Boundaries

Read Jeremiah 5:20-29

"Your wrongdoings have kept these away; your sins have deprived you of good." - Jeremiah 5:25

Reflection of Tommy:

There are many time that I've seen people ridicule, criticize and even scorn certain teachings in Christianity. 'Boundaries' revealed by God in issues like idol worship, profanity, homosexuality, extramarital affair, premarital sex and abortion are often wrongly seen as unnecessary man-made rules that block, hinder and restrict the human freedom to enjoy what they want and when they want them.

But in Jeremiah 5:25, we see how God warns that when we ignore and violate these boundaries by sinning, we will withhold good from ourselves. As we are free-will beings, God allows us the freedom to choose between right and wrong. Because He loves us so much, He shows those boundaries to guide and lead us away from things that may bring harm and negative consequences into our lives. It is our responsibility to make the right choice based on these boundaries that God has lovingly and kindly set before us.

Dear Father, thank You for Your grace, mercy and love to reveal all the wonderful truths in Your Word to me - truths that protects and saves me from unnecessary headache, trouble and given me true freedom to be who You intended me to be.

Lord, thank You for constantly reminding me of my wrong ways and leading me back to You and Your righteousness. Forgive me for being a slow learner of Your Word, my lack of faith in what You and the power of the Spirit can do in changing me to be more like Christ each day.

Abba Father, I pray that You will draw me nearer and closer to You daily with reading and meditating of Your Word, listening to Your soft voices through my quiet time and praying to You in all things, presenting all my requests to You with thanksgiving. In the Name of Jesus I pray, Amen.

The Gravity of Sin

Read 2 Chronicles 34:14-21

Reflection of Tommy:

Nowadays, no one is safe or protected from the influence of immoral worldview ideas that bombard us constantly from television, film, music, newspapers, magazines, books, etc. Sadly, as they are so appealing to the desires of the flesh, many unknowingly incorporate them into their own personal worldview. Very often we see how people making excuses for sinning, blaming others, and treating it lightly.

We know God does not and never take sin lightly; He even sacrificed His one and only Son to redeem us from the penalty of sin! Instead of pretending that our sin is nothing or not such a "big deal", we should start taking it and God's commands seriously; knowing how severely it can affect us and others. Seek God's Word daily and diligently, asking the guidance and help of the Holy Spirit for wisdom and discernment.

Dear Father, thank You for constantly revealing to me my ways that are wrong and against Your will and plan for me. Teach me to be sensitive to Your voices through reading of Your Word, faithful friends You brought into my life and the works of the Holy Spirit in me. I pray I will have a willing heart to obey and be firm in my commitment to follow Christ wholeheartedly. In Jesus' Name I pray, Amen.

The Battle Within

Read Galatians 5:16-23

Reflection of Tommy:

Some fight the desire to do wrong and sin (v19-21) by refraining from thinking about them or actively telling themselves not to do them. If we were to study the human mind, we know that the more we try to control or stop ourselves from doing certain things, the more likely we will end up doing them!

Paul in today's passage showed to us how to combat these sinful thoughts and desires of the flesh by walking in the Spirit, empowering Him to work in us, bearing the good fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23).

Dear Father, thank You for reminding me not to just talk but to always willingly and obediently walk in the Spirit. Forgive me at times of my lack of understanding and willingness to follow Christ faithfully, rejecting commands He has taught me and not having a genuine attitude towards repentance. Father, give me a teachable heart and be a true and obedient disciple of Christ, bringing glory and honor to You in everything I do. In Jesus' Name I pray, Amen.

The Pain Of Falling

Read 1 Corinthians 10:1-12

Reflection of Tommy:

We do fall as Christian sometimes when we are not careful with the way we live. The constant pressures and stress we face may make us easy to ignore or forget lessons from our past or from the stories we learned from the Bible. As what cautioned by Paul in today’s passage, we should be prepared and take heed of those similar lessons the Israelites learned (idolatry, sexual immorality, testing God, discontentment: v6-10) so we will not repeat their errors.

But, if we are struggling with sin and keep on falling, feeling discouraged and even disgusted by ourselves to face God again, don’t hide or run but to humbly turn and confess our sin to Him, asking Him to help us get up and keep us from falling again. God who loves us so much, He will forgive, upholds, lifts up and renews us (Psalm 145:14, Rom. 12:2) to follow more closely with Him.

Dear Father, thank You for being such a loving and forgiving God even though I have disappointed You so very often. Thank You for teaching me to correct my ways, to be more prepared in resisting temptations and to recognize people or situations that can give me trouble. Guide me to study Your Word more regularly so that those lessons can remind me always how You wants me to live and need not to repeat their mistakes. In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.

Warning Sign

Read Proverbs 6:20-35

Reflection of Tommy:

Sometimes, in order to get what we want, we get ourselves into troubles through our unwise action, ignorance towards God’s teachings or running ahead of His timetable for us. Our impatience and preoccupation with fulfilling our selfish desires often blinds us from seeing God’s warning sign of danger that can easily drawn us into sin.

We should see God’s laws not as something that control us but as a way God warns and guides us from destroying ourselves and our future through our actions. We need to seek, remember and apply all these God’s teachings in our lives to help us stay away from unnecessary trouble and later regret in our lives.

Dear Father, thank You for making it clear the warning sign to things that I have neglect or ignore. Forgive me of so often avoiding and watering down the danger of those wrong desires I may have in me. Change my heart and desires if they are not aligned with Yours and keeping me away from ways that may lead me to sin against You. Thank You and I pray this in Jesus’ Name, Amen.

God's Refining Discipline

Read 1 Peter 4:12-19

"For it is time for judgment to begin with the family of God; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God? And, "If it is hard for the righteous to be saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?" - 1 Peter 4:17-18

Reflection of Tommy:

Verse 17 talks not about God’s final judgment but His refining discipline with us in the family of God. He allows us to experience the pain and consequences or our action in order to:

1. Show our potential to sin
2. Encourage us to turn from sin
3. To keep us faithful, always trusting and depend on Him
4. To prepare us to face even greater temptations in the future

Dear Father, forgive me of my often wrong perception towards how You work to refine me, and constantly disappointing You with my actions. Forgive me of all the things that I’ve sinned against You despite knowing clear Your commands for me.

O Lord, search deep into my heart and reveal to me through the Holy Spirit any of my ways that are still going against You and Your will for me. Guide me to turn away from them and be truly repented from them. Lead me to be a more joyful and obedient follower of Christ, allowing You to work effectively in me, molding me to be a true disciple of Christ. I ask all this n Jesus’ Name, Amen.

The Truth About Sin

1 Kings 15:1-5

Abijah King of Judah
1 In the eighteenth year of the reign of Jeroboam son of Nebat, Abijah [a] became king of Judah, 2 and he reigned in Jerusalem three years. His mother's name was Maacah daughter of Abishalom. [b]

3 He committed all the sins his father had done before him; his heart was not fully devoted to the LORD his God, as the heart of David his forefather had been. 4 Nevertheless, for David's sake the LORD his God gave him a lamp in Jerusalem by raising up a son to succeed him and by making Jerusalem strong. 5 For David had done what was right in the eyes of the LORD and had not failed to keep any of the LORD's commands all the days of his life—except in the case of Uriah the Hittite.

1 Kings 15:11

11 Asa did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, as his father David had done.

Reflection of Tommy:

The Bible never hides or treats sin lightly even in God chosen people like King David. We learn how sin will always be brought to light and how God offers forgiveness to those who confess and repent from it.

But, there are times where we are blinded and unaware of our sin and wrongdoings. It is why we should ask the Spirit to search and reveal to us any sin, wrong thoughts or desires in us during our prayers. We can use the verse found in David’s Psalm 139:23-24 in our prayer:

23 Search me, O God, and know my heart;
test me and know my anxious thoughts.

24 See if there is any offensive way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting.

Dear Father, thank You for teaching me to ask the Spirit to search, reveal and point out to me my sin when I come to You in my prayer. Thank You that through this I can change and be more like Christ each day; relying on Your strength, wisdom, and discernment to continue on Your “way everlasting“. 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.

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.

The Best Find

2 Chronicles 34:14-2

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

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

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

Reflection of Bee:

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

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


Reflection of Tommy:

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

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

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