Unchanging Love

Read James 1:12-20

Reflection of Tommy:

Today passage has many good reminders for us; things we often forget as we are too busy with our works and other commitments in life. Firstly, the crown of life in verse 12 is our reward of an eternal life living with God forever. God is reminding us to get ourselves ready, persevere, and staying faithful to Him for all the trial, temptations and hardship lying ahead of us.

Secondly, the reason God allow Satan to tempt us is to refine our faith and to help us grow in dependence on Christ. And, God has promised not to allow us to be tempted beyond what we can bear (1 Corinthians 10:13). He is teaching us to resist by turning to Him for strength and make the choice to obey His Word.

We are also reminded not to blame others for the wrong decisions we’ve made instead to accept responsible and ask for God forgiveness.

Finally, QUICK TO LISTEN, SLOW TO SPEAK AND SLOW TO BECOME ANGRY (v19).

Dear Father, thank You for leading me in a better path to seek You. Teach me to spend more time reading Your Word, remembering them well and applying them in every aspect of my life. In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.

School Of Hard Knocks

Read Psalm 119:65-72

Reflection of Tommy:

Our lives in this fallen world are still subject to pain, hurt and suffering. Experiencing the abundant life God has promised for us does not mean our lives will be problem-free. In fact, life can be a series of problems that can break us apart if we were to live solely with our own strength. Many unsuspecting Christians are surprised, confused and discouraged by these difficulties when they do not allow themselves to be renewed constantly by God’s sustaining grace and strength.

Instead of feeling disillusioned and disheartened when we are assaulted by the storms in life, seek to learn from our mistake and God’s lesson for us (v71) and march forward with His strength to come out stronger than before. Let Him lead You through the Spirit, to be filled with His assuring love and peace, that we be a victor in all our battles.

Dear Father, thank You for the warning and also lesson You’ve shown to me; protecting me from all the unnecessary problem in this life. Teach me to trust You more and exchange all my doubts with a childlike faith and trust in You always. Guide me I pray, in Jesus’ Name, Amen.

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

An Age-Old Question

Job 2:1-10

Job's Second Test
1 On another day the angels [a] came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came with them to present himself before him. 2 And the LORD said to Satan, "Where have you come from?"
Satan answered the LORD, "From roaming through the earth and going back and forth in it."

3 Then the LORD said to Satan, "Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil. And he still maintains his integrity, though you incited me against him to ruin him without any reason."

4 "Skin for skin!" Satan replied. "A man will give all he has for his own life. 5 But stretch out your hand and strike his flesh and bones, and he will surely curse you to your face."

6 The LORD said to Satan, "Very well, then, he is in your hands; but you must spare his life."

7 So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD and afflicted Job with painful sores from the soles of his feet to the top of his head. 8 Then Job took a piece of broken pottery and scraped himself with it as he sat among the ashes.

9 His wife said to him, "Are you still holding on to your integrity? Curse God and die!"

10 He replied, "You are talking like a foolish [b] woman. Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?"
In all this, Job did not sin in what he said.

Reflection of Bee:

Earlier on, I was watching a movie at home and a statement said by one of the characters made me ponder much....

"Your love for her is limited, for you love only if you can be with her. If you really love her, you will love even if you know you can't be with her."

Isn't it similar to what Job said to his wife, "Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?" (v10). If we really believe in God we will accept both good and trouble because we KNOW that He works all things (including the trouble) together for good to those who loved God.

So be it love or faith, they must be unconditional to be real.

My Lord,
Thank You for speaking to me tonight. Thank You for revealing to me what it means to be consistent in our love and faith and not let circumstances change them. Teach me to practice these truth in my life with You and people You have chosen for me. Let me be true and real.
In Your name I pray. Amen.


Reflection of Tommy:

Recently, a friend asked me why her 90 years old grandmother who is a very kind and generous person has to suffer at her old age now. Both her sons and daughters no longer care or concern for her well-being and never come to visit her. They even argued with one another over the very small amount of monthly payment for the nursing home. My friend’s family, who is the poorest among them all, was there all this while, taking care and support her and praying for her everyday.

So, why do good people suffers? Good Christian and everyone else in this fallen world are subject to suffering. Although God allow certain things to happen for reasons that we may not understand, we can still trust Him to do what is right and best. We can take comfort knowing that all our suffering will end when Jesus returns.

Dear Father, thank You for the assurance that all suffering and sorrow will end when Christ returns. Thank You that because of who You are, I can rely and trust You for things I do not understand. Thank You for Your constant guidance and protection, leading me to walk closer to Christ each day. In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.

Keep On

Psalm 66:1-10

For the director of music. A song. A psalm.
1 Shout with joy to God, all the earth!

2 Sing the glory of his name;
make his praise glorious!

3 Say to God, "How awesome are your deeds!
So great is your power
that your enemies cringe before you.

4 All the earth bows down to you;
they sing praise to you,
they sing praise to your name."
Selah

5 Come and see what God has done,
how awesome his works in man's behalf!

6 He turned the sea into dry land,
they passed through the waters on foot—
come, let us rejoice in him.

7 He rules forever by his power,
his eyes watch the nations—
let not the rebellious rise up against him.
Selah

8 Praise our God, O peoples,
let the sound of his praise be heard;

9 he has preserved our lives
and kept our feet from slipping.

10 For you, O God, tested us;
you refined us like silver.

Reflection of Bee:

Tonight's devotional title, "Keep on", and the article that followed it struck me hard. For they echoed my thought today and was inspired to write my poem "Stay Strong In The Rain".

Very often, we may crumble when the 'rain' of broken hopes, dreams, trust, love, friendship, or relationship falls on us. We tend to see all things we do in life as "meaningless" just like what Ecclesiastes 1 says. Yet despite the 'rain', despite the fact that our pains mean nothing to anyone, and no one care about us, we have to "keep on" and "stay strong in the rain".

Some Christians may become too 'heavenly' or 'spiritual' that they do not feel their own or others' pains anymore. Instead of being in touch with their own emotions or that of others, they begin to quote scriptures to tell themselves and others that they shouldn't feel sorrowful about the pains and hurts they or others experienced.

Tonight's devotion shows us that God is the one who "preserved our lives and kept our feet from slipping". That means, we do go through times of doubts and sadness. He is the one who "tested us" and "refined us like silver" (v9 , v10). We should be able to feel our emotions and that of others, but we take heart that all trials are under God's control.

However, knowing this fact does not make us 'robot' and have no feeling for others since God will be caring for them. In fact, a truly spiritually matured Christian is one who is able to empathize with others. Jesus was 'earthly' and human when He was on earth. He could empathize and weep with those who felt hurt and sad. He did something about their sorrows and not just tell them not to feel sad.

So what is meaningful in life? Ecclesiastes 12 concludes that....

1 Remember your Creator
in the days of your youth,
before the days of trouble come
and the years approach when you will say,
"I find no pleasure in them"-

13 Now all has been heard;
here is the conclusion of the matter:
Fear God and keep his commandments,
for this is the whole duty of man.

14 For God will bring every deed into judgment,
including every hidden thing,
whether it is good or evil.

Dear Lord,
Thank You for helping me find back my soul instead of just pretend to be 'heavenly'. As I begin to feel my emotion once again, I remember I need to rely on You. Thank You for keeping me from falling and moulding my life. Your "tests" helps me understand others better so I can console them when they need a listening ear and a shoulder to cry. Give me a heart of compassion always.
In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.



Reflection of Tommy:
It is always easy to complain what thing doesn’t go the way we wanted it. We seldom see God working in us through our trials; to refine and build our character and to help us to grow. Very often trials bring us a new and deeper wisdom, which helps us to discern truth from falsehood. It also gives us the discipline to do what we know is right.

Dear Father, thank You and I continue to praise You for both the good and bad things. Although there are still things I yet to truly understand but I trust You to make them clear to me one day. Meanwhile, give me Your strength, peace and wisdom to obey and surrender my all to You. Lord, guard also my heart and mind that I may always walk in Your ways. In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.