Joy Over One

Luke 15:1-10

The Parable of the Lost Sheep
1 Now the tax collectors and "sinners" were all gathering around to hear him. 2 But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, "This man welcomes sinners and eats with them." 3 Then Jesus told them this parable: 4 "Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Does he not leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it?

5 And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders 6 and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says,'Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.' 7 I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.

The Parable of the Lost Coin:
8 "Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins[a] and loses one. Does she not light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? 9 And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, 'Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.' 10 In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.

Footnotes:
Luke 15:8 [a] Greek ten drachmas, each worth about a day's wages

Bee's Thoughts:
As mentioned in my other blog, stories always bring home the truth we usually missed by mere reasoning. I like these two parables (stories) since young. Reading it again now shows me another new revelation. That's the wonderful thing about the Bible, each time we read the same passage we feel different because the Holy Spirit will reveal certain truth to us depending on our needs of that moment. I see the following truth for myself:

1. Jesus loves me so much - even if I am the only one that strayed He will go out to seek me "until he finds" me.


2. Jesus rejoices over finding one "lost sheep" - I am so precious to Him.

Thank You, Lord, for loving me so much. When I am "lost" You will go out to bring me back. I know you are doing it now, showing me I need to stay with You to be safe instead of detouring into the "wilderness" and be hurt. I want to love You Lord.

P/S: Yes, Fin and Ken, if you are reading this "devotion" I hope you will realize that you are so precious to God too. He is looking for you both now... so come close to Him to be embraced by His love too.

....the devotion of Bee

Spurring one another

Hebrews 10:24

24 And let us consider how we may spur one
another on toward love and good deeds.

Tommy's Thoughts:
I was reminded to the truth of the verse above again during one of my readings of the scriptures today. I know God has placed us, His people, as a community that encourages one another every now and again unto love and to good works; which will grant others to know God and His love for people. We tend to overlook that we can start doing this easily with those that are already close and near to us: our family members, close friends, colleagues and relatives.

Lord, guide me to seek for opportunity to encourage and to “touch” the lives of others. Especially those that is isolated, living alone or grieving. Teach me the importance of simple word or note of encouragement to those lonely souls; how they refreshes them in ways beyond imagination.

....the devotion of tommy

The Pumpkin Man

2 Corinthians 9:6-15

6 Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. 7 Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. 9 As it is written: "He has scattered abroad his gifts to the poor; his righteousness endures forever." 10 Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. 11 You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.

Bee's Thoughts:
The above verses have become part of my life since I became a Christian. I believe that when I give to God cheerfully, He will give me in return many times more (not necessary in monetary term). This belief enables me to tithe regularly to my Church.

Yes, sometimes the devil would tell me not to give by giving me all kinds of reasons to justify it. Yet, I firmly claim on the promises of God and believe I should give the little that I have, just like the woman with the 2 cents coin who gave her all to Jesus. Truly, I have reaped the promises of God many times in my life... I may not be rich financially, but I have no lack.

Now is the time for me to trust God in His providence since I am not working full time. God would not let His children go round begging. I won't. Perhaps God is testing my now. I am still giving my monthly "faith pledge", but I think I will give the full amount instead so that the devil can't tempt me to stop giving.

Thank you, Lord, for reminding me of your promises. Your grace is sufficient for me. With You nothing is impossible. Let me not lose faith in You. Amen.

....the devotion of Bee

Let's Take A Break

Luke 9:1-10

10 When the apostles returned, they reported to Jesus what they had done. Then he took them with him and they withdrew by themselves to a town called Bethsaida.

Mark 6:31

31 Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, "Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest."

Bee's Thoughts:
It'a so true that "all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy". That's what happened to most of us if we work so hard and never take any break... we become over stressed, and then become an ineffective worker. This will also be translated into our relationship with people around us... we might become quick temper and impatient, hurting others without knowing.

It's also true that we need to take daily breaks to spend time with God, to let Him give us the spiritual 'charge' to face the challenges of the world. If we don't do that, we will also ended up become what we don't wish to be.

Dear Lord, help me to always remember to take retreat to spend time with you. Amen.

....the devotion of Bee

What Did You Say?

Psalm 15

1 LORD, who may dwell in your sanctuary?
Who may live on your holy hill?

2 He whose walk is blameless
and who does what is righteous,
who speaks the truth from his heart

3 and has no slander on his tongue,
who does his neighbor no wrong
and casts no slur on his fellowman,

4 who despises a vile man
but honors those who fear the LORD,
who keeps his oath
even when it hurts,

5 who lends his money without usury
and does not accept a bribe against the innocent.
He who does these things
will never be shaken.

Bee's Thoughts:

Verse 1

That’s a million dollar question, isn’t it? Who can qualify to go to heaven? Only those mentioned from verse 2 to 5.

Oh no, can anyone really qualify then? It’s tough and impossible, isn’t it?

Well, that’s why Jesus has to die on the cross for us, to redeem us from all sins and unrighteousness, and then start doing the transformation work in our life to make us righteousness in His sight to be there one day.

Yes, I can see that transformation in my life from the day I accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior since the age of 12, The work of God in me isn’t finished yet… there are more things to be done in me. By giving me the free will to choose means I can rebel against God and make His designing work harder. But I guess that’s the beauty of it. Just like, I would want someone to love me willingly rather than to love me by force. Example, some people marry out of compulsion or guilt or fear. But here, God does not want a robot; He wants us to choose to love and follow Him.

Verse 2 to 5

Characteristics of the one who qualifies for the "holy hill":

1. blameless
2. righteous,
3. truth from his heart

4. no slander
5. does neighbor no wrong
6. no slur

7. despises a vile man
8. honors those who fear the LORD,
9. keeps his oath even when it hurts,

10. lends his money without usury
11. does not accept a bribe

I guess I am able to do point 4 to 11; but as for point 1 to 3, I still have need lots of moulding from God, lots of learning. The promise for those who do the above points is that he/she “will never be shaken”.

Dear God, help me to be more like you each day as I let you mould my life, though it may be painful at times. Amen.

....the devotion of Bee

The Whys

Trust in the LORD and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him and he will do this - Psalm 37:3-5

As I looked back to all those “whys” I muttered and sighed in the past; I slowly begin to understand the reasons and significances for each of them; revealed by the Spirit in me. Now, I know how precise and perfect God’s timings and plans are. I saw clearly how my life differs now than before knowing Christ. How simple, certain, stable, peaceful, hopeful, clear and wonderful it is with God beside me everyday.

Today, I still have my ‘whys’, many burning questions that I don’t have answers yet. But, I will always cling to a promise in His Word above. It gives me the strength and assurance as I sail through life knowing He always wanted the best for me.

Lord, You know all the whys in my life. You are sovereign. My responsibility now is to trust and be faithful to You. Teach me also to ask more of "whats" you want to be instead of "whys". Lord, I will learn to relax more and enjoy life Your way - because You are always in control. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.

Redemptive Revenge

Romans 12:17-21

17 Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. 18 If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. 19 Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord. 20 On 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." 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Bee's Thoughts:
This is not just a passive advice… it is active. It calls for more than just forgiveness for my “enemy”… it requires me to do something “good”.

Keeping this passage in mind has helped me practice more self-control and to manage my emotion of hurt and anger better when being provoked. It’s a human tendency to hit back whenever we are hurt or angry. However, by using this wise advice from the Bible, it has helped me made peace with my “enemies” very quickly most time. I would keep quiet instead of hitting back. I would try to listen to the other party, try to figure out what I have done or say wrongly that has provoked the other to person anger, and I would say “Sorry” for my part of the fault. I would usually initiate the reconciliation process, but it’s up to the other party to accept or to reject it.

Thank You, Lord, for teaching me how to handle my “enemy”.

...the devotion of Bee

Toddler's Creed

Acts 20:32-38

32 "Now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified.

33 I have not coveted anyone's silver or gold or clothing.

34 You yourselves know that these hands of mine have supplied my own needs and the needs of my companions.

35 In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'"

Bee's Thoughts:
The Apostle Paul is my example for living. As he advocated, I like to live within my means and I don't like to owe anybody anything (especially money) except for big item such as loan for house or car. A few friends did ask me to take up a study loan since I am thinking of stopping my study as a result of not working full time to finance it. But I don't feel comfortable doing it... I rather stop studying instead of being in debt. Jesus has always supplied my needs. So even though things look a little bleak for me at the moment, I want to trust that God knows what's best for me and that He will always provide.

Yes, "it is more blessed to give than to receive". I give to others because Jesus has first given His life for me freely. So freely rceive, freely give. Thank You Jesus!

....the devotion by Bee

Bee's Morning Devotion

Hello Tommy, here I am at your blog. :)

Since you have ‘abandoned’ your blog for awhile, I thought I could use it for my "Morning Devotion" to jot down my thoughts of the day and at the same time 'save’ this blog from being so ‘cold’... hehe. Thanks for letting me use it.

Yes, I have decided to reorder my life and set my priority right (starting today) so I could start to dream new dreams. So for that, I know I have to spend my time with God, reading His word first, before I spend time with anybody or anything else. In this way I will be able to focus in what’s important in life and to know the way I should go.

How sweet are Your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth! — Psalm 119:103

....the thoughts of Bee

The "Go" of Relationship

"If we are to be disciples of Jesus, we must be made disciples supernaturally. And as long as we consciously maintain the determined purpose to be His disciples, we can be sure that we are not disciples. Jesus says, "You did not choose Me, but I chose you . . ." ( John 15:16 ). That is the way the grace of God begins. It is a constraint we can never escape; we can disobey it, but we can never start it or produce it ourselves. We are drawn to God by a work of His supernatural grace, and we can never trace back to find where the work began. Our Lord’s making of a disciple is supernatural. He does not build on any natural capacity of ours at all. God does not ask us to do the things that are naturally easy for us— He only asks us to do the things that we are perfectly fit to do through His grace, and that is where the cross we must bear will always come."

- Oswald Chambers

The walk (part II of III)

This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God. - 1 John 5:3-5

About 2 years after I accepted Christ, I somewhat began to drift away from Him. I thought my salvation will never be jeopardized; even when I no longer continue on the road of discipleship. In other words, I believed that I can be saved and yet not being a follower of Christ. I’m a part-time Christian; living like I’m not a believer. My life stopped changing; produced either no fruit or bad fruit, and served only my own pleasures and not those of God. I was so certain and confidence that there will be no consequences to what I’m doing and I simply just don't care! I was fooling myself about my salvation and little do I realized that I was falling into apostasy.

Later, things begin to really fall apart, little by little like the work of termite. Frantically, I look everywhere for answers, quick fixes, and shortcuts; that don’t seem to exist. After all the exhaustion and desperation, I realized I came to a dead end. And at this time, He came for me. Welcoming me back with His open arms.

My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. - John 10:27-28

Through the whole experience, I saw a merciful God that loves me so much despite my deliberate action to walk away from Him. As I reflect on John 10:27-28; I realized that salvation and discipleship are both the same. We can't separate them. We can't claim to know Christ and not love Him; we can't love Him and not follow Him.

How to Become a Christian?

If you have been thinking of accepting Christ, do read on. I’ll share with you about how simple Christianity actually is. How anyone can become a Christian, if our heart is open to receive Him. There’s also a prayer towards the end, where you can pray to invite Christ into your heart and begin your life as a Christian. It’s that simple, really!

”God loves us deeply. Man was created to have a relationship with Him. But the relationship was broken when man turned away from God because of stubborn self-will. Man chose to go his own independent way. This attitude of rebellion is what the Bible calls sin. As a result, man was destined to an eternity separated from God. Man continually trying to reach God by his own efforts, through leading a good life; doing good deeds, philosophy, or religion. But, he inevitably fails…”

”But, God love us so much that the last thing He wanted to do is to punish us to hell. He wanted a loving relationship with man that will last for all eternity. To save us from eternal punishment, God became a human being in the person of Jesus Christ, 2000 years ago to restore our life and fellowship with Him. He lived a life without sin, but died on the cross to take our place for the punishment of our sin, even we were yet sinners…”
God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us ~ Romans 5:8

All we need to do is to believe that Jesus has died for our sin and joyfully open our heart to receive Him. When we commit our lives to live with Him, we are forgiven of our sins and given a new, free and eternal life from God. If you are ready to accept Christ into your life, respond to Him with the following prayer:

“God, I put my faith in what you have done for me through Jesus' death and resurrection. I confess how hard it is for me to believe, but I trust you to give me faith. I confess that I am a sinner, and I repent and ask your forgiveness. I depend on Jesus to save me from my sins and to give me eternal life. I want to obey Jesus as the Lord of my life. I don't know all that this means, but I will depend on him to show me as I go along. I know I cannot earn the right to be a Christian. I accept this right as a free gift. Thank you that you have forgiven my sins and help me to grow to be a faithful servant of Jesus Christ. Amen.”

If you have prayed the prayer above and truly accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior, then you have made the single most important decision in your life! God will give you the strength to live this new, exciting life by faith. Welcome to the family! The next thing to do is to get yourself a Bible :)

Love

Love is patient,
love is kind.
It does not envy,
it does not boast,
it is not proud.

It is not rude,
it is not self-seeking,
it is not easily angered,
it keeps no record of wrongs.

Love does not delight in evil
but rejoices with the truth.

It always protects,
always trusts,
always hopes,
always perseveres.

~ 1 Corinthians 13:4-7

The joy of giving

Give, and gifts will be given to you: a good measure, packed together, shaken down and overflowing, will be poured into your lap. - Luke 6:38

For years I’d been giving shamefully little into the offering bag. I’m awfully thrifty when I can’t see where my money goes. I always told myself, “hey, you can buy plenty of stuffs with that amount of money..don’t kid yourself, man!” and then went on to list those “stuffs” in mind and finally pulled out the smallest note that I can find! And for some reason, I've never got myself to understand the meaning behind Luke 6:38.

Until a year ago, there was this sermon about the joy of giving. It’s about putting God first in our life, joyfully give and serve others, and trust God to do His part. I finally managed to grasp the true meaning of giving. I started giving “ridiculously”. Without any hesitation or fear, I gave joyfully and willingly in money, time, services and helps to others. Up to today, I have been blessed far more than what I’ve ever expected. Most of the time, it caught me by surprise how creative He can be when comes to giving back to us!

We just need to acknowledge God owns everything; that all our possessions are ultimately His gift to us. Certainly, God doesn't need our offering. God wants us, the giver. He wants us to respond to His gifts to us. He wants to free us from life's possessions that taking hold of us. And He wants us to trust Him and understand how much He really does care. If we are sensitive to what is happening around us, we will realize that there are people who desperately need our generosity - the unloved, the underprivileged, the overworked, the exhausted, the lonely. He wants us to give ourselves in our entirety to people, to needs, and to opportunities; cheerfully, gladly, and joyfully!

Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. - 2 Corinthians 9:6-8

The wonders of life

You will do everything you have promised me; God, your faithful love endures forever. Complete the work that you have begun." - Psalm 138:8

Life was meant to be lived, life in all of its fullness, joy and peace. It’s like a wonderful stroll along an adventure path with God by your side. There are no accidents in life. Everything happened for a reason, a purpose. God is good and He’s the Ultimate Planner. It may sometimes seem as though nothing is happening but in reality something is in process. Just trust in Him and surrender, He is infinitely creative in meeting our deepest needs and giving us quality of life better to anything we could ever design on our own.

Forgiveness

Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. - Ephesians 4:32

I did not talk to her for almost 5 years. I only answered when she asked for something. Most of the time; a short yes or no. I told myself this is the best I can do. I’ve tried very hard and for many years to forgive and forget, but I just can't. I've lost someone I used to care, trust and respect.

This was until I know Christ. It's when I know our need to forgive others because God has forgiven us. It's only through Him I received the power to forgive. I started to see how much this person has sacrificed and loved me. I remembered how she put up for me despite the difficulties and hardships of life; how she comforted me when I'm down and sick; how she worked so hard to give me a better life; how courageous she was when dealing with the impossibles; how she spend time planning and thinking for my tomorrow; how she tirelessly making things pleasant and beautiful everyday; how she has the amazing positive outlook on life despite the odds at hand; how creative and incredible she was in solving big and small problems; how she saved so much to make sure there's enough for my future; how she know my wants and needs and try her very best to provide; how afraid she is to trouble and interfere with my life; how thoughtful she is to other's feelings and conditions; how generously she gives and helps others; how unselfish she is to share with others; how she understand the pains and sufferings others are going through; how willingly she sacrificed her own comfort to make others feel better; how lovingly and dedicatedly she plays a dual role for us when dad no longer around; how hard she has been trying to be the best mother a son can ever have!

Rediscovery

I know that there is nothing better for men than to be happy and do good while they live. That everyone may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all his toil – this is the gift of God. - Ecclesiastes 3:12-13

Lately, I have been laughing so hard that at times it's almost painful. Get to know many interesting people; doing things I've not done in a long long time and having some small 'plans' to accomplish. I have the chance now to really rediscover what it means to give myself space to breathe. To do and enjoy what I always wanted to do. It's a nice feeling – to risk enough to enjoy as often as possible. I get to know myself better; of whom I really am. I’ve also started looking after myself better; to relax a bit more and to tell more jokes! I think it’s ok and 'necessary' to be a little selfish sometime :)

Letting go

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. - Romans 8: 1-2

I believe now there is only one thing we can change in life and that is our self. Not others. I used to be the “fixer” in a relationship. I was so busy in “rescuing”, “enabling”, “comforting” and “healing” all the times. I saw myself become powerless in the face of demands and doing things I do not really want to. I told myself other will come around and change eventually. But in the process, I lost my own self.

God has been leading me to let go and detach. He was there with me and helping me as I stepped out and walked through the healing process. Eventhough it's been awhile, it was only through Him and His “angels” that I gained the strength and clarity to free myself from guilt and self-condemnation for ending the relationship. Thank You Lord for renewing, teaching and leading me to have healthy, wholesome, happy and joyful relationships in my life! (thanks CP!)

LETTING GO TAKES LOVE
(poem - author unknown)

To let go does not mean to stop caring,
it means I can't do it for someone else.
To let go is not to cut myself off,
it's the realization I can't control another.
To let go is not to enable,
but allow learning from natural consequences.

To let go is to admit powerlessness, which means
the outcome is not in my hands.
To let go is not to try to change or blame another,
it's to make the most of myself.
To let go is not to care for,
but to care about.

To let go is not to fix,
but to be supportive.
To let go is not to judge,
but to allow another to be a human being.
To let go is not to be in the middle arranging all the outcomes,
but to allow others to affect their destinies.

To let go is not to be protective,
it's to permit another to face reality.
To let go is not to deny,
but to accept.
To let go is not to nag, scold or argue,
but instead to search out my own shortcomings and correct them.

To let go is not to adjust everything to my desires,
but to take each day as it comes and cherish myself in it.
To let go is not to criticize or regulate anybody,
but to try to become what I dream I can be.
To let go is not to regret the past,
but to grow and live for the future.

To let go is to fear less and love more!

The little things

Again he said, "What shall we say the kingdom of God is like, or what parable shall we use to describe it? It is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest seed you plant in the ground. Yet when planted, it grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants, with such big branches that the birds of the air can perch in its shade. - Mark 4:30-32

I used to focus entirely on the hope for an extraordinary breakthrough and change in a situation in my life. I recklessly overlooked the little things and details; daily and locally. I’d never think about the real problem behind my action, though it seems the right and ‘heroic’ thing to do. I was also making myself victim to a situation at the expense of being a truthful person. Later, when things begin to crumble, I started to search for answers.

Now as I looked back, I’m able to discern a pattern. I see that God has been faithfully with me all these while, accomplishing His unfathomable will for my life. He has been working all things out for good despite my choices. People were changed and lives been transformed. I’ve learnt that any important decision in future matters less than what we do every day, the commitments to build and lay the foundation for what is to come. The more diligent and faithful I am now, the greater my capacity to do the will of God later on.

"We cannot become truly good in a better, more marvelous, and yet easier way than by the simple use of the means offered us by God: the ready acceptance of all that comes to us at each moment of our lives." — Jean Pierre de Caussade quoted in The Inner Treasure by Jonathan Star

Gracious uncertainty

Nothing best describes my walk with Christ than one of the daily reading below from the classic My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers.

GRACIOUS UNCERTAINTY

"...it has not yet been revealed what we shall be." 1 John 3:2

Our natural inclination is to be so precise — trying always to forecast accurately what will happen next — that we look upon uncertainty as a bad thing. We think that we must reach some predetermined goal, but that is not the nature of the spiritual life. The nature of the spiritual life is that we are certain in our uncertainty. Consequently, we do not put down roots. Our common sense says, "Well, what if I were in that circumstance?" We cannot presume to see ourselves in any circumstance in which we have never been.

Certainty is the mark of the commonsense life — gracious uncertainty is the mark of the spiritual life. To be certain of God means that we are uncertain in all our ways, not knowing what tomorrow may bring. This is generally expressed with a sigh of sadness, but it should be an expression of breathless expectation. We are uncertain of the next step, but we are certain of God.

As soon as we abandon ourselves to God and do the task He has placed closest to us, He begins to fill our lives with surprises. When we become simply a promoter or a defender of a particular belief, something within us dies. That is not believing God — it is only believing our belief about Him. Jesus said, "...unless you...become as little children..." ( Matthew 18:3 ). The spiritual life is the life of a child. We are not uncertain of God, just uncertain of what He is going to do next. If our certainty is only in our beliefs, we develop a sense of self-righteousness, become overly critical, and are limited by the view that our beliefs are complete and settled. But when we have the right relationship with God, life is full of spontaneous, joyful uncertainty and expectancy.

Jesus said, "...believe also in Me" ( John 14:1 ), not, "Believe certain things about Me". Leave everything to Him and it will be gloriously and graciously uncertain how He will come in — but you can be certain that He will come. Remain faithful to Him.