Flawed Impressions

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Joshua 22:10-34 (NIV)
Eastern Tribes Return Home

10 When they came to Geliloth near the Jordan in the land of Canaan, the Reubenites, the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh built an imposing altar there by the Jordan. 11 And when the Israelites heard that they had built the altar on the border of Canaan at Geliloth near the Jordan on the Israelite side, 12 the whole assembly of Israel gathered at Shiloh to go to war against them.

13 So the Israelites sent Phinehas son of Eleazar, the priest, to the land of Gilead - to Reuben, Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh. 14 With him they sent ten of the chief men, one for each of the tribes of Israel, each the head of a family division among the Israelite clans.

15 When they went to Gilead - to Reuben, Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh - they said to them: 16 "The whole assembly of the Lord says: 'How could you break faith with the God of Israel like this? How could you turn away from the Lord and build yourselves an altar in rebellion against him now? 17 Was not the sin of Peor enough for us? Up to this very day we have not cleansed ourselves from that sin, even though a plague fell on the community of the Lord! 18 And are you now turning away from the Lord?

" 'If you rebel against the Lord today, tomorrow he will be angry with the whole community of Israel. 19 If the land you possess is defiled, come over to the Lord's land, where the Lord's tabernacle stands, and share the land with us. But do not rebel against the Lord or against us by building an altar for yourselves, other than the altar of the Lord our God. 20 When Achan son of Zerah acted unfaithfully regarding the devoted things, did not wrath come upon the whole community of Israel? He was not the only one who died for his sin.' "

21 Then Reuben, Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh replied to the heads of the clans of Israel: 22 "The Mighty One, God, the Lord! The Mighty One, God, the Lord! He knows! And let Israel know! If this has been in rebellion or disobedience to the Lord, do not spare us this day. 23 If we have built our own altar to turn away from the Lord and to offer burnt offerings and grain offerings, or to sacrifice fellowship offerings on it, may the Lord himself call us to account.

24 "No! We did it for fear that some day your descendants might say to ours, 'What do you have to do with the Lord, the God of Israel? 25 The Lord has made the Jordan a boundary between us and you - you Reubenites and Gadites! You have no share in the Lord.' So your descendants might cause ours to stop fearing the Lord.

26 "That is why we said, 'Let us get ready and build an altar - but not for burnt offerings or sacrifices.' 27 On the contrary, it is to be a witness between us and you and the generations that follow, that we will worship the Lord at his sanctuary with our burnt offerings, sacrifices and fellowship offerings. Then in the future your descendants will not be able to say to ours, 'You have no share in the Lord.'

28 "And we said, 'If they ever say this to us, or to our descendants, we will answer: Look at the replica of the Lord's altar, which our fathers built, not for burnt offerings and sacrifices, but as a witness between us and you.'

29 "Far be it from us to rebel against the Lord and turn away from him today by building an altar for burnt offerings, grain offerings and sacrifices, other than the altar of the Lord our God that stands before his tabernacle."

30 When Phinehas the priest and the leaders of the community - the heads of the clans of the Israelites - heard what Reuben, Gad and Manasseh had to say, they were pleased. 31 And Phinehas son of Eleazar, the priest, said to Reuben, Gad and Manasseh, "Today we know that the Lord is with us, because you have not acted unfaithfully toward the Lord in this matter. Now you have rescued the Israelites from the Lord's hand."

32 Then Phinehas son of Eleazar, the priest, and the leaders returned to Canaan from their meeting with the Reubenites and Gadites in Gilead and reported to the Israelites. 33 They were glad to hear the report and praised God. And they talked no more about going to war against them to devastate the country where the Reubenites and the Gadites lived.

34 And the Reubenites and the Gadites gave the altar this name: A Witness Between Us that the Lord is God.

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Lord I'm thankful for this wonderful message today. We live in a society now that seems to put more emphasis on what's on the outside than what's on the inside. More often than not, we judge too quickly, based on how certain things look, jumping to unnecessary conclusions and that most of the times end up not well.

Fill my heart with Your patience and love Lord, so that it may better serve You and Your purpose. Let me learn look not at the superficial, but rather at the qualities that are deep down where only with Your wisdom will reveal.

Made To Last Forever

Day Four
Thinking about My Purpose

Points to Ponder: There is more to life than just here and now.

Verse to Remember: "This world is fading away, along with everything it craves. But if you do the will of God, you will live forever." 1 John 2:17 (NLT)

Question to Consider: Since I was made to last forever, what is the one thing I should stop doing and the one thing I should start doing today?
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The Right Stuff

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Galatians 1:6-12 (NIV)
No Other Gospel

6 I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— 7 which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ. 8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned! 9 As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let him be eternally condemned!

10 Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ.

11 I want you to know, brothers, that the gospel I preached is not something that man made up. 12 I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it; rather, I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ.

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Father I'm glad that You've blessed Lighthouse abundantly, that every time the sermons that our pastors preach manage to teach me a new perspective of Christ, touch and renew my heart. I know it must be the right Word of God, since I can feel the Holy Spirit working in me.

Lord I pray that You will continue to bless Lighthouse and may its light shines out the darkness in people's heart, and guides more lost souls to Your everlasting kingdom. Through Your wisdom, nothing is impossible.

What Drives Your Life?

Day Three
Thinking about My Purpose

Points to Ponder: Living on purpose is the path to peace.

Verse to Remember: "You, Lord, give perfect peace to those who keep their purpose firm and put their trust in you." Isaiah 26:3 (TEV)

Question to Consider: What would my family and friends say is the driving force of my life? What do I want it to be?
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This is easy. The driving force of my life that most people will say will be, that I'm very goal-oriented, in constant seek of knowledge regarding programming and the latest technology. To speak the truth, I want people to think of me this way, not until a week ago.

Now that I've finally tuned my life back to God, I really want other people to see that the driving force of my life is my creator and saviour, my God.

He provides me with everything that I ever possibly wanted. Be it friends, family, care, support, job, opportunities, talents, finance, you name it. He guides my life in a wonderful direction that I could not see till a decision to convict myself to have daily communion in my life.

I want all the people around me to know, that God is the main purpose why I'm living the way I live, doing the things I do, talking the way I talk, acting the way I act, caring the way I care, sharing the way I share, believing the way I believe, loving the way I love.

Lift Him Up

Verse
I will come into Your presence Lord
with a sacrifice of praise
With a song I will exalt You Lord
Blessed be Your holy name

I will give You all the glory
You delivered me from shame
I'm created in Your righteousness
Blessed be Your holy name

Chorus
Lift Him up
His name be lifted higher
Lift Him up
Exalt His holy name
Lift Him up
His name be lifted higher
Exalt His holy name

You Are Not an Accident

Day Two
Thinking about My Purpose

Points to Ponder: I am not an accident.

Verse to Remember: "I am your Creator. You were in my care even before you were born." Isaiah 44:2 (CEV)

Question to Consider: I know that God uniquely created me. What areas of my personality, background, and physical appearance am I struggling to accept?
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Personality
Procrastination to get out of my comfort zone have to be the greatest struggle I have. I find that I'm always trying to "play safe", and not willing to get out there to do things. For the longest time, I've procrastinated to get involved in a ministry. Up till now, I still haven't "found" one.

Another struggle will be self righteousness, to the point of shutting off if people try to convince me otherwise. I'm trying my best to tame my tongue, listen and think before I blurt.

Background
I'm not exactly struggling at the fact that the rest of my family are staunch Buddhists, for I believe that God have planted and made me grow for a reason, to bring my family members to Him. Now I just need to start sharing the good news of Jesus Christ to them.

Physical Appearance
Nothing that really bothers me except that I constantly feel my bum has enough space for advertisements. :D No struggles though, I'm very thankful that God has bless me with a healthy body that I'm able to carry out daily tasks.

Too Soon To Quit

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1 Corinthians 9:24-27 (NIV)
24 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. 25 Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. 26 Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. 27 No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.

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Lord help me to condition myself spiritually, so that I may be ready to run any distance for You and with You.