No Need To Panic

1 Peter 4:12-19

Suffering for Being a Christian
12Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. 13But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. 14If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. 15If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler. 16However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name. 17For it is time for judgment to begin with the family of God; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God? 18And,
"If it is hard for the righteous to be saved,
what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?"[a]

19So then, those who suffer according to God's will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good.

Reflection of Bee:

There are many reasons for our sufferings. We may suffer for doing the wrong things (punishment) or suffer for standing up for a truth (persecution). So if we suffer for doing what is right (according to God's will), then we should take heart to know that God is faithful to us and everything is under His control. We should continue to do what is good (v19).

Dear Lord,
I acknowledge that at times I feel very discouraged by how people, including Christians, treat me when I do the things that I believe is right in Your sight. Thank You for reminding and encouraging me to continue with my good works and commit everything to You. Give me strength daily to go on to do Your will. When I feel down,please lift me up again.
In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Source Of Gladness

2 Corinthians 6:3-10

Paul's Hardships

3We put no stumbling block in anyone's path, so that our ministry will not be discredited. 4Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses; 5in beatings, imprisonments and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger; 6in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love; 7in truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left; 8through glory and dishonor, bad report and good report; genuine, yet regarded as impostors; 9known, yet regarded as unknown; dying, and yet we live on; beaten, and yet not killed; 10sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything.

Reflection of Bee:

"Happiness depends on happenings, but joy depends on Jesus."
- Today's Daily Bread

I like the above quote. I will add on: "sadness depends on circumstances, joy depend on experiencing God's love".

I was very much saddened and hurt today when someone I respected said something unappreciative to me, then followed by discovering what another whom I cared much about did to me. I wept. Yet in my sadness a voice seemed to say to me, "God loves you, don't let what others did to you rob you of your joy."

Can we be "sorrowful, yet always rejoicing" like Paul (v10)?

Yes, Apostle Paul experienced much hardship and accusation by his own fellow men, yet in all those things he remained strong in the Lord and always rejoice in Him. Nothing can separate him from the love of God as shown in Romans 8:38-39:

38For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,^[a] neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Dear Lord,
You know how hurt I felt when people whom I respected and cared much did something not nice to me today. You saw my tears. Yet in all these I want to thank You and is sure that You will make all things work together for my good. Nothing will separate me from Your love. May Your joy remains in my heart through Your Holy Spirit.
In Your holy name I pray. Amen.

The Fellowship Of The Cross

2 Corinthians 1:3-11

The God of All Comfort
3Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, 4who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. 5For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows. 6If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer. 7And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort.

8We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about the hardships we suffered in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life. 9Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead. 10He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us, 11as you help us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our[a] behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many.

Reflection of Bee:

We can learn 3 important truths from tonight's devotion:

1. God not only allows us to go through life's troubles and sorrows, but also comforts us in His compassion, so that we in turn can comfort others (v3,4).

2. Through all these trials we will learn not to rely on ourselves but on God, who can deliver us from all troubles (v9).

3. We need the prayers of others so that God will continue to deliver us from life's troubles (v10).


Dear Lord,
Thank You for showing me again why You allowed me to go through trials in my life. Thank You for Your compassion and love towards me in all my life. Thank You for those who have supported me in prayers so that You can show us the power of prayers and also teach us love and unity.
I also want to pray for Tommy that he will rest well tonight and be fresh tomorrow for the week ahead. May Your love, grace and mercy follows him wherever he goes.
In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

An Age-Old Question

Job 2:1-10

Job's Second Test
1 On another day the angels [a] came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came with them to present himself before him. 2 And the LORD said to Satan, "Where have you come from?"
Satan answered the LORD, "From roaming through the earth and going back and forth in it."

3 Then the LORD said to Satan, "Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil. And he still maintains his integrity, though you incited me against him to ruin him without any reason."

4 "Skin for skin!" Satan replied. "A man will give all he has for his own life. 5 But stretch out your hand and strike his flesh and bones, and he will surely curse you to your face."

6 The LORD said to Satan, "Very well, then, he is in your hands; but you must spare his life."

7 So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD and afflicted Job with painful sores from the soles of his feet to the top of his head. 8 Then Job took a piece of broken pottery and scraped himself with it as he sat among the ashes.

9 His wife said to him, "Are you still holding on to your integrity? Curse God and die!"

10 He replied, "You are talking like a foolish [b] woman. Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?"
In all this, Job did not sin in what he said.

Reflection of Bee:

Earlier on, I was watching a movie at home and a statement said by one of the characters made me ponder much....

"Your love for her is limited, for you love only if you can be with her. If you really love her, you will love even if you know you can't be with her."

Isn't it similar to what Job said to his wife, "Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?" (v10). If we really believe in God we will accept both good and trouble because we KNOW that He works all things (including the trouble) together for good to those who loved God.

So be it love or faith, they must be unconditional to be real.


My Lord,
Thank You for speaking to me tonight. Thank You for revealing to me what it means to be consistent in our love and faith and not let circumstances change them. Teach me to practice these truth in my life with You and people You have chosen for me. Let me be true and real.
In Your name I pray. Amen.

Keep On

Psalm 66:1-10

For the director of music. A song. A psalm.
1 Shout with joy to God, all the earth!

2 Sing the glory of his name;
make his praise glorious!

3 Say to God, "How awesome are your deeds!
So great is your power
that your enemies cringe before you.

4 All the earth bows down to you;
they sing praise to you,
they sing praise to your name."
Selah

5 Come and see what God has done,
how awesome his works in man's behalf!

6 He turned the sea into dry land,
they passed through the waters on foot—
come, let us rejoice in him.

7 He rules forever by his power,
his eyes watch the nations—
let not the rebellious rise up against him.
Selah

8 Praise our God, O peoples,
let the sound of his praise be heard;

9 he has preserved our lives
and kept our feet from slipping.

10 For you, O God, tested us;
you refined us like silver.

Reflection of Bee:

Tonight's devotional title, "Keep on", and the article that followed it struck me hard. For they echoed my thought today and was inspired to write my poem "Stay Strong In The Rain".

Very often, we may crumble when the 'rain' of broken hopes, dreams, trust, love, friendship, or relationship falls on us. We tend to see all things we do in life as "meaningless" just like what Ecclesiastes 1 says. Yet despite the 'rain', despite the fact that our pains mean nothing to anyone, and no one care about us, we have to "keep on" and "stay strong in the rain".

Some Christians may become too 'heavenly' or 'spiritual' that they do not feel their own or others' pains anymore. Instead of being in touch with their own emotions or that of others, they begin to quote scriptures to tell themselves and others that they shouldn't feel sorrowful about the pains and hurts they or others experienced.

Tonight's devotion shows us that God is the one who "preserved our lives and kept our feet from slipping". That means, we do go through times of doubts and sadness. He is the one who "tested us" and "refined us like silver" (v9 , v10). We should be able to feel our emotions and that of others, but we take heart that all trials are under God's control.

However, knowing this fact does not make us 'robot' and have no feeling for others since God will be caring for them. In fact, a truly spiritually matured Christian is one who is able to empathize with others. Jesus was 'earthly' and human when He was on earth. He could empathize and weep with those who felt hurt and sad. He did something about their sorrows and not just tell them not to feel sad.

So what is meaningful in life? Ecclesiastes 12 concludes that....

1 Remember your Creator
in the days of your youth,
before the days of trouble come
and the years approach when you will say,
"I find no pleasure in them"-

13 Now all has been heard;
here is the conclusion of the matter:
Fear God and keep his commandments,
for this is the whole duty of man.

14 For God will bring every deed into judgment,
including every hidden thing,
whether it is good or evil.

Dear Lord,
Thank You for helping me find back my soul instead of just pretend to be 'heavenly'. As I begin to feel my emotion once again, I remember I need to rely on You. Thank You for keeping me from falling and moulding my life. Your "tests" helps me understand others better so I can console them when they need a listening ear and a shoulder to cry. Give me a heart of compassion always.
In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.