Heart Trouble

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Ephesians 2:1-10 (NIV)
Made Alive In Christ

1 As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2 in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3 All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath. 4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. 6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7 in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

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Yes oh Lord. I truly need a new heart. A heart that does not carry the sinful natures of this world.

By Your grace and mercy, You've touched me Lord. I want to live for You.

Afresh, anew.

Sticky Burdens

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Psalm 32:1-7 (NIV)
Of David. A maskil.

1 Blessed is he
whose transgressions are forgiven,
whose sins are covered.
2 Blessed is the man
whose sin the LORD does not count against him
and in whose spirit is no deceit.
3 When I kept silent,
my bones wasted away
through my groaning all day long.
4 For day and night
your hand was heavy upon me;
my strength was sapped
as in the heat of summer.

Selah

5 Then I acknowledged my sin to you
and did not cover up my iniquity.
I said, "I will confess
my transgressions to the LORD"—
and you forgave
the guilt of my sin.

Selah

6 Therefore let everyone who is godly pray to you
while you may be found;
surely when the mighty waters rise,
they will not reach him.
7 You are my hiding place;
you will protect me from trouble
and surround me with songs of deliverance.

Selah

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Thank you Lord for showing me this message today. I am guilty of having way too much things that I always burden myself with. I don't have to carry them, and I know that once I hand them over to You, I can be free.

Lord, I'm weak while you are strong. Aid me, Holy Spirit, guide me towards the path to give up the things that I hold on so tightly in my life. You are the Master Potter Lord, mold me to do Your will.

Only when I give up everything that I hold dear to You, entrusting You with them, will I be able to have an even closer communion with You. I entrust You, Father, with my burdens and worries. All is in Your hands.

Flexibility

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James 4:13-17 (NIV)
Boasting About Tomorrow

13 Now 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." 14 Why, 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. 15 Instead, you ought to say, "If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that." 16 As it is, you boast and brag. All such boasting is evil. 17 Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins.

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Thank You Lord for this message today. I probably have suffered a disease of such loose and boastful talks too many a times. Today's message really strikes me at the heart of the problem.

I come to You Lord in repentance. Thank You for showing me that it is by Your will, that things unfold. For it is only by Your will, that guides me step by step, to carry out each day's task. I may have plans, but if it's not Your plan, nothing will be done successfully.

Father give me the wisdom to walk in Your light, to seek Your will always. Show me the direction and plans You have for me, and I shall go, by Your will.

Integrity 101

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Psalm 101 (NIV)
Of David. A psalm.

1 I will sing of your love and justice;
to you, O Lord, I will sing praise.
2 I will be careful to lead a blameless life -
when will you come to me?

I will walk in my house
with blameless heart.
3 I will set before my eyes
no vile thing.

The deeds of faithless men I hate;
they will not cling to me.
4 Men of perverse heart shall be far from me;
I will have nothing to do with evil.

5 Whoever slanders his neighbor in secret,
him will I put to silence;
whoever has haughty eyes and a proud heart,
him will I not endure.

6 My eyes will be on the faithful in the land,
that they may dwell with me;
he whose walk is blameless
will minister to me.

7 No one who practices deceit
will dwell in my house;
no one who speaks falsely
will stand in my presence.

8 Every morning I will put to silence
all the wicked in the land;
I will cut off every evildoer
from the city of the Lord.

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Dear Lord, teach me to be true towards all my friends and colleagues. Let there be no deceit, no cover ups, no lies, or anything to shun myself from responsibilities that I should bear. Bless me with wisdom to say the right things, and fulfill promises made. Give me the courage and strength to face all mistakes, errors and misunderstandings with integrity Father.

The Perfect Storm

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Mark 4:35-41 (NIV)
Jesus Calms the Storm

35 That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, "Let us go over to the other side." 36 Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. 37 A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. 38 Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, "Teacher, don't you care if we drown?"

39 He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, "Quiet! Be still!" Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.

40 He said to his disciples, "Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?"

41 They were terrified and asked each other, "Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!"

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Lord this message is dear to me. This coming week has quite a number of datelines to be fulfilled both in office and outside commitments. In fact, I have no confidence that I will actually deliver them on time.

Thank You Jesus for showing me, that You have the power to calm any storm. As long as I keep in faith in You Lord, You can calm this minor storm in Your eyes, and show me way at the end of the day.

Lord You're the lamp to my feet and a guide in my life forever. Thank You for Your blessing of wisdom that I have been able to carry out my daily tasks with. Now I trust You once again, that You'll lead me through this.

All praises to you Lord.

Reach For...

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Psalm 55:1-7,22 (NIV)
For the director of music. With stringed instruments. A maskil of David.

1 Listen to my prayer, O God,
do not ignore my plea;
2 hear me and answer me.
My thoughts trouble me and I am distraught
3 at the voice of the enemy,
at the stares of the wicked;
for they bring down suffering upon me
and revile me in their anger.

4 My heart is in anguish within me;
the terrors of death assail me.
5 Fear and trembling have beset me;
horror has overwhelmed me.
6 I said, "Oh, that I had the wings of a dove!
I would fly away and be at rest -
7 I would flee far away
and stay in the desert;

Selah

...

22 Cast your cares on the Lord
and he will sustain you;
he will never let the righteous fall.

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Father thank You for letting me know that I can cast all my cares onto you. I'm burdened at the moment with stresses from work, and I'm hyper palpitating again. It's been long since the last time, but it came back. Take my worries away Father, for no one else is capable other than You.

Your love is so amazing Lord. You created me so that I may learn to lean on You, cast all my worries on You, so that in turn You will give me blessings, and lead me to find happiness. Just thoughts of these brings me joy and relief.

Father, I acknowledging that no problem that I cast to You is too big that You can't handle. That You are the Infinite One and nothing that I put upon You is able to damage You. I know too that the more that I cast my worries upon You, the stronger our relationship will become, not weaker unlike relationships here we have on earth.

Thank You for your wonderful promises Lord. Under Your wings I find my refuge. In Your courts I find my rest. Thank You Lord for loving me the way You do.

You Are Near

Verse
In awe of You we worship
And stand amazed at Your great love
We're changed from glory
To glory
We set our hearts on You our God

Chorus
Now Your presence fills this place
Be exalted in our praise
As we worship I believe
You are near

Bridge
Blessing and honor
And glory and power
Forever
Forever

A Time To Remember

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1 Corinthians 11:23-26 (NIV)
23 For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, 24 and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, "This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me." 25 In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me." 26 For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.

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Your love for us is unmeasurable by any means Lord. I'm always flooded with gratitude as I remember the cruel scenes when You were being beaten and lashed for our sins. Nothing can ever measure the pain of having to bear the weight of all the sins of this world combined upon your shoulders Lord Jesus.

You have given me a new life Father. I'm reborn and renewed. Allow me to harness strength and courage from Your sacrifice O Lord, and never let me give up my walk with You.

Getting Free

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Mark 10:17-27 (NIV)
The Rich Young Man

17 As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. "Good teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?"

18 "Why do you call me good?" Jesus answered. "No one is good - except God alone. 19 You know the commandments: 'Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, do not defraud, honor your father and mother.' "

20 "Teacher," he declared, "all these I have kept since I was a boy."

21 Jesus looked at him and loved him. "One thing you lack," he said. "Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."

22 At this the man's face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth.

23 Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, "How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!"

24 The disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said again, "Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! 25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."

26 The disciples were even more amazed, and said to each other, "Who then can be saved?"

27 Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God."

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Possessions seem to be the largest obstacle to let go in order to reach You Lord. Many people have suffered this, that their possessions are the greatest place in their hearts. I was not an exception.

In Your Word Lord, I am taught that everything belongs to You. Whatever I have belongs to You. My life belongs to You, and I live for Your sole pleasure. Indeed, that a man can never serve 2 masters. I choose to follow You Father, and aid me to be steadfast in this decision forever.

Help me to grow spiritually Lord, to a maturity that will understand that You will always have the better picture. I want to share with all the people around me, that while I surrender to Your will, I am free. Thank You Lord for Your love has liberated me.

I want to chase after You O Lord.

Just Be Yourself

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John 9:1-25 (NIV)
Jesus Heals a Man Born Blind

1 As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. 2 His disciples asked him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?"

3 "Neither this man nor his parents sinned," said Jesus, "but his happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life. 4 As long as it is day, we must do the work of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. 5 While I am in the world, I am the light of the world."

6 Having said this, he spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man's eyes. 7 "Go," he told him, "wash in the Pool of Siloam" (this word means Sent). So the man went and washed, and came home seeing.

8 His neighbors and those who had formerly seen him begging asked, "Isn't this the same man who used to sit and beg?" 9 Some claimed that he was.

Others said, "No, he only looks like him."

But he himself insisted, "I am the man."

10 "How then were your eyes opened?" they demanded.

11 He replied, "The man they call Jesus made some mud and put it on my eyes. He told me to go to Siloam and wash. So I went and washed, and then I could see."

12 "Where is this man?" they asked him.

"I don't know," he said.

The Pharisees Investigate the Healing

13 They brought to the Pharisees the man who had been blind. 14 Now the day on which Jesus had made the mud and opened the man's eyes was a Sabbath. 15 Therefore the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight. "He put mud on my eyes," the man replied, "and I washed, and now I see."

16 Some of the Pharisees said, "This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath."

But others asked, "How can a sinner do such miraculous signs?" So they were divided.

17 Finally they turned again to the blind man, "What have you to say about him? It was your eyes he opened."

The man replied, "He is a prophet."

18 The Jews still did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight until they sent for the man's parents. 19 "Is this your son?" they asked. "Is this the one you say was born blind? How is it that now he can see?"

20 "We know he is our son," the parents answered, "and we know he was born blind. 21 But how he can see now, or who opened his eyes, we don't know. Ask him. He is of age; he will speak for himself." 22 His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jews, for already the Jews had decided that anyone who acknowledged that Jesus was the Christ would be put out of the synagogue. 23 That was why his parents said, "He is of age; ask him."

24 A second time they summoned the man who had been blind. "Give glory to God," they said. "We know this man is a sinner."

25 He replied, "Whether he is a sinner or not, I don't know. One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!"

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Lord today's message really demystifies the complexity that I thought about evangelism. I simply have to be just myself, and that would be it! Father I want to be used by You, to reflect the image of You, so that my life will be a living testimony of the great works that You've done.

Thank You Lord, for You’ve showed me the alternate way to spread Your good news.

The Lockhorns

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Proverbs 15:1-4 (NIV)
1 A gentle answer turns away wrath,
but a harsh word stirs up anger.

2 The tongue of the wise commends knowledge,
but the mouth of the fool gushes folly.

3 The eyes of the Lord are everywhere,
keeping watch on the wicked and the good.

4 The tongue that brings healing is a tree of life,
but a deceitful tongue crushes the spirit.

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Father I live in a sinful world, but thank You that you've planted many Christian friends around me, that I may learn kindness from. Your words are golden. You told us not to yolk with unbelievers. Took me some time, especially recently, to realise how true it is.

I have friends who are unbelievers, and they say words that are hurting to the heart, and to the Spirit. In an effort to protect myself, sometimes I hurl back sarcasm back at them, which causes me to sin.

O Lord, give me the grace not to hurl back at them. Instead Father, give me patience and teach me the way to continue to minister to them. Let my life reflect Yours, and bring them closer to You through my daily testimony. Tame my tongue Lord, so that I do not spout back angry words.

Father, in Your holy name, I forgive them of all their transgressions. Cleanse my heart off the eagerness to rebuke Lord. By Your will be done.

A Deep Dependence

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2 Corinthians 3:1-11 (NIV)
1 Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Or do we need, like some people, letters of recommendation to you or from you? 2 You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everybody. 3 You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.

4 Such confidence as this is ours through Christ before God. 5 Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God. 6 He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant - not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

7 Now if the ministry that brought death, which was engraved in letters on stone, came with glory, so that the Israelites could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of its glory, fading though it was, 8 will not the ministry of the Spirit be even more glorious? 9 If the ministry that condemns men is glorious, how much more glorious is the ministry that brings righteousness! 10 For what was glorious has no glory now in comparison with the surpassing glory. 11 And if what was fading away came with glory, how much greater is the glory of that which lasts!

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Father this message is extremely dear to me. While I was sharing with a colleague today, I asked her, what's her purpose in life? She replied me that she did not have any purpose, and did not find the need for any purpose to begin with. She lives happily everyday, takes life for granted, waiting for things to happen. She's not bothered by not having a clear purpose in life. Not worried at all.

I was trying to find a way that I can explain to her, but I was lost, which only implies of my lack of knowledge of Your Word Father. But thank You for showing me this answer today. Indeed to experience God's strength, we first need to experience our own weakness.

Only through the experience of our inadequacies, will we experience the love of God, His strength, love and support. Father Lord, give me patience and the wisdom to know when it's the best time to reach out to my non-Christian friends, so that when the right opportunity arises, I will do You proud.

Not Boredom But Freedom

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2 John 1-6 (NIV)
1 The elder,

To the chosen lady and her children, whom I love in the truth - and not I only, but also all who know the truth - 2 because of the truth, which lives in us and will be with us forever:

3 Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, the Father's Son, will be with us in truth and love.

4 It has given me great joy to find some of your children walking in the truth, just as the Father commanded us. 5 And now, dear lady, I am not writing you a new command but one we have had from the beginning. I ask that we love one another. 6 And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands. As you have heard from the beginning, his command is that you walk in love.

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The reason behind why I initially started daily communion with You Father, was that I felt bored. I was still serving the army that time, and I really had nothing else to kill my time with.

After I came out from army, I wanted to continue with the daily communion habit. How seductive is the world! I lost interest in Your Word and began to stray. There are just way too many enticing things out there for me to get involved in.

Nothing in this world can replace Your everlasting love. Months down the road, emptiness crept into my heart, which I initially thought was fun and exciting. I knew I had to come back to Your Word.

Now that I'm back, and even stronger in faith than before, I know I can never go back. I no longer felt that daily communion is boring. I love Your Word, Your wisdom, Your truth, Your teachings, Your guidance, Your grace, Your love, and I can really go on. Through my astray, You led me back with a greater desire to know You.

Now that I feast daily in Your Word, I do realise that Your commandments have set me free. I experience freedom from the bondage of sins. No longer do I feel pressurised by the devil for You kept them away from me.

All praises be unto You Lord, for setting me free. People who feel that a Christian's life is boring are because they have not known You. Give me strength and courage to bring the gospel of Jesus Christ to them Lord. I want my families and friends to experience real freedom as well, through my life as a testimony for Your love.

Use It Wisely

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Genesis 2:7-15 (NIV)
7 the LORD God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.

8 Now the LORD God had planted a garden in the east, in Eden; and there he put the man he had formed. 9 And the LORD God made all kinds of trees grow out of the ground—trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food. In the middle of the garden were the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

10 A river watering the garden flowed from Eden; from there it was separated into four headwaters. 11 The name of the first is the Pishon; it winds through the entire land of Havilah, where there is gold. 12 (The gold of that land is good; aromatic resin and onyx are also there.) 13 The name of the second river is the Gihon; it winds through the entire land of Cush. 14 The name of the third river is the Tigris; it runs along the east side of Asshur. And the fourth river is the Euphrates.

15 The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.

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Father I'm glad that You've instilled in me the good habit of saving resources ever since I was a young boy. I knew the importance of saving the resources, and as global warming continues to cause the rise of temperature every year, it seems all the more prudent to act now.

Lord I pray for wisdom for all people, that they'll realise the importance of saving resources for future generations, that we can indeed be good stewards in managing this earth that You've created so beautifully for us.

Here I Am To Worship

Verse 1
Light of the world
You stepped down into darkness
Opened my eyes let me see

Beauty that made
this heart adore You
Hope of a life spent with You

Chorus
Here I am to worship
Here I am to bow down
Here I am to say that
You're my God

You're altogether lovely
Altogether worthy
Altogether wonderful to me

Verse 2
King of all days
O so highly exalted
Glorious in Heaven above

Humbly You came
to the earth You created
All for love's sake became poor

Bridge
I'll never know
how much it cost
to see my sin upon that cross

A Letter From Dad

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2 Timothy 1:1-10 (NIV)
1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, according to the promise of life that is in Christ Jesus,

2 To Timothy, my dear son:

Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

Encouragement to Be Faithful

3 I thank God, whom I serve, as my forefathers did, with a clear conscience, as night and day I constantly remember you in my prayers. 4 Recalling your tears, I long to see you, so that I may be filled with joy. 5 I have been reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also. 6 For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. 7 For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.

8 So 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, 9 who 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, 10 but 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.

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Today's message seemed to be a lesson for me which I can only apply when I'm a father myself. Though it's targeted at fathers, I found another way to apply it.

Love and affirmation does not necessarily point only to parents, giving to their children. As sons and daughters, we can also express our love and affirmation to our parents. This is so true especially in my family where I'm the only Christian. Even with friends, I can also give love and words of affirmation. Lord I pray that You’ll bless my heart and tongue.

Father You gave Your best, Your Son Jesus Christ, to the world to save all, including me. I give my best to You too Father, to bring the unsaved into Your loving arms through love and affirmation. I know You’re going to guide me through. Thank You Father.

No Bragging Rights

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Ephesians 1:3-12 (NIV)
Spiritual Blessings in Christ

3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. 4 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love 5 he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. 7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace 8 that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding. 9 And he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, 10 to be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfillment—to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ.

11 In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, 12 in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory.

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Father I am nothing, yet through Your loving eyes, You saw me. You picked me up time and again, even though I'm so prone to falling. You created me according to Your pleasure and will. Lord please forgive me, for the sins I've done. You reminded me of where I am, where I am standing, and where You are. I submit myself to You Father. Let it not be a casual talk but one where I'll be mindful. Take my life Lord. You're the only one that I need.

School Of Hard Knocks

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Psalm 119:65-72 (NIV)
Teth

65 Do good to your servant
according to your word, O Lord.
66 Teach me knowledge and good judgment,
for I believe in your commands.
67 Before I was afflicted I went astray,
but now I obey your word.
68 You are good, and what you do is good;
teach me your decrees.
69 Though the arrogant have smeared me with lies,
I keep your precepts with all my heart.
70 Their hearts are callous and unfeeling,
but I delight in your law.
71 It was good for me to be afflicted
so that I might learn your decrees.
72 The law from your mouth is more precious to me
than thousands of pieces of silver and gold.

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Not all pain is bad. Father as You use afflictions as a tool to guide and teach me, let me understand Your perspective and thoughts, so that I may be brought closer to You. Even if I don't understand, I'll still delight in the knowledge that You're always here with me, going through with me whatever You have planned. Thank You Lord.

Bread For The Coming Day

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Matthew 6:9-13 (NIV)
9 "This, then, is how you should pray:

" 'Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
10 your kingdom come,
your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
11 Give us today our daily bread.
12 Forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.' ..."

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Everything comes from You Father. You provide everything that we need daily. You give, and You can definitely take away. That's why I find the importance of reminding myself daily during prayers, that it is by Your mercy and grace, that we have our daily bread.

Without your kindness, nothing will grow. Without your gifts, I wouldn't be able to work and earn to feed myself. All praises are to You Father. Nothing else can ever come close to be even compared with You.

Thank You Lord, for you bless me abundantly each day of my life.

With All My Art

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Exodus 35:30-35 (NIV)
Bezalel and Oholiab

30 Then Moses said to the Israelites, "See, the Lord has chosen Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, 31 and he has filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, ability and knowledge in all kinds of crafts - 32 to make artistic designs for work in gold, silver and bronze, 33 to cut and set stones, to work in wood and to engage in all kinds of artistic craftsmanship. 34 And he has given both him and Oholiab son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, the ability to teach others. 35 He has filled them with skill to do all kinds of work as craftsmen, designers, embroiderers in blue, purple and scarlet yarn and fine linen, and weavers - all of them master craftsmen and designers.

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Father recently I agreed to help out a friend to build his demo website, and promised myself to build a tool for a colleague to help out in his work. The motivation behind these is that I believe You gave me these talents to help people, not just to earn a living, get married, have children and then die to join You in heaven.

No, I really don't think that's the only purpose You have for me.

I want to use my talents so that it helps others, make their lives easier, and through these, reflect Your kindness and gracefulness to them. I do these not to earn praises from them, but rather, from You. By Your will Lord, guide me to do things that will bring glory and praises to You.

Imitate Me

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1 Corinthians 4:9-17 (NIV)
9 For it seems to me that God has put us apostles on display at the end of the procession, like men condemned to die in the arena. We have been made a spectacle to the whole universe, to angels as well as to men. 10 We are fools for Christ, but you are so wise in Christ! We are weak, but you are strong! You are honored, we are dishonored! 11 To this very hour we go hungry and thirsty, we are in rags, we are brutally treated, we are homeless. 12 We work hard with our own hands. When we are cursed, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it; 13 when we are slandered, we answer kindly. Up to this moment we have become the scum of the earth, the refuse of the world.

14 I am not writing this to shame you, but to warn you, as my dear children. 15 Even though you have ten thousand guardians in Christ, you do not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel. 16 Therefore I urge you to imitate me. 17 For this reason I am sending to you Timothy, my son whom I love, who is faithful in the Lord. He will remind you of my way of life in Christ Jesus, which agrees with what I teach everywhere in every church.

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For the past two weeks in my cell group, we were studying on a series called Heroes. We talked about the people who inspire us in our spiritual walk in Christ. Some people talked about biblical characters, others talked about our pastor, while another member mentions about parents being the first spiritual heroes to children.

I find myself thinking hard about who is actually my hero in my spiritual walk. I wasn't born in a Christian family, nor is there someone who's guiding me personally always.

The only one who came to my mind is You, my Lord Jesus Christ. You gave Your life to save me, to bear my sins upon Your shoulders, lived in faith according to God's mission for You on earth. You're my perfect hero, my perfect role model.

I am just a man, who falls short of the glory of God. I know that if given the right timing, I am definitely capable of sinning. Sins always knock so hard on my door that it is only possible to ignore when I think of You.

I want to imitate You Lord Jesus. I want to live a life that reflects You, and is pleasing to God.

A Little Concern

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Psalm 91:9-16 (NIV)
9 If you make the Most High your dwelling -
even the Lord, who is my refuge -
10 then no harm will befall you,
no disaster will come near your tent.
11 For he will command his angels concerning you
to guard you in all your ways;
12 they will lift you up in their hands,
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.

13 You will tread upon the lion and the cobra;
you will trample the great lion and the serpent.

14 "Because he loves me," says the Lord, "I will rescue him;
I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.
15 He will call upon me, and I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble,
I will deliver him and honor him.
16 With long life will I satisfy him
and show him my salvation."

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As I walk with You daily Father, I know that I have no needs to worry about the future. I may plan, but if it’s not Your will, things will still not get done. I entrust my life in Your hands, and that You'll never forsake me. You will definitely guide my path.

Lord, I must confess that I will still stumble sometimes, and worry for what may come in my way. In these situations Lord, help me know You are near. Let me not worry and find rest in You. I shall have no fear or worry with You in my heart.

Thank You Father Lord for Your great promises, and I will hold on to them until I see You again.

Call Of The Chickadees

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1 Thessalonians 5:12-24 (NIV)
Final Instructions

12 Now we ask you, brothers, to respect those who work hard among you, who are over you in the Lord and who admonish you. 13 Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other. 14 And we urge you, brothers, warn those who are idle, encourage the timid, help the weak, be patient with everyone. 15 Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else.

16 Be joyful always; 17 pray continually; 18 give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.

19 Do not put out the Spirit's fire; 20 do not treat prophecies with contempt. 21 Test everything. Hold on to the good. 22 Avoid every kind of evil.

23 May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it.

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Father I pray for a heightened sense of awareness against the temptations of the devil, that every time when sins are knocking on my door, I will know and bind them at first thought.

Lord I'm willing to listen to Your Word, and I pray that You will speak to me. Even if I do not feel Your presence in my most agony moments, I know that You're nonetheless here with me, and I'll be comforted.

In Your will I find strength.

Get In The Game

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Colossians 1:24-29 (NIV)
Paul's Labor for the Church

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

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

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Father God this message seems to be telling me to start thinking about a ministry. I've yet to have the courage to commit myself fully to a ministry.

If I join the choir, I may not have the time to go for practice, because of the hours that I always have to commit to my work. Furthermore, I'm shy of the stage.

If I join Speedlight, that'll be great because the rest of my cell group members are all there! But still, that means preparing materials, performing on stage, and Sundays spent longer in church.

Recently there's a ministry that really caught my eye. It's the Flexilight, which is a sports ministry. Seems to be the best of the crowd, but then, I'm still not so sure if I’m ready yet.

The questionable thing is this: Will I ever be ready? Or should I just commit? Lord You know my heart, and you know that I love to program things and make applications. If there's such a ministry, I will definitely do it! That's the talent that You had given me.

I’m fully aware of my problem. I keep procrastinating when there’s so much ministries that I can choose from. Seems to me that I want to keep all this time to myself, do the things that I like, and not willing to give up time to You.

Father, I pray to You, that You will guide me to find an appropriate ministry that I can serve You in. I really need Your guidance Father. I’m a procrastinator when it comes to ministry and I think that’s really very bad of me.

You’re my Lord, You’re my Father, You’re my God.

Show me the way Lord.

Thanksgiving All Year

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1 Chronicles 16:8-12, 23-34 (NIV)
David's Psalm of Thanks

8 Give thanks to the Lord, call on his name;
make known among the nations what he has done.
9 Sing to him, sing praise to him;
tell of all his wonderful acts.
10 Glory in his holy name;
let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice.
11 Look to the Lord and his strength;
seek his face always.
12 Remember the wonders he has done,
his miracles, and the judgments he pronounced,

...

23 Sing to the Lord, all the earth;
proclaim his salvation day after day.
24 Declare his glory among the nations,
his marvelous deeds among all peoples.
25 For great is the Lord and most worthy of praise;
he is to be feared above all gods.
26 For all the gods of the nations are idols,
but the Lord made the heavens.
27 Splendor and majesty are before him;
strength and joy in his dwelling place.
28 Ascribe to the Lord, O families of nations,
ascribe to the Lord glory and strength,
29 ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name.
Bring an offering and come before him;
worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness.
30 Tremble before him, all the earth!
The world is firmly established; it cannot be moved.
31 Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad;
let them say among the nations, "The Lord reigns!"
32 Let the sea resound, and all that is in it;
let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them!
33 Then the trees of the forest will sing,
they will sing for joy before the Lord,
for he comes to judge the earth.

34 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
his love endures forever.

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Father I'm reminded each day of Your goodness and kindness. Your mercy and grace runs everlasting. Your love overflows.

As You renew me on a daily basis, I look upon Your Word for guidance, and seek Your will to fulfill them.

Lord I want to thank You and praise You for all the wonderful things that You've done in my life, from the nitty gritty details, to the larger picture of my life. I'm so thankful Father, that You've and will always be here with me.

Actions Speak Louder

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Matthew 9:1-8 (NIV)
Jesus Heals a Paralytic

1 Jesus stepped into a boat, crossed over and came to his own town. 2 Some men brought to him a paralytic, lying on a mat. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, "Take heart, son; your sins are forgiven."

3 At this, some of the teachers of the law said to themselves, "This fellow is blaspheming!"

4 Knowing their thoughts, Jesus said, "Why do you entertain evil thoughts in your hearts? 5 Which is easier: to say, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Get up and walk'? 6 But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins..." Then he said to the paralytic, "Get up, take your mat and go home." 7 And the man got up and went home. 8 When the crowd saw this, they were filled with awe; and they praised God, who had given such authority to men.

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Father many times I may have said a lot of righteous things, yet in my daily walk, I may not have fulfilled them. Then there are situations when I feel that whatever words that comes out from my mouth is not of Your righteousness.

Thinking a level deeper about what is actually controlling my mouth and my actions, are my brain and my heart. I'm always eager to rebuke, when I should be eager to listen. At times, I let my emotions run rampant over the logical side of me as well, which ruins things.

Father Lord I pray earnestly, that You will bless me with a mind that thinks like Yours, so full of righteous thoughts, and a compassionate heart. I believe that only when I'm corrected from within, whatever output that comes forth will be from You.

Lastly Lord, I pray not to only be a talker, but also a doer. You've blessed me with tons of chances to spread Your Word to the many unsaved around me, and I shall do my best to seed, and wait patiently for Your rain of life.

Safe Forever

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Psalm 34:8-22 (NIV)
8 Taste and see that the LORD is good;
blessed is the man who takes refuge in him.
9 Fear the LORD, you his saints,
for those who fear him lack nothing.
10 The lions may grow weak and hungry,
but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing.

11 Come, my children, listen to me;
I will teach you the fear of the LORD.
12 Whoever of you loves life
and desires to see many good days,
13 keep your tongue from evil
and your lips from speaking lies.
14 Turn from evil and do good;
seek peace and pursue it.

15 The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous
and his ears are attentive to their cry;
16 the face of the LORD is against those who do evil,
to cut off the memory of them from the earth.

17 The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears them;
he delivers them from all their troubles.
18 The LORD is close to the brokenhearted
and saves those who are crushed in spirit.

19 A righteous man may have many troubles,
but the LORD delivers him from them all;
20 he protects all his bones,
not one of them will be broken.
21 Evil will slay the wicked;
the foes of the righteous will be condemned.
22 The LORD redeems his servants;
no one will be condemned who takes refuge in him.

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To date, nothing serious had happened to me. I was not involved in any serious accidents when life and death are hanging by a thread. However, I've heard of friends and real testimonials that Your protection over them when accidents occur is tangible.

We will never pray that accidents will befall on us, instead Lord, we always pray for Your protection wherever we go. In times of trials Lord, I will remember that in You, I'm safe forever.

Something For The Soul

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Psalm 119:9-16 (NIV)
Beth

9 How can a young man keep his way pure?
By living according to your word.
10 I seek you with all my heart;
do not let me stray from your commands.
11 I have hidden your word in my heart
that I might not sin against you.
12 Praise be to you, O LORD;
teach me your decrees.
13 With my lips I recount
all the laws that come from your mouth.
14 I rejoice in following your statutes
as one rejoices in great riches.
15 I meditate on your precepts
and consider your ways.
16 I delight in your decrees;
I will not neglect your word.

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Lord, reading Your Word daily brings me joy renews my faith. It deepens my understanding and teaches me the way I should live my life, so that it's fulfilling and purposeful.

I do find myself not doing enough for a particular area, and that's storing up Your Word in my heart. I should really start remembering verses, for that's the way to have permanent reminders of Your greatness and goodness, anytime, anywhere.

Father I want to commit myself to start today.

The Comeback King

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John 14:1-6 (NIV)
Jesus Comforts His Disciples

1 "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. 2 In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. 4 You know the way to the place where I am going."

Jesus the Way to the Father

5 Thomas said to him, "Lord, we don't know where you are going, so how can we know the way?"

6 Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. ..."

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Many people have came up with different ideas or reasoning, trying to shake the foundation of the Christianity faith by disputing the fact that Jesus either had never resurrected, or provided other forms of explanations that Jesus is actually just a man, not of God. In recent times, there was also the “Da Vinci Code” and the founding of the gnostic gospels from way back in time.

In response to these "findings", I always find that they contain plenty of loopholes. They try to bend near facts as facts, and using those as a platform, to confuse the masses. As long as we stay rooted in God’s Word, listen carefully to what the Holy Spirit has to say, none of these “findings” substantiate enough evidence displace the fact of what Jesus Christ had actually done for us.

My King is real, and He died for me. Though He died, He conquered death and resurrected. I am proud to say that I'm a child of God through Jesus Christ, and nothing will shake my faith in Him.

Rubberneck

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1 Peter 1:3-12 (NIV)
Praise to God for a Living Hope

3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade - kept in heaven for you, 5 who through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. 7 These have come so that your faith - of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire - may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. 8 Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, 9 for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

10 Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who spoke of the grace that was to come to you, searched intently and with the greatest care, 11 trying to find out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow. 12 It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you, when they spoke of the things that have now been told you by those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Even angels long to look into these things.

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I remember my own salvation pretty clearly, since it happened not so long ago. I felt the Holy Spirit working from within me, and I was full of joy and tears. Peace overcame me that could not be described, and I could clearly feel the presence of God surrounding me. It was near magical, and it's a feeling that I will not forget.

With days passing by, I spent a little portion of my time daily to read Your Word, and do Your works whenever You call. While I'm curious to know what have my Lord Jesus Christ had prepared for me up in heaven, I'm more worried about unsaved families and friends here on earth now. I pray earnestly to You Father, that with Your transforming power, bless me so that I can show them the way to You.

He Would Not Go In

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Luke 15:25-32 (NIV)
25 "Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. 27 'Your brother has come,' he replied, 'and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.'

28 "The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. 29 But he answered his father, 'Look! All these years I've been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. 30 But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!'

31 " 'My son,' the father said, 'you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. 32 But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.' "

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Father though I do not usually have bitter feelings or resentments, I know that I'm just a human and such feelings will attack me one day or another. If I neglect Your guidance and not guard myself well against such poison, I can easily be ensnared when it happens.

Lord I pray to You that You will protect and guard my heart from such poison. Remind me that all I have to do is to keep constant gaze upon You, and I shall find contentment. Nothing else matters.

What's The Point?

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Ecclesiastes 12:6-14 (NIV)
6 Remember him - before the silver cord is severed,
or the golden bowl is broken;
before the pitcher is shattered at the spring,
or the wheel broken at the well,
7 and the dust returns to the ground it came from,
and the spirit returns to God who gave it.

8 "Meaningless! Meaningless!" says the Teacher.
"Everything is meaningless!"

The Conclusion of the Matter

9 Not only was the Teacher wise, but also he imparted knowledge to the people. He pondered and searched out and set in order many proverbs. 10 The Teacher searched to find just the right words, and what he wrote was upright and true.

11 The words of the wise are like goads, their collected sayings like firmly embedded nails - given by one Shepherd. 12 Be warned, my son, of anything in addition to them.

Of making many books there is no end, and much study wearies the body.

13 Now all has been heard;
here is the conclusion of the matter;
Fear God and keep his commandments,
for this is the whole duty of man.
14 For God will bring every deed into judgment,
including every hidden thing,
whether it is good or evil.

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I've read something similar to this a couple of weeks ago, which I believe to the first few chapters of the book, The Purpose Driven Life. Before reading this, I never thought of what's the purpose for my life. Why am I here? What am I doing? All that I used to be concerned about was job related, getting money and chasing after fame in the industry.

All of those self-centered ambitions seem to change ever since I chose to commit my time to my Lord God. With each passing day of digging into His Word, I've come to realise that life on earth is short, and we really have to make full use of it and make the correct choices that will affect us eternally. So what if I have a lot of money? So what if I'm famous? If my Lord chooses not to look at me in heaven, what am I actually worth?

It almost seems like a daily race with time, for it is one thing that is impossible to grab hold of. Time is such a dear gift from God that I ought to spend it wisely in chasing after the correct things in life. At the end of my life here on earth, when I pass on to heaven, I want to be able to receive praise from God for my faithfulness, and that He’ll tell me, that I have been a faithful servant.

That's the point that I want to live my life for.