The Fellowship Of The Cross

2 Corinthians 1:3-11

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

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

Reflection of Bee:

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

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

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

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


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



Reflection of Tommy:

Trusting and depending on God does not necessary means our problems will go away or that we will be relieved entirely from our pain. Although sometimes we do wish God removes them from us, but we should know He may have a better plan for us in those difficult periods in our lives.

It may be His way to lead us to turn to Him out of love and not merely out of the desire to be relieved. Or, it may be His other way of comforting us by supplying His peace, strength, encouragement and hope for us to deal with our troubles. And He may also use our hardship and trial to prepare us to help out and comfort those who are suffering similar pain in their lives.

Dear Father, thank You for both the good and the bad times. Thank You for Your sustaining grace for me when things are getting harder and overwhelming for me. But Lord, teach me to allow You to comfort me through those times in Your ways. I will continue to trust You for all my needs and give You praise and thanks always. In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.
thanks

Love and Be Loved

1 Corinthians 13

Love
1If I speak in the tongues[a] of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames,[b] but have not love, I gain nothing.

4Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

8Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. 11When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. 12Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

13And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

Reflection of Bee:

Is it wrong to seek to be loved by a human being, other than by God?

Frequently, over 'spiritual' Christians may make it seems that desiring to be loved is wrong and that they should always seek only to give love and never the other way round. Well, if God didn't create us with the inner longing to be loved we will never know what God's love is like, isn't it?

John 13:34-35 says that it is a commandment for Christians to love each other so that non-believers will know that they are the followers of Christ.

34"A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."

That's what I experienced. As a young child, before I came to know Christ, I sought for love but didn't find. At the age of 12 I found love in Christ through the love of some loving Christians in a church. They showed me that they cared for me and shared with me where that love and care came from. I accepted Christ after some time attending that Sunday School. If I didn't seek for love I wouldn't have found Christ.

However, when I grew older life became more complicated... love that is pure seems illusive. It's hard to find someone who truly love and care for me as an adult. Instead it's my turn to love and care for others, even when I am hurt by the people I cared for. Perhaps this is what it means in v11, that I have to grow up and not remain as a child. I am still not perfect yet, but will be one day when I see God face to face (v9,12).

Yes, God have made us such that we both need to be loved and to love so that a relationship can be formed, which is a representation of our love relationship with Christ.

How do we recognize love? It is summed up in v7 & v8:

7It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
8Love never fails.

Dear Jesus,
Let me not feel condemned whenever I longed to be loved. It's You who have made me a human being to both receive and to give love.
Thank You for showing me what love is through some Christians who practiced love when I was young. Now it's my turn to show that love to others too. Let me not feel short-changed when my love is not reciprocated. For You didn't get Your love reciprocated too.
Help me to be more and more perfect just as You are perfect (Matt 5:48).
In Your loving name I pray. Amen.



Reflection of Tommy:

Tonight devotion reminds me again of my uncaring attitude towards someone close to me this morning. Although I’ve said how much I love and care for this person, yet I treated her so badly over something not entirely her fault, in fact, it was mine! My impatience is indeed an ugly reflection of my own self-centeredness in response to life’s disappointments (Our Daily Bread).

Like what Paul said in today’s passage - love is patience toward others. It suffers long and is kind; it does not behave rudely, does not seek its own and is not provoked (1 Cor. 13:4-5). We should think of how incredibly patience and kind God has been to us before we lash out on others. When we say we love someone, we need to show true patience and kindness to them. We also need to ask God to provide us with this kind of love and patience towards others in our prayers.

Dear Father, thank You for Your forgiveness for what I’ve done wrong. Teach me to be truly repented of my action and not to repeat it anymore. Lead me to display the kind of love You have shown to me through Your Son. Give me the patience and kindness to put You and others first before myself. Thank You Father. I pray in Jesus’ Name, Amen.

The Natural Things to Do

Romans 1:8-17

Paul's Longing to Visit Rome
8First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is being reported all over the world. 9God, whom I serve with my whole heart in preaching the gospel of his Son, is my witness how constantly I remember you 10in my prayers at all times; and I pray that now at last by God's will the way may be opened for me to come to you.

11I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong— 12that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other's faith. 13I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that I planned many times to come to you (but have been prevented from doing so until now) in order that I might have a harvest among you, just as I have had among the other Gentiles.

14I am obligated both to Greeks and non-Greeks, both to the wise and the foolish. 15That is why I am so eager to preach the gospel also to you who are at Rome.

16I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. 17For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last,[a] just as it is written: "The righteous will live by faith."

Reflection of Bee:

Paul was so eager to share the gospel because he had personally experienced Christ and His power in so many ways (v16). He had suffered much persecutions after he became a follower of Christ. His mission was to share Christ with others and to ask the Roman Christians to be "mutually encouraged by each others' faith" (v11). Yes, Christian life is a life in the body of Christ (group), not a lonely individual life. This is a profound truth which we can only comprehend when the Holy Spirit reveals it to us.

Sharing the gospel to non-believers is a very normal and natural things to do once a person has experienced Jesus Christ. It's like a cup overflows with water.... it is one think 'knowing ABOUT God' and another 'knowing and EXPERIENCING God'. If one finds it not natural to share Christ, then one might be just knowing about Him and not really experiencing Him yet.

Sharing the gospel is also a demonstration of one's faith in Christ, as not everyone will accept what is shared. One might be afraid to be ridiculed or ostracized for sharing. That's why those who live by faith is considered "righteous"in the eyes of God.

Dear Lord,
Thank You for Your salvation. Thank You for letting me experience You so much that I am eager and ready to share the gospel in seasons and out of seasons. How can I be quiet for all that You have done for me? No, I can't. May many whom I come into contact with know You and accept Your salvation as well.
In Jesus' name I pray. Amen,


Reflection of Tommy:

As Christian, we are obligated to Christ because He has died for our sin and offering us salvation. For Paul, his obligation was to Christ for being his Savior and he was consumed with and obligated in spreading the Good News to the entire world.

Likewise, once we come to truly understand God’s great love of sacrificing His Son for us, we can demonstrate our gratefulness and gratitude by following Him, obeying His commands and proclaiming Christ’s salvation to others.

Dear Father, Thank You again for Your amazing love, grace and mercy that enable me to be born again and be renewed each day. As I am often feel overwhelmed by problems, hurt and difficulties, teach me to rest them all in You, praying to You at all times and trusting You to make ways clear and right for me. In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.

Amazing Love!

John 3:13-18

13No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man.[a] 14Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, 15that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.[b]

16"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son,[c] that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son.[d]

Reflection of Bee:

"For God so loved the world
that he gave his one and only Son,
that whoever believes in him
shall not perish but have eternal life."
- John 3:16

This is a very well known verse which precedes John 15:7-14 (devotion for 4 April 07, Joy of True Friendship and Love). Without the former there will be no latter. Because Jesus had demonstrated what true love is, He has the right to ask those who claimed to love Him and are His "friends" to do likewise, i.e. to love (and be willing to die for) those who also truly love Jesus (John 15:12-14).

"Blood is thicker than water", as the saying goes in our physical relationship with our siblings. Similarly, it is so (through the blood of Jesus) with our spiritual BORN-AGAIN 'siblings' in Christ, who also obey His command to love (John 15:12-14).

In the past, I always thought that John 15 was trying to tell us that we must be willing to lay down our lives for EVERYONE. Almost impossible, I feel, unless that person is extremely close to us. Now I understand that all these are possible ONLY IN CHRIST. That means it is only possible within the family of God (amongst those who not only accepted Christ's salvation but also obeyed Christ's command to love, thus become Christ's and ours friends) . This makes more sense, isn't it?

Jesus did not ask us to die for sinners, but rather to die for our friends (definition of friendship is in accordance with God's word in John 15, not by the world's definition).

Dear Lord,
Thank You for Your revelation on what Your word says about love, friendship, and obedience. Now it seems not so difficult after all to love the way You do once we fulfill the criteria which will make Your way of love possible.
Now I pray for my special friend that You grant him peace in his heart and faith in Your providence for him. Let him understand why You allowed things to happen in his life, to make things for good, 'cos he loves You.
In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.


Reflection of Tommy:

Love is when God became man. And love is when God sacrificed His only Son for us. This is the model of love that should be the basis for all love relationships. When we say we truly love others, we should be like Jesus - willingly to give freely and sacrificially; that they may join us in receiving God’s love. Keep this passage close to my heart always:

“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends”. – John 15:9-13

Dear Father, thank You for Your amazing love for me. Thank You Jesus for taking all the punishments for my sins though You never deserve them. Thank You for offering me a new life in You; filling me each day with Your righteousness and Your Words. Thank You and I praise You, my risen Lord! All honor and glory to You. In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.

Two Different Systems

Galatians 6:11-18

11-13Now, in these last sentences, I want to emphasize in the bold scrawls of my personal handwriting the immense importance of what I have written to you. These people who are attempting to force the ways of circumcision on you have only one motive: They want an easy way to look good before others, lacking the courage to live by a faith that shares Christ's suffering and death. All their talk about the law is gas. They themselves don't keep the law! And they are highly selective in the laws they do observe. They only want you to be circumcised so they can boast of their success in recruiting you to their side. That is contemptible!

14-16For my part, I am going to boast about nothing but the Cross of our Master, Jesus Christ. Because of that Cross, I have been crucified in relation to the world, set free from the stifling atmosphere of pleasing others and fitting into the little patterns that they dictate. Can't you see the central issue in all this? It is not what you and I do—submit to circumcision, reject circumcision. It is what God is doing, and he is creating something totally new, a free life! All who walk by this standard are the true Israel of God—his chosen people. Peace and mercy on them!

17Quite frankly, I don't want to be bothered anymore by these disputes. I have far more important things to do—the serious living of this faith. I bear in my body scars from my service to Jesus.

18May what our Master Jesus Christ gives freely be deeply and personally yours, my friends. Oh, yes!

Reflection of Bee:

There are politics everywhere, not only in the government but also in our working places, and even in the churches, sad to say. However, Paul chose not to follow the world system but rather follow the cross of Jesus. All he wanted was to be serious in living out his faith in Christ.

Yes, through the cross of Jesus we are set free from the bondage of sin and the world when we practice our faith. Do you know why yesterday was called a Good Friday? Because Jesus died on the cross for us and was resurrected three days later. Isn't that good? :)

Dear Lord,
Thank You for your encouragement through tonight's devotion, using the Apostle Paul as an example. May I continue to be strong as I live in this world and not of this world. I pray also for the business decisions I have to make let me follow Your system, and not the system of the world. Let me have a good rest tonight so I may rise up fresh to worship You with the church tomorrow.
Thank You in Jesus' name. Amen.


Reflection of Tommy:

Many Christians today do not realize they are living in the midst of a great spiritual battle in this world. As God’s final victory has yet to come, we are facing continually threat and attacks from Satan and his forces in all areas of our lives.

We are bombarded by all kinds of harmful and destructive worldly ideologies or subtle cultural pressures everyday that drag us away from God. We also easily give Satan foothold (Eph 4:27) and allowing Him to build strongholds in our lives through bitterness, lust, improper speech, greed and pride.

But God never intended us to fight this battle alone. He will fight with us and He has given us the authority to overcome the power of Satan in our lives and to win the battle. As we are fighting not against people but the principalities and powers of a dark world, God will equips us with the spiritual armor: truth, righteousness, gospel of peace, faith, salvation, and His Word (putting on Christ!). Pray also to God to help us crucify any wrong desire and interest in our heart.

Dear Father, thank You for reminding me what Christ has achieved on Calvary’s Tree. Protect my heart and mind that I will not be distracted by doubt, discouragement and confusion but to put on Your armor to fight this fierce battle. Lord, keep me awake and alert that I may not stumble or lead astray, but to be conqueror and victorious in Jesus. In His mighty Name I pray, Amen.

Joy of True Friendship and Love

John 15:7-14

7If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. 8This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

9"As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love. 11I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. 12My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. 14You are my friends if you do what I command.

Reflection of Bee:

The above passage is a very familiar one. However, the message seems much clearer to me tonight than before. It talks about how we may have joy by having true friendship and love with each other as true believers of Christ.

How can we have joy?
When we remain in Christ's love (v11)

How do we remain in Christ's love?
When we obey His command (v10)

What is His command?
Love each other (true believers) in the way Christ loves us (v12).

How does Christ love?
Willing to lay down His life for His friends (v13).

Who are Christ's friends?
Those who obey His command (v14).

Who are our friends?
Those who are Christ's friends (v14).


Clearly, to be a true FRIEND of Christ is to obey His COMMAND to LOVE our fellow Christians who also obey Him. To truly love is to be willing to lay down our lives for each other. In this way our JOY will be full/complete. Therefore, true joy, friendship, love and obedience are all interlinked and not stand alone. They are 'fruit' of true disciples of Christ (v8).

We can't expect true joy when we don't obey Christ's command to love those who love Him.
We can't have true friendship with Christ when we can't have true friendship with those who love Him.
We can't say we love Christ when we can't love with actions for those who love Him.

If someone says he loves Christ or is a friend of Christ but does not practice the command of Christ stated above, he is lying to himself.

Dear Lord,
Thank You for showing me clearly what it means to be Your friend, to love and to experience Your joy.
I want to be Your friend, to love and to experience Your joy the way You command. Help me to obey fully, Lord.
In Jesus' name I ask these.



Reflection of Tommy:
It is easy to be frustrated and even sink into depression when bad things keep happening to us. We may then seek out ways to temporarily make ourselves feel better or to run away from our problems. But, often as we depend on these earthly ‘horses’ for relief, it doesn’t takes long before we sink even lower in our misery or worst getting us into more problems (Amos 5:19). We will never find true lasting joy and peace when we are easily swept by the rolling waves of circumstance.

The solution to have a lasting and complete joy is by developing a consistent relationship with Jesus. When we walk closely with Him each day and obeying His commands, we will remain in His love (v10). He will supply us with true joy, peace, wisdom and courage to move forward, even as life's challenges trying to pull us down.

Dear Father, thank You for reminding me to remain in You and having Your Words remain in me (v7), bearing good fruits as a true disciple of Christ. Guard my heart and mind that I may not be constantly distracted and pulled down by my problems. Teach me to follow You, to obey Your commands and to spend more time listening to Your leading. Lord, I will give You praise and thanks in all things; good or bad..bringing all glory and honor to You. In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.

Which Way Am I Growing?

Galatians 6:7-10

7Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. 8The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature^[a]will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. 9Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. 10Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.

Reflection of Bee:

Tonight we are reminded of the principle of retribution or reaping what we sow. It is a comfort to those who seek to do right despite all odds.

There were many times I felt being unjustly treated but each time God reminded me that vengeance is His, He will repay accordingly. Whoever treated me unjustly will receive what they sowed. Sometimes, the ones that do that to me may be Christians whom I have trusted. Yes, I felt very disappointed, hurt and sad. But then again, they are still my brothers and sisters in Christ and I will leave it to God to due with them. I am to do good to them instead.


Dear Lord,
Though it may seems hard to accept that even Christians can do things to hurt me badly, yet I know that I am to do good to them. I pray for your strength and grace to forgive and bless those who hurt me. May You lead them to the path You want them to go and may Your love touches them.
In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.



Reflection of Tommy:

Sometimes, we tend to ignore what we sow, thinking our action will have no or little negative effect on us or on others. But, Paul made it clear in today’s passage that if we always sow to please our sinful nature, we’ll reap crop of sorrow, evil and destruction. We may not yet realize the consequences of our action, but sooner or later it will be too late for us to mend the situation.

Paul then teaches us instead of merely sowing to please our own desires; we should sow to please God. By doing so, we will reap true joy, fulfillment and everlasting life with God.

Dear Father, thank You for reminding me that every action has results and everything I do matter. Teach me not to be shortsighted and reckless but to have an eternal perspective on anything I do. Lord, continue to guide me to abide in You, sowing what pleases You and submitting all my wills to You each day. I pray You will continue to provide me the strength to live for You and for others; to grow in Your grace and kindness. In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.

Evening

Ephesians 5:6-17

6Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God's wrath comes on those who are disobedient. 7Therefore do not be partners with them.

8For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light 9(for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) 10and find out what pleases the Lord. 11Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. 12For it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. 13But everything exposed by the light becomes visible, 14for it is light that makes everything visible. This is why it is said:
"Wake up, O sleeper,
rise from the dead,
and Christ will shine on you."

15Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, 16making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. 17Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is.

Reflection of Bee:

To be wise - make the most out every opportunities (v15), share Christ with others

To be foolish - not knowing God's will (v16), reading the bible and pray is how God can speak to us.

Dear Lord,
Speak to me tonight that I know what You have in store for me. Teach me to choose the options wisely to Your glory.
In Jesus' name I pray. Amen



Reflection of Tommy:
In today’s passage, Paul gives us a good insight on how to handle our relationship with unbelievers. He was not talking about cutting all contact or even discriminating them, but instead to have the wisdom and right intention when we befriend unbelievers.

We must not condone to the lifestyle of those who make excuses for their bad behavior and recommending them to others. When we yoke with them, it is more likely they influence us for evil than us bringing them to good (2 Corinthians 6:14-18). We must always on the lookout for those who are viciously evil, immoral or opposed to all that Christianity stands for.

Above all, we must befriend unbelievers if we are to sincerely lead them to Christ with love, like how Jesus taught His followers in Luke 5:30-32.

Dear Father, thank You for reminding me that as a child of light, I need to live in ways that pleases You (v10) and have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness (v11). Guard my heart and mind always when I’m with unbelievers, that I may have the wisdom and right intention to do what is right in Your sight. In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.

What is Love?

1 John 3:11-18

Love one another
11This is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another. 12Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own actions were evil and his brother's were righteous. 13Do not be surprised, my brothers, if the world hates you. 14We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love our brothers. Anyone who does not love remains in death. 15Anyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life in him.

16This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. 17If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? 18Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.

Reflection of Bee:

What is love?

Love is to "lay down our lives for our brothers" (v16). It is not just words, but actions and reality (v18).

It may not be so hard to love this way for just ONE person, but to do this for everyone may be a tall order, or seems impossible. Yet that is how God wants us to love our "neighbours".

Love needs to grow and build upon something. We can't love anyone overnight. Can we? To love in such a way we need to allow the Holy Spirit to work in our lives. Perhaps we can't do it at first since we are born selfish. But the Spirit of God can help us to grow to love one or two persons in this way at first. As our capacity to love expands (when we spend time with God) we will learn to love more and more people in this way.

Dear Lord,
I confess that I can't love everyone in the way You do at the moment. But I will learn to love someone in that way as Your Spirit works in my heart and brings that person to me. I pray that I will learn to love more people in that way as I draw love from You. For You are love.
Guide me to those You want me to love in this way.
In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.


Reflection of Tommy:

Sometimes it is easier to say we’ll die for someone than to truly live for them. Making daily decision to care for those in need; putting others’ desires before ourselves; be generous in giving our possession, time and energy in service to others without expecting anything in return.

God often bring people into our life, to teach us how to love and care for them. Real love is more than mere words of kindness but involves proactive action and effort to reach out to others in a selfless and sacrificial manner. So, we need to ask the Holy Spirit daily to guide us and teach us to love others genuinely.

Dear Father, thank You for teaching me never to be a murderer at heart (Matthew 5:21,22) but to truly love others the way You love them. Guide my heart that I may never harbor resentment or bitterness towards those who has wronged me. May I love others selflessly and sacrificially always. In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.

A Word From The Wise

James 3:1-12

Taming the Tongue
1Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. 2We all stumble in many ways. If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to keep his whole body in check.

3When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. 4Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. 5Likewise the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. 6The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.

7All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man, 8but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.

9With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God's likeness. 10Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be. 11Can both fresh water and salt[a] water flow from the same spring? 12My brothers, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.

Reflection of Bee:

When I was younger I thought losing my hearing is the end of the world for me, 'cos I love music.... I love to listen and to make music. I was in the school band then when I lost my hearing partially. I cried and felt I would rather die then.

But now as a grownup, the most important function I need is seeing. I use it all the time, except sleeping. In a way, I am a visual person. As I mentioned in my blog, Who will be there for me, the losing of my sight will be worse than losing my any other abilities, such as hearing or speaking.

Speaking is the least I need. For I speak little. I speak only when I am compelled to do so to help someone or to refute a wrong statement. I speak only when necessary. I tend to admire those who can speak well effortlessly.

"Silence is golden", as the saying goes. Is it true?

The above passage warns us to control our tongue or speech, not that we should keep quiet. We need to use our tongue for something good, such as encouraging someone or to praise God. We don't use it to destroy someone or to curse. The only way to control this little organ is living a life by the Spirit and have "self-control" over it.


Dear Lord,
Let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable in Your sight. May my words be seasoned with 'salt' that would heal and build others. Otherwise, let me be quiet if I have nothing better to say.
In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.



Reflection of Tommy:

With the same tongue we praise God, we use it to curse others (v9). When we care less with our speech, we often do great damage to others with what we say. We display our untamed tongue when we use it for gossiping, putting others down, lying, manipulating and cursing others.

We need to allow the Holy Spirit to help us fight this destructive fire of our tongue by asking Him to give us strength and power to monitor and control what we say. We also need to always remember to ask these questions before we say anything- Is it true? Is it necessary? Is it kind?

Dear Father, thank You for teaching me once again to be aware of what I say to others. Forgive me for often out of anger and frustration, responded with hateful and hurtful words to others. Teach me to not only say what is right at the right time, but also controlling the desire to say what I shouldn’t. In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.

Heart For Others

2 Corinthians 11:22-30

What anyone else dares to boast about—I am speaking as a fool—I also dare to boast about. 22Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they Abraham's descendants? So am I. 23Are they servants of Christ? (I am out of my mind to talk like this.) I am more. I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. 24Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. 25Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, 26I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my own countrymen, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false brothers. 27I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. 28Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches. 29Who is weak, and I do not feel weak? Who is led into sin, and I do not inwardly burn?

30If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness.

Reflection of Bee:

Sometimes the greatest enemy can be those closest to us... from within. Paul was in danger from his "own countrymen" and those who pretended to be "brothers", besides the dangers from without (v27). In spite of those dangers, he was concerned for the churches. He recognized his own weaknesses (v29). Yet he knew that his strength came from God despite of them. Therefore he recognized that his victory came from God.

As I reflect on my life, I too had gone through much sufferings, persecution, enemies within, betrayal, 'desertion', 'abandonment', lost of self-esteem, self-doubt, self-hate, even suicidal thoughts. I have had fair share of weaknesses and sins, just like Paul. But I am what I am today because of the grace and mercies of God in my life. Without God, I may not be here today.

Yes, I may still be human and still need to feel human touch, warm and love. Yet I know that humans will be humans and they can be very unreliable, unless God has transformed their lives. Therefore, the only one I can rely on has to be God.... any one that comes along would be a gift from God.


Dear Lord,
As I read the above passage, it reminds me of how You had saved me and saw me through all my life's trials and temptations. I am weak but You are strong. You have kept me from all wrongs. Let me continue to walk with You, Lord. I pray that You will transform my life even more. That I may be someone who can reach out to another who needs to feel human warm and love, instead of hoping to be loved. May Your love rules my life that I may forgive and bless those who have hurt me.
In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.


Reflection of Tommy:

From verse 28-29, we see how Paul not only faced physical threats and dangers; he was also under pressure in worrying about the health of the churches. He was deeply concerned for the members of the churches in their growth and the threats from false teachings that were so prevalent during that time.

If God has bring opportunities for us to lead or guide His people, we should not do it to make us looks better than others, instead do it out of love for them like Paul.

Dear Father, thank You for reminding me to always serve Your people out of love and gratitude for the love You have shown to me. Guide my every words and actions that they are not to glorify myself but You alone; helping and building others up and leading them to Jesus and centering their lives on Him. In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.

Fox Trouble

1 John 1:5-10

Walking in the light
5This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. 6If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. 7But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all[a] sin.

8If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 10If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives.

Reflection of Bee:

Our God is a compassionate God and ever ready to forgive us if only we confess our sins and ask for His forgiveness. Yet we tend to accumulate them, thinking they are too small or too big to confess to God.

Tonight's passage shows us that no one is sinless, therefore it is only normal to come to God for cleansing daily or whenever we sin. He is always faith and just to forgive us.

Dear Lord,
Thank You for Your cleansing blood. Thank You for Your love and forgiveness of all the sins I may have committed, knowingly or unknowingly. Thank You for the assurance.
In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.




Reflection of Tommy:

In today’s Our Daily Bread, the writer mentioned that the most deadly sins do not leap upon us, but creep up on us. How often those seemingly small, harmless and insignificant sins in our lives left unchecked. It may be our dishonesty at work, bad-mouthing on others, lying or doing things with hidden agendas. Those little sins will inevitably grow larger and before we know it, we’ll find ourselves in difficult situation bearing the heavy consequences of our action (James 1:15).

Dear Father, thank You for reminding me to walk in the light, as You are in the light (v7). Teach me to confess all my sins to You and be committed not to continue to do them again. Lord, I pray for Your continual strength for me to defeat all temptations coming my way. In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.

Slow Down

Genesis 2:1-3

1 Thus the heavens and the earth were completed in all their vast array.

2 By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested [a] from all his work. 3 And God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done.

Reflection of Bee:

The Seventh Day is supposed to be a day of rest God intended for us. Yet some of us just do not know how to rest but continue to work, work, work.... till we collapse one day.

I am also a workaholic and find it so hard to rest on weekends. I still do work on my off days. Such lifestyle is actually a 'time bomb' waiting to be exploded. In my case, it has 'exploded'... I have fallen very ill now because of my accumulated long hours of work and little rest. Stress built up gradually and my immunity level started to drop. I have never been so ill as now with full blown flu and chronic cough.

Thank God that I left my job at the right time. At least I could rest at home now when I am sick and still be paid for this month. I guess God is telling me that I have to "slow down". Whatever is God's plan for me, I want to know and follow.

Yes, Sunday is a day we should rest by going to church to worship God with fellow believers, and also spend time with loved ones whom we are too busy to give attention to during the weekdays. We need to learn to put down our work and relax so we can charge up our energy for work on Monday.

Dear Lord,
Thank You that You know what is best for me. I am learning how to rest on the sabbath day instead of working, which is contrary to what is best for me. I have broken down physically because of lack of rest. I have missed church services 3 times in a row due to my sickness. I pray for a speedy recovery so I can go back to church to worship You again on Sunday.

I pray too for my special friend that he will also learn to rest on Your Sabbath Day instead of working so hard. I pray You will help him complete his assignments soon. I pray he will have Your wisdom in not taking up more assignments than he could complete during the weekdays. Keep him in good health Lord.
In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.




Reflection of Tommy:

To be honest, I haven’t been resting for years, working for more than 12 hours a day almost everyday! The little rest I had were short and did nothing to refresh or rejuvenate me. Again and again I promised myself to take some time off from my work in the office and at home, but I kept committing to more and more jobs.

Today passage tells about how even our almighty God himself rested from His work, how much more we also need to set aside time to rest. Here God demonstrated that rest is appropriate, right and vital to refresh us for times of service and renewal.

Dear Father, thank You for Your reminder! Guide me to really take the effort to set aside time for rest and spending it with You and others. Teach me to put first things first, managing my works, service, leisure and also myself well and trusting You to take care of all my needs. In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.

God’s Secret

Romans 6:11-23

11In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. 12Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. 13Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to him as instruments of righteousness. 14For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace.

Slaves to Righteousness
15What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means! 16Don't you know that when you offer yourselves to someone to obey him as slaves, you are slaves to the one whom you obey—whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness? 17But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you wholeheartedly obeyed the form of teaching to which you were entrusted. 18You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness.

19I put this in human terms because you are weak in your natural selves. Just as you used to offer the parts of your body in slavery to impurity and to ever-increasing wickedness, so now offer them in slavery to righteousness leading to holiness. 20When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the control of righteousness. 21What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? Those things result in death! 22But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life. 23For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in[a] Christ Jesus our Lord.

Reflection of Bee:

The amazing grace of God had saved us from the guilt of sins when we accepted His salvation. After being saved, we need to know that Satan has no more power over us, unless we allow him to control us (v14). "He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world." —1 John 4:4

The wages of sin is death (v23). This death not only refers to the physical one but also the spiritual death and death to our soul. When we continue to sin our conscience may becomes numb to guilt and therefore will not repent.

We need to learn to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit prompting in our heart so that we will not fall into the trap of the devil.


Dear Lord,
Thank You for the fact that sin has not power over me. Therefore, I can have the choice to be Your 'slave' and do what is right in Your sight. Yes, though there may be struggles in obeying You, yet You always win. Let me be sensitive to Your Spirit and know Your will for me in my life.
I pray in Jesus' name. Amen.



Reflection of Tommy:

There are still many Christians out there who are struggling with sin. They are unable to picture themselves as slave to righteousness as mentioned by Paul in today’s passage. Despite their sincere desire to offer themselves in slavery to righteousness they still stumble continually in the bondage of sin. Is there a way out? Is it really possible for us to freely choose between sin and righteousness?

The solution to this problem can be found in the first and greatest commandment of all: 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ (Matthew 22:37). To love Him is to obey Him wholeheartedly and looking at His commands positively. It is also about trusting and surrendering our all fully to Him. Next is to seek Him and His kingdom first. And God will then be able to give us the power and strength to obey Him with all our heart.

Dear Father, thank You for what Christ has done on the Cross and Your gift of salvation. Forgive me Lord for any disobedience and ignorance towards Your clear commands to me. Remind me always that because of my union and identification with Christ that I should regard all my old sinful nature as dead and that I have the choice of no longer obligated to give in to sin anymore. Lord, I pray that the Holy Spirit will continue to help me in my daily experience to grow into what You have declared me to be. In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.

Reborn Identity

2 Corinthians 5:14-21

14For Christ's love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. 15And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.

16So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. 17Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! 18All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 19that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. 20We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God. 21God made him who had no sin to be sin[a] for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

Reflection of Bee:

What can you do if you are dead? "Nothing", you may say. Right, when you are dead you can no longer do anything. However, if someone die on your behalf then the life you have now is no longer your own. That's precisely what v15 is saying... we who are saved by the blood of Jesus should live for Him.

Dear Lord,
Thank You for reminding me that my life is not my own but Yours. Teach me to leave a life worthy of You. I pray that You will guide me in the work I may do that it will help bring others to Your kingdom.
In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.



Reflection of Tommy:

In exchange of our sin, Christ's immeasurable righteousness is poured into us at our conversion. Through this, we were reconciled and brought back to God, recreated with a new life in union with Christ. Thus, we have now the privilege to be Christ’s ambassador to encourage others to do the same, to be reconciled with God.

Dear Father, thank You for reminding about my responsibility in fulfilling my commission as Christ’s ambassador. Teach me not to take this lightly or to make compromise when pressured by the contradicting values of the world today. Guide me to surrender and trust in You always in all things. 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.

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.