Hidden Treasure and Pearl

First of all, thank You God for Your wonderful grace in revealing Your love for me through Your Son Jesus Christ. Thank You also for people like my 'Big Brother' Andrew, The 2 Noels, Beth, Ernest and the rest of the prayer group, Rick and the MYAFers and my lovely sweetheart May Lee, that have encouraged and helped me tremendously in my walk with God and in finding Jesus as my personal Lord and Savior.

I will start blogging in a new site soon at knowingjesuschrist.blogspot.com. Consider this as a new season in my walk with God and my renewed desire to really know Jesus personally. There are nothing more important to me than this at the moment. God has been reminding me a lot lately on Matthew 6:33 and today on The Parables of the Hidden Treasure and the Pearl from Matthew 13:44-46 (Thanks Andrew!).

The Parables of the Hidden Treasure and the Pearl "The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field. "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it." - Matthew 13:44-46

Dear Father, thank You for Your mercy to forgive me when I'm fallen short of Your glory and Your grace for giving me the faith to always hold on to You. Thank You for answering my prayer for strength to continue running this race and renewing my desire to follow Christ even more closely. In Jesus' Name I pray, Amen.

The Good Steward

Read 1 Timothy 6:17-19

Reflection of Tommy:

Dear Father, thank You for making me realized today how much blessings I've received from You and how grateful and thankful I should be compares to many of my friends who are still struggling hard with their work and life. Not only that, You showed to me I should be more hardworking and making good use of the time and other resources You have given to me. Help me to use them well and wisely, always ready to give and willing to share (v18) with those in needs.

Lord, I pray also for Your wisdom to be with me to discern how I can really help, how far I should help and care for others. Lead me not to have selfish or wrong motives when reaching out to others. Guide my mind and heart to trust in You more in all that I do. Thank You and I pray this in Jesus' Name, Amen.

A Time to Remember

Read 1 Corinthians 11:23-26

"Do this in remembrance of Me." —1 Corinthians 11:24

The Holy Communion reminds us of Jesus' love for us and what He has done for us. Although we may be facing all kind of challenges and dissapointment at the moment, let us partake in this communion, that we'll be renewed, cleansed and strengthen with the courage and hope we have in Him.

Dear Father, thank You for this tangible way in rememberance of Your great love for me. Search my heart and reveal to me any area of my life that are not pleasing to You, asking You for forgiveness and to repent from them.

Lord Jesus, lead and fill me with the Spirit, empowering Him to bring about a grateful and obedient heart in me. In Jesus' Name I pray, Amen.

With All My Art

Read Exodus 35:30-35

Reflection of Tommy:

We tend to separate our spiritual life with our work life. But, in today’s passage we see how our work and talent-whatever it may be- can becomes an act of worship when they are enlivened by the Spirit of God. As we make good use of our God-given talent, our works display the glory of God and become a good witness for Christ.

Dear Father, thank You for all Your gift of talent and skill for me. Thank You for reminding me to make good use of them and to treat all my works as an act of worship to You. Lord, teach me to be always diligent, attentive and responsible at work. May all the glory and praise be Yours. In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.

Give Thanks!

Read Psalm 92

Reflection of Tommy:

While we were given turn to choose our favorite hymn to be sang yesterday, I can see most those selected are about our supplication for strength, protection and peace. It shows how most of the times, we are focus on our selves, of what we can gain and ask from God. Not to say that asking God for our needs is wrong, but we must balance it with praise and thanksgiving to God for who He is and what He has done for us.

This brings us to Psalm 92, a beautiful psalm on giving praise and thanks to God, expressing our genuine gratitude to Him. Make songs and music to His Name, for the great and good things He has done; proclaiming His love on our lips everyday (v1-2). Having a thankful heart also changes us to be a more positive, gracious, loving, contended and humble person.

Dear Father, thank You and I praise You for all the wonderful things You have done for me and for the work You are doing in my life now. Teach me not to be like the other 9 lepers in Luke 17:12-19, but to be the Samaritan who returned to give You all the praise and thanks You deserve.

Lord Jesus, change me also to be more receptive and sensitive to the Spirit that I may walk along Your path to Your way everlasting. Guide me and give me the strength to show this love towards others too by leading them to You. In Your Name I pray, Amen.

A Worthy Life

Colossians 1:9-14

9For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. 10And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, 11being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully 12giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you[a] to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. 13For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, 14in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

Reflection of Bee:


Some may feel that God owes them many things, such as good health, wealth, a partner, etc. They blame God for what they don't have instead of be thankful for what they have.

The above passage tells us that we, as Christians, already have the "inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light". Therefore, we are to live our lives "worthy of the Lord", "please him in every way", "bearing fruit in every good work" and "growing in the knowledge of God".


Dear Lord,
Thank You for such a great inheritance. I pray that my life would be pleasing to You. Though at times I may murmur for what I think I lack, yet I know that You will provide me with all I need.
Though I still mourn for my loss, I pray that You will turn my mourning into praise soon. I pray that he will grow in You after all these happenings.
In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.




Reflection of Tommy:

There are times we are greatly troubled and disheartened by things and situations around us. Everything seems so bleak and hopeless. It can be hard to find anything to rejoice or be thankful about. But, we can learn from Paul today that despite all the hardship we are going through at the moment; we can always find reasons to be thankful for God.

God has made us qualified to share His inheritance (v12)
We are rescued from Satan’s dominion of darkness and made us His children (v13)
He brought us into His eternal kingdom (v12)
He redeemed us – free us from sin and judgment (v14)
He forgive all our sins (v14)

We should be grateful to God as each day, whether good or bad, is one more gift from our God.

Dear Father, thank You for Your love and all the gifts and blessings You have given to me. Teach me to trust You for all my needs and be willing to submit my all to You. Guide me to love and serve Your people likewise, in return. In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.

Who Am I?

Psalm 8

A psalm of David.
1 O LORD, our Lord,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!
You have set your glory
above the heavens.

2 From the lips of children and infants
you have ordained praise
because of your enemies,
to silence the foe and the avenger.

3 When I consider your heavens,
the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars,
which you have set in place,

4 what is man that you are mindful of him,
the son of man that you care for him?

5 You made him a little lower than the heavenly beings
and crowned him with glory and honor.

6 You made him ruler over the works of your hands;
you put everything under his feet:

7 all flocks and herds,
and the beasts of the field,

8 the birds of the air,
and the fish of the sea,
all that swim the paths of the seas.

9 O LORD, our Lord,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!

Reflection of Bee:

A song that touched my heart this morning during my church service was the song:

Still
Words and Music by Reuben Morgan

Hide me now
Under your wings
Cover me
Within your mighty hand

When the oceans rise and thunders roar
I will soar with you above the storm
Father you are king over the flood
I will be still and know you are God

Find rest my soul
In Christ alone
Know his power
In quietness and trust

When the oceans rise and thunders roar
I will soar with you above the storm
Father you are king over the flood
I will be still and know you are God

The above song is still ringing in my mind now. Tonight's devotion also reinforces the mightiness of God who will covers me from all storms of life. For I am precious to God even though I am so small in this universe which is created by Him.


Dear Father,
Thank You that even though I walked through the shadow of death, or the storms of life, or the desert place, You are always there with me.
Thank You that You are mindful of me though I am such an insignificant being in Your creation.
Thank You that even when others or even myself don't see my worth, yet You see me as precious to You.
Thank You for encouraging me today through the church service and also Your word tonight.
When You test me by allowing me to go through the desert of life, let me not fail Your test. Keep me in Your mighty hand, Lord.
In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.



Reflection of Tommy:

Many prefer not to trouble God through prayer, thinking He’s rather be busy with big, important crisis than our small and petty problems. Some also think how could a God could be concerned for people who always disappoint Him. There are also those who constantly depreciate themselves and feel worthless, thinking it’s a healthy way for being humble to God and others.

From Psalm 8, we can learn that how precious and valuable we are to God; we are only a little lower than God and the angels! But, this doesn’t mean we should think highly of ourselves by being proud and arrogant towards others. Instead, this helps those who constantly dwell on their smallness and worthlessness to have the right understanding of humility. True humility is about having proper respect of God for who He is and what He has done for us.

Dear Father, thank You for Your love and grace for a sinner like me to be able to reconcile again with You . Lord Jesus, thank You for coming into my life to be my Saviour, my God, and my friend. Teach me to always have the proper respect for You, for who You are and what You have done for me. In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.

Remembering

Psalm 103:1-5

1 Praise the LORD, O my soul;
all my inmost being, praise his holy name.

2 Praise the LORD, O my soul,
and forget not all his benefits-

3 who forgives all your sins
and heals all your diseases,

4 who redeems your life from the pit
and crowns you with love and compassion,

5 who satisfies your desires with good things
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.

Bee's Thoughts:

How can we remember if we don't take time to ponder on God's goodness and memorize the word of God?

Once a speaker asked us how we would react to adversity. I answered, "Thank God". Everyone laughed. They thought I was trying to be funny. But I was serious.

I always remember 1 Thessalonians 5:18 that says, "give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." I also remember Romans 8:28, "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."

Yes, when we remember God, He will satisfies our desires with good things so that our youth is renewed like the eagle's (v5).

Dear Lord,
Thank You for Your Holy Spirit that always bring to my remembrance of Your words in times of need. Like what Kind David says, "I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you." (Psalms 119:11). Thank You for all You have done for me.
In Jesus most loving name pray. Amen.



Tommy's Thoughts:

It is easy to get restless, discontented and complains about things in life; unfulfilled desires, sicknesses, unfairness, difficult people, etc. Often, we focus entirely on these and find it hard to count our blessings from God and feeling as though we have nothing to praise God about.

We should instead follow how David responded during difficult times- praising God by focusing on His glorious deeds even though we do not deserve any of them. David’s list gives us plenty to praise God about:

1. He forgives our sins (v3)
2. He heals our diseases (v3)
3. He redeems us from death (v4)
4. He crowns us with love and compassion (v4)
5. He satisfies our desires (v5)
6. He renews your strength and vigor (v5)
7. He gives righteousness and justice (v6)

Dear Father, thank You and I praise You for all Your glorious deeds. I thank You for forgiving me, cleansing me and renew me each day. Lord, teach me to be glad and grateful always for all these blessings – past, present and future. In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.

Wonder

Luke 2:15-20

15When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about."

16So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. 17When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

Bee's Thoughts:

While all the shepherds were "amazed" by what the angels said, Mary "treasured" and "pondered" those words in her heart instead. She knew that miracle would be taking place in her life. Yes, we need to take time to ponder over the word of God so we may know what He wants to tell us.

During our church service this morning, we were entertained by a group of singers from Indonesia who sang beautifully for us. I like the hymns especially. The Lord touched my soul with those beautiful voices again, just like last night. I closed my eyes and allowed God to minister to me through those songs as they were singing... it was so wonderful!

Subsequently, we had our communion. It was different this time as we were encouraged to kneel down before God when taking our communion (we have never done this before). The moment I knelt down, tear just flowed down my cheeks. I felt I was in the presence of my Lord and King... I felt Him so near to me. I knew He was with me and saw all my struggles, my heartaches, my dilemma, my tears, and all my unspoken words. I need not speak a word, and He already knew all. Thank God for today!


Dear Lord,
Thank You for always coming to my rescue whenever I am overwhelmed by sadness. You have always kept your promise that there is no temptation that is too great for me to bear and that You will always make a way of escape for me. Praise You for lifting up my soul again today.
I pray that You will help me do a good job as I join the many brothers and sisters in Christ to help out at the Christmas events at Orchard Road tomorrow. I pray for good weather and that we will have good health to do our parts. May those who do not know You come to experience who You are this Christmas through the events.
In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.




Tommy's Thoughts:

Have we ever imagined if there was no Christmas; that God didn’t send His Son to save us? Where we have to carry alone all the burdens in our lives; where we’ll never receive true freedom and victory from all our struggles and we will never have the One that provide us true peace, strength, wisdom and salvation to reconcile again with God.

Sometimes, we do take things for granted and never give a single thought to how precious the Gift we have received freely from our Father. Instead of pondering over this only during Christmas or Easter, we should remember this amazing truth and be grateful and thankful to God everyday of our lives.

Dear Father, thank You for the wonderful Gift of salvation through my faith in Christ.. Thank you also because of Christ, I no longer need to bear my pain and struggles alone, but to hand them and myself over to His care. Lord, I pray You will lead me to know Your truths even deeper, to apply them in my life and making me more like Christ, as I continue to trust and follow You daily. In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.

A New Song

Psalm 98

1 Sing to the LORD a new song,
for he has done marvelous things;
his right hand and his holy arm
have worked salvation for him.

2 The LORD has made his salvation known
and revealed his righteousness to the nations.

3 He has remembered his love
and his faithfulness to the house of Israel;
all the ends of the earth have seen
the salvation of our God.

4 Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth,
burst into jubilant song with music;

5 make music to the LORD with the harp,
with the harp and the sound of singing,

6 with trumpets and the blast of the ram's horn—
shout for joy before the LORD, the King.

7 Let the sea resound, and everything in it,
the world, and all who live in it.

8 Let the rivers clap their hands,
Let the mountains sing together for joy; 9 let them sing before the LORD,
for he comes to judge the earth.
He will judge the world in righteousness
and the peoples with equity.

Bee's Thoughts:

Not sure if my 'bf' had removed me from this blog by mistake or that Blogger had done. All I could do is to post as new and no longer able to edit my old posts or add to his posts anymore. :( Perhaps God wants me to spend time alone with Him at my own blog... a quiet place... just me and God....

Though I was sad and disturbed, I must thank my 'bf' for allowing me to post my devotional thoughts at his blog for the last 15 months. That has disciplined me to do my devotions consistently without fail even when I am very tired. I want to thank him for the last one-and-half year of fellowship we had in this spiritual journey.

However, our last weekend meeting has changed everything. I pray that even if we have to go our own ways, we will be strong in Christ and never be shaken in our walk with God. Whether this is the devil's way to divide and conquer, or that God is telling us it's time we stand alone, I pray that we will keep our faith and continue to spend time with God nightly. (Erm... biblical principle is unity rather than division.. so how can it be from God?)

I also want to thank my him for the 'farewell gift' he did for me tonight shown above. Indeed he has spent much time doing it for me, I know.... and I really appreciate it very very much. However, the sorrow in me tonight has dwarf my joy of receiving this precious gift. I hope he will forgive me and understand I don't mean to be unappreciative.

Yes, I really am feeling very downcast tonight, yet I want to be strong and sing to the Lord a new song like the above Psalm says.



Dear Lord,
You know how I am feeling now.... only You understand and know. Keep me strong in You Lord. Help me to sing unto You a new song even in time like this... for Your faithfulness endures forever,
I pray that my 'buddy' will also sing unto You the song You will be placing in his heart. Grant him a good night rest tonight and that he will know Your will for him in his life. May You bring him a new devotional very partner soon. May Your love and grace always stay with him.
In Your name I pray. Amen.



Tommy's Thoughts:

There are many unable to accept a God that judges His people. They reasoned that a loving God will never create hell to torture and punish His creation. Furthermore, they don’t understand why a powerful being like God unable to make everyone good and destroy all evil and suffering in this world.

But, the truth is God created us a freewill being, capable to make choices. Unlike robot, we are free to choose between good and evil. God sees this as a more meaningful way for His creation to respond freely to His love for them.

But men choose to rebel and disobey God. As a result, sin entered into the world. Mankind still continues to sin, living in rebellion against God. This is why the world is filled with suffering today. Like they said, God doesn't send anyone to Hell. We send our selves there.

But, God has provided us a way to reconcile back with Him. He sent His only Son to die for our sin. God forgives and saves us from the eternal separation from Him, or hell when we accept Christ as our Lord and Savior. We will also receive a new life in Him and share the glory of Christ return one day, where God will judge the world in righteousness and the peoples with equity (v9).

Dear Father, thank You for the certainty and hope I have in You. Thank You and I praise You for all the marvelous and wonderful things You have done. Thank You for the victory I have with Jesus. Lord, guide me to follow You with a faithful and joyful heart. In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.