to calm us so we can react slowly. I truely believe that as we wait and ponder before we react, we'll react well. The bible says, we'll end up behaving righteously because we never got angry and in our anger sinned.
blessings,
M.
"They said to one another, "Surely we are being punished because of our brother. We saw how distressed he was when he pleaded with us for his life, but we would not listen; that's why this distress has come upon us." (Genesis 42:21)
My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires.
I received this verse via an email on a work day and I stopped to look at it for a while. Immediately, I told myself, how difficult it is for me to be quick to listen and slow to speak or react. Especially at work where I do my stuff at a hyper fast speed. Typically, when I start my day, the moment I see all my emails, I'll start working to read thoroughly and settle them one at a time. Call it a perculiar behaviour, but unlike most colleagues, I simply cannot have an inbox which is filled with unread emails. I simply must read everyone of them and settle them as soon as I can.
This also is seen in the way which I handle my projects. Everything must be quickly resolved and talked through. I cannot stand it when I resolve matters and it gets stuck in the next level due to people who work slowly or take their own time to read the email only at the end of the day. You can imagine me at an irritable mood the moment I wait for half a day and get no response or approval.
The moment I laid my eyes on this verse and resigned myself to it, I sighed because I knew that it's a virtue to be slow in reaction. It prevents one from acting impulsively. I know because I normally react to situations quickly in anger, some friends react quickly in compassion or with good intentions. But often, if we pondered and deliberated, we would have done things differently.
Today, may we learn to to be attentive and allow God to calm us so we can react slowly. I truely believe that as we wait and ponder before we react, we'll react well. The bible says, we'll end up behaving righteously because we never got angry and in our anger sinned.
blessings,
M.
"They said to one another, "Surely we are being punished because of our brother. We saw how distressed he was when he pleaded with us for his life, but we would not listen; that's why this distress has come upon us." (Genesis 42:21)
11 October 2008
The truth of the Matter
Proverbs 19:21
Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the LORD's purpose that prevails
This verse says it all and sometimes we need to remember the truth behind God word.
May you and I learn to find and comprehend what is God's purpose for our lives.
"But I said, "I have labored to no purpose; I have spent my strength in vain and for nothing. Yet what is due me is in the LORD's hand, and my reward is with my God." (Isaiah 49:4)
Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the LORD's purpose that prevails
This verse says it all and sometimes we need to remember the truth behind God word.
May you and I learn to find and comprehend what is God's purpose for our lives.
blessngs,
M.
"But I said, "I have labored to no purpose; I have spent my strength in vain and for nothing. Yet what is due me is in the LORD's hand, and my reward is with my God." (Isaiah 49:4)
06 October 2008
Rock of Ages
Isaiah 26:4
“Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD, the LORD, is the Rock eternal.”
We are probably only at one of the many low points of a financial downturn. Everyday, I watch the stock market indices slide down and this often is translated into my financial investments dropping in dollar value. I'm doing nothing yet, just watching, waiting and wondering when the job market becomes spooked. Oh how I'm not looking forward to the poor market condition in the near future.
It's scary when markets go into freefall and the only thing that seems to be certain is this feeling that we are not even reaching the worst pont yet. However, all financial planning people wil tell you that if you have lotsa cash and time and can afford to invest during this downturn, when/should the economy pick up, you'll make a huge gain. That truth is of course conditional upon the fact that things do go upand you have the benefit of time.
Time makes all seasonal ups and downs of our life seem like a minor skip or hiccup. Afterall, if we look back at our past and remenice about the most sad days, it really does not seem to be as sad as how we felt that the world was coming to an end, then.
But even time will someday come to an end. The only thing amidst all turmoil and uncertainties is the fact that God remains God and His character and provisions are constant.
Today and these coming months, may you and I learnt to look less at the issues and problems which surround us. We must really learn to encounter life with a perspective that we can never place our trust and hope in anything around us. God and God alone is the stable, solid rock which we can trust.
blessings,
M.
"He stood, and shook the earth; he looked, and made the nations tremble. The ancient mountains crumbled and the age-old hills collapsed. His ways are eternal." (Habakuk 3:6)
“Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD, the LORD, is the Rock eternal.”
We are probably only at one of the many low points of a financial downturn. Everyday, I watch the stock market indices slide down and this often is translated into my financial investments dropping in dollar value. I'm doing nothing yet, just watching, waiting and wondering when the job market becomes spooked. Oh how I'm not looking forward to the poor market condition in the near future.
It's scary when markets go into freefall and the only thing that seems to be certain is this feeling that we are not even reaching the worst pont yet. However, all financial planning people wil tell you that if you have lotsa cash and time and can afford to invest during this downturn, when/should the economy pick up, you'll make a huge gain. That truth is of course conditional upon the fact that things do go upand you have the benefit of time.
Time makes all seasonal ups and downs of our life seem like a minor skip or hiccup. Afterall, if we look back at our past and remenice about the most sad days, it really does not seem to be as sad as how we felt that the world was coming to an end, then.
But even time will someday come to an end. The only thing amidst all turmoil and uncertainties is the fact that God remains God and His character and provisions are constant.
Today and these coming months, may you and I learnt to look less at the issues and problems which surround us. We must really learn to encounter life with a perspective that we can never place our trust and hope in anything around us. God and God alone is the stable, solid rock which we can trust.
blessings,
M.
"He stood, and shook the earth; he looked, and made the nations tremble. The ancient mountains crumbled and the age-old hills collapsed. His ways are eternal." (Habakuk 3:6)
10 September 2008
Depending on Him
Hebrews 11:6 (Living Bible)
You can never please God without faith, without depending on him. Anyone who wants to come to God must believe that there is a God and that he rewards those who sincerely look for him.
I feel that my life is always full of challenging situations as I am always placed in situations which I don't like but can't seem to easily get out of. Especially when I look around my workplace and see colleagues get a newer, better job so easily whereas, my attempts come to no avail. This would then result in many one-way, one-sided conversations with God which often go "why, why why...?".
Thankfully there are always multiple reminders that life comprises much more than what I desires and as I surrend my struggles, everything becomes much brighter.
On Sunday, when this version of Hebrews was shared, the word "depending on Him" leaped at me like an Eureka moment. Our life is often not a bed of roses because these are there to make us learn to depend on God. I'm not talking about a sadistic god who forces us to go through challenges and intentionally does it to makes the life of Christian miserable.
But somehow, I can comprehend how these rocky paths of my life is meant to teach me to depend on God and to make me work out my salvation. That is really what believing in Christ is all about - Faith that God takes care of everything. The warnings in Deuteronomy 8:10 - 14 below explains why God shouldn't give us everything we think we should get.
"When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the LORD your God for the good land he has given you. Be careful that you do not forget the LORD your God, failing to observe his commands, his laws and his decrees that I am giving you this day. Otherwise, when you eat and are satisfied, when you build fine houses and settle down, and when your herds and flocks grow large and your silver and gold increase and all you have is multiplied, then your heart will become proud and you will forget the LORD your God"
Prosperity, rather than rigors of life, makes it easier for any of us to put God behind us. Sure, the life of a Christian is blessed and we have a heavenly father who has amazing richness for us to claim and live. We're not just meant to live mediocre and financially deprived lives, but ironically, success makes it harder to depend on the Lord.
The Israelites did prove to be less faithful after they moved into the Promised Land. Again and again they turned their hearts to other gods. Life is always filled with distractions that squeeze and charm us away from God.
Like you, I too desire success in this life. Sure it is a temporal life, but every hour, every week, every month that passes by for a lifetime of say 70 years seems to be so painfully long. However, in perspective of an eternity which our soul will spend someday, this 70 years is a tiny fraction of time which we need to invest to sercure our eternity. Therefore, may you and I spend this human life staying grounded, humbled and constantly depending on God for every big and small thing that comes our way.
I rather we enter heaven having lived a challenging life and never getting what we want, than to have a smooth life getting whatever we want and then forgotting about God in our lives.
blessings,
M.
"Beware of the temptation that success brings. There is grave danger in getting what we want." Philip Yancy
You can never please God without faith, without depending on him. Anyone who wants to come to God must believe that there is a God and that he rewards those who sincerely look for him.
I feel that my life is always full of challenging situations as I am always placed in situations which I don't like but can't seem to easily get out of. Especially when I look around my workplace and see colleagues get a newer, better job so easily whereas, my attempts come to no avail. This would then result in many one-way, one-sided conversations with God which often go "why, why why...?".
Thankfully there are always multiple reminders that life comprises much more than what I desires and as I surrend my struggles, everything becomes much brighter.
On Sunday, when this version of Hebrews was shared, the word "depending on Him" leaped at me like an Eureka moment. Our life is often not a bed of roses because these are there to make us learn to depend on God. I'm not talking about a sadistic god who forces us to go through challenges and intentionally does it to makes the life of Christian miserable.
But somehow, I can comprehend how these rocky paths of my life is meant to teach me to depend on God and to make me work out my salvation. That is really what believing in Christ is all about - Faith that God takes care of everything. The warnings in Deuteronomy 8:10 - 14 below explains why God shouldn't give us everything we think we should get.
"When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the LORD your God for the good land he has given you. Be careful that you do not forget the LORD your God, failing to observe his commands, his laws and his decrees that I am giving you this day. Otherwise, when you eat and are satisfied, when you build fine houses and settle down, and when your herds and flocks grow large and your silver and gold increase and all you have is multiplied, then your heart will become proud and you will forget the LORD your God"
Prosperity, rather than rigors of life, makes it easier for any of us to put God behind us. Sure, the life of a Christian is blessed and we have a heavenly father who has amazing richness for us to claim and live. We're not just meant to live mediocre and financially deprived lives, but ironically, success makes it harder to depend on the Lord.
The Israelites did prove to be less faithful after they moved into the Promised Land. Again and again they turned their hearts to other gods. Life is always filled with distractions that squeeze and charm us away from God.
Like you, I too desire success in this life. Sure it is a temporal life, but every hour, every week, every month that passes by for a lifetime of say 70 years seems to be so painfully long. However, in perspective of an eternity which our soul will spend someday, this 70 years is a tiny fraction of time which we need to invest to sercure our eternity. Therefore, may you and I spend this human life staying grounded, humbled and constantly depending on God for every big and small thing that comes our way.
I rather we enter heaven having lived a challenging life and never getting what we want, than to have a smooth life getting whatever we want and then forgotting about God in our lives.
blessings,
M.
"Beware of the temptation that success brings. There is grave danger in getting what we want." Philip Yancy
06 September 2008
The Lord gave, blessed be the name of the Lord
Job 1:21
the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.
It has been raining for the past week. Not that the rain is aweful, but it results in some inconveniences in programmes and this was the 1 week holiday which we would be running a 2 day 1 night Discovery Rangers Training Camp (DTC) for the boys and girls aged 8 to 10 years old.
Throughout the week, rain fell. Some days it was in the day, other times at night. Amazingly, on friday as the DTC was to start, the rain which fell throughout thursday night stopped by 10am of friday.
As I worked and gazed out the window throughout the day, I was absolutely amazed by the sunny weather which was atypical of the past 2 weeks. In fact, the rain never came and the camp was blessed with sunshine and cool night for all outdoor programmes and campfire to go on.
Only just 1 hour ago, at 8pm did the rain start coming back and now it's all back to the same wet weather phenomenal which we have been having for the past week.
The very fact that the camp enjoyed such great weather is truely a blessing from God and I give Him thanks for looking after His little Discovery Ranger boys and girls.
Thank you Jesus!
M.
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever. (1 Chronicles 16:34)
the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.
It has been raining for the past week. Not that the rain is aweful, but it results in some inconveniences in programmes and this was the 1 week holiday which we would be running a 2 day 1 night Discovery Rangers Training Camp (DTC) for the boys and girls aged 8 to 10 years old.
Throughout the week, rain fell. Some days it was in the day, other times at night. Amazingly, on friday as the DTC was to start, the rain which fell throughout thursday night stopped by 10am of friday.
As I worked and gazed out the window throughout the day, I was absolutely amazed by the sunny weather which was atypical of the past 2 weeks. In fact, the rain never came and the camp was blessed with sunshine and cool night for all outdoor programmes and campfire to go on.
Only just 1 hour ago, at 8pm did the rain start coming back and now it's all back to the same wet weather phenomenal which we have been having for the past week.
The very fact that the camp enjoyed such great weather is truely a blessing from God and I give Him thanks for looking after His little Discovery Ranger boys and girls.
Thank you Jesus!
M.
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever. (1 Chronicles 16:34)
28 August 2008
Dead Dreams Restored
Isaiah 26:19
But your dead will live; their bodies will rise. You who dwell in the dust, wake up and shout for joy. Your dew is like the dew of the morning; the earth will give birth to her dead.I attended the youth service with the living springs ER on 16 Aug and this was the verse and topic shared. One of the activities which we did was to write down the dreams and aspirations which we had when we were young. It was refreshing to rethink what I wanted to be when I was young and review it.
Sadly, the few adults who were present realised that over 50% of our dreams never materialised. Yes some were hilarious to review because they were idealistic dreams common to children but in adult years, most of us would never want to do such a job. Examples include a fireman, road-sweeper or nurse.
We were given some time to review our list and as I reviewed mine, I realised that some dreams were indirectly fulfilled and often they were used to glorify God. When I was young, I wanted to be a teacher because I wanted many school holidays to play and enjoy. However, as I did my part-time teaching, I realised that teaching in school was never my cup of tea. But I did end up fulfilling that dream because I joined the teaching ministry in church. That to me was a lot more rewarding that I ever expected, except that I don't enjoy school holidays.
What about you? what innocent dreams did you aspire to have or would still like to have? Life comprises more than just the current realities. We need visions and dreams to move ahead in life. Surely, life in Christ comprises of more possibilities and opportunities to extend our capacity and eventually lead towards God being glorified.
Today, won't you do like what I did. Write and review your dreams because that which is honest, true and worthy, God can restore.
blessings,
M.
For in many dreams and in many words there is emptiness. Rather, fear God. (Ecclesiastes 5:7)
05 August 2008
Grace
Titus 2:11-12
"For the grace of God hath appeared, bringing salvation to all men,instructing us, to the intent that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly and righteously and godly in this present world."
Many professing Christians today utterly ignore the biblical truth that grace "instruct us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously, and godly in the present age". Instead, they live as if grace were a supernatural "Get Out of Jail Free" ticket with no strings attached, a general leniency and self-awarded immunity from what we should be living morally. It is really an attitude of complacency which have taken root in us, especially if we have sat in the pews of church for years and yet lived as if Christ was never going to come back in our life.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer a German Lutheran pastor and Nazi resister spoke powerfully against the secularization of the church during the Nazi Regime"
"Cheap grace means grace as a doctrine, a principle, a system. It means forgiveness of sins proclaimed as a general truth, the love of God taught as the Christian "conception" of God. An intellectual assent to that idea is held to be of itself sufficient to secure the remission of sins. The Church which holds the correct doctrine of grace has, it is supposed, ipso facto a part in that grace. In such a Church the world finds a cheap covering for its sins; no contrition is required, still less any real desire to be delivered from sin. Cheap grace therefore amounts to a denial of the Incarnation of the Word of God. Cheap grace means the justification of sin without the justification of the sinner. Grace alone does everything, they say, and so everything can remain as it was before. "All for sin could not atone." The world goes on in the same old way, and we are still sinners "even in the best life" as Luther said. Well, then, let the Christian live like the rest of the world, let him model himself on the world's standards in every sphere of life, and not presumptuously aspire to live a different life under grace from his old life under sin" - Quoted from The Cost of Discipleship [New York: Collier, 1959], 45-46).
"For the grace of God hath appeared, bringing salvation to all men,instructing us, to the intent that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly and righteously and godly in this present world."
Many professing Christians today utterly ignore the biblical truth that grace "instruct us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously, and godly in the present age". Instead, they live as if grace were a supernatural "Get Out of Jail Free" ticket with no strings attached, a general leniency and self-awarded immunity from what we should be living morally. It is really an attitude of complacency which have taken root in us, especially if we have sat in the pews of church for years and yet lived as if Christ was never going to come back in our life.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer a German Lutheran pastor and Nazi resister spoke powerfully against the secularization of the church during the Nazi Regime"
"Cheap grace means grace as a doctrine, a principle, a system. It means forgiveness of sins proclaimed as a general truth, the love of God taught as the Christian "conception" of God. An intellectual assent to that idea is held to be of itself sufficient to secure the remission of sins. The Church which holds the correct doctrine of grace has, it is supposed, ipso facto a part in that grace. In such a Church the world finds a cheap covering for its sins; no contrition is required, still less any real desire to be delivered from sin. Cheap grace therefore amounts to a denial of the Incarnation of the Word of God. Cheap grace means the justification of sin without the justification of the sinner. Grace alone does everything, they say, and so everything can remain as it was before. "All for sin could not atone." The world goes on in the same old way, and we are still sinners "even in the best life" as Luther said. Well, then, let the Christian live like the rest of the world, let him model himself on the world's standards in every sphere of life, and not presumptuously aspire to live a different life under grace from his old life under sin" - Quoted from The Cost of Discipleship [New York: Collier, 1959], 45-46).
Summary of the quote above is a call for us to humbly understand that the church cannot afford to live as the world does. Someone died to redeem us from our sinful lives and have us the gift of eternal life! Therefore we who call ourselves Christians should live 'fearfully' to meet the standards of God, and not live lives like a non-believer.
We live each day in undeserving grace. It was the loving choice, plan and power of God though and by His son Jesus that we can someday go to heaven. This should keep us humble and make us grateful to learn of him. We did nothing to deserve it. Oh that you and I can start to understand His love, His power, His choice, His patience and the cost to sacrifice His Son just so you and I have hope.
blessings,
M.
"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast." (Ephesians 2:8-9)
01 August 2008
Death
Ecclesiastes 7:2
It is better to go to a house of mourning than to go to a house of feasting, for death is the destiny of every man; the living should take this to heart.
Today while lunching with 2 colleagues we ended up talking about death and I started sharing with them my ideal dying age if I was single and if I was married, much to their horror/amazement. Despite my justification and answering all their queries of why I only wanted to die by the ages, they could not reconcile my idealogy and concluded I was extremely cukoo.
It is better to go to a house of mourning than to go to a house of feasting, for death is the destiny of every man; the living should take this to heart.
Today while lunching with 2 colleagues we ended up talking about death and I started sharing with them my ideal dying age if I was single and if I was married, much to their horror/amazement. Despite my justification and answering all their queries of why I only wanted to die by the ages, they could not reconcile my idealogy and concluded I was extremely cukoo.
Death is inevitable, the only question is how and when. It's interesting that Ecclesiastes professes that we should keep the notion of death closely to heart. Why? I realise that if we comprehend that our lives are delicate and transient, it would make us live life fully, treasure what is important and discard the petty things.
William Wallace says "Every man dies, not every man really lives". What time of life are you living for today? Are you bogged down with issues that really don't matter in the long term? Are you living like Paul did with eternity in mind as he told the church of Galatia: "I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me."Importantly, should you pass away anytime in the next few weeks or months would you recognise that the life you had lived, no matter how short, was well lived?
Someday we will die, it could be the near future, or many years ahead. May you be able to answer to God and man that our lives have been purposeful and of value to all.
blessings,
M.
"You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed" (Ps. 139:16).
30 July 2008
Fathers & Mothers
Proverbs 6:20-22
My son, observe the commandment of your father And do not forsake the teaching of your mother; Bind them continually on your heart; Tie them around your neck. When you walk about, they will guide you; When you sleep, they will watch over you; And when you awake, they will talk to you.
Children below the age of 9 are filled with such zeal and energy that it is hard to not see the goodness and potential which they are capable of as adults. Somehow, from the age of 12 onwards, and puberty kicks in, that all seems to change. Potential plummets down and goodness turns into rebellion.
Today, I was listening to a snippet of sharing of "Insight for Living" by Chuck Swindoll. As he talked about Ephesians 6:4, he highlighted 6 things which father's commonly do which exasperates their children.
i. Favouritism
ii. Overprotection
iii. Discouragement
iv. Neglect
v. Bitter words/abuse
vi. Failure to allow a child to grow up
There is no magical thing which a father or mother can do to see through the growth of their child. Parent's can only do this much and leave their children to choose the life which they want to live.
Biblically though, a good father commands the household to live right before God and man. Simple as it sounds, it's really a tall order as father's have to walk the talk as they set the standards for their family. Mother's have an equally important role as they are told to teach their children, which means all the step by step instructions and provision of guidance.
After all this is said and done, the rest is left to us as children to respond. Read the wise instructions in the passage below and live it out obediently. May the values and goodness required of our lives by our parents be imparted upon our lives.
blessings,
M.
"Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right" (Ephesians 6:1)
My son, observe the commandment of your father And do not forsake the teaching of your mother; Bind them continually on your heart; Tie them around your neck. When you walk about, they will guide you; When you sleep, they will watch over you; And when you awake, they will talk to you.
Children below the age of 9 are filled with such zeal and energy that it is hard to not see the goodness and potential which they are capable of as adults. Somehow, from the age of 12 onwards, and puberty kicks in, that all seems to change. Potential plummets down and goodness turns into rebellion.
Today, I was listening to a snippet of sharing of "Insight for Living" by Chuck Swindoll. As he talked about Ephesians 6:4, he highlighted 6 things which father's commonly do which exasperates their children.
i. Favouritism
ii. Overprotection
iii. Discouragement
iv. Neglect
v. Bitter words/abuse
vi. Failure to allow a child to grow up
There is no magical thing which a father or mother can do to see through the growth of their child. Parent's can only do this much and leave their children to choose the life which they want to live.
Biblically though, a good father commands the household to live right before God and man. Simple as it sounds, it's really a tall order as father's have to walk the talk as they set the standards for their family. Mother's have an equally important role as they are told to teach their children, which means all the step by step instructions and provision of guidance.
After all this is said and done, the rest is left to us as children to respond. Read the wise instructions in the passage below and live it out obediently. May the values and goodness required of our lives by our parents be imparted upon our lives.
blessings,
M.
"Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right" (Ephesians 6:1)
23 July 2008
End of the World
Matthew 16:2-3
"He replied,"When evening comes, you say, 'It will be fair weather, for the sky is red,' and in the morning, 'Today it will be stormy, for the sky is red and overcast.' You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times."
I was in Taipei on a business trip and as I was in the chartered van going to the airport to pick up my Apac president, the driver was making small talk with me. As we talked about the weather and seasons which Taipei had, he mentioned that nowadays the weather has gone mad as it no longer rains when it's suppose to be rainy season and you can never rely on fixed weather seasons happening. Then he remarked that it's like that as the world comes to an end. That got me thinking.
Strangely, after this conversation, it seems that everytime there's a heat spell or rainy week, everyone who I talk to also seems to make mention that the weather is now cukoo because the world is coming to an end.
Jesus speaks of how we can interprete the weather by looking at the sky (micro-analysis) but don't look at the macro picture and realise that it is a strong sign of the End of the Age for mankind. Even though everyone confess that it's the end of the world, but somehow its superficial without the reality of the urgency of its truth.
The world is really coming to an end, now most around us are professing it and my fear is that our senses get dulled as we hear it constantly and throughout. It is a reality and a pressing one for us to note as the clock ticks closer and we haven't accelerated our actions to share the gospel of hope and love.
May we have eyes to perceive the urgency of the end times and choose to awake from our slumbering lives. Redeem the time!
blessings,
M.
"Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. Even so, when you see all these things, you know that it is near, right at the door."(Matthew 24: 32-33)
"He replied,"When evening comes, you say, 'It will be fair weather, for the sky is red,' and in the morning, 'Today it will be stormy, for the sky is red and overcast.' You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times."
I was in Taipei on a business trip and as I was in the chartered van going to the airport to pick up my Apac president, the driver was making small talk with me. As we talked about the weather and seasons which Taipei had, he mentioned that nowadays the weather has gone mad as it no longer rains when it's suppose to be rainy season and you can never rely on fixed weather seasons happening. Then he remarked that it's like that as the world comes to an end. That got me thinking.
Strangely, after this conversation, it seems that everytime there's a heat spell or rainy week, everyone who I talk to also seems to make mention that the weather is now cukoo because the world is coming to an end.
Jesus speaks of how we can interprete the weather by looking at the sky (micro-analysis) but don't look at the macro picture and realise that it is a strong sign of the End of the Age for mankind. Even though everyone confess that it's the end of the world, but somehow its superficial without the reality of the urgency of its truth.
The world is really coming to an end, now most around us are professing it and my fear is that our senses get dulled as we hear it constantly and throughout. It is a reality and a pressing one for us to note as the clock ticks closer and we haven't accelerated our actions to share the gospel of hope and love.
May we have eyes to perceive the urgency of the end times and choose to awake from our slumbering lives. Redeem the time!
blessings,
M.
"Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. Even so, when you see all these things, you know that it is near, right at the door."(Matthew 24: 32-33)
20 May 2008
Incapable of Purity
Hosea 8:4-5
"They set up kings without my consent; they choose princes without my approval. With their silver and gold they make idols for themselves to their own destruction. Throw out your calf-idol, O Samaria! My anger burns against them. How long will they be incapable of purity?"
"How long will they be incapable of purity?"
These words are so applicable today. After all that God has done to redeem us, we are so prone to depart from Him, to seek the pleasure of our own lust, and to focus upon ourselves the glory and praise that are due to God alone.
Seemingly, we have time, energy, and concern for "everything but God." How feeble are our excuses! When an opportunity for service arises, the time is not convenient. When we need to be responsible, other things occupy us. How unfaithful we are when it comes to spending time with God in the study of His Word, or in intercessory prayer for the needs and concerns of others. How needful it is for us to search our hearts to see "where Christ is" in our spiritual journey. I think we will find that He is right where we left Him. He is waiting to cleanse and reconcile us to that blessed communion we once had with Him. Just as God asked Israel, so He says to us, "How long will you be incapable of purity, of giving your heart fully unto Me?"
May we learn to lean upon God's strength and discard our weak, sinful self for only then can we confess that we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us.
blessings,
M.
"that your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God." (2 Corinthians 2:5)
"They set up kings without my consent; they choose princes without my approval. With their silver and gold they make idols for themselves to their own destruction. Throw out your calf-idol, O Samaria! My anger burns against them. How long will they be incapable of purity?"
"How long will they be incapable of purity?"
These words are so applicable today. After all that God has done to redeem us, we are so prone to depart from Him, to seek the pleasure of our own lust, and to focus upon ourselves the glory and praise that are due to God alone.
Seemingly, we have time, energy, and concern for "everything but God." How feeble are our excuses! When an opportunity for service arises, the time is not convenient. When we need to be responsible, other things occupy us. How unfaithful we are when it comes to spending time with God in the study of His Word, or in intercessory prayer for the needs and concerns of others. How needful it is for us to search our hearts to see "where Christ is" in our spiritual journey. I think we will find that He is right where we left Him. He is waiting to cleanse and reconcile us to that blessed communion we once had with Him. Just as God asked Israel, so He says to us, "How long will you be incapable of purity, of giving your heart fully unto Me?"
May we learn to lean upon God's strength and discard our weak, sinful self for only then can we confess that we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us.
blessings,
M.
"that your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God." (2 Corinthians 2:5)
13 May 2008
How Long...
Exodus 16:23-30
He said to them, "This is what the LORD commanded: 'Tomorrow is to be a day of rest, a holy Sabbath to the LORD. So bake what you want to bake and boil what you want to boil. Save whatever is left and keep it until morning.' "
So they saved it until morning, as Moses commanded, and it did not stink or get maggots in it. "Eat it today," Moses said, "because today is a Sabbath to the LORD. You will not find any of it on the ground today. Six days you are to gather it, but on the seventh day, the Sabbath, there will not be any."
Nevertheless, some of the people went out on the seventh day to gather it, but they found none. Then the LORD said to Moses, "How long will you refuse to keep my commands and my instructions? Bear in mind that the LORD has given you the Sabbath; that is why on the sixth day he gives you bread for two days. Everyone is to stay where he is on the seventh day; no one is to go out." So the people rested on the seventh day.
Read the passage and if you find yourself rolling your eyes and wondering why some of the people just didn't listen to God's simple instructions because there will be no manna on the ground on Sabbath, you are not alone.
The pigheadedness of such people does seem rather laughable, because we see wileful behaviour in action. It really begs the following question to be answered, "why would anyone choose to disbelief the simple instructions of a God who parted the Red Sea and rescued them from the pursuing Egyptian army?"
The truth is, our human hearts and minds are short-termed. All it takes is one incident and we will forget about the amazing might of God.
Did you know that that the disbelief shown in the passage above was the second time in a week? Just a few days earlier in Exodus 16: 19-20 it records the first incident:
"Then Moses said to them, "No one is to keep any of it until morning."However, some of them paid no attention to Moses; they kept part of it until morning, but it was full of maggots and began to smell."
Sometimes we wonder why we often don't listen, or heed simple instructions. In instances where I encounter individuals who do what is wrong despite knowing otherwise, I can't help but to grit my teeth in frustration and wish I could strangle them. Thus, I'm really amazed by the patience of our God who has the grace to endure pigheaded creations like us. That He is slow to anger and quick to forgive our deafness and deliberate rebellion.
What can we learn from this passage? Plenty! Today can you look at your life with honesty and ask yourself if you are heeding God's instructions and commands? Or are you simply doing what your soul wants to do despite knowing that you need to live like the salt of the earth?
Here's a few common wrongs which God instructs us to not commit: Lust, quick to anger and equally quick to lash out, disobeying our parents, not honouring the Sabbath day, having a mouth that spews forth vulgarities or undignified language, dating an unbeliever, slothful attitude when you are to be productive, robbing God of His tithes and love offering, behaving as you desire instead of being a humble servant which brings God's glory.
Under the microscope of the living God, it is really scary to see the stubborn stains of sin which are on our life. As scary and aweful it is to step into God's light to see the dark stains of our sins, we have to recognise that this true revelation of our being will save us. Why choose to live a self-deluded, self-righteous life today and end up being thrown into the lake of fire at the end of our life.
May our eyes and ears be opened today!
blessings,
M.
"The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. They will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear." (Matthew 13:41-43 )
He said to them, "This is what the LORD commanded: 'Tomorrow is to be a day of rest, a holy Sabbath to the LORD. So bake what you want to bake and boil what you want to boil. Save whatever is left and keep it until morning.' "
So they saved it until morning, as Moses commanded, and it did not stink or get maggots in it. "Eat it today," Moses said, "because today is a Sabbath to the LORD. You will not find any of it on the ground today. Six days you are to gather it, but on the seventh day, the Sabbath, there will not be any."
Nevertheless, some of the people went out on the seventh day to gather it, but they found none. Then the LORD said to Moses, "How long will you refuse to keep my commands and my instructions? Bear in mind that the LORD has given you the Sabbath; that is why on the sixth day he gives you bread for two days. Everyone is to stay where he is on the seventh day; no one is to go out." So the people rested on the seventh day.
Read the passage and if you find yourself rolling your eyes and wondering why some of the people just didn't listen to God's simple instructions because there will be no manna on the ground on Sabbath, you are not alone.
The pigheadedness of such people does seem rather laughable, because we see wileful behaviour in action. It really begs the following question to be answered, "why would anyone choose to disbelief the simple instructions of a God who parted the Red Sea and rescued them from the pursuing Egyptian army?"
The truth is, our human hearts and minds are short-termed. All it takes is one incident and we will forget about the amazing might of God.
Did you know that that the disbelief shown in the passage above was the second time in a week? Just a few days earlier in Exodus 16: 19-20 it records the first incident:
"Then Moses said to them, "No one is to keep any of it until morning."However, some of them paid no attention to Moses; they kept part of it until morning, but it was full of maggots and began to smell."
Sometimes we wonder why we often don't listen, or heed simple instructions. In instances where I encounter individuals who do what is wrong despite knowing otherwise, I can't help but to grit my teeth in frustration and wish I could strangle them. Thus, I'm really amazed by the patience of our God who has the grace to endure pigheaded creations like us. That He is slow to anger and quick to forgive our deafness and deliberate rebellion.
What can we learn from this passage? Plenty! Today can you look at your life with honesty and ask yourself if you are heeding God's instructions and commands? Or are you simply doing what your soul wants to do despite knowing that you need to live like the salt of the earth?
Here's a few common wrongs which God instructs us to not commit: Lust, quick to anger and equally quick to lash out, disobeying our parents, not honouring the Sabbath day, having a mouth that spews forth vulgarities or undignified language, dating an unbeliever, slothful attitude when you are to be productive, robbing God of His tithes and love offering, behaving as you desire instead of being a humble servant which brings God's glory.
Under the microscope of the living God, it is really scary to see the stubborn stains of sin which are on our life. As scary and aweful it is to step into God's light to see the dark stains of our sins, we have to recognise that this true revelation of our being will save us. Why choose to live a self-deluded, self-righteous life today and end up being thrown into the lake of fire at the end of our life.
May our eyes and ears be opened today!
blessings,
M.
"The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. They will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear." (Matthew 13:41-43 )
11 May 2008
Confess and be Saved
Romans 10:10
For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.
A Scottish proverbs says "An open confession is good for the soul". The dictionary defines confession as acknowledgment; admission. It doesn't always have be a confession of guilt or sins, but just the act of opening ourselves up to bare one's soul and issues is often comforting- as opposed to concealing everything inside.
These past weeks, I'm learning to practice the act of verbal confession in my life. Especially through the darkest days of this past week. As I walk to the bus stop, I confess to myself the song which is based from Philippians 4:4 "this is the Day which the Lord has made, I will rejoice and be glad in it". I do it in full acknolwedgment that my head knowledge tell me that all things are in the Lord's control, yet my rational heart justs finds it hard to trust this truth completely. Therefore, I confess this scriptural truth because with my mouth, I will seal in faith what I choose to declare to my soul and my spirit.
Why should I, who am by nature no different from the careless and unsaved individuals at work "Rejoice in the Lord"? Because in spite of my wavering heart, my head knows that all things are under the control of and are being regulated by the Sovereign God, and because He has declared His love toward His own.
I fully know that all things are ordered by Him, and they are made to minister to our ultimate good. As Christians who have a hope in the everylasting God, the command is to "Rejoice in the Lord". There's really such a power behind this verse, simply because it is telling us that as we rejoice in the "Lord", Jesus is positioned as the master of every circumstance.
Every saturday when I enter in Living Spring's church compound, I see this verse of Ecclesiastes 3:1 which proclaims "there is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven". It greatly reminds me that through the low seasons of my life and the current worries that I amble through, there is a purpose decreed by God, and not an act of random fate.
Therefore when the darkness closes in Lord, still I will say: blessed be the name of the Lord, blessed be the glorious name of the Lord. May you too choose to rejoice in the Lord, because all things work together for good of God.
blessings,
M.
"Do this, knowing the time, that it is already the hour for you to awaken from sleep; for now salvation is nearer to us than when we believed." (Romans 13:11)
For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.
A Scottish proverbs says "An open confession is good for the soul". The dictionary defines confession as acknowledgment; admission. It doesn't always have be a confession of guilt or sins, but just the act of opening ourselves up to bare one's soul and issues is often comforting- as opposed to concealing everything inside.
These past weeks, I'm learning to practice the act of verbal confession in my life. Especially through the darkest days of this past week. As I walk to the bus stop, I confess to myself the song which is based from Philippians 4:4 "this is the Day which the Lord has made, I will rejoice and be glad in it". I do it in full acknolwedgment that my head knowledge tell me that all things are in the Lord's control, yet my rational heart justs finds it hard to trust this truth completely. Therefore, I confess this scriptural truth because with my mouth, I will seal in faith what I choose to declare to my soul and my spirit.
Why should I, who am by nature no different from the careless and unsaved individuals at work "Rejoice in the Lord"? Because in spite of my wavering heart, my head knows that all things are under the control of and are being regulated by the Sovereign God, and because He has declared His love toward His own.
I fully know that all things are ordered by Him, and they are made to minister to our ultimate good. As Christians who have a hope in the everylasting God, the command is to "Rejoice in the Lord". There's really such a power behind this verse, simply because it is telling us that as we rejoice in the "Lord", Jesus is positioned as the master of every circumstance.
Every saturday when I enter in Living Spring's church compound, I see this verse of Ecclesiastes 3:1 which proclaims "there is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven". It greatly reminds me that through the low seasons of my life and the current worries that I amble through, there is a purpose decreed by God, and not an act of random fate.
Therefore when the darkness closes in Lord, still I will say: blessed be the name of the Lord, blessed be the glorious name of the Lord. May you too choose to rejoice in the Lord, because all things work together for good of God.
blessings,
M.
"Do this, knowing the time, that it is already the hour for you to awaken from sleep; for now salvation is nearer to us than when we believed." (Romans 13:11)
Pig & Dog Friends
Proverbs 13:20
He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm.
I always found the chinese term to describe friends who are actually scums, Pig & Dog friends, to be rather hilarious. But it is also a wise point for us to find ourselves good friends.
Behavioural psychologist state that we surround ourselves with people whom we admire and inspire or likeminded people who spur us. But in this day and time, we often have many friends and often anyone around us is loosely classified as a friend. But the mettle of true friendship is only tested in trials and hardships of life. you never know who is a true friend until a tragedy strikes.
I was taught once this lesson which I still hold in my head, be selective with how you define your friendship. Generally, everyone whom I know is an acquaintance and should not be considered a friend. This covers from colleague, classmate and church mates. The moment I classify the person as a friend, he/she is someone which I'm willing to open myself to and invest my time and effort on. A close friend is harder to find and this is someone which I'm able to have close communications and can rely on in my days of trouble. Therefore, I'm extremely selective and never really consider everyone whom I know to be a friend.
In the age of technology, I realised that the Gen Y people of today have many friends and buddies around them. Everyone knows someone who knows someone else, and with the explosion of social networking on the internet, it's become a global village. You must be either very aloof or have something wrong with you to have few friends. But, it also works both ways for someone to know so many people and surround themselves with so many contacts. After all how much good is derived from having so many contacts?
I do want to caution, however, the type of peers which you should have around you. In the corporate world, the best people often surround themselves with great leaders or peers because these people either provide the much needed wise counsel or they would spur them on to achive a higher sense of excellence. But if you select a group of whiny losers, it's unlikely you'll go anywhere. afterall, King of the fools is still a fool.
As a Christian, you have a responsibility to walk well and be that wise counsel to the non believers around. Importantly, are you also walking today with people who say things which you desire to say but are actually fools who are not spurring you ahead? We are all called to be the salt of the world, but we are also challenged to not foolishly seek after the company of fools. Who's a fool? He who says in his heart, there is no God.
Today may you reflect hard on the people whom you surround yourself with. Are you providing the wise counsel and light of God onto their paths. Or are they dead spiritually and preventing you from achieve a higher purpose in your life? Choose well your friends and the people whom you surround yourselves with daily.
blessings,
M.
"on behalf of a man he pleads with God as a man pleads for his friend." (Job 16:21)
He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm.
I always found the chinese term to describe friends who are actually scums, Pig & Dog friends, to be rather hilarious. But it is also a wise point for us to find ourselves good friends.
Behavioural psychologist state that we surround ourselves with people whom we admire and inspire or likeminded people who spur us. But in this day and time, we often have many friends and often anyone around us is loosely classified as a friend. But the mettle of true friendship is only tested in trials and hardships of life. you never know who is a true friend until a tragedy strikes.
I was taught once this lesson which I still hold in my head, be selective with how you define your friendship. Generally, everyone whom I know is an acquaintance and should not be considered a friend. This covers from colleague, classmate and church mates. The moment I classify the person as a friend, he/she is someone which I'm willing to open myself to and invest my time and effort on. A close friend is harder to find and this is someone which I'm able to have close communications and can rely on in my days of trouble. Therefore, I'm extremely selective and never really consider everyone whom I know to be a friend.
In the age of technology, I realised that the Gen Y people of today have many friends and buddies around them. Everyone knows someone who knows someone else, and with the explosion of social networking on the internet, it's become a global village. You must be either very aloof or have something wrong with you to have few friends. But, it also works both ways for someone to know so many people and surround themselves with so many contacts. After all how much good is derived from having so many contacts?
I do want to caution, however, the type of peers which you should have around you. In the corporate world, the best people often surround themselves with great leaders or peers because these people either provide the much needed wise counsel or they would spur them on to achive a higher sense of excellence. But if you select a group of whiny losers, it's unlikely you'll go anywhere. afterall, King of the fools is still a fool.
As a Christian, you have a responsibility to walk well and be that wise counsel to the non believers around. Importantly, are you also walking today with people who say things which you desire to say but are actually fools who are not spurring you ahead? We are all called to be the salt of the world, but we are also challenged to not foolishly seek after the company of fools. Who's a fool? He who says in his heart, there is no God.
Today may you reflect hard on the people whom you surround yourself with. Are you providing the wise counsel and light of God onto their paths. Or are they dead spiritually and preventing you from achieve a higher purpose in your life? Choose well your friends and the people whom you surround yourselves with daily.
blessings,
M.
"on behalf of a man he pleads with God as a man pleads for his friend." (Job 16:21)
01 May 2008
Find Rest My Soul
Psalm 116:7
Be at rest once more, O my soul, for the LORD has been good to you.
I've just returned from a RR leaders training and it was inspiring and a good break away from life. But now that I'm back home, reality is setting in. I must confess that I'm not really looking forward to each day. So much incomplete work all around me, everything seems to be in a mess.
Work's got its issues which is getting me more riled up by the days. The options to move on seem available but then it's all not confirmed and I realised that I've grown to get more unnerved when circumstances around me are not in my control. Don't even get me started on Camporama stuff which seem to be going nowhere and seem to need alot more work and time, of which I seem to have none. Added to all is the key issue of having to witness people problems in church, or what would be clearer defined as problematic people. I really wish I won't be so affected by the weakness which I see in people. Oh that I pray that all would start living lives which are born out of wise decisions and Godly fear.
Frankly, Days/seasons like these I really remind myself why I don't want to live a long life and would rather pass away soon.
It all just hit me the past hour, this feeling of being depressed with the issues all about. A very dry feeling which is sapping me of life. All I wish I could do is to give up and take a long break. Yet, I know it's just a convenience called escapism. I've gone through such seasons before where I identify with David's cry "Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me?"
Yet I know that times like these, no amount of words, no songs, or anything else but the Holy Spirit can carry my soul through. For there is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven. I shall walk these few daily steps and remember to comfort myself with the truth that the Lord has been good to me. (amen!)
My heart may not feel it yet, but with my mouth I'll confess Psalm 116:7 till I my heart follows what my mouth professes: "Be at rest once more, O my soul, for the LORD has been good to you." In the meanwhile, may the Lord protect my heart, head and senses that I would find rest and not tire myself out in wild imaginative abandon.
blessings,
M.
"Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." (Matthew 6:34)
Be at rest once more, O my soul, for the LORD has been good to you.
I've just returned from a RR leaders training and it was inspiring and a good break away from life. But now that I'm back home, reality is setting in. I must confess that I'm not really looking forward to each day. So much incomplete work all around me, everything seems to be in a mess.
Work's got its issues which is getting me more riled up by the days. The options to move on seem available but then it's all not confirmed and I realised that I've grown to get more unnerved when circumstances around me are not in my control. Don't even get me started on Camporama stuff which seem to be going nowhere and seem to need alot more work and time, of which I seem to have none. Added to all is the key issue of having to witness people problems in church, or what would be clearer defined as problematic people. I really wish I won't be so affected by the weakness which I see in people. Oh that I pray that all would start living lives which are born out of wise decisions and Godly fear.
Frankly, Days/seasons like these I really remind myself why I don't want to live a long life and would rather pass away soon.
It all just hit me the past hour, this feeling of being depressed with the issues all about. A very dry feeling which is sapping me of life. All I wish I could do is to give up and take a long break. Yet, I know it's just a convenience called escapism. I've gone through such seasons before where I identify with David's cry "Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me?"
Yet I know that times like these, no amount of words, no songs, or anything else but the Holy Spirit can carry my soul through. For there is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven. I shall walk these few daily steps and remember to comfort myself with the truth that the Lord has been good to me. (amen!)
My heart may not feel it yet, but with my mouth I'll confess Psalm 116:7 till I my heart follows what my mouth professes: "Be at rest once more, O my soul, for the LORD has been good to you." In the meanwhile, may the Lord protect my heart, head and senses that I would find rest and not tire myself out in wild imaginative abandon.
blessings,
M.
"Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." (Matthew 6:34)
21 April 2008
The Goodness of the Lord
Psalm 27:13
I would have despaired unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the LORD In the land of the living.
I love this verse. It's been made into a song which I can't recall the title but it's something along the line of Faithful God.
When I chanced upon this verse today in the midst of the devotional passage, I'm reminded of the hope that Christians possess that differentiates us from anyone else.
At the moment of salvation, we exchange the new life which Christ brings for the old that we live. In all circumstances, we enter into the realization of life more abundant as we draw upon the never failing grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. What we get is rejoicing for weariness, radiance for dreariness, strength for weakness, triumph through difficulties, and hope for uncertainty.
These past weeks have been trying with frustrating work issues. Honestly, if my eyes sees what is natural and I don't see God in the picture, I would say that work life is really annoyingly sucky and not worth pursuing. But, I'm reminded again that life is worth going through without despair because God is there in the picture and His hope avails inspite of what I perceive.
May you learn to trust this verse that you and I will see the goodness of God in the land which we are living in now.
blessings,
M.
"Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they?" (Matthew 6:25)
I would have despaired unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the LORD In the land of the living.
I love this verse. It's been made into a song which I can't recall the title but it's something along the line of Faithful God.
When I chanced upon this verse today in the midst of the devotional passage, I'm reminded of the hope that Christians possess that differentiates us from anyone else.
At the moment of salvation, we exchange the new life which Christ brings for the old that we live. In all circumstances, we enter into the realization of life more abundant as we draw upon the never failing grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. What we get is rejoicing for weariness, radiance for dreariness, strength for weakness, triumph through difficulties, and hope for uncertainty.
These past weeks have been trying with frustrating work issues. Honestly, if my eyes sees what is natural and I don't see God in the picture, I would say that work life is really annoyingly sucky and not worth pursuing. But, I'm reminded again that life is worth going through without despair because God is there in the picture and His hope avails inspite of what I perceive.
May you learn to trust this verse that you and I will see the goodness of God in the land which we are living in now.
blessings,
M.
"Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they?" (Matthew 6:25)
07 April 2008
Amazed but not Transformed
1 Kings 18:21
Elijah went before the people and said, "How long will you waver between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him."
But the people said nothing.
Elijah was a great man who exemplified extraordinary faith and effective prayer. There are four remarkable instances in his life of the efficacy of the fervent prayer of a righteous man. He prayed for the restoration of the widow's son at Zarephath, and the child was restored to life. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the earth for three and a half years.
The last document of how God used him amazingly is written in 1 Kings 18 where he confronted the 450 priests of Baal at Mt Carmel. In modern context, it would have been an amazing television/cable reality spectacle as Elijah's challenge was to prove who was the true and living God.
What is alarming is the silence of the children of Israel. They were so blinded in their sinful lives that no one could answer Elijah's question. Similiar to today's popular reality programmes, the people literally participated in a game where they waited to see which God would answer the prayer with fire. Only then would they decide which was the real God for them to follow!
The bible records that when the fire of the Lord fell and consumed the sacrifice, the people fell prostrate and cried "The Lord, He is God". However, we need to notice something very significant. God's power was miraculously manifested, and the people were prostrate in fear. You would have thought that this would have inferred that the children of Israel weren saying; "If He is the true and living God, He shall be our God, and we will serve Him only."
I'm sure there were some who believed and committed their lives to Him. However, numbers of these people were only convinced, not converted, not transformed! They did not yield to the truth that He was the only true God, nor consent to the covenant He gave to all who believed in Him. The "miracle of the moment" had impressed them, even Ahab, but their hearts were not changed nor were their lives transformed. No true faith had taken root in them!
Today, when I realised the truth of the people of Israel in the bible, I'm deeply concerned as I draw some parallel to some of the lives which we have in church. These are individuals whom have seen with their eyes, felt with their physical, touched in the emotional and encountered with the spiritual, yet their lives today are unyielding, disobedient, wayward and disconnected despite the weekly attendance in church.
What makes me fearful (even somewhat resigned) is the sober recognition that the children of God who lived with one of the greatest prophets and witnessed such a powerful miracle still refused to respond and turn from their wicked ways. Therefore, what hope do the wayward ones of today have?
I struggle with the reality of 'believers', who are drawn by the Holy Spirit to a deeper commitment to the Lord, and yet often do not surrender their lives to be transformed. They, like the children of Israel, are impressed and convinced by the truth, but choose to live liberally instead of surrendering to God's righteous ways. Yet today, I acknoweldge in faith that with God all things are possible, therefore I elect now to pray in faith and break the bondages of corruptable sins in the individuals whom I observe to be indifferent to God. They will not continue to live a life like those of the Israelites of the old testement.
"Lord I plead the transforming power of Jesus, which you revealed to Saul on his way to Damascus, on the lives of those who have seen, felt and experienced you before but today have elected to walk otherwise. I pray 1 Kings 18:37 and for my 33 birthday present, this month I ask boldly for these lives to be transformed and returned".
If my God is for me who can be against me! Therefore, surely today I will declare, blessed be the name of the Lord!
M.
"Answer me, O LORD, answer me, so these people will know that you, O LORD, are God, and that you are turning their hearts back again." (1 Kings 18:37)
Elijah went before the people and said, "How long will you waver between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him."
But the people said nothing.
Elijah was a great man who exemplified extraordinary faith and effective prayer. There are four remarkable instances in his life of the efficacy of the fervent prayer of a righteous man. He prayed for the restoration of the widow's son at Zarephath, and the child was restored to life. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the earth for three and a half years.
The last document of how God used him amazingly is written in 1 Kings 18 where he confronted the 450 priests of Baal at Mt Carmel. In modern context, it would have been an amazing television/cable reality spectacle as Elijah's challenge was to prove who was the true and living God.
What is alarming is the silence of the children of Israel. They were so blinded in their sinful lives that no one could answer Elijah's question. Similiar to today's popular reality programmes, the people literally participated in a game where they waited to see which God would answer the prayer with fire. Only then would they decide which was the real God for them to follow!
The bible records that when the fire of the Lord fell and consumed the sacrifice, the people fell prostrate and cried "The Lord, He is God". However, we need to notice something very significant. God's power was miraculously manifested, and the people were prostrate in fear. You would have thought that this would have inferred that the children of Israel weren saying; "If He is the true and living God, He shall be our God, and we will serve Him only."
I'm sure there were some who believed and committed their lives to Him. However, numbers of these people were only convinced, not converted, not transformed! They did not yield to the truth that He was the only true God, nor consent to the covenant He gave to all who believed in Him. The "miracle of the moment" had impressed them, even Ahab, but their hearts were not changed nor were their lives transformed. No true faith had taken root in them!
Today, when I realised the truth of the people of Israel in the bible, I'm deeply concerned as I draw some parallel to some of the lives which we have in church. These are individuals whom have seen with their eyes, felt with their physical, touched in the emotional and encountered with the spiritual, yet their lives today are unyielding, disobedient, wayward and disconnected despite the weekly attendance in church.
What makes me fearful (even somewhat resigned) is the sober recognition that the children of God who lived with one of the greatest prophets and witnessed such a powerful miracle still refused to respond and turn from their wicked ways. Therefore, what hope do the wayward ones of today have?
I struggle with the reality of 'believers', who are drawn by the Holy Spirit to a deeper commitment to the Lord, and yet often do not surrender their lives to be transformed. They, like the children of Israel, are impressed and convinced by the truth, but choose to live liberally instead of surrendering to God's righteous ways. Yet today, I acknoweldge in faith that with God all things are possible, therefore I elect now to pray in faith and break the bondages of corruptable sins in the individuals whom I observe to be indifferent to God. They will not continue to live a life like those of the Israelites of the old testement.
"Lord I plead the transforming power of Jesus, which you revealed to Saul on his way to Damascus, on the lives of those who have seen, felt and experienced you before but today have elected to walk otherwise. I pray 1 Kings 18:37 and for my 33 birthday present, this month I ask boldly for these lives to be transformed and returned".
If my God is for me who can be against me! Therefore, surely today I will declare, blessed be the name of the Lord!
M.
"Answer me, O LORD, answer me, so these people will know that you, O LORD, are God, and that you are turning their hearts back again." (1 Kings 18:37)
31 March 2008
He Cares
1 Peter 5:5,7
Likewise, ye younger....casting all your anxiety upon him, because he careth for you
This verse has been a blessing to me this morning. It ministered to me as I recognised that God has pledged to care for me and to take care of me and all the things that would cross my path. Interestingly, when you read through 1 Peter 5, you'll see that Peter was addressing the younger in the church to stop worrying.
Don't we all worry and become anxious for the things which are to come. I came into work this monday morning dreading the issues and stuff which I've to accomplish in this week as well as the weeks leading up to June. Added to that are the never ending responsibilities in the church and outside of it. Days like these where I spend one brief moment thinking about the unsolved issues and amount of endless work which I need to do with my limited mental capacity and time, I really shudder in trepidation and wish it can all disappear.
Far from it disappearing in a snap of my fingers, I realised the simple truth that God has for us to live by. To cast it all on Him. If you've done fishing, you'll know that the concept of casting. With a simple flick of the hand, you cast your hook, bait, line and sinker into the sea. (There's no varying flicking techniques like how we are told to lice, topspin or pound a tennis ball.) From then on, you just wait patiently and do little, because the fish will either bite or it won't. Apart from jigging the line, there's nothing much to do to induce the fish to bite, even then you never know what fish would go for the bait.
Likewise, we are just to flick our worries to God because He cares and want to relief us from it. If we don't cast it to Him, we are not empowering God to handle our issues. Today, may you too come to an understanding that we serve a God who cares, and doesn't want us to live stressed, anxious lives. May you and I learn to say "life is good because my God cares and attends all my worries".
blessings,
M.
"A cheerful heart is a good medicine; But a broken spirit drieth up the bones." (Proverbs 17:22)
Likewise, ye younger....casting all your anxiety upon him, because he careth for you
This verse has been a blessing to me this morning. It ministered to me as I recognised that God has pledged to care for me and to take care of me and all the things that would cross my path. Interestingly, when you read through 1 Peter 5, you'll see that Peter was addressing the younger in the church to stop worrying.
Don't we all worry and become anxious for the things which are to come. I came into work this monday morning dreading the issues and stuff which I've to accomplish in this week as well as the weeks leading up to June. Added to that are the never ending responsibilities in the church and outside of it. Days like these where I spend one brief moment thinking about the unsolved issues and amount of endless work which I need to do with my limited mental capacity and time, I really shudder in trepidation and wish it can all disappear.
Far from it disappearing in a snap of my fingers, I realised the simple truth that God has for us to live by. To cast it all on Him. If you've done fishing, you'll know that the concept of casting. With a simple flick of the hand, you cast your hook, bait, line and sinker into the sea. (There's no varying flicking techniques like how we are told to lice, topspin or pound a tennis ball.) From then on, you just wait patiently and do little, because the fish will either bite or it won't. Apart from jigging the line, there's nothing much to do to induce the fish to bite, even then you never know what fish would go for the bait.
Likewise, we are just to flick our worries to God because He cares and want to relief us from it. If we don't cast it to Him, we are not empowering God to handle our issues. Today, may you too come to an understanding that we serve a God who cares, and doesn't want us to live stressed, anxious lives. May you and I learn to say "life is good because my God cares and attends all my worries".
blessings,
M.
"A cheerful heart is a good medicine; But a broken spirit drieth up the bones." (Proverbs 17:22)
28 March 2008
God Delights in Me.
Psalm 18:19b
he rescued me because he delighted in me.
My ears perked up when I heard this verse.
I was humbled when I heard the verse that "the Lord delights in me" and I pray you will too. It suddenly elevated the truth of God's great love for such a incomplete, imperfect person in me. Don't get me wrong, it's not a self pitying party or a self condemnation whipping session but I pray that you see the depth and breadth of the love of an incorruptable God who chose to look at us whom are of sin, flaws and poor nature, and still chose to delight in us.
I'm humbled that He even stopped to look and yearingly care about us who are insignificant, blemished and yet full of arrogance because we feel that we matter because we have breathe and the energy to live the life we choose. When faced with the revelation of His character, I'm reminded of how self absorbed many of us are in our lives and how we forget the amazing grace of our saviour who awaits for us to come back to Him to spend communion time with Him.
The cross is the very demonstration of His great love for you and I. Because He loved us too much to see us live aimless, broken, self-indulgent lives for the 70 years that we have on this earth.
I cannot tell you how deeply I feel for the many lives today that I see in church who come and are emotionally torn, physically worn, mentally warped, and socially wounded but choose to come religiously in their protective shells. You must see what I see today; the sheer simplicity and purity of God's amazing grace for us that speaks to the inner man!
If I only had one message to share at the end of my life, I'll share about the amazing grace of God who is always there, caring for me even though I often chose to live my own life without Him. Today, I pray you see the revelation of God's immense love for you.
blessings,
M.
"What is man that You magnify him, and that You are concerned about him, That You examine him every morning and try him every moment?" (Job 7:17-18)
he rescued me because he delighted in me.
My ears perked up when I heard this verse.
I was humbled when I heard the verse that "the Lord delights in me" and I pray you will too. It suddenly elevated the truth of God's great love for such a incomplete, imperfect person in me. Don't get me wrong, it's not a self pitying party or a self condemnation whipping session but I pray that you see the depth and breadth of the love of an incorruptable God who chose to look at us whom are of sin, flaws and poor nature, and still chose to delight in us.
I'm humbled that He even stopped to look and yearingly care about us who are insignificant, blemished and yet full of arrogance because we feel that we matter because we have breathe and the energy to live the life we choose. When faced with the revelation of His character, I'm reminded of how self absorbed many of us are in our lives and how we forget the amazing grace of our saviour who awaits for us to come back to Him to spend communion time with Him.
The cross is the very demonstration of His great love for you and I. Because He loved us too much to see us live aimless, broken, self-indulgent lives for the 70 years that we have on this earth.
I cannot tell you how deeply I feel for the many lives today that I see in church who come and are emotionally torn, physically worn, mentally warped, and socially wounded but choose to come religiously in their protective shells. You must see what I see today; the sheer simplicity and purity of God's amazing grace for us that speaks to the inner man!
If I only had one message to share at the end of my life, I'll share about the amazing grace of God who is always there, caring for me even though I often chose to live my own life without Him. Today, I pray you see the revelation of God's immense love for you.
blessings,
M.
"What is man that You magnify him, and that You are concerned about him, That You examine him every morning and try him every moment?" (Job 7:17-18)
24 March 2008
Benchmarking Ourselves
Jeremiah 10:23
"The way of man is not in himself; it is not in man that walks to direct his steps"
Every parent always falls into the trap of benchmarking their kids with others. We all grew up somehow realising that we can never seem to be the smartest kid because when we get 99%, there's always someone who gets 100%. Even when we obtain a perfect score, we'll be told that its a good job but it must have been an easy paper or asked how many others have obtained similiar perfect scores.
Sadly, it results in us having in-built systems of always comparing with everything and everyone. Alternatively, we end up striving to as high a standard as possible and base it upon our wishful aspirations. Want some proof? How much money would you say you would like to earn per month in order to live a contented lifestyle? What would you consider contented anyway? The answer for these 2 questions which most of us would provide would go on and on endlessly. We know that we should be contented with anything we have, but we still do aspire for more anyway.
The word of God tells us that our standards, our direction, our way must be found outside of ourselves in Jesus Christ. There is nothing within man to give him a true sense of direction. So there is really no point trying to compare our life with equally flawed individuals. Until we align our hearts to God's Word, we will never find what our soul seeks more than anything else: peace with God and true fulfillment in life, living under His Lordship and the Sovereignty of His will!
Technically, we lower the standards when we benchmark our intentions and behaviours with what we consider to be the right thing to do or the rationalise our thinking by our intelligence. Therefore, may we remember that the only benchmark we need to have before us should be following God's standards and His words. What is it? "Be Holy for I am a Holy God"
blessings,
M.
"Thy Word is a lamp unto thy feet and a light unto thy path" (Psalm 119:105).
"The way of man is not in himself; it is not in man that walks to direct his steps"
Every parent always falls into the trap of benchmarking their kids with others. We all grew up somehow realising that we can never seem to be the smartest kid because when we get 99%, there's always someone who gets 100%. Even when we obtain a perfect score, we'll be told that its a good job but it must have been an easy paper or asked how many others have obtained similiar perfect scores.
Sadly, it results in us having in-built systems of always comparing with everything and everyone. Alternatively, we end up striving to as high a standard as possible and base it upon our wishful aspirations. Want some proof? How much money would you say you would like to earn per month in order to live a contented lifestyle? What would you consider contented anyway? The answer for these 2 questions which most of us would provide would go on and on endlessly. We know that we should be contented with anything we have, but we still do aspire for more anyway.
The word of God tells us that our standards, our direction, our way must be found outside of ourselves in Jesus Christ. There is nothing within man to give him a true sense of direction. So there is really no point trying to compare our life with equally flawed individuals. Until we align our hearts to God's Word, we will never find what our soul seeks more than anything else: peace with God and true fulfillment in life, living under His Lordship and the Sovereignty of His will!
Technically, we lower the standards when we benchmark our intentions and behaviours with what we consider to be the right thing to do or the rationalise our thinking by our intelligence. Therefore, may we remember that the only benchmark we need to have before us should be following God's standards and His words. What is it? "Be Holy for I am a Holy God"
blessings,
M.
"Thy Word is a lamp unto thy feet and a light unto thy path" (Psalm 119:105).
23 March 2008
Your Legacy
2 Corinthians 4:17-18
"For our light affliction, which is but a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal"
It has been a good 4 to 6 weeks which I've been unable to post anything due to crazy life of 3 weeks of reservist, 1 week of work and 1 week of Ranger's national camp. The most ironical part of my absence being that I had met up with my 2nd and newly set up discipleship group and I mentioned that posting each posts was very important as it allowed me to find and self discover scriptures. Needless to say, after making pledges to be faithful, I'm overwhelmed by life's challenges and I can't even step up to fulfil the fresh pledge. I can only sigh at the frailities of myself and how it's really challenging to stand up to life's crazy schedules.
Nonetheless, it's really time to pick up the pieces and continue.
Just 30m mins ago, I was just reading an email subscription which I get from Saddleback church. The topic was about Leaving a Legacy. As I read on, it stated this fact, "Every great and godly legacy starts with one person. Someone who says, "Enough is enough." No more pointless pain. No more tolerance for the deceitful, destructive, and dysfunctional lifestyle. Time to reverse the curse. Will that someone be you?"
Today during the Easter sunday service, Sis/Aunty Mabel gave a long sharing as a sunday school teacher that the kids which she taught in her early days are today parents and grown adults. Then, she nicely pointed out that I was her student (a terror in those days) and as I grew, I ended up as a teacher and mentor to her son. Something which she would have never imagined when she first taught me coz I was a real "Bart Simpson terror" child.
Many of us in church may be the one called to be a trailblazer that plows a path for the generations to come. In our human perspective, we really can't see that far. Everything seems temporary and the present would be overwhelming as we view in doubt and look at the surmounting crazy issues of life before us.
Perhaps there will not be signs along the way for us to follow. Our promise from the scriptures is that only God goes before us and during our journey we may feel alone, but we need to be assured that many will follow. What's worrying is that some of us may not endure long enough to faithfully finish our leg of the race!
With a generational view, we need to note that we were created to be part of an ongoing heritage and what life throws at us is trivial when we view it with an eternal perspective. Every lap we run with integrity and intensity will help those who begin where we end. It's really similiar to our earthly reasons for slogging hard to leave behind a financial blessing to our offsprings someday when we pass away.
Therefore, I pray that we will come to discover that running this race in life is not just about winning, but about finishing your leg of the race that would impact the next generation after you- albeit of your offsprings and/or the spiritual offsprings which come behind you.
blessings,
M.
"It was good for me to be afflicted so that I might learn your decrees" (Psalm 119:71 )
"For our light affliction, which is but a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal"
It has been a good 4 to 6 weeks which I've been unable to post anything due to crazy life of 3 weeks of reservist, 1 week of work and 1 week of Ranger's national camp. The most ironical part of my absence being that I had met up with my 2nd and newly set up discipleship group and I mentioned that posting each posts was very important as it allowed me to find and self discover scriptures. Needless to say, after making pledges to be faithful, I'm overwhelmed by life's challenges and I can't even step up to fulfil the fresh pledge. I can only sigh at the frailities of myself and how it's really challenging to stand up to life's crazy schedules.
Nonetheless, it's really time to pick up the pieces and continue.
Just 30m mins ago, I was just reading an email subscription which I get from Saddleback church. The topic was about Leaving a Legacy. As I read on, it stated this fact, "Every great and godly legacy starts with one person. Someone who says, "Enough is enough." No more pointless pain. No more tolerance for the deceitful, destructive, and dysfunctional lifestyle. Time to reverse the curse. Will that someone be you?"
Today during the Easter sunday service, Sis/Aunty Mabel gave a long sharing as a sunday school teacher that the kids which she taught in her early days are today parents and grown adults. Then, she nicely pointed out that I was her student (a terror in those days) and as I grew, I ended up as a teacher and mentor to her son. Something which she would have never imagined when she first taught me coz I was a real "Bart Simpson terror" child.
Many of us in church may be the one called to be a trailblazer that plows a path for the generations to come. In our human perspective, we really can't see that far. Everything seems temporary and the present would be overwhelming as we view in doubt and look at the surmounting crazy issues of life before us.
Perhaps there will not be signs along the way for us to follow. Our promise from the scriptures is that only God goes before us and during our journey we may feel alone, but we need to be assured that many will follow. What's worrying is that some of us may not endure long enough to faithfully finish our leg of the race!
With a generational view, we need to note that we were created to be part of an ongoing heritage and what life throws at us is trivial when we view it with an eternal perspective. Every lap we run with integrity and intensity will help those who begin where we end. It's really similiar to our earthly reasons for slogging hard to leave behind a financial blessing to our offsprings someday when we pass away.
Therefore, I pray that we will come to discover that running this race in life is not just about winning, but about finishing your leg of the race that would impact the next generation after you- albeit of your offsprings and/or the spiritual offsprings which come behind you.
blessings,
M.
"It was good for me to be afflicted so that I might learn your decrees" (Psalm 119:71 )
05 February 2008
Money.
Genesis 17 :13
"A servant who is born in your house or who is bought with your money shall surely be circumcised; thus shall My covenant be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant.
Last saturday was one of those rare Saturdays which I was able to attend service because I wasn't needed to help out in Living Springs. During the sermon, Ps Alvin asked this question to everyone, "what would make you happy?".
When questioned, 'money' was one of the immediate answers that was volunteered. I must say that I was rather disgusted with the honest answer and am still rather repulsed by the bluntness by which it revealed the spirit behind it all. I'm not asking for a politically correct answer like good health, but I did wish for a righteous answer that would arise from people who really sought for the right thing. Simply because the mouth only speaks/proclaims what comes from the overflow of the heart, so if the spirit of all was right, the answer would be too.
We will always need money, good grades, companionship, favour and everything that would make this life's existence better. But beyond that, we're only here for a temporal purpose. When I read the above verse, I'm reminded that we are like the slaves of Abraham purchased for a price. The differnnce is we have been purchased by something worth more than money - the blood of Christ. How can any of us in church therefore feel that we are lacking in wealth to make us happier then? If your instinctive answer to happiness is something earthly, may the Lord circumcise your heart and let you know who you belong to.
With a microcosmic and earthly mentality to life, it's really no wonder why so few live victorious lives. If we're only focusing on money and worldly stuff to bring us meaning in life, then I think life is really sad and the life that we are tasked to live as a Child of God is really an underperforming one.
This was my answer to the question: "I wish that all my Rangers live an amazing God fearing life that fulfils the destiny and potential that I glimpsed. That they would grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ until the day they make it through heaven's gate."
May you recognise that just as Abraham's slaves and family were promised God's everlasting covenant, so is your life. But until you decide to seek therefore the kingdom of God, you'll never grasp the concept of how your life is to be full of joy and abundance.
blessings,
M.
And He said to them, "When I sent you out without money belt and bag and sandals, you did not lack anything, did you?" They said, "No, nothing." (Luke 22:35)
"A servant who is born in your house or who is bought with your money shall surely be circumcised; thus shall My covenant be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant.
Last saturday was one of those rare Saturdays which I was able to attend service because I wasn't needed to help out in Living Springs. During the sermon, Ps Alvin asked this question to everyone, "what would make you happy?".
When questioned, 'money' was one of the immediate answers that was volunteered. I must say that I was rather disgusted with the honest answer and am still rather repulsed by the bluntness by which it revealed the spirit behind it all. I'm not asking for a politically correct answer like good health, but I did wish for a righteous answer that would arise from people who really sought for the right thing. Simply because the mouth only speaks/proclaims what comes from the overflow of the heart, so if the spirit of all was right, the answer would be too.
We will always need money, good grades, companionship, favour and everything that would make this life's existence better. But beyond that, we're only here for a temporal purpose. When I read the above verse, I'm reminded that we are like the slaves of Abraham purchased for a price. The differnnce is we have been purchased by something worth more than money - the blood of Christ. How can any of us in church therefore feel that we are lacking in wealth to make us happier then? If your instinctive answer to happiness is something earthly, may the Lord circumcise your heart and let you know who you belong to.
With a microcosmic and earthly mentality to life, it's really no wonder why so few live victorious lives. If we're only focusing on money and worldly stuff to bring us meaning in life, then I think life is really sad and the life that we are tasked to live as a Child of God is really an underperforming one.
This was my answer to the question: "I wish that all my Rangers live an amazing God fearing life that fulfils the destiny and potential that I glimpsed. That they would grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ until the day they make it through heaven's gate."
May you recognise that just as Abraham's slaves and family were promised God's everlasting covenant, so is your life. But until you decide to seek therefore the kingdom of God, you'll never grasp the concept of how your life is to be full of joy and abundance.
blessings,
M.
And He said to them, "When I sent you out without money belt and bag and sandals, you did not lack anything, did you?" They said, "No, nothing." (Luke 22:35)
04 February 2008
God First
2 Samuel 6:2, 3
"He and all his men set out from Baalah of Judah to bring up from there the ark of God....They set the ark of God on a new cart."
We all know the story of Uzzah who was struck dead when he put forth his hand to the ark of God when the cart stumbled. It is important to note the cause of this sitaution was because David did not do the right thing.
When David sought to move the ark of God, nothing is said of David "seeking the Lord." He did what he did with good intentions and on his own planning. But, the act of moving the ark of God was a very solemn and sacred occasion that must be observed by the explicit directions God had given.
In today's context, we don't have the ark of God to move, however should we also not tread carefully what we do for God and for our lives? If God's blessing is not sought before we start, how can it be rightly expected? If prayer does not precede our best actions, what will they amount to? If, in any of our ways, God does not have "preeminence," we should not be surprised if they lead to disaster.
David's desire was holy, his purpose was pure, his objective to honor God was proper, but he went about it in the ways of man rather than following the precepts of God, and the results were devastating. It is not sufficient to have a worthy purpose and a proper spirit; the work of God and our walk with God must be done in God's prescribed way. Anything other than that is but the expression of self-will.
I am reminded today of the many times which we errorneously live our lives ahead of God. Just like the way we say grace for our meals; "thank you God for the food, bless it in Jesus name, amen".How often do we practice such a prayer in our lives as we plan what we want to do and then throw in a prayer later to ask God to cover or bless our decisions.
May you and I awake to the reality that God is not a backseat driver of our lives, nor does He serve the role of blessing what we pray for. Our heavenly father loves to have us seek Him first ahead of any small or big decisions that we will undertake, however small or unimportant it is.
blessings,
M.
Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, "I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life." (John 8:1212 )
"He and all his men set out from Baalah of Judah to bring up from there the ark of God....They set the ark of God on a new cart."
We all know the story of Uzzah who was struck dead when he put forth his hand to the ark of God when the cart stumbled. It is important to note the cause of this sitaution was because David did not do the right thing.
When David sought to move the ark of God, nothing is said of David "seeking the Lord." He did what he did with good intentions and on his own planning. But, the act of moving the ark of God was a very solemn and sacred occasion that must be observed by the explicit directions God had given.
In today's context, we don't have the ark of God to move, however should we also not tread carefully what we do for God and for our lives? If God's blessing is not sought before we start, how can it be rightly expected? If prayer does not precede our best actions, what will they amount to? If, in any of our ways, God does not have "preeminence," we should not be surprised if they lead to disaster.
David's desire was holy, his purpose was pure, his objective to honor God was proper, but he went about it in the ways of man rather than following the precepts of God, and the results were devastating. It is not sufficient to have a worthy purpose and a proper spirit; the work of God and our walk with God must be done in God's prescribed way. Anything other than that is but the expression of self-will.
I am reminded today of the many times which we errorneously live our lives ahead of God. Just like the way we say grace for our meals; "thank you God for the food, bless it in Jesus name, amen".How often do we practice such a prayer in our lives as we plan what we want to do and then throw in a prayer later to ask God to cover or bless our decisions.
May you and I awake to the reality that God is not a backseat driver of our lives, nor does He serve the role of blessing what we pray for. Our heavenly father loves to have us seek Him first ahead of any small or big decisions that we will undertake, however small or unimportant it is.
blessings,
M.
Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, "I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life." (John 8:1212 )
25 January 2008
Asking for More Rain
Zechariah 10:1
Ask ye of the LORD rain in the time of the latter rain; so the LORD shall make bright clouds, and give them showers of rain, to every one grass in the field.
Last sunday night this verse was shared in the 80 A/G anniversary dinner. It was an eye opening and factual encounter as I revelled in this available promise - To ask for rain in the time of the latter rain.
In the bible we hear about former and latter rain. The former refers to rain during autumn, which allows the farmer to plow the land and plant the seed. The latter rain is the rain that falls in spring and wets the ground, allowing the seed to break out of its shell and germinate.
Why ask for rain during the slated raining season? For us who often live through the wet monsoon days of december, it's really akin to asking for more rain in the ever rainy days. In the logical, we can only imagine it as a superfluous request since the monsoon will naturally already have lotsa rainy days.
When I heard this verse, a positive kiasu mentality took over me. Why didn't I think of it? How often it is that we in a contented mode assuming that things will happen the way it is meant to, afterall many times what more can we do? Like the song in "my fair lady' says : without your pushing and the tide comes in, without your twirling and the earth will spin.
However, in the things of God everything works differently. Especially when we see ourselves as a farmer awaiting the seeds which we have planted anad hope will come to complete fruition. Perhaps it is a life which we are interceeding for God's salvation, or it may be a promise of excelling well in life even as we faithfully do what we are called by God. I'm sure there are heaps of good stuff which we scatter like seeds and hope that it'll all come to pass someday and we can excitedly praise God for.
In this verse, I am reminded to not have a complacent attitude but rather to always have a persistant asking attitude. Afterall this verse clearly states our entitlement to ask the Lord for rain in the latter rain days. Don't get me wrong, it's not a bless me verse of asking and asking for everything under the sun and what we want. It's about us who have already done the "farming", "plowing" and "scattering" and are just now waiting. Don't wait passively and assume it'll be done. Let us open our mouths to ask for the Lord to bless all that has been done. For him to pour forth rain that would shower every single blade of grass in the field. Don't worry, there can never be so much rain from the Lord that it would drown/destroy the labour we have done.
May you learn to take up the due inheritance due to you and ask God to rain down on the works and promises which you are awaiting.
blessings,
M.
"Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain." ( James 5:7)
Ask ye of the LORD rain in the time of the latter rain; so the LORD shall make bright clouds, and give them showers of rain, to every one grass in the field.
Last sunday night this verse was shared in the 80 A/G anniversary dinner. It was an eye opening and factual encounter as I revelled in this available promise - To ask for rain in the time of the latter rain.
In the bible we hear about former and latter rain. The former refers to rain during autumn, which allows the farmer to plow the land and plant the seed. The latter rain is the rain that falls in spring and wets the ground, allowing the seed to break out of its shell and germinate.
Why ask for rain during the slated raining season? For us who often live through the wet monsoon days of december, it's really akin to asking for more rain in the ever rainy days. In the logical, we can only imagine it as a superfluous request since the monsoon will naturally already have lotsa rainy days.
When I heard this verse, a positive kiasu mentality took over me. Why didn't I think of it? How often it is that we in a contented mode assuming that things will happen the way it is meant to, afterall many times what more can we do? Like the song in "my fair lady' says : without your pushing and the tide comes in, without your twirling and the earth will spin.
However, in the things of God everything works differently. Especially when we see ourselves as a farmer awaiting the seeds which we have planted anad hope will come to complete fruition. Perhaps it is a life which we are interceeding for God's salvation, or it may be a promise of excelling well in life even as we faithfully do what we are called by God. I'm sure there are heaps of good stuff which we scatter like seeds and hope that it'll all come to pass someday and we can excitedly praise God for.
In this verse, I am reminded to not have a complacent attitude but rather to always have a persistant asking attitude. Afterall this verse clearly states our entitlement to ask the Lord for rain in the latter rain days. Don't get me wrong, it's not a bless me verse of asking and asking for everything under the sun and what we want. It's about us who have already done the "farming", "plowing" and "scattering" and are just now waiting. Don't wait passively and assume it'll be done. Let us open our mouths to ask for the Lord to bless all that has been done. For him to pour forth rain that would shower every single blade of grass in the field. Don't worry, there can never be so much rain from the Lord that it would drown/destroy the labour we have done.
May you learn to take up the due inheritance due to you and ask God to rain down on the works and promises which you are awaiting.
blessings,
M.
"Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain." ( James 5:7)
15 January 2008
Worship comes first.
Matthew 4:8-10
Again, the devil taketh him unto an exceeding high mountain, and showeth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them;and he said unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.
I read this in a email devotional snippet and it raise one interesting point. That all service for Him is to flow out of worship. No worship=no service.
In Matthew 4, when Jesus was alone in the wilderness, the devil tempted him with all the material wealth and power. It must have been a tempting option as the journey Christ was to walk was one of servanthood and to serve and not be exalted. He could have been distracted by the promises but Jesus examplified to us the way out of life's distraction is to worship the Lord our God.
Worship lifts us from the miry perspective of our condition and self. As we lift our hands in surrender and choose to exault God above our situation and issues, nothing else on earth matters more. In fact, the soul feeds on glamour, pride and achievements, but during worship, our spirit in renewed and the soul's desire is religated.
As we move onwards into the weeks of this year, let us remember to come back to worship frequently - if possible, daily. Before we can serve God or even live through the secular days, worship must always come before. When the worship wanes, service to God and life becomes a drag and takes it's toll on us. We sigh more, sulk more, feel exhausted easily and walk with weary feet. Why? simply because the Holy Spirit does not energize our vision and persepective.
May you and I choose to life our eyes and hands in daily surrender as we worship the Almighty God. Then will we serve God and live life with vigour.
blessings,
M.
"He is your praise and He is your God, who has done these great and awesome things for you which your eyes have seen. "(Deuteronomy 10:21)
Again, the devil taketh him unto an exceeding high mountain, and showeth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them;and he said unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.
I read this in a email devotional snippet and it raise one interesting point. That all service for Him is to flow out of worship. No worship=no service.
In Matthew 4, when Jesus was alone in the wilderness, the devil tempted him with all the material wealth and power. It must have been a tempting option as the journey Christ was to walk was one of servanthood and to serve and not be exalted. He could have been distracted by the promises but Jesus examplified to us the way out of life's distraction is to worship the Lord our God.
Worship lifts us from the miry perspective of our condition and self. As we lift our hands in surrender and choose to exault God above our situation and issues, nothing else on earth matters more. In fact, the soul feeds on glamour, pride and achievements, but during worship, our spirit in renewed and the soul's desire is religated.
As we move onwards into the weeks of this year, let us remember to come back to worship frequently - if possible, daily. Before we can serve God or even live through the secular days, worship must always come before. When the worship wanes, service to God and life becomes a drag and takes it's toll on us. We sigh more, sulk more, feel exhausted easily and walk with weary feet. Why? simply because the Holy Spirit does not energize our vision and persepective.
May you and I choose to life our eyes and hands in daily surrender as we worship the Almighty God. Then will we serve God and live life with vigour.
blessings,
M.
"He is your praise and He is your God, who has done these great and awesome things for you which your eyes have seen. "(Deuteronomy 10:21)
01 January 2008
Don't neglect the house of God in 2008
Nehemiah 10:39
The people of Israel, including the Levites, are to bring their contributions of grain, new wine and oil to the storerooms where the articles for the sanctuary are kept and where the ministering priests, the gatekeepers and the singers stay.
"We will not neglect the house of our God."
In a flash 2007 has gone and this is the first day of the new year. I'm not clear what the next 364 days would bring and how it would impact my life, but one thing I'm dead sure about 2008 is the numerous challenges, and the ups and downs which will follow suit.
Hindsight is always perfect, but when we are in the midst of the storms of life in 2008, like any other year, it'll seem to be a long and dreary struggle. Not to find ourselves jaded even before we attempt to walk into the early days of the new year, I really like for us to embrace the ending part of the verse in Nehemiah 10:39 - that we will never neglect the house of God.
There are 2 ways which I interprete the verse to apply it to us this year. The physical house of God (the church), and the living house of God (our bodies).
In Nehemiah 10, God’s people made an oath, vowing to follow all the commands, laws, and regulations of the Lord. There's a lot of things which the people promised that they would do and it is really similiar to what you and I aspire to accomplish as we desire to keep close to God. However, we're really people of short term memory and often our fallen nature results in us stumbling and struggling through life. In spite of this, I pray that in 2008 we always remember to never surrender the inheritance that we have as children of God. We may be downcast by life's problems, but we are never destroyed because God is our Hope and strength.
Similiarly, from studies, projects, ministries, work, projects, activities and even recreation, we'll surely be busy doing all the tasks and stuff of life. So I pray that we inscribe it in our heart the need of remembrance to not neglect coming every week to the house of God to find rest. The world will surely wear us down, but only in the house of God can we find solace and strength that would restore our soul. Remember that our journey in life is only transient and we are made for greater purpose. May you recognise the thruth that our soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the LORD; our heart and my flesh cry out for the living God and only He can satisfy.
The journey is only beginning. May the Lord strengthen our footsteps as we quicken the pace and live as overcomers in 2008. May we never neglect the house of God.
blessings,
M.
"My feet have closely followed his steps; I have kept to his way without turning aside." (Job 23:11)
The people of Israel, including the Levites, are to bring their contributions of grain, new wine and oil to the storerooms where the articles for the sanctuary are kept and where the ministering priests, the gatekeepers and the singers stay.
"We will not neglect the house of our God."
In a flash 2007 has gone and this is the first day of the new year. I'm not clear what the next 364 days would bring and how it would impact my life, but one thing I'm dead sure about 2008 is the numerous challenges, and the ups and downs which will follow suit.
Hindsight is always perfect, but when we are in the midst of the storms of life in 2008, like any other year, it'll seem to be a long and dreary struggle. Not to find ourselves jaded even before we attempt to walk into the early days of the new year, I really like for us to embrace the ending part of the verse in Nehemiah 10:39 - that we will never neglect the house of God.
There are 2 ways which I interprete the verse to apply it to us this year. The physical house of God (the church), and the living house of God (our bodies).
In Nehemiah 10, God’s people made an oath, vowing to follow all the commands, laws, and regulations of the Lord. There's a lot of things which the people promised that they would do and it is really similiar to what you and I aspire to accomplish as we desire to keep close to God. However, we're really people of short term memory and often our fallen nature results in us stumbling and struggling through life. In spite of this, I pray that in 2008 we always remember to never surrender the inheritance that we have as children of God. We may be downcast by life's problems, but we are never destroyed because God is our Hope and strength.
Similiarly, from studies, projects, ministries, work, projects, activities and even recreation, we'll surely be busy doing all the tasks and stuff of life. So I pray that we inscribe it in our heart the need of remembrance to not neglect coming every week to the house of God to find rest. The world will surely wear us down, but only in the house of God can we find solace and strength that would restore our soul. Remember that our journey in life is only transient and we are made for greater purpose. May you recognise the thruth that our soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the LORD; our heart and my flesh cry out for the living God and only He can satisfy.
The journey is only beginning. May the Lord strengthen our footsteps as we quicken the pace and live as overcomers in 2008. May we never neglect the house of God.
blessings,
M.
"My feet have closely followed his steps; I have kept to his way without turning aside." (Job 23:11)