J'aime vie...

Tested Yet Secure

"And the Lord said, "Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren." (Luke 22:31-32)

Jesus dearly loved Peter. Jesus spoke to him specifically and said, “Simon! Simon! Satan has made a request to sift all of you (plural) as wheat. But I have prayed for you (singular), that your faith will not fail. And when you (singular) have returned to Me, strengthen your brothers.” Even as Jesus faced His imminent arrest and crucifixion, He took time to strengthen Peter for what was to come! He assured him that God had set limits on Satan’s influence. He expressed His confidence that even though Peter’s faith would falter, he would overcome, to the point of strengthening others. Since Jesus Himself was interceding for Peter, Peter might fail for a moment, but his life would ultimately be victorious.

Jesus is fully aware of every temptation and test you_will encounter, and He stands ready to deliver you_(1 Cor. 10:13). He intercedes for you just as He did for Peter (Rom. 8:34; Heb. 7:25). Temptation might catch you by surprise, but Jesus is already interceding with the Father on your behalf. Remember that temptation is not a sin. When you are tempted, turn immediately to Jesus. He will take you to the Father, and you will overcome the temptation, for Jesus has overcome everything you can face in the world (1 John 4:4). When you are tested and are secure in the intercession of Jesus, you, too, will be able to strengthen others. If you are grappling with temptation, Jesus is interced-ing for you with the Father even now. Be steadfast and_encouraged!

Experiencing God Day by Day by Henry T Blackaby...http://www.blackaby.org

How Deep Will You Go With God?

How Deep Will You Go With God?
You have a choice: Stay in the shallow end or dive into the deep-where you can't touch bottom or control the current.

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Every summer when I was a kid my parents took my sister and me to a family reunion in Alabama. My favorite part of the annual pilgrimage was the spring-fed swimming pool where I spent countless hours with my cousin Chris. The best place to be on those hot, humid days in August was in that ice-cold water.

There was a problem with that pool, however. It was the temperature. The water was so cold that it took me several minutes to get my scrawny body all the way in. I can remember slowly easing into the shallow end, cringing and grimacing as I grasped the handrail by the steps.

It would have been easier to dispense with the torture and just dive head first into the deep end (or to be thrown in by an older cousin-which happened a few times against my will). But because the water was cold enough to turn my arms blue, I preferred to take 10 minutes to slide into the pool inch by painful inch. And if anyone tried to splash me I would run in terror and hide near the snack bar.

I recalled those memories recently when I was reading about Ezekiel's vision of the river of God (see Ezek. 47:1-12). The prophet describes the river flowing out of the Temple in stages, first as a trickle, then as an ankle-deep stream, then knee-deep, then waist-deep and then as a river that couldn't be crossed.

That river represents many things, including the promise that the Holy Spirit's influence in the world will grow deeper and stronger throughout history until the whole earth is covered with God's glory.

But in a personal sense Ezekiel's vision is an invitation to go deeper. It beckons us to leave the shallowness of superficial spirituality.

Do you mind if I ask: What stage of the river are you swimming in?

The ankle-deep stage reminds me of the plastic kiddie pool I bought for my daughters when they were toddlers. The water is great to splash in, and it is safe for kids who don't swim yet. But it is certainly not a place for grown-ups, as I learned when I jumped in the pool with my girls and sloshed most of the water into the yard. If you've made the ankle-deep water your home for more than six months, you need to grow up and move to the next level.

The knee-deep water could be compared to a spiritual Jacuzzi. It's a place of refreshing but can easily lead to pampering and self-gratification. It's also confining; you'll never fit too many people in your personal spa. Many of us in America are enjoying God's blessings and benefits, but we've kept our faith contained in a shallow, us-four-and-no-more religious environment. We must leave hot tub religion behind.

The waist-deep water is a critical stage. When I inched my way into that freezing pool in Alabama, I was always tempted to get out of the water when it hit my waist. We often want to stop when we reach halfway-which is why so many people face crisis at midlife. When you get to the waist-deep water you realize you must put your head under. You know it's either now or never.

Many of us get stuck at this point. God calls us to total surrender, but when we reach the halfway point we either turn back or park ourselves in perpetual limbo. We are either paralyzed by the fear of losing control or we stubbornly refuse to jettison the things that will sink us.

Finally we come to the depths of the river. The best thing we can do is dive in at this stage, where your head goes under and even your appearance is changed. It's true that in the deep end you cannot feel the bottom. There is no handrail to grasp. You must let go and allow His swift current to take you where He wants you.

As long as we can feel the bottom we are in control. When we let go, He steers our lives. It is actually the best place to be, but no one is going to throw you in against your will.

My challenge to you: Take a big breath, count to three and take the plunge. You'll discover God's ultimate purpose for your life-and lots of adventure-in the deep end.

J. Lee Grady is the editor of Charisma and an award-winning journalist.

....

The Little Woman - "Ai Weh Deh"

Gladys Aylward...艾偉德, pinyin: Ai.wei.de...1902 - 1970

I am utterly humbled by the life and faith of a tiny 5 feet tall Missionary who defied all odds to go to China and became one of the most famous Chinese Missionaries in the midst of the horror of World War II. I had just finished reading her biography written by Catherine Swift and I am completely humbled by the life of this 'tiny' woman who arrived in China at the age of 26 against all odds..."Ai weh deh", meaning "the Virtuous One" walked through a snowy night in a tiny town in Russia call Chita, a journey that would have killed even a strong man; took a train from Britian to China, crossing war torn Russia and arrived in a strange land that looked nothing like Britian. Gladys Aylward picked up the Chinese dialects and gave her life to reaching out to the simple Chinese in the mountains of YangCheng. In just a short one year, she not only learnt the language but would have to take over the Inn left by Jeannie Lawson and run the missionary work all by herself. She eventually became a citizen of China...and gradually, she became a household name in the South Shanxi province of China as the Little Woman "ai we de", whose God protected her and helped her through many difficulties to help hundreds / thousands of Chinese embrace Jesus as their God. When the Japanese invaded China, she would play a vital role in saving many children's lives...Later, she would fall ill and return to Britian for a short period of time to teach and preach all over the world. But her heart was with China and she woud return and continue to care for many orphans even at the age of 55...At the age of 68, in 1970, Gladys Aylward dies peacefully in her sleep and her life continues to inspire many till today, including myself...What amazes me are the chain of events that opened doors for her to share her faith in China and how she persevered through severe conditions in her life that would have made grown men cry and want to give up.

MUST READ MUST READ MUST READ!!!!!!! Gladys Aylward was born in London in 1904 (or a few years earlier). She worked for several years as a parlormaid, and then attended a revival meeting at which the preacher spoke of dedicating one's life to the service of God. Gladys responded to the message, and soon after became convinced that she was called to preach the Gospel in China. At the age of 26, she became a probationer at the China Inland Mission Center in London, but was failed to pass the examinations. She worked at other jobs and saved her money. Then she heard of a 73-year-old missionary, Mrs. Jeannie Lawson, who was looking for a younger woman to carry on her work. Gladys wrote to Mrs. Lawson and was accepted if she could get to China. She did not have enough money for the ship fare, but did have enough for the train fare, and so in October of 1930 she set out from London with her passport, her Bible, her tickets, and two pounds ninepence, to travel to China by the Trans-Siberian Railway, despite the fact that China and the Soviet Union were engaged in an undeclared war. She arrived in Vladivostok and sailed from there to Japan and from Japan to Tientsin, and thence by train, then bus, then mule, to the inland city of Yangchen, in the mountainous province of Shansi, a little south of Peking (Beijing). Most of the residents had seen no Europeans other than Mrs. Lawson and now Miss Aylward. They distrusted them as foreigners, and were not disposed to listen to them.

Yangchen was an overnight stop for mule caravans that carried coal, raw cotton, pots, and iron goods on six-week or three-month journeys. It occurred to the two women that their most effective way of preaching would be to set up an inn. The building in which they lived had once been an inn, and with a bit of repair work could be used as one again. They laid in a supply of food for mules and men, and when next a caravan came past, Gladys dashed out, grabbed the rein of the lead mule, and turned it into their courtyard. It went willingly, knowing by experience that turning into a courtyard meant food and water and rest for the night. The other mules followed, and the muleteers had no choice. They were given good food and warm beds at the standard price, and their mules were well cared for, and there was free entertainment in the evening--the inkeepers told stories about a man named Jesus. After the first few weeks, Gladys did not need to kidnap customers -- they turned in at the inn by preference. Some became Christians, and many of them (both Christians and non-Christians) remembered the stories, and retold them more or less accurately to other muleteers at other stops along the caravan trails. Gladys practiced her Chinese for hours each day, and was becoming fluent and comfortable with it. Then Mrs. Lawson suffered a severe fall, and died a few days later. Gladys Aylward was left to run the mission alone, with the aid of one Chinese Christian, Yang, the cook.

A few weeks after the death of Mrs. Lawson, Miss Aylward met the Mandarin of Yangchen. He arrived in a sedan chair, with an impressive escort, and told her that the government had decreed an end to the practice of footbinding. (Note: Among the upper and middle classes, it had for centuries been the custom that a woman's foot should be wrapped tightly in bandages from infancy, to prevent it from growing. Thus grown women had extremely tiny feet, on which they could walk only with slow, tottering steps, which were thought to be extremely graceful.) The government needed a foot-inspector, a woman (so that she could invade the women's quarters without scandal), with her own feet unbound (so that she could travel), who would patrol the district enforcing the decree. It was soon clear to them both that Gladys was the only possible candidate for the job, and she accepted, realizing that it would give her undreamed-of opportunities to spread the Gospel.

During her second year in Yangchen, Gladys was summoned by the Mandarin. A riot had broken out in the men's prison. She arrived and found that the convicts were rampaging in the prison courtyard, and several of them had been killed. The soldiers were afraid to intervene. The warden of the prison said to Gladys, "Go into the yard and stop the rioting." She said, "How can I do that?" The warden said, "You have been preaching that those who trust in Christ have nothing to fear." She walked into the courtyard and shouted: "Quiet! I cannot hear when everyone is shouting at once. Choose one or two spokesmen, and let me talk with them." The men quieted down and chose a spokesman. Gladys talked with him, and then came out and told the warden: "You have these men cooped up in crowded conditions with absolutely nothing to do. No wonder they are so edgy that a small dispute sets off a riot. You must give them work. Also, I am told that you do not supply food for them, so that they have only what their relatives send them. No wonder they fight over food. We will set up looms so that they can weave cloth and earn enough money to buy their own food." This was done. There was no money for sweeping reforms, but a few friends of the warden donated old looms, and a grindstone so that the men could work grinding grain. The people began to call Gladys Aylward "Ai-weh-deh," which means "Virtuous One." It was her name from then on..........

"God hath chosen the weak"..."I can do all things through Christ who strengtheneth me."

I Love Melbourne...

Commonwealth Games 2006 Closing Ceremony

The amazing fireworks display at the MCG from Yarra River next to Federation Square...

Wow wow wow!

My most favourite part of the Closing Ceremony is this display of pink dancers who spelled out I "love" M!

It was just a spectacular night out...watching the fireworks...Melbourne indeed is a beautiful city. Will miss it dearly....dearly....

What is Your Ambition?

Definition of “Ambition” = a cherished desire; The object or goal desired; An eager or strong desire to achieve something.

We usually relate ambition with power, wealth, success and career. Many times, when asked what is our ambition, we will think of our career or something significant that we would like to achieve. Let us consider a paradigm shift in thinking about “ambition” – Let’s consider what it means to have a God centred ambition in life. In the same way we view something we desire to achieve wholeheartedly, a God centered ambition should become our life’s goal that we eagerly and have a strong desire to achieve.

Read: 1 Thessalonians 2:4, 2:10-12, 3:10-13

3 Ambitions to consider:

1. Ambition to Please God

1 Thessalonians 2:4

What is your ambition? Does it come from a desire to please God?

2. Ambition to live lives worthy of God

1 Thessalonians 2:11-12

What do you consider as a life worthy of God?
Look at the life that you live now, do you think that your life glorifies God?

3. Ambition to overcome trials

1 Thessalonians 3:11-13

Do Christians go through trials or you believe that Christians should never have to face trials or difficulties? When you do, how do you react to it?

Life is a journey and we constantly learn from God what He desires for us. When our focus in life is to please God and live a life worthy of God, we can rest assure that the decisions we make and the steps that we take will not be far away from what God wants for us. Sometimes, trials come our way to test our resolution in following through with these decisions, but it doesn’t mean that we are not walking right or that God is not with us. God allows trials to strengthen our faith and to test our hearts...to bring our focus back to Him in our life. So if you are going through a trial because of a decision that you made in wanting to please God and live a life worthy of God, then you should thank God that He is working in your life.

Nourishing Hope...

Mary & Martha (Part 2)...

Parts of this blog is taken from an excerpt of A Woman God Can Lead by Alice Mathews, published by Discovery House Publishers © 1998. Alice is a regular participant on the RBC daily radio program Discover The Word.

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An important principle in life is that love permits pain. We don’t want it that way. We want to believe that if God truly loves us He will not allow anything painful to invade our lives. But this is not so. God’s love does not guarantee us a shelter from difficult experiences that are necessary for our spiritual growth. Love and delay are compatible.

If Jesus had rushed off to Bethany as soon as He received word of Lazarus’ illness, Mary and Martha would not have been suspended between hope and fear—hope that the One who could help their brother would arrive in time, fear that He might come too late. They would have been spared the anguish of watching Lazarus sink into death. They would have avoided the agony of those last moments before they closed Lazarus’ eyes and prepared his body for burial. They would have forestalled the desolation of bereavement. But Jesus didn’t come.

He knew that it was time for Mary, Martha, and His disciples to learn what they could not learn if He intervened too quickly. John 11 tells us how completely in control of the situation Jesus was. He knew just what He was doing. He knew that the spiritual growth of Martha and Mary and His band of disciples traveling with Him depended on the right timing. How do we know that? Read John 11:7-16.

Then He said to His disciples, “Let us go back to Judea.”

“But Rabbi,” they said, “a short while ago the Jews tried to stone You, and yet You are going back there?”

Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours of daylight? A man who walks by day will not stumble, for he sees by this world’s light. It is when he walks by night that he stumbles, for he has no light.”

After He had said this, He went on to tell them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I am going there to wake him up.”

His disciples replied, “Lord, if he sleeps, he will get better.” Jesus had been speaking of His death, but His disciples thought He meant natural sleep.

So then He told them plainly, “Lazarus is dead, and for your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.”

Then Thomas (called Didymus) said to the rest of the disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with Him.”

Divine timing. Jesus knew that Mary and Martha would never know Him as the resurrection and the life if Lazarus had not died. David would not have known God as his rock and his fortress had he not been hunted by Saul in the mountains of En Gedi. The Israelites would not have known God as their deliverer had they not been slaves in Egypt. Our painful experiences can reveal God to us in new ways. Jesus knew precisely what He was doing.

In the middle of this period of deep mourning, Martha heard that Jesus was entering the village. Violating the conventions of the Middle East, she went out to meet Him while Mary stayed in the house. The remarkable conversation Martha and Jesus had is recorded in John 11:21-27.

“Lord,” Martha said to Jesus, “if You had been here, my brother would not have died. But I know that even now God will give You whatever You ask.”

Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.”

Martha answered, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?”

“Yes, Lord,” she told Him, “I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who was to come into the world.”

“Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.” In that statement Martha gave voice to her doubt that Jesus had unlimited power. Had He been there, this would not have happened. He had to be present to heal her brother. Yet her general confidence in Jesus shines through: “But I know that even now God will give You whatever You ask.”

Jesus answered her by turning her mind to the promise of the resurrection: “Your brother will rise again.” Martha seemed impatient as she shot back, “Yes, Lord, I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”

Heartlight Heart Card - Link to Hearlight.org

She knew the truth. She had the doctrine down right. In fact, she had a stronger spiritual base than the Sadducees, who denied the resurrection. In her statement she bore witness to the strong teaching of her nation’s faith. But she didn’t find much comfort in the future tense. In that moment she needed something more immediate than an event as far off as “the resurrection at the last day.” The doctrine was not particularly consoling in her time of sorrow.

Jesus saw that and turned her idea of resurrection as a future event into a present reality: “I am the resurrection and the life.” What must Martha have felt in that dramatic moment! “I am the resurrection and the life!” With those startling words Jesus brought Martha’s thoughts from a dim future hope to a present fact. He gave her faith its true object, Himself. Confidence in Jesus Christ, the God-Man who is the resurrection and the life, could replace her vague hope in a future event.

How do we get that confidence? Jesus told us how in verse 25: “He who believes in Me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in Me will never die.”

When we believe in Jesus Christ, we gain a quality of life that is larger than death. Death becomes not the end of life, but the door into a larger life. People call our world “the land of the living.” We might better call it “the land of the dying.” We begin to die the moment we are born, and our lives are an inexorable move toward death. But those who have believed in Jesus Christ know that when death comes, we do not pass out of the land of the living but into the land of the living. We are not on our way to death. We are on our way to life. That’s what it means to be born again. That’s what it means to have eternal life. That’s what it means to believe in Jesus Christ.

How did Jesus end His statement to Martha? He asked, “Do you believe this?” With that question He brought her to the question of personal faith. The faith that leads to eternal life can never be a faith we have inherited from our grandparents or that we acquire from being around the pastor. It is a personal commitment each one of us must make.

To Jesus’ question Martha gave a remarkable answer (v.27): “Yes, Lord, I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who was to come into the world.” Compare that to Peter’s great confession (Mt. 16:16). Jesus had asked him, “Who do you say I am?” Peter had responded, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Jesus responded that upon that confession, that truth, the church would be built.

Martha understood the same truth. Where had she learned it? Had she sat at Jesus’ feet? Had she listened to Him teach the crowds? Clearly this woman, though her faith was imperfect, grasped the central truth on which it could grow: Jesus is the one sent by God.

It is the same for us today. It is on the truth Martha spoke that day in Bethany 2,000 years ago that you and I come to the One who is the resurrection and the life. We cannot begin to grow until we see Jesus for who He is and come to Him as we are.

The story moves on. Martha returned to the house and, taking Mary aside, told her that the Teacher had arrived and asked for her. Mary got up quickly and went to meet Jesus. She, in turn, spoke the same words Martha had used: “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.” The same words Martha had used, but with one omission. Martha had gone on to say, “But I know that even now God will give You whatever You ask.” Martha, for all her shortcomings, spoke of her faith. Mary, in contrast, was overwhelmed by her grief. She had sat at Jesus’ feet and learned from Him. But now in His presence she was wrung out with her all-consuming sorrow.

When we read the other Mary-Martha story in Luke 10, it appeared that Mary was the “spiritual” one and Martha was the “unspiritual” one. Now as we look at these same two women, we discover that practical Martha had understood enough to give a magnificent confession of faith in Jesus Christ. Mary, on the other hand, was too engulfed in her loss to do more than say, “Jesus, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.”

Note how Jesus adjusted to each one’s need. With Martha, even in a time of deep mourning, He spoke deep theological truth. With Mary, He sympathized. He met her where she was so that He could take her to a different level of faith. Thus it is with each of us. God starts with us where we are. But He doesn’t leave us there. He moves us to a deeper level of faith.

...Jesus speaks the same words to us that He spoke to Martha 2,000 years ago on the road into Bethany: “I am the resurrection and the life.” After death comes resurrection. We can trust God’s perfect timing. We can trust His love. We can come through our difficult experiences stronger in faith and hope as we learn that God is there for us in our loss, in our sorrow. What we let Christ do in our situation makes the difference.

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In that moment she needed something more immediate than an event as far off as “the resurrection at the last day.” I kinda feel like that at the moment...I know the future that awaits and the hope that we have in Christ...But at the moment, there's just a deep wanting to see and taste something more immediate...wanting to just let the memories and the hurts pass away IMMEDIATELY. But yet, my past experiences hold me to Christ..holds me in my desire to trust and to just wait for His timing and revelation.

In a seperate devotional today, the exact verse in John 11 is used in regards to God's timing, and the author wrote, "It’s important to your faith that you know that God isn’t like us. He doesn’t always act like we want Him to. God often makes us wait because He has a higher good or bigger picture in view."

You can’t draw a line from God’s heart, to the clock, to your problem. We often see no relative connection between the three, but I can assure you, His timing is always perfect. Mary and Martha learned God never arrives too late. You don’t need to be worried one minute, even if it seems like midnight has come and gone.

What are you waiting on God for today? Relief? Provision? Direction? I bring you this good news—God’s timing is always perfect.

Though it seemed to all who were grieving Lazarus’ death that the Lord failed to come through for them, there was no failure. In their wildest imaginations they couldn’t have guessed the purpose for Jesus’ seeming delay. They probably all laughed about it that night around the dinner table. I can imagine Lazarus laughed the loudest." (Walk in the Word e-devotional, James MacDonald)

...God works in a very funny way. Even to make you read the exact same thing twice in a day to remind us of His working in our life..and to continue to wait on Him, to wait on His perfect timing. To know that He is ever in control and calls us not to fret or to feel anxious. But what I don't want to be, I am, at the moment...anxious...to the core!

And when God reminds you a third time to trust...all in ONE DAY. You know, it's a CONSPIRACY!!!

"Then... he saw everything clearly." Mark 8:25

I am sure you can identify with the this fact...It's not that I don't want to trust but sometimes, though, we need a second touch from the Holy Spirit to help us see more clearly. Or sometimes even a third, or fourth, or hundredth.

The good news is the Lord is willing to do that at any time. We just have to ASK...and Wait!

Following Jesus healing of the blind man, in Mark 8:25, Peter gives comes to the same amazing revelation as did Martha..."Peter answered, "You are the Christ." (Mark 8:29).

Await His great revelation and cling on to Him till He reveals His great and amazing purpose in your life. Then fall in love all over again and again and again......

Are you a Mary or a Martha??

Who do you identify with??

It takes a busy woman to understand the heart of Martha, a busy, overworked woman in the New Testament. It also takes a reflective woman who loves to learn at the feet of her Lord to understand the heart of Martha’s sister, Mary...Which are you?? Read on in the RBC Website .. >>>>

This booklet is excerpted from A Woman God Can Lead by Alice Mathews, published by Discovery House Publishers © 1998. Alice is a regular participant on the RBC daily radio program Discover The Word.

Mary & Martha : Balancing Life's Priorities

As I read through Luke 10:38-42 recently, I thought about the tension dial on my sewing machine. Luke wrote about a dinner party held in a home in Bethany:

As Jesus and His disciples were on their way, He came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to Him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what He said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to Him and asked, “Lord, don’t You care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”

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

Here’s the scene: A hot day at the end of the rainy season as summer was beginning. A whitewashed village on a hillside just 2 miles east of Jerusalem. The home of Martha who was possibly a well-to-do widow who had taken in her younger sister Mary and younger brother Lazarus.

She welcomes Jesus and His followers to her home in Bethany. She hurries to arrange a comfortable seat for Jesus and then to bring a cool drink to each of her guests. She nods to Mary who fills the basin near the door with water, then takes a towel and begins to wash each guest’s feet. Jesus’ followers seat themselves around the large room, chatting quietly about events of recent days. Villagers begin to crowd the doorway, anxious to come in and listen to the great Rabbi, Jesus.

This is not His first visit to Bethany. The townsfolk have heard some of His surprising stories before. Perhaps He will tell them more. A few edge in and sit down outside the ring of disciples. It’s possible that both Martha and Mary take their places at Jesus’ feet to learn from Him. (Luke 10:39 in the NKJV says that Mary also sat at Jesus’ feet.)

I don’t know how long Martha sat there listening to the Lord Jesus. But I have a feeling that if she was anything like me, she sat there that day with a divided mind. After all, here were 13 men who would be hungry and needed to be fed. What was on hand to feed them? What would it take to get everything ready? Would she need to slip out and run to a few shops for grain or fruit?

I identify with Martha. I know exactly what she was doing as she sat there. First, she made a mental inventory of everything in the pantry. After that, she planned the menu, making sure she didn’t overlook anything. Then she made a list in her head of all the tasks that would have to be done. When she had thought everything through, she glanced around the room surreptitiously to see the best route through the crowd to get from where she was sitting into the kitchen. When she had plotted her exit, she could sit there no longer. She had to get busy! After all, she was the hostess. It was her responsibility to meet the needs of her guests. No one would think less of Lazarus or Mary if the meal were not adequate. The blame would land squarely on her. No time to sit and listen to Jesus now—perhaps after all the work was done.

Once in the kitchen, she felt that flush of excitement that comes to many of us when we are about to do something special for someone we really care about. We want everything to be perfect—well, at least as nearly perfect as possible. Our love energizes us. We are exhilarated by the opportunity to show our love for someone special.

Can you see Martha, now in the familiar territory of her kitchen, turning into a whirlwind of activity? First, start the beans and lentils cooking with onions and garlic. Then dress the lamb for roasting. Grind the grain and mix the bread for baking. Then prepare the figs and pomegranates. Get water to mix with the wine. Set the table. Stir the beans and lentils. Turn the lamb on the spit. Start baking the bread.

Glancing out the window at the position of the sun in the sky, Martha suddenly realized it would soon be mealtime and she was far from finished. She may have felt what I feel when I’ve been carried along on the crest of my enthusiasm, only to realize I’m running out of time and I can’t finish everything I planned to do. When that happens, I get angry—angry with myself and angry with anyone else who might have made a difference in accomplishing my plans.

I suspect that is what happened to Martha. Suddenly the plans and the work that had started out as pure joy turned sour. Luke tells us in verse 40 that she was distracted by all the preparations she was making. The harder she worked, the more worked up she became.

It was Mary’s fault. If Mary had been there to help her, it would have been different.

We all know that feeling, don’t we? It’s bad enough having everything to do. It’s even worse when someone we think should be helping us pull the load lets us down. Our irritation about the unfairness of it all builds to the bursting point.

That’s what happened to Martha. In verse 40, she finally explodes:

Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!

Interesting, isn’t it, that Martha spoke her irritation to Jesus, not to Mary. Perhaps she had already tried unsuccessfully to catch Mary’s eye and signal her to get up and help. Or she may have nudged Mary, who shook off her nudge and went on listening to Jesus.

We all have ways we use to get a message across. We clear our throat. We drum our fingers on the table top. We make attention-getting motions. It irritates us even more when the other person ignores us!

Whatever had already happened, Martha spoke directly to Jesus, accusing Him of not caring about her. She was sure that, if He really cared, He would tell Mary to get up and help her.

I’m intrigued by the way Martha linked Jesus’ care for her to His willingness to tell Mary to get busy. Martha thought she knew just how Jesus should demonstrate His care—by lightening her load.

That is exactly what we see Him doing, though not in the way she expected. In His response we learn much about our discipleship as Christian women:

Martha, Martha, . . . you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her (Lk. 10:41-42).

The problem did not lie in the work Martha was doing. It was her attitude of fretting and worrying that created the bad situation. Jesus knew that Martha put too much stress on things that didn’t matter. Martha’s problem was one of balance, of holding life in the proper tension. Take a closer look at what Jesus said and did not say to this overburdened woman.

First, Jesus did not rebuke her for making preparations for Him and His disciples. If she as the hostess in the home had decided to skip any food preparation, her guests would have gone hungry. What was going on in that Bethany kitchen was important.

We all have responsibilities we carry out every day of our lives. We go to the office. We cook. We grade papers. We clean the house. We do the laundry. We do these things, and we want to do them well. Dorothy Sayers reminds us that no crooked table legs came out of the carpenter shop in Nazareth. God is not honored by shoddy work or the neglect of our necessary duties in life.

But we must be sure that the necessary doesn’t get out of proportion and distort our lives. We can easily confuse means and ends. Without thinking, we can turn what is a means of living for God into an end in itself. When we take something that is not too important and make it primary in our lives, what is otherwise harmless can become a stumbling block for us.

One of the things Jesus saw that afternoon 2,000 years ago was that Martha was looking down on what Mary had chosen to do. Martha imposed her value system—possibly a sparkling house and certainly a sumptuous meal—on Mary. If bustling around was “necessary” for Martha, it must also be necessary for Mary......

To read on, go to RBC website "Mary and Martha : Balancing Life's Priorities"...>>>

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I was reminded lately about God's word for me for this year - "Mary". The one thing I need at this time is to just sit at the feet of Jesus and to refresh my love for Him and be refreshed by His love...that was what Mary did. I've always saw myself as more of a Mary than a Martha. Sometimes, I think that I should be more of a Martha...And the author was highlighting this fact in the article..."To get our service right, we get our priorities right. We let Jesus minister to us before we go out to minister for Him. That is God’s order: we first love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, strength, and mind, and then we are prepared to go out and love our neighbor as ourselves. When we turn that upside down, we may end up feeling overworked and unappreciated. When we keep our priorities in line with God’s priorities, we will find that God enables us to do what needs to be done with joy and satisfaction." We must first love God before we try to love others. If we do that, we will end of being dry, overworked and burnt out. To be honest, I have found myself in places like that before. Because I'm such a Mary, it doesn't come natural for me to be a Martha...a well planned, analytical and task-driven Martha, who is efficient and does everything well. So when I try using my own strength, I may get there and get tired out or I may not do such a good job. I should just resolve to be a Mary...I guess, the gist is that every Mary needs a Martha and every Martha needs a Mary to balance each other out and to learn from one another...only will this strike a balance between the 2. As they learn from one another, they would then find a greater balance in their characters and priorities. But the key is that they should not look down at either and judge each for who they are...but appreciate the differences and help with encouragement to achieve that which we can't achieve alone.

No matter if you are a Martha or a Mary, just love the Lord and deepen the relationship and draw from Him all that we need to learn and surely, we will be the perfect Martha-Mary He wants us to be...

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23rd April 2006...

Parents been in Melbourne since last Wednesday night, exactly on Commonwealth opening night. It was nice to see them again although I had just seen them in Chinese New Yr. They'll be leaving on the 24th of March, which will be exactly a month away from the day I will fly back to KL. I don't know why I feel so anxious, but I do. I don't know why I still think about all the things past, but I do. I don't know why I still hold on, but I do.

23rd of April...I have yet to book but it's 99% confirmed that is the date that I will fly back to KL...So much left to do. I haven't packed. For one...need to pack a chunk of stuff to ship back ahead of me cause I doubt that the 20kg that is allocated for non-student travellers will be even close to sufficient for me...hehehe! Especially my bookS. Hope to catch up on lots of that when I go back. For the moment, this is my bit of encouragement for the day...I thank God for the His wonderful word and promises...without them, I would have withered.

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Monday, March 20, 2006...Experiencing God Day-by-Day Devotional by Henry T. Blackaby and Richard Blackaby

Why Do You Doubt?

Then His disciples came to Him and awoke Him, saying, "Lord, save us! We are perishing!" But He said to them, "Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?" Then He arose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. (Matthew 8:25-26)

It is by faith that God’s mighty power is released into the life of a Christian (Heb. 11:33–35). The fact that you have doubts indicates that you do not know God as you should. If your prayer life is infiltrated with doubts, you have denied yourself the greatest, single avenue of power that God has made available to you. Without faith it is impossible to please God (Heb. 11:6). God never comforts you in your doubt. Jesus consistently rebuked those who would not believe Him. He had revealed enough of Himself for His disciples to have believed Him in their time of need.


God wants to build your understanding of Him until your faith is sufficient to trust and obey Him in each situation (Mark 9:23–25). The moment you turn to Him with a genuine commitment to rid yourself of doubt, God will match your doubt with a revelation of Himself that can convince you of His faithfulness. When Thomas doubted, Jesus revealed Himself to him in such a way that every doubt vanished (John 20:27). You can only resolve your lack of faith in God’s presence. He must reveal Himself in such a way that any doubt you might have is removed. Jesus did this with His disciples. He involved them in a consistent, growing relationship with Himself. Jesus took them through teaching, to small miracles, to large miracles, and to the resurrection. Jesus knew that the redemption of the world rested on His disciples’ believing Him. What does God want to do in the lives of those around you that waits upon your trust in Him and the removal of your doubts?

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Lord, draw near to me and reveal to me Your great power and marvelous love that every doubt may be removed and every pore of my faith restored in You!...

Seeds of Character...

If I'm ever a seed, I want to be a dandelion seed...So that I can be carried by the wind and be planted anywhere the wind carries me...Hehe...Or just because I happen to like dandelions.

What do you do with seeds? It's useless unless you plant it in 'good soil', water it, nurture it, guard it from being picked by birds, care for it, some may even talk to it and then?...Then, you wait.

You wait for 'nature' to take its course and at the sight of the slightest green nib sticking out, you get a sense of overwhelming joy as you behold a new life...from a dried, seemingly dead sead.

This is the miracle of life...something so small and so insignificant in our everyday life is one of the mightiest creation of God - able to grow a million times bigger than its original form; providing food, shelter and air...a SEED...

Isaiah 61:11
"For as the soil makes the sprout come up
and a garden causes seeds to grow,
so the Sovereign LORD will make righteousness and praise
spring up before all nations."

Truly, a farmer can only do so much. He can water and tend the ground...but it is ultimately God who gives life to every seed in this world...God has simple systems and formulas for life. A single simple non-beautiful brown seed is a great life bringer to many people on this earth...It is an amazing truth!!

In Isaiah 61 (one of my most most most favourite chapters in the bible..claim it! Claim it! Claim it!), verse 11, I think what Isaiah meant is that just as it is a certainty that when we plant seeds into the soil / garden, it is also a certainty God will become The certainty of righteousness and praise in our life...

Here is another verse that talks about "seed"...

John 12:24
I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.

John 12:23-25 (NIV)
Jesus replied, "The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life."

To appreciate the complete meaning of the verse above, we need to look also at verses 23 and 25...The seed is actually Christ. Jesus' death produced the life for every single human being. He is the 'kernel of wheat' in verse 24, who fell to the ground and died. Jesus is the seed of man. Through him, we are planted into a firm foundation of life, righteousness and love. But Jesus' death was not to only benefit himself...it wasn't so he could receive some sort of enlightenment or be relieved in some way of his own pain in life, as is the motivation for many of us. But he did it solely for every man that lived, that was living and will live...it was totally selfless. And I think this is what it means, "the man who loves his life will lose it..." We're so busy with unneccessary things sometimes, thinking that is what brings us 'life' but ultimately, our focus should be the life that is to come...the life that we WILL live FOREVER in Heaven. We are not the 'kernel of wheat' that is called to fall to the ground...Jesus has already done that. Let us not be SO caught up with busy-ness or unneccessary focuses in life that we lose out on what is more important...to live, to love and to allow Jesus to shine through our lives. Is He shining through your life?

It's not about how much you can sacrifice but just simply, "Lord, what do you want me to do?" So be it, because we know that we are investing into eternity. Lord, we so often get so caught up with the 'life' that we forget that You are THE Life...Lead us. Then help us to take the step of faith to plant the seeds and to wait for it to grow...while we whole heartedly water and guard the seed...So that all that you want to develop will be developed in our lives; So that the promises WILL come to pass through obedience; So that through the tough times, our characters will be honed to shine Your grace and Your love; So that all that is impossible will become possible; So that every seed planted in me by You will become characters of strength, integrity, valour, development and encouragement...Let them not remain seeds. But that I may see these seeds in me die and a plant that will bring fruit develop from every one of those seeds...

An annoying thing happened today...I went to pass the computer repair person my installation codes for Windows XP and was told that there is a possibility that my hard drives were all empty. Windows may have accidentally deleted both hard drives when trying to install on the new hard drive. Me and my computer problems...I may need to find a life partner who is a whiz at fixing, reinstalling and maintaining PC's...at the rate that I am going with my computer track record. And I'm in IT! hah! But what really got under my skin was the sense that this was all part of having to "move on". I had backed-up all my past files (or whatever I could get hold of after many hard drives accidents) in one of the drives..it was almost like my many years in Melbourne put together. And it was all wiped out! And i had to fight the urge of feeling upset...over just files and photos. So what? They're just files and folders and pictures...Why so upset? Am I holding on too tightly to the things of the past? I think I can be like that sometimes...maybe because I think about them too much. But how can one stop thinking all together??? I've always been a thinker. But maybe what I need to be is just a TRUSTer. 

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HEARTLIGHT - Morning & Evening Devotional by Spurgeon.

"Be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus." -- 2 Timothy 2:1
Christ has grace without measure in himself, but he hath not retained it for himself. As the reservoir empties itself into the pipes, so hath Christ emptied out his grace for his people. "Of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace." He seems only to have in order to dispense to us. He stands like the fountain, always flowing, but only running in order to supply the empty pitchers and the thirsty lips which draw nigh unto it. Like a tree, he bears sweet fruit, not to hang on boughs, but to be gathered by those who need. Grace, whether its work be to pardon, to cleanse, to preserve, to strengthen, to enlighten, to quicken, or to restore, is ever to be had from him freely and without price; nor is there one form of the work of grace which he has not bestowed upon his people. As the blood of the body, though flowing from the heart, belongs equally to every member, so the influences of grace are the inheritance of every saint united to the Lamb; and herein there is a sweet communion between Christ and his Church, inasmuch as they both receive the same grace. Christ is the head upon which the oil is first poured; but the same oil runs to the very skirts of the garments, so that the meanest saint has an unction of the same costly moisture as that which fell upon the head. This is true communion when the sap of grace flows from the stem to the branch, and when it is perceived that the stem itself is sustained by the very nourishment which feeds the branch. As we day by day receive grace from Jesus, and more constantly recognize it as coming from him, we shall behold him in communion with us, and enjoy the felicity of communion with him. Let us make daily use of our riches, and ever repair to him as to our own Lord in covenant, taking from him the supply of all we need with as much boldness as men take money from their own purse.

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Life is beautiful...

Has anyone watched that movie before??? It's the one where the director, Roberto Benigni, jumped on the seats in The Oscars when he won Best Directory for this movie. The director is also the main character in this movie. It is amazing! You have to watch it if you have not. Warning: Will invoke tears! Lots of it! But in a very good way...

So why have I decided to change the title of this blog to "Life is beautiful". Well, partly because this movie came up during a conversation over dinner and I was inspired to rename my blog later. But the main reason is because I can see that my life is beautiful because He is Beautiful.

Ecclesiastes 3:11
He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end.

There is so much about God that we do not understand but one thing we do know is that He is a wonderful God! Hey, even when your circumstances changes, He does not change. Now I know that I am very blessed that my dad (the live and kicking one) is a really loving dad who has given me more than I have ever asked for and I can say with certainty that there is not much that my dad would not do for me because he loves me. Now, if my earthly father is like this, how much more my Heavenly Father (Matthew 6). Ok, so many say that they can't fathom this because of not being able to experience it but, faith is "believing in what we have not seen..." Faith is...

Hebrews 11:1
[ By Faith ] Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.

2 Corinthians 5:7
We live by faith, not by sight...

Philippians 3:7-9 (New International Version)
"But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith."

1 Corinthians 13:13
And now these three remain: faith, hope and love.

James 1:3
"...because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance."

Hebrews 12:2
"Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."

1 Corinthians 2:5
"...so that your faith might not rest on men's wisdom, but on God's power."

And perhaps it is also by faith that we KNOW deep in our hearts and are convinced that a God that is BIGGER than our situations and that is BIGGER than life is upholding us, interceeding for us, cheering us, carrying us, guiding us and caring for us...that we are able to have walk by faith!!!

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Anyway, Commonwealth started with a BANG! in Melbourne last night...there were even coordinated fireworks on top of buildings in the city. It was quite pretty. We kinda avoided the Federation Square where most of the crowd are...watching the opening on the big screen and the torch being brought down the Yarra river on these big metal fishes erected in the middle of the river...Aparently, the flags of each country where brought down the river on speedboats. That's pretty unique. It's a month long of events for Melbourne. Another week of Commonwealth mayhem and then F1 will be on. Moomba was cancelled this yr. Awwwww....but pretty tired of that by now. For now, Melbourne is basking in Commonwealth glory. Closing night, anyone 1?? Only if you can afford $400 per ticket! Crazy!!!!!! For now, this is good enough for me....

Restoration from the Shepherd....needed

"He restores my soul;
He leads me in the paths of righteousness
For His name's sake."

Psalm 23:3

Your Shepherd knows your every need. He knows you will grow weary in your pilgrimage with Him. He knows there are times when you need rest. Your Shepherd knows just what you need to be refreshed. At times you need to lie in lush meadows or beside quiet streams. Sometimes you need to be held by Your Shepherd. At other times you need to enjoy the pleasures the Shepherd provides. The Shepherd will not always replenish you in the same way; His response to you will always perfectly correspond to your present need.

As you follow Your Shepherd there will be times when your soul becomes exhausted, perhaps because of trials you are experiencing or temptations you are resisting. The persecution you face or the burdens you are carrying for others may be wearing you down. You may be weary from the discipline the Shepherd has brought upon you. There will be times when you feel you can go no further in your Christian pilgrimage. Your Shepherd knows when you have reached this point, and He always has a remedy! There are many ways He can strengthen you: through His word, through others, or through your circumstances. He knows what you need even better than you do.

Have you grown weary? Does your soul need to be refreshed? Don't attempt to recover on your own. Only God knows how to heal and rejuvenate a soul (Isa. 40:28-31; Matt 11:28-30). He will do it perfectly, sometimes in surprising ways. Ask Him to restore you, and then be prepared to respond to what He does next.

"Experiencing God Devotional" by Henry T. Blackaby and Richard Blackaby - www.blackaby.org

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REST...Lord, I need you more...

My aunt just passed away of cancer. It's another blow to the family...this is another aunty who has been through her fair share and yet remained in integrity through it all. Her husband (my dad's second brother) is a drunk and has affairs outside of the marriage. He is like the black sheep of the family...But yet, my aunt never divorced for the sake of the children. The children are now all grown up now. And a while ago, she discovered that she had cancer. And between then and now, it all happened so quickly. My prayer goes out to my cousin sister, Hong Hong, and cousin brother, Ah Seng. She's been a doting mother who took really good care of them...Please keep them in prayer...

I believe that it is a good time for me to go home. Something awaits me that I know will truly amaze me and encourage me to grow in my love and faith in God. I believe also that this is a season of caring for those who are not yet saved in my family...not just my immediate family but my uncles and aunties on my dad's side of the family. There are a few that God has placed a particular burden for in my heart, like my youngest aunt (gu jie) who is estranged from the family...she suffers from depression from her younger days because of a relationship that went bad and she couldn't cope...On top of that, it's just a good time to spend with my own family at home too. Jenny's gonna give birth in September...grandma is old...be nice just to be there in their day to day lives. Haha! Get to help design our new house too! So, I'll be able to fulfil my dream of designing my own house...well, close! It's my parents' house but it will be fun looking through designs and plans and colours with dad. Haven't done stuff with dad for a long time...when I was young, dad used to sneak time in between work and all to do "out of the blue" things like bring us to the river and I remember falling into the river and getting all wet...and dad said, "Don't tell mum!" hehehehe! I would love to be able to go camping with dad somewhere. Maybe the Terengganu National Park...Some change of plans may mean I may travel to Israel with mum instead of travel Europe with my high school friends. It'll be great too! But I'll definitely still visit Paris and Tunisia...

Remembering His Promises...Presbytery 2001, words of encouragement from Ps Richard Holland, founder of WCF (Waverley Christian Fellowship Church in Wantirna South, now City Life Church)...."I saw a strange thing as this young lady walked out here. I felt God saying, "This is a member of my body and I have given her everything. Now that's completely unfair.....But, when i started to realise that God has given her seed form of everything that's necessary to make a woman of valour, of strength, of victory, of life, of encouragement, of development...This woman has a power within her that she can go anywhere she wants and God will give it to her. And I see this is the power of the Spirit of God resting upon her to do this..."

...This is a promise of God that I cling on to...time and time again. I know that I am emotional and can lose sight of the promise sometimes because of my emotions. Lately, God showed me that I can give up too easily...when things get too tough, I opt for the easier way...But God is really teaching me to persevere...to trust Him. And to see it through. Don't opt for the easy way out...but face the current, the strong winds and conquer through the Holy Spirit. Then only will I truly soar in my walk with Him...And I will cling on. Continue to cling on...to this promise! That wherever I go, God will give me victory!! Lord, please take away the fear of loneliness, the fear of uncertainties...May I rest in Your love and peace...knowing that where the Spirit of God brings me, I will find great joy and blessings!

AMen!

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365 "Fear Not"s...

Did you know that there are 365 "Fear Not"s in the Bible...one for every single day of the year. Talk about reassurance from God! Preparing to go to sleep.. But had to share of the amazing time we had in All Praise Night tonight (Sat night). God's presence was very real and many of us were just awed in His presence...Emmanuel! God IS with us. And that is why we do not need to fear. Is there a situation in your life that causes fear and uncertainties? Give it to God and ask Him to take it and mould it...then cast out all fear for in perfect love (in God who is the perfect Love), there is NO fear! God really wants us to trust in Him..that's why He repeated it 365 times in the Bible - "Fear Not! For I am with You." God will go with us no matter where we go...God will make the way for us, no matter where we are heading...and when we seem to have taken a wrong detour, do not fear, because He will bring you back. Surely! In our logical mind, we may not see how certain things can work out in our life, but do not fear! God's way are higher than ours and He will bring the fulfilment of all that He desires for us in our lives.

A song that God is impressing upon my heart...

God is the Strength of my Heart

Whom have I in heaven but You
There is nothing on earth I desire beside You
My heart and my strength many times they fail
But there is one truth that always will prevail

Chorus
God is the strength of my heart
God is the strength of my heart
God is the strength of my heart
and my portion forever, forever

Forever, forever, forever.....
Forever

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Testing Reveals Your Heart...

"And you shall remember that the Lord God led you all the way these forty years in the wilderness, to humble you and test you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not. So He humbled you, allowed you to hunger, and fed you with manna which you did not know nor did your fathers know, that He might make you know that man shall not live by bread alone; but man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the Lord." -- Deuteronomy 8:2-3

God allows us to go through difficulties and hardships for a purpose. God led the children of Israel to wander through the wilderness for forty years in order to humble them and test them. When they refysed to obey Him and enter the Promised Land, the Israelites revealed that they did not really know Him. If they had, they would have had more faith. God spent the next 40 years testing the hearts of His people to see if they were prepared for His next assignment.

Testing reveals what is in your heart and produces a robust faith (James 1:3,12). God allowed His people to hunger so they could experience His provision and develop a deeper level of trust in Him. As the people walked with God they came to understand that their lives depended upon His Word. They learnt that God's Word was the most important thing they had. After depending on God for 40 years while living in the desert, the people listened when God spoke, and they believed. When they finally entered the Promised Land and waged war against their enemies, the Israelites knew that God's Word meant life or death. They were prepared to listen to Him, and as a result He led them to an astounding victory.

Is God presently testing you in some area of your life? What has His testing revealed? Have you become bitter toward God because of where He has led you? Or have you come to trust Him more as a result of what you have gone through?

"Experiencing God" - 10 March entry by Henry T Blackaby and Richard Blackaby. For online version, go to http://www.blackaby.org

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Expanding on Deuteronomy 8 -

"Deuteronomy 8

Do Not Forget the LORD


1 Be careful to follow every command I am giving you today, so that you may live and increase and may enter and possess the land that the LORD promised on oath to your forefathers. 2 Remember how the LORD your God led you all the way in the desert these forty years, to humble you and to test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands. 3 He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your fathers had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD. 4 Your clothes did not wear out and your feet did not swell during these forty years. 5 Know then in your heart that as a man disciplines his son, so the LORD your God disciplines you.

 6 Observe the commands of the LORD your God, walking in his ways and revering him. 7 For the LORD your God is bringing you into a good land—a land with streams and pools of water, with springs flowing in the valleys and hills; 8 a land with wheat and barley, vines and fig trees, pomegranates, olive oil and honey; 9 a land where bread will not be scarce and you will lack nothing; a land where the rocks are iron and you can dig copper out of the hills.

 10 When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the LORD your God for the good land he has given you. 11 Be careful that you do not forget the LORD your God, failing to observe his commands, his laws and his decrees that I am giving you this day. 12 Otherwise, when you eat and are satisfied, when you build fine houses and settle down, 13 and when your herds and flocks grow large and your silver and gold increase and all you have is multiplied, 14 then your heart will become proud and you will forget the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. 15 He led you through the vast and dreadful desert, that thirsty and waterless land, with its venomous snakes and scorpions. He brought you water out of hard rock. 16 He gave you manna to eat in the desert, something your fathers had never known, to humble and to test you so that in the end it might go well with you. 17 You may say to yourself, "My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me." 18 But remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your forefathers, as it is today.

 19 If you ever forget the LORD your God and follow other gods and worship and bow down to them, I testify against you today that you will surely be destroyed. 20 Like the nations the LORD destroyed before you, so you will be destroyed for not obeying the LORD your God."

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Okies...what do you guys think about this Chapter in Deuteronomy??

Reflecting on it, i realise that there was no way that the Israelites would have won the war if God had not allowed them to build that trust and faith over 40 years of hardship and dependence on God. They learnt that it is ONLY through God that they are able to survive. Imagine the older generation receiving the command to march around the wall of Jericho 7 times over 7 days and then let out a shout to bring down the wall. They would probably stood in disbelief and doubt and not been able to carry out God's command for them. You reckon???

Amazingly, the word here said that their clothes did not wear out and their feet did not swell even from travelling in those harsh weather and having to do a lot of hard labour everyday to even perform their daily tasks. Sometimes, we fail to see even the little things that God has blessed us with like strength to study and do assignments over night without sleeping and still be able to survive the next day. Or to be able to survive the weekend of caregroup, then meetings, follow up, set up, worship practise, sunday service, CDS, leaders' meeting, and still go home to finish up an assignment due the next day and get a 'D' for the assignment.

I learnt an important lesson today. For whatever circumstance God allows us to go through it is for our own good and I must remember to be humble and to "remember God" in all my circumstances and blessings and good times. So I am accepting and willing to let God carry me through this season of uncertainty and walking into the unknown for what He is preparing in my life. And I pray that I will not forget God even as I walk through times of blessings and comfort...going back to KL always places me in a zone of comfort...and I hope that I will not be sucked into the "good life" and forget the burden that God placed in my heart. Something awaits me on this next chapter. I don't know how or when or what...But He knows. But I just hope it won't take me 40 years to learn and know it! hehehehe!

Lord, let my heart and life be soft before you. Be the light upon my feet so that I can see my path and follow You. I know You will walk with me and go before me to prepare the way for me. May I humbly submit to your discipline and moulding in my life.

Amen...

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"Not I, But Christ"

By Watchmen Nee

"For me, to live is Christ" -- Philippians 1:21

What should the relationship be between God and us?
The principal relationship is that Christ should be our life.  Once Christ has become our life, we are able to imitate Him. After He is our life, we may ask Him to give us strength...

The Secret of Christian Life
Many people greatly misunderstand Colossians 3:4 ("Christ, our life..."), Phil 1:21 and Galatians 2:20, especially the latter 2. In Philippians 1, Paul tells us that, "For me to live is Christ." To him, this is a fact. But among God's children today, there is a great misunderstanding. They think, "For me to live is Christ," is a goal to reach. They must try to so live that they may arrive at the goal. It is a standard to reach; it is their expectation. Let us remember, however, that Paul is not telling us here that his goal is "to me to live is Christ." He is not saying that he must go through many years, trials, and dealings of God before he can reach the goal. What he is saying is that the reason why he lives is Christ. Without Christ, he cannot live at all. This describes his present condition, not his goal. This is the secret of his life, not his hope. His life is Christ, he lives because Christ lives in him.

Galatians 2:20...Is it a hope? Is it a goal? Is it a standard to arrive at? Many make it so. They hope that one day they will arrive at the place where they no longer live, but Christ lives in them. This is their goal. But what they fail to see is that this is God's way of victory, not a goal or a standard. It does not say what I should do that I may live; neither does it say what I can do to make me live. It simply says that Christ lives in me.

Galatians 2:20 is not a standard or a goal. It is not something which is set high above man for him to exert his utmost strength to reach. Rather, it is the secret of life.

"I have been crucified with Christ; that it is no longer I that live, but Christ that liveth in me: and that life which I now live in the flesh I live in faith, the faith which is in the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself up for me." -- Galatians 2:20

Watchman Nee became a Christian in mainland China in 1920 at the age of seventeen and began writing in the same year. Throughout the nearly thirty years of his ministry, Watchman Nee was clearly manifested as a unique gift from the Lord to His Body for His move in this age. In 1952 he was imprisoned for his faith; he remained in prison until his death in 1972. His words remain an abundant source of spiritual revelation and supply to Christians throughout the world...to read about his ministry and testimonies, go to http://www.watchmannee.org.

There are many men and women of God who have given their life to serving God and to make known the gospel, like Watchman Nee, who were willing to be imprisoned for their faith. What they believe in, they believe with their life! If I ever came to that, would I be able to press on?! Was watching a program on SBS last night, about missionaries in Morocco, a neighbouring Muslim country of Tunisia in North Africa. The program was interesting because it shed light on comments and views from both the Christian and Muslim perspective. The Muslims were actually aware that these so called "historians and English teachers" were actually evangelists (as they called them) who are here with a motive to share the gospel through their vocation. And they were pretty against it. A political commentator shared that these "Christian Evangelists" were actually risking their lives, cause the Muslim extremists could have them killed at any time...hmmmm...It is against the country's law to convert Muslims. Is it then going against the authorities of the country by trying to share the gospel with Muslims? Even the Christians themselves were divided in this issue. A reformed Pentecostal church pastor shared his view that the evangelists and missionaries from other countries who come to Morocco wanting to share the gospel were in fact not right in their approach because they were trying to convert Muslim Moroccans, which is against the country's law. A muslim can be killed, imprisoned and face a life of being ostracised by their own community if they ever turned to Christianity. With so many issues and obstacles, Joey (my housemate) who was watching the program asked me, "Ah! So you still going to Tunisia?".....I looked at her and answered meekly..."Go...Go! Still go...."

P.S. The photo below shows one of the many beaches and the Mediteranean sea in Carthage, Tunisia. Beautiful, hey???? ....
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"You are the only true and good Lord of Your field, my heart..."

St Augustine - "Confessions" (Book II)

"You awaken us to delight in Your praise, for You made us for Yourself, and our hearts are restless until they rest in You...." (St Augustine, Book I, Chapter 1)

I'm back! After a short break...lent my laptop to my boss. But good to have my dear iBook back. Missed it!...It dawned on me a few days ago that there are only about 6 weeks before I set off for home (KL, Malaysia)...I'm looking forward to it but I am also petrified. It's a huge step to take...After being here for a good 8 years, it's gonna take a lot of getting used to, especially the weather. 6 weeks! And there's so much to do...So much to pack! This has been a decision that has come upon me by surprise but yet, I have a peace in my heart that it is God's timing...6 weeks! 6 more Sunday services and one convention to go and I will be heading home to KL for at least a good 6 months. I'll be back in Melb for a while to settle the new house here. People have asked me, "What next??" To be honest, I don't know. But God knows and I will cling on to Him! And let him direct my path...And surely, there will be a DELIGHT at the end of that path...I will trust and I will claim! Every promise that You made to me and showed me. For you are my Lord and the strength of my heart...the air that I breathe. Lord, how could I live without you? Thank you for picking me up and making me Yours.

"Direct me in the path of your commands, for there I find delight." ... Psalm 119:35

Anyway, foundations for my future house in Melbourne is under way!!! Very excited! This is what it looks like...only in beige and browns instead of grey. Really thank God for His blessing! Will have a house warming end of this year!!! All invited yah?! BBQ and watch the migratory birds fly across in the air...hehehe!

Next few weeks, busy busy trying to round up things at work. But will still do some free-lance consulting for boss...work off site from KL. Not a bad arrangment at all! Thank God for such an understanding boss too. He was all empathetic and supportive of my decision to go back and to take some time off to travel...Even making suggestions where I should go in Europe. Lord, I commit my boss to you. Please continue to guide him to you...I know You love him and cares for him. You've given him a second chance at life...and I pray that He will discover You as he continue in his journey. Amen.

Will miss Melbourne and will miss you!.....HUGS!

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Familiar Footsteps...

Gary L. Thomas

"I was driving home from speaking at a church late one Sunday evening. I had promised then seven-year-old Kelsey earlier in the day that I'd be home in time to tuck her in to bed. As the clock crept past 8.30, I started to get anxious and called Lisa to tell her to keep Kelsey awake.

"She's spending the night at Laura's house," Lisa said.

"But I promised I would tuck her in!"

   I thought for a second and added, "I've got an even better idea. Call Jennie and Tom (Laura's parents) and tell them I'll be there about 9:00. Ask them not to tell Kelsey, though. I want it to be a surprise."

   30 minutes later, Tim welcomed me into his house and silently pointed towards Laura's bedroom. I walked down the hallway, opened the door, and saw Kelsey's face peeking out of Laura's bed.

"Hi there, Pop-tart!"

Kelsey giggled but didn't look the least bit surprised.

"Did you know I was coming here?" I asked her.

"No, but I heard your footsteps coming down the hall, so I figured you came here to tuck me in."

   How did Kelsey know it was me, when she had no reason to expect my arrival? Apparently she had become so familiar with the cadence of my steps that she would know them anytime, anywhere.

   May we also become so familiar with God's footsteps, and may our hearts be so used to the cadence of his approach and the gentle footfall of his shoes, that when He breaks into our lives, we'll know it's him, regardless of what environment we're in or where we're sleeping.

   If we have this kind of relationship with God - if we're this captivated by His love - we won't be surprised if he meets us in mourning. We won't be caught off guard if we find his footsteps guiding us through difficulty and even suffering; we won't feel abandoned if his footsteps take us through persecution, or if in following him we know we must learn to forgive others and serve the sick, the imprisoned, or those with disabilities.

   Listening to God's footsteps in even the most difficult circumstances will lead to a fire-test life, to a truly authentic faith. Although some may call it a hard life, I believe it is the most joyous, the richest and the most meaningful life possible."

Amen...

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