Wake Up And Live

Revelation 3:1-6

To the Church in Sardis
1"To the angel[a] of the church in Sardis write:
These are the words of him who holds the seven spirits[b]of God and the seven stars. I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead. 2Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your deeds complete in the sight of my God. 3Remember, therefore, what you have received and heard; obey it, and repent. But if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what time I will come to you. 4Yet you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their clothes. They will walk with me, dressed in white, for they are worthy. 5He who overcomes will, like them, be dressed in white. I will never blot out his name from the book of life, but will acknowledge his name before my Father and his angels. 6He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

Tommy's Thoughts:

Like the church of Sardis, we too can experience spiritual death when we drift away from our Source. This can happen slowly when we spend less and less time with God daily, paying no attention to His teachings and Word. We may also be dabbling with sin, thinking that we're enjoying true freedom and satisfaction.

All these eventually may bring severe consequences to both ourselves and others. Though we may be walking alive, but inside we are spiritually dead (v1). If we have careened off from our walk with God, whether for days or years, God is calling us now to repent, going back to Him, and be alive again in Him.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for calling me back when I’ve drifted far away from You in the past. Thank You for letting me know without You, Your strength and wisdom for me, I can do nothing. Teach me to put my whole trust in You alone for everything I plan for the future. Guide me to seek Your Word, to be rejuvenated and renewed each day. In Jesus’ precious Name I pray, Amen.



Bee's Thoughts:

"He who overcomes" will receive heavenly reward from Christ. These are eternal reward where one's name is in God's book of life and will be commended by God.

This morning I watched a Christian documentary show about three founders of Christianity in China. One of them was "Watchman Nee". These heros were very firm in their believe in God regardless how they were persecuted and tortured because they refused to deny their faith or to worship Mao in China. Truly their rewards are in heaven. These are true "overcomers".

Dear Lord,
May I be as strong as these great men of God in times of testing. May I have faith and perseverence to stand firm for You.
Thank You for teaching me what to say when dealing with a difficult parent today. May You continue to grant me wisdom as Your 'ambassador' each day.
In Jesus' name I pray. Amen

Hope For The Blues

Psalm 62

1 My soul finds rest in God alone;
my salvation comes from him.

2 He alone is my rock and my salvation;
he is my fortress, I will never be shaken.

3 How long will you assault a man?
Would all of you throw him down—
this leaning wall, this tottering fence?

4 They fully intend to topple him
from his lofty place;
they take delight in lies.
With their mouths they bless,
but in their hearts they curse.
Selah

5 Find rest, O my soul, in God alone;
my hope comes from him.

6 He alone is my rock and my salvation;
he is my fortress, I will not be shaken.

7 My salvation and my honor depend on God [a] ;
he is my mighty rock, my refuge.

8 Trust in him at all times, O people;
pour out your hearts to him,
for God is our refuge.
Selah

9 Lowborn men are but a breath,
the highborn are but a lie;
if weighed on a balance, they are nothing;
together they are only a breath.

10 Do not trust in extortion
or take pride in stolen goods;
though your riches increase,
do not set your heart on them.

11 One thing God has spoken,
two things have I heard:
that you, O God, are strong,

12 and that you, O Lord, are loving.
Surely you will reward each person
according to what he has done.

Tommy's Thoughts:

There are some who prefer not to detail out their problem to God in prayer. They either think God can’t do much about their problem, or they’re afraid to be let down by unanswered prayer. A friend told me before that it’s better not to expect something if we don’t want to be disappointed!

But, most of the times, we’ll hear God the clearest when we honestly pour out everything to Him (v8). Go through in details all your pain, feelings and longing in prayers. We will know God is presence with us, and how much He understands what we are going through. He will provide us the rest, peace and strength when our burdens seem too much to bear. It is also an opportunity for us to reaffirm our trust and faith in God.

Dear Father, I’ll continue to praise You through good and difficult times. Teach me to always keep my eyes focus unto Jesus, my only light Source that guides my path and lift me out from all darkness. Lord, continue to lead me to obey You, worship and serve You and others. In Jesus’ name, I pray, Amen.


Bee's Thoughts:

God is my "rest", "salvation" and "hope" (v1,5).

When I am too tired physically, emotionally or mentally, God is my rest.
When I am in distress and need to be pulled out of my miseries, God is my salvation.
When I feel like giving up my life journey, God is my hope.


Dear Lord,
I am weak but You are strong. I am lost but You showed me the way. I have no future but You gave me hope. I pray that I will be a blessing to those around me that they too may find rest, salvation and hope in You.
In Jesus' name I pray. Amen

The Hope of Glory

Colossians 1:24-29

Paul's Labor for the Church
24Now I rejoice in what was suffered for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ's afflictions, for the sake of his body, which is the church. 25I have become its servant by the commission God gave me to present to you the word of God in its fullness— 26the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the saints. 27To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.

28We proclaim him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ. 29To this end I labor, struggling with all his energy, which so powerfully works in me.

Tommy's Thoughts:

Christ’s message of salvation is for everyone, not only for a special ‘privileged’ group of people as what the false teachers in the Colossian church believed. Through Christ, the Good News was made open to all who would listen and believe in Him. By accepting Christ, we as sinners are saved once and for all from being doomed to eternal separation from God.

It’s no accident that we were made known about the message of God’s gift of salvation for us. Are we willing to accept His wonderful gift of salvation and follow Him today?

Christ in Me (Written by Marie Armenia)

Christ in me, the hope of glory.
Christ in me, my shelter from the storm.
Should me of evil have their day,
Or should the earth's foundation sway;
None of these can take away the living Christ in me.
The Desire of all nations is the Rock of my salvation.
Jesus Christ, the King of heaven stands with me.

Christ in me, the hope of glory.
Christ in me, my shelter from the storm.
Should me of evil have their day,
Or should the earth's foundation sway;
None of these can take away the living Christ in me,
The hope of glory.

Christ in me, my shelter from the storm.
Should evil have their day,
Or should the earth's foundation sway;
None of these can take away the living Christ in me.

On Christ, the solid Rock I stand,
All other ground is sinking sand;
All other ground is sinking sand.
None of these can take away the living Christ in me.
The living Christ in me.

Dear Father, thank You for revealing to me Your amazing plan that “Christ in me, the hope of glory” –that nothing can take away the living Christ in me. Keep me strong to endure joyfully whatsoever coming my way. Remind me always that obeying You gives true purpose to my life.

Continue to guide me to Your way- to grow and mature spiritually; and as Christ works in me, teach me to tell others too about Him, not in fear or pride, but in love. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.



Bee's Thoughts:

Our hope of Glory is Christ in us (v27). Having received this hope we are to spread the good news around so that others may also receive this glory.

During this morning service, a group of Gospel Singers/Dancers from Taiwan performed at my Church. They shared about the power of Jesus in healing its leader's leg after the wall in one of the China province fell on her whole body, sparing her head. Her miraculous complete healing came after a year as a result of her prayers in faith and her passion to continue serving God in the singing/dancing ministry. Many have come to know Christ through them as they travelled round the world to perform.

As I was watching and listening to their sharing and performance I felt that I have to relook at my work. Is my work taking away all my time that I have no more time left to share my testimonies with others?


Dear Lord,
Let me have the same passion as what the Gospel group has in sharing Your love with others. Help me not to be so engrossed with work that I have no more time and energy left to be a channel of blessing to others. Help me have a meaningful week, starting tomorrow. I pray that I will touch someone's life this coming week and may Your hope of glory be passed around.
In Jesus' name I ask. Amen.

Compassion

Jeremiah 12

Jeremiah's Complaint

2 You have planted them, and they have taken root;
they grow and bear fruit.
You are always on their lips
but far from their hearts.

3 Yet you know me, O LORD;
you see me and test my thoughts about you.
Drag them off like sheep to be butchered!
Set them apart for the day of slaughter!

4 How long will the land lie parched [a]
and the grass in every field be withered?
Because those who live in it are wicked,
the animals and birds have perished.
Moreover, the people are saying,
"He will not see what happens to us."

God's Answer

14 This is what the LORD says: "As for all my wicked neighbors who seize the inheritance I gave my people Israel, I will uproot them from their lands and I will uproot the house of Judah from among them. 15 But after I uproot them, I will again have compassion and will bring each of them back to his own inheritance and his own country. 16 And if they learn well the ways of my people and swear by my name, saying, 'As surely as the LORD lives'-even as they once taught my people to swear by Baal—then they will be established among my people. 17 But if any nation does not listen, I will completely uproot and destroy it," declares the LORD.

Bee's Thoughts:

What I get tonight is that God's compassion never fail. He always give us chances after chances. But there will come a time when there is no more chance but to face the consequences. We should not take God's graciousness for granted.

Dear Lord,
Thank You for Your compassion upon me. Let me not take Your love and grace for granted.
In Jesus' name I pray. Amen

Tommy's Thoughts:

It is so much more meaningful to life to stand firm and committed to God even when we are tested with trials and difficulties, than having a life absolutely free from any trouble or hardship. Each test God allowed to come into our lives has its own purpose to refine and make us a better person. Without these tests, we will never grow spiritually in our obedience, trust and faithfulness towards God.

There are even times that our prayers to God for relief left unanswered. It is not that He doesn’t care or concern about our situation, but He knows there are greater things can be achieved in us through the situation that He allowed them to happen. Or, it maybe our timing or desire not aligned to His that He uses situations as opportunities to mold us and changes our heart.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for being there with me everyday, teaching and guiding me to Your truth. I pray that You will continue to give me the strength, confidence and patient in You; to follow and obey all Your commands. Thank You and I pray this in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Mercy

Matthew 18:23-33

23"Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. 24As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand talents[a] was brought to him. 25Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt.

26"The servant fell on his knees before him. 'Be patient with me,' he begged, 'and I will pay back everything.' 27The servant's master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go.

28"But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii.[b] He grabbed him and began to choke him. 'Pay back what you owe me!' he demanded.

29"His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, 'Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.'

30"But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt. 31When the other servants saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed and went and told their master everything that had happened.

32"Then the master called the servant in. 'You wicked servant,' he said, 'I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. 33Shouldn't you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?'

Bee's Thoughts:

"Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy." (Matthew 5:7)

God seems to be reminding me about showing mercy to some of my colleagues in tonight's devotion. Tomorrow, I am suppose to talk to them about 'paying back' the working hours they owed our company. I guess I have to be very sensitive and handle them with care.

Dear Lord,
Thank You for Your word tonight, reminding me of Your mercy to me. I pray that You will teach me to be merciful like You are. Grant me wisdom when I talk to my colleagues tomorrow. Give me the right words to speak and let their heart be prepared to reason, May Your name be glorified in the whole episode tomorrow.
In Jesus' name I humbly pray. Amen.

Tommy's Thoughts:

It is hard to forgive those who have hurt us badly. The scar remains inside our hearts for a very long time. But as we look at how God has forgiven all our sins, we should learn not to withhold forgiveness from others; especially those you know has regretted and truly repentant of their action.

By forgiving others we begin the process of alleviating the pain that we have kept hold of, due to the hurt that the other person has caused us. Our true healing begins once we are willing to forgive them.

Jesus answered Peter “seventy-seven times” we should forgive those who offend us (v22) – meaning that we should always forgive no matter how many times they ask. When we don’t forgive others, we are in fact setting ourselves outside and above Christ’s law of love.

Dear Father, thank You for Your forgiveness that provides me with a free and generous attitude of forgiveness towards others. Guide me to also show mercy to others as You has shown mercy to me. Teach and remind me this always. I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Whom shall we go?

John 6:60-69

Many Disciples Desert Jesus
60On hearing it, many of his disciples said, "This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?"

61Aware that his disciples were grumbling about this, Jesus said to them, "Does this offend you? 62What if you see the Son of Man ascend to where he was before! 63The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit[a] and they are life. 64Yet there are some of you who do not believe." For Jesus had known from the beginning which of them did not believe and who would betray him. 65He went on to say, "This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled him."

66From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him.

67"You do not want to leave too, do you?" Jesus asked the Twelve.

68Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. 69We believe and know that you are the Holy One of God."

Tommy's Thoughts:

I’ve come across many non-believers who viewed Christianity as convoluted and unnecessarily complicated. They prefer religion that is ‘easy’, ‘feels good’, and ‘accommodating’; things they like to hear or comfortable with; no difficult commands that restrict what they wanted to do. To them, Christian’s teachings are constraining and impossible for anyone to follow. While thinking about their statements, I realized I myself had the same perception before I’m a Christian.

I remembered it was God himself who came into my life and changes my heart. As I submit and humble myself to Him, He made all those teachings, which I used to think as ridiculous, became so simple and made so much more sense than anything I’ve learned. I began wanting to live a new life, devoted to Him and honestly wanted to understand more of all His teachings.

In verse 65, Jesus said, "This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled him." We see that it is the Holy Spirit who gives us spiritual lives; without His work we will never see the need for a new life (John 14:17). It is God who reveals truth to us, lives within us, and enables us to respond to that truth.

By following and obeying God’s teachings, we’ll find things in life are clearer and simpler; giving us strength, courage, peace and hope in every circumstances. I can’t think of a better way to live our lives than to follow Him, like what Peter said in verse 68-69: "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We believe and know that you are the Holy One of God."

Dear Father, thank You for enabling me to submit myself to Christ. Thank You for bringing me to know and understand Your truth. Teach me to understand more of Your teachings and to apply them in my life. I would like to pray for all those who yet to know Christ, that You’ll extend Your grace and mercy to them, bringing them to You and Your truth. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.



Bee's Thoughts:

When Jesus spoke the truth many could not accept it and they left Him.

It is no different today. People prefer the easy way out and things that are to their advantage, even if it means being unfair to the others. I encountered such group of people at my working place recently. When fairness is being sought, which means changes for this group of people, they are unhappy and even threatened to leave. *sigh*

When I was younger, there were times satan put thoughts in my heart to leave Jesus too. But the same question came to my mind each time,

"Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We believe and know that you are the Holy One of God." (v68,69)

Dear Lord,
Thank You that I can come to You always and that You are here for me. I pray that You will remind me to always pray before I make a decision. May I receive Your peace before I act. Guide and direct my path as I acknowledge Your soveregnity.
In Jesus' name I pray. Amen

Three Friends

Daniel 1:11-21

11 Daniel then said to the guard whom the chief official had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah, 12 "Please test your servants for ten days: Give us nothing but vegetables to eat and water to drink. 13 Then compare our appearance with that of the young men who eat the royal food, and treat your servants in accordance with what you see." 14 So he agreed to this and tested them for ten days.

15 At the end of the ten days they looked healthier and better nourished than any of the young men who ate the royal food. 16 So the guard took away their choice food and the wine they were to drink and gave them vegetables instead.

17 To these four young men God gave knowledge and understanding of all kinds of literature and learning. And Daniel could understand visions and dreams of all kinds.

18 At the end of the time set by the king to bring them in, the chief official presented them to Nebuchadnezzar. 19 The king talked with them, and he found none equal to Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah; so they entered the king's service. 20 In every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king questioned them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters in his whole kingdom.

21 And Daniel remained there until the first year of King Cyrus.

Tommy's Thoughts:

As I was studying Paul’s list of 20 spiritual gifts, I realized that our gifts to serve others will only be genuine and be effectively exercised when we are rightly related to God.

Like Daniel and his friends in today’s passage, we see how when they maintained steadfast allegiance to God, they received true wisdom and understanding from God that outshined all those magicians and enchanters who claimed and pretended to be authoritative and possesses great wisdom.

Dear Father, thank You for all Your gifts and blessings for me. Teach me to use them wisely and effectively to glorify Your Name, ministering to all those in needs. Lord, I pray that You will use me to serve others with a loving and caring heart like Christ; touching their lives and bringing them to know You and Your amazing love. I pray this in Jesus’ name, Amen.


Bee's Thoughts:

I like the title of tonight's devotion, "Three Friends". Friends have many kinds. The worst of all is:

Fair-weather friend

When it’s rainy and wet you’re nowhere to be seen
When it dries out again you bet you’re right back on the scene
And when the clouds begin to form you’re always hiding from the rain
And when the sun begins to shine you’re always first in line again

It would be nice if you could just make up your mind
It would be nice if you could stop wasting my time
My fair-weather friend back here again
Until the end my fair-weather friend back here again

Never do it yourself when someone else can do it for you
Never put yourself out when something less will do
So when the benefits out weigh the work stay right put
And when the going gets a little rough do the only thing you know you should


That's the lyric of a song I don't know its tune. It conveys the meaning of fair-weather friend quite well. I have had a couple of such friends before. Now they are gone... by natural attrition. Time tells who are the real friends from the fair-weather friends. True friends stay when the rest go away.

Dear Lord,
Thank You for giving me friends although some don't stay. I thank You for the one (s) that stay and be a pillar of strength and encouragement in times of discouragement. Most of all, thank You for being my Friend who is always there for me.
Help me to be a true friend and be wise in choosing my friends, so I can utilize my time wisely.
I ask these in Jesus' name. Amen

Much Received

Luke 12:41-48

41Peter asked, "Lord, are you telling this parable to us, or to everyone?"

42The Lord answered, "Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom the master puts in charge of his servants to give them their food allowance at the proper time? 43It will be good for that servant whom the master finds doing so when he returns. 44I tell you the truth, he will put him in charge of all his possessions. 45But suppose the servant says to himself, 'My master is taking a long time in coming,' and he then begins to beat the menservants and maidservants and to eat and drink and get drunk. 46The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the unbelievers.

47"That servant who knows his master's will and does not get ready or does not do what his master wants will be beaten with many blows. 48But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.

Tommy's Thoughts:

We must live our lives always watchful for Christ’s return, working diligently for the extension of His kingdom and obey His commands to us. By following Him closely, we’ll be given greater opportunities and responsibilities to use the gifts He has given us to carry out our duties in the world.

“From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.” (v48)

The verse shows that God will not hold us responsible for gifts He has not given us, but for those He has given us: resources, talents and understanding, we are responsible to use them well and effectively. If we have yet to know or think about this, we need to seek and pray to Him today, asking Him to show and reveal it to us.

Dear Father, thank You for Your gift of grace- my salvation and forgiveness, though I do not deserve them from You. Thank you for loving me unconditionally, though I disappointed You so very often with my lack of trust and disobedience. I pray that You’ll guide me to trust You more in everything and obey Your teachings everyday.

Lord Jesus, teach me to use all the gifts You has given me effectively: always try and help others in their time of need and pray for them in Your name. In Your precious name I pray, Amen.


Bee's Thoughts:

Yes, God's given talents are for His purpose. Example, some people have great talent in designing website or houses (like Tommy). So one question they may ask is "How may I use this talent for God's purpose?" Maybe to help a Christian organization design its website, or maybe help the third world nation build houses as outreach?

Whatever it is the more talents God gives us the more He expects from us. We have to live in such a way knowing that one day we have to give an account of what have been given to us.

Dear Lord,
Sometimes I feel so tired by work and just want to drop everything and go to sleep. Yet I thank You for Your gift of perseverence, that I can go on to do my devotion with You.

I have no talent, except the ability to persevere in the things I am entrusted to do, be it at work or personal.
I have no talent, except the ability to be patient and listen to others who share with me their problems.
I have no talent, except a childlike faith in You and my friends whom I have not met.

I pray that I will continue to exercise these gifts for Your glory sake. Amen.

No Tear In Heaven

Click the picture to wipe away tears and sadness



Revelation 21:1-8

The New Jerusalem
1Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. 2I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away."

5He who was seated on the throne said, "I am making everything new!" Then he said, "Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true."

6He said to me: "It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To him who is thirsty I will give to drink without cost from the spring of the water of life. 7He who overcomes will inherit all this, and I will be his God and he will be my son. 8But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death."

Bee's Thoughts:

Reading the Book of Revelation is very comforting, especially when we feel hurt or sad. This earth will pass away (v1). Christians who are born-again and love God and are overcomers can enter into the "new heaven and new earth" and be with Jesus forever (v7). "There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain." (v4).

Sometimes when I recall some sad past, I still feel sad inside. But when I remember Revelation, I know my pain will go away.

Dear Lord,
Thank You for Your promise. I want to be the overcomer here so I can be with You forever. Help me to be what You want me to be.
In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.



Tommy's Thoughts:

Reading Revelation always brings tremendous hope and encouragement when our lives are plagued with pain, sorrow and trying circumstances. It reminds us how amazing and wonderful God will restore everything, creating both a new earth and heaven for those who believe and remain faithful in Him to the end (Mark 13:13).

God himself will be with us and He will wipe every tear from our eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain (v4). And, we will be made perfect like Jesus.

Dear Father, I praise and thank You for Your love and Your wonderful promises. Teach me to be patient and always go to You for strength to endure all the testing coming my ways. Guide me to stand firm and remain faithful to You to the end. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

Amazing Grace

Deuteronomy 10:17-22 (Amplified Bible)

17For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great, the mighty, the terrible God, Who is not partial and takes no bribe.

18He executes justice for the fatherless and the widow, and loves the stranger or temporary resident and gives him food and clothing.

19Therefore love the stranger and sojourner, for you were strangers and sojourners in the land of Egypt.

20You shall [reverently] fear the Lord your God; you shall serve Him and cling to Him, and by His name and presence you shall swear.

21He is your praise; He is your God, Who has done for you these great and terrible things which your eyes have seen.

22Your fathers went down to Egypt seventy persons in all, and now the Lord your God has made you as the stars of the heavens for multitude.

Tommy's Thoughts:

Moses described our God as God of gods and Lord of lords, the true God, He has such awesome power and justice that we as sinners will never be able to stand before Him with His blazing holiness. Fortunately, our God is a God of mercy and love. Because of His unlimited mercy towards us, we can approach Him despite our failings if we truly seek Him and His kingdom.

Once we are able to grasp this amazing grace of God, we’ll understand what true love really means and how deeply He loves each one of us.

Dear Father, thank You for Your grace, love and mercy that bring me back to Your saving arm; as I once was lost, but now I'm found. Lord, I thank You also for You hold my future; that I don’t have to worry about it.

Father, I praise You, because You are in control and all I have to do is obey and You arrange everything in my life according to Your perfect plan. Help me to always joyfully obey all Your commands and to trust You completely. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.


Bee's Thoughts:

The life of a Christian is not just talk but actions. Jesus said in Matthew 22:39, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' The same commandment was given that regardless we know a person or not, we are to love him/her with God's love and compassion when in need, e.g. fatherless and widows (v18, 19).

The reason we should do this is because God has firstly shown mercy and grace to us. So likewise we should do it unto others (v19).

Dear Lord,
Thank You for showing Your love for me when I was yet sinner and a stranger to You. Thank You for saving me and made me whole. Teach me how to show mercy and love to those who are strangers too, that through such love they will know You too. Grant me wisdom to know who are the genuine ones and who are those just trying to take advantage of Christians.
I also pray that You will grant us good rest tonight so we can rise up fresh to praise Your name.
In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Know Your Product

Psalm 33:4-15

4 For the word of the LORD is right and true;
he is faithful in all he does.

5 The LORD loves righteousness and justice;
the earth is full of his unfailing love.

6 By the word of the LORD were the heavens made,
their starry host by the breath of his mouth.

7 He gathers the waters of the sea into jars [a] ;
he puts the deep into storehouses.

8 Let all the earth fear the LORD;
let all the people of the world revere him.

9 For he spoke, and it came to be;
he commanded, and it stood firm.

10 The LORD foils the plans of the nations;
he thwarts the purposes of the peoples.

11 But the plans of the LORD stand firm forever,
the purposes of his heart through all generations.

12 Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD,
the people he chose for his inheritance.

13 From heaven the LORD looks down
and sees all mankind;

14 from his dwelling place he watches
all who live on earth-

15 he who forms the hearts of all,
who considers everything they do.

Bee's Thoughts:

The same God that made the heavens and the earth is the same God that watches over us (v6,13,14). Isn't that wonderful?

The title of this devotion, "Know Your Product" is quite appropriate:

One mark of a good salesperson is a thorough knowledge of his product. He knows the materials from which it is made. He understands its capabilities. He studies the advantages it will bring to the consumer. And he can answer his customers’ questions. The vendor who doesn’t know his product will not get the sales.
- Daily Bread

Yes, we need to know by heart who is the God we believe in and worship. He is not an idol made by the hands of men. Our God has extreme attributes, e.g. just yet loving (v5).

Dear Lord,
Thank You for revealing Yourself to me. Thank You that though all my trials in life, bit by bit I have come to know You more each day. Let me always cling on to You no matter what. I want to love You with all my heart. Amen.


Tommy's Thoughts:

It’s difficult when life is full of inconsistencies and uncertainties, especially with people. It’s even harder to trust others nowadays when promises are easily broken, lies irresponsibly told, heart changes in a split of a second.

But, as Christian, we have a God that is completely reliable, consistent, trustworthy and unchangeable. His Word and intentions never change, they last for eternity. When we are frustrated by the world - wondering if there’s anyone we can trust; we can be glad, grateful and assured to have a Creator that never changes (James 1:17). We can trust Him to lead and guide us with His perfect plans for our lives.

Almighty God, Lord of all creation, hallowed be Your Name. I revere You in everything I do. I want to be a witness of how great and wonderful You are by the way I live my life. Use me to make a difference in others. I want to grow to be more like You: completely faithful and trustworthy. Lead me Father, change my heart and show me how to help others to revere You too. Thank You, I pray this in Jesus’ name, Amen.

The Eraser Of Confession

1 John 1:5-10

Walking in the light
5This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. 6If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. 7But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all[a] sin.

8If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 10If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives.

Bee's Thoughts:

As I mentioned earlier, some say they don't go to Church anymore because they are discouraged by certain people in the Church. They said they still believe in Jesus and called themselves Christians. However, verse 7 says that if we "walk in the light" (which Christians should) then they will "have fellowship with one another". How can Christians have fellowship if they don't attend Church services or activities?

Therefore, as Christians, there is no excuse for not going to Church and be involved in the ministries in some ways.

Confession of sins should be part of our daily prayers, just like Jesus did in the Lord's Prayer. Someone has made The Lord's Prayer more personal in a dialogue form.


Dear Lord,
Thank You for teaching me how to forgive ad love my enemies. Thank You that because You have first forgiven me and loved me that I can do all these to others in Your name. Prais You! Amen.


Tommy's Thoughts:

There are some Christians who do not understand the real meaning of confession and how it works. Some has this fear of forgotten to confess certain sins in their past that they continue to confess the same sins over and over again. There are also some who do know God will forgive their sins if they confess them, but think that if they happened to miss out some when they die they would be lost forever.

They are also those who think their confessions no longer valid or acceptable to God because they still fail and fall into sins after their confession; they even feel sick and ashamed of themselves; thinking they don’t deserve anymore forgiveness from God.

The truth is God never want to trip us and see us fall. He knows all our weaknesses and He wants to lift us up when we fall, to try again. We don’t need to fear that He’ll reject us one day because our slate is not perfectly clean, or that we have asked for His forgiveness too many times. When we come to Christ, he forgives not only the sins we have committed but also those we will ever commit.

When we genuinely want to turn away from sin by confessing them to God, He will guide and lead us, giving us strength to overcome anything that will cause us to stumble again. Our confessions free us to enjoy true fellowship with Christ, easing our consciences and lighten our cares.

Dear Father in heaven, thank You for Jesus, the “Lamb of God”, who cleanses me from all my sins – past, present and future. Teach me always to confess any sins that hinder my fellowship with You. Guide me always to pray for Your power and strength to overcome any tendency for me to sin. Thank You, I ask this in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Bee's 9th Month of Devotion

Wow! 9 months! That's about the time for a child to be born. :)

Well, 9 months blogging my devotion here with the permission of Tommy has bore fruits. Galatians 5:22-23 says:

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law."

Yes, through these devotions, I have learned to have "patience, faithfulness and self-control", i.e. disciplining myself to devote this time to God no matter how tired I may be.

Yes, I also learned about the meaning of pure love in a friendship. Thank God for these lessons.



... the thoughts of Bee

Tested Faith

Genesis 12:1-9

The Call of Abram
1 The LORD had said to Abram, "Leave your country, your people and your father's household and go to the land I will show you.

2 "I will make you into a great nation
and I will bless you;
I will make your name great,
and you will be a blessing.

3 I will bless those who bless you,
and whoever curses you I will curse;
and all peoples on earth
will be blessed through you."

4 So Abram left, as the LORD had told him; and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he set out from Haran. 5 He took his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, all the possessions they had accumulated and the people they had acquired in Haran, and they set out for the land of Canaan, and they arrived there.

Tommy's Thoughts:

In today’s passage, we see how Abram, who willingly obeyed God’s command, even to give up his home for God’s promise of greater blessings in the future. In the same way, there are times God calls us to forsake certain things in our lives that hinder our spiritual progress and draw our heart away from God; so that He can bring greater blessings to our lives.

We will not grow or even survive spiritually without regularly renewing our love and loyalty to God by doing what He wanted us to do.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for all Your tests that strengthen and renew me. Forgive me for not seeing this at times when I’m so preoccupied with my temporal pursuits. Teach me to remember this always, be ready and willing to go where You ask me to and to obey all Your commands. In Jesus’ precious name I pray, Amen.


Bee's Thoughts:

Abram's faith in God is tested when he had to leave the place and people familiar to him for good (v1). Likewise, when we are in our comfort zone, there is little chance for us to exercise our faith and reliance on God. God may test us to see if we are willing to go where he wants us to go.

When there is an instruction from God to follow there is also the reward when we obey by faith. Just like in Abram's case God blessed him and made him the father of all nations when he obeyed by faith, though he couldn't see his future (v2 & 3).

"Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for." (Hebrew 11:1, 2)

Dear Lord,
Thank You for the reminder that I need to have faith in You at all times. At times, problem at work might made me lose heart, yet in those times teach me to trust that You have full control of situations.
I pray too for my "bf" that he will have faith in You for his future, that You will make all things beautiful for him in Your time.
In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Prosperity And Adversity

Proverbs 30:1-9

Sayings of Agur

5 "Every word of God is flawless;
he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.

6 Do not add to his words,
or he will rebuke you and prove you a liar.

7 "Two things I ask of you, O LORD;
do not refuse me before I die:

8 Keep falsehood and lies far from me;
give me neither poverty nor riches,
but give me only my daily bread.

9 Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you
and say, 'Who is the LORD ?'
Or I may become poor and steal,
and so dishonor the name of my God.

Bee's Thoughts:

"Give me only my daily bread" (v8).

It's so true that when a person is too rich or too poor, they will not seek God. The rich are too busy making money, so is the poor. Poor? Yes, the very poor will be too busy earning that litle money they could.

That's why 1 Timothy 6:6 says, "But godliness with contentment is great gain." Also in Matthew 6:19-20, it says:

19"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.

We need to learn contentment and spend time to build things that have eternal values. What are they? A pastor once said relationship is something we can bring to heaven, something God wants right from the beginning of His creation. Yes, sometimes we work so hard that we have no time or energy left to build relationship with people, even with those we seemingly 'love'.

Dear Lord,
Thank You for the reminder that we must have just enough and not to covet for more material things that usually rob us of our time for relationship building. Thank You that You have always supplied my needs in time. Even though sometimes I thought I might become too poor, yet You always provide at the right time. Thank You for taking care of me, just like You care for the birds in the air and the flowers f the field. Praise You! Amen

Tommy's Thoughts:

I had this thought today that I met God face to face and He asked me what I really want. For a moment, there were many ‘wants’ floating in my mind that I need to voice out. But, after thinking a little longer, I realized the most important thing for now is not those wants being fulfilled but knowing what God wants me to be; going to Him for my daily bread and to be renewed and strengthen each day.

Only through seeking Him first that I’ll learn and be ready to receive and be a faithful steward for all the things God has prepared for me at His time.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for molding and changing me each day. Guide me to be patient and focus in seeking You first before everything. Teach me also to trust You to provide all my needs and help me as I strive to live a life of obedience and integrity. Lead me to grow in Your grace and knowledge. To You be the glory both now and forever. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

The Lamb Is Our Shepherd

Revelation 7:13-17

13Then one of the elders asked me, "These in white robes—who are they, and where did they come from?"

14I answered, "Sir, you know."

And he said, "These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. 15Therefore,
"they are before the throne of God
and serve him day and night in his temple;
and he who sits on the throne will spread his tent over them.
16Never again will they hunger;
never again will they thirst.
The sun will not beat upon them,
nor any scorching heat.
17For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd;
he will lead them to springs of living water.
And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes."

Tommy's Thoughts:

We can be so focus on our current problem and suffering that we forget about God’s promise for us an eternal life with Him in heaven; a promise of eternal and complete protection and relief. Whenever we are torn apart by sorrow and distress, take comfort with this promise and take the step to remain faithful and loyal to God and His teachings.

God allows certain things to happen in our lives always for our good and because He love us a lot, not to see us fall but to build, mold and refine our character. We need to be patient and allow the Holy Spirit to guide us into all truth and to better know God’s amazing love for us.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for all Your blessings, not that I deserve them but because of Your grace and love for me. Lead me closer to You and Your way; spending more time listening to You, through my devotion and prayers. Keep me also away from all distractions that blind me from knowing Your great promises and care each day. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.


Bee's Thoughts:

This morning, a song I sang was "Glory, Glory, Glory to the Lamb", and the title of tonight devotion is, "The Lamb Is Our Shepherd". No coincidence!

During my meeting with one of our Supervisors this afternoon, I shared with her that the Christian's permanent's home is in heaven... a place where everything is perfect (unlike the earth) a place where God will wipe away all tears (v17). She sahred that she didn't go to church for a long time because of bad experiences with some Christians. But I told her to look to Jesus, not to people, for people fail and are imperfect. We also cleared up some issues and I prayed for her. She was in tear during my prayer. Thank God for such an opportunity to minister to my colleague. I pray that God will continue to touch her heart.

Dear Lord, Jesus,
Glory to You, the Lamb of God. Thank You for the song and message I heard this morning. Thank You for the time to clarify issues and pray with my colleague. Thank You for all You have done at my work place. Praise You! Amen,

Self-Discipline

Titus 1:1-9

Titus' Task on Crete
5The reason I left you in Crete was that you might straighten out what was left unfinished and appoint[a] elders in every town, as I directed you. 6An elder must be blameless, the husband of but one wife, a man whose children believe and are not open to the charge of being wild and disobedient. 7Since an overseer[b] is entrusted with God's work, he must be blameless—not overbearing, not quick-tempered, not given to drunkenness, not violent, not pursuing dishonest gain. 8Rather he must be hospitable, one who loves what is good, who is self-controlled, upright, holy and disciplined. 9He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it.

Bee's Thoughts:

That's a strict requirement for an elder in the Church, isn't it? It has to be as one has to lead by example. If an elder can't control himself or keep his house in order, he would have problem helping others too.

Not only for elders, but also for those who wish to serve in other ministries or live godly lives. They need to have self-discipline so that the devil can't condemn them in the midst of their services. Only then can they "encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it" (v9).

Dear Lord,
Many years have past since I know You. You have changed and moulded me a little by little, 'chipping' away my 'rough edges' and things that aren't good in Your sight. Thank You for Your patience and love even in my imperfection. Thank You for teaching me discipline in spending this devotion time with You, From glory to glory You are changing me. Praise You! Amen.


Tommy's Thoughts:

Being a Christian is not about living immorally all the days of a week and going to church for forgiveness on Sunday. We may be able to hide our wrongs in front of others, but we can’t hide it from God, He knows everything about us.

He also knows we can’t live recklessly, ignoring His commands all the time and be able to stop anytime when we want. Without a consistent self-discipline and self-control, we are fooling ourselves to think we will be strong enough to defend ourselves from forces of evil and temptations coming our ways.

Dear Father in Heaven, thank You for calling me to prepare my heart daily to listen and obey Your Word. To set my feet right following Your path. Teach me for making self-discipline and self-control a habit, keeping me away from the addictive power of sin. Lord, I pray that through this daily ‘practice’, You’ll makes me prepared and equipped to go out and do Your work; bringing and leading Your people to You. In Jesus’ precious name I pray, Amen.

Whom Shall I Send?

Isaiah 6:1-8

Isaiah's Commission
1 In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted, and the train of his robe filled the temple. 2 Above him were seraphs, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. 3 And they were calling to one another:
"Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty;
the whole earth is full of his glory."

4 At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke.

5 "Woe to me!" I cried. "I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty."

6 Then one of the seraphs flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. 7 With it he touched my mouth and said, "See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for."

8 Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?"
And I said, "Here am I. Send me!"

Tommy's Thoughts:

While chatting with a friend about her problem recently, I had the opportunities to share about the loving kindness of God to His creation. She interrupted and explained that she too believe God is good, kind and holy; and because this very reason she felt inadequate and afraid to approach Him, let alone sharing her problems with Him.

Its true most non-Christians believe it’s impossible to approach God personally. They either decided to stay away from anything that have to do with God, like my friend, or they try hard to earn His favor and acceptance through work and their own human efforts. And we all know no matter how much we do; we will always fall short to God’s glory and holiness (Romans 3:23).

But as Christian, despite our inadequacy and hopelessness to measure up to God’s standard of holiness, God himself provide a Way for us to reconcile with Him through Jesus. By believing in what Christ has done for us, we receive forgiveness from all our sins and the assurance to be accepted by God, to approach Him directly.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for giving me the way to approach and be close to You, to be renewed and strengthened while living in this fallen world. Guide me to confess all my sins to You, submitting to Your control before I go out and speak for You to those around me. Purify my heart God, that I may truly represent You to the world. In Jesus’ precious name I pray, Amen.



Bee's Thoughts:

I was talking to our pastor during the supper after our church meeting tonight. In the conversation he mentioned that these days, when church members suggest to do something for the church to him, he would tell them to do it instead. That brings home a point that if God would to put a burden in our hearts for something we should tell God, "Here am I. Send me!" (v8).

But before God can use us, we need God to cleanse our hearts and lips (v7). We should do them out of pure motive and love for God.

Dear Lord,
I need You to cleanse my heart and lips so that I can be of use to You. Let me be willing to be sent by You to do Your work instead of asking You to send someone else. Teach me to know Your will, Lord.
In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

The Struggle

2 Timothy 3

Paul's Charge to Timothy
10You, however, know all about my teaching, my way of life, my purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance, 11persecutions, sufferings—what kinds of things happened to me in Antioch, Iconium and Lystra, the persecutions I endured. Yet the Lord rescued me from all of them. 12In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, 13while evil men and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. 14But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, 15and how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 16All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

Bee's Thoughts:

It may come as a surprise to most Christians, especially new believers, when they have to go through sufferings. They thought that by becoming a Christians, life will go on smoothly.

It hasn't been easy for me as a Christian too. I'd gone through times of persecution, times of loneliness in a crowd, times of disappointment with fellow believers, times of heartbreaks by people whom I thought loved me, etc. Yet through all these, I could echoe what Paul said, "the Lord rescued me from all of them" (v11). Hallelujah! God has moulded me to be who I am today. But He hasn't finish His work on me yet... more work to be done.

The passage today warns us that if we want to live a godly life for Christ, we must be prepared for persecution (v12). We need to study the bible well so that in times of need we can use the word of God to defeat the devil.

Dear Lord,
Thank You for rescuing my soul and making me whole. I pray that You will continue to keep me till the second coming of Christ. Let me be ready to see You face to face.
In Jesus' most precious name I pray. Amen.


Tommy's Thoughts:

We are now living in the “last days”; days where we can see society lives their lives as described by Paul from verse 1 to 9. Sadly, there are many Christians who are also living with such behavior, without having any sense of urgency to make most of the time God has given us.

These behaviors easily spread, influence and affect others in the society. We should not give in to the society’s pressures and take immediate step to stand up against all evil through living in God’s way and obeying His clear teachings.

For those who are lost, left alone, they will never reform and change on their own, they will go from bad to worse (v13). If we have the opportunities, ask God to give us the wisdom and guidance to fight for the truth and correct them so as to bring them back to faith in Christ.

Dear Father, thank You for teaching me to be always watchful while living in these last days. Lord, keep my head clear, my mind focused onto You, and my heart where it should belongs. Let not any distraction to pull me away from resting my trust in You, keeping my feet from stumbling, that I may walk before You until Christ comes again (Psalm 116:8). In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

The Far Side Of The World

Colossians 3:1-4

Rules for Holy Living
1Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. 2Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. 3For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. 4When Christ, who is your[a] life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

Tommy's Thoughts:

There maybe things in our lives now that is so painful and difficult that it stops us from looking to our promised glorious future with Christ: a future where all our pains and sorrows cease, where peace reigns forever.

These things may come in the form of a burden that seems so heavy for us to bear, that it continually drags us down into grief and sorrow. It may also be things we feel no one would ever understand or care about. Or, things we hope to change into better but seem to go from bad to worse. And, it maybe a confusion or uncertainty that takes over our every thoughts and distracting us from putting all our trust in God.

As believer, we have been raised with Christ, that we need to set our hearts on things above (v1), things that are eternal and not temporal. But, this does not means we can neglect or ignore our current situation. It means we need to know:

1. God is sovereign and always in control
2. God cares and love us very much and He knows all our hurt and suffering
3. Our future hope is safe and concealed with Christ (v3)
4. We should fervently pray to God for all our problems and trust Him to make things right for us in His time and way
5. To look at our lives and every problem from God’s perspective and seek what He desires.
6. God will provide us the peace, strength and power to overcome and persevere all that coming our ways and be prepared for Christ’s return.

Lord, You know…
every drop of tears I shed,
every ache and sorrow deep in my heart,
every burden I have to bear,
every brokenness and depression.
Because You went through all these and so much more..
And I know You are not happy to see me now in tears…
And You wants to pull me out from this pit
and make me stand on the mountain top.

So Lord, teach me to look towards You
Asking You to come and take all my burdens
my every pain..
and fill my heart with Your divine peace
a peace that passes all understanding

Dear Lord, thank You for being there to comfort me and giving me the strength and peace to go on when things are so painful and unbearable. Make me walk closer to You each day. I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.


Bee's Thoughts:

I have changed this year compared to last year, unknowingly. The things I longed before are no longer my yearning now. While others are still searching for those things I have stopped searching for them. My perspective of life has changed. I no longer fight so hard for my right as much as I used to do. I guess I have learnt to 'kan kai' (let things be).

Why?

Perhaps the following song can sum up my feelings:

I've been to lots of places
and I've seen lots of faces;
There were times I felt I was all alone.
But in those lonely hours,
those precious lonely hours,
Jesus let me know I'm not alone.

Through it all, through it all
I've learnt to trust in Jesus
I've learnt to trust in God
Through it all, through it all
I've learnt to depend upon His Words.

So I thank God for the mountains
and I thank Him for the valleys,
and I thank Him for the storms
He brought me through.
'Cos if I never had a problem,
I'll never know that He could solve them,
I'll never know what faith in His word can do.

Through it all, through it all
I've learnt to trust in Jesus
I've learnt to trust in God
Through it all, through it all
I've learnt to depend upon His Words.


Dear Lord,
Thank You for all that You have brought me through. I now surrender myself to You, with all that I have and all that I love. Let me always turn my eyes upon You, the author and finisher of my faith.
Now I pray for my best friend, that You will be with him in all his 'mountains' and 'valleys' of life. May You keep his faith strong in You and grant him strength to do Your will.
In Jesus' name I pray. Amen