Not My Will

Luke 22:39-46

Jesus Prays on the Mount of Olives
39Jesus went out as usual to the Mount of Olives, and his disciples followed him. 40On reaching the place, he said to them, "Pray that you will not fall into temptation." 41He withdrew about a stone's throw beyond them, knelt down and prayed, 42"Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done." 43An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him. 44And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.[a]

45When he rose from prayer and went back to the disciples, he found them asleep, exhausted from sorrow. 46"Why are you sleeping?" he asked them. "Get up and pray so that you will not fall into temptation."

Tommy's Thoughts:

There are times when we are tested with difficult situation to clarify our true motives. God uses this situation for us to reaffirm our total commitment to Him and doing what He has commanded us to do. Without this test, it’s impossible for our faith to grow.

God knows all the whys for each of us, and He is sovereign and in control. We need to trust Him to know what best for us and start following His leading. Submit our hearts to Him and begin living our life each day His way with gladness and joy.

Dear Lord, thank You for Your tests to reaffirm my commitment to You. Thank You also for Your light that shines to me the right path to take and turn to. Though I know it won’t be easy but I will trust in Your sovereignty, love and care that take me through all the trials coming my way. Thank You for being always there for me; being my God, my companion and my friend. In Jesus' precious name, I pray. Amen


Bee's Thoughts:

Can we pray like Jesus did in time of suffering, "not my will, but yours be done." (v42)?

Very often, we pray according to our will rather than God's will. Actually, Jesus did say that if we abide in Him and He in us, we can ask anything in His name and God will give them to us. That is, if we abide in Christ, His will becomes ours, so surely what we ask for will be in His will too. It's like in a love relationship where 2 people are joint in their desires and both wanting to do what pleases the other.

Dear Lord,
How much do I love You? How much do I want to do Your will? Forgive me for wanting to do things my ways many times. I pray that I will love You more and more each day and will do Your will more too. May I be like Jesus who is totally in submission to You.
I pray that in my work and relationship it will always be "not my will but Yours be done, Lord."
In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Looks And Life

1 Samuel 16:1-13

6 When they arrived, Samuel saw Eliab and thought, "Surely the LORD's anointed stands here before the LORD."

7 But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart."

8 Then Jesse called Abinadab and had him pass in front of Samuel. But Samuel said, "The LORD has not chosen this one either." 9 Jesse then had Shammah pass by, but Samuel said, "Nor has the LORD chosen this one." 10 Jesse had seven of his sons pass before Samuel, but Samuel said to him, "The LORD has not chosen these." 11 So he asked Jesse, "Are these all the sons you have?"
"There is still the youngest," Jesse answered, "but he is tending the sheep."
Samuel said, "Send for him; we will not sit down [a] until he arrives."

12 So he sent and had him brought in. He was ruddy, with a fine appearance and handsome features.
Then the LORD said, "Rise and anoint him; he is the one."

13 So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and from that day on the Spirit of the LORD came upon David in power. Samuel then went to Ramah.

Bee's Thoughts:

I often heard that men will normally go for look first before character when choosing thier mates. That in itself explains the many relationship failures we know of.

God's way is always the best way. He chooses a person's heart/character rather than the physical look.

In Acts 13:22, God said, "'I have found David son of Jesse a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do.'" It's true that David "was ruddy, with a fine appearance and handsome features" (v12) but his brothers had better look and were taller I suppose.

Also in Proverbs 31:30, it says. "Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised." Beauty fades but character stays, especially one that is moulded by God.

Dear Lord,
Thank you for looking at my heart instead of my appearance. I will grow old and feeble one day but my heart and spirit will remain with you Lord. I pray that you will make my heart always seeking You like King David did. A heart of tenderness towards You, a heart of love and compassion, a heart that seeks You, a heart that repents when You show me my sins.
In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.


Tommy's Thought:

It is not wrong that we spend time keeping our selves looking good and pleasant, but we should not emphasize it until we overlook developing our inner character and improving our heart’s attitude. We should not also treat others differently based on physical appearance.

There is so much to be learned in v7 when God said to Samuel “Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart." It makes sense to invest and emphasize on something than will lasts, the inner qualities and character of a person.

Dear Lord, thank You for teaching me not to judge others by how they look; that physical appearance alone doesn’t reveal much about what a person and their value truly is. Guide me to spend time improving my attitude and character, giving me a new heart and the right desires to be a better person, as You alone know what my heart really is. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

A Time To Forgive

Luke 23:26-34

The Crucifixion
26As they led him away, they seized Simon from Cyrene, who was on his way in from the country, and put the cross on him and made him carry it behind Jesus. 27A large number of people followed him, including women who mourned and wailed for him. 28Jesus turned and said to them, "Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me; weep for yourselves and for your children. 29For the time will come when you will say, 'Blessed are the barren women, the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed!' 30Then
" 'they will say to the mountains, "Fall on us!"
and to the hills, "Cover us!" '[a] 31For if men do these things when the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?"

32Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with him to be executed. 33When they came to the place called the Skull, there they crucified him, along with the criminals—one on his right, the other on his left. 34Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing."[b] And they divided up his clothes by casting lots.

Bee's Thoughts:

"Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." (v 34)

In the past, whenever someone offended me, the above verse would come to my mind and I would pray for the person concerned. However, I have since forgotten about this verse for a long while.

This is a very powerful verse because when we forgive someone who has hurt us, we are in effect setting ourselves free from emotional 'imprisonment'. When we release someone, we are releasing ourselves from hurt too.

Recently, I have had some frustrations at my working place. I was almost on the verge of crying during an office meeting yesterday. I felt stifled in my work by office 'politics'. But today's devotion has reminded me to forgive like Jesus did. Yes, I feel better when I make this prayer of forgiveness. I am releasing myself from 'bondage'.

Dear Lord,
Thank You for forgiving me. Because of You, I can also forgive others and not be trapped by bitterness or resentment. Praise You Lord! Amen

Tommy's Thoughts:

We may sometimes think that the act of graciousness comes only from God. But as Christian, God has called us to be Christ-like, that includes being gracious and compassionate to others, even those who has hurt us before. By not forgiving and being resentful, we only cause further emotional distress to our selves and it’ll be harder for us to receive total healing.

Because we are all sinners, we each played our part in putting Jesus on the Cross. But because of God’s love, grace and mercy, we all received forgiveness and a new life through His Son. Likewise, we as His children need to learn similarly to love, be kindhearted and compassionate to others, not only to those selected few we like and comfortable with.

Dear Lord, thank You for Your constant guidance and teachings that lead me to be the person You wanted me to be. Teach me to show genuine love and compassion to others; to be more sensitive and understanding, slow to anger, forgiving and always lives in peace with You and with others. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

Seize The Opportunity

Acts 8:26-38

Philip and the Ethiopian
26Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, "Go south to the road—the desert road—that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza." 27So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian[a]eunuch, an important official in charge of all the treasury of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians. This man had gone to Jerusalem to worship, 28and on his way home was sitting in his chariot reading the book of Isaiah the prophet. 29The Spirit told Philip, "Go to that chariot and stay near it."

30Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. "Do you understand what you are reading?" Philip asked.

31"How can I," he said, "unless someone explains it to me?" So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.

32The eunuch was reading this passage of Scripture:
"He was led like a sheep to the slaughter,
and as a lamb before the shearer is silent,
so he did not open his mouth.
33In his humiliation he was deprived of justice.
Who can speak of his descendants?
For his life was taken from the earth."[b]

34The eunuch asked Philip, "Tell me, please, who is the prophet talking about, himself or someone else?" 35Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus.

36As they traveled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, "Look, here is water. Why shouldn't I be baptized?"[c] 38And he gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized him.

Tommy's Thoughts:

We can be so preoccupied with ourselves that we no longer concern about the welfare and needs of those around us. We no longer sensitive to the Spirit’s nudging to serve and take action to meet the needs of others. We became too busy with our own interests and happiness that we easily ignore and shake off opportunities to say or do something in Jesus’ name.

We learned from Phillip in today’s passage, that we should always be ready, aware and attentive to God’s leading through the Holy Spirit. Though at times, it is not easy when we may not know or understand His plans, but we can trust Him that the results will always worth our time and energy, that God’s way is always right.

Dear Lord, thank You for reminding me to pause and take time to be concern for those around me, to be more sensitive to their needs. Teach me not to be constantly engrossed and wrapped up in my own work and problems that I use them as excuses to not care or treat others poorly. Teach me also to seize every opportunity to follow Your leading and commands, with my actions magnify and my heart glorify Your name. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.


Bee's Thoughts:

When we pray to the Lord and then stop for a moment to listen, very often we can feel the Hoy Spirit's prompting in our hearts. But the problem with us is that we tend to pray and then do things our ways. Then we wonder why God didn't speak to us or answer our prayers.

Here we see that Philip obeyed "the angel of the Lord" to share the with the eunuch. We should learn to be alert at all times to share the good news when the opportunity arises. The bible says in 2 Timothy 4:2 that we must "Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction."

Dear Lord,
Forgive me for times I may not listen to Your Spirit's prompting to share Your word with someone. I pray that I will obey when it's time for me to share Christ. Give me wisdom to speak without fear.
In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Chosen People

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.

Bee's Thoughts:

When we are born of the Spirit of God and become Christians, we are just like "newborn babies" (v2). As spiritual "babies" we need to drink "spiritual milk" to grow spiritually. Our mind should be one that is pure and being cleansed by the blood of Christ,

Thank God for choosing me to be His "people" and "priest". Every time I recall how God called me into His kingdom I feel very grateful to Him. I could see myself as one who was lost, and as if I were 'thrown into the dustbin', but was picked up by the Lord. I owe my life to Him.


Thank You, Lord, for saving my soul;
Thank You, Lord, for making me whole.
Thank You, Lord, for giving to me,
Your great salvation so rich and free.
Amen

Tommy's Thoughts:

The old adage, promises are meant to be broken seems to be so common in our society today. It’s no longer easy to trust and be assured by words from others, even for the smallest of things. Men can terribly disappoint us sometimes, but not God. As Christian, we can safely put our confidence in God’s promises for us, as He will never let us down.

Lord God, my heavenly Father, You made and govern all things. Even though the immensity of creation overwhelms me, You have assured me of Your love for me, an unworthy sinner. As I struggle with my petty problems, and troubled by worries, I know that You’re my loving Father and I am Your dear child by faith in Jesus Christ.

Dear Lord, free me from anxiety when dealing with my problems, sorrow and trial and lead me to trust Your unchanging love, faithfulness and goodness. Thank You Lord for everything and I know and believe all things work together for my everlasting happiness, through Jesus Christ my Lord. Amen.

Priority

Psalm 8

1 O LORD, our Lord,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!
You have set your glory
above the heavens.

2 From the lips of children and infants
you have ordained praise [b]
because of your enemies,
to silence the foe and the avenger.

3 When I consider your heavens,
the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars,
which you have set in place,

4 what is man that you are mindful of him,
the son of man that you care for him?

5 You made him a little lower than the heavenly beings [c]
and crowned him with glory and honor.

6 You made him ruler over the works of your hands;
you put everything under his feet:

7 all flocks and herds,
and the beasts of the field,

8 the birds of the air,
and the fish of the sea,
all that swim the paths of the seas.

9 O LORD, our Lord,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!

Tommy's Thoughts:

It is easy to be distracted from spending our times with God daily by our busy schedule and deadlines. Most often, I found myself going to Him when I was dog-tired at the end of the day. Things tend to be harder to dealt with and handle when I become more and more busy, spending less time listening to God and focus on Him.

We may unknowingly think God care little for our career, future and well-being that spending time with Him won’t at all help, ease or solve our problems. Our priority says a lot about our trust in God. We need to know that we are highly valuable to God, that He is mindful of us a lot (v4). He knows and will always provide all that we need. We have to first humbly go and submit our selves to Him, trusting Him to provide and guide our path and acknowledging His control over everything in our lives.

Dear Lord, forgive me of not spending enough time with You, listening to You and learning from You. Teach me to know and understand what matters more and most in my life; to seek Your Kingdom first above everything else.Teach me also to have a proper perspective on Your sovereignty and providence, to trust You more in things. Thank You for Your love and care that gives me the peace, strength and joy in doing my best in my works and planning for my future. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.


Bee's Thoughts:

3 When I consider your heavens,
the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars,
which you have set in place,

4 what is man that you are mindful of him,
the son of man that you care for him?

The creation of God, such as the heavens, the moon, the stars, and nature, always bring me closer God. They remind me of the greatness of God and put me in a sense of awe for Him.

Today, I murmured to my boss that I have no time to 'smell the flowers' these days with my long working hours. He replied that he has learnt to enjoy his work. In so doing work is fun and not just work. In a sense my boss is right. I need to do my work with God and not just by myself. Then I will fully enjoy my work and shine for Christ.

Dear Lord,
As tired as I am I want to thank You for all the things You have done for me. Even though I work long hours, I thank You for our strength that see me through. Thank You for Your wisdom in guiding me in my work.
Thank You for my prayer partner who prayed for me constantly too. May You also give him wisdom and strength to do his work well.
In Jesus' name I pray. Amen

Realistic Expectations

2 Timothy 4:16-18

16At my first defense, no one came to my support, but everyone deserted me. May it not be held against them. 17But the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. And I was delivered from the lion's mouth. 18The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom. To him be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Bee's Thoughts:

One of the things I’ve learned as I’ve grown older is not to expect too much from people. It’s possible to pour a good deal of energy and love into a friend or family member and see no growth or receive no gratitude for our efforts. It’s even possible that others may receive credit for the work we’ve done.

If we expect everyone to recognize and appreciate what we have done for them, we will certainly be deeply hurt.

- David H. Roper

I agree with the above writer. I have also learnt "not to expect too much from people".

When I was a child I expected love from my mum but I didn't get it, and the hurt never leave me even as an adult. When she past away this year, that hurt was released.

As a teenager, I dared not expect to be loved and I rejected it whenever someone tried to get close to me.

As an adult, I tried to open myself up and expected to be loved again. But again I was disappointed and I never expect it anymore. I am contended to just have a "best friend".

It's painful to be desserted by people whom we expect to stay with us, like in Paul's case (v16). Yet Paul stayed positive as he turned his eyes upon Jesus (v17). When people desserted him, he felt God's presence. He never leave Paul nor forsake him. Similarly, I felt the same way.

Dear Lord,
Thank You that I can rely on You when others fail me. You never leave me alone. Thank You that I have learnt to be realistic about my expectation. I shall put my hope in You Lord.
Amen.

Tommy's Thoughts:

As Christian, we are never alone even though sometimes we may think we are. We see the need to face and struggle with our problems on our own. But the truth is that our loving and faithful God knows our every pain and struggle, standing always beside us through thick and thin, giving us the strength to hold on in the midst of our troubles.

Dear Lord, forgive me for not seeing and knowing that You are always working things out for good and right for me. Forgive me of underestimating what You can change and bring into my life when I submit wholeheartedly to You. Thank You for Your strength, forgiveness and the Way to allow me to walk back into Your light. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

Witness Through the Spirit

Acts 1:1-8

Jesus Taken Up Into Heaven
1In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach 2until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen. 3After his suffering, he showed himself to these men and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God. 4On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: "Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. 5For John baptized with[a] water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit."

6So when they met together, they asked him, "Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?"

7He said to them: "It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. 8But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."

Tommy's Thoughts:

It’s normal for believers to sincerely want and eager to share their faith and salvation’s blessings to their loved ones. Because of the love they received from God and the Holy Spirit working inside their heart, they’ll take every opportunity to spread the Good News to others.

But, there are those who lost their enthusiasm when they continually fail to bring others to their faith. There are also those who quitted witnessing for Christ when they were constantly discouraged by others and their own failings.

As Christian, we wanted to witness to others when we allow God to give us the desire to do so. When we are truly grateful for what God has done for us, we’ll be willing to earnestly share our faith with others. So, whenever we are discouraged, go to God and ask Him to give us the desire to speak out for Him.

Dear Lord, thank You for the blessings and salvation I received from You. Let me not lost the desire to want to speak out for You, to share the joy of salvation with others. Teach me to begin with true worship and rightful living by following all Your commands, that I can then become a better living testimony for Christ. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.


Bee's Thoughts:

I remember when I was 15 years old (3 years after accepting Christ), I asked God to fill me with His Holy Spirit. The reason was I saw the power of God in the life of my Christian leaders as a result of them being baptised by the Holy Spirit. I yearned for the same power to witness for God.

No special sign or wonder happen to me after my prayer and I didn't speak in tongue immediately. But something did happened to me the next day... I felt the unspeakable joy of God in my heart, and I had the compulsion to share the gospel with everyone I met in school. In addition, there was a spirit of forgiveness towards people whom I struggled to forgive for years because of deep seated hurt. God's love ruled my heart and I knew that was the work of the Holy Spirit. Praise God!

I only spoke in tongues about a week later, which gave me added assurance of my baptism in the Holy Spirit. With this baptism, I had been sealed by God... for my thoughts of quiting following Christ got squashed each time the devil tried to plant them in my heart whenever I felt discouraged.

Dear Lord,
Thank You for baptising me with Your Holy Spirit. Thank You for Your love and power to witness for Christ. I pray that I will constantly be filled with Your Siprit and that He will overflow in my life to those around me.
In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Campaign Of Reconciliation

Luke 19:1-10

Zacchaeus the Tax Collector
1Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. 2A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. 3He wanted to see who Jesus was, but being a short man he could not, because of the crowd. 4So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way.


5When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, "Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today." 6So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly.

7All the people saw this and began to mutter, "He has gone to be the guest of a 'sinner.' "

8But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, "Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount."

9Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. 10For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost."

Bee's Thoughts:

I have heard of non Christians and even 'Christians' who say that they don't go to church because of the people in the Church. It's very sad to hear that. Yet Jesus said in v10 that He "came to seek and to save what was lost".

Only the sinners need Jesus Christ. If anyone claim to have no sin, he doesn't even see the need of Christ. So only those who know they are sinners will go to church to seek God. Going for Christian fellowship is a commandment in both the old and the new testament.

Dear Lord,
I am a sinner saved by grace. Therefore, I have no right to point a finger at anyone, except to ask for Your mercy to keep me in Christ. Thank You for seeking me and picking me up when I felt lost in the world. Thank You for Your love for me.
Praise You always. Amen.

Tommy's Thoughts:

We may think that it is enough to follow Jesus in our head and hear, without any change in behavior resulted from our faith. We sit back, waiting for God to come to us, changing and moving us to act in certain ways.

But, in today’s passage, we read that Zacchaeus who after meeting with Jesus showed an inward change by his outward action. Instead of leaving everything to God doing nothing on his part, Zacchaeus moved into action as a way to demonstrate his faith.

Dear Lord, thank You for teaching me to make positive and proactive change in my attitude and behavior after proclaiming my faith in You. Thank You for coming into my life when I was lost and helpless on my own. Thank You for Your love and forgiveness, that make me anew each and everyday. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

Spiritual Checkup

Proverbs 4:20-27

20 My son, pay attention to what I say;
listen closely to my words.

21 Do not let them out of your sight,
keep them within your heart;

22 for they are life to those who find them
and health to a man's whole body.

23 Above all else, guard your heart,
for it is the wellspring of life.

24 Put away perversity from your mouth;
keep corrupt talk far from your lips.

25 Let your eyes look straight ahead,
fix your gaze directly before you.

26 Make level [a] paths for your feet
and take only ways that are firm.

27 Do not swerve to the right or the left;
keep your foot from evil.

Bee's Thoughts:

I like the title of this devotion, "Spiritual Checkup". The passage talks about guarding the "whole body" of a person... heart, mouth, eyes and feet. If we don't offer our bodies to God, the devil will make our bodies his slaves for evil. No wonder Romans 12:1 says:

"Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship.

So here we are asked to guard every part of our bodies, including our hearts. We have to constantly ask God to keep our hearts pure. Jesus promised in Matthew 5:8:

"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God."

Dear Lord,
Thank You for reminding me that I have to ensure my whole body is healthy by offering it to You as a living sacrifice. I pray that You will keep me pure in You. May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord.
Thank You for answering my specific prayers today. From now on, I will pray more specifically, for You are the God of the impossible when my prayers are asked in Your will.
Praise You again! Amen.

Tommy's Thoughts:

Our busy schedules and works may often make us skip going to God daily, to listen closely to His words that guide our path and direction. We think we’ll be able to play catch-up later when our tasks are done.

Most of the times, this never happens and soon we’ll know we’ve drifted far away from God. Without God’s wisdom, protection, strength and guidance, we inevitably swerve towards things that are evil.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for reminding again about the importance to pay attention and listen to Your words; keeping them closely within my heart. Teach me to always guard my heart from all evil and harmful thoughts. Keep my feet on Your solid ground, that I may walk blameless, pure and holy in Your eyes. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

Brains Are Not Enough

1 Kings 11:1-13

Solomon's Wives
1 King Solomon, however, loved many foreign women besides Pharaoh's daughter—Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Sidonians and Hittites. 2 They were from nations about which the LORD had told the Israelites, "You must not intermarry with them, because they will surely turn your hearts after their gods." Nevertheless, Solomon held fast to them in love. 3 He had seven hundred wives of royal birth and three hundred concubines, and his wives led him astray. 4 As Solomon grew old, his wives turned his heart after other gods, and his heart was not fully devoted to the LORD his God, as the heart of David his father had been. 5 He followed Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, and Molech [a] the detestable god of the Ammonites. 6 So Solomon did evil in the eyes of the LORD; he did not follow the LORD completely, as David his father had done.

7 On a hill east of Jerusalem, Solomon built a high place for Chemosh the detestable god of Moab, and for Molech the detestable god of the Ammonites. 8 He did the same for all his foreign wives, who burned incense and offered sacrifices to their gods.

9 The LORD became angry with Solomon because his heart had turned away from the LORD, the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice. 10 Although he had forbidden Solomon to follow other gods, Solomon did not keep the LORD's command. 11 So the LORD said to Solomon, "Since this is your attitude and you have not kept my covenant and my decrees, which I commanded you, I will most certainly tear the kingdom away from you and give it to one of your subordinates. 12 Nevertheless, for the sake of David your father, I will not do it during your lifetime. I will tear it out of the hand of your son. 13 Yet I will not tear the whole kingdom from him, but will give him one tribe for the sake of David my servant and for the sake of Jerusalem, which I have chosen."

Bee's Thoughts:

The above is a sad story and history repeats itself. Though Solomon is the wises man in history, yet he fell when he allowed his heart to rule his head and disobeyed God.

I have known of many Christians who too chose to marry non-Christians, against biblical teaching of "not to be unequally yoke with unbelievers". The common excuse given is that he/she will be able to convert his/her spouse into a Christian after marriage. However, statistic shows otherwise.

God's commands are perfect for us and are to save us from miseries. But when we don't obey them, we have to bear the consequences. Couples from inter-religious marriages always find themselves in a life time of troubles, which spills into their children's generation too.

Dear Lord,
Thank You for Your reminder that I should allow my heart to rule me but to let Your words do so. Let me not compromse with Your standard and tp always keep my heart pure for You.
In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Tommy's Thoughts:

Knowing and believing in God’s Word is one thing; following and taking them seriously is another. Sometimes, we even know clearly both God’s commands are for our own good and that disobeying them will inevitably lead us with negative consequences.

Like Solomon, the wisest man ever lived; we too have some weak spots. There are where temptation usually strikes, pushing us to compromise or indulge in things God ask us not to. We need to go to God daily for His strength, wisdom and grace to help us be aware and resist any wrongful desires or pressure to compromise what He commanded.

Dear Heavenly Father, You know exactly all my strengths and weaknesses, and Your commands are always for my own good. Forgive me for turning a deaf ear to Your instructions to heed certain things, compromising and letting those “little” sins go unchallenged. Teach me to always confess them to You and asking You for strength and mercy to resist them and follow Your Word and apply it in my daily activities and decisions. Thank You and I ask all these in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Family Therapy

1 Corinthians 12:26-31

26If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.

27Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. 28And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, also those having gifts of healing, those able to help others, those with gifts of administration, and those speaking in different kinds of tongues. 29Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? 30Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues[a]? Do all interpret? 31But eagerly desire[b] the greater gifts.
And now I will show you the most excellent way.

Tommy's Thoughts:

When we walk closely to God each day, following examples of Christ and being part of His family, we’ll find ourselves easier to forgive, forget and reconcile with other Christians in a conflict. As much as a situation maybe hurting us, we tend to also aware of the hurt or sadness felt by the other members.

The love of God helps us to look past the disappointments and disagreements in front of us and take positive, respectful, loving and caring ways to reunite and mend the relationship with other members of Christ. As apostle Paul said, “If one member suffers, all the members suffer with it” (1 Corinthians 12:26).

Dear Lord, thank You again for giving me the eyes and heart to know and understand the hurts felt by others; not only mine. Teach me to be more like Christ, to show sincere love, care and respect to those who needs someone to understand them and be willing to accept their differences. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.


Bee's Thoughts:

Thought about "family" used to bring more sad than happy memories for me. My first poem, Memories, gives a glimpse of my feelings. But I want to thank God for welcoming me into His spiritual family. It was this family that gave me hope and love that I didn't have from my earthly family. This family is so universal that wherever I go, if I meet any Christian, I just feel the kinship with him/her immediately.

God's family is different from our earthly family. In His family, there are people with different gifts so that as a whole, the Church will be complete. I feel that my gifts are teaching, helping and administration. These 3 gifts are what I could do comfortably without feeling burdensome all along.

But all these gifts are nothing if I do not have love. Love is the greatest of all gifts. Though love is what I didn't receive as a child, but when I came to know and accept God's love, I could love others with God's love. But what I lack is the expression of love in a physical way, except with children.

Dear Lord,
Thank You for bringing me into Your family. Thank You for Your love. Thank You for the gifts You have given to me. I pray that I will use them to serve You in the places You want me to. Thank You for my brothers and sisters in Christ. When we have conflicts, I pray that we will allow Your love to cover each others' sins.
In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Not Ashamed of Christ

2 Timothy 1:8-13

8So do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord, or ashamed of me his prisoner. But join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God, 9who has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, 10but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. 11And of this gospel I was appointed a herald and an apostle and a teacher. 12That is why I am suffering as I am. Yet I am not ashamed, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day.

13What you heard from me, keep as the pattern of sound teaching, with faith and love in Christ Jesus.

Bee's Thoughts:

I have heard many times about people who claimed to be Christians but don't go to church anymore. The usual 'reason' given was they are too frustrated with certain churches of group of Christians. Is that a valid 'reason"?

It is true that most people are are attracted to Christianity or Christ because of certain Christians whose life influenced them. As a young believer, there is a tendency to look at people. However, when one becomes a born-again Christian, one no longer look at people but look at Jesus, the auther and finisher of our faith.

Yes, people or other Christians may disappoint us since we live in an imperfect world. But a truly born-again Christian will still go to church as that is the commandment of God in both the old and new testament. He/She can declare like Paul, "I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day." (v12).

Dear Lord,
Thank You for coming into my life many years ago. Thank You for keeping me and seeing me through whenever doubts about You came into my thoughts. Thank You that You never let me go when at times I felt discouraged by other believers and wanted to go away. Thank You for keeping me in the church with my fellow Christians, no matter how hard it may be at times. May You continue to keep me in Your fold.
In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Tommy's Thoughts:

As I was chatting with a Christian friend the other day, he asked me which church I attend to on Sunday. He continued by asking me how big is my church? I asked whether he meant the building or the congregation or the total members. He said it’s the total members and I answered I don’t really know what is called big or small because I haven’t really compares with other churches. He went on and said big churches are not good, he prefers smaller one. I bluntly said the primary reason I went to church is to seek God and worship Him, rather than checking out how established or famous the church’s ‘club’ is.

It is true that there’re many Christian who forget about the reason they attended a church. Instead of the eagerness to meet God to worship and praise Him, listening to what He wanted to tell us, we went to focus on other less important things. These lesser things will never be able to keep our zest to come to church for long, and before we know it we’re thinking of switching to other church or quit going to church all together.

Dear Lord, thank You for reminding me the reason for me to come together with members of the body of Christ, to seek You, praise and glorify Your Name. Guard me to focus unto You always and not to be lead astray by distractions around me. Teach me to have patience and to rejoice spiritually with Your promises despite every circumstances. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

Humility

Philippians 2:5-11

5Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:
6Who, being in very nature[a] God,
did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
7but made himself nothing,
taking the very nature[b] of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
8And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
and became obedient to death—
even death on a cross!
9Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
10that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.

Bee's Thoughts:

Jesus was the most humble man while is was on earth. He was the model for His disciples to follow. He walked His talks. For He knew that His reward is in heaven, to please His heavenly Father.

Likewise, as Christians,we need to learn from Jesus to be humble. Very often we are people full of pride. I am no difference. When someone says something that isn't true about me, I have the tendency to either defend myself or just cry over it. However, if I am humble I should just pray and let God be my defender. It's a lesson I have to learn.

Dear Lord,
I pray that You will teach me true humility. I want to commit myself to You, to be willing to take up my cross and follow You.
I pray that in my work place Your Holy Spirit will guide my words and actions, that they may not stumble anyone.
I pray for my best friend now that Your peace will rule his heart. I pray that he will not be sad but to have Your joy in his heart. Let him sleep well tonight, waking up in the morning experiencing Your loving kindness in his life.
In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Tommy's Thoughts:

A friend while watching a show criticized it for being unrealistic for depicting a couple going to heaven after they died. He said it’s impossible to have so many good people around, qualified to enter heaven that easily. Although he’s not a Christian, he’s right in a way about how most of us today fall short of god’s glory, acknowledging none of us will be good enough to gain God’s approval.

But, this is not impossible and in fact certain for every true believer. As Christian, we are all assured of an eternal life with God if we accept Christ as our Lord and Saviour. Because of God’s amazing love for us, Jesus humbly submitted to the will of the Father and died on the Cross to save us all from eternal separation from God.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for Your amazing love that provides me forgiveness from all my sins and a way to reconcile with You. Teach me to be more like Christ each day, to seek You with humility and joyful obedience. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

Father Knows Best

2 Samuel 16:5-12

Shimei Curses David
5 As King David approached Bahurim, a man from the same clan as Saul's family came out from there. His name was Shimei son of Gera, and he cursed as he came out. 6 He pelted David and all the king's officials with stones, though all the troops and the special guard were on David's right and left. 7 As he cursed, Shimei said, "Get out, get out, you man of blood, you scoundrel! 8 The LORD has repaid you for all the blood you shed in the household of Saul, in whose place you have reigned. The LORD has handed the kingdom over to your son Absalom. You have come to ruin because you are a man of blood!"

9 Then Abishai son of Zeruiah said to the king, "Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Let me go over and cut off his head."

10 But the king said, "What do you and I have in common, you sons of Zeruiah? If he is cursing because the LORD said to him, 'Curse David,' who can ask, 'Why do you do this?' "

11 David then said to Abishai and all his officials, "My son, who is of my own flesh, is trying to take my life. How much more, then, this Benjamite! Leave him alone; let him curse, for the LORD has told him to. 12 It may be that the LORD will see my distress and repay me with good for the cursing I am receiving today."

Bee's Thoughts:
It's a good reminder that God said that "vengence is mine, I will repay". Judgment is in God's hand and we must learn not to take things into our own hand. This is the same even in the office.

Dear Lord,
Teach me to always pray when situation arise, instead of relying on my own thoughts to solve problems. Grant me wisdom to handle my colleagues well.
I pray for my best friend, who has sprained his ankle. May you give him speedy recovery. Let him rest and not be too active.
In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Tommy's Thoughts:

It’s always a challenge for me to sit down and be calm when others have wronged me. I’m so easy to be ignited and to take things into my own hand in the face of unjustified criticism and provocation. Most of the times, I’ll end up doing things that I’ll regret later.

From today’s passage, we can be sure that God knows our every hurt and the distress that we endure. We can be certain that He will vindicate us from the wrongs others have placed upon us. Instead of taking things into our own hand, we can surrender them to God to bring true justice for us when we have done all we can do.

Dear Lord, thank You for reminding me again to be always calm and patient when dealing with others. Teach me not to be easily infuriated by unjustified criticism and remark from others, but to trust You more and abide in Your love. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

Assurance of Hope

Hebrews 11:1-7

By Faith
1 Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. 2 This is what the ancients were commended for.

3 By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God's command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible. 4 By faith Abel offered God a better sacrifice than Cain did. By faith he was commended as a righteous man, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith he still speaks, even though he is dead.

5 By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death; he could not be found, because God had taken him away. For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God. 6 And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

7 By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.

Bee's Thoughts:

Can you be SURE when it is just a "hope"?
Can you be CERTAIN when you cannot see?

If you can, that is called "faith" (v1). The bible clearly says that "without faith it is impossible to please God" (v6).

Faith is extended to the things we do and the people we interact with. Are we people of faith and is positive about things and people, or are we full of doubts and suspicions? I know I have been transformed over the years, from one who is very skeptical about things and people to one that trusts unless proven wrong. As my faith in God grows, my faith in people grows too. Perhaps people think I am weird.

Faith is a gift of God and is also a fruit of the Spirit. The more we submit to God, the more faith we have. But faith also needs to be exercised and put to the test. We may be put in a situation or with people whom we can practise our faith.

Dear Lord,
Thank You for reminding me that faith is what pleases You. I have faith in You and also faith in the people You brought into my life. I pray that this faith will stand when it is tested again.
In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Tommy's Thoughts:

There were times where I knew what God’s promises are for me and why I need to obey and trust in him. But having merely this knowledge will not move us to change or grow in our faith to fulfill God’s will and promises for us.

Instead, God wants a close, personal and dynamic relationship with us, a relationship that will transforms our lives from within. By seeking Him daily to develop this relationship, we will find ourselves rewarded with His intimate presence, giving us the strength to carry out the tasks He commanded, believing and being certain of His promises even though they are not yet materialized. Through this, we demonstrate our true faith to God.

Dear Lord, thank You for Your promises and good plan for me. Keep me close to You, to walk with You daily, listening to what You wanted to say and teach me. I pray for Your strength and peace to keep me firm in following Your commands and be certain in Your wonderful promises for me. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

The Attributes of God

Psalm 100

A psalm. For giving thanks.
1 Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth.

2 Worship the LORD with gladness;
come before him with joyful songs.

3 Know that the LORD is God.
It is he who made us, and we are his [a] ;
we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.

4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving
and his courts with praise;
give thanks to him and praise his name.

5 For the LORD is good and his love endures forever;
his faithfulness continues through all generations

Bee's Thoughts:

The Lord is good,
His love is forever,
His faithfulness continues. (v5)

Yes, these 3 attributes of my God made Him so special in my life.

He is good... He will not do or allow thing to happen to me that isn't good for me.
His love never ends... unlike the love of mankind that could end when feelings fade.
His faithfulness lives on... even when I am unfaithful, He remains faithful, not only to me, but to my next generations.

Dear Lord,
How can I not love You and be faithful to You? Thank You for being such a loving and faithful God in my life. I pray that I will stay faithful to You, for You have loved me with an everlasting love.
Thank You, in Jesus' name. Amen.

Tommy's Thoughts:

There are many today who think that they are the creator and center of their own lives. Pride creates the illusion that they are in control of everything and doesn’t depends or need for a God. Their mind-set often leads them to greedy possessiveness; feeling secured through owning and possessing various things. If they somehow lost everything they have or own one day, they will lost everything.

Dear Father, thank You for being there faithfully to guide and enlighten me from confusion and uncertainties. Thank You for giving me the hope, to trust and surrender all my longing and desire to You.

Dear Lord, I praise You for Your everlasting love, goodness and faithfulness for me; giving me more than I ever deserve. As You have created me and gives me all I have, teach me to want to give to others too. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

Imitating the Father

John 5:19-23

19Jesus gave them this answer: "I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does. 20For the Father loves the Son and shows him all he does. Yes, to your amazement he will show him even greater things than these. 21For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son gives life to whom he is pleased to give it. 22Moreover, the Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son, 23that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father, who sent him.

Bee's Thoughts:

Tonight's passage becomes clearer to me than my understanding the last time. Jesus as a man could only do what God enabled him to do. He 'imitated' his Father.

Therefore, I can do nothing without God too. Only by obeying God and following after His footsteps can I do the impossible.

Dear Lord,
Thank You for showing me this truth that I can do nothing without You. I want to be an imitator of Christ and do the things I see You doing. Yes, let me love with Your love. Show me Your Way, Lord.
In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Tommy's Thoughts:

Whenever we need to make difficult decision, we can put ourselves in Jesus’ shoes and ask questions like “What will Jesus do in situation like this?” or “What would Jesus have me do?” We can recall the stories of Jesus’ in the New Testament about how he responded and handled situations during His life on earth, to help us make right decisions.

Because of Christ unity with God, He lived as God wanted Him to live. Similarly, because of our identification with Jesus, when we imitate His characteristics, traits and attitude, we too live as He wants us to live, honoring Him with our obedience and faithfulness.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for being my source of strength, guidance and change. Teach me continue to have utter dependence on You, just as Jesus did. Show me how I can imitate Christ more each day and be useful to You in ways You sees fit for me. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

God's Guidance

Exodus 13:17-22

Crossing the Sea
17 When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them on the road through the Philistine country, though that was shorter. For God said, "If they face war, they might change their minds and return to Egypt." 18 So God led the people around by the desert road toward the Red Sea. [a] The Israelites went up out of Egypt armed for battle.

19 Moses took the bones of Joseph with him because Joseph had made the sons of Israel swear an oath. He had said, "God will surely come to your aid, and then you must carry my bones up with you from this place." [b]

20 After leaving Succoth they camped at Etham on the edge of the desert. 21 By day the LORD went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night. 22 Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night left its place in front of the people.

Bee's Thoughts:

God has always been watching over His children, you and I who have believed in the Lord Jesus Christ. By day and night, He is always there. Isn't that a great assurance?

In today's context, God's Holy Spirit is there to prompt us in our hearts to do what's right and pleasing to Him. He just need to obey His guidance.


Dear Lord,

Thank You for always being there for me, by day and by night. I pray that I will always follow Your leading and not do things my own way. I need You in my working place to make the right decision, that Your name may be honoured.

I pray for the meeting I am going to have with my colleagues tomorrow, that I will say things that will encourage them to work together as a team.

I pray for my best friend too as he travels tomorrow, that You will grant him a safe journey to and fro.

In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Tommy's Thoughts:

As I think about the things I’ve learned and decision I’ve made over the years, I’m certain they were all helps and guidance from the Holy Spirit dwelling inside me. These were the things that I would have never imagined doing before I accepted Christ.

They were all based solidly on love, peace, humility, joy, self-control and other-centeredness. With each situation presented in front of me, the Holy Spirit never fails to clarify and move me to choose what is right.

Dear Lord, thank You so much for sending me the Holy Spirit to live within my heart, being my true guide everywhere I go and whatever I do daily. Teach me to be pure and holy, so that You can pour out Your grace, love and mercy through me. Guide me to always reflect Your glory to the world by being a holy temple for the Holy Spirit. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

Taking God At His Word

1 John 5:1-13

Faith in the Son of God
1 Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the father loves his child as well. 2 This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands. 3 This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, 4 for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. 5 Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.

6 This is the one who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ. He did not come by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. 7 For there are three that testify: 8 the Spirit, the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement. 9 We accept man's testimony, but God's testimony is greater because it is the testimony of God, which he has given about his Son. 10 Anyone who believes in the Son of God has this testimony in his heart. Anyone who does not believe God has made him out to be a liar, because he has not believed the testimony God has given about his Son. 11 And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.

Concluding Remarks
13I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.

Bee's Thoughts:

When we truly believe that Jesus is the Son of God, our faith will grow and it will help us overcome the world and all its temptations (v4,5). Yes, that's what happened to me too.

Sadly, many have claimed to be Christians yet the world has overcome them instead. Today, I was taken aback when I came to know that certain of the committee members in a Christian organization are not Christians, or at least have 'backslided' from their faith. I saw one of them smoking away right after the committee meeting. I was shocked!

The above passage shows us that if we love God we will obey His command (v3). Then we can be sure that we have eternal life in Christ.


Dear Lord,
Now I want to pray for those who claimed to be Your children, yet have no power over the world. I pray that they will turn their hearts to You and have faith in You. I pray that they will seek You for strength to do Your command. Like wise I pray that I will not be overcome by the world but overcome it by faith in You.
In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Tommy's Thoughts:

We may worry about whether we’ve been given eternal life by God when we find ourselves always fail to obey His commands. Our loads seem so unbearably heavy and we constantly feel stuck in our situation. We honestly believe in God and wanted to serve and obey Him but feel helpless and discouraged by our failing.

We should know that when we truthfully believe in Jesus, our eternal life begins and it will be guaranteed based on God’s promise for us. This is true even when we feel discouraged or far away from God, because salvation is not based on feelings but on facts. We should not allow our momentarily disappointment to give up seeking God and love Him by obeying His commands. Go to Him, Christ will help us bear our heavy burdens.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for Your gift of eternal life and strength for me to hold on during the storms of stress and uncertainties. Teach me to trust You and commit my life to Jesus as my Savior and Lord, to love You by obeying Your commands (v3). In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

Not a burden we bear, not a sorrow we share,
But our toil He doth richly repay;
Not a grief or a loss, not a frown or a cross,
But is blessed if we trust and obey.

Trust and obey, for there’s no other way
To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.