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)
Monday, August 4, 2008
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.
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