Rescue And Response

Psalms 107-150

1 Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good;
his love endures forever.

2 Let the redeemed of the LORD say this—
those he redeemed from the hand of the foe,

3 those he gathered from the lands,
from east and west, from north and south. [a]

4 Some wandered in desert wastelands,
finding no way to a city where they could settle.

5 They were hungry and thirsty,
and their lives ebbed away.

6 Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble,
and he delivered them from their distress.

7 He led them by a straight way
to a city where they could settle.

8 Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love
and his wonderful deeds for men,

9 for he satisfies the thirsty
and fills the hungry with good things.

Reflection of Bee:

Dear Lord,
Thank You that Your love for me never fail and Your kindness never cease. As I look back my life as a little child and now as an adult, I see Your faithfulness in my life. I commit my life to You again tonight... whether I live or die, may my life shows Your love story to others.
In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.


Reflection of Tommy:
Some accepted Christ through dramatic and unexpected experiences while others through moments of quiet illumination revealed by God. But, either way, we should be thankful for God has come to us and deliver us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love (Col. 1:13). In return, we should, with a grateful heart, use every opportunity coming our ways to tell others about God’s Good News of salvation and redemption.

Dear Father, thank You for what Christ has done on the Cross for me. Thank You for blessing me with all the richness of a life hid with Christ in You. Lord, guide and remind me of every opportunity to encourage others to know You and Your wonderful gift for everyone. In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.

Reborn Identity

2 Corinthians 5:14-21

14For Christ's love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. 15And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.

16So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. 17Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! 18All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 19that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. 20We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God. 21God made him who had no sin to be sin[a] for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

Reflection of Bee:

What can you do if you are dead? "Nothing", you may say. Right, when you are dead you can no longer do anything. However, if someone die on your behalf then the life you have now is no longer your own. That's precisely what v15 is saying... we who are saved by the blood of Jesus should live for Him.

Dear Lord,
Thank You for reminding me that my life is not my own but Yours. Teach me to leave a life worthy of You. I pray that You will guide me in the work I may do that it will help bring others to Your kingdom.
In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.



Reflection of Tommy:

In exchange of our sin, Christ's immeasurable righteousness is poured into us at our conversion. Through this, we were reconciled and brought back to God, recreated with a new life in union with Christ. Thus, we have now the privilege to be Christ’s ambassador to encourage others to do the same, to be reconciled with God.

Dear Father, thank You for reminding about my responsibility in fulfilling my commission as Christ’s ambassador. Teach me not to take this lightly or to make compromise when pressured by the contradicting values of the world today. Guide me to surrender and trust in You always in all things. In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.

Cast Your Cares

Philippians 4:4-9

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.

Reflection of Bee:

Thank God for the above assurances that I need not worry about anything, be it my career or my future. All I need to do is to give all my cares to Him and let Him care for me. I need this assurance especially now.

Dear Lord,
Thank You for caring for me. Thank You that in the midst of uncertainties I can be certain that all my needs will be taken care of. Praise You for being my Redeemer in every aspects of my life. May You make my life counts.
In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.


Reflection of Tommy:
We sure do worry about a lot of things in our every day life – our work, career, money, people etc. Can we really never being anxious about anything like what Paul mentioned in Philippians 4:6? Worrying not only waste our time and energy but shows our lack of trust in God.

Paul advices us that whenever we start to worry over something, we need to just stop and pray to God instead. Prayer helps to shift our focus on our problem to God, trusting Him to take care of us and acknowledging He is always in control. Although, our problem may still be there but through prayer, God gives us the peace that guards our hearts and minds against anxiety.

Dear Father, thank You for Your peace that is always available for me. Teach me not to be always weighed down by earthly cares and anxieties but instead to meet them with an active and experimental attitude of surrender and trust to You. In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.

Keep Praying

Luke 11:5-13

5Then he said to them, "Suppose one of you has a friend, and he goes to him at midnight and says, 'Friend, lend me three loaves of bread, 6because a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have nothing to set before him.'

7"Then the one inside answers, 'Don't bother me. The door is already locked, and my children are with me in bed. I can't get up and give you anything.' 8I tell you, though he will not get up and give him the bread because he is his friend, yet because of the man's boldness[a] he will get up and give him as much as he needs.

9"So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 10For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.

11"Which of you fathers, if your son asks for[b] a fish, will give him a snake instead? 12Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? 13If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!"

Reflection of Bee:

Tonight's passage is so comforting.... "how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!" (v13). We need to ask for the right thing so that we will receive. The right thing and the most important thing we need is the Holy Spirit. When we have Him in our life, He will guide us to do and ask for the right thing.

I need to ask, seek and knock till my prayers are answered. God wants me to open my mouth and not just simply say He knows what I need.

Dear Lord,
Thank You for guiding me in my life. Even as I embarked into another new phase in my career, I pray that Your Holy Spirit will guide me to the path I should go, where You want me to be. Help me to be sensitive to Your Spirit's leading.
I pray also for my 'bf' that You will grant him peace and the serenity to trust You in his life and career. Grant Him Your peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.
In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.


Reflection of Tommy:

Some Christians has prayed for years, but God never seem to answer their prayer. It is easy to give up praying and concludes that God doesn't care about us or we've missed the mark. But, whenever we are tempted to think these ways, read Luke 11:11-13.

It gives us the understanding and peace to trust our loving Father in Heaven to know what is best for us. Though, we may not have the full picture to why certain things turned out the way they are, we can still have the confidence to continue praying to God and learning to recognize His work.

Dear Father, thank You for Your love and sovereignty that everything is in Your control. Help me to submit and trust in You; never be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, letting all my requests be made known to You and Your peace that surpasses all understanding will always guard my heart and mind through Jesus Christ. Amen.

End Times

2 Timothy 3:1-9

Godlessness in the Last Days
1But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. 2People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, 4treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— 5having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them.

6They are the kind who worm their way into homes and gain control over weak-willed women, who are loaded down with sins and are swayed by all kinds of evil desires, 7always learning but never able to acknowledge the truth. 8Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so also these men oppose the truth—men of depraved minds, who, as far as the faith is concerned, are rejected. 9But they will not get very far because, as in the case of those men, their folly will be clear to everyone.

Reflection of Bee:

Dear Lord,
Teach me what it means to be a Christian not only in name but in actuality and in deeds. I pray that Your name will be glorified through me wherever I may be. I pray that I will bring others to know You through what happened to me.
In Jesus' name I pray.


Reflection of Tommy:
Reading Paul's list from verse 2-3 unfortunately reminds me of my own behavior sometimes towards others. Often times, we as Christians, appear to be godly outwardly but inwardly lacks the attitudes of belief, love and worship. We need to begin checking our lives against Paul's list and ask God to guide us to grow with an inward reality of Christ, emphasizes on being than merely doing.

Dear Father, thank You for teaching me to be aware of my conduct daily, that there are not contradicting to the values You wanted me to have. Lead and guide me to have right attitudes and behavior in my words and action that I may bring glory and honor to Your Name. In Jesus' Name I pray, Amen.

Celebration Of Creation

Job 38:1-7

The LORD Speaks
1 Then the LORD answered Job out of the storm. He said:

2 "Who is this that darkens my counsel
with words without knowledge?

3 Brace yourself like a man;
I will question you,
and you shall answer me.

4 "Where were you when I laid the earth's foundation?
Tell me, if you understand.

5 Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know!
Who stretched a measuring line across it?

6 On what were its footings set,
or who laid its cornerstone-

7 while the morning stars sang together
and all the angels [a] shouted for joy?

Reflection of Bee:

I could find myself dumb founded if God were to ask me those questions above. I couldn't argue with God. I have to bow down and acknowledge His sovereignty... His foreknowledge of our hearts and minds.

Dear Lord,
I know You are sovereign and all-knowing. You know me more than I know myself... You know my thoughts and my intentions. Forgive me for all my sins before You and help me live a life that is pleasing to You that will bring glory to Your name.
As I start my work again tomorrow, grant me wisdom to know how to handle the people I work with and to resolve problems well as they come. Grant me good health and let me sleep well.
In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.



Reflection of Tommy:

When things get awry, we sometimes wonder where’s God and why isn’t He doing anything about our situation. Or, we get troubled or even envied when those who we think that are less ‘devoted’ to God have such an easier life than us. In the classic story of Job, we see how God revealed Job’s ignorance of His moral order through his ignorance of earth’s natural order.

Like Job, we sometimes, unknowingly put God under our law of fairness; asking Him with many ’whys’ for our circumstances, instead of acknowledging that God is higher than any standard or criterion we can think of. God himself is the standard. Our response should be to submit to His authority and rest in His loving care.

Dear Lord, thank You for showing to me the right perspective when dealing when trials in my life. Thank You that because of who You are, I have the peace, confidence and courage to humbly accept all that You allows to happen in my life. Keep me remain firmly committed to You and obey You always. In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.

Dial 9 For Worship

Psalm 9:1-14

For the director of music. To the tune of "The Death of the Son." A psalm of David.
1 [a]I will praise you, O LORD, with all my heart;
I will tell of all your wonders.

2 I will be glad and rejoice in you;
I will sing praise to your name, O Most High.

3 My enemies turn back;
they stumble and perish before you.

4 For you have upheld my right and my cause;
you have sat on your throne, judging righteously.

5 You have rebuked the nations and destroyed the wicked;
you have blotted out their name for ever and ever.

6 Endless ruin has overtaken the enemy,
you have uprooted their cities;
even the memory of them has perished.

7 The LORD reigns forever;
he has established his throne for judgment.

8 He will judge the world in righteousness;
he will govern the peoples with justice.

9 The LORD is a refuge for the oppressed,
a stronghold in times of trouble.

10 Those who know your name will trust in you,
for you, LORD, have never forsaken those who seek you.

11 Sing praises to the LORD, enthroned in Zion;
proclaim among the nations what he has done.

12 For he who avenges blood remembers;
he does not ignore the cry of the afflicted.

13 O LORD, see how my enemies persecute me!
Have mercy and lift me up from the gates of death,

14 that I may declare your praises
in the gates of the Daughter of Zion
and there rejoice in your salvation.

Reflection of Bee:

The above Psalmist praised God even in the midst of troubles. We can learn from him to do likewise when we feel dry or don't feel like worshipping God:

Open your heart (v.1). Let praise roll forth!
Review all the things He has done for you (v.1).
Rejoice! Be glad! Sing! (v.2)
Acknowledge that He defends you (vv.3-5).
Go to Him for refuge (v.9).
Talk about what He’s done for you (v.11).
Receive His mercy and rejoice in His salvation (vv.13-14).

Dear Lord,
Teach me to open my mouth to praise You in in all circumstances.
Even when things don't go my way, I will praise You.
When people misunderstood me, I will praise you.
When I lose the people I loved, I will praise You,
When I am sick and feeling weak, I will praise You.
When it's time I leave this earth, I will praise You.
For You are worthy to be praised in all circumstances.
Amen.



Reflection of Tommy:

If we do take the time to think about each aspect of God’s divine nature, we will understand, greatly appreciate and be grateful of whom He is. Although our lives may not be free from injustices, rejection, loss, pain or suffering; but God’s presence, promises and attributes enable us to trust and surrender to Him like a child. He provides us the strength, peace, hope and confidence to hang on and move on when we feel like quitting the race.

Dear Father, I thank You and praise You for who You are. I thank You that because of You I have the peace and be free from unnecessary worry of how others perceive or treat me. Thank You also that You will never forsake me if I earnestly seek You and Your kingdom first. Guide me to have the right motive always when praying to You, that they will always be to bring You glory and honor. In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.

The New Religion

Ecclesiastes 2:1-11

Pleasures Are Meaningless
1 I thought in my heart, "Come now, I will test you with pleasure to find out what is good." But that also proved to be meaningless. 2 "Laughter," I said, "is foolish. And what does pleasure accomplish?" 3 I tried cheering myself with wine, and embracing folly—my mind still guiding me with wisdom. I wanted to see what was worthwhile for men to do under heaven during the few days of their lives.

4 I undertook great projects: I built houses for myself and planted vineyards. 5 I made gardens and parks and planted all kinds of fruit trees in them. 6 I made reservoirs to water groves of flourishing trees. 7 I bought male and female slaves and had other slaves who were born in my house. I also owned more herds and flocks than anyone in Jerusalem before me. 8 I amassed silver and gold for myself, and the treasure of kings and provinces. I acquired men and women singers, and a harem [a] as well—the delights of the heart of man. 9 I became greater by far than anyone in Jerusalem before me. In all this my wisdom stayed with me.

10 I denied myself nothing my eyes desired;
I refused my heart no pleasure.
My heart took delight in all my work,
and this was the reward for all my labor.

11 Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done
and what I had toiled to achieve,
everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind;
nothing was gained under the sun.

Reflection of Bee:

A "New Religion" has crept into many lives, including Christians. This religion is Materialism. Some call it the 5 Cs or other new terms.

When we read all that the King had done in the above passage, they looked legitimate. Yet on closer look we know that what he did was more than what he needed. He had everything yet his conclusion was all his achievements were "meaningless, a chasing after the wind, nothing was gained under the sun" (v11). He was the wisest King yet he committed such foolishness.

Today many are doing the same things too... they may take up many "projects", work very hard, earn more money, but at the end of the day lose their health, their loved ones and even themselves. We need to beware of our own tendency to become materialistic, and know our own limit and priority in life before it is too late.

Dear Lord,
Teach me to number my days and live them well for You. Teach me to lay up my treasures in heaven and not on earth where I can't bring them along with me when I die.
I pray too for my 'bf' that he will not fall into the same trap as the King. Grant him good night rest and a safe journey home tomorrow.
In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.



Reflection of Tommy:
Many sincere Christians know clearly that they will never receive true fulfillment from possession, money or achievements. They also know only God can provides all that they need. But, they still find themselves working so hard daily, having very little left for God.

The problem lies in their trust in God and also the confusion over God’s will for their lives. They work hard because they worry what if what they are doing (working hard) is in fact what God wanted them to do. They think it may be part of God’s will for them to be this hardworking and to save for their future.

It is true God want us to work hard and diligently, but our work should never take first place in our lives. Instead, we should put God first by going to Him daily with prayer and devotion. He will supply us with the right perspective on His will for our career and ambition.

We also need not to worry what to do or guessing what His will for us when we seek Him first because He will guide us in every step. Often, when we have a close relationship with Him and constantly and actively resting our trust in Him, things will turn out so much more smoothly in our lives.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for reminding me on this again. Forgive me of my lack of faith sometimes to fully trust and surrender my concerns to You. Guide me to spend time each day listening to Your guidance through the Holy Spirit. Teach me most of all to always have the right priority to seek You first, not to wait for tomorrow but to do it now! In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.

Happiness And Holiness

1 Peter 1:13-21

13Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed. 14As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. 15But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; 16for it is written: "Be holy, because I am holy."

17Since you call on a Father who judges each man's work impartially, live your lives as strangers here in reverent fear. 18For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, 19but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. 20He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake. 21Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God.

Reflection of Bee:

Sometimes we can feel tired trying to live up to what the Bible teaches us. We feel a sense of hopelessness that we can't be holy as He is holy. We are are to be "self-controlled" rather than to be controlled by our evil desires (v13, 14).

One way to holiness is to remember that we are bought with the price of Jesus' blood (v19). With that thought in mind, we would want to do the things that please Him.

Dear Lord,
Teach me to be holy day by day. Keep me pure and help me thing of what You have done for me always.
In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.




Reflection of Tommy:

Our society today laughs and cringes over the word holiness or being holy. Being holy means to be totally devoted or dedicated to God, set aside for God’s special use and set apart from sin and its influence. As believer, we are called to be holy because He is holy (v16).

We can’t be holy on our own but through the Holy Spirit in us that helps us to obey and give us the power to overcome sin. When we make all our focus and priorities to be His, we will be holy with His qualities in our lives.

Dear Father, thank You for teaching me to be holy in everything I do. Teach me not to compromise this because of the pressure to blend in with the crowd. I pray that I will always be ready to allow the Holy Spirit to guide and lead me in all my ways. In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.

The Blame Game

Genesis 3:1-13

The Fall of Man
1 Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, "Did God really say, 'You must not eat from any tree in the garden'?"

2 The woman said to the serpent, "We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, 3 but God did say, 'You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.' "

4 "You will not surely die," the serpent said to the woman. 5 "For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil."

6 When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. 7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.

8 Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the LORD God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the LORD God among the trees of the garden. 9 But the LORD God called to the man, "Where are you?"

10 He answered, "I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid."

11 And he said, "Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?"

12 The man said, "The woman you put here with me—she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it."

13 Then the LORD God said to the woman, "What is this you have done?"
The woman said, "The serpent deceived me, and I ate."

Reflection of Bee:

There is a tendency for us to blame others when things go wrong. One subtle way of not taking personal responsibility is by saying "I am like that, can't be helped." or "I am a bad guy". These statements do not correct the wrongs that were done.

To take personal responsibility is to right the wrongs. One good example of this is Zaccheus, the tax collector. When Zaccheus followed Jesus he said, "if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount." (Luke 19:8-10) That is to make restitution and restoration if we truly feel sorry for the wrongs we made.

Dear Lord,
Thank You for reminding me not to blame others when things go wrong but to take personal responsibilities. I pray for grace and strength to do what is right to bring glory to Your name. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.



Reflection of Tommy:
Despite knowing its consequences, many Christians today still feel helplessly trapped in the bondage of sin. They also realized how the effects of their sin spread to those close to them. The first step to overcome sin is not by hiding from God, like Adam and Eve, but to recognize and confess them to God. Because of what Christ has done on the Cross for us, we can come to God in repentance, knowing God actively offers us His unconditional love.

But, repentance is not merely a thought but also an action. We need to begin making decision each day to take concrete steps to overcome, run (sometimes literally) and avoid things or situation that will lead us to sin. Pray daily for strength from God to resist all form of temptation and wisdom to discern areas of our lives that need to be changed. And finally, always remember Jesus is with us every step of the way!

Dear Father, thank You for teaching me once again not to blame others or situation for my wrongdoings. Teach me to ask the Holy Spirit to show any wrongdoing I may have- thoughts, desires, words, relationship, actions; and confess them to You. Lord, guide me then take step to truly repented from them and placing myself in Your hands in total obedience. Thank You Lord, for all these I ask in Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Choices

Ruth 1:11-18

11 But Naomi said, "Return home, my daughters. Why would you come with me? Am I going to have any more sons, who could become your husbands? 12 Return home, my daughters; I am too old to have another husband. Even if I thought there was still hope for me—even if I had a husband tonight and then gave birth to sons- 13 would you wait until they grew up? Would you remain unmarried for them? No, my daughters. It is more bitter for me than for you, because the LORD's hand has gone out against me!"

14 At this they wept again. Then Orpah kissed her mother-in-law good-by, but Ruth clung to her.

15 "Look," said Naomi, "your sister-in-law is going back to her people and her gods. Go back with her."

16 But Ruth replied, "Don't urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. 17 Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the LORD deal with me, be it ever so severely, if anything but death separates you and me." 18 When Naomi realized that Ruth was determined to go with her, she stopped urging her.

Reflection of Bee:

"I’ve come to realize that my life is not made by the dreams that I dream but by the choices that I make." - friend of Joe Stowell

Quite true. Dreams remain dreams when there is no action taken, The choices that we made are the actions that will let us know if our dreams are attainable.

We have to make choices since the day we are born. We do make many wrong choices in life but that's how we learn and grow. However, some choices have major impact to our life, e.g. career, marriage or business partner, and most importantly the God we believe in.

Ruth has made the right choice, though humanly speaking her choice was to her disadvantage. Yet her commitment to her mother-in-law had made her chose to stay with her till death. This shows that in making choices we have to look beyond our own current needs and see the needs of the people we loved.

Dear Lord,
Thank You for helping me to choose You. The best choice in my life. Teach me to make the right choices daily that will ultimately bring glory to You.
In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.



Reflection of Tommy:

From today’s Daily Bread, the author said that life usually boil down to a choice between "What do I want?" and "What’s best for others?” Many today like Orpah, choose what they want almost all the times; serving only themselves instead of the needs of others.

But for Ruth, she saw the needs of others and put it first before her own, making the decision to serve the needs of Naomi and she went on to play a significant role in Jewish history and became an ancestor of Jesus.

Dear Father, thank You for teaching me that everyday there are many opportunities to show true care for the needs of others. Teach me to make every choice by first putting the needs of others than always only my own. In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.

Dead Or Alive

John 20:1-8

The Empty Tomb
1Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance. 2So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, "They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don't know where they have put him!"

3So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb. 4Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. 5He bent over and looked in at the strips of linen lying there but did not go in. 6Then Simon Peter, who was behind him, arrived and went into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, 7as well as the burial cloth that had been around Jesus' head. The cloth was folded up by itself, separate from the linen. 8Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed.

Reflection of Bee:

There is a tendency for us to see first then believe. Even the disciple whom Jesus loved believed only after he saw His clothe at the tomb (v.8). Is Jesus dead or alive? To those who have not experienced His power and love, He is dead. But to those who have a real experience with Jesus, He is alive in their hearts.

Dear Lord,
Thank You that You have risen from the dead and is living in my heart right now. I pray that You will help me share this truth with those I come in contact with that they my know You too. Let me experience Your resurrection power now even in my feeble and sick body.
Thank You for giving my 'bf' and his family a safe journey home tonight.
In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Reflection of Tommy:
Our hope for salvation will never be possible if Christ has not risen from the death. It’s only because of His atoning death and resurrection, we can have eternal life.

Because He lives, I can face tomorrow,
Because He lives, all fear is gone;
Because I know He holds the future,
And life is worth the living,
Just because He lives!

Dear Father, thank You for sending Your Son Jesus to love, heal and forgive me. Thank You that because of the empty tomb, I can have an eternal life with You (1 Cor. 15:20-22). Thank You also that because You lives, I have the peace and calm assurance to boldly face all uncertain days ahead. Lord, I pray for Your continuing guidance to bring me closer to You and Your will for my life. In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.

The Way To Success

Joshua 1:1-9

The LORD Commands Joshua
1 After the death of Moses the servant of the LORD, the LORD said to Joshua son of Nun, Moses' aide: 2 "Moses my servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give to them—to the Israelites. 3 I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses. 4 Your territory will extend from the desert to Lebanon, and from the great river, the Euphrates—all the Hittite country—to the Great Sea [a] on the west. 5 No one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you.

6 "Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their forefathers to give them. 7 Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. 8 Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. 9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go."

Reflection of Bee:

Why did God have to tell Joshua to be strong and courageous" twice (v7, 9)? Because there will be many things which may discourage him and the Israelites as they tried to enter the promised land. The giants of the land are sure discouragements to them. Yet God showed Joshua how to be successful and prosperous.... by being obedient without compromising (v7, 8).

Similarly, we may encounter some discouragements in our Christian walk. Tonight God is also telling us to be courageous and be obedient to His word. This is the way to be successful and prosperous. He promised not to leave us nor forsake us.

Dear Lord,
Thank You for being with me through my discouraging moments. I pray You will grant me grace to be obedient to You always. I pray You will heal my sickness tonight and grant me a good night sleep.
I pray for safe journey home for my 'bf'. Grant him the power of Your Holy Spirit to live a life that is victorious and successful too.
In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.




Reflection of Tommy:
In today’s passage, we see how God repeatedly asking Joshua to be strong and courageous because of the tough challenges coming his way. Likewise, we will similarly face all kinds of difficult situation and trials in this life. But, as Christian we need not to be afraid or discouraged because God has promised never to abandon us or fail to help us.

All we need to do is to rest in His loving arm, trusting Him, obeying His Word day and night, and asking Him to direct and lead us in everything we do. In doing so, we’ll receive true lasting prosperity and success in God’s eyes.

Dear Father, thank You for the comforting assurance I have in You despite the difficulties at hand. Thank You for teaching me to be prepared always to face all obstacles ahead by being strong and courageous, obeying all Your laws and constantly reading, studying and applying Your Word in my life. In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.

Finding God In The Darkness

Acts 17:24-31

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."

Reflection of Bee:

There will be times in our Christian walk that God seems very far from us. We may wonder why we don't feel God's presence anymore. Did we sin that God is hiding from us or is God testing our faith?

I remember as a young Christian, I often struggled with my faith. Whenever I didn't feel God near, I doubted and wondered if I believed in the right God. As I grew in my Christian life through studying the bible and fellowshipping with fervent Christians, I realized that God wanted me to live by faith, not by sight. That means, even though I don't feel God I KNOW that He is with me; though I don't feel His love I KNOW that He loves me very much. Perhaps, such faith in God makes me trust others easily even if I don't see that person face to face. I always trust first till proven otherwise.

Tonight's devotion reminds us that God is "not far from each one of us" (v28). He is always there waiting for us to seek Him out.

Dear Lord,
Thank You for Your word of assurance that You are always there for me. Even if I don't feel You at times, even though I can't see You now, I know You. Keep me from the snares of the evil one and help me be strong no matter how I feel. I pray You will touch my heart now.... heal it completely and make it strong.
In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.



Reflection of Tommy:

When God created us, He desires to make Himself known to us. He placed us at a particular place and time, where we would seek Him and make the choice to reach out to Him and find Him (v27). And for those who diligently seek Him, He will make Himself known and rewards them with all the blessings of a life hid with Christ in God (Heb. 11:6, Col.3:3-4).

Dear Father, thank You for teaching me to entirely surrender to You and trusting in You perfectly. Forgive me for my un-Christlike attitudes and behaviors towards others, hindering Christ to live and work in me effectively. Teach me to repent from this and deny self continually; putting on the life of Christ, in a true divine union with You (John 17:21,23). In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.

The Best Find

2 Chronicles 34:14-2

The Book of the Law Found
14 While they were bringing out the money that had been taken into the temple of the LORD, Hilkiah the priest found the Book of the Law of the LORD that had been given through Moses. 15 Hilkiah said to Shaphan the secretary, "I have found the Book of the Law in the temple of the LORD." He gave it to Shaphan.

16 Then Shaphan took the book to the king and reported to him: "Your officials are doing everything that has been committed to them. 17 They have paid out the money that was in the temple of the LORD and have entrusted it to the supervisors and workers." 18 Then Shaphan the secretary informed the king, "Hilkiah the priest has given me a book." And Shaphan read from it in the presence of the king.

19 When the king heard the words of the Law, he tore his robes. 20 He gave these orders to Hilkiah, Ahikam son of Shaphan, Abdon son of Micah, [a] Shaphan the secretary and Asaiah the king's attendant: 21 "Go and inquire of the LORD for me and for the remnant in Israel and Judah about what is written in this book that has been found. Great is the LORD's anger that is poured out on us because our fathers have not kept the word of the LORD; they have not acted in accordance with all that is written in this book."

Reflection of Bee:

Before we became Christians, we were ignorant of the sins we have in our life. However, when we became Christians, the Holy Spirit will quicken our spirit and help us see many truth as we study the Bible. Things we did not consider as sins before now become sinful to us. When we know that we have sinned, the right response is to repent.

Dear Lord,
Please let me be willing to repent of all known sins and I pray that the blood of Christ to wash me white as snow. Please grant me an obedient heart to follow Your ways as You reveal them to me.
In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.


Reflection of Tommy:

Josiah in grief tore his robes because he was so appalled at the people’s neglect of the law. Many treat sin lightly- blaming others or making excuses for their own action and irresponsibility. There are also those who trying to minimize the harm done by pretending that it’s not so bad.

We can only have true remorse of our sin when we stop taking it lightly and blaming others or situation for causing us to sin. When we finally see, understand and grieve over our sins, we’ll be moved to true repentance that leads to salvation.

Dear Father, thank You for teaching me that I’m responsible for my action and attitudes. Thank You for reminding me to never treat any sins lightly, but to understand and respond with true remorse like Josiah. Guide me to repent of any sins or wrong desire in me and allowing You to change me and cleanse me from all unrighteousness. In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.

Do You Love Me?

John 14:15-24

Jesus Promises the Holy Spirit
15"If you love me, you will obey what I command. 16And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever— 17the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be[a] in you. 18I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. 19Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. 20On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. 21Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him."

22Then Judas (not Judas Iscariot) said, "But, Lord, why do you intend to show yourself to us and not to the world?"

23Jesus replied, "If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. 24He who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.

Reflection of Bee:

What is the sign of love?

In my search for the answers to know the difference between love and lust I found some articles that shed some light.

1. Article Are You In Love Or Lust? ....the difference between them

2. Article Are you in Love or Lust? ....talks about Relationship Compatibility being The key to happy long lasting relationships....

3. Article Love or Lust? ....a Christian's viewpoint


In the above passage, Jesus repeated 3 times, "If you love me, you will obey..." (v15, 21, 23). Biblically, the sign of love is the willingness to do what your loved one ask you to do in order to please him/her. Of course, if you love the wrong person you may do the wrong things.

Therefore, if we say that we love God we are to obey Him and please Him.


Dear Lord,
I pray that my love for You will grow each day and I will obey You more and more. For Your command is always good for me.
I pray for my 'bf' too, that You will teach him to trust and obey You. In His weakness please give him strength.
In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.




Reflection of Tommy:

Jesus loves us with more than the love of friendship. He didn’t spare Himself, He has given us all, and He asks for all in return. The slightest reserve from us will grieve Him to the heart. As He has completely surrendered all that He had for our sake, we must also surrender our all to Him in obedience and love, without limitation or measure.

Dear Father, thank You for Your amazing love and grace for us. Although we do not deserve these gifts, yet You have given them all to us, even Your only beloved Son. Teach me to love You back by obeying all Your commands and teachings (v15,23), may my every word and action bring pleasure to You and glory to Your Name. In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.

There Is Love

1 John 4:7-11

God's Love and Ours
7Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son[a] into the world that we might live through him. 10This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for[b] our sins. 11Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.

Reflection of Bee:

A Valentine's Day postcard says:

Love is not in the air... it is on the cross.
Some say that love is in the air. Well things in the air come and go with the passing breezes. The bible teaches that real love was firmly planted on the earth in the cross of Jesus Christ who died so that we can be God's friends forever.

Yes, the test of real love is on the cross. The cross speaks of sacrifice and giving. Can we pass the test?

Dear Lord,
Let not bad experiences remove true love from my heart. Let me love no matter how I am treated. Come into my heart and let Your love fills my soul always.
In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Reflection of Tommy:

In today passage, we are clearly called to love one another, for love comes from God (v7). If we are to look around us, we’ll see many opportunities to love faithfully those God has brought into our lives.

This love always involves a choice and action, not merely a feeling, as 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 shows. And when we truly love one another, God reveals himself to others through us, and His love is made complete (v12).

Dear Father, thank You for teaching me to stop and evaluate whether I have love faithfully those You have brought into my life. Guide me to love not like the world, but the way You love. I pray for discernment and strength to obey Your commandment of love always. In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.

Raised In Glory

1 Corinthians 15:42-49

42So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; 43it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; 44it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body.
If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. 45So it is written: "The first man Adam became a living being"[a]; the last Adam, a life-giving spirit. 46The spiritual did not come first, but the natural, and after that the spiritual. 47The first man was of the dust of the earth, the second man from heaven. 48As was the earthly man, so are those who are of the earth; and as is the man from heaven, so also are those who are of heaven. 49And just as we have borne the likeness of the earthly man, so shall we[b] bear the likeness of the man from heaven.

Reflection of Bee:

I saw an advertisement on a lamp post last month, where it showed picture of a teenage girl which said: "Do you know that 1 in 5 girls your age has gone through plastic surgery?"
Yesterday I heard a radio commercial when I was in the taxi: A lady asked her friend, "Why is it called plastic surgery? Is it because after surgery your face will become plastic or because the surgery uses plastic?"

Hehehe... sounded comical isn't it? But the truth is many people, young and old, male and female are seeking for ways and means to stay good looking. Our again process is something most find it hard to accept. However, for Christians, we have the assurance that our old aging bodies will be transformed into new bodies that are "imperishable" (v42). Isn't that wonderful to know?


Dear Lord,

Thank You that I shall have that perfect body one day. May this hope of glory spurs me on remember that I should lay my treasures in heaven and not on earth. For all the things on earth will pass away and decay one day.
In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.



Reflection of Tommy:

All of us face limitations. We may have been coping with some form of sickness or weakness- physically or emotionally, in our present earthly bodies. But as Christian, we have the assurance and hope to be given a new imperishable spiritual body when Christ returns. This body will be without any kind of disabilities, weaknesses or imperfection; it will never die or become sick. God will give us this transformed, eternal body suited to our new eternal life.

Dear Father, thank You for the hope and the gift of this spiritual body when Christ returns. For now, teach me to continue walking in Your love and to use all that You’ve given me to good use; bringing glory and honor to You. In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.

Knock, Knock

2 Timothy 1:8-12

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

Reflection of Bee:

Have you ever heard the conversation between mothers or fathers? You are quite likely to hear them talking about their children. When one loves someone, one will love to speak about that someone as much as there's opportunity.

It it the same if we love the Lord Jesus Christ... we will have the tendency to talk about Him in our conversation with others. It can't be help if we have fallen in love with our Saviour, we will never be ashamed to talk about Him.


Dear Lord,
You are so worthy of my praise and boasting about You. For You have done great things in my life and in those who loved You. I pray for more opportunities to share Your love with those around me that they may love You too.
In Your most wonderful name I pray. Amen.



Reflection of Tommy:

We can sometimes be so overwhelmed by our problems that we think it is too complicated or difficult even for God to help us. We feel totally lost and confused as to how we can solve our problems.

In today’s passage, we see how Timothy was greatly discouraged by the problems in Ephesus and fearful of persecution. But, Paul advised him to trust fully in God when facing setbacks, problems or difficult transitions in life because God is always in control. He will provide everything we ever needed to face the future, if we would hold on tightly to His resources.

Dear Father, thank You for teaching me not to be ashamed to share the Good News to others. Teach me to share it with boldness, gentleness, tact and most importantly out of love for Your people. Guide me to spend more time reading and meditating on Your Word and listening to what and where You want to lead me to as a true disciple of Christ. In Christ’s Name I pray, Amen.

Godly Wisdom

Luke 14:25-33

The Cost of Being a Disciple
25Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said: 26"If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters—yes, even his own life—he cannot be my disciple. 27And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.I

28"Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Will he not first sit down and estimate the cost to see if he has enough money to complete it? 29For if he lays the foundation and is not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule him, 30saying, 'This fellow began to build and was not able to finish.'

31"Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Will he not first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand? 32If he is not able, he will send a delegation while the other is still a long way off and will ask for terms of peace. 33In the same way, any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple.

34"Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? 35It is fit neither for the soil nor for the manure pile; it is thrown out.
"He who has ears to hear, let him hear."

Reflection of Bee:

To be a disciple of Christ costs all that we have, all that we love, and all that we are. Even though I have been following Christ for many years, there are still struggles once in a while to surrender my all to Him.

Perhaps I can surrender my wealth but to surrender people I loved may be quite difficult because it touches my heart where my 'treasure' is. "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." (Matthew 6:21). Material things don't move me for I eat to live and not live to eat.

The devil knows my weakness and God knows my heart. The one I treasured most have been taken away from me. It still pains me whenever I think about it. Yet I need to learn to replace what I treasured most with God. This is the "cross" I have to bear.

Dear Lord,
You know my heart, my struggle, my pain, and my longing. Give me strength as I learn to take up my "cross " and follow You. May You give me grace and mercy to do what I should and not give in to the evil one.
In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.




Reflection of Tommy:

The preacher in my church today talked about how believers who are illiterate can be wiser than a highly educated person who has yet to accept God as the source of wisdom. Like Peter and John, who are not educated, but possessed great spiritual wisdom to do God’s mighty works.

A person can have true wisdom only through first fearing (revere) God (v10), acknowledging He is the true source of our wisdom, not through life experience or academic knowledge alone. With the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, God’s Word are fully revealed and illuminated to us (Corinthians 2:10).

Dear Father, thank You for teaching me to not solely rely on the wisdom of the world (1 Cor. 1:18, 20) but to first acknowledging You are the true source for my wisdom. You are the true foundation for me to make wise decisions and avoiding foolish choices. Lord, guard my heart and mind always, that I will bring glory and honor to Your Name with my words and action. In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.