Treasure of my Life
By Patricia Ang
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there you heart will be also. (Matthew 6: 19-21)
What is your treasure in your life? Is it power, money or material things? What about Jesus being the treasure of our life? Are we able to cast all our cares to our Lord and have faith to trust in HIM? We need to ask ourselves then where are we going? Where do we spend our time? Who are we hanging around with? What are we doing? We need to answer those questions directly, truthfully and it'll show you where your treasure is.
The greatest blessings God gave us was not money but Jesus- his beloved son who died on the cross to atone for our sins in the form of the broken body, the shed blood and the victory won on that cross, The kingdom of God is righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. In 1 Timothy 6-1l, Paul tells believers to stop fleeing after earthy riches and to pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness.
“Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.” (1 Timothy 6: 17-19)
Are we willing to give Christ total control over our life? Jesus said in Matthew.7:13-14 the gate is narrow and the path is narrow that leads to eternal life. A converted heart is one which we give total reliance to God in our everyday life. It is a daily renewing, a daily change from sin and self. Having a heart stirred by the Holy Spirit and a heart willing to please and honor God with EVERYTHING He has given us is the narrow path! Our health, wealth and prosperity comes from Christ, it is not ours to own, but ours to manage for His glory.
One of my 2008 New Year resolutions this year was to spend more time with God. Amazingly, as I seek HIM daily, I am more conscious of his presence. At the start of the year, a friend of mine presented me with 2 blank books, which came in handy as I use the books, to write quotes and prayers from the bible and the books that I read and which I use for reference when I write my articles. Whenever I go to the Borders bookshop, I will end up in the section with Christian books which at times I will end up purchasing the books. Recently when I visit the music stores, at times I also purchase Praise & Worship cds. Listening the songs and reading the books, I really sense his presence and peace.
Having served in the recent alpha 10 and 11 and attended the post alpha course – A Life Worth Living, I have met many friends and it has been a joy knowing fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. There is this deep bonding and fellowship among the small groups in our sharing session. Sometimes we can be so exhausted from work, but the moment we attend such sessions, we are just filled with the energy to do His work. “But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint” – Isaiah 40:31
“Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well” (Matthew 6:33)
Lord help us to be aware day by day, to depend and trust in you and to reach out to you with hearts of innocence and child-like faith saying to you,” Not my will, but Thy will be done.”
Faith is our unflinching reliance on God. “Never will I leave you: never will I forsake you.” (Heb 13:5)
Thursday, October 2, 2008
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Thank you Lord
Thank You Lord
By Patricia Ang
I am just an ordinary girl living an ordinary life. Yet as I look back at my life, I must say God is Good and I am so thankful to be in a relationship with HIM.
Coming from a single parent family, growing up was never easy. We just lived within our means. No fancy birthday parties, no holidays, no elaborate meals at restaurants. There were clothes I wanted to buy but didn’t have the means to buy. Yet I must say He blesses the widow and the orphan in HIS own ways.
Lord, I am very thankful for my family. For my grandparents who gave us a place to live when we were homeless and for taking care of us. My late grandfather taught me tuition during my primary school days and my grandmother cooked for us when we needed them in some ways. My mother brought me up singlehandedly all these years, with her love and support. She provided me a life which any ordinary child would have. The books that she bought, the opportunity to learn to play the piano, for taking care of me when I am sick, for taking time to teach me Chinese in primary school, when she herself didn’t know much of the language. She took the opportunity to check the Chinese dictionary and spent time guiding me in my studies when I was younger. God in his ways has taken care of us of our daily needs each day and HE has indeed protected us.
As a teenager, I have been blessed with all the gifts I have won via radio contests. By HIS grace, I have won several prizes among which Les Miserables concert tickets, movie tickets, food vouchers and a pair of Shasha bears. I used to tease my mother that she need not have to worry about my entertainment expenses as a teenager.
For the education that I have been given, I am so thankful for his blessings and his guidance. For my Masters course which I completed last year, I really felt his presence in the course. Though it was a long journey to NTU, HE sustained me with the energy and the passion. HE blessed me with classmates whom we had good teamwork. I enjoyed the 2 years part time course that I did. It is amazing how I managed to juggle my studies and my work simultaneously. Thank you Lord. For the job opportunities that HE has given me in my career, I am very thankful that HE knows what is best for me.
Cast your burden on the Lord. Release the weight of them and God will sustain you. (Psalm 55:22)
Life is a mirror reflection – how you treat others is how people will treat you back. I am so thankful for the friends HE has brought into my life. For those who stood by me all these years, for the advice, the encouragement and sharing the ups and downs in my life. God puts people in our lives on purpose so that we can help them to succeed and help them become all He created them to be. If you will make somebody else’s day, God will make yours. Take time to make a difference. Don’t just focus about you can make your life better. Everywhere we go we should be encouraging people, building them up, challenging them to reach for new heights. When people are around us, they should leave better off then they were previously.
In the bible, God says, “I will guard you and keep you in perfect and constant peace as you keep your mind on me.” (Isiah 26 :3). Learn to commit yourself to me, lean on me and hope confidently in me.
There was a stage of my life I questioned my religion. Yet in HIS time, God led me back to where I am now, serving in the most humble way. Come close to God and HE will come close to you. I am thankful to be able to spend time with him, to serve him, to write articles, to share and pray with fellow brothers and sisters in this journey.
It is a rule of life. God blesses those who give of their lives and resources. Give your time and you will have more time to give. Set no limit on your love and you will have more love for others than before. He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly. And he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. (2 Corinthians 9:6)
Dare to trust Him today. Dare to believe that even in your disappointment, heartaches and pain, God is right there with you. He said He will never leave you nor forsake you. The kingdom of God is righteousness, peace and joy.
By Patricia Ang
I am just an ordinary girl living an ordinary life. Yet as I look back at my life, I must say God is Good and I am so thankful to be in a relationship with HIM.
Coming from a single parent family, growing up was never easy. We just lived within our means. No fancy birthday parties, no holidays, no elaborate meals at restaurants. There were clothes I wanted to buy but didn’t have the means to buy. Yet I must say He blesses the widow and the orphan in HIS own ways.
Lord, I am very thankful for my family. For my grandparents who gave us a place to live when we were homeless and for taking care of us. My late grandfather taught me tuition during my primary school days and my grandmother cooked for us when we needed them in some ways. My mother brought me up singlehandedly all these years, with her love and support. She provided me a life which any ordinary child would have. The books that she bought, the opportunity to learn to play the piano, for taking care of me when I am sick, for taking time to teach me Chinese in primary school, when she herself didn’t know much of the language. She took the opportunity to check the Chinese dictionary and spent time guiding me in my studies when I was younger. God in his ways has taken care of us of our daily needs each day and HE has indeed protected us.
As a teenager, I have been blessed with all the gifts I have won via radio contests. By HIS grace, I have won several prizes among which Les Miserables concert tickets, movie tickets, food vouchers and a pair of Shasha bears. I used to tease my mother that she need not have to worry about my entertainment expenses as a teenager.
For the education that I have been given, I am so thankful for his blessings and his guidance. For my Masters course which I completed last year, I really felt his presence in the course. Though it was a long journey to NTU, HE sustained me with the energy and the passion. HE blessed me with classmates whom we had good teamwork. I enjoyed the 2 years part time course that I did. It is amazing how I managed to juggle my studies and my work simultaneously. Thank you Lord. For the job opportunities that HE has given me in my career, I am very thankful that HE knows what is best for me.
Cast your burden on the Lord. Release the weight of them and God will sustain you. (Psalm 55:22)
Life is a mirror reflection – how you treat others is how people will treat you back. I am so thankful for the friends HE has brought into my life. For those who stood by me all these years, for the advice, the encouragement and sharing the ups and downs in my life. God puts people in our lives on purpose so that we can help them to succeed and help them become all He created them to be. If you will make somebody else’s day, God will make yours. Take time to make a difference. Don’t just focus about you can make your life better. Everywhere we go we should be encouraging people, building them up, challenging them to reach for new heights. When people are around us, they should leave better off then they were previously.
In the bible, God says, “I will guard you and keep you in perfect and constant peace as you keep your mind on me.” (Isiah 26 :3). Learn to commit yourself to me, lean on me and hope confidently in me.
There was a stage of my life I questioned my religion. Yet in HIS time, God led me back to where I am now, serving in the most humble way. Come close to God and HE will come close to you. I am thankful to be able to spend time with him, to serve him, to write articles, to share and pray with fellow brothers and sisters in this journey.
It is a rule of life. God blesses those who give of their lives and resources. Give your time and you will have more time to give. Set no limit on your love and you will have more love for others than before. He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly. And he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. (2 Corinthians 9:6)
Dare to trust Him today. Dare to believe that even in your disappointment, heartaches and pain, God is right there with you. He said He will never leave you nor forsake you. The kingdom of God is righteousness, peace and joy.
Monday, August 4, 2008
In Total Submission
In Total Submission
By Patricia Ang
“I know what it is to be in need and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want, I can do everything through him who gives me strength,” (Philippians 4:12-13)
In Matthew 4:18, Jesus said, “Come, follow me and I will make you fishers of men.” HE tells us to follow him and let HIM make something out of our lives.
Have you encountered difficult circumstances or strong temptations that invade our lives and remind us of our powerlessness, and we have an all powerful god who works on behalf of those who trust Him? Why is it so difficult to surrender everything to God? Could it be pride, stubbornness, greed, fear or doubt? Yet it is God’s unconditional love for us that HE sent his son Jesus to die on the cross to atone for our sins. The Lord wants to meet us at every intersection of every dream, every choice, every desire and every thought and He urges us to turn towards Him.
Don’t we all face disappointments in our lives – the loss of passion in one’s jobs, a failed relationship or a rebellious child? As a result, it triggers off a chain reaction of bitterness, anger, frustration and disappointment. How about failures in our lives which can result in anxiety, stress and even despair?
Learn to keep your disappointments and failures in stride. Learn from your disappointments and failures and with God’s help, seek to overcome them. Sometimes God uses life’s disappointment to draw us closer to Himself or teach us patience and trust. When God closes one door, He often opens another, if we seek it. When life turns against you, ask God “Show me your ways, O Lord, teach me your paths” (Psalm 25:4)
Personally at times, I find it so difficult to surrender my situations to God because I tend to think I can do it my way, but whenever I choose to do things my way, I end up more exhausted and hurt. It is only when I surrender the situations to God, seek clarity and direction, do I experience that peace that it is by relying in HIM that I am able to achieve the things I need to do.
To become a Christian requires that we admit our helplessness and acknowledge our total dependence on God. “Without me, you can do nothing,” said Jesus. (John 15:5)
I remembered the stage when I was pursing a part time course at NTU. I had my doubts on how to juggle work and studies, but I surrendered that to the Lord. By God’s grace, I managed to do that – completing my assignments on time, studying for exams and doing my job professionally. During that period, HE blessed with good team mates, family and work support and friends who were there to encourage and pray for me.
A true Christian isn’t peaceful or arrogant; his confidence is not in himself, but in God and he humbly trusts in HIM every day. My salvation and my honour depend on God, he is my mighty rock, my refuge (Psalm 62 :7)
Whenever I travel overseas, I always pray for a safe journey and good health. There were times when we faced bad turbulence on the planes and they can be really scary experiences. Safety too in terms of not losing our luagges, our passports, money and the bus driver driving us safely to the various destinations.
God’s love for you has not changed. At times we see God’s love most clearly when life is at its darkest. God’s love for us never fails, He always stands ready to forgive and restore us to Himself. “Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning” (Lamentations 3:22-23)
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this is not from yourselves, and it is the gift of God – not by works so that no one can boast (Ephesians 2: 8-9)
Paul wrote : “The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one sows to please the Spirit, from the Sprit will reap eternal life. (Galatians 6:8). Those who work for self interest and think only of themselves are sowing seeds that will provide a harvest of misery in themselves and in others. Those who love God and care for others are sowing seeds that in time will yield a harvest of joy.
We can choose to submit our wills to God each day, asking Him to give us strength to live for Him and for others. As He works in us, we will grow in grace and in kindness. God delights when we walk in a surrendered way with Him.
“Draw near to God and He will draw near to you” (James 4:8)
By Patricia Ang
“I know what it is to be in need and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want, I can do everything through him who gives me strength,” (Philippians 4:12-13)
In Matthew 4:18, Jesus said, “Come, follow me and I will make you fishers of men.” HE tells us to follow him and let HIM make something out of our lives.
Have you encountered difficult circumstances or strong temptations that invade our lives and remind us of our powerlessness, and we have an all powerful god who works on behalf of those who trust Him? Why is it so difficult to surrender everything to God? Could it be pride, stubbornness, greed, fear or doubt? Yet it is God’s unconditional love for us that HE sent his son Jesus to die on the cross to atone for our sins. The Lord wants to meet us at every intersection of every dream, every choice, every desire and every thought and He urges us to turn towards Him.
Don’t we all face disappointments in our lives – the loss of passion in one’s jobs, a failed relationship or a rebellious child? As a result, it triggers off a chain reaction of bitterness, anger, frustration and disappointment. How about failures in our lives which can result in anxiety, stress and even despair?
Learn to keep your disappointments and failures in stride. Learn from your disappointments and failures and with God’s help, seek to overcome them. Sometimes God uses life’s disappointment to draw us closer to Himself or teach us patience and trust. When God closes one door, He often opens another, if we seek it. When life turns against you, ask God “Show me your ways, O Lord, teach me your paths” (Psalm 25:4)
Personally at times, I find it so difficult to surrender my situations to God because I tend to think I can do it my way, but whenever I choose to do things my way, I end up more exhausted and hurt. It is only when I surrender the situations to God, seek clarity and direction, do I experience that peace that it is by relying in HIM that I am able to achieve the things I need to do.
To become a Christian requires that we admit our helplessness and acknowledge our total dependence on God. “Without me, you can do nothing,” said Jesus. (John 15:5)
I remembered the stage when I was pursing a part time course at NTU. I had my doubts on how to juggle work and studies, but I surrendered that to the Lord. By God’s grace, I managed to do that – completing my assignments on time, studying for exams and doing my job professionally. During that period, HE blessed with good team mates, family and work support and friends who were there to encourage and pray for me.
A true Christian isn’t peaceful or arrogant; his confidence is not in himself, but in God and he humbly trusts in HIM every day. My salvation and my honour depend on God, he is my mighty rock, my refuge (Psalm 62 :7)
Whenever I travel overseas, I always pray for a safe journey and good health. There were times when we faced bad turbulence on the planes and they can be really scary experiences. Safety too in terms of not losing our luagges, our passports, money and the bus driver driving us safely to the various destinations.
God’s love for you has not changed. At times we see God’s love most clearly when life is at its darkest. God’s love for us never fails, He always stands ready to forgive and restore us to Himself. “Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning” (Lamentations 3:22-23)
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this is not from yourselves, and it is the gift of God – not by works so that no one can boast (Ephesians 2: 8-9)
Paul wrote : “The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one sows to please the Spirit, from the Sprit will reap eternal life. (Galatians 6:8). Those who work for self interest and think only of themselves are sowing seeds that will provide a harvest of misery in themselves and in others. Those who love God and care for others are sowing seeds that in time will yield a harvest of joy.
We can choose to submit our wills to God each day, asking Him to give us strength to live for Him and for others. As He works in us, we will grow in grace and in kindness. God delights when we walk in a surrendered way with Him.
“Draw near to God and He will draw near to you” (James 4:8)
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
why does god allow suffering
Why Does God Allow Suffering?
By Patricia Ang
Why must we go through disappointment, sorrow, suffering, heartbreak, temptation, trials & tribulations? If your life were perfect, would you remember God? If you were healthy, would you thank God for his blessings? It is when we are suffering, when we encounter problems, when our health gives us problems, do we remember and turn to God.
Do you believe that God has a plan and purpose for each of us? The very thing that you want least to talk about, the very thing that you want to keep in your closest is the very thing God wants you to share. God wants you to yield to Him and allow Him to recycle the pain in your life for the benefit of others.
Often our sufferings are not about us but about people seeing the power of God working through our weakness. In the bible, the story of Jonah was faced in a helpless situation, yet God used him to lead a pagan nation to repentance.
“My grace is all you need, for my power is greatest when you are weak. I am most happy then to be proud of my weakness, in order to feel the protection of Christ’s power over me,” (2 Corinthians 12:9)
Many of us have this misconception that God uses only the really talented and gifted people. On the contrary, God uses ordinary people. He does his best work through the weak people. When we share our weakness, others are able to relate to what we are going through. So why Does God allow suffering?
God has given us a Free Will
In the book of Genesis it is written that God created man in his own image. Hence we are given the freedom to choose. We have a choice of right or wrong, good or bad, life or death. You can’t really choose good unless you have the option to choose bad. You can’t really love someone unless you have the opportunity not love that someone. Yes there are times when the poor choices that we make bring about poor consequences. God gives free will to all of us and there is a possibility when others choose to do wrong, one of us may be hurt as an innocent victim. We may make choices that bring pain to ourselves and others. God wants us to love HIM voluntarily. He does not want a bunch of puppets. God gives us the free will to follow him or to turn away from HIM.
God uses Pain to Get Our Attention
Our anxieties and our fears are warning signals telling us that something is wrong and we need to deal with it. At times it is meant to be a wake up call for us. When we are working too hard, we do not take care of our health, and we fall sick. We could be stricken by the flu bug, fever, gastric, it could be a sign to take care of our health, and to pray and spend time with God. Sometimes it takes a painful experience to make us change our ways. There are some of us who are so used to doing things our way but you realise that we are either unhappy at our jobs or are in stagnant relationships which drains off our energy. It is such moments, we seek god and pray for strength and discernment for his plans for us.
God uses pain to teach us to depend on HIM
For the past month I fell sick twice. The first time I had fever, the second time I was down with flu. As it is, whenever I fall sick, I take a long time to recover, and I am easily tired. To worsen such situation, there are so many things to do at work, datelines to meet and the people around me don’t seem to emphatize my situation. At times what you really need is assurance, affirmation and a listening ear. Yet during this period, I learnt to depend on God to heal me and to handle the issues I face daily. It has indeed been a humbling experience. When all is falling apart and you have lost it all, you will realise, God is there for you. HE is the only real problem solver.
God allows pain to give us a ministry to others
Pain makes us humble, sympathetic and sensitive to others’ needs. It prepares you to serve. When we turn to God to heal us from the pain we are going through, He comforts us and wraps his loving arms around us and gives us the help we need. All of us have our hurts, hang-ups and habits. When we are hurting, we want someone who understands who has been going through what we are going through, not someone who has a perfect life.
No matter what others have done to you, God can recycle it and use it for good. God never wastes a hurt. Unless you learn from the hurt and share it, you will waste it. Others will be blessed and encouraged if you share the problems and strengths you have gone through. God can and will use your pain to help others, if you let Him.
God alone is our “rock of refuge, a fortress of defence” (Psalm 31:2). HE is our reliable source of strength and protection.
By Patricia Ang
Why must we go through disappointment, sorrow, suffering, heartbreak, temptation, trials & tribulations? If your life were perfect, would you remember God? If you were healthy, would you thank God for his blessings? It is when we are suffering, when we encounter problems, when our health gives us problems, do we remember and turn to God.
Do you believe that God has a plan and purpose for each of us? The very thing that you want least to talk about, the very thing that you want to keep in your closest is the very thing God wants you to share. God wants you to yield to Him and allow Him to recycle the pain in your life for the benefit of others.
Often our sufferings are not about us but about people seeing the power of God working through our weakness. In the bible, the story of Jonah was faced in a helpless situation, yet God used him to lead a pagan nation to repentance.
“My grace is all you need, for my power is greatest when you are weak. I am most happy then to be proud of my weakness, in order to feel the protection of Christ’s power over me,” (2 Corinthians 12:9)
Many of us have this misconception that God uses only the really talented and gifted people. On the contrary, God uses ordinary people. He does his best work through the weak people. When we share our weakness, others are able to relate to what we are going through. So why Does God allow suffering?
God has given us a Free Will
In the book of Genesis it is written that God created man in his own image. Hence we are given the freedom to choose. We have a choice of right or wrong, good or bad, life or death. You can’t really choose good unless you have the option to choose bad. You can’t really love someone unless you have the opportunity not love that someone. Yes there are times when the poor choices that we make bring about poor consequences. God gives free will to all of us and there is a possibility when others choose to do wrong, one of us may be hurt as an innocent victim. We may make choices that bring pain to ourselves and others. God wants us to love HIM voluntarily. He does not want a bunch of puppets. God gives us the free will to follow him or to turn away from HIM.
God uses Pain to Get Our Attention
Our anxieties and our fears are warning signals telling us that something is wrong and we need to deal with it. At times it is meant to be a wake up call for us. When we are working too hard, we do not take care of our health, and we fall sick. We could be stricken by the flu bug, fever, gastric, it could be a sign to take care of our health, and to pray and spend time with God. Sometimes it takes a painful experience to make us change our ways. There are some of us who are so used to doing things our way but you realise that we are either unhappy at our jobs or are in stagnant relationships which drains off our energy. It is such moments, we seek god and pray for strength and discernment for his plans for us.
God uses pain to teach us to depend on HIM
For the past month I fell sick twice. The first time I had fever, the second time I was down with flu. As it is, whenever I fall sick, I take a long time to recover, and I am easily tired. To worsen such situation, there are so many things to do at work, datelines to meet and the people around me don’t seem to emphatize my situation. At times what you really need is assurance, affirmation and a listening ear. Yet during this period, I learnt to depend on God to heal me and to handle the issues I face daily. It has indeed been a humbling experience. When all is falling apart and you have lost it all, you will realise, God is there for you. HE is the only real problem solver.
God allows pain to give us a ministry to others
Pain makes us humble, sympathetic and sensitive to others’ needs. It prepares you to serve. When we turn to God to heal us from the pain we are going through, He comforts us and wraps his loving arms around us and gives us the help we need. All of us have our hurts, hang-ups and habits. When we are hurting, we want someone who understands who has been going through what we are going through, not someone who has a perfect life.
No matter what others have done to you, God can recycle it and use it for good. God never wastes a hurt. Unless you learn from the hurt and share it, you will waste it. Others will be blessed and encouraged if you share the problems and strengths you have gone through. God can and will use your pain to help others, if you let Him.
God alone is our “rock of refuge, a fortress of defence” (Psalm 31:2). HE is our reliable source of strength and protection.
Beard vs Stone
Bread vs Stone
By Patricia Ang
I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never be hungry. He who believes in me never thirst. (John 6:35)
In loving relationships, people warn one another of the inevitable consequences of foolish behaviour. In unhealthy relationships, people threaten one another with punishment if they fail to live up to unreasonable demands.
Bread can be broken and shared with others. When we are bread, we share our gifts. We take time to help someone in need. We offer ourselves to serve, to love and to grow in His glory. At times, as we hurry about our own responsibilities, we become too busy to care about other people. We need to find time to be there for those who care about us.
As bread, we are soft, forgiving and compassionate. There is humility, service, forgiveness and growth. We are passionate about the things we do and we are people-centred. When we respect others and treat them with kindness..When we are peacemakers in tense situations..When we forgive others who have hurt us, we are bread for them.
As bread, we provide encouragement. In (1 John 3:18) it is mentioned what we are to do when we see others in need. He told us to have active compassion. Let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed. We have been instructed :”Be doers of the word, but not hearers only.” (James 1 : 22). When we see a need, it is good to talk about it, but we must also do something about it.
Make a difference today. Make a call, send a card, give a gift, offer a hand to help and smile. Love in deed is love indeed.
Are any of your relationships broken or estranged because of something you said or did? Ignoring love ones, misunderstanding good friends, gossiping about fellow colleagues in an organisation?
Have you been feeling hard and cold like a stone? When we are selfish and think of ourselves..When all we are interested in is taking advantage of others. When we are cold to others who could use our friendship, then we are a stone for others.
When we criticise, complain and gossip, we bring others down. When we are jealous, bitter and cold, we have no feelings, we are as hard as a stone. When we use hard thoughts, harsh words, and insensitive actions with those around us and treat them as our enemies, we are like a stone thrown through a beautiful stained glass window, shattering the lives around you. Like a stone we become stagnant for who we are. We refuse to let go of our pride. We become materialistic and selfish. We adopt the attitude – what’s in it for me.
We have a choice. We can be a stone or we can be a bread. Which have you been lately? Which one do you want to be?
We are unable to handle the world matters, yet we are able to make a difference with the people around us – the way, we treat our family member, friendship and community.
When Jesus was tempted by the devil in Matthew 4, who asked Him to turn stones to bread if he is the son of God, Jesus replied, “Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of god.”
“I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever, This bread is my flesh which I will give for the life of the world.” (John 6:51)
By Patricia Ang
I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never be hungry. He who believes in me never thirst. (John 6:35)
In loving relationships, people warn one another of the inevitable consequences of foolish behaviour. In unhealthy relationships, people threaten one another with punishment if they fail to live up to unreasonable demands.
Bread can be broken and shared with others. When we are bread, we share our gifts. We take time to help someone in need. We offer ourselves to serve, to love and to grow in His glory. At times, as we hurry about our own responsibilities, we become too busy to care about other people. We need to find time to be there for those who care about us.
As bread, we are soft, forgiving and compassionate. There is humility, service, forgiveness and growth. We are passionate about the things we do and we are people-centred. When we respect others and treat them with kindness..When we are peacemakers in tense situations..When we forgive others who have hurt us, we are bread for them.
As bread, we provide encouragement. In (1 John 3:18) it is mentioned what we are to do when we see others in need. He told us to have active compassion. Let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed. We have been instructed :”Be doers of the word, but not hearers only.” (James 1 : 22). When we see a need, it is good to talk about it, but we must also do something about it.
Make a difference today. Make a call, send a card, give a gift, offer a hand to help and smile. Love in deed is love indeed.
Are any of your relationships broken or estranged because of something you said or did? Ignoring love ones, misunderstanding good friends, gossiping about fellow colleagues in an organisation?
Have you been feeling hard and cold like a stone? When we are selfish and think of ourselves..When all we are interested in is taking advantage of others. When we are cold to others who could use our friendship, then we are a stone for others.
When we criticise, complain and gossip, we bring others down. When we are jealous, bitter and cold, we have no feelings, we are as hard as a stone. When we use hard thoughts, harsh words, and insensitive actions with those around us and treat them as our enemies, we are like a stone thrown through a beautiful stained glass window, shattering the lives around you. Like a stone we become stagnant for who we are. We refuse to let go of our pride. We become materialistic and selfish. We adopt the attitude – what’s in it for me.
We have a choice. We can be a stone or we can be a bread. Which have you been lately? Which one do you want to be?
We are unable to handle the world matters, yet we are able to make a difference with the people around us – the way, we treat our family member, friendship and community.
When Jesus was tempted by the devil in Matthew 4, who asked Him to turn stones to bread if he is the son of God, Jesus replied, “Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of god.”
“I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever, This bread is my flesh which I will give for the life of the world.” (John 6:51)
choice in life
Choices in Life
Our lives are not made up by the dreams that we dream but by the choices that we make. Often we will have plenty of choices in life and usually we have a choice between “Do we do things our way or God’s way?”
Commit to the Lord whatever you do and your plans will succeed (Proverbs 16:3). In his heart, a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps.
In1 Corinthians 6:20, Paul reminds us that we have been “bought at a high price”. God cleansed us from our sins by buying us with the high price of His own life. Let us live to bring glory to God. Our eyes, hands, feet, dreams, thoughts have been purchased to reflect the wondrous glory of God’s will and wisdom. Glorify God in your body.
Don’t we all make choices daily in our lives – be it at work, our relationships, spending time with God?
Why do we work? Do we work for a living or do we feel passionate about our work, where we can use our gifts and talents to make a difference in what we do? Is there a feeling of joy, service and fulfilment at work?
For the past few weeks, I was feeling the stress at work. There were too many things to look into and there were datelines to be met – writing the contents and sourcing pictures for collaterals and website, overseeing the interviews for the corporate video, arranging for dates for road shows, sourcing gifts for visitors and doing fund raising for community service project. There was hardly a moment to catch a breather or time to talk to colleagues or friends. Yet by God’s grace, I managed to survive all these and able to perform the tasks diligently and professionally. It is by praying, listening to praise and worship songs and constantly asking Lord to bless me with strength, wisdom and good health.
My soul finds rest in God alone. My salvation comes from Him. He alone is my rock and my salvation He is my fortress. I will never be shaken (Psalm 62:1-2)
The people that we allow into our inner circles are choices that will affect us. People whom we encounter occasionally don’t affect us that much, but those we spend a lot of time with do. We should make sure we surround ourselves constantly with people who are positive and full of faith.
On weekends, after a hectic week of work, I make a choice to relax and spend time with my family and close friends. I make a point to bring my mother out for a meal weekly and spend time with her. Recently, I also visited the Peranakan Museum, Labrador Nature Reserve and Qianhu Fish Farm which has been a refreshing change for me. It is also joy catching up with close friends over coffee and meals. Over the years I realised that it takes 2 people to maintain a good friendship. I am very thankful for my friends from my secondary school days whom we are still in contact. Over the years, I have met fair weathered friends and those who take one for granted and which I eventually chose not to keep in contact with them.
How about your relationship with God – is it fired with passion to love and serve Him or is it in a lukewarm and stagnant stage? A personal relationship with God through Jesus offers a new way of living. We are invited to receive Christ by faith and when we do, righteousness, as well as many other wonderful blessings is imputed in our lives. (Romans 10:6)
The decision to be a spotlight writer has been one that has truly fulfilling. In order to write the articles, I started reading the bible, daily bread, keeping a book of biblical quotations, attending courses like Alpha and Cafe to know more about the faith and reading books like Billy Graham, Joyce Meyer and John Maxwell. It is a commitment to spend time with God and also to constantly improve in the articles written.
Have you set your mind to pursue the purpose of God passionately or are you pursing your own plan and expecting God to bless it. Well just throw away all your plans and say “Lord, I want your will in your timing. I do not want to be ahead of you, neither do I want to be behind you. Help me to wait patiently on you. God let your will be done in my life.”
Anytime you are doing your best to serve God, you are never wasting your time. God is faithful and He will always bring a reward to those who diligently seek Him (Hebrews 11:6)
Our lives are not made up by the dreams that we dream but by the choices that we make. Often we will have plenty of choices in life and usually we have a choice between “Do we do things our way or God’s way?”
Commit to the Lord whatever you do and your plans will succeed (Proverbs 16:3). In his heart, a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps.
In1 Corinthians 6:20, Paul reminds us that we have been “bought at a high price”. God cleansed us from our sins by buying us with the high price of His own life. Let us live to bring glory to God. Our eyes, hands, feet, dreams, thoughts have been purchased to reflect the wondrous glory of God’s will and wisdom. Glorify God in your body.
Don’t we all make choices daily in our lives – be it at work, our relationships, spending time with God?
Why do we work? Do we work for a living or do we feel passionate about our work, where we can use our gifts and talents to make a difference in what we do? Is there a feeling of joy, service and fulfilment at work?
For the past few weeks, I was feeling the stress at work. There were too many things to look into and there were datelines to be met – writing the contents and sourcing pictures for collaterals and website, overseeing the interviews for the corporate video, arranging for dates for road shows, sourcing gifts for visitors and doing fund raising for community service project. There was hardly a moment to catch a breather or time to talk to colleagues or friends. Yet by God’s grace, I managed to survive all these and able to perform the tasks diligently and professionally. It is by praying, listening to praise and worship songs and constantly asking Lord to bless me with strength, wisdom and good health.
My soul finds rest in God alone. My salvation comes from Him. He alone is my rock and my salvation He is my fortress. I will never be shaken (Psalm 62:1-2)
The people that we allow into our inner circles are choices that will affect us. People whom we encounter occasionally don’t affect us that much, but those we spend a lot of time with do. We should make sure we surround ourselves constantly with people who are positive and full of faith.
On weekends, after a hectic week of work, I make a choice to relax and spend time with my family and close friends. I make a point to bring my mother out for a meal weekly and spend time with her. Recently, I also visited the Peranakan Museum, Labrador Nature Reserve and Qianhu Fish Farm which has been a refreshing change for me. It is also joy catching up with close friends over coffee and meals. Over the years I realised that it takes 2 people to maintain a good friendship. I am very thankful for my friends from my secondary school days whom we are still in contact. Over the years, I have met fair weathered friends and those who take one for granted and which I eventually chose not to keep in contact with them.
How about your relationship with God – is it fired with passion to love and serve Him or is it in a lukewarm and stagnant stage? A personal relationship with God through Jesus offers a new way of living. We are invited to receive Christ by faith and when we do, righteousness, as well as many other wonderful blessings is imputed in our lives. (Romans 10:6)
The decision to be a spotlight writer has been one that has truly fulfilling. In order to write the articles, I started reading the bible, daily bread, keeping a book of biblical quotations, attending courses like Alpha and Cafe to know more about the faith and reading books like Billy Graham, Joyce Meyer and John Maxwell. It is a commitment to spend time with God and also to constantly improve in the articles written.
Have you set your mind to pursue the purpose of God passionately or are you pursing your own plan and expecting God to bless it. Well just throw away all your plans and say “Lord, I want your will in your timing. I do not want to be ahead of you, neither do I want to be behind you. Help me to wait patiently on you. God let your will be done in my life.”
Anytime you are doing your best to serve God, you are never wasting your time. God is faithful and He will always bring a reward to those who diligently seek Him (Hebrews 11:6)
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
Led by God
Led By God
By Patricia Ang
“Commit to the Lord in whatever you do and your plans will succeed. In our heart, we can plan our course, but it is the Lord who determines our steps.” How many of us actually submit our plans to the Lord and have faith to be led by HIM? Many of us want things to be done our way, but in actual fact, aren’t we suppose to do things in God’s way and in HIS time?
What does it mean to be Led by God? It is to surrender everything to the Lord – whatever that we have, our thoughts, our expectations, the people that we care for and also those we interact with. We ask him to lead us in our thoughts and actions, and to remember that whatever we do, we do it for his glory. Always remember that whatever God plans are for you, they are for your best interests. Sometimes when things do not happen the way you want it to happen, it could be a blessing in disguise or it may not be an appropriate timing or it may just be God’s way of saying ‘NO’ for that particular issue. It is someone’s loss not to cherish you for who you are but always have faith that God loves you and HE definitely knows the desires of your heart. Keep on praying and grow in your relationship with God.
In our lives there are times we face countless opportunities yet there are times certain matters in our lives may not be going well with us. There may be times no matter how hard we try, we may face closed paths as we surge forward in our actions. And as we are so busy devoting our time and energy to paths that will not yield productive results, we lose sight of the available opportunities that are present within our sight. Be conscious of the people and signs that come along your way. They are there are a reason, it could be God’s way of guiding you in your lives. Yet one being oblivious to these signs will be a fruitless effort on HIS part. At times when we are awaken from our senses, and return to the available choices, the doors may be closed by then. Don’t waste time on doors that are closed. Listen to what Our Lord has to say. At times HE shows us the signs and indications through the people we meet but are we willing to put aside our ego/pride to listen. Remember only people who care for your well being will bother to give you advice and pray for you. They do not have a duty to do that, they do it out of good intentions. Do not take these people for granted.
“For it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose” (Philippians 2:13). God walks through us as we engage our minds, open our mouths, move our feet and use our hands to do what he has already put into our heart. Say ‘Yes’ to our God and you will feel the inner peace within you. HE will give you the ability to perform HIS will. Pray to the Lord for the ability to discern what is HIS purpose and direction for you in your life. The Lord does not reveal to you HIS will to you. HE calls you and as you move out of our comfort zone and obey Him. HE reveals to you step by step, empowering you as you go on in your life.
God is never content with status quo in our lives. Every day in countless ways, HE will develop you into a greater likeness of His Son. In our respective lives, we will be given experiences and put into situations that will allow us to grow in spiritual maturity i.e. having the same attitude, the same responses and the same discernment as Jesus. When you begin to understand that, to be led by God will take on a whole new meaning.
“Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, and working for the Lord and not for men. Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”
By Patricia Ang
“Commit to the Lord in whatever you do and your plans will succeed. In our heart, we can plan our course, but it is the Lord who determines our steps.” How many of us actually submit our plans to the Lord and have faith to be led by HIM? Many of us want things to be done our way, but in actual fact, aren’t we suppose to do things in God’s way and in HIS time?
What does it mean to be Led by God? It is to surrender everything to the Lord – whatever that we have, our thoughts, our expectations, the people that we care for and also those we interact with. We ask him to lead us in our thoughts and actions, and to remember that whatever we do, we do it for his glory. Always remember that whatever God plans are for you, they are for your best interests. Sometimes when things do not happen the way you want it to happen, it could be a blessing in disguise or it may not be an appropriate timing or it may just be God’s way of saying ‘NO’ for that particular issue. It is someone’s loss not to cherish you for who you are but always have faith that God loves you and HE definitely knows the desires of your heart. Keep on praying and grow in your relationship with God.
In our lives there are times we face countless opportunities yet there are times certain matters in our lives may not be going well with us. There may be times no matter how hard we try, we may face closed paths as we surge forward in our actions. And as we are so busy devoting our time and energy to paths that will not yield productive results, we lose sight of the available opportunities that are present within our sight. Be conscious of the people and signs that come along your way. They are there are a reason, it could be God’s way of guiding you in your lives. Yet one being oblivious to these signs will be a fruitless effort on HIS part. At times when we are awaken from our senses, and return to the available choices, the doors may be closed by then. Don’t waste time on doors that are closed. Listen to what Our Lord has to say. At times HE shows us the signs and indications through the people we meet but are we willing to put aside our ego/pride to listen. Remember only people who care for your well being will bother to give you advice and pray for you. They do not have a duty to do that, they do it out of good intentions. Do not take these people for granted.
“For it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose” (Philippians 2:13). God walks through us as we engage our minds, open our mouths, move our feet and use our hands to do what he has already put into our heart. Say ‘Yes’ to our God and you will feel the inner peace within you. HE will give you the ability to perform HIS will. Pray to the Lord for the ability to discern what is HIS purpose and direction for you in your life. The Lord does not reveal to you HIS will to you. HE calls you and as you move out of our comfort zone and obey Him. HE reveals to you step by step, empowering you as you go on in your life.
God is never content with status quo in our lives. Every day in countless ways, HE will develop you into a greater likeness of His Son. In our respective lives, we will be given experiences and put into situations that will allow us to grow in spiritual maturity i.e. having the same attitude, the same responses and the same discernment as Jesus. When you begin to understand that, to be led by God will take on a whole new meaning.
“Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, and working for the Lord and not for men. Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”
Staying focus
Staying Focus
By Patricia Ang
In our lives we face trials and tribulations like the death of a love one, the end of a relationship, failure in business or in studies, being in debt, how then in spite of what we are going through in our lives are we able to stay focus on the Lord? Jesus never promise believers a life free of pain, difficulty or loss. We are not exempt from struggle, heartache or disappointment. Yet in Psalm 46 it states that God is our shelter, our strength, ever ready to help in times of trouble.
How many of us actually stay focus in what we are doing in our lives? Do we set goals for 1 year, 5 years or 10 years? Sometimes in our career, when it comes to job interviews we are so confident of the goals and plans that we tell our potential employers. However when we actually get the job, do we achieve those goals? How about our spiritual life? Are there goals set to seek the eternal kingdom of God? Solely going to church and not reading the bible or not attending spiritual courses or not even being in fellowship with fellow church members may actually leave one stagnant in our spiritual lives.
Paul said: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13). Living a life of faith means never knowing where you are being led. But it does mean loving and knowing the one who is leading. A life of faith literally means putting God first in your life. Be serious in your commitment to the Lord. God is more important than anything else in life.
Sometimes in life, we meet people whom we feel indignant by their words and actions, their malicious gossip, their hypocrisy, their pride and to think that some of these people are our fellow Christians that we know. As we look at their actions, one can’t help thinking out aloud, if they are serving God in their ministry, why do they not walk the talk and behave like Christians? Will we be like them when we join their Ministry? Some of us because of such people actually distance ourselves away from the church and our Lord. When such situations arise, pray for yourself, read the bible, say the rosary and pray for these people that the Lord will lead them back on the straight path. God is all the strength we need.
What’s your personal relationship with Jesus? Pray and seek him first. Only Jesus has the power to deliver souls from sin and guilt, from fear, distress and despair. Turn to him in your moments of despair and sorrow. When you are down, seek Him first. Go to a quiet place, empty your mind and meditate by turning your focus on the crucifix and placing the image in the middle of your mind and be in the presence of the Lord. God draws near to those who draw near to Him.
Pray and have faith then things will show up to you. Only you will know and understand his plans for you. Read the word, the bible daily to be guided in our way of living. Only God knows what you need and the answer is from him alone. Do not be disappointed when he does not revert. You may face a closed door or you may travel along an unknown path, but whatever the situations are, stay focus on the Lord.
Be alert to the opportunities that He has sent you. Don’t forget that at times the people that you meet are the guardian angles sent from above. We can pray to God but we also have to put in the effort in the prayers we ask for.
“In God alone there is rest for my soul, from him comes my safety; with him alone for my rock, my safety, my fortress, I can never fall,” (Psalm 62). The Bible promises those who believe in Christ that they will have a companion on the journey to help encourage and strengthen them in whatever may come their way. HE is the one who promised: “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” So we may boldly say: “The Lord is my helper, I will not fear.” (Heb 13:5).
By Patricia Ang
In our lives we face trials and tribulations like the death of a love one, the end of a relationship, failure in business or in studies, being in debt, how then in spite of what we are going through in our lives are we able to stay focus on the Lord? Jesus never promise believers a life free of pain, difficulty or loss. We are not exempt from struggle, heartache or disappointment. Yet in Psalm 46 it states that God is our shelter, our strength, ever ready to help in times of trouble.
How many of us actually stay focus in what we are doing in our lives? Do we set goals for 1 year, 5 years or 10 years? Sometimes in our career, when it comes to job interviews we are so confident of the goals and plans that we tell our potential employers. However when we actually get the job, do we achieve those goals? How about our spiritual life? Are there goals set to seek the eternal kingdom of God? Solely going to church and not reading the bible or not attending spiritual courses or not even being in fellowship with fellow church members may actually leave one stagnant in our spiritual lives.
Paul said: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13). Living a life of faith means never knowing where you are being led. But it does mean loving and knowing the one who is leading. A life of faith literally means putting God first in your life. Be serious in your commitment to the Lord. God is more important than anything else in life.
Sometimes in life, we meet people whom we feel indignant by their words and actions, their malicious gossip, their hypocrisy, their pride and to think that some of these people are our fellow Christians that we know. As we look at their actions, one can’t help thinking out aloud, if they are serving God in their ministry, why do they not walk the talk and behave like Christians? Will we be like them when we join their Ministry? Some of us because of such people actually distance ourselves away from the church and our Lord. When such situations arise, pray for yourself, read the bible, say the rosary and pray for these people that the Lord will lead them back on the straight path. God is all the strength we need.
What’s your personal relationship with Jesus? Pray and seek him first. Only Jesus has the power to deliver souls from sin and guilt, from fear, distress and despair. Turn to him in your moments of despair and sorrow. When you are down, seek Him first. Go to a quiet place, empty your mind and meditate by turning your focus on the crucifix and placing the image in the middle of your mind and be in the presence of the Lord. God draws near to those who draw near to Him.
Pray and have faith then things will show up to you. Only you will know and understand his plans for you. Read the word, the bible daily to be guided in our way of living. Only God knows what you need and the answer is from him alone. Do not be disappointed when he does not revert. You may face a closed door or you may travel along an unknown path, but whatever the situations are, stay focus on the Lord.
Be alert to the opportunities that He has sent you. Don’t forget that at times the people that you meet are the guardian angles sent from above. We can pray to God but we also have to put in the effort in the prayers we ask for.
“In God alone there is rest for my soul, from him comes my safety; with him alone for my rock, my safety, my fortress, I can never fall,” (Psalm 62). The Bible promises those who believe in Christ that they will have a companion on the journey to help encourage and strengthen them in whatever may come their way. HE is the one who promised: “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” So we may boldly say: “The Lord is my helper, I will not fear.” (Heb 13:5).
The Fear Factor
The Fear Factor
By Patricia Ang
What keeps us from stretching our potential? Each of us has been blessed with unique personality, gifts and talents. What than prevents us from using all these gifts? The FEAR factor – fear of the unknown can really paralyze us. I am sure all of us at some point in time have become fearful about dying, getting cancer, losing a love one, losing our jobs, not finding the love of your life, not bringing up our children in the proper ways, facing personal conflicts and even money problems and so much more.
As adults, we work so hard at our jobs that at times we neglect the people around us. Some of us have regular working hours while others work longer hours. Only a minority of us actually loves what we are doing and we get paid for the work that we do. The majority of us are embroiled in office politics, chasing after the next pay increment / promotion or finding ourselves stuck in jobs which we are unhappy in. Have we ever taken the time to ask the Lord, what are his plans for us? How do we bring Christ to our workplace? Start the day with a prayer to ask the Lord to guide us and whatever we do; it is for the glory of God each day.
Anxieties, worries, worldly cares are all bondage of fears. There are times when we worry too much about our future that we immerse ourselves in worldly cares. We forget to live for the present by placing our Faith and Trust in Him. Hence Jesus forbids his disciples to worry: “Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? Since you cannot do the very thing, why do you worry about the rest?” (Luke 12:25-26). If we want to take the world to ourselves and be in control, do everything for selfish gains, we will be torn apart and be tired out. As a result, we may lose focus when reading the word of God. Our bodies need rest, sleep, our minds and spirit need nourishment in the word of God. If we become too preoccupied with worldly care, then greed, selfishness, quarrels, fights, discontentment, gossips and misunderstandings will stay in the persons’ heart, instead of God.
Fear is not putting our trust in God. A trusting heart is the answer for a worried mind. When we are most afraid, that is when we need confidence in God. Psalm 112 speaks of a person who fears the Lord, delights in His commandments and is gracious to others. However the most striking statement from there is “He will not be afraid of evil things; his heart is steadfast, trusting in the Lord.”
How many of us are affected by the comments made by the people around us? These comments at times may discourage us and may even prevent us from reaching our dreams, stretching our potential and instead we end up staying in our comfort zones. However has it occurred to us that it is only when we experience the ups and downs in life can we truly experience life. Each experience that we encounter and the people that we meet in our lives are meant for a reason. Let’s take the time to learn from such experiences and cherish the people we meet.
To overcome the fear factor, we must acknowledge it. Then we surrender everything to the Lord. “When I am afraid, I will trust in you. In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust, I will not be afraid” (Psalm 56:3). By doing so, this gives us a growing confidence and it takes faith and a conscious decision to trust in the Lord.
If we feel fearful, let us remember God’s promise (Isaiah 41: 10): “So, do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand”.
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
By Patricia Ang
What keeps us from stretching our potential? Each of us has been blessed with unique personality, gifts and talents. What than prevents us from using all these gifts? The FEAR factor – fear of the unknown can really paralyze us. I am sure all of us at some point in time have become fearful about dying, getting cancer, losing a love one, losing our jobs, not finding the love of your life, not bringing up our children in the proper ways, facing personal conflicts and even money problems and so much more.
As adults, we work so hard at our jobs that at times we neglect the people around us. Some of us have regular working hours while others work longer hours. Only a minority of us actually loves what we are doing and we get paid for the work that we do. The majority of us are embroiled in office politics, chasing after the next pay increment / promotion or finding ourselves stuck in jobs which we are unhappy in. Have we ever taken the time to ask the Lord, what are his plans for us? How do we bring Christ to our workplace? Start the day with a prayer to ask the Lord to guide us and whatever we do; it is for the glory of God each day.
Anxieties, worries, worldly cares are all bondage of fears. There are times when we worry too much about our future that we immerse ourselves in worldly cares. We forget to live for the present by placing our Faith and Trust in Him. Hence Jesus forbids his disciples to worry: “Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? Since you cannot do the very thing, why do you worry about the rest?” (Luke 12:25-26). If we want to take the world to ourselves and be in control, do everything for selfish gains, we will be torn apart and be tired out. As a result, we may lose focus when reading the word of God. Our bodies need rest, sleep, our minds and spirit need nourishment in the word of God. If we become too preoccupied with worldly care, then greed, selfishness, quarrels, fights, discontentment, gossips and misunderstandings will stay in the persons’ heart, instead of God.
Fear is not putting our trust in God. A trusting heart is the answer for a worried mind. When we are most afraid, that is when we need confidence in God. Psalm 112 speaks of a person who fears the Lord, delights in His commandments and is gracious to others. However the most striking statement from there is “He will not be afraid of evil things; his heart is steadfast, trusting in the Lord.”
How many of us are affected by the comments made by the people around us? These comments at times may discourage us and may even prevent us from reaching our dreams, stretching our potential and instead we end up staying in our comfort zones. However has it occurred to us that it is only when we experience the ups and downs in life can we truly experience life. Each experience that we encounter and the people that we meet in our lives are meant for a reason. Let’s take the time to learn from such experiences and cherish the people we meet.
To overcome the fear factor, we must acknowledge it. Then we surrender everything to the Lord. “When I am afraid, I will trust in you. In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust, I will not be afraid” (Psalm 56:3). By doing so, this gives us a growing confidence and it takes faith and a conscious decision to trust in the Lord.
If we feel fearful, let us remember God’s promise (Isaiah 41: 10): “So, do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand”.
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Trust
Trust
By Patricia Ang
Trust. What is TRUST to us today? How much is TRUST worth in today’s society? We live in a world that is filled with suspicion, conspiracy, betrayal, deceit and dishonor. As a result of some of these actions that we encounter, this leads to a lack of trust of one another. So, why TRUST?
Amidst all the trials and tribulations, are we willing to trust in God entirely, are we willing to surrender every apsect of our lives to Him? Have you been asking God what is He going to do for you? Believe in God as you know Him to be when you are nearest or even far away from Him. This is a test of your trust in Him. Let your attitude of your life to be a continued willingness to be dependent upon Him and your life will have a sacred and an inexpressible charm that will be pleasing to God.
Trust is the link that brings us into a relationship-any relationship. Without trust we are lost in our own world. Hence how does one develop trust? Here are some of the ways:
Have Faith
We will find it easier to trust ourselves and others if we first trust God. God is always there standing by us through thick and thin. His love for us is secure. This allows us to relax and trust in Him. It is stated in the scriptures that God will open the door if we knock on it (Matthew 7:8) and in the Beatitudes (Matthew 5:1-6) Jesus makes it clear that the love of God extends especially to the weak.
Be Honest
Try opening up and talk honestly about ourselves, our problems, our needs, though at times it may feel uncomfortable to do so. However when we take that risk, the people around us will also tend to be more open and honest with us and that is how trust begins to build up in relationships.
Be Generous
We encourage people to behave in a trustworthy fashion by trusting them, giving them a benefit of doubt. We try to resist the temptation of adopting a judgmental attitude to others. Be a service to others, be it sharing our time, our gifts or just being a listening ear for others.
Practice Acceptance
Recognizing that someone can’t be trusted in certain ways doesn’t mean that the entire relationship should be discarded. We need to acknowledge that fact that this only so far some people are able to go. We then have to work on forgiving and accepting the person for who he/she is and also praying for their wellbeing.
Be Reliable
Trust is doing what we say we will do, whether of not it is convenient. This means honoring our commitments, whether big or small. This means calling when we say we will, showing up for appointments on time, keeping our word to our family and friends.
Be a Steward of Relationships
Trustworthy people are those who can successfully nurture and preserve relationships with others. This takes commitment and effort. The most important assets that we have are relationships and we shouldn’t be quick to comprise them or place other things above them. It is easy to place our careers above our relationships. However being a steward of relationships means taking the time to catch up with our friends periodically, helping to do the housework at home to lighten the load on our family members and being there for our children at their school events.
Trust to get trust.
In Matthew 7:12 “So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Laws and the Prophets.” In short if we begin to treat other people as we like to be treated, more often than not, this will be mirrored back to us.
In stressful, confusing situations, we might ask a worried “What now?” Yet if we look to the Lord and trust in his care, our fear will be replaced with peace. Just as God determines the weather, He also controls the cycles in our lives. “To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven.” (Eccl 3:11). Do we resist these seasons and complain about the conditions or do we trust God and thank Him for whatever he has planned for us?
By Patricia Ang
Trust. What is TRUST to us today? How much is TRUST worth in today’s society? We live in a world that is filled with suspicion, conspiracy, betrayal, deceit and dishonor. As a result of some of these actions that we encounter, this leads to a lack of trust of one another. So, why TRUST?
Amidst all the trials and tribulations, are we willing to trust in God entirely, are we willing to surrender every apsect of our lives to Him? Have you been asking God what is He going to do for you? Believe in God as you know Him to be when you are nearest or even far away from Him. This is a test of your trust in Him. Let your attitude of your life to be a continued willingness to be dependent upon Him and your life will have a sacred and an inexpressible charm that will be pleasing to God.
Trust is the link that brings us into a relationship-any relationship. Without trust we are lost in our own world. Hence how does one develop trust? Here are some of the ways:
Have Faith
We will find it easier to trust ourselves and others if we first trust God. God is always there standing by us through thick and thin. His love for us is secure. This allows us to relax and trust in Him. It is stated in the scriptures that God will open the door if we knock on it (Matthew 7:8) and in the Beatitudes (Matthew 5:1-6) Jesus makes it clear that the love of God extends especially to the weak.
Be Honest
Try opening up and talk honestly about ourselves, our problems, our needs, though at times it may feel uncomfortable to do so. However when we take that risk, the people around us will also tend to be more open and honest with us and that is how trust begins to build up in relationships.
Be Generous
We encourage people to behave in a trustworthy fashion by trusting them, giving them a benefit of doubt. We try to resist the temptation of adopting a judgmental attitude to others. Be a service to others, be it sharing our time, our gifts or just being a listening ear for others.
Practice Acceptance
Recognizing that someone can’t be trusted in certain ways doesn’t mean that the entire relationship should be discarded. We need to acknowledge that fact that this only so far some people are able to go. We then have to work on forgiving and accepting the person for who he/she is and also praying for their wellbeing.
Be Reliable
Trust is doing what we say we will do, whether of not it is convenient. This means honoring our commitments, whether big or small. This means calling when we say we will, showing up for appointments on time, keeping our word to our family and friends.
Be a Steward of Relationships
Trustworthy people are those who can successfully nurture and preserve relationships with others. This takes commitment and effort. The most important assets that we have are relationships and we shouldn’t be quick to comprise them or place other things above them. It is easy to place our careers above our relationships. However being a steward of relationships means taking the time to catch up with our friends periodically, helping to do the housework at home to lighten the load on our family members and being there for our children at their school events.
Trust to get trust.
In Matthew 7:12 “So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Laws and the Prophets.” In short if we begin to treat other people as we like to be treated, more often than not, this will be mirrored back to us.
In stressful, confusing situations, we might ask a worried “What now?” Yet if we look to the Lord and trust in his care, our fear will be replaced with peace. Just as God determines the weather, He also controls the cycles in our lives. “To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven.” (Eccl 3:11). Do we resist these seasons and complain about the conditions or do we trust God and thank Him for whatever he has planned for us?
Walk the Talk
Walk The Talk
By Patricia Ang
How do we lead a Christian Life? Do we behave as Christians in our workplace, with our family and friends, in fellowship with our fellow church members in the various ministries? Do we apply what we read in the bible and apply in practice in our daily lives? This year, I have heard and personally come across several incidents of people of the same religion that hardly walk the talk yet they say they are devoted Christians.
On surface, these are very religious people. They attend mass and they are active in the various church ministries. However the way they handle matters in their daily lives, the way they behave and talk, at times one wonders whether what they do, is it for solely for fame and glory, and are they conscious of their behaviors? We tend to lose respect and trust in these people who behave in such manner. It can be also quite discouraging as these people are either our colleagues or our friends. One of my friends told me that we can’t tell them how to lead their lives as they made a choice in leading their lives. The only thing we can do is just to pray for them. That our Lord may open their eyes to the lives they are leading, open their hearts and ears to what our Lord has to say to them.
If we as fellow brothers and sisters can’t walk the talk, then how can we grow in unity in the respective ministries to serve the Lord and grow to serve him in his glory? Some of us engage in idle talk, some of us subject ourselves to scandals and groundless rumors, some are ignorant about it, yet some of us persist in doing that so as to inflate our ego. As a result this has created tension and misunderstanding in respective ministries.
We are Christ’s ambassadors and God is using us to speak to each of you. It is important that Christians act and speak so that we can glorify our Lord. When you give your word, keep it. If you make a commitment, honour it. If you take on an obligation, fulfill it. Our honesty and reliability should be so evident that we can be trusted for any contract we make. What better testimony could be said of a believer than this: “He gave this word, that’s good enough for me.” And if non Christians can trust us in business matters, they are more likely to believe us when we speak about the Gospel.
Have you encountered situations when our good intentions are being misunderstood? They are times we just feel it’s not worth the effort, but as mentioned in (1 Peter 4:8-10) “Love each other deeply, because loves covers over a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to another without grumbling. Each one of us should use whatever gift we have received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms.”
We are God’s children and we ought to pray as Christ did. Praying for one another is essential, for praying and ministry brings healing, love, sharing, growth, unity and encouragement. We pray for our repentance, for ourselves to grow to be more like Christ each day. We pray to receive God’s mercy, his healing touch and forgiveness as we forgive those who have hurt us intentionally or unintentionally with their words and deeds. Pray for each other as we grow in fellowship and in maturity as we seek his eternal kingdom.
Brothers and Sisters, let’s walk the talk. Let’s apply what we learn in our lives. Sometimes it takes a third party to see what we are doing in our lives, yet it also takes courage to speak up. Hence if we do encounter such people, who out of good intentions, tell us what we are doing wrong in our lives, let us listen with humility and try to repent. Let us learn and grow together and by all our actions, may we seek and serve the Lord.
By Patricia Ang
How do we lead a Christian Life? Do we behave as Christians in our workplace, with our family and friends, in fellowship with our fellow church members in the various ministries? Do we apply what we read in the bible and apply in practice in our daily lives? This year, I have heard and personally come across several incidents of people of the same religion that hardly walk the talk yet they say they are devoted Christians.
On surface, these are very religious people. They attend mass and they are active in the various church ministries. However the way they handle matters in their daily lives, the way they behave and talk, at times one wonders whether what they do, is it for solely for fame and glory, and are they conscious of their behaviors? We tend to lose respect and trust in these people who behave in such manner. It can be also quite discouraging as these people are either our colleagues or our friends. One of my friends told me that we can’t tell them how to lead their lives as they made a choice in leading their lives. The only thing we can do is just to pray for them. That our Lord may open their eyes to the lives they are leading, open their hearts and ears to what our Lord has to say to them.
If we as fellow brothers and sisters can’t walk the talk, then how can we grow in unity in the respective ministries to serve the Lord and grow to serve him in his glory? Some of us engage in idle talk, some of us subject ourselves to scandals and groundless rumors, some are ignorant about it, yet some of us persist in doing that so as to inflate our ego. As a result this has created tension and misunderstanding in respective ministries.
We are Christ’s ambassadors and God is using us to speak to each of you. It is important that Christians act and speak so that we can glorify our Lord. When you give your word, keep it. If you make a commitment, honour it. If you take on an obligation, fulfill it. Our honesty and reliability should be so evident that we can be trusted for any contract we make. What better testimony could be said of a believer than this: “He gave this word, that’s good enough for me.” And if non Christians can trust us in business matters, they are more likely to believe us when we speak about the Gospel.
Have you encountered situations when our good intentions are being misunderstood? They are times we just feel it’s not worth the effort, but as mentioned in (1 Peter 4:8-10) “Love each other deeply, because loves covers over a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to another without grumbling. Each one of us should use whatever gift we have received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms.”
We are God’s children and we ought to pray as Christ did. Praying for one another is essential, for praying and ministry brings healing, love, sharing, growth, unity and encouragement. We pray for our repentance, for ourselves to grow to be more like Christ each day. We pray to receive God’s mercy, his healing touch and forgiveness as we forgive those who have hurt us intentionally or unintentionally with their words and deeds. Pray for each other as we grow in fellowship and in maturity as we seek his eternal kingdom.
Brothers and Sisters, let’s walk the talk. Let’s apply what we learn in our lives. Sometimes it takes a third party to see what we are doing in our lives, yet it also takes courage to speak up. Hence if we do encounter such people, who out of good intentions, tell us what we are doing wrong in our lives, let us listen with humility and try to repent. Let us learn and grow together and by all our actions, may we seek and serve the Lord.
For your Glory
For Your Glory
Patricia Ang
“Whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” (1 Corinthians 10:31). God made you as you are. He placed you where you are. So you can best serve and glorify Him. Some people always think that the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence. They spend so much time wishing things were different that they tend to overlook all the advantages and opportunities opened to them right where they are.
Our gifts and talents are all from God Himself. When we come together to serve Him in the respective ministries, we thank him for putting our gifts to good use and for allowing us to be instruments to serve Him. Take for instance, writing, singing and praying, these are some of the gifts we can use to serve Him for his glory.
As a writer in Spotlight, it has been an immense joy and peace writing for Him. Thanks to two of my fellow church friends who brought me to this ministry, one who introduced me to my Editor and the other who has been encouraging me in my writing. It has been spiritually fulfilling writing for Him.
Imagine 6000 parishioners who read the monthly Spotlight. Different people can relate to the articles in different ways. Reading the articles could be a way of opening up people, allowing them to relate the bible to their daily lives, it may also result in conversion and may even bring more people in church. I have met people coming up to me telling me it was a good article or looking forward to the next article in Spotlight. I tell them I thank the Lord for it is HE who inspires and guides me to write. Writing for the Lord is something I will gladly do for His glory. It is time well spent and it is spiritually fulfilling. Through writing, I yearn to know more about the word of God, to read more, to be in fellowship with fellow brothers and sisters in Christ and to write in such a way that people are able to relate to the articles.
When one sings in the choir, we are giving Him praise and worship. A sense of peace and joy falls onto us. We lift up all our burdens and problems when we sing for Him. When we sing for the Lord, it’s a dual action – it is words with sounds, where one prays and sings to him simultaneously. When we sing, at times we raise up our hands to give Him thanks. It is also surrendering to Him in faith. We know that God is always there for us. When we ask him something in prayer, we need to trust and depend on him wholeheartedly. When singing, we use our whole body to glorify him. With our hands outstretched, we are in the form of a Y-shape, surrendering our lives to Him. He is our Majesty, our Rock and Refuge.
When singing for the Lord, there is a sense of joy and hope. We feel his presence within us. When I asked my friend what is the greatest satisfaction being in the choir, he said that it is witnessing the priceless smiles on the faces of fellow church members and coming together in fellowship to sing for His glory and to pray together as one big family. There is a sense of bonding and it is spiritually fulfilling. The biggest reward is to serve Him for his glory.
In prayer, when we come together for intercessory prayers, we pray together to lead people, to grow in confidence and faith. At times, praying teaches us to read the word of God for direction and guidance. It teaches one also to be patient and humble when asking to do the things according to the His will and timing.
When we pray we have to surrender all our rights and demands, and cease to be self-centered. We have to leave ourselves completely in His hands and then pour out of one’s life in the work of intercession. Pray for your friends and pray for those whom you come in contact with.
Our part in intercessory prayer is not to antagonize over how to intercede but to use the everyday circumstances and people that God puts around you by His providence to bring them before His throne and to allow to spirit in you the opportunity to intercede for them. “We know that all things work together for good to those who love God.” (Romans 8:28).
It is a joy to work for the Lord. It is rendering service back to God and to the Church. At times we can be very tired after a hard day’s work, but when we sing, write and pray for the Lord, it is indeed spiritually gratifying.
Don’t let life happen to you. Let life happen through you. Allow God’s life and love be channeled through me, blessing me so that I may be a blessing to others. Let’s seize every opportunity God gives us to serve others in His name and for his glory.
Patricia Ang
“Whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” (1 Corinthians 10:31). God made you as you are. He placed you where you are. So you can best serve and glorify Him. Some people always think that the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence. They spend so much time wishing things were different that they tend to overlook all the advantages and opportunities opened to them right where they are.
Our gifts and talents are all from God Himself. When we come together to serve Him in the respective ministries, we thank him for putting our gifts to good use and for allowing us to be instruments to serve Him. Take for instance, writing, singing and praying, these are some of the gifts we can use to serve Him for his glory.
As a writer in Spotlight, it has been an immense joy and peace writing for Him. Thanks to two of my fellow church friends who brought me to this ministry, one who introduced me to my Editor and the other who has been encouraging me in my writing. It has been spiritually fulfilling writing for Him.
Imagine 6000 parishioners who read the monthly Spotlight. Different people can relate to the articles in different ways. Reading the articles could be a way of opening up people, allowing them to relate the bible to their daily lives, it may also result in conversion and may even bring more people in church. I have met people coming up to me telling me it was a good article or looking forward to the next article in Spotlight. I tell them I thank the Lord for it is HE who inspires and guides me to write. Writing for the Lord is something I will gladly do for His glory. It is time well spent and it is spiritually fulfilling. Through writing, I yearn to know more about the word of God, to read more, to be in fellowship with fellow brothers and sisters in Christ and to write in such a way that people are able to relate to the articles.
When one sings in the choir, we are giving Him praise and worship. A sense of peace and joy falls onto us. We lift up all our burdens and problems when we sing for Him. When we sing for the Lord, it’s a dual action – it is words with sounds, where one prays and sings to him simultaneously. When we sing, at times we raise up our hands to give Him thanks. It is also surrendering to Him in faith. We know that God is always there for us. When we ask him something in prayer, we need to trust and depend on him wholeheartedly. When singing, we use our whole body to glorify him. With our hands outstretched, we are in the form of a Y-shape, surrendering our lives to Him. He is our Majesty, our Rock and Refuge.
When singing for the Lord, there is a sense of joy and hope. We feel his presence within us. When I asked my friend what is the greatest satisfaction being in the choir, he said that it is witnessing the priceless smiles on the faces of fellow church members and coming together in fellowship to sing for His glory and to pray together as one big family. There is a sense of bonding and it is spiritually fulfilling. The biggest reward is to serve Him for his glory.
In prayer, when we come together for intercessory prayers, we pray together to lead people, to grow in confidence and faith. At times, praying teaches us to read the word of God for direction and guidance. It teaches one also to be patient and humble when asking to do the things according to the His will and timing.
When we pray we have to surrender all our rights and demands, and cease to be self-centered. We have to leave ourselves completely in His hands and then pour out of one’s life in the work of intercession. Pray for your friends and pray for those whom you come in contact with.
Our part in intercessory prayer is not to antagonize over how to intercede but to use the everyday circumstances and people that God puts around you by His providence to bring them before His throne and to allow to spirit in you the opportunity to intercede for them. “We know that all things work together for good to those who love God.” (Romans 8:28).
It is a joy to work for the Lord. It is rendering service back to God and to the Church. At times we can be very tired after a hard day’s work, but when we sing, write and pray for the Lord, it is indeed spiritually gratifying.
Don’t let life happen to you. Let life happen through you. Allow God’s life and love be channeled through me, blessing me so that I may be a blessing to others. Let’s seize every opportunity God gives us to serve others in His name and for his glory.
Character Building
Character Building
Have you encountered moments in your life when you want to walk a closer path with God, to spend more time with the Lord, to discern what his plans are for us? Then out of the blue, you receive disturbing news that one of your family members health is deteriorating, you face conflicting views with colleagues at your work place, and you feel that you are drifting away from the people you care for – maybe these are some of the distractions we face as we seek to walk a closer path with God. My good friend, a non-Christian told me these problems/worries are what we human beings make out to be, think of the bright side of things and live each day to the fullest. I was comforted with her advice that sometimes things don’t work out the way we want them to be, maybe it’s for our own good.
This is how I am feeling at this moment. Doing a juggling act of work, family, studies, and dealing with spiritual and personal issues has not been easy. Yet at this time, I truly want to stay focus on the Lord. Usually when things don’t work out the way, I will usually ask the Lord “Why God why are all these things happening to me?” Only recently I turn to Him and ask Him “Lord what is it that you want me to learn from these lessons?” Can I trust that Jesus will give me the courage and strength to see through life’s inevitable storm? I can only place my faith in HIM.
God uses his Word, People and Circumstances to mould us. All these three factors are indispensable for character development. God’s word provides the truth we need to grow as seen in the bible. God’s people provide the support we need to grow through fellowship and circumstances provide the environment we need to practice Christlikeness.
God uses problems to draw us closer to himself. In Psalm (34:18) “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted, he rescue these who are crushed in spirit.” We draw closer to God when our heart is broken, when we feel abandoned, when we run out of options and when the pain is great, we turn to God alone. It is during this time do we truly submit ourselves to the Lord, seek his presence, guidance and learn to pray our most heartfelt and honest prayers to God.
Every problem is a character building opportunity and the more difficult it is, the greater the potential for building spiritual growth. It is what happens inside you that matters more than what happens externally in your life. To grow more like Christ, we have to go through the same experience Jesus went through. This includes stress, criticism, loneliness, temptation, rejections and many other problems.
As a result of the problems we face, some people become bitter, rather than better and never grow up. Yet there are others who grow to be more loving and stronger in character. We have to respond the way Jesus would. Always remember that God knows what is best for you and he has your interests at heart. It is vital that we stay focus on God’s plan, not on our pain and problem. Jesus endured the pain of the cross for our sins so that we may have eternal life. If we stay focus on the Lord, we will be at peace. Try to remember that our pain is temporary, but our reward will be eternal.
Give thanks in all circumstance for this is God’s will for you to grow spiritually. Be patient and persistent and we will slowly see a slow process in character building. Whenever we try to avoid or escape the difficulties in life, we short-circuit the process, delay our growth and we end up a worse kind of pain – the worthless type that accompanies denial and avoidance. When we see the eternal consequences of the development of our character, we will ask for more prayers to make us grow in Christ. There is a purpose behind every problem. Let’s all grow to be more like Christ.
Have you encountered moments in your life when you want to walk a closer path with God, to spend more time with the Lord, to discern what his plans are for us? Then out of the blue, you receive disturbing news that one of your family members health is deteriorating, you face conflicting views with colleagues at your work place, and you feel that you are drifting away from the people you care for – maybe these are some of the distractions we face as we seek to walk a closer path with God. My good friend, a non-Christian told me these problems/worries are what we human beings make out to be, think of the bright side of things and live each day to the fullest. I was comforted with her advice that sometimes things don’t work out the way we want them to be, maybe it’s for our own good.
This is how I am feeling at this moment. Doing a juggling act of work, family, studies, and dealing with spiritual and personal issues has not been easy. Yet at this time, I truly want to stay focus on the Lord. Usually when things don’t work out the way, I will usually ask the Lord “Why God why are all these things happening to me?” Only recently I turn to Him and ask Him “Lord what is it that you want me to learn from these lessons?” Can I trust that Jesus will give me the courage and strength to see through life’s inevitable storm? I can only place my faith in HIM.
God uses his Word, People and Circumstances to mould us. All these three factors are indispensable for character development. God’s word provides the truth we need to grow as seen in the bible. God’s people provide the support we need to grow through fellowship and circumstances provide the environment we need to practice Christlikeness.
God uses problems to draw us closer to himself. In Psalm (34:18) “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted, he rescue these who are crushed in spirit.” We draw closer to God when our heart is broken, when we feel abandoned, when we run out of options and when the pain is great, we turn to God alone. It is during this time do we truly submit ourselves to the Lord, seek his presence, guidance and learn to pray our most heartfelt and honest prayers to God.
Every problem is a character building opportunity and the more difficult it is, the greater the potential for building spiritual growth. It is what happens inside you that matters more than what happens externally in your life. To grow more like Christ, we have to go through the same experience Jesus went through. This includes stress, criticism, loneliness, temptation, rejections and many other problems.
As a result of the problems we face, some people become bitter, rather than better and never grow up. Yet there are others who grow to be more loving and stronger in character. We have to respond the way Jesus would. Always remember that God knows what is best for you and he has your interests at heart. It is vital that we stay focus on God’s plan, not on our pain and problem. Jesus endured the pain of the cross for our sins so that we may have eternal life. If we stay focus on the Lord, we will be at peace. Try to remember that our pain is temporary, but our reward will be eternal.
Give thanks in all circumstance for this is God’s will for you to grow spiritually. Be patient and persistent and we will slowly see a slow process in character building. Whenever we try to avoid or escape the difficulties in life, we short-circuit the process, delay our growth and we end up a worse kind of pain – the worthless type that accompanies denial and avoidance. When we see the eternal consequences of the development of our character, we will ask for more prayers to make us grow in Christ. There is a purpose behind every problem. Let’s all grow to be more like Christ.
A Spirit Filled Life
A Spirit Filled Life
How does one be filled with the Holy Spirit? Through Understanding, Submission and Walking in Faith. How can we apply what we know to our lives? Firstly let’s try to understand that God has given us His Holy Spirit and He dwells within us. God commands us to be filled with the Holy Spirit. He wants us to live our lives controlled and guided by the Holy Spirit.
What then keeps us from being filled with the Holy Spirit? The very word SIN. We as human beings must deal honestly with every known sin in our lives. Sin acts as a deterrent from allowing Christ into our lives. What then is SIN to us? This can come in the form of jealously, pride, bitterness, backstabbing, unkindness, impatience or even an uncontrolled temper. Unclean thoughts may need to be brought to God for cleansing. The issue of laziness or gluttony may need to be looked into. The way we use our time, money, our life style or our misuse of gifts that the Lord has blessed us with or even our cold and indifferent treatment of someone close to us can be in the form of sin. Every sin that we can identify, we should bring to God for confession.
Cleansing our sins is to be aware of our sins. We must not know about our sins but must repent of them. When we accept Christ into our lives – The Holy Spirit dwells in us. The old sinful nature wants us to live for self and the new spiritual nature wants us to live for God. There will always be a spiritual struggle that we face daily. Sometimes the greatest sin we make is our failure to let Christ rule our lives. How easy it is for us to set our own goals, to do things by our own motives and to seek our desire without ever asking God for his will above all else. Sin will always be a continuing problem-our lives will always be marked by setbacks and discouragement as long as we try to keep “self” at the centre of our lives. The Lord says: “If anyone wants to be a follower of mine, let him renounce himself and take up his cross every day and follow me.” (Luke 9:23)
Through submission we renounce our ways and seek above all else to submit to God and be ruled by Him in every area of our lives. This includes submitting our abilities, our gifts, our possessions, our families, our minds, wills and emotions to HIM. Begin each day by silently committing the day into God’s hands. We thank Him that we belong to Him and we thank Him that He knows what the day holds for us. We ask Him to take our lives that day and use it for His glory. We ask Him to cleanse us from anything that would hinder His work in our lives.
Lastly we walk in Faith with the Lord and act on the truth and live with full assurance that God has already filled us and we are under his control. Whatever the circumstances just have faith. In Luke (17:6) it says only a small amount of faith is needed. Jesus said to his disciples that even if your faith is as small as a mustard seed, you could say to the mulberry tree ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea’ and it will obey you. In Hebrews 11: 1 it says that faith is the confidence of the assurance that what we hope for is going to happen. It is the evidence of things we cannot yet to see.
To be filled with the Holy Spirit is not a one time event. It is a continuous reality every day of our lives – it is a process that we must choose to surrender ourselves daily to Him. There may be times we face exceptional pressures, share this with your close friends and may they come together to pray in union with you.
Each day may we seek to understand more from God’s Word. May we pray that God will help us to see our sin daily. Each day may we confess and repent. And each day may we submit our will to His Will. May we walk in faith that He is continually filling us as we submit to Him. Each day may we walk in obedience to His Word. May you be blessed with a Spirit Filled Life!
How does one be filled with the Holy Spirit? Through Understanding, Submission and Walking in Faith. How can we apply what we know to our lives? Firstly let’s try to understand that God has given us His Holy Spirit and He dwells within us. God commands us to be filled with the Holy Spirit. He wants us to live our lives controlled and guided by the Holy Spirit.
What then keeps us from being filled with the Holy Spirit? The very word SIN. We as human beings must deal honestly with every known sin in our lives. Sin acts as a deterrent from allowing Christ into our lives. What then is SIN to us? This can come in the form of jealously, pride, bitterness, backstabbing, unkindness, impatience or even an uncontrolled temper. Unclean thoughts may need to be brought to God for cleansing. The issue of laziness or gluttony may need to be looked into. The way we use our time, money, our life style or our misuse of gifts that the Lord has blessed us with or even our cold and indifferent treatment of someone close to us can be in the form of sin. Every sin that we can identify, we should bring to God for confession.
Cleansing our sins is to be aware of our sins. We must not know about our sins but must repent of them. When we accept Christ into our lives – The Holy Spirit dwells in us. The old sinful nature wants us to live for self and the new spiritual nature wants us to live for God. There will always be a spiritual struggle that we face daily. Sometimes the greatest sin we make is our failure to let Christ rule our lives. How easy it is for us to set our own goals, to do things by our own motives and to seek our desire without ever asking God for his will above all else. Sin will always be a continuing problem-our lives will always be marked by setbacks and discouragement as long as we try to keep “self” at the centre of our lives. The Lord says: “If anyone wants to be a follower of mine, let him renounce himself and take up his cross every day and follow me.” (Luke 9:23)
Through submission we renounce our ways and seek above all else to submit to God and be ruled by Him in every area of our lives. This includes submitting our abilities, our gifts, our possessions, our families, our minds, wills and emotions to HIM. Begin each day by silently committing the day into God’s hands. We thank Him that we belong to Him and we thank Him that He knows what the day holds for us. We ask Him to take our lives that day and use it for His glory. We ask Him to cleanse us from anything that would hinder His work in our lives.
Lastly we walk in Faith with the Lord and act on the truth and live with full assurance that God has already filled us and we are under his control. Whatever the circumstances just have faith. In Luke (17:6) it says only a small amount of faith is needed. Jesus said to his disciples that even if your faith is as small as a mustard seed, you could say to the mulberry tree ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea’ and it will obey you. In Hebrews 11: 1 it says that faith is the confidence of the assurance that what we hope for is going to happen. It is the evidence of things we cannot yet to see.
To be filled with the Holy Spirit is not a one time event. It is a continuous reality every day of our lives – it is a process that we must choose to surrender ourselves daily to Him. There may be times we face exceptional pressures, share this with your close friends and may they come together to pray in union with you.
Each day may we seek to understand more from God’s Word. May we pray that God will help us to see our sin daily. Each day may we confess and repent. And each day may we submit our will to His Will. May we walk in faith that He is continually filling us as we submit to Him. Each day may we walk in obedience to His Word. May you be blessed with a Spirit Filled Life!
Monday, March 3, 2008
Nurturing Relationships
Nurturing Relationships
Relationships are built on trust, love and communication. One cannot neglect a relationship and expect it to grow. Think about the many professional and personal relationships that you have in your life? How much effort do you put in them?
Some people come into our lives for a reason. Such relationships are very short and occur for very specific reasons. I remember my piano teacher Linda who taught me music when I was young. She was someone who inspired me to love music. We lost touch after I completed my music course.
Some people come into our lives for a season. I remember one of my university friend, who always felt insecure of herself. Yet she loves to feel good about herself at the expense of others. Hanging around her drains one of positive energy. Such friend reminds one not to bother about such friendship and teaches me to be more mindful of the friends that I mix with.
Some people come into our lives for a lifetime. The kind of relationship is ongoing and permanent. These are few and very special. My closest friends are those from my secondary school days. They are always there for you. It is the bond that keeps us through the good and bad times in our lives. It also takes two people to continue a relationship. I remember my good friend from JC who gave his word that he will always be there for me. Though we only communicate occasionally, he stood by me during the death of my grandfather and many other instances when I was down. If you ever find a friend who will be there for you to share your happy moments and to support you when you are down, cherish him/her, it is hard to find someone who will bother to take time to cherish and nurture a relationship.
Here are some of the ways to cultivate relationships:
1) Commitment
A key to all deep relationships. Every long-lasting relationship has its strains and setback and indeed no two people can agree on everything. There is a comprise in every situation. How committed are you in preserving the relationship or do you escape from reality when you encounter conflicts? Do you stand by the people that you care the most or do you walk away from them?
2) Communication
Over the years, I realize how important communication is in relationships. My friendship with a particular friend strengthened over the past 2 years. When we first knew each other, there were lots of miscommunication and we ended up not talking much to each other. Gradually we communicated and kept each other in prayers. It is how we articulate our thoughts into words and being mindful of each other feelings. We take the effort to communicate and to be frank with each other.
3) Friendship
In every relationship, we start of as friends. Sometimes we take for granted the people closest to us and as a result we neglect to try being good friends to then first. Always tell the people that mean the most to you that you will always be there for them.
4) Memories
When we look back, we remember the memories of our friendship/relationships. Memories are made up of shared experiences, such as close friends cheering me on when I am down, giving me suprises, fellowship and praying for one another.
5) Growth
As years go by, we also grow with maturity. Each of us are blessed with different talents, yet as we come together to serve the lord as one body, we complement each other. Sometimes due to the hectic lifestyle, I tend to be rushing through things, but it is my close friends who has taught me to take time to unwind and enjoy the simple things in life. We grow by supporting one another in our dreams and our daily issues.
6) Spoiling Each Other
I am a firm believer that you have to nourish any relationships. I try to surprise my close friends like drawing cartoons, penning poems or even planting a bar of chocolate or sweets when I catch up with them. The friends we develop with others enrich the quality of our lives.
Relationships are built on trust, love and communication. One cannot neglect a relationship and expect it to grow. Think about the many professional and personal relationships that you have in your life? How much effort do you put in them?
Some people come into our lives for a reason. Such relationships are very short and occur for very specific reasons. I remember my piano teacher Linda who taught me music when I was young. She was someone who inspired me to love music. We lost touch after I completed my music course.
Some people come into our lives for a season. I remember one of my university friend, who always felt insecure of herself. Yet she loves to feel good about herself at the expense of others. Hanging around her drains one of positive energy. Such friend reminds one not to bother about such friendship and teaches me to be more mindful of the friends that I mix with.
Some people come into our lives for a lifetime. The kind of relationship is ongoing and permanent. These are few and very special. My closest friends are those from my secondary school days. They are always there for you. It is the bond that keeps us through the good and bad times in our lives. It also takes two people to continue a relationship. I remember my good friend from JC who gave his word that he will always be there for me. Though we only communicate occasionally, he stood by me during the death of my grandfather and many other instances when I was down. If you ever find a friend who will be there for you to share your happy moments and to support you when you are down, cherish him/her, it is hard to find someone who will bother to take time to cherish and nurture a relationship.
Here are some of the ways to cultivate relationships:
1) Commitment
A key to all deep relationships. Every long-lasting relationship has its strains and setback and indeed no two people can agree on everything. There is a comprise in every situation. How committed are you in preserving the relationship or do you escape from reality when you encounter conflicts? Do you stand by the people that you care the most or do you walk away from them?
2) Communication
Over the years, I realize how important communication is in relationships. My friendship with a particular friend strengthened over the past 2 years. When we first knew each other, there were lots of miscommunication and we ended up not talking much to each other. Gradually we communicated and kept each other in prayers. It is how we articulate our thoughts into words and being mindful of each other feelings. We take the effort to communicate and to be frank with each other.
3) Friendship
In every relationship, we start of as friends. Sometimes we take for granted the people closest to us and as a result we neglect to try being good friends to then first. Always tell the people that mean the most to you that you will always be there for them.
4) Memories
When we look back, we remember the memories of our friendship/relationships. Memories are made up of shared experiences, such as close friends cheering me on when I am down, giving me suprises, fellowship and praying for one another.
5) Growth
As years go by, we also grow with maturity. Each of us are blessed with different talents, yet as we come together to serve the lord as one body, we complement each other. Sometimes due to the hectic lifestyle, I tend to be rushing through things, but it is my close friends who has taught me to take time to unwind and enjoy the simple things in life. We grow by supporting one another in our dreams and our daily issues.
6) Spoiling Each Other
I am a firm believer that you have to nourish any relationships. I try to surprise my close friends like drawing cartoons, penning poems or even planting a bar of chocolate or sweets when I catch up with them. The friends we develop with others enrich the quality of our lives.
How to be Happy
How To Be Happy
Everyone wants to be happy. However many have failed in the quest to remain happy in God as they are looking in the wrong places. Psalm 146:5 states that happiness comes to those who find their help and hope in God. In Proverbs 16:20 says that “Whoever trusts in the Lord, happy is he.” The foundation for happiness is a proper relationship with the Lord.
Here are 8 rules for leading a happier life that I would like to look at:
1) Live as though today is the last day on earth
I always believe that whatever good we can do for people we are in contact with, may have an impact on them. Spending time with the family, being there and providing a listening ear to friends, working together as a team, can make a difference in their lives. Be sincere to people, cherish and appreciate them as we never know when is the next time one can show love and appreciation to them. Live life with no regrets.
2) Give Something Away
Many times, one may hold on to material things so closely to forget the intangible things in our lives. Recently one of my colleague’s flat was burnt down. All of us at our workplace chipped in to donate furniture and cash to her. She was appreciative with our actions. Try giving things to the poor and needy, be it donations, clothes, food or even spending time with them. You will be surprised how fulfilling it can be. St. Paul's letter to the Galatians 6:9 encouraged that, “We must never get tired of doing good because if we don’t give up the struggle we shall get our harvest at the proper time.”
3) Kindness
I remember when I was studying for a particular module, we needed to analyze various campaigns for our exam. I volunteered to collate my classmates term papers and send to the class. It took lots of patience collating and waiting for the papers to be submitted before sending to the group, but it was something that benefited every one. The fruits of the Holy Spirit in the life of Kindness, are blessings to people who want to receive them. One can enjoy the good works in them. They help one feel connected to others and to experience the feeling of being part of the family of God.
4) Plan as though one will live forever – I know I will
With a goal in mind, one tends to have the motivation to work at it. Why not have in a 5 year plan, to do goal setting and review it constantly. Never stop learning and keep planning for your future. If one plans to further in studies, take a vacation or contribute more time to serve the Lord, go and do it. It is never too late.
5) Pray to Discern God’s way
Many may have experienced the stage of being at crossroads, be it with careers, relationships, spiritual growth or identity. Keep praying to discern God’s way. Read the bible daily. Be patient as there are times things happen in God's time and in God's way.
6) Laugh Often
Having a sense of humor is good. It is always good hanging around with people who are humorous and able to make people feel at ease. Such people are able to ease tensions in serious situations.
7) Give Thanks Always
Be thankful for the many blessings that God has given. Never take for granted the family, jobs, friends and the simple things in life. Thank Him each day to start a new day, give thanks to Him when the day is over and before sleeping every night.
8) Work with passion
Learn and enjoy whatever we do with passion. Put in 100% effort in doing the things that are assigned to do. Be committed to completing the projects that has been assigned to do. Believing in oneself is to submit all our plans to the Lord.
We all want to be happy. So, it is God who can make us happy, but apart from Him and His redemptive love as expressed through the cross and the resurrection, without it we would be "most miserable". (1 Cor. 15-19)
Being happy is a decision one can make daily, no other people can affect how we choose to lead our lives. Be filled with a peace of mind. Trust in God for His timing to know that HIS ways are always prefect.
Everyone wants to be happy. However many have failed in the quest to remain happy in God as they are looking in the wrong places. Psalm 146:5 states that happiness comes to those who find their help and hope in God. In Proverbs 16:20 says that “Whoever trusts in the Lord, happy is he.” The foundation for happiness is a proper relationship with the Lord.
Here are 8 rules for leading a happier life that I would like to look at:
1) Live as though today is the last day on earth
I always believe that whatever good we can do for people we are in contact with, may have an impact on them. Spending time with the family, being there and providing a listening ear to friends, working together as a team, can make a difference in their lives. Be sincere to people, cherish and appreciate them as we never know when is the next time one can show love and appreciation to them. Live life with no regrets.
2) Give Something Away
Many times, one may hold on to material things so closely to forget the intangible things in our lives. Recently one of my colleague’s flat was burnt down. All of us at our workplace chipped in to donate furniture and cash to her. She was appreciative with our actions. Try giving things to the poor and needy, be it donations, clothes, food or even spending time with them. You will be surprised how fulfilling it can be. St. Paul's letter to the Galatians 6:9 encouraged that, “We must never get tired of doing good because if we don’t give up the struggle we shall get our harvest at the proper time.”
3) Kindness
I remember when I was studying for a particular module, we needed to analyze various campaigns for our exam. I volunteered to collate my classmates term papers and send to the class. It took lots of patience collating and waiting for the papers to be submitted before sending to the group, but it was something that benefited every one. The fruits of the Holy Spirit in the life of Kindness, are blessings to people who want to receive them. One can enjoy the good works in them. They help one feel connected to others and to experience the feeling of being part of the family of God.
4) Plan as though one will live forever – I know I will
With a goal in mind, one tends to have the motivation to work at it. Why not have in a 5 year plan, to do goal setting and review it constantly. Never stop learning and keep planning for your future. If one plans to further in studies, take a vacation or contribute more time to serve the Lord, go and do it. It is never too late.
5) Pray to Discern God’s way
Many may have experienced the stage of being at crossroads, be it with careers, relationships, spiritual growth or identity. Keep praying to discern God’s way. Read the bible daily. Be patient as there are times things happen in God's time and in God's way.
6) Laugh Often
Having a sense of humor is good. It is always good hanging around with people who are humorous and able to make people feel at ease. Such people are able to ease tensions in serious situations.
7) Give Thanks Always
Be thankful for the many blessings that God has given. Never take for granted the family, jobs, friends and the simple things in life. Thank Him each day to start a new day, give thanks to Him when the day is over and before sleeping every night.
8) Work with passion
Learn and enjoy whatever we do with passion. Put in 100% effort in doing the things that are assigned to do. Be committed to completing the projects that has been assigned to do. Believing in oneself is to submit all our plans to the Lord.
We all want to be happy. So, it is God who can make us happy, but apart from Him and His redemptive love as expressed through the cross and the resurrection, without it we would be "most miserable". (1 Cor. 15-19)
Being happy is a decision one can make daily, no other people can affect how we choose to lead our lives. Be filled with a peace of mind. Trust in God for His timing to know that HIS ways are always prefect.
A Legacy of Love
A Legacy of Love
Life is for love. We live to love. Love is so important. “God is love” as quoted from the bible. “We love each other because He loved us first” (1 John 4:19). The love which flows in our hearts when we are dwelt by the Holy Spirit is not a general one but a specific one – the love of Christ. This love dulls the edge of disappointment and enables us to be invulnerable to many things, not least of appreciation.
God’s love is eternal, his love is kind, his love is forgiving and his love is giving. Each of love is rebellious and stubborn, we want to live the life we set out to live. Our sin separates us from God and His love. However when we confess our sins to God, he forgives them, and as a results gives us salvation from hell. Eternal life – God’s life to us both on this earth and in heaven – is now our personal passion. He gave his only begotten son that only through death it is the only way to live eternally with him and show how great god’s love is for us.
We can experience agape love when we come into a personal relationship with Christ. The bible tells us that forgiveness and eternal life are ours simply by putting our faith in him. Once we trust him for his love and forgiveness, you will begin to experience a personal relationship and growing intimacy with HIM that lasts not only for a lifetime but also for eternity.
We may think that god’s love for you is always unconditional, dependant on your feelings of closeness to HIM. No matter how you feel, his agape love for you is always unconditional. If you sin, confess those sins to Him and he will forgive. However if you refuse to obey Him, he will discipline you as a father disciplines a child. Remember, his love for you does not diminish with time or circumstances.
When you realize this, you will know that you are totally loved. You don’t need to reach out desperately to others to receive love. You have unconditional agape love from God, full and flowing over, enough to give to others, whether or not you receive love from them. God gives us the grace to love as he loves, to forgives as he forgives, to think as he thinks and to acts as he acts. The Lord loves righteousness and hates wickedness. Kindness to others, whether strangers or neighbours, is a gift from God. Each time we reach out our hand to help another, we are spread his Love and kindness.
Life is for love. We live to love. Love is so important. “God is love” as quoted from the bible. “We love each other because He loved us first” (1 John 4:19). The love which flows in our hearts when we are dwelt by the Holy Spirit is not a general one but a specific one – the love of Christ. This love dulls the edge of disappointment and enables us to be invulnerable to many things, not least of appreciation.
God’s love is eternal, his love is kind, his love is forgiving and his love is giving. Each of love is rebellious and stubborn, we want to live the life we set out to live. Our sin separates us from God and His love. However when we confess our sins to God, he forgives them, and as a results gives us salvation from hell. Eternal life – God’s life to us both on this earth and in heaven – is now our personal passion. He gave his only begotten son that only through death it is the only way to live eternally with him and show how great god’s love is for us.
We can experience agape love when we come into a personal relationship with Christ. The bible tells us that forgiveness and eternal life are ours simply by putting our faith in him. Once we trust him for his love and forgiveness, you will begin to experience a personal relationship and growing intimacy with HIM that lasts not only for a lifetime but also for eternity.
We may think that god’s love for you is always unconditional, dependant on your feelings of closeness to HIM. No matter how you feel, his agape love for you is always unconditional. If you sin, confess those sins to Him and he will forgive. However if you refuse to obey Him, he will discipline you as a father disciplines a child. Remember, his love for you does not diminish with time or circumstances.
When you realize this, you will know that you are totally loved. You don’t need to reach out desperately to others to receive love. You have unconditional agape love from God, full and flowing over, enough to give to others, whether or not you receive love from them. God gives us the grace to love as he loves, to forgives as he forgives, to think as he thinks and to acts as he acts. The Lord loves righteousness and hates wickedness. Kindness to others, whether strangers or neighbours, is a gift from God. Each time we reach out our hand to help another, we are spread his Love and kindness.
Evangelization
Evangelization
Why do Christians need to evangelize? Evangelization is to spread the good news to others: All of us are God's messenger. We are a group of people chosen to know and believe in Him and we ought to bear witness that He alone is God, and there is no other Gods beside Him. He is to be our God and Savior. (Isaiah 43:10-11).
For this reason believers are chosen to spread the gospel across the world. Jesus made salvation available to everyone. He even made friends with Sinners and Tax Collectors in order to save them. Hence as Christians it is important to let our light shine in a dark spiritual world, as Christ taught his disciples to be as salt and light, to let their good deeds shine out for others so that they may praise our Heavenly Father.
As Christians we have the Holy Spirit with us and we are led and empowered to tell people about Jesus Christ. Acts 1:8 says "When the Holy Spirit comes upon believers, they will receive power to tell others about Jesus everywhere.” Through evangelizing we are also renewed day by day to grow stronger in faith and mature spiritually. Moreover, to acknowledge the power of God, Christians are to plant the seed of faith but only God will make it grow and not us. (1 Cor. 3:5-9).
As Jesus sent out His followers in the great commissioning, we as believers put our faith and trust in Him to be God's witnesses. He commanded all believers to go and bear witness to Him and gave the disciples complete authority to go out and built the nations, to teach, obey in all His command and baptize them in the Name of the Father, The Son and The Holy Spirit. (Mt.28:18-20).
God hold us accountable for avoiding a chance to witness for him to warn of the wicked. (Ez. 3:18-19). And we do not deny our God to evangelize to others for if we do he can deny us as well before God and his angels. (Mt. 10:33; Lk 12:8-9).
How does one evangelize? Some of us go knocking on people’s door to evangelize, while others invite friends to church gatherings. For myself, I relate my personal experiences on how the Lord has been part of my life either in writing or through conversations with the people that I meet.
Living out the Christian life is one of the most appropriate ways of passing on the good news to the people that come into contact with us. People are more likely to be influence by our genuine love and concern and the way we live our life. At work, people should notice our consistency, honesty, truthfulness, hard work, reliability, avoidance of gossip and desire to help and encourage other people. At home parents, family, and friends will be influenced by our service to others, our patience and our kindness, far more than our words.
Sometimes we are given the opportunity to explain the gospel ourselves. One good way of doing this is to tell a story of what has happened to us. We need to pray that the Spirit of God will open the eyes of the blind so that they will understand the truth about Jesus. Sometimes when there is a calling to speak to a particular person about Jesus, we could pray for God’s guidance to show the way in that conversation. Always pray and seek the Lord for his guidance. Besides praying for our friends, we also need to pray for ourselves. When we talk to people about Jesus, we may sometimes get a negative response. The temptation at the moment is to give up. Pray for strength and boldness to preach the gospel. It is vital for all us as Christians to preserve in telling others about Jesus – by our presence, persuasion, proclamation and prayer.
Our witness for Christ should reflect a grateful heart - a sincere desire to share salvation’s blessings with others. If we shrink from giving a word of testimony, let’s ask God to give us the desire to speak out for Him. I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?” Then I said, “Here am I! Send me.” (Isaiah 6:8)
We are called to be witness for Jesus, but how well do we know HIM and the word of God? We represent Christ in everything we do and say. Therefore when we speak out for Him, we must do so boldly and clearly. This means we must be familiar with what Bible says about sin, salvation, and man’s need for faith. Study God’s Word. Learn its doctrines and put them into practice.
“Lord teach us the way to proclaim the good news to others. There may be times we will face negative responses, yet give us the perseverance to continue to spread the good news and guide us to live out our lives by our actions and our words.”
Why do Christians need to evangelize? Evangelization is to spread the good news to others: All of us are God's messenger. We are a group of people chosen to know and believe in Him and we ought to bear witness that He alone is God, and there is no other Gods beside Him. He is to be our God and Savior. (Isaiah 43:10-11).
For this reason believers are chosen to spread the gospel across the world. Jesus made salvation available to everyone. He even made friends with Sinners and Tax Collectors in order to save them. Hence as Christians it is important to let our light shine in a dark spiritual world, as Christ taught his disciples to be as salt and light, to let their good deeds shine out for others so that they may praise our Heavenly Father.
As Christians we have the Holy Spirit with us and we are led and empowered to tell people about Jesus Christ. Acts 1:8 says "When the Holy Spirit comes upon believers, they will receive power to tell others about Jesus everywhere.” Through evangelizing we are also renewed day by day to grow stronger in faith and mature spiritually. Moreover, to acknowledge the power of God, Christians are to plant the seed of faith but only God will make it grow and not us. (1 Cor. 3:5-9).
As Jesus sent out His followers in the great commissioning, we as believers put our faith and trust in Him to be God's witnesses. He commanded all believers to go and bear witness to Him and gave the disciples complete authority to go out and built the nations, to teach, obey in all His command and baptize them in the Name of the Father, The Son and The Holy Spirit. (Mt.28:18-20).
God hold us accountable for avoiding a chance to witness for him to warn of the wicked. (Ez. 3:18-19). And we do not deny our God to evangelize to others for if we do he can deny us as well before God and his angels. (Mt. 10:33; Lk 12:8-9).
How does one evangelize? Some of us go knocking on people’s door to evangelize, while others invite friends to church gatherings. For myself, I relate my personal experiences on how the Lord has been part of my life either in writing or through conversations with the people that I meet.
Living out the Christian life is one of the most appropriate ways of passing on the good news to the people that come into contact with us. People are more likely to be influence by our genuine love and concern and the way we live our life. At work, people should notice our consistency, honesty, truthfulness, hard work, reliability, avoidance of gossip and desire to help and encourage other people. At home parents, family, and friends will be influenced by our service to others, our patience and our kindness, far more than our words.
Sometimes we are given the opportunity to explain the gospel ourselves. One good way of doing this is to tell a story of what has happened to us. We need to pray that the Spirit of God will open the eyes of the blind so that they will understand the truth about Jesus. Sometimes when there is a calling to speak to a particular person about Jesus, we could pray for God’s guidance to show the way in that conversation. Always pray and seek the Lord for his guidance. Besides praying for our friends, we also need to pray for ourselves. When we talk to people about Jesus, we may sometimes get a negative response. The temptation at the moment is to give up. Pray for strength and boldness to preach the gospel. It is vital for all us as Christians to preserve in telling others about Jesus – by our presence, persuasion, proclamation and prayer.
Our witness for Christ should reflect a grateful heart - a sincere desire to share salvation’s blessings with others. If we shrink from giving a word of testimony, let’s ask God to give us the desire to speak out for Him. I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?” Then I said, “Here am I! Send me.” (Isaiah 6:8)
We are called to be witness for Jesus, but how well do we know HIM and the word of God? We represent Christ in everything we do and say. Therefore when we speak out for Him, we must do so boldly and clearly. This means we must be familiar with what Bible says about sin, salvation, and man’s need for faith. Study God’s Word. Learn its doctrines and put them into practice.
“Lord teach us the way to proclaim the good news to others. There may be times we will face negative responses, yet give us the perseverance to continue to spread the good news and guide us to live out our lives by our actions and our words.”
Step by Step
Step By Step
What do children, relationships, work and faith in the Lord have in common? We see the growth in the little ones, we see the love in relationships, we see the fruit of our labour and we see our spiritual growth in a step by step manner. It is a process that requires small little steps, which requires hard work, love and prayers. It is not a process that happens overnight.
Children are the kingdom of God. “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.” (Mark10:14). I am always been fascinated with babies, the way they smile at you with such innocence. They are really very adorable. Watch how a baby learns to walk and talk, it is a procedure which requires perseverance and patience, but the child learns it in a step by step manner. A child must learn how to walk before he can run. It is a growing step as a baby grows to be a toddler, a child who goes to school, a teenager and then an adult.
Relationships too require lots of love, trust, sincerity and commitment. It starts off as friendship, courtship and then marriage. “Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervour, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faith in prayer.” (Romans 9-12). It takes time to know people, it takes time to understand and trust in people that we love. For couples who are in courtship or in marriage, it is important to communicate to each other, to express their feelings. No doubt sometimes this may put them in a vulnerable state, but to the love of your life, learn to place your trust and faith in him/her. It is a process in a step by step manner, but it takes time to develop such relationships.
After graduation, we spend most of most of our time at work. We start off in junior position and after years of work experience we move on the senior positions. I am sure all of us must have been bullied by our seniors when we first started off as work. As years progressed, we learn how to lead a team, work as a team and to strategize at senior management level. Eventually we begin to see the fruits of labour at work. Try to have a balanced between work and family. We work for survival - for the pay and the work experience. However the moment we fall sick, the company may not keep you as their staff for long as we may be viewed as a liability then. Our family is always there for us. Hence when is time to work, work hard for your keeps. After work, devote your time to family.
How can we seek to know God? How can we have a more spiritual relationship with him? Previously, I started off as a Catholic that goes church every Sunday, and that was my only relationship with him. It was the Alpha course that renewed my faith in the Lord. I get to know more brothers and sisters in Christ, in there we share and learn more about the Lord. Through the sharings we know the Lord in a closer way. Indeed the word of God in the form of the bible is one way of knowing him. Spend some time reading the bible daily. Fellowship too is important as it enhances one’s spiritual growth. This can be in the form of prayers or exchange of scriptures sharings and articles. Give thanks to the lord at the end of the day and have silent reflections. “Everything is possible for him who believe.” (Mark 9 : 25) Let the Lord into your life and seek the eternal kingdom of God.
What do children, relationships, work and faith in the Lord have in common? We see the growth in the little ones, we see the love in relationships, we see the fruit of our labour and we see our spiritual growth in a step by step manner. It is a process that requires small little steps, which requires hard work, love and prayers. It is not a process that happens overnight.
Children are the kingdom of God. “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.” (Mark10:14). I am always been fascinated with babies, the way they smile at you with such innocence. They are really very adorable. Watch how a baby learns to walk and talk, it is a procedure which requires perseverance and patience, but the child learns it in a step by step manner. A child must learn how to walk before he can run. It is a growing step as a baby grows to be a toddler, a child who goes to school, a teenager and then an adult.
Relationships too require lots of love, trust, sincerity and commitment. It starts off as friendship, courtship and then marriage. “Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervour, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faith in prayer.” (Romans 9-12). It takes time to know people, it takes time to understand and trust in people that we love. For couples who are in courtship or in marriage, it is important to communicate to each other, to express their feelings. No doubt sometimes this may put them in a vulnerable state, but to the love of your life, learn to place your trust and faith in him/her. It is a process in a step by step manner, but it takes time to develop such relationships.
After graduation, we spend most of most of our time at work. We start off in junior position and after years of work experience we move on the senior positions. I am sure all of us must have been bullied by our seniors when we first started off as work. As years progressed, we learn how to lead a team, work as a team and to strategize at senior management level. Eventually we begin to see the fruits of labour at work. Try to have a balanced between work and family. We work for survival - for the pay and the work experience. However the moment we fall sick, the company may not keep you as their staff for long as we may be viewed as a liability then. Our family is always there for us. Hence when is time to work, work hard for your keeps. After work, devote your time to family.
How can we seek to know God? How can we have a more spiritual relationship with him? Previously, I started off as a Catholic that goes church every Sunday, and that was my only relationship with him. It was the Alpha course that renewed my faith in the Lord. I get to know more brothers and sisters in Christ, in there we share and learn more about the Lord. Through the sharings we know the Lord in a closer way. Indeed the word of God in the form of the bible is one way of knowing him. Spend some time reading the bible daily. Fellowship too is important as it enhances one’s spiritual growth. This can be in the form of prayers or exchange of scriptures sharings and articles. Give thanks to the lord at the end of the day and have silent reflections. “Everything is possible for him who believe.” (Mark 9 : 25) Let the Lord into your life and seek the eternal kingdom of God.
How much are you worth?
How Much Are You Worth?
Is our worth on earth measured in terms on how much we earn, how many MBAs we have, how successful we are in our careers and how many properties we own? Sometimes we end up chasing after all the material things in our lives that we forget to acknowledge the most important thing – God’s unconditional love for each and every one of us.
In the Lord’s eyes, he considers each of us worthy and valuable. He loves us unconditionally and he delights in having created us. If the Lord sent his only son to die on the cross for our sins, surely we are worthy. If Christ died so that we might live in a heavenly home with God forever, surely we have value. If God created us, redeemed us, and desires to call us his children forever, surely we are of great importance to him.
How much are we worth? We are worth so much that God sent Jesus to die in your place on the cross. God’s perfect gift of salvation comes not by merit but by mercy, not by trying but by trusting. Jesus didn’t go to the cross because of millions of sinners – born and yet unborn – were in need of salvation. He went to the cross because of the sinful heart of man. Even if only one person is sinful, Jesus would have died on his behalf. Yes, that is the affirming fact of the Cross.
Jesus died for you and me. He died so that you and I might live forever in the presence of God whom the Father has forgiven and made whole spiritually by God’s great love and redemptive power. Jesus suffered willingly and went to the cross for our sake, to redeem us from sin and to restore our relationship with God our Father.
Are we worth something on the basis of our talents, gifts or accomplishments? No we are worth something because our worth was purchased with the ultimate price: the blood of Jesus. God believed in your worth to the point of sacrificing his only begotten Son (John 3:16). He sent his son to die for you because he considered you worthy of saving and worthty of living with him for all eternity. You are competent because God makes you competent. He sends his Holy Spirit to help you do anything he calls you to do.
Jesus paid the price for our redemption with his blood. Slavery to sin is to want the wrong things and to be in bondage to destructive desires. The ransom Jesus paid set us free from the worst tyranny possible – the tyranny of sin and the fear of death. Through his resurrection, he defeated the powers of death. Do we want the greatest freedom possible, the freedom to live as God truly meant us to live as his sons and daughters?
When we say the Our Father prayer, this prayer does call God our Father and boldly asks for the things we need to live as his sons and daughters. We can approach God our Father with confidence and boldness because Christ opened the way to heaven for us through his death and resurrection. We are called to submit our lives to God with the same obedience and love which Jesus demonstrated for his father.
Let’s us seek the Lord daily in prayers, read the bible and give thanks for the miracles we have seen in our lives. Thank you Lord for your unconditional love. Continue to fill us with your peace and love. Let us love the Lord our God with all our heart and with all our soul and with all our mind.
Is our worth on earth measured in terms on how much we earn, how many MBAs we have, how successful we are in our careers and how many properties we own? Sometimes we end up chasing after all the material things in our lives that we forget to acknowledge the most important thing – God’s unconditional love for each and every one of us.
In the Lord’s eyes, he considers each of us worthy and valuable. He loves us unconditionally and he delights in having created us. If the Lord sent his only son to die on the cross for our sins, surely we are worthy. If Christ died so that we might live in a heavenly home with God forever, surely we have value. If God created us, redeemed us, and desires to call us his children forever, surely we are of great importance to him.
How much are we worth? We are worth so much that God sent Jesus to die in your place on the cross. God’s perfect gift of salvation comes not by merit but by mercy, not by trying but by trusting. Jesus didn’t go to the cross because of millions of sinners – born and yet unborn – were in need of salvation. He went to the cross because of the sinful heart of man. Even if only one person is sinful, Jesus would have died on his behalf. Yes, that is the affirming fact of the Cross.
Jesus died for you and me. He died so that you and I might live forever in the presence of God whom the Father has forgiven and made whole spiritually by God’s great love and redemptive power. Jesus suffered willingly and went to the cross for our sake, to redeem us from sin and to restore our relationship with God our Father.
Are we worth something on the basis of our talents, gifts or accomplishments? No we are worth something because our worth was purchased with the ultimate price: the blood of Jesus. God believed in your worth to the point of sacrificing his only begotten Son (John 3:16). He sent his son to die for you because he considered you worthy of saving and worthty of living with him for all eternity. You are competent because God makes you competent. He sends his Holy Spirit to help you do anything he calls you to do.
Jesus paid the price for our redemption with his blood. Slavery to sin is to want the wrong things and to be in bondage to destructive desires. The ransom Jesus paid set us free from the worst tyranny possible – the tyranny of sin and the fear of death. Through his resurrection, he defeated the powers of death. Do we want the greatest freedom possible, the freedom to live as God truly meant us to live as his sons and daughters?
When we say the Our Father prayer, this prayer does call God our Father and boldly asks for the things we need to live as his sons and daughters. We can approach God our Father with confidence and boldness because Christ opened the way to heaven for us through his death and resurrection. We are called to submit our lives to God with the same obedience and love which Jesus demonstrated for his father.
Let’s us seek the Lord daily in prayers, read the bible and give thanks for the miracles we have seen in our lives. Thank you Lord for your unconditional love. Continue to fill us with your peace and love. Let us love the Lord our God with all our heart and with all our soul and with all our mind.
Peace Be with You
Peace Be With You
Does the Lord seem distant when trials or adversity come your way? Do you look for the Lord’s presence when you encounter difficulty or challenges? A great deal of failure in the Christian life is due to acting on impulse and emotional fervor without counting the cost. The lord keeps watch over us at all times, especially in our moments of difficulty and temptation. Do you rely on the Lord for his strength and help? Jesus assures us that we have no need of fear if we trust in Him and in his great love for us.
Be quiet. Practice putting aside some time every day to experience silence. Calm your mind, release the need to think, analyze and know everything. The best information comes from the deep recesses of your soul. In quiet reverence God can be heard. It’s during this quiet moment can we put everything that’s on our mind and reflect on our god. Some of the issues that we face in our lives may be vexing and they may pose as a mystery to us. That is why God said, “Be still and know that I am god’ He wants us just to listen, sometimes not to think or talk or try to figure things out. Just be silent and listen to his voice.
Have you ever encountered this state of confusion on what you want in life? Let the peace that the Lord gives control your thinking – Colossians 3:15. The first thing you lose when you step out of god’s will is your peace. So if you don’t have peace, don’t proceed. Many times peace is all God will give you to let you know whether you are in or out of his will. Maybe at times we want to see immediate results that we tend to be impatient with ourselves. One of my friends mentioned to me she wanted a career change, but up till today, there are no job openings for her. However she did mention she felt this peace within her and reflected it may be God’s way of asking her to be patient.
How do you get this peace? Surrender your problems to the Lord. Don’t worry about anything, instead pray about everything. Tell God your needs and don’t forget to thank him for his answers. If you do this you will experience God’s peace. His peace will keep your thoughts and your hearts quiet and at rest.
When you are at peace with yourself, you can see things at a clearer picture. There are times when problems which are bothering you are not as big as you think. Pause and reflect what are your goals and priorities in life. Where do you see yourself in a given time span, say 5 years time, picture that scenario and affirm it and pray to the Lord. You will be surprised 5 years down the road, you will be in the exact scenario that you had prayed for. Be receptive to your environment – the Lord’s presence can be in the form of advice from your friends, words from books, email, or even the next verse of a song lyrics. He is always there for us. Sometimes the solutions to our problems are right in front us, it’s just whether are we open and willing to accept the solutions.
Occasionally we face spiritual warefare. This may come in the form of self doubt, fear, falling sick, not getting the support from the people we love. Always turn to God in faith and trust. Let him have all your worries for he is always thinking about you and watching everything that concerns you. Stand firm when the enemy attacks. The moment you being to worry, stop and ask yourself, “What’s the enemy trying to do here? If I give in to these negative emotions, what will the result be? Talk to God, pray and spend time on the bible.
When calamities or trials threaten to overwhelm you, how you respond? With faith and hope in God’s love, care and presence with you? Lord help me to trust you always and to never doubt your presence and your power to help me. Strengthen my faith that I may walk straight in the path you set before me.
Does the Lord seem distant when trials or adversity come your way? Do you look for the Lord’s presence when you encounter difficulty or challenges? A great deal of failure in the Christian life is due to acting on impulse and emotional fervor without counting the cost. The lord keeps watch over us at all times, especially in our moments of difficulty and temptation. Do you rely on the Lord for his strength and help? Jesus assures us that we have no need of fear if we trust in Him and in his great love for us.
Be quiet. Practice putting aside some time every day to experience silence. Calm your mind, release the need to think, analyze and know everything. The best information comes from the deep recesses of your soul. In quiet reverence God can be heard. It’s during this quiet moment can we put everything that’s on our mind and reflect on our god. Some of the issues that we face in our lives may be vexing and they may pose as a mystery to us. That is why God said, “Be still and know that I am god’ He wants us just to listen, sometimes not to think or talk or try to figure things out. Just be silent and listen to his voice.
Have you ever encountered this state of confusion on what you want in life? Let the peace that the Lord gives control your thinking – Colossians 3:15. The first thing you lose when you step out of god’s will is your peace. So if you don’t have peace, don’t proceed. Many times peace is all God will give you to let you know whether you are in or out of his will. Maybe at times we want to see immediate results that we tend to be impatient with ourselves. One of my friends mentioned to me she wanted a career change, but up till today, there are no job openings for her. However she did mention she felt this peace within her and reflected it may be God’s way of asking her to be patient.
How do you get this peace? Surrender your problems to the Lord. Don’t worry about anything, instead pray about everything. Tell God your needs and don’t forget to thank him for his answers. If you do this you will experience God’s peace. His peace will keep your thoughts and your hearts quiet and at rest.
When you are at peace with yourself, you can see things at a clearer picture. There are times when problems which are bothering you are not as big as you think. Pause and reflect what are your goals and priorities in life. Where do you see yourself in a given time span, say 5 years time, picture that scenario and affirm it and pray to the Lord. You will be surprised 5 years down the road, you will be in the exact scenario that you had prayed for. Be receptive to your environment – the Lord’s presence can be in the form of advice from your friends, words from books, email, or even the next verse of a song lyrics. He is always there for us. Sometimes the solutions to our problems are right in front us, it’s just whether are we open and willing to accept the solutions.
Occasionally we face spiritual warefare. This may come in the form of self doubt, fear, falling sick, not getting the support from the people we love. Always turn to God in faith and trust. Let him have all your worries for he is always thinking about you and watching everything that concerns you. Stand firm when the enemy attacks. The moment you being to worry, stop and ask yourself, “What’s the enemy trying to do here? If I give in to these negative emotions, what will the result be? Talk to God, pray and spend time on the bible.
When calamities or trials threaten to overwhelm you, how you respond? With faith and hope in God’s love, care and presence with you? Lord help me to trust you always and to never doubt your presence and your power to help me. Strengthen my faith that I may walk straight in the path you set before me.
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Who will I give my heart to?
Who Will I Give My Heart To?
Morally, it may be a question of life and death, where it can be an organ transplant with implications of improving the quality of someone’s physical life. Personally, it may be who will I spend my life with in marriage or in friendship with implications of living a life filled with joy and happiness. Vocationally, it may be how to choose between a career and a calling from God. Spiritually, it may be focusing on our inner life about the purpose of our existence of this earth and who we are.
Has it occurred to you that God has been doing heart transplants over these years? Do you know that the heart God has given us is filled with the fruits of the Holy Spirit which is LOVE, JOY, PEACE, PATIENCE, KINDNESS, GOODNESS, FAITHFULNESS, GENTLENESS AND SELF CONTROL. If someone were to ask you who will you give your heart to today, try starting the day with one of the fruits as the goals, you will be surprised that your actions will be aligned to the fruit of the day.
For instance, if at the start of today, we choose to give our heart to LOVE, then we begin the day with loving thoughts/actions towards our family members, colleagues and loved ones. Even to the strangers we meet, a simple greeting or smile will be aligned to the fruit of LOVE. In life, there are instances where on a day all things could be going wrong for you, pause for a moment and ask yourself who will I give my heart to – to the good side or to the bad side? Try remembering the fruits of Holy Spirit, maybe in this case, the choice made will be I give my heart to SELF CONTROL, then maybe we are able to deal with the situation in a peaceful manner.
It is critical to examine the condition of our heart. Are we driven by anger? Are we driven by feelings of revenge? Is there a tinge of hatred clinging to our emotions? Are there unresolved problems that continue to undermine our best efforts in trying to do the right thing? In fact, if we know God and worship God, our worship of God can be rendered unacceptable by God if the condition of our heart is not right. Many times life’s defining moments take place in the midst of a broken heart or as we confront a terrible temptation. We will either decide to do what is right or do what is wrong. Remember the condition of our heart will establish our defining moment. Will our response be God-centered or other centered?
If you believe in the Living God, you will be compelled to act decisively in those defining moments. Our destiny on this earth is realized as we work together for the good of our fellow man. Our destiny is realized as we monitor the condition of our heart. Our destiny is fleshed-out as we are called upon to make important personal decisions that will impact the lives of others. We can accomplish God’s good purpose with the proper attitude of heart with a grace-filled spirit.
If you haven’t already invited God to your life, why don’t start today, ask him to for that new heart filled with the gifts of the Holy Spirit. For he has said: “I will give them an undivided heart and put a new spirit in them; I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh. Then they will follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. They will be my people, and I will be their God.”(Ezekiel 11:19)
Morally, it may be a question of life and death, where it can be an organ transplant with implications of improving the quality of someone’s physical life. Personally, it may be who will I spend my life with in marriage or in friendship with implications of living a life filled with joy and happiness. Vocationally, it may be how to choose between a career and a calling from God. Spiritually, it may be focusing on our inner life about the purpose of our existence of this earth and who we are.
Has it occurred to you that God has been doing heart transplants over these years? Do you know that the heart God has given us is filled with the fruits of the Holy Spirit which is LOVE, JOY, PEACE, PATIENCE, KINDNESS, GOODNESS, FAITHFULNESS, GENTLENESS AND SELF CONTROL. If someone were to ask you who will you give your heart to today, try starting the day with one of the fruits as the goals, you will be surprised that your actions will be aligned to the fruit of the day.
For instance, if at the start of today, we choose to give our heart to LOVE, then we begin the day with loving thoughts/actions towards our family members, colleagues and loved ones. Even to the strangers we meet, a simple greeting or smile will be aligned to the fruit of LOVE. In life, there are instances where on a day all things could be going wrong for you, pause for a moment and ask yourself who will I give my heart to – to the good side or to the bad side? Try remembering the fruits of Holy Spirit, maybe in this case, the choice made will be I give my heart to SELF CONTROL, then maybe we are able to deal with the situation in a peaceful manner.
It is critical to examine the condition of our heart. Are we driven by anger? Are we driven by feelings of revenge? Is there a tinge of hatred clinging to our emotions? Are there unresolved problems that continue to undermine our best efforts in trying to do the right thing? In fact, if we know God and worship God, our worship of God can be rendered unacceptable by God if the condition of our heart is not right. Many times life’s defining moments take place in the midst of a broken heart or as we confront a terrible temptation. We will either decide to do what is right or do what is wrong. Remember the condition of our heart will establish our defining moment. Will our response be God-centered or other centered?
If you believe in the Living God, you will be compelled to act decisively in those defining moments. Our destiny on this earth is realized as we work together for the good of our fellow man. Our destiny is realized as we monitor the condition of our heart. Our destiny is fleshed-out as we are called upon to make important personal decisions that will impact the lives of others. We can accomplish God’s good purpose with the proper attitude of heart with a grace-filled spirit.
If you haven’t already invited God to your life, why don’t start today, ask him to for that new heart filled with the gifts of the Holy Spirit. For he has said: “I will give them an undivided heart and put a new spirit in them; I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh. Then they will follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. They will be my people, and I will be their God.”(Ezekiel 11:19)
Not Now ...then When?
Not Now….Then When?
When was the last time you had a calling to serve the Lord? When was the last time you did something where you had a passion for? When was the last time you took a well deserved holiday? When was the last time you express your feelings to your love ones? When was the last time, you ask for a career change?
There are many things in life which happen as a result of our subconscious mind and part of the Lord’s plans. To submit our plans to the Lord and to have faith in the Lord is ever easy. Sometimes, our plans are answered through the people we meet, the experiences that we go through but sometimes we are so caught up in our own world that we missed seeing them. A friend once told me if a matter appears continuously at you, it is meant for you to address the matter and to face it. Opportunities happen only but once, if you choose to ignore it, that particular door will be shut in your life.
I love to travel but sadly I never had the time or the right company to go with. This year, I was just talking out aloud that I needed a break and I wanted to travel to the US and it would be good to find a friend to go with. Surprisingly enough, not only did I find 2 of my colleagues to go with, we went to the eastern side of the US. It was an enjoyable trip and I told myself I will find the time to travel yearly from now onwards.
It is never easy expressing your feelings to your love ones. I love my family, but I am not one person who really say those feelings out in words. I shower them my love by spending time with them and buying things for them. I remember a few years ago, when my grandfather was at his deathbed, I was the last of his grandchildren to visit him. When he saw me, he cried so did I. I manage to tell him how much I love him as a grandfather and I will take care of grandmother. The next day, he died peacefully. From that day onwards, to the people I care a lot for, I make a point to tell them how I feel towards them for I don’t know when I will next get a chance to do so.
A friend used to tell me we can always serve the Lord when we are older. Now at our age, we should concentrate on our career. I may have a different view on this. In our lives, if things are going smooth sailing for you, we may not seek the lord. It is only when we encounter a personal yet major matter that affects us personally that we begin to seek the Lord. I turned to the Lord only when something personal happens to me, and in there, my faith in them was renewed. I became more conscious of the things the Lord has done for me. Serving the Lord has always been spiritually fulfilling and I hope more people will be able to experience this joy of being of service to the Lord.
Not now, then when? Start showing your love and care to the people around you. We live this world only once, whatever we can do, let’s do it to the best of our abilities. Submit your plans to the Lord and may you be empower with the Holy Spirit. Remember the Lord wants the best for you. He can shower you with gifts, but if you don’t acknowledge or accept them, there is nothing much He can do. Be conscious and alert to the things around you. Don’t procrastinate. Live each day to the fullest.
When was the last time you had a calling to serve the Lord? When was the last time you did something where you had a passion for? When was the last time you took a well deserved holiday? When was the last time you express your feelings to your love ones? When was the last time, you ask for a career change?
There are many things in life which happen as a result of our subconscious mind and part of the Lord’s plans. To submit our plans to the Lord and to have faith in the Lord is ever easy. Sometimes, our plans are answered through the people we meet, the experiences that we go through but sometimes we are so caught up in our own world that we missed seeing them. A friend once told me if a matter appears continuously at you, it is meant for you to address the matter and to face it. Opportunities happen only but once, if you choose to ignore it, that particular door will be shut in your life.
I love to travel but sadly I never had the time or the right company to go with. This year, I was just talking out aloud that I needed a break and I wanted to travel to the US and it would be good to find a friend to go with. Surprisingly enough, not only did I find 2 of my colleagues to go with, we went to the eastern side of the US. It was an enjoyable trip and I told myself I will find the time to travel yearly from now onwards.
It is never easy expressing your feelings to your love ones. I love my family, but I am not one person who really say those feelings out in words. I shower them my love by spending time with them and buying things for them. I remember a few years ago, when my grandfather was at his deathbed, I was the last of his grandchildren to visit him. When he saw me, he cried so did I. I manage to tell him how much I love him as a grandfather and I will take care of grandmother. The next day, he died peacefully. From that day onwards, to the people I care a lot for, I make a point to tell them how I feel towards them for I don’t know when I will next get a chance to do so.
A friend used to tell me we can always serve the Lord when we are older. Now at our age, we should concentrate on our career. I may have a different view on this. In our lives, if things are going smooth sailing for you, we may not seek the lord. It is only when we encounter a personal yet major matter that affects us personally that we begin to seek the Lord. I turned to the Lord only when something personal happens to me, and in there, my faith in them was renewed. I became more conscious of the things the Lord has done for me. Serving the Lord has always been spiritually fulfilling and I hope more people will be able to experience this joy of being of service to the Lord.
Not now, then when? Start showing your love and care to the people around you. We live this world only once, whatever we can do, let’s do it to the best of our abilities. Submit your plans to the Lord and may you be empower with the Holy Spirit. Remember the Lord wants the best for you. He can shower you with gifts, but if you don’t acknowledge or accept them, there is nothing much He can do. Be conscious and alert to the things around you. Don’t procrastinate. Live each day to the fullest.
Letting Go
Letting Go
Don’t we all drag baggage in our lives that we don’t need? Evil thoughts that hinder us, bad habits that drags us down, grudges that we won’t let go and so on? Remember the resentments, the jealously, the insecurity, the sharp words, the impure thoughts or selfish attitudes that we have encountered in our live? All these have taken their toll on our spiritual vitality. Unless they are confronted right way, these actions will begin to form a layer of “dust” that prevents us from expressing the heart of God’s grace in our heart.
Children are filled with innocence. They are open to everything in actions and in words. As we grow older, we tend to stay focus on the trivial matters. Some of us are afraid to let go of the past, some of us let doubt and fear settle in our hearts, some of us have such high expectations that when these expectations are not met, we become very disheartened.
As parents, we always want the best for our children. We have high expectations and dreams for them. Parents may entrust unfulfilled dreams onto their children to fulfill, or have past grievances which they refuse to let go and remind their children about it. Let go of the past and all these expectations on your children. Each child is unique in his/her own way; let the child grow in up a happy environment without being irritated and resentful of the negativity and pressure that is added upon them. Never let a child grow up and live a life with the results of other people’s thinking. Give the children the freedom to lead their own lives.
At work, there may be times where there may be malicious gossip being spoken about you, or you may be bitter that you have been bypassed for a promotion or you are not earning enough to support the family. You may feel hurt, or incompetent as a person. Take the initiative to forgive and seek reconciliation when you feel that you have been wrong or misunderstood. Be honest to your feelings and address them. In life we choose to make things happen if we have a goal in mind and we work towards to go. Let go of material possessions. Centre our lives on God’s kingdom, then clothing, food and drink will be ours as well. “Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness and all these things will be given to you as well” (Matthew 6:33)
In relationships, it is never easy finding people whom we trust and love. Sometimes even the best of friends may not be there for when you need them, when that happens the friendship is broken and it will never be the same. Some of us have been so hurt by our past relationships that we are fearful of starting a new relationship and moving on in our lives. Maybe God wants us to meet a few wrong people before meeting the right one so that when he/she comes into our lives, we can truly love and appreciate the one. When the door of happiness closes, another opens. Sometimes certain things are not meant to be, sometimes it is just a matter of timing. When you have forgiven the people who have hurt you, you will find peace with yourself. Hence if you want something badly, let it go. If it’s come back to you, then it’s going to be yours forever. If it doesn’t then it’s never going to be yours.
Letting go is never easy, but it is a choice you make in your life. Have faith and trust in the Lord. “Commit to the Lord whatever you do and your plans will succeed. In his heart, a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his step.”
Don’t we all drag baggage in our lives that we don’t need? Evil thoughts that hinder us, bad habits that drags us down, grudges that we won’t let go and so on? Remember the resentments, the jealously, the insecurity, the sharp words, the impure thoughts or selfish attitudes that we have encountered in our live? All these have taken their toll on our spiritual vitality. Unless they are confronted right way, these actions will begin to form a layer of “dust” that prevents us from expressing the heart of God’s grace in our heart.
Children are filled with innocence. They are open to everything in actions and in words. As we grow older, we tend to stay focus on the trivial matters. Some of us are afraid to let go of the past, some of us let doubt and fear settle in our hearts, some of us have such high expectations that when these expectations are not met, we become very disheartened.
As parents, we always want the best for our children. We have high expectations and dreams for them. Parents may entrust unfulfilled dreams onto their children to fulfill, or have past grievances which they refuse to let go and remind their children about it. Let go of the past and all these expectations on your children. Each child is unique in his/her own way; let the child grow in up a happy environment without being irritated and resentful of the negativity and pressure that is added upon them. Never let a child grow up and live a life with the results of other people’s thinking. Give the children the freedom to lead their own lives.
At work, there may be times where there may be malicious gossip being spoken about you, or you may be bitter that you have been bypassed for a promotion or you are not earning enough to support the family. You may feel hurt, or incompetent as a person. Take the initiative to forgive and seek reconciliation when you feel that you have been wrong or misunderstood. Be honest to your feelings and address them. In life we choose to make things happen if we have a goal in mind and we work towards to go. Let go of material possessions. Centre our lives on God’s kingdom, then clothing, food and drink will be ours as well. “Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness and all these things will be given to you as well” (Matthew 6:33)
In relationships, it is never easy finding people whom we trust and love. Sometimes even the best of friends may not be there for when you need them, when that happens the friendship is broken and it will never be the same. Some of us have been so hurt by our past relationships that we are fearful of starting a new relationship and moving on in our lives. Maybe God wants us to meet a few wrong people before meeting the right one so that when he/she comes into our lives, we can truly love and appreciate the one. When the door of happiness closes, another opens. Sometimes certain things are not meant to be, sometimes it is just a matter of timing. When you have forgiven the people who have hurt you, you will find peace with yourself. Hence if you want something badly, let it go. If it’s come back to you, then it’s going to be yours forever. If it doesn’t then it’s never going to be yours.
Letting go is never easy, but it is a choice you make in your life. Have faith and trust in the Lord. “Commit to the Lord whatever you do and your plans will succeed. In his heart, a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his step.”
How much are you worth?
How Much Are You Worth?
Is our worth on earth measured in terms on how much we earn, how many MBAs we have, how successful we are in our careers and how many properties we own? Sometimes we end up chasing after all the material things in our lives that we forget to acknowledge the most important thing – God’s unconditional love for each and every one of us.
In the Lord’s eyes, he considers each of us worthy and valuable. He loves us unconditionally and he delights in having created us. If the Lord sent his only son to die on the cross for our sins, surely we are worthy. If Christ died so that we might live in a heavenly home with God forever, surely we have value. If God created us, redeemed us, and desires to call us his children forever, surely we are of great importance to him.
How much are we worth? We are worth so much that God sent Jesus to die in your place on the cross. God’s perfect gift of salvation comes not by merit but by mercy, not by trying but by trusting. Jesus didn’t go to the cross because of millions of sinners – born and yet unborn – were in need of salvation. He went to the cross because of the sinful heart of man. Even if only one person is sinful, Jesus would have died on his behalf. Yes, that is the affirming fact of the Cross.
Jesus died for you and me. He died so that you and I might live forever in the presence of God whom the Father has forgiven and made whole spiritually by God’s great love and redemptive power. Jesus suffered willingly and went to the cross for our sake, to redeem us from sin and to restore our relationship with God our Father.
Are we worth something on the basis of our talents, gifts or accomplishments? No we are worth something because our worth was purchased with the ultimate price: the blood of Jesus. God believed in your worth to the point of sacrificing his only begotten Son (John 3:16). He sent his son to die for you because he considered you worthy of saving and worthty of living with him for all eternity. You are competent because God makes you competent. He sends his Holy Spirit to help you do anything he calls you to do.
Jesus paid the price for our redemption with his blood. Slavery to sin is to want the wrong things and to be in bondage to destructive desires. The ransom Jesus paid set us free from the worst tyranny possible – the tyranny of sin and the fear of death. Through his resurrection, he defeated the powers of death. Do we want the greatest freedom possible, the freedom to live as God truly meant us to live as his sons and daughters?
When we say the Our Father prayer, this prayer does call God our Father and boldly asks for the things we need to live as his sons and daughters. We can approach God our Father with confidence and boldness because Christ opened the way to heaven for us through his death and resurrection. We are called to submit our lives to God with the same obedience and love which Jesus demonstrated for his father.
Let’s us seek the Lord daily in prayers, read the bible and give thanks for the miracles we have seen in our lives. Thank you Lord for your unconditional love. Continue to fill us with your peace and love. Let us love the Lord our God with all our heart and with all our soul and with all our mind.
Is our worth on earth measured in terms on how much we earn, how many MBAs we have, how successful we are in our careers and how many properties we own? Sometimes we end up chasing after all the material things in our lives that we forget to acknowledge the most important thing – God’s unconditional love for each and every one of us.
In the Lord’s eyes, he considers each of us worthy and valuable. He loves us unconditionally and he delights in having created us. If the Lord sent his only son to die on the cross for our sins, surely we are worthy. If Christ died so that we might live in a heavenly home with God forever, surely we have value. If God created us, redeemed us, and desires to call us his children forever, surely we are of great importance to him.
How much are we worth? We are worth so much that God sent Jesus to die in your place on the cross. God’s perfect gift of salvation comes not by merit but by mercy, not by trying but by trusting. Jesus didn’t go to the cross because of millions of sinners – born and yet unborn – were in need of salvation. He went to the cross because of the sinful heart of man. Even if only one person is sinful, Jesus would have died on his behalf. Yes, that is the affirming fact of the Cross.
Jesus died for you and me. He died so that you and I might live forever in the presence of God whom the Father has forgiven and made whole spiritually by God’s great love and redemptive power. Jesus suffered willingly and went to the cross for our sake, to redeem us from sin and to restore our relationship with God our Father.
Are we worth something on the basis of our talents, gifts or accomplishments? No we are worth something because our worth was purchased with the ultimate price: the blood of Jesus. God believed in your worth to the point of sacrificing his only begotten Son (John 3:16). He sent his son to die for you because he considered you worthy of saving and worthty of living with him for all eternity. You are competent because God makes you competent. He sends his Holy Spirit to help you do anything he calls you to do.
Jesus paid the price for our redemption with his blood. Slavery to sin is to want the wrong things and to be in bondage to destructive desires. The ransom Jesus paid set us free from the worst tyranny possible – the tyranny of sin and the fear of death. Through his resurrection, he defeated the powers of death. Do we want the greatest freedom possible, the freedom to live as God truly meant us to live as his sons and daughters?
When we say the Our Father prayer, this prayer does call God our Father and boldly asks for the things we need to live as his sons and daughters. We can approach God our Father with confidence and boldness because Christ opened the way to heaven for us through his death and resurrection. We are called to submit our lives to God with the same obedience and love which Jesus demonstrated for his father.
Let’s us seek the Lord daily in prayers, read the bible and give thanks for the miracles we have seen in our lives. Thank you Lord for your unconditional love. Continue to fill us with your peace and love. Let us love the Lord our God with all our heart and with all our soul and with all our mind.
Elements of Effective Praying with Appropriate Postures
Elements of Effective Praying with Appropriate Postures
Praying is our means of communication with the Lord. When our prayers are answered, do we give thanks to the Lord? When our prayers are not answered, do we walk away from him? Saying our prayers silently, voicing them out aloud, or writing them on paper, these go directly to the Lord. God loves each and every one of us. He has great plans for us. Sometimes when he closes the door on what we are asking for in prayers, always have faith to believe he has something better in store for us.
What elements constitute effective praying? To pray effectively, we must genuinely praise and adore God. We must also remember to give thanksgiving to God. Sincere confessions of known sins is essential to the prayer offered in faith. God also instructs us to ask according to our needs, as James writes, we do not receive things we want because we do not ask, or we ask with wrong motives. (James 4: 2-3). We must also pray fervently for others. This can be in the form of intercessory prayers.
How ought we pray? Jesus emphasizes the sincerity of our hearts, for we are not heard simply for all our empty words. (Matthew 6:7). We can pray silently or we can pray aloud. We can pray in our own words or using the words of the Scriptures. We can pray with the mind or we can pray with the Spirit (i.e. in tongues, 1 Corinthians 14:14-18). We can even pray by groaning, i.e., not using any human words, knowing that the Spirit will bring those inaudible requests to the Lord. Another prayer is singing to the Lord. (Psalm 92:1-2). The hymns that we sing in church can also be used in our daily lives. Earnest prayer to the Lord will at times be accompanied with fasting.
What postures is appropriate for prayer? We pray while standing, sitting, kneeling. This can be seen by our actions in church Lying on a bed is another posture. (Psalm 63:6 - “On my bed, I remember you; I think of you through the watches of the night”) Bowling down to the ground when one is with the blessed sacrament in the adoration room, lying on the ground as a form of respect and prayer and lifting up hands to heaven as a form of thanksgiving are other forms of postures.
Let us pray with “one heart, one mind, one accord, one voice”. We must seek God for the ‘bigger picture’ Humility is a key. The cross is the key. He died for us so that we can seek eternal salvation in his kingdom. With uncompromised faith and unconditional love and commitment to Jesus to each other, let us grow to be like him.
In order to see the whole counsel of God on a situation that we might be praying about, we will need to regard before the Lord each thought that is submitted and weigh everything up carefully. As we commit ourselves to growing through humility and trust, the voice of Jesus will increase in the world through the Church.
Lord, your love knows no bounds and your mercies are new every day. Give me the confidence and boldness to pray that your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Fill us with the holy desire and faith to pray effectively according to the principles outlined in the Bible. Bless us with wisdom, peace, good health and love.
Praying is our means of communication with the Lord. When our prayers are answered, do we give thanks to the Lord? When our prayers are not answered, do we walk away from him? Saying our prayers silently, voicing them out aloud, or writing them on paper, these go directly to the Lord. God loves each and every one of us. He has great plans for us. Sometimes when he closes the door on what we are asking for in prayers, always have faith to believe he has something better in store for us.
What elements constitute effective praying? To pray effectively, we must genuinely praise and adore God. We must also remember to give thanksgiving to God. Sincere confessions of known sins is essential to the prayer offered in faith. God also instructs us to ask according to our needs, as James writes, we do not receive things we want because we do not ask, or we ask with wrong motives. (James 4: 2-3). We must also pray fervently for others. This can be in the form of intercessory prayers.
How ought we pray? Jesus emphasizes the sincerity of our hearts, for we are not heard simply for all our empty words. (Matthew 6:7). We can pray silently or we can pray aloud. We can pray in our own words or using the words of the Scriptures. We can pray with the mind or we can pray with the Spirit (i.e. in tongues, 1 Corinthians 14:14-18). We can even pray by groaning, i.e., not using any human words, knowing that the Spirit will bring those inaudible requests to the Lord. Another prayer is singing to the Lord. (Psalm 92:1-2). The hymns that we sing in church can also be used in our daily lives. Earnest prayer to the Lord will at times be accompanied with fasting.
What postures is appropriate for prayer? We pray while standing, sitting, kneeling. This can be seen by our actions in church Lying on a bed is another posture. (Psalm 63:6 - “On my bed, I remember you; I think of you through the watches of the night”) Bowling down to the ground when one is with the blessed sacrament in the adoration room, lying on the ground as a form of respect and prayer and lifting up hands to heaven as a form of thanksgiving are other forms of postures.
Let us pray with “one heart, one mind, one accord, one voice”. We must seek God for the ‘bigger picture’ Humility is a key. The cross is the key. He died for us so that we can seek eternal salvation in his kingdom. With uncompromised faith and unconditional love and commitment to Jesus to each other, let us grow to be like him.
In order to see the whole counsel of God on a situation that we might be praying about, we will need to regard before the Lord each thought that is submitted and weigh everything up carefully. As we commit ourselves to growing through humility and trust, the voice of Jesus will increase in the world through the Church.
Lord, your love knows no bounds and your mercies are new every day. Give me the confidence and boldness to pray that your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Fill us with the holy desire and faith to pray effectively according to the principles outlined in the Bible. Bless us with wisdom, peace, good health and love.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)