Sowing and Reaping

Psalm 126

A song of ascents.
1 When the LORD brought back the captives to [a] Zion,
we were like men who dreamed. [b]
2 Our mouths were filled with laughter,
our tongues with songs of joy.
Then it was said among the nations,
"The LORD has done great things for them."

3 The LORD has done great things for us,
and we are filled with joy.

4 Restore our fortunes, [c] O LORD,
like streams in the Negev.

5 Those who sow in tears
will reap with songs of joy.

6 He who goes out weeping,
carrying seed to sow,
will return with songs of joy,
carrying sheaves with him.

Bee's Thoughts:

"No pain, no gain and God helps those who help themselves," as the saying goes. Yes, God is always fair, even if we don't see it at first.

In every aspect of life, be it our career or relationship, we need to not just 'sow' the 'seeds' but also to 'water' them and let God provide the 'sunshine' for growth. If we don't put in effort or labour hard, and pray for God's grace, what we do may just be futile pursuits. For "Unless the LORD builds the house, its builders labor in vain." (Psalm 127:1).

Yes, the above song of praises came as a result of the labourers.

Dear Lord,
Thank You for reminding me that I need to take time to labour with You in order to see fruits in what I do. I pray that I will always remember to entrust my work and relationship into Your hand and also to work at them. I need to partner with You in these aspects of my life. Forgive me for tiems I thought I could do things by myself. Now I surrender them to You. Take them and make them Yours.
In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

From Awe To Adoration

Revelation 1:10-18

17When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: "Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. 18I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.

Bee's Thoughts:

"Then he placed His right hand on me" (v17)

This phrase brings very warm feeling into my heart and I just feel like crying. It's like a child missing her father, and when her father places his hand on her she clings onto him and hugs him tightly.

I missed my late father and my Heavenly Father too. I can't talk to my late father anymore till I see him again in heaven, but I can stil talk to my Heavenly Father now though I can't see Him. I should talk to Him, and tell Him all that are in my heart.

This Father of mine is the Almighty God in whom I can trust and share all my fears and joy. I missed Him because I have not spent enough time talking to Him... I only gave him my residual time every night. It shouldn't be if I love my Heavenly Father. I need to change.


Dear Heavenly Father,
Thank You for showing me Your glory again through tonight's devotion. Thank You for speaking to me right now and telling me I need to spend more quality time with You. Thank You that I can come to You boldly any time because of the blood of Jesus. Thank You that my life is in Your hand and You know every thought in my mind, every feeling in my heart and every word I like to say. Praise You Lord!

Right now I want to pray for my dearest friend who is away for working trip. I pray You will protect him from all harm. May You give him wisdom at work and be a shining light for You wherever he is. Give him your love and peace. Keep him healthy and protect him from all illnesses. Grant him a peaceful rest tonight and bring him safely home again tomorrow.
I pray all these in Jesus'most precious name. Amen.

Good Out Of Evil

Romans 8:18-28

Future Glory
18I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. 19The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed. 20For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope 21that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God.

22We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. 23Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. 24For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? 25But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.

26In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. 27And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will.

More Than Conquerors
28And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

Bee's Thoughts:

The passage today is very comforting. Sometimes we become very impatient when waiting for the things we hope to happen. We give up easily when we wait 'too long'.

I remember when I first accepted Christ, I was told that Jesus is coming again. I was full of hope. But year after year, I didn't see Him coming... I started to wonder. But thank God that His word never return to Him void. Whatever He promised will happen, just that His time is different from our time.

"But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently." (v25).

Patience is what we need, No wonder the Bible says love is patient. We we truly love someone, we cant wait.

Even when all things look bad, we still can have the asurance that:

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." (v28)


Dear Lord,
Thank You for comforting me with Your words. May my hope in You never fail for You don't.
Amen.

What Now?

2 Chronicles 20:5-17

14 Then the Spirit of the LORD came upon Jahaziel son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, a Levite and descendant of Asaph, as he stood in the assembly.

15 He said: "Listen, King Jehoshaphat and all who live in Judah and Jerusalem! This is what the LORD says to you: 'Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God's. 16 Tomorrow march down against them. They will be climbing up by the Pass of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the gorge in the Desert of Jeruel. 17 You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the LORD will give you, O Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the LORD will be with you.' "

Bee's Thoughts:

Sometimes, I tend to take things into my own hands and fight the 'battle' in my own ways. I may forget to pray and commit things to God. When that happens the 'army' becomes too big for me to handle. Fears and axieties may creep in.

Tonight's devotion is a good reminder that when I leave my cares to God, He will help me win. For He will be with me to see me through.

Dear Lord,
Forgive me for times when I forget to commit my ways to You. Now I like to commit my life and all my concerns to You. I pray that You will give me wisdom in dealing with some of my dilemmas and trust that You will work all things for good to those who love You and are called according to Your purpose. Give me Your peace to move on without fear.
In Jesus' nameI pray. Amen.

Our First Anniversary

I can't believe it! We have crossed our First Anniversary at this devotional blog together! :)

Looking back, I must thank God for helping us to stay consistent in reading the Bible nightly, no matter how busy or tired we have been. It's by God's grace that we could have done that. Praise God!

For me, these devotional times are life to my spirit and water to soul, always bringing me back to sanity whenever my mind is crowded with stressful events or thoughts.

Sometimes I felt like taking a certain course of actions, but God would use His words to tell me not to do them.

Sometimes, I felt down or discaouraged, God's words would encourage me again and helped me moved on. As Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 says:

9 Two are better than one,
because they have a good return for their work:

10 If one falls down,
his friend can help him up.
But pity the man who falls
and has no one to help him up!

Thanks, Tommy, for keeping me company here. Two are better than one. ;)

Losing To Gain

2 Corinthians 9:6-15

Sowing Generously

6Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. 7Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. 9As it is written: "He has scattered abroad his gifts to the poor; his righteousness endures forever." 10Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. 11You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.

Bee's Thoughts:

Jesus teaches us to measure our lives by losses rather than gains, by sacrifices rather than self-preservation, by time spent for others rather than time lavished upon ourselves, by love poured out rather than love poured in.

It's a rule of life: God blesses those who give of their lives and resources (2 Cor. 9:6). Give out the truth you know, and He'll give you more to give away. Give your time, and you'll have more time to give. Set no limit on your love, and you'll have more love for others than before.

- Today's Daily Bread

Many times when we give a lot but don't get in return, we will feel being short-changed. We feel that life is very unfair to us. We question why we are always the givers and others the takers.I have been struggling with this seemingly unfairness of life since young.

Even as an adult it seems I give so much more than I get from others. Sometimes I tell myself to stop giving, yet I can't stop. Perhaps because I didn't have many things in life as a child, and everything I have now as an adult I worked very hard for them (with God's help), and I have the urge to give to others. I don't want them to suffer like I did.

I also have the tendency to give advices out of a good intention, sometimes to the annoyance of certain recipients. To me, I care and that's why I give. But to the recipients I am telling them what to do or trying to run their life. It hurts me to know that my kindness is not appreciated and instead being misunderstood, especially from someone dear. :'(

However, I still must give. Perhaps I need to learn to be wise as to who I should give and who I shouldn't. Even Jesus advised His disciples in Matthew 7:6:

"Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do,
they may trample them under their feet, and then turn and tear you topieces."I
need God's wisdom to know who will regards my giving as unkindness and will
treat it otherwise.


THE SERENITY PRAYER
God, grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change,
courage to change the things I can,
and the wisdom to know the difference.

Living one day at a time,
enjoying one moment at a time,
accepting hardship as the pathway to peace;
taking, as He did, this sinful world as it is,
not as I would have it;

trusting that He will make all things right
if I surrender to His will;
that I may be reasonably happy in this life,
and supremely happy with Him forever
in the next.

Amen

Forgetting the Past

Philippians 3:7-16

13Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

Be An Example

1 Timothy 4:12-16

12Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity. 13Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching. 14Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through a prophetic message when the body of elders laid their hands on you.

15Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress. 16Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.

Bee's Thoughts:

We are to "set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity" (v12).

"in speech": be edifying in our words
- "Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone." Colossians 4:6, NIV.
- "He who guards his lips guards his life, but he who speaks rashly will come to ruin." Proverbs 13:3, NIV.
- "May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in Your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer." Psalm 19:14, NIV.

"in life": follow Christ's example
- "And He saith unto them, Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men." Matthew 4:19

"in love": loving God first of all, followed by loving others in the biblical way
- "4Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

8Love never fails." 1 Cor 13:4-8

"in faith": trusting in God and not our own ability
- "The just shall live by faith." Romans 1:17 AV
- "For we walk by faith, not by sight" 2 Cor 5:7

"in purity": not following the world's viewpoint even if it means weare old fashion
- "keep yourself pure." 1 Timothy 5:22

The following song is a prayer we may use:

Purity, Holiness

Lord, I give my eyes to You,
Guard my sight and all I do.
Help me to honor You each day,
In all my thoughts and what I say.

Refrain
Purity, Holiness,
Seal me Lord—in righteousness.
Not by what I say and do,
But through the grace that comes from You.

Give me desire for Your word,
May only building words be heard,
Through my life be glorified,
Jesus Christ, for me You died.
Repeat refrain

Get thee behind me Satan’s lie,
I’ll do Your will Lord, come draw nigh.
Help me avoid the tempter’s snare,
Dwell in Your loving arms of care.
Repeat refrain

Temporary

1 Peter 1:3-9

Praise to God for a Living Hope
3Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade—kept in heaven for you, 5who through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. 6In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. 7These have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. 8Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, 9for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

Bee's Thoughts:


Bee's Thoughts:

People always say "seeing is believing". However, believing in what one can see is no longer called faith. Faith is believing in what he/she has not seen.

Romans 10:17 says, "17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." The faith that Christians have in God is not a blind faith. It follows the law of consistency about God. When we read the Bible, we will begin to see the character of God and thereby our faith starts to grow even though we have not seen Him. It's the same as when we say we have faith that someone can do well or he/she will not betray us. We have such faith because we have come to personally know this person by way of communication and have seen the person's consistency in good performance.

Therefore, even when we are suffering we can still havehope and faith in God. For we know that our suffering will not last, only tough Christians do.

Dear Lord,
Thank You for reminding us to have faith in You inspite of sufferings. For such sufferings are only temporal and they are here to test our endurance. May my faith continue to grow each day.
In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Done!

John 19:25-30

25Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. 26When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, "Dear woman, here is your son," 27and to the disciple, "Here is your mother." From that time on, this disciple took her into his home.

The Death of Jesus
28Later, knowing that all was now completed, and so that the Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, "I am thirsty." 29A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus' lips. 30When he had received the drink, Jesus said, "It is finished." With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

Bee's Thoughts:

Dear Lord Jesus,
You have finished the work Your Father has sent You to do, even though it's hard and painful. Thank You!
What is it that You want me to do? When can I also say, "It is finished!"?
I pray that You will show me Your will and let me finish doing it while I am here on earth. I pray that miracles will happen that others will know that You are great. May Your name be glorified.
In Your most wonderful name I pray. Amen,

Adjust Your Conscience

Acts 24:10-16

10When the governor motioned for him to speak, Paul replied: "I know that for a number of years you have been a judge over this nation; so I gladly make my defense. 11You can easily verify that no more than twelve days ago I went up to Jerusalem to worship. 12My accusers did not find me arguing with anyone at the temple, or stirring up a crowd in the synagogues or anywhere else in the city. 13And they cannot prove to you the charges they are now making against me. 14However, I admit that I worship the God of our fathers as a follower of the Way, which they call a sect. I believe everything that agrees with the Law and that is written in the Prophets, 15and I have the same hope in God as these men, that there will be a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked. 16So I strive always to keep my conscience clear before God and man.

Bee's Thoughts:

All of us have a conscience, but after the fall of man our conscience has been tarnished. The only way for our conscence to work in the way it should be is by asking the blood of Christ to cleanse it. Hebrews 9:14 says,

14How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death,[a] so that we may serve the living God!

I found an article very helpful in learning to keep our conscience clear. It says,

1. If your conscience warns you that to do a certain thing is wrong, DON'T DO IT.
2. If you have already done something wrong, CONFESS IT at once and claim the cleansing blood of Christ.

Dear Lord,
Forgive me right now for the sins I have committed and the sins I may not know about. I pray that the blood of Christ will cleanse me from my sins and make my conscience clear. Help me to be obedient to Your Spirit prompting in my conscience, that I may do what is right in Your sight.
In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Peace In The Storm

Isaiah 26:1-4

A Song of Praise
1 In that day this song will be sung in the land of Judah:
We have a strong city;
God makes salvation
its walls and ramparts.

2 Open the gates
that the righteous nation may enter,
the nation that keeps faith.

3 You will keep in perfect peace
him whose mind is steadfast,
because he trusts in you.

4 Trust in the LORD forever,
for the LORD, the LORD, is the Rock eternal.

Bee's Thoughts:

Our mind determines many things. It determines our mood. When a person's mind is unstable, he/she is said to be of unsound mind and can do many things that are not normal.

In the above passage, we see that to have a peaceful mind, one needs to to be "steadfast" or firm in trusting God. In spite of our circumstances, we need to just trust God, and that's where His peace will reside in our hearts.

Dear Lord,
I pray that my mind will always be set on You, so that I can experience Your peace in all circumstances.
In Jesus' name I pray.

Gratitude

Romans 16:1-16

1I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a servant[a] of the church in Cenchrea. 2I ask you to receive her in the Lord in a way worthy of the saints and to give her any help she may need from you, for she has been a great help to many people, including me.

16Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the churches of Christ send greetings.

Bee's Thoughts:

I found some interesting explanations on "holy kiss" in wikipedia and in Bible Truth Outline #9. Whatever that meant to be, it conveys the message that Christians are to love one another in purity of heart. They are to show gratitude to those who have blessed or helped them in one way or another.

All the more we need to show our gratitude to the Lord for what He had done for us and still do.

Dear Lord,
Thank You for all You have done for me. Thank You for the people You placed in my life too. May You bless those who have shown kindness to me, Your child, and let me not take their kindness for granted.
In Jesus' name I give thanks. Amen.

God Put You In My Way

Luke 10:30-37

30In reply Jesus said: "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. 31A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. 32So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. 34He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him. 35The next day he took out two silver coins[a] and gave them to the innkeeper. 'Look after him,' he said, 'and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.'

36"Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?"

37The expert in the law replied, "The one who had mercy on him."
Jesus told him, "Go and do likewise."

Bee's Thoughts:

I like the title of tonight's devotion, "God Put You In My Way". God has put so many people in my way since I made my first cry in the world. Just like what I wrote in my poem, "Memories":

I remember the people I met
Those who made me sad and those who made me glad
How should I feel or what shall I say
They have all played a part
In making what I am today

- Bee (13 November 2003)

Some people have sweetened my life
Some people have made me cry
Some do both till the day I die

God has put you in my way
Be it temporal or here to stay
You are still my neighbour today

- Bee


Dear Lord,
Thank You for those You have put in my way. You have Your reasons for them to cross my paths. Be it to teach me or them something, I pray I can bless them with Your love. Though I may not fully know Your purpose of letting us meet, I pray that I will be a good neighbour to them. Thank You once again.
In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Tapping The Treasure

Psalm 119:14-24

14 I rejoice in following your statutes
as one rejoices in great riches.

15 I meditate on your precepts
and consider your ways.

16 I delight in your decrees;
I will not neglect your word.

g Gimel
17 Do good to your servant, and I will live;
I will obey your word.

18 Open my eyes that I may see
wonderful things in your law.

19 I am a stranger on earth;
do not hide your commands from me.

20 My soul is consumed with longing
for your laws at all times.

21 You rebuke the arrogant, who are cursed
and who stray from your commands.

22 Remove from me scorn and contempt,
for I keep your statutes.

23 Though rulers sit together and slander me,
your servant will meditate on your decrees.

24 Your statutes are my delight;
they are my counselors.

Bee's Thoughts:

King David is called the man after God's own heart. We can see from the above passage how he is so passionate about God's word. The the strong words used in describing how he felt about God's word.

rejoices (v14)
meditate (v15)
consider (v15)
delight (v16)
longing (v20)

To King David, God's word is like treasure which we can only see when God open our spiritual eyes to see.


Dear Lord,
May I have the same hunger and thirst for Your wordlike King David had. Open my eyesto see the wondrous things in Your word.
In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

The Empathy Factor

Hebrews 4:14-16

Jesus the Great High Priest
14Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens,[a] Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. 15For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin. 16Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

Bee's Thoughts:

It is so comforting to know that the God we Christians believe in is one who can "sympathize" with our weaknesses. He knows all our needs, wants, desires, aspirations, hopes and dreams. Some are good for us but some aren't. He could empathize with us fully because He had been a man before, just like us. Yet, He did not sin though He was "tempted in every way".

Therefore, we are able to come to Him with confidence as we know His grace is sufficient for us. He understands us and is gracious to us when we call on Him for help in our times of weaknesses.

There were many times when unpleasant things happened to me and I asked God why. I would hear a small still voice in my heart telling me that He allows me to go through them for a purpose. That I may be able to empathize with someone else who might be going through the same experience.


Dear Lord,
Thank You for Your grace and mercy towards me. Thank You for understanding all my needs. Thank You for forgiving me when I go astray. Thank You for teaching me to emphatize with others through the things I been through with Your grace. Help me be an overcomer that I may help others too.
In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Drink Up!

John 4:7-14

7When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, "Will you give me a drink?" 8(His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.)

9The Samaritan woman said to him, "You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?" (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.[a])

10Jesus answered her, "If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water."

11"Sir," the woman said, "you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can you get this living water? 12Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did also his sons and his flocks and herds?"

13Jesus answered, "Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, 14but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life."

Bee's Thoughts:

Dear Lord,

I am 'thirsty' tonight. I ask for the living water which You promised to give to those who ask of You (v10). Let me 'drink' so that will not 'thirst' again.

Come, Holy Spirit, fill my heart tonight. Come and fill my being that I may be 'drunk' with my Lord's love and never 'thirst' again for anything else. That I may have the power to do Your will. That Your stream of living water will flow from my life and bless those around.

Come, Lord Jesus, fill my heart with Your love and care. That whatever I do will bring honour to Your name. Let me not be a stumbling block to anyone, especially the one closest to me.

Come, my gracious Father, put Your arms around me. I need Your strong arms to carry me through when I am weak and helpless. Let me see just a pair of footprints and not two. Let me know that You are still here with me when others forsake me.

Thank You Lord, for hearing my prayers in Jesus' name. Amen.

Hypocrites

Matthew 23:1-12

Seven Woes
1Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples: 2"The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat. 3So you must obey them and do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach. 4They tie up heavy loads and put them on men's shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them.

5"Everything they do is done for men to see: They make their phylacteries[a] wide and the tassels on their garments long; 6they love the place of honor at banquets and the most important seats in the synagogues; 7they love to be greeted in the marketplaces and to have men call them 'Rabbi.'

8"But you are not to be called 'Rabbi,' for you have only one Master and you are all brothers. 9And do not call anyone on earth 'father,' for you have one Father, and he is in heaven. 10Nor are you to be called 'teacher,' for you have one Teacher, the Christ.[b] 11The greatest among you will be your servant. 12For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

Bee's Thoughts:

It is sad to know that many non-Christians have been stumbled because they have seen many hyocrites in the Church. It is not surprising as there are many church goers who go to church on Sunday but are not born-again in their hearts yet.. they may profess to be Christians just beacuse they go to church. This is nothing new as Jesus had warned us about these group of people in His parable of the weats and weeds Matthew 13: 24-30, 36-43.

24Jesus told them another parable: "The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. 25But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. 26When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared.

The sadder thing is to see politics creeping into the Church as some Christians would try to gain power and fame for themselves in the Church. We have seen so many Christian leaders falling away because of this. "For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted." (v12).

Dear Lord,
Thank You for the reminding that me to becareful not to let pride creep into my heart. I pray that I will do what I 'preach' and just say or promise something without doing. I pray I will not be like the hypocrites mentioned in the passage above. Let my "yes" be yes and "no" be no. I pray You will help me grow to be more like You each day.
In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

The Universe Is God's

Psalm 104:31-35

31 May the glory of the LORD endure forever;
may the LORD rejoice in his works-

32 he who looks at the earth, and it trembles,
who touches the mountains, and they smoke.

33 I will sing to the LORD all my life;
I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.

34 May my meditation be pleasing to him,
as I rejoice in the LORD.

35 But may sinners vanish from the earth
and the wicked be no more.
Praise the LORD, O my soul.
Praise the LORD.

Bee's Thoughts:

It's been a long time since I went to the beach or park, hill or mountain. I always feel great, relaxed, and peaceful amongst nature. God's creation always brings me a sense of awe and security. For I know an almighty God is watching over me.

The buzyness of life has robbed me of my time in enjoying God's nature. I need to learn the art of doing nothing and relaxing. I need to hear the chirping of birds, the rustling of the leaves, and roaring of the sea.


Dear Lord,
You are so wonderful and marvelous in the world You have created. They are created for Your pleasure. You are worthly, oh Lord! When I look at Your nature, I just feel Your presence and Your wonder. Let me find time to go and enjoy Your creation again. That I may feel You close and hear Your voice.
In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Promised Strength

Isaiah 40:28-31

28 Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
The LORD is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
and his understanding no one can fathom.

29 He gives strength to the weary
and increases the power of the weak.

30 Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men stumble and fall;

31 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.

Bee's Thoughts:

At my working place there are politics at management level. Sometimes, I feel weary having to be one of the 'pieces' in their 'chess game'. Even my immediate boss, a 'fighter', feels so weary that he might quit the 'game'.

At times, I wonder what God wants me to learn or do at my working place. But I can see how He places me in situations where I could share the gospel with people at my work place. His understanding is beyond my comprehension.

It's so sweet to trust in a God who does not grow weary (v28). Not only that, He gives me strength and help me persevere when I feel weary (v29). The secret lies in "those who hope in the Lord" (31).


Dear Lord,
Thank You for Your promised strength. Thank You for knowing You who do not sleep nor grow weary. Thank You for giving me the opportunities to share Your love with people around me. May these people accceptYou as their Saviour too.
In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Pride

Daniel 4:28-37

The Dream Is Fulfilled
28 All this happened to King Nebuchadnezzar. 29 Twelve months later, as the king was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon, 30 he said, "Is not this the great Babylon I have built as the royal residence, by my mighty power and for the glory of my majesty?"

31 The words were still on his lips when a voice came from heaven, "This is what is decreed for you, King Nebuchadnezzar: Your royal authority has been taken from you. 32 You will be driven away from people and will live with the wild animals; you will eat grass like cattle. Seven times will pass by for you until you acknowledge that the Most High is sovereign over the kingdoms of men and gives them to anyone he wishes."

33 Immediately what had been said about Nebuchadnezzar was fulfilled. He was driven away from people and ate grass like cattle. His body was drenched with the dew of heaven until his hair grew like the feathers of an eagle and his nails like the claws of a bird.

34 At the end of that time, I, Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes toward heaven, and my sanity was restored. Then I praised the Most High; I honored and glorified him who lives forever.
His dominion is an eternal dominion;
his kingdom endures from generation to generation.

35 All the peoples of the earth
are regarded as nothing.
He does as he pleases
with the powers of heaven
and the peoples of the earth.
No one can hold back his hand
or say to him: "What have you done?"

36 At the same time that my sanity was restored, my honor and splendor were returned to me for the glory of my kingdom. My advisers and nobles sought me out, and I was restored to my throne and became even greater than before. 37 Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and exalt and glorify the King of heaven, because everything he does is right and all his ways are just. And those who walk in pride he is able to humble.

Bee's Thoughts:

Pride comes before a fall. This is true in the Old Teastament as well in today's modern world.

Sometimes we think we can do many things by ourselves without God's help. We try all means and ways to achieve our aims without prayers. When we failed, we just wonder why. But now we know it's because of our pride that we didn't acknowledge God or let God be our chief planner.


Dear Lord,
Thank You for reminding me that I have to be humble and let You lead me in all my plans - big or small. I want to submit all my thoughts and feelings into Your hands too. Let me feel and think the way You do. May Your will be done in my life. Help me to do the right thing.
In Jesus' name I humbly pray. Amen.

Suffering: How Do We Respond?

Job 16:6-17

6 "Yet if I speak, my pain is not relieved;
and if I refrain, it does not go away.

7 Surely, O God, you have worn me out;
you have devastated my entire household.

16 My face is red with weeping,
deep shadows ring my eyes;

17 yet my hands have been free of violence
and my prayer is pure.

Bee's Thoughts:

The cry of Job had been mine too in the past. In my darkest moments, I too questioned God, "why me"? I felt life had not been fair to me... or rather why did God allow me to go through those sufferings? Somehow, I would hear the small still voice telling me that God had a purpose for me in my life. I didnt leave God. I found strength to move on.

I realized that in sufferings, God would mould our character and test our faith in Him. No pain no gain, as the saying goes.


Dear Lord,
Thank You for seeing me through all my sufferings. Thank You for giving me meaning in the things I went through. At times when I felt there is no meaning in livng, You gave me the reason to live. May my life continues to count and makes a difference to someone's life. Let me be a chaneel of blessing to someone today.
In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Spiritual Understanding

Nehemiah 8:5-11

5 Ezra opened the book. All the people could see him because he was standing above them; and as he opened it, the people all stood up. 6 Ezra praised the LORD, the great God; and all the people lifted their hands and responded, "Amen! Amen!" Then they bowed down and worshiped the LORD with their faces to the ground.

7 The Levites—Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan and Pelaiah—instructed the people in the Law while the people were standing there. 8 They read from the Book of the Law of God, making it clear [a] and giving the meaning so that the people could understand what was being read.

Bee's Thoughts:

It seems like a"Praise & Worship" session in today's Church service above. Very similar isn't it? Ezra led the people to praise and worship God, followed by expounding the word of God.

It is important that Christians don't just read or hear the word of God but also to seek to understand what the Bible is trying to teach. Only in this way can they be strong and will not fall away or be misled by wrong doctrines.

Dear Lord,
Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. Whenever I feel lost I have to come to Your word to see Your light. Let my heart be a soft ground where Your word will bear fruits in my life. I commit myself to You tonight.
In Jesus' precious name I pray. Amen.

When People Pray

Acts 4:23-31

The Believers' Prayer
23On their release, Peter and John went back to their own people and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said to them. 24When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God. "Sovereign Lord," they said, "you made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and everything in them. 25You spoke by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of your servant, our father David:
" 'Why do the nations rage
and the peoples plot in vain?
26The kings of the earth take their stand
and the rulers gather together
against the Lord
and against his Anointed One.[a]'[b] 27Indeed Herod and Pontius Pilate met together with the Gentiles and the people[c] of Israel in this city to conspire against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed. 28They did what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen. 29Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. 30Stretch out your hand to heal and perform miraculous signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus."

31After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.

Bee's Thoughts:

The power of prayers can be seen today as much as in the time of the Apostles. When believers prayed fervently in faith, things happened. When believers are filled with the Holy Spirit they become bold to share the gospel.

There were many times I experienced God's answers to my prayers almost instantly when I prayed earnestly and in faith. But in most cases, God's answers may not come so fast. When the answers come, they may be "yes", "no" or "wait". In times of waiting, faith, hope, love and obedience are what I need to see me though these periods of silence.

1 Thessalonians 5:17 says we are to "pray without ceasing".


Dear Lord,
Thank You for always answering my prayers, be they come instantly or after a long wait, be they "yes", "no" or "wait". Thank You that I am serving a living God whom I can communicate with any moment of my life.
Teach me to continue to pray in every situation and not to lean on my own understandings.
I pray that You grant me wisdom at work, in church and in speaking to people close to me. May I always speak with grace.
In Jesus' anme I pray, Amen.

Our Sacrifices

Leviticus 23:37-43

37 (" 'These are the LORD's appointed feasts, which you are to proclaim as sacred assemblies for bringing offerings made to the LORD by fire—the burnt offerings and grain offerings, sacrifices and drink offerings required for each day. 38 These offerings are in addition to those for the LORD's Sabbaths and [a] in addition to your gifts and whatever you have vowed and all the freewill offerings you give to the LORD.)

39 " 'So beginning with the fifteenth day of the seventh month, after you have gathered the crops of the land, celebrate the festival to the LORD for seven days; the first day is a day of rest, and the eighth day also is a day of rest. 40 On the first day you are to take choice fruit from the trees, and palm fronds, leafy branches and poplars, and rejoice before the LORD your God for seven days. 41 Celebrate this as a festival to the LORD for seven days each year. This is to be a lasting ordinance for the generations to come; celebrate it in the seventh month. 42 Live in booths for seven days: All native-born Israelites are to live in booths 43 so your descendants will know that I had the Israelites live in booths when I brought them out of Egypt. I am the LORD your God.' "

Bee's Thoughts:

In the Old Testament, God required the Israelites to bring forth sacrifices of every sort. In the New Testament, God requires Christians to bring forth Living Sacrifices instead.

"1Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual[a] act of worship. 2Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will."
(Romans 12:1)

Someone wrote that to be a "Living Sacrifice" is "Dying to Self". The sacrifices that God wants from us are....

"The sacrifices of God are [a] a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise."
(Psalm 51:17)


Dear Lord,
Let my heart not be hardened to Your words but let it be soft and opened to You. Let my heart be willing to do what You want me to do. Let my body be a living sacrifice for You that is holy and acceptable. Let me be like a young child that is pure and innocent in the things that are not right in Your sight.
In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

My True and Only Security

Deuteronomy 33:26-29

26 "There is no one like the God of Jeshurun,
who rides on the heavens to help you
and on the clouds in his majesty.

27 The eternal God is your refuge,
and underneath are the everlasting arms.
He will drive out your enemy before you,
saying, 'Destroy him!'

28 So Israel will live in safety alone;
Jacob's spring is secure
in a land of grain and new wine,
where the heavens drop dew.

29 Blessed are you, O Israel!
Who is like you,
a people saved by the LORD ?
He is your shield and helper
and your glorious sword.
Your enemies will cower before you,
and you will trample down their high places.

Bee's Thoughts:

In our cell group tonight we learned about renewing our mind by putting on the mind of Christ. What does the mind of Christ look like? A mind of humility, sacrifice, purity, love, faith, obedience, and so on.

When we have the mind of Christ we can have faith like what the Psalmist said that God is our "refuge". When in any trouble or emergency, we can have the assurance that God will rescue us. He is our true security or 'insurance'.

Dear Lord,
Thank You for reminding me tonight to have the mind of Christ and to trust You to be my refuge in times of trouble. Let me be more and more like You each day.
In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Doing What We Can

1 Corinthians 3:5-15

5What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe—as the Lord has assigned to each his task. 6I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. 7So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. 8The man who plants and the man who waters have one purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor. 9For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, God's building.

10By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as an expert builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should be careful how he builds. 11For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, 13his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man's work. 14If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward. 15If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames.

Bee's Thoughts:

For those who are architects, just like my 'bf' is, they will know how important the foundation is to a building. Without a good foundation,all building will topple no matter how good it may look.

For Christians, Christ should be their foundation in all the things they do. Otherwise, there will be no difference between a Christian and a non-Christian. Therefore, be it building a career for ourselves or a relationship with others, we need to be sure Jesus Christ is our foundation and basis. We are to do our part in sharing the good news or words of encouragement wherever God places us -- work or friendship.


Dear Lord,
Thank You for being my foundation in the things I build... my career and relationship. I pray that in all I do and with whome I commune with Your name will be glorified. May You grant growth to whatever I do, with the might You have given me.
In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

The Heart Of Christ

Luke 19:37-44

37When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen:
38"Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!"[a]
"Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!"

39Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, "Teacher, rebuke your disciples!"

40"I tell you," he replied, "if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out."

41As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it 42and said, "If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes. 43The days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you and encircle you and hem you in on every side. 44They will dash you to the ground, you and the children within your walls. They will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognize the time of God's coming to you."

Bee's Thoughts:

Having gone through a rough childhood and many trials in life makes me very sensitive towards children or anyone who have been though similar experiences as I did.

Recently, someone shared with me her story on why she became so withdrawn and quiet. As she shared, I could understand every experience of hers very well. I had compassion on her.

When God allowed us to go through certain difficult experiences, they could be used to encourage someone else later on.

Dear Lord,
Though I am feeling very tired and sometimes wish I could disappeare from this earth quickly, I know my life is in Your hand. Your thoughts are always higher than my thoughts, and Your ways higher than my ways.
I pray that while I am still around on this earth, I will be able to lend good listening ears to those who are in needs. Help me not to be tired of helping others... though I may feel exhausted when this help seems one-way. May Your love abounds.
In Jesus' name I pray. Amen,

Humility

Ephesians 4:1-3

Unity in the Body of Christ
1As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. 2Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. 3Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace

Bee's Thoughts:

Paul is able to be humble, gentle, patient, love and stay in peace with others because he had considered himself the "prisoner for the Lord".

We need to learn from Paul to firstly commit ourselves to Christ and be submissive to Him, so that we could reflect Christ's attributes. The way we live shows what we believe.

Dear Lord,
Thank You for Your reminder that I should stay humble and gentle despite of the situations. I pray that Your love will be shown when I deal with difficult people. May Your peace reigns.
In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Our Guide

John 16:1-14

1"All this I have told you so that you will not go astray. 2They will put you out of the synagogue; in fact, a time is coming when anyone who kills you will think he is offering a service to God. 3They will do such things because they have not known the Father or me. 4I have told you this, so that when the time comes you will remember that I warned you. I did not tell you this at first because I was with you.

The Work of the Holy Spirit
5"Now I am going to him who sent me, yet none of you asks me, 'Where are you going?' 6Because I have said these things, you are filled with grief. 7But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. 8When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt[a] in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment: 9in regard to sin, because men do not believe in me; 10in regard to righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; 11and in regard to judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned.

12"I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. 13But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. 14He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you.

Bee's Thoughts:

When our loved ones go away we naturally feel sad, like the discipless felt when when Jesus told them He was going to His Father (v6). In our finite mind, we feel we the loss of someone. Yet in Jesus' perfect plan His departure means a blessing in disguise, for He will send the Comforter to be with us and guide us in our life (v7-11). We need to always trust that all things work together for good to those who love God,even if we can't understand.

We need to know that we have a Comforter who will comfort us in times of sorrow. He will show us the way when we feel lost. He will give us peace when we are troubled. He will set us free when we feel imprisoned by ourselves or others. All we need to do is let Him take control of our lives.

Dear Lord,
Thank You for sending the Comforter to be with me. When I was down, He was there to lift me up. Thank You for leading my life thus far.
I pray for my "bf" that the Comforter will lead and guide him into the truth about Your healing power, Your cleansing blood, and Your restoration power. May Your peace reigns in his heart and joy floods his soul.
In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

''Measure Me''

Ephesians 4:11-16

11It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, 12to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

14Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. 15Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. 16From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.

Bee's Thoughts:

When a couple has a child, the sadest thing to know is that their child can't grow. God will be sad too if His spiritual children< Christians, can't grow spiritually.

Growth can't be hidden. It is obvious and measureable. Some of the measurements shown in the above passage are:
1. "works of service" (v12) -- to serve God in ministries in the church or elsewhere
2. "unity in the faith" (v13) -- not fighting with each other
3. "knowledge of the Son of God" (v13) -- through reading the bible and spending time with God
4. "mature" spiritually (v13) -- no longer like "infants" (v14)
5. "speaking the truth in love" (v15) -- truth must be said "in love" and not to hurt

Through such spiritual growth in the body of Christ, the end result is that the church will gow and be built in love (v16).

Dear Lord,
You desire that we grow spiritually.
Help us not to remain as spiritual babe.
Teach us how to be Your disciples.
You have commanded us to take up our crosses and follow You.
Grant us strength to do things Your ways.
In Jesus' name we pray.