Heart Knowledge

Read Colossians 1:3-12

Reflection of Tommy:

There is nothing inherently wrong with equipping our selves with biblical knowledge to answer any tough questions from non-believers, but we should be aware of not focusing entirely on accumulating knowledge without developing a close relationship with God and bearing fruit for Him.

We can be busy attending every Bible study classes in church and reading all books on Christianity, but yet never lead to a changed life and right living with God.

God’s Word is never just for our information but it is for our transformation! It should give us direction for living and to put what we have learned into practice by helping and serving others.

Dear Father, thank You for teaching and leading me to build a close relationship with You, to truly live a new and changed life in Christ. May You fill me with the knowledge of Your will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding (v9) and that I would bear fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of You (v10). I thank You and pray this in Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Getting Free

Read Mark 10:17-27

Reflection of Tommy:

To be honest, many of us can associate ourselves to this young man. We believe in Christ and know well we wanted to follow Him but there are things we are unable to let go in our lives. Although the story is not about asking us to give away all our possessions but instead it shows to us that we must not allow anything we have or desire (people, money or things) keep us from following Jesus.

Another interesting thing about this story is how Jesus showed genuine love for this man despite knowing he might not follow Him (v21). His love for Him is not superficial; He lovingly but straightforwardly broke through the young man’s pride of accomplishment and self-effort through a life-changing challenge.

This question was important to this young man as it is to us today - Are we able to love God more than anything else (Exodus 20:3) in our lives and turning our lives entirely over to Christ?

Dear Father, teach and show to me what it means by giving my all to You. I will never know this truth and continue living in my wretched ways if not through the work of the Spirit in me. So Father, here I am, giving myself as an empty vessel to be filled with Your Spirit.

Lord, change my heart and open my eyes to see what a heavenly blessedness, riches and glory it is to be filled with the Spirit out of the heart of Jesus. I give myself up once for all and forever. Guide me and lead me from this day onwards. In Jesus’ mighty Name I pray, Amen!

Looking Ahead

Read Proverbs 24:13-20

A righteous man may fall seven times and rise again. —Proverbs 24:16

Reflection of Tommy:

One of the greatest tragedy of man is to be trapped in their past. Over the years I get to know from my own experience and others, that past plays a major part in shaping the person and how they handle their current life. And a lot of the times, they are things that are not so good like guilt, hatred, unforgiveness and regret. Worst, these negative feelings not only immobilize their current life but also determine their future.

So, let us not live in the past in despair but to look ahead for the hope we have in God.

Dear Father, thank You for reminding me again of the danger of allowing my thoughts of the past to negatively affecting my life now. Teach me to accept what has happened in the past as a good lesson to be learned instead of being stumbled by the fear, guilt and regret it creates.

Lord, lead me to live my life now fully according to Your will with the calm assurance of the hope I have in You. Guide me to also use my life fully to serve You and others, bringing glory and honor to You always. In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.

Changing The World

Luke 6:41-45

41"Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? 42How can you say to your brother, 'Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,' when you yourself fail to see the plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.

A Tree and Its Fruit
43"No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. 44Each tree is recognized by its own fruit. People do not pick figs from thornbushes, or grapes from briers. 45The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks.

Reflection of Bee:

How can we ever change the world or anyone when we find it so hard to even change ourselves? Even the great Apostle Paul acknowledged that he couldn't change himself when he said in Romans 7:15,24,25:

15For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. 16And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good.

24What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?

25Thanks be to God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!
So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God's law, but in the sinful nature a slave to the law of sin.

Right, only God can change or transform us when we do according what Romans 12:1,2 says:

1 ...offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. 2Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

In fact the above were the main verses quoted by the speaker of the seminar I attended tonight on "Discerning God's Will". When our minds are renewed by the Holy Spirit, we will learn to apply the 7 principles in discerning God's will for our life.

Yes, when we can "see clearly" we can then help others see clearly too (v42).

Dear Lord,
Thank You for tonight's devotion and the seminar I just attended. Thank You for speaking to me clearly tonight concerning the principles of discerning Your will for my life. Help me to be obedient and present myself as a living sacrifice to You. May Your peace reigns in my heart as I follow Your will.
In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Reflection of Tommy:

There are many sincere Christian out there who are afraid and worried for being a hypocrite. This is the devil’s best device to discourage us from growing in our faith, standing still in our Christian life. We need to know that trying hard to do what is right but often fails is not a hypocrite. Neither are repeatedly asking for forgiveness from God but continually being weak in our faith. We are hypocrite when we put on religious behavior to gain attention, approval, acceptance or admiration from others.

Dear Father, thank You for teaching me the true meaning of hypocrisy and not to condemn myself because of failures. Teach me also not to stand still, hiding my faith and stop growing altogether because of setbacks and discouragement. Lord, guide me through the Holy Spirit, that all my ways will be always right and pleasing to You. In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.

Spiritual Famine

1 Peter 2:1-10

1Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind. 2Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, 3now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.

The Living Stone and a Chosen People
4As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to him— 5you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6For in Scripture it says:
"See, I lay a stone in Zion,
a chosen and precious cornerstone,
and the one who trusts in him
will never be put to shame."[a] 7Now to you who believe, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe,
"The stone the builders rejected
has become the capstone,[b]"[c] 8and,
"A stone that causes men to stumble
and a rock that makes them fall."[d] They stumble because they disobey the message—which is also what they were destined for.

9But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 10Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

Reflection of Bee:

As we grow spiritually in Christ through reading God's word (v2), we will be more able to rid ourselves of "all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind." (v1). Being a Christian does not mean we automatically become sinless. We need to let the Holy Spirit work in our lives. As we learn to gradually let Him take control of us we will become more and more like Christ. For it is "'Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,' says the LORD Almighty." (Zechariah 4:6)

We need to remember we are "a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God" (v9). Therefore we shouldn't behave like slaves of the devil.


Dear Lord,
Thank You for reminding me who I am in Christ and what I should do. I am not mourning the death of my 'twin'. I pray that soon my mourning will turn into dancing because of Your unfailing love. May You wipe away all my tears soon.
In Jesus; name I pray. Amen.




Reflection of Tommy:

Instead of taking the full responsibility for our action, we sometimes blame our condition, circumstances and even Satan for doing something wrong. But in Mark 7:21-23, we know that all evils come and originated from within and inside our heart: it is when we deliberately choose to sin against others, our selves and God. This normally happens when we neglect our spiritual growth by spending less and less time for God and stop seeking the nourishment from Christ daily.

Dear Father, thank You for teaching me to be a responsible person and a person of integrity. Forgive me of my self-centeredness, seeking only my own selfish desire and hurting others with my words and action. Teach me not to wait but to start learning and showing Christ-like love towards others now.

Lord, send Your Holy Spirit to be my guide and keep me away from all acts of disobedience and unrighteousness. Remind me that the opportunity to serve You is always close at hand. Give to me the mind of Christ, that I may show myself worthy to be called your people (v10). In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.