Turning Pain Into Praise

2 Corinthians 1:7-11

7And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort.

8We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about the hardships we suffered in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life. 9Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead. 10He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us, 11as you help us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our[a] behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many.

Bee's Thoughts:

Sometimes, God allows pains in our lives so that we will learn to rely fully on Him. Not that He likes to see us suffer, but often our sufferings come as a result of our own doings. We have to learn from our mistakes and with God's help not to repeat them again and again.

What is God trying to teach me recently?

Lives are full of predicaments and uncertainties without God. Remove God from my life and I will instantly feel the emptiness and hopelessness within. Without God life is meaningless and I don't know the reason for my existence.

With God in my life, all life's trials seem more bearable.

Dear Lord,
Thank You for seeing me through so many trials in my life. Some pains I experienced may be due to my ignorance or my not seeking Your ways. Yet through all of them, You have never let me be destroyed and You constantly kept me in Your love.
I pray that You will continue to help me learn to walk in Your way instead of mine. I ask for Your strength as I go through life's uncertainties. One thing I am very certain is You will never leave me nor forsake me, and You have prepared a place for me in heaven when it's time I should leave this earth.
Thank You in Jesus' name. Amen.



Tommy's Thoughts:

There is nothing more comforting and reassuring than when we rest our worries and problems to God, depend and trust in Him fully for help and strength. By depending on God we’ll realize how powerless we are without Him and how much we need His constant touch in our lives.

Instead of staying away from God, our attitude of dependence on God will bring us closer to Him whenever we face any obstacle in life.

Dear Father, thank You for teaching me to seek You first through prayers. Lead me to rely on You for everything I have to face daily. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

Immortality Breakthrough

Psalm 90

A prayer of Moses the man of God.
1 Lord, you have been our dwelling place
throughout all generations.

2 Before the mountains were born
or you brought forth the earth and the world,
from everlasting to everlasting you are God.

3 You turn men back to dust,
saying, "Return to dust, O sons of men."

4 For a thousand years in your sight
are like a day that has just gone by,
or like a watch in the night.

5 You sweep men away in the sleep of death;
they are like the new grass of the morning-

6 though in the morning it springs up new,
by evening it is dry and withered.

7 We are consumed by your anger
and terrified by your indignation.

8 You have set our iniquities before you,
our secret sins in the light of your presence.

9 All our days pass away under your wrath;
we finish our years with a moan.

10 The length of our days is seventy years—
or eighty, if we have the strength;
yet their span [a] is but trouble and sorrow,
for they quickly pass, and we fly away.

11 Who knows the power of your anger?
For your wrath is as great as the fear that is due you.

12 Teach us to number our days aright,
that we may gain a heart of wisdom.

13 Relent, O LORD! How long will it be?
Have compassion on your servants.

14 Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love,
that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days.

15 Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us,
for as many years as we have seen trouble.

16 May your deeds be shown to your servants,
your splendor to their children.

17 May the favor [b] of the Lord our God rest upon us;
establish the work of our hands for us—
yes, establish the work of our hands.

Bee's Thoughts:

Our time zone and God's are different. We are finite, He isn't. What we do in secret, God knows everything.

We may think that we have a long way to live, yet our days may be shorter than we thought. We need ask God will teach us to number our days. We need to use our days meaningfully.

Human fails, even if someone says he/she loves us alot. God is the only One with the unfailing love for us. He is there to satisfy our needs if we go to Him.

Dear Lord,
Forgive me for my stubborness in not doing what I know You want me to do. I ask for Your strength to be the overcomer. Help me Lord.
In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.


Tommy's Thoughts:

Life is short and at times is full of uncertainties. We wonder and worry about what our future may brings. We become impatient and disheartened when things don’t seem to get any better after days, months or even years. We may even begin to doubt whether God is able to see the future or that He really does cares for us.

Moses reminds us that a thousand years are like one day to God. Instead of assuming God shares our limitations, we need to know that He is completely unrestricted by time and that He is eternal and always in control.

Because of this, as believer we can trust and depend on God for things we yet to see or know. By submitting every aspect of our lives to Him, asking Him to lead us, we will find true peace, hope, confidence and assurance that God will take cares of us.

Dear Father, forgive me of sometimes has little faith in You. Lord, I know without You every plan I may have will ultimately fail. Teach me to remember this, to surrender each area of my life to Your guidance and leading, obeying Your every command and to use the brief moment I have here wisely and for eternal good. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

Treasure In Heaven

Matthew 6:19-21

Treasures in Heaven
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. 21For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Bee's Thoughts:

Politics are found in most working places, even in churches and Christian organizations. Sometimes I find my works become meaningless when I have to battle all these.

Tonight's devotion reminds us to lay our treasures in heaven and not on earth. Fame can't be brought along with us to heaven no matter how glorious it is. What types of treasure will we see in heaven?

"8Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away... 13And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love." (1 Corinthians 13)

Everything will pass away except "faith, hope and love". That means we should cultivate these 3 things now so that when we are in heaven, our treasures go with us.

Dear Lord,
Teach me to grow daily in "faith, hope and love". Help me to set my heart on the right treasure that will last for eternity.
In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Tommy's Thoughts:

How to store up treasures in heaven? Jesus said no one can serve two masters (Matthew 6:24); if we can honestly say God occupies more of our thoughts, time and efforts, we are then indeed storing up treasures in heaven. It is accomplished by our acts of obedience to God, truly committed to Him and focusing on spiritual and eternal matters.

Dear Father, thank You for teaching me not fall into the materialistic trap; wasting time and energy on things that will not lasts while neglecting important things like relationships and developing godly character. I pray You will keep my eyes on the richness above, obeying all Your commands and trust You in all things. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

Persecution

Acts 8:1-8

1And Saul was there, giving approval to his death.

The Church Persecuted and Scattered
On that day a great persecution broke out against the church at Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria. 2Godly men buried Stephen and mourned deeply for him. 3But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off men and women and put them in prison.

Philip in Samaria
4Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went. 5Philip went down to a city in Samaria and proclaimed the Christ[a]there. 6When the crowds heard Philip and saw the miraculous signs he did, they all paid close attention to what he said. 7With shrieks, evil[b] spirits came out of many, and many paralytics and cripples were healed. 8So there was great joy in that city.

Bee's Thoughts:

In every circumstances, God will make a way for Christians even when there seems no way. Even in adversity, God can use us to share the good news.

Yes, God makes all things work out together for good to those who love God and are called according to His purpose. So even if we lose a loved one, God has a plan for us to fulfill His purpose. We need to trust Him.

Dear Lord,
Thank You for the reminder that You will always be with us and use us in all circumstances when we let You lead. Thank You that we can share about You and Your deliverance even when we face hardship and hurts.
Thank You in Your precious name. Amen.


Tommy's Thoughts:

Nobody likes to take those bitter medicines when sick, but in order to be cured we take them. Likewise, God sometimes allows certain uncomfortable experiences or circumstances in our lives to mold and prepare us for a special task. Those discomforts may be the best thing for us because God may be working through our hurts.

Like the persecution of the Christians in Jerusalem that moved them to Judea and Samaria, spreading the gospel in the process; God can bring great results both to us and others when we trust in Him and endure our current suffering and hardship.

Dear Father, thank You for Your message today at the church about not to worry (Matthew 6:25-34). Thank You for teaching me instead to seek first Your kingdom and Your righteousness.

I pray for Your strength and grace to keep me going in joyful obedience and may Your light shine ever more brightly through me. Lord, use me that others might know Your truth and that the Gospel might be brought to them. In Jesus’ wonderful and mighty name I pray, Amen.

The Impossible Covenant

Genesis 17:4-7; 15-19

4 "As for me, this is my covenant with you: You will be the father of many nations. 5 No longer will you be called Abram [a] ; your name will be Abraham, [b] for I have made you a father of many nations. 6 I will make you very fruitful; I will make nations of you, and kings will come from you. 7 I will establish my covenant as an everlasting covenant between me and you and your descendants after you for the generations to come, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you. 15 God also said to Abraham, "As for Sarai your wife, you are no longer to call her Sarai; her name will be Sarah. 16 I will bless her and will surely give you a son by her. I will bless her so that she will be the mother of nations; kings of peoples will come from her."

17 Abraham fell facedown; he laughed and said to himself, "Will a son be born to a man a hundred years old? Will Sarah bear a child at the age of ninety?" 18 And Abraham said to God, "If only Ishmael might live under your blessing!"

19 Then God said, "Yes, but your wife Sarah will bear you a son, and you will call him Isaac. [a] I will establish my covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his descendants after him.

Bee's Thoughts:

God made a covenant with Abram and changed his name to Abraham. He promised Abraham that he will be fruitful and multiply through his barren wife Sarai (changed to Sarah). It's hard for him to understand how that can happen since he and his wife were so old. Yet God did a miracle.

In our lives, sometimes also we feel that our situations look impossible. Yet it's in these impossible situations that we could see God's power. He is the God of impossible.

My friend's sister may seems to be barren, but I pray that she will turn to my God who could do the impossible for her just like Sarah.

Dear Lord,
Thank You that You are a God who is not restricted by anything and with You all things are possible. I pray that I will fully trust You to do the impossible in my life... that Your glory and power may be shown to those who do not know You.
In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.


Tommy's Thoughts:

Sometimes we may be thinking God will only works in ordinary ways in our lives. Not that we don’t trust in Him or His guidance, but we tend to doubt and have trouble to believe He will and can do the impossible.

Even Abraham, the man God considered righteous because of his great faith, had problem believing God’s promises to him. But, despite the doubts he had, Abraham continue to obey and follow God’s commands. We need to be like Abraham, to always keep our eyes on God’s commitment to fulfill His promises for us.

Dear Father, forgive me that at times I doubted You and Your promises for me. Instead of being like Abraham, holding on to You, I chose to ‘run’ away from You. Teach me and lead me to refocus back to Your commitment to fulfill Your promises for me and continue to obey You with a joyful and believing heart. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

Garden Of Prayer

Acts 12:5-17

5So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him.

6The night before Herod was to bring him to trial, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries stood guard at the entrance. 7Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him up. "Quick, get up!" he said, and the chains fell off Peter's wrists.

8Then the angel said to him, "Put on your clothes and sandals." And Peter did so. "Wrap your cloak around you and follow me," the angel told him. 9Peter followed him out of the prison, but he had no idea that what the angel was doing was really happening; he thought he was seeing a vision. 10They passed the first and second guards and came to the iron gate leading to the city. It opened for them by itself, and they went through it. When they had walked the length of one street, suddenly the angel left him.

11Then Peter came to himself and said, "Now I know without a doubt that the Lord sent his angel and rescued me from Herod's clutches and from everything the Jewish people were anticipating."

12When this had dawned on him, he went to the house of Mary the mother of John, also called Mark, where many people had gathered and were praying. 13Peter knocked at the outer entrance, and a servant girl named Rhoda came to answer the door. 14When she recognized Peter's voice, she was so overjoyed she ran back without opening it and exclaimed, "Peter is at the door!"

15"You're out of your mind," they told her. When she kept insisting that it was so, they said, "It must be his angel."

16But Peter kept on knocking, and when they opened the door and saw him, they were astonished. 17Peter motioned with his hand for them to be quiet and described how the Lord had brought him out of prison. "Tell James and the brothers about this," he said, and then he left for another place.

Bee's Thoughts:

Prayer changes things! That's a timeless truth. Yet many times we fail to pray till we are at our wit's end.

On the other hand, we may have prayed, yet when God has answered our prayers we don't recognise them... just like the Christians in the above passage. This is because we tend to expect God to answer our prayers in our ways rather than in His ways.

Dear Lord,
Thank You for answering my prayers. At times, I may not recognise Your answers because I have my own fixed ways to how You may answer my prayers. Forgive me, Lord.
Tonight I want to pray that You will help me recognise Your ways and know Your answers. I pray You will help my "bf" know Your ways too and trust in You fully. Grant him peace that surpasses all understanding. May he casts his cares upon You, for You care for him so much.
In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.


Tommy's Thoughts:

It’s been great ever since I joined the church prayer meeting every Friday. Although the group is small, I managed to pray together with other believers and get to know closely many concerns of members of my Church. We also learn to pray for other with sincerity and effectiveness.

Not only prayers were answered amazingly, we see our own lives, faith and perspective on things changes when we centered our concerns on others through prayers. We learned praying confidently and fervently; believing we’ll get an answer when we seek God’s will for us.

Dear Father, thank You for answering my prayer of being a true member of the Body of Christ, called to serve Your people through my natural gifts and abilities in Your church. Teach me continue to encourage and build each others up through prayers, caring words, helping hands and close fellowship with one another. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

For His Eyes Only

Matthew 6:1-8

Giving to the Needy
1"Be careful not to do your 'acts of righteousness' before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.

2"So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. 3But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
Prayer
5"And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. 6But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. 7And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. 8Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

Bee's Thoughts:

Dear Lord,

Let me be real and true to myself and to people all around though this world is full of hypocrisy and politics, sadly even amongst Chrsitians sometimes.

Sometimes I don't even know what to ask of You. But You know what I need even before I open my mouth.

Sometimes I know what I should do, but I don't have the strength to do it. Help my feeble soul.

I am weak but You are strong,
Jesus keep me from all wrong.
I'll be satified as long,
As I walk, let me walk close to You.

In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.


Tommy's Thoughts:

God doesn’t forbid us to pray for a same concern over and over again; in fact Jesus encourages persistent prayer. But, what was meant in verse 7 is that of shallow repetition of words that are not offered with an honest and sincere heart. Instead of just voicing out a typical set of words repeatedly daily in our prayer, take a step in thinking what we are praying and ensure we really do mean what we say.

Dear Father, thank You for teaching me to pray; to clearly know what I’m asking for and to pray them with an honest and sincere heart. Teach me and guide me through the Holy Spirit to pray for others effectively with genuine care and love. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

Coping While Caring

Psalm 46

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Bee's Thoughts:

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

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

Yes, giving time = giving life = giving love.

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



Tommy's Thoughts:

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

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

Change Of Address

2 Corinthians 5:1-10

Our Heavenly Dwelling
1Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. 2Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, 3because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked. 4For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. 5Now it is God who has made us for this very purpose and has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.

6Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. 7We live by faith, not by sight. 8We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. 9So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it. 10For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.

Bee's Thoughts:

"What kind of relationships will we have in heaven with the people we knew and loved on earth?" That's the title of an interesting article. It goes on to say...

What about our marriage relationships? While the Bible teaches that the marriage relationship will change after the resurrection ( Matthew 22:23-33 ), it is safe to assume that because of the very nature of heaven, the quality of the relationship between a man and a woman will be better in heaven than it was on earth -- even if they are no longer husband and wife. Certainly the joys of heaven will far exceed the pleasures of marital intimacy.

Scripture leads us to believe that we will enjoy such a state of wonderful intimacy with our glorified brothers and sisters that there will no longer be a need for the exclusive relationships that protect us from loneliness and despair in a fallen world.

My "bf" (Tommy) suddenly told me that he think I don't like to get married... wondering why he said so.

Hmmn... maybe because I always look forward to heaven, where everything perfect. That's going to be my eternal address...the thought of it always made me wish I go to heaven faster. But I know that I can't go there yet till God calls me. But God may not call me if my job on earth is not fully done.


Dear Lord,
Thank You for Your assurance of salvation and for the wonderful place You have prepared for those who love and trust in You. I do not know what else You want me to do on earth. But I pray that when I see You one day, I will hear You say, "You good and faithful servant". May I do all that You want me to do here on earth.
In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.



Tommy's Thoughts:

Many of us think that when we die, our spirit and soul will be released and separated from our bodies; evaporating into thin air and entering a heavenly eternal state. But in today’s passage, Paul wrote that we will be resurrected to have new and perfect bodies for our everlasting life.

Our body and soul will never be separated when we die. Not only that, we will still have our unique personalities and recognizable characteristics in our resurrected bodies. They will even be much better and perfect by Christ’s work in us.

Dear Father, thank You for Your promises to make us perfect one day, when Christ’s return and give us a new soul and body. Teach me to remember this always, giving me the hope, confidence, courage and patience to endure anything I might experience and be inspired to faithful service to You and Your people. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

Can I Run Away?

Psalm 139:7-16

7 Where can I go from your Spirit?
Where can I flee from your presence?

8 If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if I make my bed in the depths, [a] you are there.

9 If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
if I settle on the far side of the sea,

10 even there your hand will guide me,
your right hand will hold me fast.

11 If I say, "Surely the darkness will hide me
and the light become night around me,"

12 even the darkness will not be dark to you;
the night will shine like the day,
for darkness is as light to you.

13 For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother's womb.

14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.

15 My frame was not hidden from you
when I was made in the secret place.
When I was woven together in the depths of the earth,

16 your eyes saw my unformed body.
All the days ordained for me
were written in your book
before one of them came to be.

Bee's Thoughts:

When I was a young Christian (also young in age), there were a few times I tried to 'run away' from God when I felt depressed by things in my life. I thought I could and I didn't want to talk to God. But when I read the above passage one day, tears just rolled over my cheek. I knew that I couldn't run away from God...wherever I go God will be there (v7-12).

Yes, He never let me go even though I tried to run away from Him many times... His love always drew me back to Him.

Yes, He knows me through and through... He knows me even before I was formed, He knows how I feel, what I need, what I will be. He knows me better than I know myself (v13-16).


Dear Lord,
Thank You for not letting me go.
Thank You for drawing me back to You each time.
Thank You for loving me.
Thank You for knowing and supplying all my needs.
Thank You that I can't run away from Your presence.
Praise be Your name. Amen!



Tommy's Thoughts:

As I was talking to my brother and his friend on self-condemnation, I realized there are many whose life were shaped by what other said about them; often bad and negative things that influences the person’s every thoughts and actions for the rest of their lives. They easily feel inferior or worthless due to the harmful experiences they had in the past.

There are also those who hate and sick of their own self because of their failures and flaws. They feel greatly ashamed of them selves and think they are beyond help. They stop seeking help from others and even God, going spirally downward to further self-degradation.

In today’s Psalm, David tells us that God’s character goes into every details of the creation of a person; never an accident but created meticulously with love and care; each stands unique from another.

Whenever we feel to degrade and condemn ourselves because of our failures or our pasts, we should remember that our Maker has so much respect for us that we should respect our selves similarly. We should also remember that His Spirit is ready and willing to work within us whenever we feel disappointed with our selves.

Dear Father, thank You for teaching me not to give up when I fell or disappointed You. Lead me to allow the Spirit to work within me when I failed, changing me from within. I pray this in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Housekeeping Of The Heart

Matthew 23:23-31

23"Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices—mint, dill and cummin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former. 24You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel.

25"Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. 26Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean.

27"Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men's bones and everything unclean. 28In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.

29"Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You build tombs for the prophets and decorate the graves of the righteous. 30And you say, 'If we had lived in the days of our forefathers, we would not have taken part with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.' 31So you testify against yourselves that you are the descendants of those who murdered the prophets.

Bee's Thoughts:

It is in our human nature to want to look good and also to look at the outward appearances of others. This becomes very obvious when we see how most men choose women as their girlfriends/wives. They are attracted to their looks first before what's inside them. *sigh*

Tonight, we are reminded that what's inside a person is more important than what's outside. We need to be real, sincere, natural, in what we say and do and not be hypocritical about them. If not, woe be to us!


Dear Lord,
Search my heart tonight. If there is any wicked way in me, cleanse me and make me pure. Grant me strength to do what's right. Help me to to be real and true always even if it means I will become unpopular. What matters most is how you see me, rather than how others see me.
In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.



Tommy's Thoughts:

Today, my pastor talked about the importance of heart knowledge than mere head knowledge. Christianity is about the matter of the heart, not the outward obedience to details of the laws.

It’s never about being meticulous about the details of various ceremonial cleanliness (eg. preparation of food, types of food etc.). What use is eating clean and ‘right’ food when deep inside we have corrupt and impure heart?

Dear Father, thank You for teaching me the importance of inner purity and righteousness. Guide me not to display merely outward holiness, but to have inside me a truly clean and rightful heart before You. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

My Life A Mist

James 4:13-17

Boasting About Tomorrow
13Now listen, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money." 14Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. 15Instead, you ought to say, "If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that." 16As it is, you boast and brag. All such boasting is evil. 17Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins.

Bee's Thoughts:

My life "a mist", this I already know.
Will I see tomorrow? That I don't know.
If the Lord's will, there is one place I will go.
Although it is cold, I like to touch the snow.
- Bee

Sometimes unknowingly we boast, thinking we hold tomorrow.... so we make many plans and goals without asking if they are within God's will. We forget that our lives are in God's hands. Such boasting can become sinful and lead us in the wrong direction. We, therefore, need to be humble and prayerful, committing out lives, plans, paths, etc, to God.

Dear Lord,
Thank You for reminding me again that my life is "a mist" and I need to live a day at a time to glorify Your name. I want to commit my work, my relationship, and my all into Your hands. Teach me to do what is right so that I may not sin against You or others.
In Jesus' name I humbly pray. Amen.

Tommy's Thoughts:

We always think sin has to do with us doing wrong, but James in today’s passage tells us that sin is also about knowing what is right and not doing it: the sin of omission. It may be a God’s direction to us to do a kind act, to render a service to someone in need. Or it may be a prompting from God for us to restore a relationship with someone we know.

Thus, we need to be always willing and put into action when we are made known by the Spirit to help and serve others.

Dear Father, thank You for teaching me to be always sensitive to the needs and concern of others around me. Lead me also to put my every word into action of love and kindness to others. I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Learning To Walk

Hosea 11:1-4

God's Love for Israel
1 "When Israel was a child, I loved him,
and out of Egypt I called my son.

2 But the more I [a] called Israel,
the further they went from me. [b]
They sacrificed to the Baals
and they burned incense to images.

3 It was I who taught Ephraim to walk,
taking them by the arms;
but they did not realize
it was I who healed them.

4 I led them with cords of human kindness,
with ties of love;
I lifted the yoke from their neck
and bent down to feed them.

Bee's Thoughts:

As I read the above verses, I felt God telling me,

"When Bee was a child, I loved her...
It was I who taught her to walk, taking her by the arms...
it was I who healed her.
I led her with cords of human kindness,
with ties of love;
I lifted the yoke from her neck
and bent down to feed her."

I felt so touched. Yes, God did all those for me. Without Him, I don't know what I would have become. Praise be to God.

There are still many things God wants to show me and wants me to trust and obey... be it at work, home, or relationship with others. I shouldn't take things in my own hands, but to pray and let Him lead me.

Dear Lord,
Thank You for all You have done in my life. I can't thank You enough. I pray You will give me strength to do what is right in Your sight. Help me when I am weak, pick me up when I fall. Teach me what it means to love You with all my heart, with my soul, and with all my might. Teach me also to know the full meaning of Agape love, that I may learn to love in that way.
In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Tommy's Thoughts:

There are times we have problem knowing why we are sad and down; finding it hard to have any reason to be happy. Somehow, we can’t pinpoint the causes, we feel trapped in an endless loop of pain and sorrow. God sometimes does allow us to go through these difficult situations to open our eyes on our ‘sicknesses’; to be able to know and discern our condition and which area of our lives that need the healing from Jesus, our greatest physician.

Like a caring parent, God guide us through these situations and teach us along the way so we will not repeat the same mistake again or being blocked to receive the full blessings God intended for us. Only God is able to show to us this ‘sickness’ deep within us, that at times we do not even realize it our selves. And He has promised to restore and heal those who come and submit to Him humbly, acknowledging that they need God for their healing.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for answering my prayers and healed me when I cried out to You. Thank You that You show me the way through people and the things they said. I’ll praise You and remember Your wonderful work in me through everyday of my life here. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

Common Ground

Acts 17:22-31

22Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: "Men of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious. 23For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. Now what you worship as something unknown I am going to proclaim to you.

24"The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands. 25And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything, because he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else. 26From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. 27God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us. 28'For in him we live and move and have our being.' As some of your own poets have said, 'We are his offspring.'

29"Therefore since we are God's offspring, we should not think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone—an image made by man's design and skill. 30In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent. 31For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to all men by raising him from the dead."

Bee's Thoughts:

• The happiness of your life depends on the quality of your thoughts.
• You have power over your mind—not outside events.
• Your life is what your thoughts make it.
- Marcus Aurelius, emperor of Rome from AD 161 to 180.

I have been pretty happy the last few months... I was carefree, just enjoying my work and don't think too much about other things, including relationship. However, I felt very disturbed this morning when I thought about what happened last night. I lost my joy. :(

The above quotations are so true. They echoe what Proverbs 23:7 says, “As [a person] thinks in his heart, so is he.”

Tonight's devotion reminds us how we may use something common in our daily life to share the gospel or encourage fellow believers. This is the principle of using simple or common analogies to bring about understanding in abstract concepts, e.g. the explanation of the Trinity. That's why Jesus like to use parables.


Dear Lord,
I pray tonight that you will teach me to think of "whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable" (Philippians 4:8).
Let me be able to share all these things with others.
Let me not be a stumbling block to anyone. If I have please forgive me.

I also pray that my "bf" will feel free to receive and give love to his soulmate whom you have prepared for him. I pray you will open his eyes to see and to know it when You have sent her to him or him to her. May Your peace rules his heart even now.

In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Tommy's Thoughts:

As Christians, we all love and desire to share the Good News to others we know but often find it hard to figure out a good way point of entry to share the message. We fear others might not understand what we say, reject and even criticize us in return.

In today’s passage, Paul who was well-known for his skill in communicating and presenting his beliefs clearly and effectively, begin sharing the gospel by first using examples others understood, and then establishing a common ground to what others agreed on about God, and finally move others toward a clear decision about Christ.

Dear Father, thank You for teaching me a better way to share the Good News to others. Give me the desire to seek and to know more of Your Word each day, how they can be applied in life; so that I may be prepared to share the gospel more effectively to others. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

“There’s Heaven”

Revelation 22:1-5

The River of Life
1Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb 2down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. 3No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. 4They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. 5There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever.

Bee's Thoughts:

I always feel comforted whenever I read the Book of Revelation. It spells hope, eternal happiness and joy... no more tear or sorrow. Whenever I think about heaven, I wish I am there instantly and all my negative feelings seem to matter nothing to me anymore. Some call this negative, but I feel it's positive, 'cos I am 'ready' to go to my eternal home. On the contrary, most people don't wish to leave their earthly home and cling on to their earthly possessions instead.

In tonight's passage, we see that for Christians, God's life will flow to us and He will be our Light. We shall have everything that we need. Even though I may not fully understand the meaning of the passage but I know it's something very good God wants us to have.

Dear Lord,
Thank You for Your salvation and our future hope of glory, and life with You. Whenever I think about it I just want to be there. I pray that You will give me strength to accomplish Your purpose while I am still on earth. Help me to continue to spread the good news to those I come into contact with. May these come to know and accept You soon.
In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.



Tommy's Thoughts:

Sometimes, through conversations with people and also observing the world around me, I catch a glimpse of how heaven will be like. There’re things we do today that reflects the imperfections of some of the man-made system in this fallen world.

Deep inside, we long for a place that can provides us something better; with true and lasting love, peace and joy; no more sin, sorrows and tears or the fear of being hurt, going through pain, suffering, and worries. And, everyone live in perfect harmony; no lies, mistrust, or hatred. Heaven.

Dear Father, thank You for showing to me glimpses of heaven through things I see in this world. Teach me to see my life as a test and also an opportunity to prepare me for something better, with eternal blessings and a fullness of life when I believe and submit my life to You. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

Something Money Can't Buy

Isaiah 55:1-7

Invitation to the Thirsty
1 "Come, all you who are thirsty,
come to the waters;
and you who have no money,
come, buy and eat!
Come, buy wine and milk
without money and without cost.

2 Why spend money on what is not bread,
and your labor on what does not satisfy?
Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good,
and your soul will delight in the richest of fare.

3 Give ear and come to me;
hear me, that your soul may live.
I will make an everlasting covenant with you,
my faithful love promised to David.

4 See, I have made him a witness to the peoples,
a leader and commander of the peoples.

5 Surely you will summon nations you know not,
and nations that do not know you will hasten to you,
because of the LORD your God,
the Holy One of Israel,
for he has endowed you with splendor."

6 Seek the LORD while he may be found;
call on him while he is near.

7 Let the wicked forsake his way
and the evil man his thoughts.
Let him turn to the LORD, and he will have mercy on him,
and to our God, for he will freely pardon.

Bee's Thoughts:

Money is important, yet it can't buy certain things in life. It can't buy...
true love and friendship
happiness
health
salvation, etc

Today, I heard a speaker shared a little about end-time. He said that we are born to die, so when the end of the earth comes, it doesn't matter to those who are in Christ. But what matters is how we live now. Do we waste away our lives in earning more money or perishable pursuit? Or do we spend time sowing seeds that will last for eternity?

In the above passage, God invites us to go and receive from Him the best gift for free. He wants to give us living water, which after drinking we will not thirst again. We need to always go to God for this refreshing water.

Dear Lord,
Thank You for Your living water that You freely give. May I drink and share it with others around me too.
In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.



Tommy's Thoughts:

It’s true a lot of us focus solely daily in pursuing earthly treasures and goals that we starve our selves spiritually by hardly nourish our souls with our Daily Bread. God offers us free, lasting nourishment that satisfy our deepest need. All we have to do is to go to Him (v1), listen to Him (v2), seeking and call on Him (v6).

Dear Father, thank You for Your patience and faithfulness. Teach me not to forget or neglect my time with You; to come to You with a listening ears and heart and to put You first above all other things. Keep me close to You and renew me each day with joyful obedience. I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Behave Appropriately

Ephesians 6:1-9

Children and Parents
1Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 2"Honor your father and mother"—which is the first commandment with a promise— 3"that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth."[a] 4Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.

Slaves and Masters
5Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ. 6Obey them not only to win their favor when their eye is on you, but like slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart. 7Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men, 8because you know that the Lord will reward everyone for whatever good he does, whether he is slave or free.

9And masters, treat your slaves in the same way. Do not threaten them, since you know that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no favoritism with him.

Bee's Thoughts:

We are told to behave appropriately to the people we are dealing with, be it children and parents or bosses and subordinates. We are to treat each other fairly and in the love of God. Having a right and good relationship with each other is very important in the Christians' lives.

My boss always says that he may not respect his boss for his inability, but he will respect him for his position. This sounds right and inline with tonight's devotion. I need to learn to do likewise.

Dear Lord,
Thank You for reminding me how I should behave with my bosses and my junior colleagues. May You teach me to accord respect to those in authority even if I don't find them competent in those positions. Grant me Your grace to obey Your teaching.
In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.


Tommy's Thoughts:

In every forms of relationship; either between parent and children, husband and wife, friends etc, it will only work if both party submit to another with thoughtfulness and love; putting the others’ interests above our own. We have a responsibility to each other, like how children should honour their parent and how parents should care gently for their children.

Dear Father, thank You for teaching me the importance of a caring and loving relationship with those I know. Teach me to be less self-centered and self-serving in any relationships that I may have, but sincerely honors, respects, and serving each other; showing my true faith in Christ. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

Between Sundays

Colossians 3:22-25

22Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything; and do it, not only when their eye is on you and to win their favor, but with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord. 23Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, 24since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. 25Anyone who does wrong will be repaid for his wrong, and there is no favoritism.

Bee's Thoughts:

Blogger seems to have some problems.... a number of times, after I saved my drafts, they were no where to be found when I checked them and I have retype everything. :(

Anyway, tonight's devotion is a reminder that I have do as unto God in everyting, obeying authorities at my working place and speak with wisdom with them. Matthew 5:16 says we are to let our light shines before men, that they may know our father in Heaven.

Dear Lord,
I pray that You will guide me in dealing with my colleagues and the parents in our centres. May my light shines so that others may know You.
In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.


Tommy's Thoughts:

I used to wonder why God has planned it in such a way that most of us spend big portion of our times daily on works and other mundane and repetitive activities. In his book “The Will of God as a Way of Life” author Jerry Sittser explained that God is concerned more with the dailyness of our lives, the ordinary concerns that come at us every day than with those big ‘events’ or even the future.

No matter how mundane and ordinary we think our lives and vocations may be, we’ll discover that we are given similar, if not, more opportunities than those working in full-time ministry to share and spread the good news of salvation to others.

In today’s passage, similarly to 1 Peter 2:18, we were asked to submit, obey and serve those who rule over us (employer) by working diligently with and all our heart (v22); in reverence for the Lord. Through this, we’ll able to see the purpose for our vocations; we’ll know by serving our “earthly master”, we are in fact serving our Lord.

Dear Father, thank You for reminding me to work diligently at my workplace all the time. Teach me to be trustworthy, responsible, reliable and dependable with all those I work or in contact with daily, that I may be a good witness for Christ. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

First Things First

Luke 10:38-42

At the Home of Martha and Mary
38As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. 39She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet listening to what he said. 40But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, "Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!"

41"Martha, Martha," the Lord answered, "you are worried and upset about many things, 42but only one thing is needed.[a] Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her."

Bee's Thoughts:

"Bee, Bee," the Lord answered, "you are worried and upset about many things, 42but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her."

It seems the Lord is saying that to me. *sigh*

I have been so distracted by the problems with my computers that I delayed doing my devotion tonight. I forgot to ask Him to resolve the problems with me. :(

I need to come before the Lord, like Mary did, asking Him to speak to my heart and teach me how to do things His ways.


Dear Lord,
I thank You again for reminding me to be still and know that You are the Lord. Forgive me for being so ditracted by the tasks at hand that I give You last priority. Help me to always do the first thing first... to seek You above other things.
Thank You for helping me restore my computers even though I have forgotten about You. Thank You for being faithful even when I am not.
Praise You! Amen.


Tommy's Thoughts:

It’s possible for us to shove our time for God to the very last thing we do daily when we are busy with our works and schedules. Our worship degenerates from being a time to listen to God into mere ‘chore’ or ‘routine’ to be completed daily. Worst, we can even become indifferent to God and turn deaf to His calling and spiritual instruction to us.

Dear Father, thank You for teaching me to prioritize my time well; to set what most important first. Thank You for Your strength and presence when things are tough and difficult at times; that I have to do so much in so little time. Nevertheless, guide me to not fail in spending time with You through devotion and prayers daily, listening closely to You and Your calling. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

Peaceful Anxiety

Philippians 4:4-13 3

4Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

8Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. 9Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

Thanks for Their Gifts
10I rejoice greatly in the Lord that at last you have renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you have been concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it. 11I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 12I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 13I can do everything through him who gives me strength.

Bee's Thoughts:

Tonight's devotion is a very good reminder to me. Not only there has been some obstacles I am facing at my work, but my laptops also have been giving me problems since last Sat.

During times like these I may forget to bring my concerns to God, instead try very hard to solve them by myself. I may forget to give thanks in everything, including things that bother me.


Dear Lord,
Thank You for reminding me not to be anxious in anything but to pray and give thanks to You always. For You are greater than my problems.
Now I commit my work and my computers to Your hand. I pray You will guide me to do what is right to accomplish the works I need to do. Yes, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. May Your name be glorified.
In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.


Tommy's Thoughts:

Our failures to obey God and continue living in sin are normally caused by an empty and discontented heart within us. We find life is so unfair and there’s no reason for rejoicing. When overwhelmed by our unpleasant circumstances, we’ll find it hard to trust and rely on God’s promises to supply all our needs.

We can learn a lot from Paul, on how he told the church to rejoice even when he himself was in prison. Our true joy in Christ doesn’t depends on our outward circumstances, but based on the right perspective that God is in control and that He knows what best for us. We are assured that He will always be with us; giving us strength to endure and true lasting joy one day.

Dear Father, thank You for Your words that remind me of the joy I should have in You. Teach me to be contented; whether living in plenty or in want (v12). Lord, I pray that You’ll guide me to practice filling my mind always with thoughts that are true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent and praiseworthy to You (v8) and staying away from any unwholesome thoughts or materials that I may have. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.