25 June 2014; 7:13-29
Making decision is difficult, making good decisions is even more difficult.
What then are the facts? God is eternal. The soul of man is eternal and the word of God will last.
What then shall we pursue? Jesus. The world of material wealth and treasure will fade away. The achievement, status will not end our worries and anxieties. Because the more plan we only show how much we depends on our strength to secure our future. But our strength will fade and our security is no promises. true happiness comes from an assurance in Christ.
Jesus said on the sermon on the mount suggest we have to make a decision - the narrow path or the wide road. We like to do what we please and make follow Jesus at our convenient. It is that we like Jesus but we are not like Jesus. Many will reject Jesus and the "demand" of Christ for our lives.
Enjoy the narrow path with Jesus - a discipline life like Christ and in Christ - prayer, reading, worship and devotion and time alone with God.
The result should be the fruit - more like Christ. Jesus should be part of our lives and not when we need Him or when we have need. Our lives should showcase Christ and we speak of Christ from the inside out. A live that speaks about an encounter in Christ.
Storms and bad time expose the truth - in good times and in bad, that reveal a true follow of Christ. Not the amount of works nor the words you preach, but who is Christ in our lives - choose as Jesus does not promise a all good lives if we are to follow Him. But an assured eternal live with Him.
What is this rock - Jesus that we has to build our house upon. Build on money and wealth and the market may clash. Build on status and the applause may stop.
Not only the outward works, but also the inward self.
The sermon on the mount is about what Jesus has done. One one can do righteousness more than the scribes and pharisees. It is a believe in Jesus. A more obedient in Christ and just to be with Jesus day by day.
Wednesday, June 25, 2014
Tuesday, June 24, 2014
24 June 2014; Mat 7:1-13
24 June 2014; Mat 7:1-13
Lord I started with a need to just come close to you. In all I do I want to wait for you.
In my trade, let me pray before I enter. In my work let me present the things I need to do to you first. Jesus be the center of my live. Let me have a heart to heart transformation. Soften my heart and renew it.
Indeed the most important thing is to connect heart to heart with you, with my family and especially my wife and sons. Let me have a close heart walk with you that I may be able to share heart stories with them. Let me show how real Jesus is to me.
Today text is on judgment. It is not against correction - correction with love. It is about condemnation without the intent to correct. do the correction out of love - not out of anger too. It is about the action and not about the character of the person.
Scolding out of love turns into anger and turned into condemnation. What then is then solution?
Ask, and It Will Be Given “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him! (Matthew 7:7-11 ESV)
Prayer. Indeed the more we scold for the "sake" of the person turning from bad to good, god offer prayers. We cannot be on any moral high ground and neither can the person always "appreciate" the scolding or the judgment. Do it in love but more in prayers.
Lord let me be one that really spend time praying and seeking God for my family and for others. Through a genuine heart of love and concern.
Pray. Prayer changes things. Let me be one that pray for all members of the family in and for all things.
Lord I started with a need to just come close to you. In all I do I want to wait for you.
In my trade, let me pray before I enter. In my work let me present the things I need to do to you first. Jesus be the center of my live. Let me have a heart to heart transformation. Soften my heart and renew it.
Indeed the most important thing is to connect heart to heart with you, with my family and especially my wife and sons. Let me have a close heart walk with you that I may be able to share heart stories with them. Let me show how real Jesus is to me.
Today text is on judgment. It is not against correction - correction with love. It is about condemnation without the intent to correct. do the correction out of love - not out of anger too. It is about the action and not about the character of the person.
Scolding out of love turns into anger and turned into condemnation. What then is then solution?
Ask, and It Will Be Given “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him! (Matthew 7:7-11 ESV)
Prayer. Indeed the more we scold for the "sake" of the person turning from bad to good, god offer prayers. We cannot be on any moral high ground and neither can the person always "appreciate" the scolding or the judgment. Do it in love but more in prayers.
Lord let me be one that really spend time praying and seeking God for my family and for others. Through a genuine heart of love and concern.
Pray. Prayer changes things. Let me be one that pray for all members of the family in and for all things.
Monday, June 23, 2014
23 June 2014; Mat 6:25-34
23 June 2014; Mat 6:25-34
A secured person in the Lord has no need for worry or be anxious about the future or the day after.
The future is in the Lord. There is no need to depends on the amount of treasure that is stored by in the barns for the future. There is no need to depend on people to supply the needs. There is no need for the approval of man.
I planned with the intention that the future is on me. I should have give it to the Lord and allow Him to show me a future for the family.
I have been a person that builds my securities and planned in details to increase wealth and for retirement. It should on the other hand - place the plan on the Lord.
I have little argument of this issue, but I do yearn a live that I can cast my plans to the Lord. Yes though now I have no worries or anxieties, but it speaks not well of how I have not walk a live of faith.
My children should see how the life of faith is live out - not on the intelligence, or on the hardworking or on luck or skills, but one that put a trust in the Lord. How then?
I submit my investment plan to you. I put my business plan to you. I put my retirement plan to you. Rach ask how much did I pray - I should pray for each investment made, each steps I take. at the same time, let me hear from the Lord what is the giving plan, not so much of the wealth accumulating plan.
A secured person in the Lord has no need for worry or be anxious about the future or the day after.
The future is in the Lord. There is no need to depends on the amount of treasure that is stored by in the barns for the future. There is no need to depend on people to supply the needs. There is no need for the approval of man.
I planned with the intention that the future is on me. I should have give it to the Lord and allow Him to show me a future for the family.
I have been a person that builds my securities and planned in details to increase wealth and for retirement. It should on the other hand - place the plan on the Lord.
I have little argument of this issue, but I do yearn a live that I can cast my plans to the Lord. Yes though now I have no worries or anxieties, but it speaks not well of how I have not walk a live of faith.
My children should see how the life of faith is live out - not on the intelligence, or on the hardworking or on luck or skills, but one that put a trust in the Lord. How then?
I submit my investment plan to you. I put my business plan to you. I put my retirement plan to you. Rach ask how much did I pray - I should pray for each investment made, each steps I take. at the same time, let me hear from the Lord what is the giving plan, not so much of the wealth accumulating plan.
Saturday, June 21, 2014
21 June 2014; Mat 6:25-34
21 June 2014; Mat 6:25-34
The questions I have yesterday regarding money, the Lord answered through today word.
He will take care of us - look at the lilies, the birds - the Lord take care of them. He will take care of us - money or no money. How much more will he not take care of us.
More money or no money - it will also not add another hour to your life. Again the Lord will take care of us.
So - Seek first the kingdom of God and all things will be given to you.
God first.
More money - let it not be a distraction t you. Because then money become your master.
No money - are you sure I have no money? I have enough, the Lord has provided, except I cannot tell people that I am a millionaire or I have money to splurge. Rach said, be prudent in the way you spent your money so that it reflect God's glory.
I have a God, a family, enough money.
Change my heart and continue to change my heart that I am a giver, a generous spender to bless others.
The questions I have yesterday regarding money, the Lord answered through today word.
He will take care of us - look at the lilies, the birds - the Lord take care of them. He will take care of us - money or no money. How much more will he not take care of us.
More money or no money - it will also not add another hour to your life. Again the Lord will take care of us.
So - Seek first the kingdom of God and all things will be given to you.
God first.
More money - let it not be a distraction t you. Because then money become your master.
No money - are you sure I have no money? I have enough, the Lord has provided, except I cannot tell people that I am a millionaire or I have money to splurge. Rach said, be prudent in the way you spent your money so that it reflect God's glory.
I have a God, a family, enough money.
Change my heart and continue to change my heart that I am a giver, a generous spender to bless others.
Friday, June 20, 2014
20 June 2014; Mat 6:19-24
20 June 2014; Mat 6:19-24
Material wealth and possession is a strong hold. I have enough, but there is a need to put in hard work and to maintain it. It is not that money just come by and you can do the things or ministry that you like and money just flow in. Even getting the passive income needs to work on it. How nice that I can just teach and not need to getting a salary, a bonus.. How nice it is to be able to be challenged and yet know that the risk is contained.
These are just some of my thoughts. Keep money and be stingy is the same as not keeping them and splurging money like a spendthrift.
I know that money and wealth cannot last. They cannot be kept and taken with us when we die. Money cannot make you happy (why not is something I cannot understand).
Jesus has all the riches is the world but gave up everything for us. Why then are we accumulating more of that what Jesus consider as worthless, that He consider more worthful than money.
Because the world compares who has more and who can afford. How nice if you can always eat good meal at high class restaurant (just to have a meal, a normal meal), drive a nice car to church, ... and yet a Christian after God's heart? You don't need to be poor in order to serve God.
Mat 6:24 - Jesus say you cannot serve both. Why?
Will you be able to give up your money for God? Will you give god up for money?
There seem not a balance to strike. Like the story of the rich man who ask Jesus how to enter the kingdom of heaven - sell all that he has away. Or for a million dollars gave God up for 1 day, 1 week or 1 month and behave as if there is no God.
Precisely, it is a contradict.
You cannot serve 2 masters - either you will hate one and love the other or you will be devoted to one and despise the other.
I am not going to argue here. There is no balance to strike. When it comes to God, God first. If I work too much and miss God out - wrong. If I am busy making money and has no time for God - wrong. If I don't give when compel to by His spirit - obvious wrong.
God first. Put God first. Give anything up for a while or totally for God - first.
Material wealth and possession is a strong hold. I have enough, but there is a need to put in hard work and to maintain it. It is not that money just come by and you can do the things or ministry that you like and money just flow in. Even getting the passive income needs to work on it. How nice that I can just teach and not need to getting a salary, a bonus.. How nice it is to be able to be challenged and yet know that the risk is contained.
These are just some of my thoughts. Keep money and be stingy is the same as not keeping them and splurging money like a spendthrift.
I know that money and wealth cannot last. They cannot be kept and taken with us when we die. Money cannot make you happy (why not is something I cannot understand).
Jesus has all the riches is the world but gave up everything for us. Why then are we accumulating more of that what Jesus consider as worthless, that He consider more worthful than money.
Because the world compares who has more and who can afford. How nice if you can always eat good meal at high class restaurant (just to have a meal, a normal meal), drive a nice car to church, ... and yet a Christian after God's heart? You don't need to be poor in order to serve God.
Mat 6:24 - Jesus say you cannot serve both. Why?
Will you be able to give up your money for God? Will you give god up for money?
There seem not a balance to strike. Like the story of the rich man who ask Jesus how to enter the kingdom of heaven - sell all that he has away. Or for a million dollars gave God up for 1 day, 1 week or 1 month and behave as if there is no God.
Precisely, it is a contradict.
You cannot serve 2 masters - either you will hate one and love the other or you will be devoted to one and despise the other.
I am not going to argue here. There is no balance to strike. When it comes to God, God first. If I work too much and miss God out - wrong. If I am busy making money and has no time for God - wrong. If I don't give when compel to by His spirit - obvious wrong.
God first. Put God first. Give anything up for a while or totally for God - first.
Wednesday, June 18, 2014
18 June 2014; Mat 6:24
18 June 2014; Mat 6:24
I did not sleep well last night. Not because of any anxieties or worries - because I am on holiday and it is the first night and I cannot used to the bed.
I brought my 2 boys to buy food, holding Matty hand as we walk. Jo walked beside us. When I picked up a food item to look at the expiry date, my eyes cannot see the label clearly. I realized I have aged. My boys has grown up. It was Jo that I used to hold his hand because of safety sake at a foreign place.
My back ache at time. Lord I am no longer have the strength that I used to have of my youth. Jo helped me to carry the grocery back - saying that Dad don't hurt your back and these I can managed. Jo is now taller than I am. Lord use me. I know that there is a lot of area that I need to surrender so that the potter can mold the cray. Lord, let this mold not be harden and dried up that it is longer good for any shaping.
I know my weakness and I submit my back ache to you. I submit my physical weakness to you. I am encourage once again after hearing Rach sharing from Pastor Edmund sermon - how one can leave by faith and allow the Lord to direct.
This family has enough, more than sufficient. Use me and this family for the extension of your kingdom. Let me encounter with you that I may be able to share the realness of God in the lives of my children - that they may that their God is a living God.
The text today from Mat is from 6:24
“No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money. (Matthew 6:24 ESV)
Who do I choose to serve - the pursuit on my life - the next phase? I pray it will be a devotion to God. Amen.
I did not sleep well last night. Not because of any anxieties or worries - because I am on holiday and it is the first night and I cannot used to the bed.
I brought my 2 boys to buy food, holding Matty hand as we walk. Jo walked beside us. When I picked up a food item to look at the expiry date, my eyes cannot see the label clearly. I realized I have aged. My boys has grown up. It was Jo that I used to hold his hand because of safety sake at a foreign place.
My back ache at time. Lord I am no longer have the strength that I used to have of my youth. Jo helped me to carry the grocery back - saying that Dad don't hurt your back and these I can managed. Jo is now taller than I am. Lord use me. I know that there is a lot of area that I need to surrender so that the potter can mold the cray. Lord, let this mold not be harden and dried up that it is longer good for any shaping.
I know my weakness and I submit my back ache to you. I submit my physical weakness to you. I am encourage once again after hearing Rach sharing from Pastor Edmund sermon - how one can leave by faith and allow the Lord to direct.
This family has enough, more than sufficient. Use me and this family for the extension of your kingdom. Let me encounter with you that I may be able to share the realness of God in the lives of my children - that they may that their God is a living God.
The text today from Mat is from 6:24
“No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money. (Matthew 6:24 ESV)
Who do I choose to serve - the pursuit on my life - the next phase? I pray it will be a devotion to God. Amen.
Monday, June 16, 2014
16 Jun 2014; Mat 6:1-18
16 Jun 2014; Mat 6:1-18
Are we giving enough, praying enough and fasting enough? But are these the marks of a Christian? If yes, how should these acts be taken?
Clearly, Jesus said - give so that your left hand do not know your right hand is doing. Pray in your closet and fast and not make yourself glum. In order that know one know.
The acts are not for others to see and doing more so that others will know - what a god Christian you are. Or even in your own reflection - you can pat yourself to say how well you have done as a Christian.
In simple terms - do it for one - our Father in heaven. Do what it pleases Him. Do them not for the many and others to see and know - for then you will have your reward.
Give without fanfare. Pray without flourish and Fast without frowning.
On the contrary, we are to give to pray and to fast. so how can we strike a balance?
The motivation is to do and still to do but knowing that we are doing for the glory and so that the glory of God can be made known. Do not stop doing because that will not glorify God. But do not do in a manner that man glorify you (saying that you are such a good Christian).
Do for the One so that God can be glorify - for Him and with Him in the intent.
If you are already giving, praying and fasting, continue to do so.
Have I then been doing - like giving and giving generously without first the intent of glorifying God, then giving without others knowing that it is for the glory of God?
Praying is easier. It is like talking to God - and to do so in private. But how often?
Fasting is not just to go without food. But for a purpose - a prayer request or a time with God.
Among the 3, giving is the hardest for me. Why? Is it I have not enough? I felt that the giving must be of value and of purpose. You don't splurge on yourself, but when the money is given other who receive will just splurge. The recent news about a Malaysian woman who was given through donation a million Singapore dollars for the death of her husband. She splurge and finish the money in a year. Imagine the feelings of those who give her our of love, and maybe for the intent that God's name can be glorify.
I guess it is then by prayer and fasting - that let God speak and I listen and direct where and what to give.
Are we giving enough, praying enough and fasting enough? But are these the marks of a Christian? If yes, how should these acts be taken?
Clearly, Jesus said - give so that your left hand do not know your right hand is doing. Pray in your closet and fast and not make yourself glum. In order that know one know.
The acts are not for others to see and doing more so that others will know - what a god Christian you are. Or even in your own reflection - you can pat yourself to say how well you have done as a Christian.
In simple terms - do it for one - our Father in heaven. Do what it pleases Him. Do them not for the many and others to see and know - for then you will have your reward.
Give without fanfare. Pray without flourish and Fast without frowning.
On the contrary, we are to give to pray and to fast. so how can we strike a balance?
The motivation is to do and still to do but knowing that we are doing for the glory and so that the glory of God can be made known. Do not stop doing because that will not glorify God. But do not do in a manner that man glorify you (saying that you are such a good Christian).
Do for the One so that God can be glorify - for Him and with Him in the intent.
If you are already giving, praying and fasting, continue to do so.
Have I then been doing - like giving and giving generously without first the intent of glorifying God, then giving without others knowing that it is for the glory of God?
Praying is easier. It is like talking to God - and to do so in private. But how often?
Fasting is not just to go without food. But for a purpose - a prayer request or a time with God.
Among the 3, giving is the hardest for me. Why? Is it I have not enough? I felt that the giving must be of value and of purpose. You don't splurge on yourself, but when the money is given other who receive will just splurge. The recent news about a Malaysian woman who was given through donation a million Singapore dollars for the death of her husband. She splurge and finish the money in a year. Imagine the feelings of those who give her our of love, and maybe for the intent that God's name can be glorify.
I guess it is then by prayer and fasting - that let God speak and I listen and direct where and what to give.
Monday, June 09, 2014
9 Jun 2014
9 Jun 2014
It has been a week since I have not blog. I have been busy - busy with ... trying to setup some business. For what? backside itchy? Trying to create something so that ...
Not that I question the why but what I have yet began has kept me busy and has made me lost focus on my God. What will happen next if I am caught in a good money and wealth making business - I lose God more.
The center is God. Rach shared this morning from Zach -not by might nor by strength but by my spirit. First it is about having God. Having God who called you to the business or the project. The people began the calling and started God's project but after years, the resources ran out and they wonder if the walls was going to be built. God answered that it will and the word came as an encouragement.
I also remembered Dr Benny Pursad testimony - if it is a calling from God, do it and just have to see how God fulfil it and give glory to God.
I must therefore seek Him and allow Him in the plan he has for me. Not to include Him in the plan, but ask Him what the plan He has for me.
It has been a week since I have not blog. I have been busy - busy with ... trying to setup some business. For what? backside itchy? Trying to create something so that ...
Not that I question the why but what I have yet began has kept me busy and has made me lost focus on my God. What will happen next if I am caught in a good money and wealth making business - I lose God more.
The center is God. Rach shared this morning from Zach -not by might nor by strength but by my spirit. First it is about having God. Having God who called you to the business or the project. The people began the calling and started God's project but after years, the resources ran out and they wonder if the walls was going to be built. God answered that it will and the word came as an encouragement.
I also remembered Dr Benny Pursad testimony - if it is a calling from God, do it and just have to see how God fulfil it and give glory to God.
I must therefore seek Him and allow Him in the plan he has for me. Not to include Him in the plan, but ask Him what the plan He has for me.
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