Cast Your Cares

Philippians 4:4-9

4Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

8Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. 9Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

Reflection of Bee:

Thank God for the above assurances that I need not worry about anything, be it my career or my future. All I need to do is to give all my cares to Him and let Him care for me. I need this assurance especially now.

Dear Lord,
Thank You for caring for me. Thank You that in the midst of uncertainties I can be certain that all my needs will be taken care of. Praise You for being my Redeemer in every aspects of my life. May You make my life counts.
In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.


Reflection of Tommy:
We sure do worry about a lot of things in our every day life – our work, career, money, people etc. Can we really never being anxious about anything like what Paul mentioned in Philippians 4:6? Worrying not only waste our time and energy but shows our lack of trust in God.

Paul advices us that whenever we start to worry over something, we need to just stop and pray to God instead. Prayer helps to shift our focus on our problem to God, trusting Him to take care of us and acknowledging He is always in control. Although, our problem may still be there but through prayer, God gives us the peace that guards our hearts and minds against anxiety.

Dear Father, thank You for Your peace that is always available for me. Teach me not to be always weighed down by earthly cares and anxieties but instead to meet them with an active and experimental attitude of surrender and trust to You. In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.

Keep Praying

Luke 11:5-13

5Then he said to them, "Suppose one of you has a friend, and he goes to him at midnight and says, 'Friend, lend me three loaves of bread, 6because a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have nothing to set before him.'

7"Then the one inside answers, 'Don't bother me. The door is already locked, and my children are with me in bed. I can't get up and give you anything.' 8I tell you, though he will not get up and give him the bread because he is his friend, yet because of the man's boldness[a] he will get up and give him as much as he needs.

9"So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 10For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.

11"Which of you fathers, if your son asks for[b] a fish, will give him a snake instead? 12Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? 13If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!"

Reflection of Bee:

Tonight's passage is so comforting.... "how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!" (v13). We need to ask for the right thing so that we will receive. The right thing and the most important thing we need is the Holy Spirit. When we have Him in our life, He will guide us to do and ask for the right thing.

I need to ask, seek and knock till my prayers are answered. God wants me to open my mouth and not just simply say He knows what I need.

Dear Lord,
Thank You for guiding me in my life. Even as I embarked into another new phase in my career, I pray that Your Holy Spirit will guide me to the path I should go, where You want me to be. Help me to be sensitive to Your Spirit's leading.
I pray also for my 'bf' that You will grant him peace and the serenity to trust You in his life and career. Grant Him Your peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.
In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.


Reflection of Tommy:

Some Christians has prayed for years, but God never seem to answer their prayer. It is easy to give up praying and concludes that God doesn't care about us or we've missed the mark. But, whenever we are tempted to think these ways, read Luke 11:11-13.

It gives us the understanding and peace to trust our loving Father in Heaven to know what is best for us. Though, we may not have the full picture to why certain things turned out the way they are, we can still have the confidence to continue praying to God and learning to recognize His work.

Dear Father, thank You for Your love and sovereignty that everything is in Your control. Help me to submit and trust in You; never be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, letting all my requests be made known to You and Your peace that surpasses all understanding will always guard my heart and mind through Jesus Christ. Amen.

End Times

2 Timothy 3:1-9

Godlessness in the Last Days
1But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. 2People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, 4treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— 5having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them.

6They are the kind who worm their way into homes and gain control over weak-willed women, who are loaded down with sins and are swayed by all kinds of evil desires, 7always learning but never able to acknowledge the truth. 8Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so also these men oppose the truth—men of depraved minds, who, as far as the faith is concerned, are rejected. 9But they will not get very far because, as in the case of those men, their folly will be clear to everyone.

Reflection of Bee:

Dear Lord,
Teach me what it means to be a Christian not only in name but in actuality and in deeds. I pray that Your name will be glorified through me wherever I may be. I pray that I will bring others to know You through what happened to me.
In Jesus' name I pray.


Reflection of Tommy:
Reading Paul's list from verse 2-3 unfortunately reminds me of my own behavior sometimes towards others. Often times, we as Christians, appear to be godly outwardly but inwardly lacks the attitudes of belief, love and worship. We need to begin checking our lives against Paul's list and ask God to guide us to grow with an inward reality of Christ, emphasizes on being than merely doing.

Dear Father, thank You for teaching me to be aware of my conduct daily, that there are not contradicting to the values You wanted me to have. Lead and guide me to have right attitudes and behavior in my words and action that I may bring glory and honor to Your Name. In Jesus' Name I pray, Amen.

Celebration Of Creation

Job 38:1-7

The LORD Speaks
1 Then the LORD answered Job out of the storm. He said:

2 "Who is this that darkens my counsel
with words without knowledge?

3 Brace yourself like a man;
I will question you,
and you shall answer me.

4 "Where were you when I laid the earth's foundation?
Tell me, if you understand.

5 Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know!
Who stretched a measuring line across it?

6 On what were its footings set,
or who laid its cornerstone-

7 while the morning stars sang together
and all the angels [a] shouted for joy?

Reflection of Bee:

I could find myself dumb founded if God were to ask me those questions above. I couldn't argue with God. I have to bow down and acknowledge His sovereignty... His foreknowledge of our hearts and minds.

Dear Lord,
I know You are sovereign and all-knowing. You know me more than I know myself... You know my thoughts and my intentions. Forgive me for all my sins before You and help me live a life that is pleasing to You that will bring glory to Your name.
As I start my work again tomorrow, grant me wisdom to know how to handle the people I work with and to resolve problems well as they come. Grant me good health and let me sleep well.
In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.



Reflection of Tommy:

When things get awry, we sometimes wonder where’s God and why isn’t He doing anything about our situation. Or, we get troubled or even envied when those who we think that are less ‘devoted’ to God have such an easier life than us. In the classic story of Job, we see how God revealed Job’s ignorance of His moral order through his ignorance of earth’s natural order.

Like Job, we sometimes, unknowingly put God under our law of fairness; asking Him with many ’whys’ for our circumstances, instead of acknowledging that God is higher than any standard or criterion we can think of. God himself is the standard. Our response should be to submit to His authority and rest in His loving care.

Dear Lord, thank You for showing to me the right perspective when dealing when trials in my life. Thank You that because of who You are, I have the peace, confidence and courage to humbly accept all that You allows to happen in my life. Keep me remain firmly committed to You and obey You always. In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.

Dial 9 For Worship

Psalm 9:1-14

For the director of music. To the tune of "The Death of the Son." A psalm of David.
1 [a]I will praise you, O LORD, with all my heart;
I will tell of all your wonders.

2 I will be glad and rejoice in you;
I will sing praise to your name, O Most High.

3 My enemies turn back;
they stumble and perish before you.

4 For you have upheld my right and my cause;
you have sat on your throne, judging righteously.

5 You have rebuked the nations and destroyed the wicked;
you have blotted out their name for ever and ever.

6 Endless ruin has overtaken the enemy,
you have uprooted their cities;
even the memory of them has perished.

7 The LORD reigns forever;
he has established his throne for judgment.

8 He will judge the world in righteousness;
he will govern the peoples with justice.

9 The LORD is a refuge for the oppressed,
a stronghold in times of trouble.

10 Those who know your name will trust in you,
for you, LORD, have never forsaken those who seek you.

11 Sing praises to the LORD, enthroned in Zion;
proclaim among the nations what he has done.

12 For he who avenges blood remembers;
he does not ignore the cry of the afflicted.

13 O LORD, see how my enemies persecute me!
Have mercy and lift me up from the gates of death,

14 that I may declare your praises
in the gates of the Daughter of Zion
and there rejoice in your salvation.

Reflection of Bee:

The above Psalmist praised God even in the midst of troubles. We can learn from him to do likewise when we feel dry or don't feel like worshipping God:

Open your heart (v.1). Let praise roll forth!
Review all the things He has done for you (v.1).
Rejoice! Be glad! Sing! (v.2)
Acknowledge that He defends you (vv.3-5).
Go to Him for refuge (v.9).
Talk about what He’s done for you (v.11).
Receive His mercy and rejoice in His salvation (vv.13-14).

Dear Lord,
Teach me to open my mouth to praise You in in all circumstances.
Even when things don't go my way, I will praise You.
When people misunderstood me, I will praise you.
When I lose the people I loved, I will praise You,
When I am sick and feeling weak, I will praise You.
When it's time I leave this earth, I will praise You.
For You are worthy to be praised in all circumstances.
Amen.



Reflection of Tommy:

If we do take the time to think about each aspect of God’s divine nature, we will understand, greatly appreciate and be grateful of whom He is. Although our lives may not be free from injustices, rejection, loss, pain or suffering; but God’s presence, promises and attributes enable us to trust and surrender to Him like a child. He provides us the strength, peace, hope and confidence to hang on and move on when we feel like quitting the race.

Dear Father, I thank You and praise You for who You are. I thank You that because of You I have the peace and be free from unnecessary worry of how others perceive or treat me. Thank You also that You will never forsake me if I earnestly seek You and Your kingdom first. Guide me to have the right motive always when praying to You, that they will always be to bring You glory and honor. In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.

The New Religion

Ecclesiastes 2:1-11

Pleasures Are Meaningless
1 I thought in my heart, "Come now, I will test you with pleasure to find out what is good." But that also proved to be meaningless. 2 "Laughter," I said, "is foolish. And what does pleasure accomplish?" 3 I tried cheering myself with wine, and embracing folly—my mind still guiding me with wisdom. I wanted to see what was worthwhile for men to do under heaven during the few days of their lives.

4 I undertook great projects: I built houses for myself and planted vineyards. 5 I made gardens and parks and planted all kinds of fruit trees in them. 6 I made reservoirs to water groves of flourishing trees. 7 I bought male and female slaves and had other slaves who were born in my house. I also owned more herds and flocks than anyone in Jerusalem before me. 8 I amassed silver and gold for myself, and the treasure of kings and provinces. I acquired men and women singers, and a harem [a] as well—the delights of the heart of man. 9 I became greater by far than anyone in Jerusalem before me. In all this my wisdom stayed with me.

10 I denied myself nothing my eyes desired;
I refused my heart no pleasure.
My heart took delight in all my work,
and this was the reward for all my labor.

11 Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done
and what I had toiled to achieve,
everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind;
nothing was gained under the sun.

Reflection of Bee:

A "New Religion" has crept into many lives, including Christians. This religion is Materialism. Some call it the 5 Cs or other new terms.

When we read all that the King had done in the above passage, they looked legitimate. Yet on closer look we know that what he did was more than what he needed. He had everything yet his conclusion was all his achievements were "meaningless, a chasing after the wind, nothing was gained under the sun" (v11). He was the wisest King yet he committed such foolishness.

Today many are doing the same things too... they may take up many "projects", work very hard, earn more money, but at the end of the day lose their health, their loved ones and even themselves. We need to beware of our own tendency to become materialistic, and know our own limit and priority in life before it is too late.

Dear Lord,
Teach me to number my days and live them well for You. Teach me to lay up my treasures in heaven and not on earth where I can't bring them along with me when I die.
I pray too for my 'bf' that he will not fall into the same trap as the King. Grant him good night rest and a safe journey home tomorrow.
In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.



Reflection of Tommy:
Many sincere Christians know clearly that they will never receive true fulfillment from possession, money or achievements. They also know only God can provides all that they need. But, they still find themselves working so hard daily, having very little left for God.

The problem lies in their trust in God and also the confusion over God’s will for their lives. They work hard because they worry what if what they are doing (working hard) is in fact what God wanted them to do. They think it may be part of God’s will for them to be this hardworking and to save for their future.

It is true God want us to work hard and diligently, but our work should never take first place in our lives. Instead, we should put God first by going to Him daily with prayer and devotion. He will supply us with the right perspective on His will for our career and ambition.

We also need not to worry what to do or guessing what His will for us when we seek Him first because He will guide us in every step. Often, when we have a close relationship with Him and constantly and actively resting our trust in Him, things will turn out so much more smoothly in our lives.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for reminding me on this again. Forgive me of my lack of faith sometimes to fully trust and surrender my concerns to You. Guide me to spend time each day listening to Your guidance through the Holy Spirit. Teach me most of all to always have the right priority to seek You first, not to wait for tomorrow but to do it now! In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.

Happiness And Holiness

1 Peter 1:13-21

13Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed. 14As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. 15But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; 16for it is written: "Be holy, because I am holy."

17Since you call on a Father who judges each man's work impartially, live your lives as strangers here in reverent fear. 18For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, 19but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. 20He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake. 21Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God.

Reflection of Bee:

Sometimes we can feel tired trying to live up to what the Bible teaches us. We feel a sense of hopelessness that we can't be holy as He is holy. We are are to be "self-controlled" rather than to be controlled by our evil desires (v13, 14).

One way to holiness is to remember that we are bought with the price of Jesus' blood (v19). With that thought in mind, we would want to do the things that please Him.

Dear Lord,
Teach me to be holy day by day. Keep me pure and help me thing of what You have done for me always.
In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.




Reflection of Tommy:

Our society today laughs and cringes over the word holiness or being holy. Being holy means to be totally devoted or dedicated to God, set aside for God’s special use and set apart from sin and its influence. As believer, we are called to be holy because He is holy (v16).

We can’t be holy on our own but through the Holy Spirit in us that helps us to obey and give us the power to overcome sin. When we make all our focus and priorities to be His, we will be holy with His qualities in our lives.

Dear Father, thank You for teaching me to be holy in everything I do. Teach me not to compromise this because of the pressure to blend in with the crowd. I pray that I will always be ready to allow the Holy Spirit to guide and lead me in all my ways. In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.

The Blame Game

Genesis 3:1-13

The Fall of Man
1 Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, "Did God really say, 'You must not eat from any tree in the garden'?"

2 The woman said to the serpent, "We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, 3 but God did say, 'You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.' "

4 "You will not surely die," the serpent said to the woman. 5 "For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil."

6 When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. 7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.

8 Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the LORD God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the LORD God among the trees of the garden. 9 But the LORD God called to the man, "Where are you?"

10 He answered, "I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid."

11 And he said, "Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?"

12 The man said, "The woman you put here with me—she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it."

13 Then the LORD God said to the woman, "What is this you have done?"
The woman said, "The serpent deceived me, and I ate."

Reflection of Bee:

There is a tendency for us to blame others when things go wrong. One subtle way of not taking personal responsibility is by saying "I am like that, can't be helped." or "I am a bad guy". These statements do not correct the wrongs that were done.

To take personal responsibility is to right the wrongs. One good example of this is Zaccheus, the tax collector. When Zaccheus followed Jesus he said, "if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount." (Luke 19:8-10) That is to make restitution and restoration if we truly feel sorry for the wrongs we made.

Dear Lord,
Thank You for reminding me not to blame others when things go wrong but to take personal responsibilities. I pray for grace and strength to do what is right to bring glory to Your name. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.



Reflection of Tommy:
Despite knowing its consequences, many Christians today still feel helplessly trapped in the bondage of sin. They also realized how the effects of their sin spread to those close to them. The first step to overcome sin is not by hiding from God, like Adam and Eve, but to recognize and confess them to God. Because of what Christ has done on the Cross for us, we can come to God in repentance, knowing God actively offers us His unconditional love.

But, repentance is not merely a thought but also an action. We need to begin making decision each day to take concrete steps to overcome, run (sometimes literally) and avoid things or situation that will lead us to sin. Pray daily for strength from God to resist all form of temptation and wisdom to discern areas of our lives that need to be changed. And finally, always remember Jesus is with us every step of the way!

Dear Father, thank You for teaching me once again not to blame others or situation for my wrongdoings. Teach me to ask the Holy Spirit to show any wrongdoing I may have- thoughts, desires, words, relationship, actions; and confess them to You. Lord, guide me then take step to truly repented from them and placing myself in Your hands in total obedience. Thank You Lord, for all these I ask in Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Choices

Ruth 1:11-18

11 But Naomi said, "Return home, my daughters. Why would you come with me? Am I going to have any more sons, who could become your husbands? 12 Return home, my daughters; I am too old to have another husband. Even if I thought there was still hope for me—even if I had a husband tonight and then gave birth to sons- 13 would you wait until they grew up? Would you remain unmarried for them? No, my daughters. It is more bitter for me than for you, because the LORD's hand has gone out against me!"

14 At this they wept again. Then Orpah kissed her mother-in-law good-by, but Ruth clung to her.

15 "Look," said Naomi, "your sister-in-law is going back to her people and her gods. Go back with her."

16 But Ruth replied, "Don't urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. 17 Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the LORD deal with me, be it ever so severely, if anything but death separates you and me." 18 When Naomi realized that Ruth was determined to go with her, she stopped urging her.

Reflection of Bee:

"I’ve come to realize that my life is not made by the dreams that I dream but by the choices that I make." - friend of Joe Stowell

Quite true. Dreams remain dreams when there is no action taken, The choices that we made are the actions that will let us know if our dreams are attainable.

We have to make choices since the day we are born. We do make many wrong choices in life but that's how we learn and grow. However, some choices have major impact to our life, e.g. career, marriage or business partner, and most importantly the God we believe in.

Ruth has made the right choice, though humanly speaking her choice was to her disadvantage. Yet her commitment to her mother-in-law had made her chose to stay with her till death. This shows that in making choices we have to look beyond our own current needs and see the needs of the people we loved.

Dear Lord,
Thank You for helping me to choose You. The best choice in my life. Teach me to make the right choices daily that will ultimately bring glory to You.
In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.



Reflection of Tommy:

From today’s Daily Bread, the author said that life usually boil down to a choice between "What do I want?" and "What’s best for others?” Many today like Orpah, choose what they want almost all the times; serving only themselves instead of the needs of others.

But for Ruth, she saw the needs of others and put it first before her own, making the decision to serve the needs of Naomi and she went on to play a significant role in Jewish history and became an ancestor of Jesus.

Dear Father, thank You for teaching me that everyday there are many opportunities to show true care for the needs of others. Teach me to make every choice by first putting the needs of others than always only my own. In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.

Dead Or Alive

John 20:1-8

The Empty Tomb
1Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance. 2So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, "They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don't know where they have put him!"

3So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb. 4Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. 5He bent over and looked in at the strips of linen lying there but did not go in. 6Then Simon Peter, who was behind him, arrived and went into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, 7as well as the burial cloth that had been around Jesus' head. The cloth was folded up by itself, separate from the linen. 8Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed.

Reflection of Bee:

There is a tendency for us to see first then believe. Even the disciple whom Jesus loved believed only after he saw His clothe at the tomb (v.8). Is Jesus dead or alive? To those who have not experienced His power and love, He is dead. But to those who have a real experience with Jesus, He is alive in their hearts.

Dear Lord,
Thank You that You have risen from the dead and is living in my heart right now. I pray that You will help me share this truth with those I come in contact with that they my know You too. Let me experience Your resurrection power now even in my feeble and sick body.
Thank You for giving my 'bf' and his family a safe journey home tonight.
In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Reflection of Tommy:
Our hope for salvation will never be possible if Christ has not risen from the death. It’s only because of His atoning death and resurrection, we can have eternal life.

Because He lives, I can face tomorrow,
Because He lives, all fear is gone;
Because I know He holds the future,
And life is worth the living,
Just because He lives!

Dear Father, thank You for sending Your Son Jesus to love, heal and forgive me. Thank You that because of the empty tomb, I can have an eternal life with You (1 Cor. 15:20-22). Thank You also that because You lives, I have the peace and calm assurance to boldly face all uncertain days ahead. Lord, I pray for Your continuing guidance to bring me closer to You and Your will for my life. In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.

The Way To Success

Joshua 1:1-9

The LORD Commands Joshua
1 After the death of Moses the servant of the LORD, the LORD said to Joshua son of Nun, Moses' aide: 2 "Moses my servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give to them—to the Israelites. 3 I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses. 4 Your territory will extend from the desert to Lebanon, and from the great river, the Euphrates—all the Hittite country—to the Great Sea [a] on the west. 5 No one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you.

6 "Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their forefathers to give them. 7 Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. 8 Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. 9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go."

Reflection of Bee:

Why did God have to tell Joshua to be strong and courageous" twice (v7, 9)? Because there will be many things which may discourage him and the Israelites as they tried to enter the promised land. The giants of the land are sure discouragements to them. Yet God showed Joshua how to be successful and prosperous.... by being obedient without compromising (v7, 8).

Similarly, we may encounter some discouragements in our Christian walk. Tonight God is also telling us to be courageous and be obedient to His word. This is the way to be successful and prosperous. He promised not to leave us nor forsake us.

Dear Lord,
Thank You for being with me through my discouraging moments. I pray You will grant me grace to be obedient to You always. I pray You will heal my sickness tonight and grant me a good night sleep.
I pray for safe journey home for my 'bf'. Grant him the power of Your Holy Spirit to live a life that is victorious and successful too.
In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.




Reflection of Tommy:
In today’s passage, we see how God repeatedly asking Joshua to be strong and courageous because of the tough challenges coming his way. Likewise, we will similarly face all kinds of difficult situation and trials in this life. But, as Christian we need not to be afraid or discouraged because God has promised never to abandon us or fail to help us.

All we need to do is to rest in His loving arm, trusting Him, obeying His Word day and night, and asking Him to direct and lead us in everything we do. In doing so, we’ll receive true lasting prosperity and success in God’s eyes.

Dear Father, thank You for the comforting assurance I have in You despite the difficulties at hand. Thank You for teaching me to be prepared always to face all obstacles ahead by being strong and courageous, obeying all Your laws and constantly reading, studying and applying Your Word in my life. In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.

Finding God In The Darkness

Acts 17:24-31

24"The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands. 25And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything, because he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else. 26From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. 27God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us. 28'For in him we live and move and have our being.' As some of your own poets have said, 'We are his offspring.'

29"Therefore since we are God's offspring, we should not think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone—an image made by man's design and skill. 30In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent. 31For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to all men by raising him from the dead."

Reflection of Bee:

There will be times in our Christian walk that God seems very far from us. We may wonder why we don't feel God's presence anymore. Did we sin that God is hiding from us or is God testing our faith?

I remember as a young Christian, I often struggled with my faith. Whenever I didn't feel God near, I doubted and wondered if I believed in the right God. As I grew in my Christian life through studying the bible and fellowshipping with fervent Christians, I realized that God wanted me to live by faith, not by sight. That means, even though I don't feel God I KNOW that He is with me; though I don't feel His love I KNOW that He loves me very much. Perhaps, such faith in God makes me trust others easily even if I don't see that person face to face. I always trust first till proven otherwise.

Tonight's devotion reminds us that God is "not far from each one of us" (v28). He is always there waiting for us to seek Him out.

Dear Lord,
Thank You for Your word of assurance that You are always there for me. Even if I don't feel You at times, even though I can't see You now, I know You. Keep me from the snares of the evil one and help me be strong no matter how I feel. I pray You will touch my heart now.... heal it completely and make it strong.
In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.



Reflection of Tommy:

When God created us, He desires to make Himself known to us. He placed us at a particular place and time, where we would seek Him and make the choice to reach out to Him and find Him (v27). And for those who diligently seek Him, He will make Himself known and rewards them with all the blessings of a life hid with Christ in God (Heb. 11:6, Col.3:3-4).

Dear Father, thank You for teaching me to entirely surrender to You and trusting in You perfectly. Forgive me for my un-Christlike attitudes and behaviors towards others, hindering Christ to live and work in me effectively. Teach me to repent from this and deny self continually; putting on the life of Christ, in a true divine union with You (John 17:21,23). In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.

The Best Find

2 Chronicles 34:14-2

The Book of the Law Found
14 While they were bringing out the money that had been taken into the temple of the LORD, Hilkiah the priest found the Book of the Law of the LORD that had been given through Moses. 15 Hilkiah said to Shaphan the secretary, "I have found the Book of the Law in the temple of the LORD." He gave it to Shaphan.

16 Then Shaphan took the book to the king and reported to him: "Your officials are doing everything that has been committed to them. 17 They have paid out the money that was in the temple of the LORD and have entrusted it to the supervisors and workers." 18 Then Shaphan the secretary informed the king, "Hilkiah the priest has given me a book." And Shaphan read from it in the presence of the king.

19 When the king heard the words of the Law, he tore his robes. 20 He gave these orders to Hilkiah, Ahikam son of Shaphan, Abdon son of Micah, [a] Shaphan the secretary and Asaiah the king's attendant: 21 "Go and inquire of the LORD for me and for the remnant in Israel and Judah about what is written in this book that has been found. Great is the LORD's anger that is poured out on us because our fathers have not kept the word of the LORD; they have not acted in accordance with all that is written in this book."

Reflection of Bee:

Before we became Christians, we were ignorant of the sins we have in our life. However, when we became Christians, the Holy Spirit will quicken our spirit and help us see many truth as we study the Bible. Things we did not consider as sins before now become sinful to us. When we know that we have sinned, the right response is to repent.

Dear Lord,
Please let me be willing to repent of all known sins and I pray that the blood of Christ to wash me white as snow. Please grant me an obedient heart to follow Your ways as You reveal them to me.
In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.


Reflection of Tommy:

Josiah in grief tore his robes because he was so appalled at the people’s neglect of the law. Many treat sin lightly- blaming others or making excuses for their own action and irresponsibility. There are also those who trying to minimize the harm done by pretending that it’s not so bad.

We can only have true remorse of our sin when we stop taking it lightly and blaming others or situation for causing us to sin. When we finally see, understand and grieve over our sins, we’ll be moved to true repentance that leads to salvation.

Dear Father, thank You for teaching me that I’m responsible for my action and attitudes. Thank You for reminding me to never treat any sins lightly, but to understand and respond with true remorse like Josiah. Guide me to repent of any sins or wrong desire in me and allowing You to change me and cleanse me from all unrighteousness. In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.

Do You Love Me?

John 14:15-24

Jesus Promises the Holy Spirit
15"If you love me, you will obey what I command. 16And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever— 17the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be[a] in you. 18I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. 19Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. 20On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. 21Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him."

22Then Judas (not Judas Iscariot) said, "But, Lord, why do you intend to show yourself to us and not to the world?"

23Jesus replied, "If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. 24He who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.

Reflection of Bee:

What is the sign of love?

In my search for the answers to know the difference between love and lust I found some articles that shed some light.

1. Article Are You In Love Or Lust? ....the difference between them

2. Article Are you in Love or Lust? ....talks about Relationship Compatibility being The key to happy long lasting relationships....

3. Article Love or Lust? ....a Christian's viewpoint


In the above passage, Jesus repeated 3 times, "If you love me, you will obey..." (v15, 21, 23). Biblically, the sign of love is the willingness to do what your loved one ask you to do in order to please him/her. Of course, if you love the wrong person you may do the wrong things.

Therefore, if we say that we love God we are to obey Him and please Him.


Dear Lord,
I pray that my love for You will grow each day and I will obey You more and more. For Your command is always good for me.
I pray for my 'bf' too, that You will teach him to trust and obey You. In His weakness please give him strength.
In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.




Reflection of Tommy:

Jesus loves us with more than the love of friendship. He didn’t spare Himself, He has given us all, and He asks for all in return. The slightest reserve from us will grieve Him to the heart. As He has completely surrendered all that He had for our sake, we must also surrender our all to Him in obedience and love, without limitation or measure.

Dear Father, thank You for Your amazing love and grace for us. Although we do not deserve these gifts, yet You have given them all to us, even Your only beloved Son. Teach me to love You back by obeying all Your commands and teachings (v15,23), may my every word and action bring pleasure to You and glory to Your Name. In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.

There Is Love

1 John 4:7-11

God's Love and Ours
7Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son[a] into the world that we might live through him. 10This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for[b] our sins. 11Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.

Reflection of Bee:

A Valentine's Day postcard says:

Love is not in the air... it is on the cross.
Some say that love is in the air. Well things in the air come and go with the passing breezes. The bible teaches that real love was firmly planted on the earth in the cross of Jesus Christ who died so that we can be God's friends forever.

Yes, the test of real love is on the cross. The cross speaks of sacrifice and giving. Can we pass the test?

Dear Lord,
Let not bad experiences remove true love from my heart. Let me love no matter how I am treated. Come into my heart and let Your love fills my soul always.
In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Reflection of Tommy:

In today passage, we are clearly called to love one another, for love comes from God (v7). If we are to look around us, we’ll see many opportunities to love faithfully those God has brought into our lives.

This love always involves a choice and action, not merely a feeling, as 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 shows. And when we truly love one another, God reveals himself to others through us, and His love is made complete (v12).

Dear Father, thank You for teaching me to stop and evaluate whether I have love faithfully those You have brought into my life. Guide me to love not like the world, but the way You love. I pray for discernment and strength to obey Your commandment of love always. In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.

Raised In Glory

1 Corinthians 15:42-49

42So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; 43it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; 44it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body.
If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. 45So it is written: "The first man Adam became a living being"[a]; the last Adam, a life-giving spirit. 46The spiritual did not come first, but the natural, and after that the spiritual. 47The first man was of the dust of the earth, the second man from heaven. 48As was the earthly man, so are those who are of the earth; and as is the man from heaven, so also are those who are of heaven. 49And just as we have borne the likeness of the earthly man, so shall we[b] bear the likeness of the man from heaven.

Reflection of Bee:

I saw an advertisement on a lamp post last month, where it showed picture of a teenage girl which said: "Do you know that 1 in 5 girls your age has gone through plastic surgery?"
Yesterday I heard a radio commercial when I was in the taxi: A lady asked her friend, "Why is it called plastic surgery? Is it because after surgery your face will become plastic or because the surgery uses plastic?"

Hehehe... sounded comical isn't it? But the truth is many people, young and old, male and female are seeking for ways and means to stay good looking. Our again process is something most find it hard to accept. However, for Christians, we have the assurance that our old aging bodies will be transformed into new bodies that are "imperishable" (v42). Isn't that wonderful to know?


Dear Lord,

Thank You that I shall have that perfect body one day. May this hope of glory spurs me on remember that I should lay my treasures in heaven and not on earth. For all the things on earth will pass away and decay one day.
In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.



Reflection of Tommy:

All of us face limitations. We may have been coping with some form of sickness or weakness- physically or emotionally, in our present earthly bodies. But as Christian, we have the assurance and hope to be given a new imperishable spiritual body when Christ returns. This body will be without any kind of disabilities, weaknesses or imperfection; it will never die or become sick. God will give us this transformed, eternal body suited to our new eternal life.

Dear Father, thank You for the hope and the gift of this spiritual body when Christ returns. For now, teach me to continue walking in Your love and to use all that You’ve given me to good use; bringing glory and honor to You. In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.

Knock, Knock

2 Timothy 1:8-12

8So do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord, or ashamed of me his prisoner. But join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God, 9who has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, 10but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. 11And of this gospel I was appointed a herald and an apostle and a teacher. 12That is why I am suffering as I am. Yet I am not ashamed, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day.

Reflection of Bee:

Have you ever heard the conversation between mothers or fathers? You are quite likely to hear them talking about their children. When one loves someone, one will love to speak about that someone as much as there's opportunity.

It it the same if we love the Lord Jesus Christ... we will have the tendency to talk about Him in our conversation with others. It can't be help if we have fallen in love with our Saviour, we will never be ashamed to talk about Him.


Dear Lord,
You are so worthy of my praise and boasting about You. For You have done great things in my life and in those who loved You. I pray for more opportunities to share Your love with those around me that they may love You too.
In Your most wonderful name I pray. Amen.



Reflection of Tommy:

We can sometimes be so overwhelmed by our problems that we think it is too complicated or difficult even for God to help us. We feel totally lost and confused as to how we can solve our problems.

In today’s passage, we see how Timothy was greatly discouraged by the problems in Ephesus and fearful of persecution. But, Paul advised him to trust fully in God when facing setbacks, problems or difficult transitions in life because God is always in control. He will provide everything we ever needed to face the future, if we would hold on tightly to His resources.

Dear Father, thank You for teaching me not to be ashamed to share the Good News to others. Teach me to share it with boldness, gentleness, tact and most importantly out of love for Your people. Guide me to spend more time reading and meditating on Your Word and listening to what and where You want to lead me to as a true disciple of Christ. In Christ’s Name I pray, Amen.

Godly Wisdom

Luke 14:25-33

The Cost of Being a Disciple
25Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said: 26"If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters—yes, even his own life—he cannot be my disciple. 27And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.I

28"Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Will he not first sit down and estimate the cost to see if he has enough money to complete it? 29For if he lays the foundation and is not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule him, 30saying, 'This fellow began to build and was not able to finish.'

31"Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Will he not first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand? 32If he is not able, he will send a delegation while the other is still a long way off and will ask for terms of peace. 33In the same way, any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple.

34"Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? 35It is fit neither for the soil nor for the manure pile; it is thrown out.
"He who has ears to hear, let him hear."

Reflection of Bee:

To be a disciple of Christ costs all that we have, all that we love, and all that we are. Even though I have been following Christ for many years, there are still struggles once in a while to surrender my all to Him.

Perhaps I can surrender my wealth but to surrender people I loved may be quite difficult because it touches my heart where my 'treasure' is. "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." (Matthew 6:21). Material things don't move me for I eat to live and not live to eat.

The devil knows my weakness and God knows my heart. The one I treasured most have been taken away from me. It still pains me whenever I think about it. Yet I need to learn to replace what I treasured most with God. This is the "cross" I have to bear.

Dear Lord,
You know my heart, my struggle, my pain, and my longing. Give me strength as I learn to take up my "cross " and follow You. May You give me grace and mercy to do what I should and not give in to the evil one.
In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.




Reflection of Tommy:

The preacher in my church today talked about how believers who are illiterate can be wiser than a highly educated person who has yet to accept God as the source of wisdom. Like Peter and John, who are not educated, but possessed great spiritual wisdom to do God’s mighty works.

A person can have true wisdom only through first fearing (revere) God (v10), acknowledging He is the true source of our wisdom, not through life experience or academic knowledge alone. With the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, God’s Word are fully revealed and illuminated to us (Corinthians 2:10).

Dear Father, thank You for teaching me to not solely rely on the wisdom of the world (1 Cor. 1:18, 20) but to first acknowledging You are the true source for my wisdom. You are the true foundation for me to make wise decisions and avoiding foolish choices. Lord, guard my heart and mind always, that I will bring glory and honor to Your Name with my words and action. In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.

What’s The Cost?

Luke 14:25-33

The Cost of Being a Disciple
25Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said: 26"If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters—yes, even his own life—he cannot be my disciple. 27And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.I

28"Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Will he not first sit down and estimate the cost to see if he has enough money to complete it? 29For if he lays the foundation and is not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule him, 30saying, 'This fellow began to build and was not able to finish.'

31"Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Will he not first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand? 32If he is not able, he will send a delegation while the other is still a long way off and will ask for terms of peace. 33In the same way, any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple.

34"Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? 35It is fit neither for the soil nor for the manure pile; it is thrown out.
"He who has ears to hear, let him hear."

Reflection of Bee:

To be a disciple of Christ costs all that we have, all that we love, and all that we are. Even though I have been following Christ for many years, there are still struggles once in a while to surrender my all to Him.

Perhaps I can surrender my wealth but to surrender people I loved may be quite difficult because it touches my heart where my 'treasure' is. "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." (Matthew 6:21). Material things don't move me for I eat to live and not live to eat.

The devil knows my weakness and God knows my heart. The one I treasured most have been taken away from me. It still pains me whenever I think about it. Yet I need to learn to replace what I treasured most with God. This is the "cross" I have to bear.

Dear Lord,
You know my heart, my struggle, my pain, and my longing. Give me strength as I learn to take up my "cross " and follow You. May You give me grace and mercy to do what I should and not give in to the evil one.
In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.



Reflection of Tommy:

On the surface, these shocking statement by Jesus (v26) seem to be contradictory to many other clear teachings of Scripture about hate (1 John 3:15, 1 John 4:20, Matthew 22:39). We are even called to love our enemies in Matthew 5:43-44. So unless Scripture contradicts itself, Jesus cannot mean “hate” in the conventional sense. Fortunately, this “hate” passage is clarified when we examine Matthew 10:37-38 which Jesus speaks on the same subject.

“Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.”

We learn that Jesus doesn’t mean that we should not love our closed ones in any sense as they are good gifts of God; but we should never love them or ourselves more than Him. We commit idolatry whenever we put something above of God. To be disciples of Jesus Christ, our love, obedience and loyalty for Him must come first. So, when even the dearest family wants us to do something that is the opposite of what Jesus wants for us; we must remain faithful to Jesus, not the family member.

Dear Father, thank You for reminding me that being a disciple of Christ is a major and difficult endeavor that requires total commitment and submission. Lord, give me the strength, wisdom and peace to remain faithful and obedient to You when I’m tempted to quit because of suffering or rejection. Teach me to always set my priority right by putting You first in everything; and trusting You to take care of all my needs. In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.

Five Cs Or Two Ws

Proverbs 30:7-9

7 "Two things I ask of you, O LORD;
do not refuse me before I die:

8 Keep falsehood and lies far from me;
give me neither poverty nor riches,
but give me only my daily bread.

9 Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you
and say, 'Who is the LORD ?'
Or I may become poor and steal,
and so dishonor the name of my God.

Reflection of Bee:

The world system says that we should work very hard and for long hours at the expanse of time with loved ones or God. This is to ensure we can afford the 5 Cs and feel secured with lots of money.

However, in the above passage we see riches may take us away from God. We should work to earn enough money for a simple living. That is, we should eat to live and not live to eat. 1 Timothy 6:6 says, "But godliness with contentment is great gain." We need to ask God for 2 things or 2 wishes... to be truthful and have enough, otherwise we may forget God.


Dear Lord,
Thank You for reminding me that life is more than the 5 Cs. I want to make the Psalmist prayer above mine too. I pray that I will stay true and be contented with what I have. I pray that You will teach me how to use my time more meaningfully for things and people that matters.
I pray this in Jesus' name. Amen.



Reflection of Tommy:

We often hear people say that having too much money is not really a good thing, even dangerous. We may be worrying over many things all the time. It’s also easy to make money our master and disown God (v9). As Jesus pointed out that rich people have problem getting into God’s kingdom (Matthew 19:23,24).

But, in today passage, we learned that having too little also can be hazardous to our spiritual as well as our physical health. We may seek out illegal or dishonest ways to make our ends meets, dishonoring God. We may also find it hard to give our time and energy to God as we are so bogged down by our difficulties and problems.

So, instead of asking for riches or poverty, we should ask God to teach us how to live with what we have now and trusting Him to provide all our needs. This way, our lives are more likely to be effective to do God’s works in this world.

Dear Father, thank You for all the gifts and blessings You have given me and also showing to me those who have so much less than me. Teach me to use what You have given me responsibly and avoid wasting them on unnecessary luxuries. Guide me to show true generosity to help those in needs and be willing to reach out to them. Thank You Lord for all these I pray in Your Name, Amen.

Desert Experience

1 Kings 19:1-10

Elijah Flees to Horeb
1 Now Ahab told Jezebel everything Elijah had done and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. 2 So Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah to say, "May the gods deal with me, be it ever so severely, if by this time tomorrow I do not make your life like that of one of them."

3 Elijah was afraid [a] and ran for his life. When he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there, 4 while he himself went a day's journey into the desert. He came to a broom tree, sat down under it and prayed that he might die. "I have had enough, LORD," he said. "Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors." 5 Then he lay down under the tree and fell asleep.
All at once an angel touched him and said, "Get up and eat." 6 He looked around, and there by his head was a cake of bread baked over hot coals, and a jar of water. He ate and drank and then lay down again.

7 The angel of the LORD came back a second time and touched him and said, "Get up and eat, for the journey is too much for you." 8 So he got up and ate and drank. Strengthened by that food, he traveled forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God. 9 There he went into a cave and spent the night.

The LORD Appears to Elijah
And the word of the LORD came to him: "What are you doing here, Elijah?"

10 He replied, "I have been very zealous for the LORD God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, broken down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too."

Reflection of Bee:

That's exactly how I felt and prayed sometimes when I felt totally castaway. Like Elajah, I asked God to let me die as I "have had enough" too (v4). Yet God always preserve me and kept me going. He made a way when there seemed no way.

Dear Lord,

Thank You for keeping me and preserving my life when there were sometimes I felt this earth has no more place for me. I pray that You will give me meaning and reason to live. Teach me and show me Your plan for me and let me obey Your will.

In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Reflection of Tommy:

Like Elijah, many of us experience unexpected discouragement just after a great spiritual victory. It is easy to fall into depression, feeling drained, isolated and losing our hope to try again. In today’s passage, we learn how important it is for us to know God is always there with us in our struggle; giving us true guidance and wisdom. We also need to rest and eat well to have the energy and focus to listen effectively to His gentle whisper, to lift our selves up again and to march on.

Dear Father, thank You for You never forsake or leave me alone to deal with my struggles. Thank You for Your continuous presence with me, giving me the peace and strength to go on. I pray that You will show to me if my ways are wrong, when my pride and ignorance blinds me from seeking Your guidance and wisdom. Thank You and I pray this in Jesus’ Name, Amen.

The Power Of Influence

Matthew 5:1-16

The Beatitudes
1Now when he saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, 2and he began to teach them saying:
3"Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4Blessed are those who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
5Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the earth.
6Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be filled.
7Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
8Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they will see God.
9Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called sons of God.
10Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

11"Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Salt and Light
13"You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men.

14"You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. 15Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.

Reflection of Bee:

The above Beatitudes are so comforting to me as I am feeling quite tired with office politics that are going on. Tonight's devotion reminds me that I don't have to worry too much about what others do or say but just remain faithful to God's words, be the light and salt of the world (v13 & 14). Even if people try to say say all kinds of evil against me because I hold fast to God's word, I will be "blessed".

Yes, "blessed are those who mourn" (v4) for God will always comfort our heart when we cry out to Him. Thank God for always hearing my cry to Him.


Dear Lord,
Thank You for Your words of comfort and assurance. I pray that Your words will remain in my heart as I go about doing my work in my office. I pray that I will be Your light and salt all the time.
In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.




Reflection of Tommy:

What are the traits we need to cultivate as a disciple of Jesus Christ? In Jesus’ longest recorded sermon, He described a list of beatitudes that tell us how to be blessed; the experience of hope and joy that are independent of our outward circumstances. We can see how directly contradictory each beatitude is to the worldly values of selfishness, pride and lust. It challenges the way we live each day to willingly follow Jesus with true humility and obedience, no matter what the cost may be.

Dear Father, thank You for showing to me the clashing values of society typical way of life to a life of true discipleship. Guard my heart and mind always from the influences and temptation of this world that are in conflict with the traits and attitude You wanted me to have. Lord, continue to lead and change me daily to be Your salt and light to the world. In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.

Spiritual Passion

Revelation 2:1-7

1"To the angel[a] of the church in Ephesus write:
These are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands: 2I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked men, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false. 3You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary. 4Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love. 5Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place. 6But you have this in your favor: You hate the practices of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. 7He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.

Reflection of Bee:

It is not surprising that seemingly 'strong Christians' like the Ephesians can forsake their "first love" for Christ (v4). For if a man can for no reason lost the passion and love for the woman whom he once knew and 'loved' dearly, how much more will he not do likewise to a God whom he couldn't feel nor see. Our physical experience is a foreshadow of the spiritual experience, just like the husband and wife relationship on earth is a foreshadow of Christ and the Church.

The warning above is to "repent and do the things you did before" (v5)... to go back to the "first love" and do what is right. If not, our "lampstand" will be removed. Some commentaries say "lampstand" refers to "position of honour", others say "light in sharing the gospel". Whatever that means, it would be something sad to have our "lampstand being removed.


Dear Lord,
Thank You for the reminder that I need to continue with my "first love" for You. Though human may fail me and forget their love for me, You will not. Let me love You with all my heart once again.
In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.



Reflection of Tommy:
When answering questions by non-believers, we may be often quick to shoot down their arguments with our judgmental and sometimes insulting remarks; making others feel that we think we are better than everyone else. This happens when our words are based on pride and not love. We should accept, respect and love all people; believers and non-believers. We are called to reflect God’s glory and love to the world, not to be a bad example for being condemnatory and judgmental.

Dear Father, thank You for reminding me of showing love in words and actions for one another as an authentic proof of the gospel (John 13:34). Forgive me at times of doing the opposite, thinking highly only about myself. Teach me to change that and to make good use of every opportunity to reflect Your light to the world around me. In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.

The Price Of A Soul

Matthew 16:24-28

24Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 25For whoever wants to save his life[a] will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it. 26What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul? 27For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father's glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what he has done. 28I tell you the truth, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom."

Reflection of Bee:

Each of us has a "cross" of our own. This "cross" is the price we have to pay for following Jesus Christ. It may be the bad habits or thoughts we have to give up, or our possessions, or time, or personal ambitions, or people we loved, etc, that God wants us to surrender to Him.

It's not an easy cross to carry yet Jesus promised that His yoke is easy and His burden is light. He wants us to go to Him so He can give us rest. If we try to avoid carrying this cross, we may ended up losing our life instead.

Dear Lord,
I have a very heavy cross to carry since the day I accepted You as my Saviour. Yet You have always help me to carry it whenever it is too hard for me to bear. You have never leave me nor forsake me. Even now I want to come to You and surrender myself and my all to You. I want to find rest and peace in You.
I pray the same for my 'bf' who is struggling too. May Your peace and rest be with Him as he surrender his life to You. Keep him from the snare of the evil one and grant him victory over him.
In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.



Reflection of Tommy:
Some Christians think that only unbelievers’ life will be reviewed and evaluated when Christ returns. But the truth is we will still face judgment by God even though our salvation is secure. Jesus will look at how we have handled our gifts, opportunities and responsibilities in order to determine our heavenly rewards (v27).

Dear Father, thank You for reminding me not to merely claim to be a Christian but does not live a life as a true disciple of Christ. Teach me how to truly devote my life in service for your kingdom. Guide me in all my words and actions, that I may always bring glory and honor to You. In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.

A Unifying Wall

Nehemiah 4:10-18

10 Meanwhile, the people in Judah said, "The strength of the laborers is giving out, and there is so much rubble that we cannot rebuild the wall."

11 Also our enemies said, "Before they know it or see us, we will be right there among them and will kill them and put an end to the work."

12 Then the Jews who lived near them came and told us ten times over, "Wherever you turn, they will attack us."

13 Therefore I stationed some of the people behind the lowest points of the wall at the exposed places, posting them by families, with their swords, spears and bows. 14 After I looked things over, I stood up and said to the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people, "Don't be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your homes."

15 When our enemies heard that we were aware of their plot and that God had frustrated it, we all returned to the wall, each to his own work.

16 From that day on, half of my men did the work, while the other half were equipped with spears, shields, bows and armor. The officers posted themselves behind all the people of Judah 17 who were building the wall. Those who carried materials did their work with one hand and held a weapon in the other, 18 and each of the builders wore his sword at his side as he worked. But the man who sounded the trumpet stayed with me.

Reflection of Bee:

There were times, we felt discouraged by what we saw or heard. We may look at our problems that are too great to overcome. But thank God for encouraging us through fellow Christians who see beyond the problems and see God's greatness and faithfulness toward His people. God will always fight for us when we follow His way.

Like in the above passage, we need to learn to encourage each other instead of tearing each other down. We have to be on guard of our 'enemies' as we do the work of God. We need to be united as we build the 'wall' of God together.

Dear Lord,
Forgive me for saying things that may be discouraging at times. Teach me to speak words of encouragement and life. I pray for unity of spirit to build Your 'house'. Help me to be on guard against the enemy's weapon of sowing discords or disunity amongst fellow Christians. May Your love unite us together.
In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.




Reflection of Tommy:

Recently, I met up with this young couple from my church who was assigned to missionary work in China. They shared about their task of learning the rural ethnic dialects and languages and doing Bible translation work. It is a rather difficult task with all kinds of obstacle and setback during the years they were there.

But, what keep them going are their strong focus on God’s purposes for their lives and knowing God’s special purpose for their project. Also, like how Nehemiah’s workers looking out for each others while building the wall, the enormous love, encouragement and prayers from our church members has greatly helped them in their mission to expand God’s kingdom.

Dear Father, thank You for reminding me not to cut myself off from others while doing the works for Your kingdom. Thank You for the opportunities to work with my brothers and sisters in Christ to bring more to know You. Show to me how You can use me for Your kingdom and the plans You have for my life to please and glorify You. In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.

Our Living Hope

John 6:39-54

39And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all that he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. 40For my Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day."

41At this the Jews began to grumble about him because he said, "I am the bread that came down from heaven." 42They said, "Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How can he now say, 'I came down from heaven'?"

43"Stop grumbling among yourselves," Jesus answered. 44"No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day. 45It is written in the Prophets: 'They will all be taught by God.'[a] Everyone who listens to the Father and learns from him comes to me. 46No one has seen the Father except the one who is from God; only he has seen the Father. 47I tell you the truth, he who believes has everlasting life. 48I am the bread of life. 49Your forefathers ate the manna in the desert, yet they died. 50But here is the bread that comes down from heaven, which a man may eat and not die. 51I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world."

52Then the Jews began to argue sharply among themselves, "How can this man give us his flesh to eat?"

53Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. 54Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.

Reflection of Bee:

We may find life has many struggles and we may at times lose hope and wish that this life is over faster than it should be. For Christians, Jesus promised that He will give us "eternal life" and that He will raise us up at the last day. That's the hope Christians have when all else fail.

We can't bring our earthly possession with us. What is eternal is our relationship with the Lord and with those who love God, for we will meet again in heaven one day. Therefore we need to spend time to cultivate relationship that will last.

Dear Lord,
Thank You for Your promise of eternal life. I pray that I will cultivate a close relationship with You now and with my fellow believers. I pray that more will come to receive this life as I share Your love with them.
In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.


Reflection of Tommy:

As Christian, we know that Jesus is our spiritual bread that satisfies completely and leads to eternal life for those who eat it. But how do we exactly eat this living Bread? We eat this living Bread when we:

1. Accept Jesus Christ into our lives and become united with Him by believing in His death and resurrection.
2. Devoting ourselves to living as He requires, relying on His teaching for guidance and trusting in the Holy spirit for power.

Dear Father, thank You for the gift of the living Bread that truly satisfies all my longings and gives me an eternal life with You. Teach me to devote my life to You in love and service, depending solely on Your leading and guidance. May I also serve with humility and fervor, always trusting in Your providence and strength. In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.

A Boy’s Lunch

John 6:5-14

5When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, "Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?" 6He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do.
7Philip answered him, "Eight months' wages[a] would not buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!"
8Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, spoke up, 9"Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?"
10Jesus said, "Have the people sit down." There was plenty of grass in that place, and the men sat down, about five thousand of them. 11Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish.
12When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, "Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted." 13So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten.
14After the people saw the miraculous sign that Jesus did, they began to say, "Surely this is the Prophet who is to come into the world."

Reflection of Bee:

From the above passage we learned that if we are willing to give to Jesus what is important to us, God will perform miracle and multiply what we have given to bless many.

Dear Lord,
Let me give You what is important to me, so that You can multipy it and bless many.
In Jesus' name I pray.

Reflection of Tommy:

Like the disciples, we often limit what God can do in us and with the little we have. We prefer not to give anything at all because we think we didn’t have enough to give. This can be our time and resources to do God’s works. But in today’s passage, we can learn from the boy who gave what little he had, and God turn it into something great.

Take the first step to make our selves available to God with what little we have, and God will show us how greatly this can be used to advance the work of His kingdom.

Dear Father, thank You for the making the impossible possible; teaching me not to neglect my task to serve Your people by worrying about my limited resources. Teach me to give my all to You, trusting and abandoning myself to Your care that I may be of service to You. In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.

Living Every Day

Proverbs 15:13-33

13 A happy heart makes the face cheerful,
but heartache crushes the spirit.

14 The discerning heart seeks knowledge,
but the mouth of a fool feeds on folly.

15 All the days of the oppressed are wretched,
but the cheerful heart has a continual feast.

16 Better a little with the fear of the LORD
than great wealth with turmoil.

17 Better a meal of vegetables where there is love
than a fattened calf with hatred.

18 A hot-tempered man stirs up dissension,
but a patient man calms a quarrel.

19 The way of the sluggard is blocked with thorns,
but the path of the upright is a highway.

20 A wise son brings joy to his father,
but a foolish man despises his mother.

21 Folly delights a man who lacks judgment,
but a man of understanding keeps a straight course.

22 Plans fail for lack of counsel,
but with many advisers they succeed.

23 A man finds joy in giving an apt reply—
and how good is a timely word!

24 The path of life leads upward for the wise
to keep him from going down to the grave. [a]

25 The LORD tears down the proud man's house
but he keeps the widow's boundaries intact.

26 The LORD detests the thoughts of the wicked,
but those of the pure are pleasing to him.

27 A greedy man brings trouble to his family,
but he who hates bribes will live.

28 The heart of the righteous weighs its answers,
but the mouth of the wicked gushes evil.

29 The LORD is far from the wicked
but he hears the prayer of the righteous.

30 A cheerful look brings joy to the heart,
and good news gives health to the bones.

31 He who listens to a life-giving rebuke
will be at home among the wise.

32 He who ignores discipline despises himself,
but whoever heeds correction gains understanding.

33 The fear of the LORD teaches a man wisdom, [b]
and humility comes before honor.

Reflection of Bee:

What stands out tonight in the passage above is the word "cheerful". How to be "cheerful" when we are feeling sad? Perhaps v16 & 17 give the answers:

"Better a little with the fear of the LORD than great wealth with turmoil. Better a meal of vegetables where there is love than a fattened calf with hatred."

Yes, fearing God and receiving or giving love is BETTER than "wealth with turmoil" or "fattened calf with hatred". What does it profit us if we have wealth and live in luxury but without love and God in our life? Life is more than these. When we fear God, He will teach us how to choose wisely.

Dear Lord,
Thank You for reminding me to be cheerful because I have You in my heart. I pray that You will put a new song in my heart each day so that Your joy will give me strength to go on in spite of difficulties in life.
In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.



Reflection of Tommy:

Over the years, one thing that I’m always very grateful and thankful to God is how He has showed to me how to live my life by seeing Him in everything. Although trials and sufferings are still there, but my perspective has changed from worrying or feeling miserable or angered to one that fully trusting in His loving care. Seeing God in everything also make me loving, kind and patient with those who trouble or annoy me.

However, this doesn’t mean we must like or enjoy the trial itself, but to see God’s will in our trials, the will of love. By seeing this reality, our lives become one long thanksgiving, giving true joy, courage, peace and rest for our heart in this broken world. When we can abandon ourselves to God in perfect trust, He will lead us into wonderful green pastures of inward rest and beside blessedly still waters of inward refreshment!

Dear Father, thank You for the joy and assurance I have in Your loving hand. Continue to teach me to surrender all to You, trusting in You for all my needs. In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.

Bee's 15th Month of Devotion

There were many occasions whereby the thoughts of stop blogging my devotions here came across my mind. I felt lonely and wished that someone could understand my struggles and stay by my side to give me the support I needed. All I want is for this person to cry with me and say nothing. Yet there is none like this. Today I remember the songs we sang in Church...

You are so Faithful
Like the sun that rises everyday
You are so faithful, Dear Lord, You are faithful
Like the rain that You bring and every breath that I breathe
You are so faithful, oh Lord

Like a rose that comes alive every spring
You are so faithful, Dear Lord, You are faithful
Like the life that You give to every beat of my heart
You are so faithful Lord

I see a cross and the price You had to pay
I see the blood that washed my sins away

And in the midst of the storm through the wind and the waves
You're still be faithful, You're still be faithful
And when the stars refuse to shine and time is no more
You're still be faithful, You're still be faithful Lord

As I pondered on the above lyric my heart cried and said "Amen, Lord, You are so faithful". I want to thank God for seeing me through "in the midst of the storm through the wind and the waves". He is faithful even when I am faithless. Without Him I wouldn't be here anymore. Yes, it's been 15 months since I started blogging my devotional thoughts.

Praise the Lord!


... the thoughts of Bee