Great hope and comfort

Read 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

Reflection of Tommy:

I was chatting with some friends that day on what will happen to believer who has passed away. We came out with all kinds of theories on how things will be for the dead after they die and exactly when they will be raised. Although we predicted many things but one thing is sure is that all of us will be reunited again in meeting the Lord in the air and will be with the Him forever (v17-18).

Paul’s message in today’s passage is not so much of how or when exactly we’ll be raised but instead it is to challenge us as believer to comfort and encourage one another when our loved ones die. Not only that, God will turn all our tragedies to triumphs, our poverty to riches, our suffering to glory and our defeat to victory!

Dear Father, thank You for such a comforting promise and hope I have in You. Teach me to make use of every opportunity to tell others about Your great gift of love for them. Guide me to comfort and reassure each other with this great hope we have in Christ. In His mighty Name I pray, Amen.

El Roi: You-Are-the-God-Who-Sees

Genesis 16:7-13

7 The angel of the LORD found Hagar near a spring in the desert; it was the spring that is beside the road to Shur. 8 And he said, "Hagar, servant of Sarai, where have you come from, and where are you going?"
"I'm running away from my mistress Sarai," she answered.

9 Then the angel of the LORD told her, "Go back to your mistress and submit to her." 10 The angel added, "I will so increase your descendants that they will be too numerous to count."

11 The angel of the LORD also said to her:
"You are now with child
and you will have a son.
You shall name him Ishmael, [a]
for the LORD has heard of your misery.

12 He will be a wild donkey of a man;
his hand will be against everyone
and everyone's hand against him,
and he will live in hostility
toward [b] all his brothers."

13 She gave this name to the LORD who spoke to her: "You are the God who sees me," for she said, "I have now seen [c] the One who sees me."

Reflection of Bee:

There may be many injustice done to us, be it at home, in school, in church or at work. Sometimes the things that others say about us may not be truth and they hurt badly. Yet the bible says in Romans 12:19-21 (Deut. 32:35; Prov. 25:21,22):

19Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay,"[a]says the Lord. 20On the contrary:
"If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.
In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head."[b] 21Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Sometimes I do feel tired of the hypocrisy in life.... the world is like a stage and people are just acting. Who are real and true? who are sincere? I find it hard to detect the truth anymore. There are so much betrayal, even by people whom we trusted. When I heard about others' death, at times I asked, "why not me?"

It's comforting to know that God will avenge us as He sees everything. Our lives are in God's hand. When it's time that He takes us home, we'll be there.

Dear Lord,
Thank You for all the things that have happened to me. Thank You that You are the God who sees and justice is in Your hand. Thank You that You will always be with me in all situations.
In Your precious name I give You thanks. Amen.


Reflection of Tommy:
Even after reading countless times verses where God ask us not to worry (Matthew 6:31-34), many Christians still find themselves struggling with all kind of anxieties. Instead of trusting God, our tendency is to look for earthly securities; to depend and lean heavily on things that are tangible, real and look substantial for relief.

We hope for a change of circumstance or some help from man. We mount on these to runaway from our trouble. In ignorance, we think by mere change in our environment, our weary souls will experience some sort of deliverance. Often these earthly refuge carry us out of one trouble only to land us into another (Amos 5:19).

True deliverance comes to us only when our soul waits upon the Lord (Isaiah 40:31), entirely surrendered to Him, trusting Him perfectly and seeing Him in every details of our lives. When we are able to apply actively these attitudes, our soul will be carried up into a spiritual plane of life, into the “life hid with Christ in God”, which will utterly independent of all circumstances.

Dear Father, thank You that You are always near and you know all that I’m going through. Thank You for Your continual guidance to help me see when I’m lost. Teach me always be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving making all my requests be known to You (Philippians 4:6). In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.

Coping While Caring

Psalm 46

1 God is our refuge and strength,
an ever-present help in trouble.

2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,

3 though its waters roar and foam
and the mountains quake with their surging.
Selah

4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
the holy place where the Most High dwells.

5 God is within her, she will not fall;
God will help her at break of day.

6 Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall;
he lifts his voice, the earth melts.

7 The LORD Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.
Selah

8 Come and see the works of the LORD,
the desolations he has brought on the earth.

9 He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth;
he breaks the bow and shatters the spear,
he burns the shields [b] with fire.

10 "Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth."

11 The LORD Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.
Selah

Bee's Thoughts:

When we are in trouble, we know that we have a God who "is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble." He is always there for us.

Yet in our busyness with work and personal pursuit, we have no time to "be still and know" our God. Even in our 'quiet time' we may just hurriedly go through the passages without allowing God to speak to us. I am also guilty of that and need God to change my lifestyle. I need to be less workaholic so I can have more time for God and people close to me. After all, life is short and people whom we loved may not be with us forever on earth.

Yes, giving time = giving life = giving love.

Dear Lord,
Thank You for reminding me that I need to be still before You, to let You speak to my heart. Sorry that I have been too busy with things I need to do and have given You too little time. I pray that I will be more discipline to stop work when time is up so I could devote more time for You and for those who need me.
In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.



Tommy's Thoughts:

There is this quiet confidence in every true believer that God is always there to help, providing refuge, strength and peace in any circumstances. We know God is sovereign and His power is complete; and His ultimate and final victory is certain. This assurance gives us the courage and hope of an eternal refuge even if the world ends one day.

Dear Father, thank You for all the protections, promises and hope I have in You. Teach me to take time each day to be still and exalt You; reverently honoring You and Your power and majesty. I’ll worship You and give You praise for all time. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.