Saturday, January 13, 2007
Choices of Life
We will be given many chances to make choices every moments of our life.
What is important ??
It is to know your consequences and make your choice wisely.
So what's the big deal about making choices??
When it comes to ice-cream do you choose Chocolate or Valina?
When it comes to choosing your lunch, is it chicken chop or chicken rice?
Well these daily choices doesn't have much of serious consequences except it taste different.
But in the Christain walk there are big consequences in our choices that we make.
It is so from the beginning with Adam and Eve.
They were given a job to take care of the garden of Eden.
God gave them free will to choose to do what they will, but God also gave them specific instructions about the two trees in the middle of the garden, that they shall not eat the fruit from these two trees, if they do they will surely die. They chose to be tempted, ate the fruit from the tree of knowledge of good and evil and sin against God.
Choosing Eternal life or eternal separation is a choice that we make too.
To follow God is a choice that we make everyday, not just when you say the sinners prayer.
To choose to do what is right before God eyes is a choice.
Let's look at King David's life, in 1 samuel 24, when he made a choice to follow God's way, which shows that he is a God fearing man and a man that is after God's own heart before he was anointed as King:
At this point of time in David's life, after David had killed Goliath and he was more popular with the people of Israel than King Saul . King Saul was pursuing him and out to take David's life out of jealously. And David had been hiding from King Saul for a few years.
Read thru the passage below, and reflect.
1 Samuel 24
David Spares Saul's Life
1 After Saul returned from pursuing the Philistines, he was told, "David is in the Desert of En Gedi." 2 So Saul took three thousand chosen men from all Israel and set out to look for David and his men near the Crags of the Wild Goats.
3 He came to the sheep pens along the way; a cave was there, and Saul went in to relieve himself. David and his men were far back in the cave. 4 The men said, "This is the day the LORD spoke of when he said [a] to you, 'I will give your enemy into your hands for you to deal with as you wish.' " Then David crept up unnoticed and cut off a corner of Saul's robe.
5 Afterward, David was conscience-stricken for having cut off a corner of his robe. 6 He said to his men, "The LORD forbid that I should do such a thing to my master, the LORD's anointed, or lift my hand against him; for he is the anointed of the LORD." 7 With these words David rebuked his men and did not allow them to attack Saul. And Saul left the cave and went his way.
If you were being pursue by your enemy for 2 years for something you did right, how would you have felt?
Some might feel angry and frastrated, isolated and abandoned, injustice and even thoughts of revange. I can understand all these feelings and emotions that a man can have under pressing circumstances.
So what did David choose the way he react? Isn't he just a man? I am sure he had emotions.
But what made the difference? He responded the right way. God's way.
Instead of taking King Saul's life, David spared his life, just because he feared God and know that is not right before God's eyes, and recognised it is God that had anointed Saul as King.
David chose grace rather than unforgiveness.
He chose mercy rather than revange.
He chose to please God rather than sin.
What would you choose?
Fear God or Sin during temptation?
Be crushed in the spirit when being pressured in life (O levels or work) or choose to place your burden before God.
Life is full of choices, know your consequences, make your choice wisely in the fear of God. I pray that with the help of Holy Spirit in our heart let us choose God and in our responses to life situation is God's way. Each time you make a choice to follow God, you will be more like Christ in character. Being sucessful is to be Christlike.
JW
BLESSED AT,
10:44 AM
Sunday, January 7, 2007
Devotion by Warrior Bernard
Hebrews 10:24-25
And let us consider how we may spur one another on towards love and good deeds. Let us not give up on meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another-and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
How Powerful is This verse?
1)By spurring one another on towards love and good deeds?
2)Meeting up?
3)Encouraging one another (Not only in the subject of meeting up)
I was blessed by this verse just a few minutes ago and I just felt that I had to share it. It may not be a new verse to us but have we truly meditated upon this verse?
Indeed during this time of turbulance in which the devil has set upon us, it shows that we are being attacked (Tested) for a reason, and with these issues the verse talks about, I believe we can strengthen our relationship to being more than just brothers and fathers. Amen?
1) Why would somebody attack somebody else?
The person is not in favour of the victim, and is unhappy with the victim.
Just after the 7000 lap challenge, I met up with my mother and sister and during the time while I was waiting for them, I chanced upon this book by Pastor Prince (New Creation Church's senior Pastor) he showed me how the devil works.
He put it in such a way....
"The devil is a jealous ex-girlfriend with a picture of her ex-boyfriend. When she is angry with the ex-boyfriend, she is not in reach of the ex-boyfriend thus she attacks the picture."
In the same way, we are the picture, as we are created in the image of God. God being the ex-boyfriend, and being holy above all else (Amen to that) thus the devil has no power or ability to attack God. The devil being the jealous ex-girlfriend lost her ex-boyfriend due to problems in their relationship, in the same way , God's closest cherub lost the relationship with God as he went his own way.
So why are we being attacked?
I believe that since we are close to many new breakthroughs in our cell, the devil is sending attacks onto us. But thanks be to God for his sovereignty that he is still in control and uses these attacks as ways to help us grow and by giving us tests.
Amen?
Indeed I pray that this post has open some hearts to viewing negative situations positively and God is pleased with his treasures.
BLESSED AT,
11:01 PM
Jon's Reflection
Yeah I almost forgot about this but GOD prompted me to come to the blog... yeah and I happen to see Matt's reflection :)
Yeah GOD has definitely done lots of stuff in my life in 2006. My life b4 was a total thrash yard. I have never thought of leading a life with a Holy GOD. I use to believe in idols but not anymore :) I was rather bad tempered in nature and often throws temper at anyone I sees if caught me in the wrong mood. Yeah GOD has surely used many people to touch this life of mine that he has created... I really appreciate it. Thank GOD. Well I was just thinking what if MTT had not asked me to church, I think I will be on the streets smoking and getting drunk of all sorts.
But well by the grace of GOD I am saved :) I use to run away from MTT to go to church haha my beginning as a Christian was kind of funny one lor. But I think GOD has his plan for doing so. Well I am standing firm in his arms, without having to worry a single thing of this world.
Although sometimes I still fall into temptation, but thankfully GOD was there and my spiritual family was there to pray and push me through those difficult times.
1) GOD has definitely given me a heart of compassion. I use to bear grudges. But now as do it I would ask myself, what if I bear those grudges how would it reflect GOD when the people see me bearing grudges and speaking @ the person's back. GOD made me forgave them.
2) Well GOD also gave me a reflective mind. He made me do everything for HIM and will lead me to think of how my every move I make will glorify HIM. But sometimes will forget la and still believe the devil. Kind of stupid lor. But one thing for sure is that I have learned how to think through the things I am about to do and things I have already done. HE will make me think “was that what ‘I’ would do?" and "how will that bring glory to "ME"?" yeah these are the thinking question HE would place b4 me and make me think deeper to what I do. Well it kind of fits into what MTT wants us to learn about facilitation :) Well see GOD has plans for everything :) AMEN?? haha...
I know God’s grace is sufficient for my wrong doings, but GOD also told me not to take HIS grace for granted.. Yeah... I think I have learnt to let "myself" go and let the spirit move in me. I felt the kind of "hand to hand" connection with the Holy Spirit. Yeah sometimes it puzzles me as well but I think GOD has been graceful to forgive my repeated sins, but I also thank GOD that he has taught me how to forgive myself. Sometimes it is jus the devil telling you that you are unworthy of God’s forgiveness. But yeah jus need to reject that in the name of JESUS. Amen??
But sometimes GOD also puzzles me in the way HE work in me. Sometimes I feel that as though he was not there but I noe in my heart he was there. Yeah so that confusion also allows the devil to come and attack us lor. Like the recent clan camp. I was for the first time attack so surely from the devil. Yeah and I thank GOD that I was manage to have good rest in him lor and I was remorseful that I didn’t seek GOD in that situation, I am sure I would have felt the Holy Spirit because HE was there...
I also learnt from 2006 how to run back to GOD. He gave me lots of chance to run back to him :) yeah... 2006 was a year of great manifestation. Whatever from the inside was all dug out. My family played an important role as well as I was growing in the LORD. They were there for me especially MTT, Jeff, Syh Leong...they encouraged me and gave me their advice whenever I needed them... they will always be there for me when I am in a trap of the things of this world. Thank GOD for all of you guys and not forgetting my cell members :) love them loads. They are all important to me in my Spiritual Life... we make mistakes together and grew together :) thx guys :) I pray that we will all grow in a way or two in the LORD because I know that the LORD has a wonderful plan for all of us.
I think we should continue to seek the LORD and ask of the Holy Spirit to come and enter your life. May GOD be with You Throughout :)?
GOD BLESS
jOn
BLESSED AT,
1:28 AM
