Imagine a jar that is made to fill salt but instead you forcefully fill
it with large, jagged and heavy rocks. Before long, cracks develop and
the jar threatens to fall apart. And we start wondering why this is so.
We
are intricately created and woven together by God as an amazing being
(science attests to that); created you in such a way that only a TRUE
and MEANINGFUL relationship with God can fill the void in life. However,
we, myself included, sometimes choose to have relationship (often times
ungodly ones) with people and things. We fill it with people who seem
but cannot meet our real needs, activities/things that seem to
temporarily meets the need or numbs it. It's no wonder things come
crumbling down sooner or later, just because it's just not meant to be
that way.
Try all you may but go back to your Creator and Daddy
God because ONLY He knows and can fill you. Man are fallible and will
fail you. Activities and things are but temporal and, well, just things.
You have only one life to make the right choice for eternity. Live it
well and come back to God and be filled in just the right way.
"We
now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like
fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear
that our great power is from God, not from ourselves. We are pressed
on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but
not driven to despair. We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God.
We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed". (2 Corinthians 4:7-9
NLT)
God has been trying to get your attention and stands in the
doorway to receive you in His arms, no matter you have yet to come to
Him or have once came to Him but now far away. Here you have nothing
that you need to prove about yourself and is where you CAN be accepted.
"But
when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had
compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him". (Luke 15:20
NKJV).
Reflection: I saw a youth walking around with two sticks in his hands.
Though they look like chopsticks, I knew they are drum sticks. But had I
not known about drums, it would have puzzled me why he is walking
around with chopsticks.
And I started to come to appreciate how
God loves you and me. Do you know that He loves you, and you have been
blessed to be able to know Him and now understand His love in your life?
"For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of
darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge
of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ". (2 Cor 4:6 NKJV)
It
is God who chose you and me and gave us revelation of who He is. And
after He shoned this light, and we responded in faith, we are no longer
blinded. We no longer need see drum sticks as chopsticks, which is
indeed puzzling to see someone walking around with. God revealed Himself
to us.
"At one time we thought of Christ merely from a human
point of view. How differently we know him now! This means that anyone
who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a
new life has begun!" (2 Cor 5:16, 17 NLT).
The question now is
that: with God revealing Himself so plainly to us, what is your response
to Him through your life, if indeed you believe in Him? Are you indeed
living that new life God gave you?
In Matt 11:12-26, we catch a
glimpse of what kind of life pleases the Lord and what kind displeases
Him. A life of unfruitfulness, of defiling His sacred temple (our
bodies) displeases Him greatly, while a life of faith and of
forgiveness, which He spoke of, pleases Him.
What is your response through your life?
Our reactions is and must be congruent with our revelation.
Therefore “Come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Do
not touch what is unclean, And I will receive you.” “I will be a Father
to you, And you shall be My sons and daughters, Says the Lord Almighty.”
(2 Corinthians 6:17, 18 NKJV)
David has been described as a
person after God's heart. And the verse above sheds light why this is
so. Even though David has sinned, but his heart continues to seek to
depart from what is unholy and unrighteous.
"I will set nothing
wicked before my eyes; I hate the work of those who fall away; It shall
not cling to me. A perverse heart shall depart from me; I will not know
wickedness." (Psalm 101:3, 4 NKJV).
Sin is sin. Unholiness is
unholiness, regardless the reason. In 1 Sam 15, God gave victory to King
Saul but mentioned that he is to destroy all. Not because God is
sadistic but because He loves His children and know that they will be
corrupted if corruption is allowed to remain. But Saul greatly
displeased God and did not destroy all. Even though he gave the reason
that the best is left for sacrifice to God and tried to put the blame on
his people, God sees the heart and was greatly displeased, to the
extent of rejecting Saul. God cannot be mocked and no reason, even if it
is to be used as worship and sacrifice to the Lord, is acceptable for
sin. Sin is sin and God is holy. Reasoning and blaming won't help.
Perhaps
that is what sets David from Saul; not that David never sinned but his
heart was tender towards God and sought to depart from unholiness so
that God can be pleased to call him His child. This is how much God
loves you to want you to stray from Him.
Paul says "We then, as
workers together with Him also plead with you not to receive the grace
of God in vain". (2 Corinthians 6:1 NKJV).
"For the Lord does
not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the
Lord looks at the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7b NKJV)
What aspects of your life do you need change so God will be pleased with you? Reasoning won't help.
Reading God's word is just like installing an antivirus on your computer.
New computers may come with no antivirus or with limited antivirus. In the same way, when we come into the world, we might not have the knowledge of the Word of God (the Word of God is always with and around us) or we might have it (though in a limited way) while we were growing up in a Christian family.
However, there are always people who wants to wreck havoc in our lives and create viruses. And new viruses are added each day. In the spiritual realm, satan does that. While some links, softwares and pirated warez looks tempting and nice, it has an army of viruses waiting behind to do the damage it has been programmed for.
It is thus crucial that we find the right antivirus and that's not the end; we need ensure it is updated so when a new virus tries to enter our system, we can nip it in its bud and/or clean it. God gives this antivirus and it's His word and it's free. No need for annual subscription to renew license, it's free.
Do you have the right antivirus software and are you updating it to deal with new challenges? If not, it's little wonder that damage is sometimes done and systems can halt and jam and even die.
And even though you do not have antivirus, are on a much limited antivirus, have not updated it and/or have been infected, there's nothing that God's antivirus cannot rectify and it's never too late to install the right one and update it to God's antivirus.
Satan longs to disarm us of God's antivirus or to have us stop updating it as he throws old tricks (new packaging) at us.
God's Word is a gateway which prevents unnecessary infection, and even though infection has taken place, He can rectify it because the Programmer created you and gave the antivirus; His word.
No wonder it's called B.I.B.L.E: Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth.
All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:16, 17 NKJV)
Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and
leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death. See what this godly sorrow
has produced in you: what earnestness, what eagerness to clear yourselves, what
indignation, what alarm, what longing, what concern, what readiness to see
justice done. At every point you have proved yourselves to be innocent in this
matter.
This morning, as
I did my quiet time, I came across this passage. And it seems that God was
trying to capture my attention as one part of the passage sprung out to me. As
I read the verses again, I sensed God telling me that sorrow is always here
with us, because we live in a fallen world and simply because we are created by
Him to have emotions. No matter how much we try, even with our very best, to
avoid sorrow and regardless of what others tell us about being able to escape
sorrow when we choose to be happy, the truth is: sorrow is here to stay. And I
am sure, as you are reading this, God may bring to mind periods where you have
been through sorrow, over something which may have happened to you, over a loss
or even over someone else. We need to face the truth and come to terms that
sorrow is normal because we are just not robots with no emotions. The difference
though is the kind of sorrow: Godly and worldly sorrow.
Some of you may
not know but I have been battling with depression for the last few months. It
has been a rough year since July 2011. The year saw me preparing for my wedding
and renovations of our new home and being stressed out by all the decisions
that need to be made for it, facing my dad’s diagnosis of advanced stage lung
cancer in August 2011 and coupled with it, the uncertainty of how we are going
to cope with it physically, emotionally and financially, striving to understand
all the medical jargons being spewed out to me and trying to stand tall to make
decisions about care plans for my dad and also for his treatment, shuttling to
and from work and hospital to accompany my dad, facing the news of the death of
my wife’s beloved grandfather, subsequently dealing with my unexpected but
eventual departure of my dad due to pneumonia, facing news of my wife being
diagnosed with large fibroids and requiring surgery, facing the unexpected and
sudden death of my cousin who we have reconnected back just a few months back
before my dad’s passing on and so on. And all this while, I was running low in
my “tank” and on my strength while trying to cope with worrying and ministering
to people in ministry, while trying to deal with past hurts in ministry and
previous work stints, cope with work, worrying about health problems that
surface one after another in the last few months and also negative thoughts in
my mind that I am unworthy. Yes, by the time my cousin passed away suddenly in
April 2012, I found myself starting to crumble under pressure. My depression
was starting to worsen and I found myself being dazed, had no interest in
anything, had an insatiable appetite, was quiet and at times and had wanted to
even break down and cry when I am alone and outside. Life was getting too
difficult to bear and even though I had no courage to commit suicide, I remember
praying before sleep that God will just take me away in my sleep that I can be
far away from all these. Have you felt this way before?
I asked God what
have I done to have to go through all these? But even though with that being
said, I still trusted God because He had seen me through many trials in the
past before and has revealed Himself real as He worked in my life in many
miraculous ways. Trust me, if you live my life, you will know what I mean.
There are many miracles and blessings that just shows God is real. I held on to
God and He continue to bring me much assurance of Him being with me.
And some of His
assurances are captured in my thanksgiving journal, beginning at the church
camp on 8 Jun 2012:
Even though with
all the assurance, I did not quite understand why I was going through all
these.
At first, I
thought that it might have been spiritual attacks because just before my
depression told a dive for the worse in end May when my cousin passed away
suddenly, I received two unique experiences and knew that the Lord might be
calling me to a greater works:
So, in my heart, up till the time of my
first Healing & Wholeness session last Saturday (14 Jul), I had sensed that
it might be spiritual attack from Satan.
However, as I read the verse from 2
Corinthians 7:10-11 above, I sensed that God is also
telling me that He needed to work with me as a person to prepare me for greater
works.
On 11 Jul 2012,
I wrote these words in my devotional as God impressed on my heart that morning:
As I read it , yes, it does speak of
abundant life in God in this fallen world, but more so, it made me realise that
God was doing 2 things here to me: (1) Asking me to go back to the source of
abundant life; Him and not anyone else and (2) Growing
me as a person.
In fact, I have so focused on verse 2
about trials that I forgot about verses 3-4 which says: “knowing that the testing of your faith
produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be
perfect and complete, lacking nothing”.
And today, going back to 2 Corinthians
7:10-11, it is as if God bringing me full revelation of what He wanted me to
learn and that sorrow has been but an instrument of perfecting me. Indeed, I
felt spoken to that there are two kinds of sorrow: worldly sorrow and godly
sorrow. One brings life and one brings death. Sorrow apart from God or worldly
sorrow, can make us feel so hopeless and brings physically, spiritual and
psychological death but godly sorrow drives us towards God, towards Hope.
Look at how the Message bible puts it:
Distress that drives us to God does that. It turns us around. It
gets us back in the way of salvation. We never regret that kind of pain. But
those who let distress drive them away from God are full of regrets, end up on
a deathbed of regrets.
I thank God that in my distress, I had
not let go and continue to seek Him. And yes, surprising to some, God allows
distress to sometimes bring us to our knees to come back to Him and rely on
Him. And we HAVE the choice to turn our sorrow, which is unavoidable in life,
to godly sorrow or worldly sorry. What is the Lord telling you in your sorrow?
I used to interpret verse 10 as only
for those who have yet to know God, but today God shows me that, in fact, we
all need to repent from our imperfect ways and when sorrows come into the
picture, God can use it to turn us around.
I thank God for how He brought me back
to Isaiah 41:9-10 just as I prepare to facilitate worship with Min Qin, Joyce
and Joshua for the first time with the young adults in my church last Friday
(13 Jul). God reminds me that I am in His hands. He had given me this verse a
few years back when I was going through another rough patch, which I overcame
and grown from it.
The Lord says (Isaiah 41:9-10 NIV):
I took you from the ends of the earth,
from its farthest corners I called you.
I said, ‘You are my servant’;
I have chosen you and have not rejected you.
10 So do not fear, for I am with you;
do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you;
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
How do I know that God has turned
things around for me? Frankly, as I type this, I do not know what lies ahead me
(no one knows) but then what surprised me is that how God quickly turned things
around over just 2 hours. I had been depressed and getting increasingly
depressed over the last 1 year but over just 2 hours at the Healing &
Wholeness counselling session, God turned things around. It has to be God! And
I know that God is holding my hand no matter what.
I leave the depression behind knowing
and confirming once again God is real in my life and that I only need get my
love and source of life from Him and not anyone else or anything else. I lost
my dad but I now can rely on my Daddy God.
And so God says and reminds in closing:
2
Corinthians 7:11 (MSG)
And now, isn't it wonderful all the ways in which this distress
has goaded you closer to God? You're more alive, more concerned, more
sensitive, more reverent, more human, more passionate, more responsible. Looked
at from any angle, you've come out of this with purity of heart..
May this bless you and encourage you to
look to God in your sorrow. Stop running away from sorrow but allow God to work
in your sorrow as you turn your worldly sorrow into godly sorrow which brings
hope.
The thief does not come except to steal, and
to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that
they may have it more abundantly. (John 10:10 NKJV)
"John 10:10
also reminds us of how much God treasures His creation, in that Christ
came so that man might experience abundant life."
THE TRIALS
Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds (James 1:2 NIV)
PLAYGROUND OR BATTLEFIELD?
The
verse says "whenever" not "if" we face trials. There is a certainty
there is trials. As Christ followers, we need realize that this abundant
life is lived in a real world filled with pain, rejection, and failure.
Therefore, experiencing the abundant life God intends for us does not
mean that our lives will be problem-free. On the contrary... the
abundant life is the experience of God's love, forgiveness, peace and
power in the midst of those problems. So it's not surprising, as to
some, that it's a battlefield everyone of us, pre-believers included,
need go through. The only difference is which kingdom are you in and who
is your general leading you? It's a battlefield, not a playground.
WHERE TO BEGIN: THE SOURCE
And
for those struggling with self esteem, like me, the reminder is that
the biblical concept of it is not that one feel worthy or good but that
of an accurate perception of ourselves based on God's truth. There's no
need to prove ourselves. "We must understand this hunger for self worth
is God-given and can only be satisfied by Him. Our self worth is not
dependent on our ability to earn the fickle acceptance of people but
rather it's true source is the love and acceptance of God. He created
us. He alone knows how to fulfill all of our needs".
Go to the source.
Article inspired by "The Search for Significance" by Robert S. McGee
I have been ministered by this and it just blows my mind just thinking about it.
Do take some time to read it, whether you believe in God or not, to just understand how amazing the world we live in is:
Adapted from “Loved Like Never Before” by Ken Symington
Sun: If earth was just 5% closer to the sun, the oceans would boil and waters evaporate; if it were 5% further away, the oceans would freeze
Oceans: If the ocean were half the size, we would get 25% of our present rainfall; if it were only 1/8 larger, the annual rainfall would increase 400%, turning our planet into an uninhabitable swamp
Water: The earth’s oceans have salt in them enough to prevent the world from being encased in ice.
Earth: The earth travels around the sun, giving us day and night; otherwise one side would have permanent light and the other side permanent darkness, and nothing could grow.
Earth’s Rotation: If the rotation was much slower than it is, our days would be unbearably hot and our nights freezing cold.
Moon: The moon’s size and thus its gravitational pull, in tandem with its distance from the earth, slows the earth’s spin down to liveable speed that permits life
Earth’s Distance: The earth’s distance from the sun is 400 times the earth’s distance from the moon and the sun is 400 times the diameter of the moon; thus the sun and moon appear to be about the same size when viewed from the earth and this “coincidence” enable us to occasionally see total eclipse of the sun
Jupiter: Positioned as a sort of meteorite vacuum cleaner; great protector where its strong gravitational pull draws toward itself meteorites that would otherwise damage or destroy earth.
Earth’s Gravitational Pull: If earth was significantly smaller, gravity will be lesser and would not be capable of holding the atmosphere that is essential for breathing and also will not be able to protect us from the 25,000 meteors that burn up in the atmosphere over this planet every day; if the planet was twice as large, everything will weight eight times what it weighs today
Fish: God can choose to fill the seas with one species of fish, say mackerel (look good, taste good and very easy to catch), but He chose the extravagant option and filled it with dolphins, whales, cod, halibut, marlin, wrasse, moray, eels, manta ray etc; 1,500 species of fish
Animals: God can choose to fill the earth with one species of animal, say rabbit (cuddly, cute), but He chose the extravagant option and filled it with lions, giraffes, sheep, tigers, horses, camels, dogs, cats, elephants, buffalo, cows, anteaters, monkeys etc; 167 species in Africa alone.
Birds: God can choose to bless the earth with one species of bird, say sparrows, but He chose the extravagant option and filled it with pelicans, eagles, canaries, ducks, ospreys, hummingbirds, swans, finches, rainbow lorikeets, king parrots, peacocks etc; almost 9000 species of birds.
Trees: God can choose to bless the earth with one species of tree, say magnificent oak (tall, strong and superb for building with), but He chose the extravagant option and filled it with orange, apple, silver birch, gum, giant redwood etc; an estimate of 100,000 species of trees planted.
Flowers: God could have created flowers and gave a nice shade of yellow, but He chose the extravagant option of giving us a estimated quarter of a million different flowering plants.
Food: He gave tomatoes, bananas, potatoes, leeks, carrots, apples, garlic, chilli, sugar, lemon, thyme, salt and pepper; estimate more than 10,000 different herbs in the world.
God is extravagantly generous.
Psalm 19:1 - The heavens declare the glory of God; And the firmament shows His handiwork.Whatever the “statistics”, this world is an amazingly crafted world that speaks of something that is more than “coincidence”
Then, here is the part which blows my mind: “Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness;” (Genesis 1:26a)
“And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.” (Genesis 2: 7)
God did not ask “mother earth” to breathe life into His offspring nor did He ask the archangels Michael or Gabriel to breath life into His offspring but He Himself.
Let’s better understand what this means.
Just as parents would prepare the nursery with nice toys, nice wallpaper, cot, mattress for a much-wanted child, so did God prepare a extravagant earth for you, His most-wanted child and He wants you back to Him.
Be it whatever the statistics, the earth is an amazingly wonderfully crafted place that speaks of the existence of a God and this has been prepared as a “nursery” for His beloved child: you.
In “Language of God”, a book by Dr Francis Collins that I read some time ago, he made the case of how DNA gave us understanding of how amazing this world is. He was the Director of the Human Genome Project which mapped human DNA, and though was an atheist, he realised how DNA was strong arguments that there is a God, Who is able to engineer something so complex and yet amazing as the human DNA.
And the bible declares this: “For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse” (Romans 1:20, NKJV)
God makes Himself visible in the things that are all around us. Take time to think and return to Him because He is a loving Heavenly Father.
And He has provided a way for you to come back to Him, amidst all the mess we have made, amidst all the sin which separates us from the holy God.
Know what is the basic message God wants to bring to us at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sCMpeLNEA30
Once you have understood and want to come back to God, you can just receive Christ right now by faith through prayer:
Prayer is talking to God. God knows your heart and is not so concerned with your words as He is with the attitude of your heart. The following is a suggested prayer:
"Lord Jesus, I need You. Thank You for dying on the cross for my sins. I open the door of my life and receive You as my Savior and Lord. Thank You for forgiving my sins and giving me eternal life. Take control of the throne of my life. Make me the kind of person You want me to be."
If this prayer expresses the desire of your heart, then you can pray this prayer right now and Christ will come into your life, as He promised.
If you still would like to know about the Father’s love for you, see video at http://youtu.be/3GvY0X-bL_k
Now, if you have prayed the prayer and would allow God to now work in your life, share this with a close friend who is a Christian and who could help you align your life with God and help you grow in Him. It would be the best decision you can make in this life.
Hi everyone, if you ever wonder if there is a God and what He thinks about you, well, it has never been a secret, just that we have not come to read His thoughts for us... Here's His love letter to you, yes, unmistakably you...
It blessed me and hope it blesses you too.
To all dads and future dads, you have an anointed role in the life of your children to NOT mess up their lives.
Also, our Heavenly Father does not want to see us mess up our lives...
We will all see Him face to face and that is where we will be judged.
11 Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose
face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place
for them. 12 And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before
God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the
Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the
things which were written in the books. 13 The sea gave up the dead who
were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them.
And they were judged, each one according to his works. 14 Then Death
and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
15 And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the
lake of fire. (Revelations: 20: 11-15, NKJV)
He is the good Judge. Think His judgment will be based on the weighing of our goods over bad to see if we are saved for heaven? Think again.
Felt ministered to as I read from Romans so sharing it here:
Romans 5
Like in "The Matrix", there are 2 parallel world we live in:
1.
World of darkness where sin reigns through disobedience of God which
ultimately brings us God's wrath and Death (worldly & eternal life
without God), and
2. World of light where
righteousness reigns through obedience of God which ultimately pleases
God and brings life (meaningful, purposeful and full worldly life &
eternal life with God).
But then God loves us
so much that He first gave us the Law; like glasses it helps us to see
clearly what is right and what is not. Because it is only when law is
given that it becomes clear what is lawful and what is not. One thing
leads to another; God's law clarifies where we are and starts to stirs
in us to seek the parallel world and points us to the solution: Jesus
Christ. He, who is sinless, came and stood in the gap between the 2
worlds that we might cross the border.
As Romans 5:20 states
that as law causes sin to abound, so does it in turn causes grace to
abound. Without the law we won't know we are sinful and if we do not
know we are sinful we do not know we need grace from God because, there
is nothing we can do to run away from judgment and condemnation from the
Judge.
So through believing in Jesus Christ,
we receive the "visa" to enter and also "citizenship" to be and enjoy
the privileges of God's world; the Kingdom of light where God and all
His good things are.
But Romans 6 later also
remind us that since we are now citizens of the Kingdom of light, we
cannot hold two citizenships or obtain visa to go back down.
Where
are you now? Are you in the world of darkness going around lost and
lamenting? If so, a new citizenship is offered to you.
Are
you in the Kingdom of light but take trips to the other kingdom once in
a while? If so, you are reminded that you hold but one citizenship and
should not mock it.
Throughout the last few months, I have grown weary with all that happened in my life, which turned my life topsy turvy; having to manage quite a great deal including illness, loss of direction, death, disappointment, grief etc.
And despite God speaking very clearly in the past few weeks through sermon, chapel, department devotions, "Roadmap to Maturity" course and quiet time, asking me to take up my cross, I wrestled with God and wanted to run away, just as Jonah did. "I am just too tired Lord and it's just not worth it".
But this this Good Friday, God has helped me to come to realize the full extent of His love for us, which demanded from me a response. I have come to realize that in the last hours of Jesus' life, it came to be an intense demonstration of the full extent of His love (John 13:1b, NIV84).
In the verse following John 13:1, we see the disciple John providing the only account, among the gospels, of the Lord Jesus washing the feet of His disciples. More than just a simple act, it was an act with profound significance. As one commentary puts it: "it was an act of Jesus' love that would stoop to even the most menial service. It was a spiritual cleansing. And it was an example of how Christians should treat each other. In these ways, the washing of the disciples' feet prefigured the Crucifixion" (Asbury Bible Commentary).
Starting with feet washing, Jesus here showed the full extent of His love for us every step of the way, from the last supper, struggling at the Garden of Gethsemane where He had to face the reality that He would have to go through the pain of crucifixion soon, all the way to the cross. All these because Jesus wants to cleanse us.
Do you now understand the full extent of His love for you? And what would your response be to His love for you?
Came across this beautiful song "I Then Shall Live" which I hope will minister to you, in the way we should live our lives as a response to the Lord Jesus Christ's work on the cross for us.
Once again, we are reminded that we have been cleansed by Jesus. Now, live your life as cleansed...
Was in chapel today and heard about the Parable of the Pencil.
I adapted it and hope the below will bless you as it has blessed me:
The Parable of the Pencil
The Pencil Maker took the pencil aside, just before putting it into the box.
"There are 7 things you need to know..." he told the pencil, "...before I send you out into the world. Always remember them and never forget, and you will become the best pencil you can be."
"One: You will be able to do many great things, but only if you allow yourself to be held in Someone's hand."
"Two: You will experience a painful sharpening from time to time, but you'll need it to become a better pencil."
"Three: The most important part of you will always be what's inside."
"Four: You will be able to correct any mistakes you might make."
"Five: On every surface you are used on, you must leave your mark. No matter what the condition, you must continue to write."
"Six: Use your ability to erase appropriately, help others to correct mistakes and not to run them down and negate their mark."
"And finally Seven: You need to work alongside other pencils to see beautiful things achieved. There are times when a darker shade of pencil needs to be used and there are times when a lighter shade is essential."
The pencil understood and promised to remember, and went into the box with purpose in its heart. Now, replace the pencil with YOU. Always remember them and never forget, and you will become the best person you can be.
One: You will be able to do many great things, but only if you allow yourself to be held in God's hand. And allow other human beings to access you for the many gifts you possess.
John 15:4 (NIV, 1984) "Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me."
Two: You will experience a painful sharpening from time to time, by going through various challenges in life, but you'll need it to become a stronger person.
James 1:2,3,4 (NIV, 1984) "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything."
Three: The most important part of you will always be what's inside. For some of us, we operate out of broken lead inside and no matter how much we sharpen, the tip will always come out broken and break. If you inside is broken, it's time for you to receive God's lead.
1 Samuel 16:7b (NIV, 1984) "The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.”
Luke 6: 45 (NIV, 1984) "The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks."
Ezekiel 26:36 (NIV, 1984) "I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh."
Four: You will be able to correct any mistakes you might make.
The bible is full of imperfect people who makes mistakes. The difference is that they did not let them stop them from growing: David, Peter, Moses, Abraham and the list goes on.
Five: On every surface you walk, you must leave your mark. No matter what the situation, you must continue to serve God in everything.
Romans 12:11 (NIV, 1984) "Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord."
Six: Use your ability to erase appropriately, help others to correct mistakes and not to run them down and negate their mark.
2 Peter 3:9 (NIV, 1984) "The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance."
2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NIV, 1984) "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work."
2 Timothy 2: 25-26 (NIV, 1984) "Those who oppose him he must gently instruct, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will."
And finally Seven: You need to work alongside other pencils to see beautiful things achieved. There are times when a darker shade of pencil needs to be used and there are times when a lighter shade is essential.
Romans 12:4-8 (NIV, 1984) "Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man’s gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully."
By understanding and remembering, let us proceed with our life on this earth having a meaningful purpose in our heart and a relationship with God daily.
Allow this parable on the pencil to encourage you to know that you are a special person and only you can fulfill the purpose to which you were born to accomplish. You can have a life with a meaningful purpose and a wonderful relationship with God everyday.
Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV,1984) "For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."
Jeremiah 1:4-5a (NIV, 1984) "The word of the LORD came to me, saying, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart;"
Ephesians 2:10 (NIV, 1984) "For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."
Life without God is like an unsharpened pencil, it has no point.
Hi everyone, in my recent QT, God has been showing me much about devotion and worship. As I pondered on it and after our cell discussion last week, found this video quite nicely helped me to understand about it. So simple but yet, sometimes I can miss it:
I was doing my Quiet Time this morning and read from Philippians 4:7 "And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."
Then, at Chapel today, someone shared about about how God gave her peace during a time when both of her only children were down with Meningitis, one after another. The doctors gave a bad prognosis and that she will have to live with her children having brain damage. But through it all, she felt God's peace having seen and treasured up how God has worked in her life thus far. She got a prompting from God and was adamantly convinced that her children would be discharged out of hospital in 2 days. This, despite the nurse telling her she might be in hospital with them for the next 2 weeks and despite how the fever, instead of going down, went higher the next day morning. The miracle of it was that by afternoon, they were well and as God has promised, the children were discharged that very Friday, 2 days later. Hallelujah!
But a poignant question was asked: "What is Peace?"
The story was told how there was once a king who was troubled by the same question. Hence he arranged a contest and called forth the best artists in his land. When they gathered, he said to them “I want you to draw a painting that depicts peace”.
Many considered this as an easy task and immediately started painting. And when they finished, the king was called to inspect the paintings and pick the best among them.
The king inspected the first painting. It was of a lovely garden of flowers of different types and colors. Above the flowers was the blue sky lit by peaceful sunshine. Butterflies and birds went about joyfully in the painting. The artist who drew this said to the king “This is Peace”. The king was not satisfied and so he moved to inspect the next painting.
The next painting depicted people of different walks of life shaking hands and laughing merrily. The king was not satisfied. He moved on.
He came across many paintings but kept moving on until he came to a painting which was different from the other paintings.
In this painting there was great turbulence in the sea; waves were forcefully splashing on the banks and crashing into the rock walls of the cliffs by the shore. The sky was ominous, the lightning was cutting across the sky. But where's the peace? The king looked carefully and finally understood it all. In the midst of all this turmoil, there was a little boat in the midst of the ocean and far beyond it, one can see a little sunshine peeking out from a gap in the cloudy skies, shining on the boat and giving the boat enough light to move forward. The king paused at this drawing and he seemed satisfied.
Now, even though my colleague said that many have heard this story, this is the first time I hear this story and it did blessed me; a good reminder about God's peace.
My colleague went on to share that peace is not the absence of a storm but hope, peace and assurance that through it all, God is with us. He is our refuge and He will bring us through it all.
Many think that the Christian faith is about a life that is smooth-flowing. Yet we are not promised a life without storms. In fact we know that there is always the presence of evil in the world. But God has come to bring us peace in ourselves, with each other and with Him. We can overcome "because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world." 1 John 4:4.
"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid." John 14:27.
Only in Christ, can we have "Peace in the Midst of the Storm."
Even as I pondered and reflected on this, I felt prompted to pen this down and I hope it will bless you as it did bless me... Do you have the peace of God in your heart? If not, it is not too late to draw back to God. Or have you forgot about the peace of God in your life? He is shining His light on you and calling you to come into His refuge.
The time has come again when we are reminded of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and what He did for us.
And as I ponder on the reason for the season, I would never fail to remember a meaningful story I once read, I am the Cross, about the pain that Jesus bore for me.
This year, at staff chapel earlier, I am again reminded of the pain that Jesus bear, but this time, not only on the cross but when the pain starts being unbearable at the Garden of Gethsemane.
Matthew 26
36 Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.”37 He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. 38 Then he said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.”
39 Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.”
40 Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Couldn’t you men keep watch with me for one hour?” he asked Peter. 41 “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
42 He went away a second time and prayed, “My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done.”
43 When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. 44 So he left them and went away once more and prayed the third time, saying the same thing.
45 Then he returned to the disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Look, the hour has come, and the Son of Man is delivered into the hands of sinners.46 Rise! Let us go! Here comes my betrayer!”
Someone was sharing in chapel from an article written by Max Lucado, The Passion, the Pain and the Promise, and I have come to realise how how Jesus loved us and how the battle for our lives between God and Satan was won, not on Calvary, but at the Garden itself, when Jesus painstakingly make the decision to die on the cross even, this even though when He could have walked away.
... History records it as the battle of the Jews against Jesus. It wasn’t. It was a battle of God against Satan...
... And Jesus knew it. Jesus knew that before the war was over, he would be taken captive. He knew that before victory would come defeat. He knew that before the throne would come the cup. He knew that before the light of Sunday would come the blackness of Friday. And he is afraid...
... It will be the last time he sees them (His disciples) before they abandon him. He knows what they will do when the soldiers come. He knows their betrayal is only minutes away. But he doesn’t accuse. He doesn’t lecture. Instead, he prays. His last moments with his disciples are in prayer..
... It’s worth noting that Jesus chose prayer. He chose to pray for us...
... You need to note that in this final prayer, Jesus prayed for you....
... “I am also praying for all people who believe in me because of the teaching.” (John 17)...
... As Jesus stepped into the garden, you were in his prayer...
... His humanity begged to be delivered from what his divinity could see...
... we do know he asked to get out. We do know he begged for an exit. We do know there was a time when if he could have, he would have turned his head back on the whole mess and gone away. But he couldn’t.
He couldn’t because he saw you. Right there in the middle of a world which isn’t fair. He saw you cast into a river of life which you didn’t request. He saw you betrayed by those you love. He saw with a body which gets sick and a heart that grows weak. He saw you in your own garden of gnarled trees and sleeping friends. He saw you staring into the pit of your own failures and the mouth of your own grave. He saw you in your Garden of Gethsemane—and he didn’t want you to be alone. He wanted you to know that he has been there, too. He knows what it’s like to be plotted against. He knows what it’s like to be confused. He knows what it’s like to be torn between two desires. He knows what it’s like to smell the stench of Satan. And, perhaps most of all, he knows what it’s like to beg God to change his mind and to hear God say so gently, but firmly, “No.” For that is what God said to Jesus. And Jesus accepts the answer....
... The battle is won. You may have thought it was won on Golgotha. It wasn’t. The final battle was won in Gethsemane...
... For it was in the garden that he made his decision. He would rather go to hell for you than go to heaven without you.
This is the love of Christ, the love of God, for you and for me...
I like one of the songs which expresses this in its wonderful simplicity; that He is above all but He chose death and thought of us above all...
ABOVE ALL
Above all powers
Above all kings
Above all nature
And all created things
Above all wisdom
And all the ways of man
You were here
Before the world began
Above all kingdoms
Above all thrones
Above all wonders
The world has ever known
Above all wealth
And treasures of the earth
There's no way to measure
What You're worth
Chorus:
Crucified
Laid behind the stone
You lived to die
Rejected and alone
Like a rose
Trampled on the ground
You took the fall
And thought of me
Above all
One of the songs sang during cell last week captivated me and may we never lose the wonder of the cross; remembering the meaning of the cross not only on Good Friday and Easter but every day of our lives:
It’s nearly midnight when they leave the upper room and descend through the streets of the city. They pass the Lower Pool and exit the Fountain Gate and walk out of Jerusalem. The roads are lined with the fires and tents of Passover pilgrims. Most are asleep, heavied with the evening meal. Those still awake think little of the band of men walking the chalky road.
They pass through the valley and ascend the path which will take them to Gethsemane. The road is steep so they stop to rest. Somewhere within the city walls the twelfth apostle darts down a street. His feet have been washed by the man he will betray. His heart has been claimed by the Evil One he has heard. He runs to find Caiaphas.
The final encounter of the battle has begun.
As Jesus looks at the city of Jerusalem, he sees what the disciples can’t. It is here, on the outskirts of Jerusalem, that the battle will end. He sees the staging of Satan. He sees the dashing of the demons. He sees the Evil One preparing for the final encounter. The enemy looks as a spectre over the hour. Satan, the host of hatred, has seized the heart of Judas and whispered in the ear of Caiaphas. Satan, the master of death, has opened the caverns and prepared to receive the source of light.
Hell is breaking loose.
History records it as the battle of the Jews against Jesus. It wasn’t. It was a battle of God against Satan.
And Jesus knew it. Jesus knew that before the war was over, he would be taken captive. He knew that before victory would come defeat. He knew that before the throne would come the cup. He knew that before the light of Sunday would come the blackness of Friday.
And he is afraid.
He turns and begins the final ascent into the garden. When he reaches the entry he stops and turns his eyes toward his circle of friends. It will be the last time he sees them before they abandon him. He knows what they will do when the soldiers come. He knows their betrayal is only minutes away.
But he doesn’t accuse. He doesn’t lecture. Instead, he prays. His last moments with his disciples are in prayer. And the words he speaks are as eternal as the stars which hear them.
Imagine, for a moment, yourself in this situation. Your final hour with a son about to be sent overseas. Your last moments with your dying spouse. One last visit with your parent. What do you say? What do you do? What words do you choose?
It’s worth noting that Jesus chose prayer. He chose to pray for us. “I pray for these men. But I am also praying for all people who will believe in me because of the teaching of these men. Father, I pray that all people who believe in me can be one . . . I pray that these people can also be one in us, so that the world will believe that you sent me.”
You need to note that in this final prayer, Jesus prayed for you. You need to underline in red and highlight in yellow his love: “I am also praying for all people who believe in me because of the teaching.” That is you. As Jesus stepped into the garden, you were in his prayer.
As Jesus looked into heaven, you were in his vision. As Jesus dreamed of the day when we will be where he is, he saw you there. His final prayer was about you. His final pain was for you. His final passion was you. He then turns, steps into the garden, and invites Peter, James, and John to come. He tells them his soul is “overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death,” and begins to pray. Never has he felt so alone. What must be done, only can he do. An angel can’t do it. No angel has the power to break open hell’s gates. A man can’t do it. No man has the purity to destroy sin’s claim. No force on earth can face the force of evil and win—except God. “The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak,” Jesus confesses. His humanity begged to be delivered from what his divinity could see. Jesus, the carpenter, implores. Jesus, the man, peers into the dark pit and begs, “Can’t there be another way?”
Did he know the answer before he asked the question? Did his human heart hope his heavenly father had found another way? We don’t know. But we do know he asked to get out. We do know he begged for an exit. We do know there was a time when if he could have, he would have turned his head back on the whole mess and gone away. But he couldn’t.
He couldn’t because he saw you. Right there in the middle of a world which isn’t fair. He saw you cast into a river of life which you didn’t request. He saw you betrayed by those you love. He saw with a body which gets sick and a heart that grows weak. He saw you in your own garden of gnarled trees and sleeping friends. He saw you staring into the pit of your own failures and the mouth of your own grave. He saw you in your Garden of Gethsemane—and he didn’t want you to be alone. He wanted you to know that he has been there, too. He knows what it’s like to be plotted against. He knows what it’s like to be confused. He knows what it’s like to be torn between two desires. He knows what it’s like to smell the stench of Satan. And, perhaps most of all, he knows what it’s like to beg God to change his mind and to hear God say so gently, but firmly, “No.” For that is what God said to Jesus. And Jesus accepts the answer.
At some moment during that midnight hour an angel of mercy comes over the weary body of the man in the garden. As he stands, the anguish is gone from his eyes. His fist will clench no more. His heart will fight no more. The battle is won. You may have thought it was won on Golgotha. It wasn’t. The final battle was won in Gethsemane. And the sign of conquest is Jesus at peace in the olive trees. For it was in the garden that he made his decision. He would rather go to hell for you than go to heaven without you.
