Saturday, 30 November 2013
Value Every Moment
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Value Every Moment
TODAY'S SCRIPTURE:
Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.Psalm 90:12, NIV.
TODAY'S WORD:
Have you stopped to consider that today is a special gift from God? Sometimes, our days can be so full and busy that we forget how fragile life really is. It can be easy to allow little things to creep in and steal our peace and joy. Maybe something doesn’t go our way, or someone says something upsetting. Even traffic can cause us to lose focus if we let it. We have to remember that each day is a gift. If we choose to focus on what’s wrong, we’ll miss the blessing that each day has to offer.I encourage you today; don’t let the precious moments of life pass you by. Don’t wait for holidays and birthdays to show people that you care. Remember, each day is unique and irreplaceable. You have been given time that can be invested or wasted; hours that can be used or misused. That’s why the psalmist prayed to God, “Teach us to number our days.” He was saying, “Teach us to value every moment we’ve been given.” As you daily keep a proper perspective, you’ll gain a heart of wisdom. You’ll draw closer to God and experience the full blessing that He has for you each and every day!
PRAYER FOR TODAY:
Father, thank You for the gift of today. I choose to focus on the blessing of each moment instead of allowing the little things to steal my joy. Keep me close to You always as I surrender every area of my heart and mind to You in Jesus’ name. Amen. |
PS...
“Sink your roots in him and build on him. Be strengthened by the faith that you were taught, and overflow with thanksgiving.” (Colossians 2:7 GW)
An attitude of radical gratitude is God’s will for you because it develops your faith.
How does gratitude develop my faith? It happens when times are tough — when things don’t make sense, when you can’t figure it out, when your prayers are unanswered, when everything is going the way you didn’t want it to go. It happens when you can say in those circumstances, “God, I know you’re in control. I know you love me, and I know you can bring good out of this. I’m thankful that you’re bigger than my problem.”
Anybody can thank God for good things. But if you can thank God even in the bad times, your faith will grow stronger as your roots go deeper.
Habakkuk was going through tough times. He said, “Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my Savior.” (Habakkuk 3:17-18 NIV).
In the midst of all the bad things that went wrong, Habakkuk rejoiced. What’s his cause of gratitude? “I will be joyful in God my Savior.” When everything else stinks in life, you can be grateful because the Lord is your Savior. He will pull you out. You are not by yourself. He hasn’t abandoned you. Give thanks to God!
That is the ultimate test of the depth of your faith. Can you thank God when life stinks? When you’re going through tough times, don’t look at what’s lost. Look at what’s left, and be grateful for it!
You can be thankful to God just for being God. He has promised to see you through those tough situations, and your faith will grow even stronger because of it.
Colossians 2:7 says, “Sink your roots in him and build on him. Be strengthened by the faith that you were taught, and overflow with thanksgiving” (GW).
God’s will is radical gratitude — in all things give thanks. Why? Gratitude honors God, it creates fellowship, and it develops your faith.
Talk It Over
- What is your usual reaction to difficult circumstances? How do you think God wants you to respond?
- What does it mean to honor God?
- How have you seen God strengthen your faith through the difficult circumstances of your life?
Friday, 29 November 2013
We Thank God for You!
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TODAY'S SCRIPTURE: I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. Philippians 1:3-6, NIV. TODAY'S WORD: Today in America, we celebrate Thanksgiving. It is a day to remember the goodness of God in our land and to thank Him for our freedoms. As we thank God for His goodness in our lives, we thank God for you, our friends, partners and supporters of this ministry. We always pray for you and believe that your best days are ahead. We know that the work God has begun in your life - He will be faithful to complete it! Who are you thankful for in your life? Who are the people who support you, encourage you and strengthen you? Who are the people who are there to pick you up when you fall? Why don’t you tell them how much you appreciate them? Pray for them every day and pray it forward. Remember that Thanksgiving isn’t just a holiday; it’s a lifestyle! Happy Thanksgiving! May you feel His blessing today and every day of the year! PRAYER FOR TODAY: Father, thank You for Your goodness and faithfulness in my life. Thank You for the people You have placed in my life to support and bless me. Show me how I can be a blessing to others and show my gratitude to the people I love in Jesus’ name. Amen. |
PS...
“Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” 1 Thessalonians 5:18 (NIV)
Thanksgiving is not supposed to be a day that we celebrate once a year. It is to be a spiritual habit of the radical believer. The more deeply you understand God’s love, the more grateful you’re going to be.
So what does it mean to be radically grateful?
The Bible says in 1 Thessalonians 5:18, “Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (NIV). That’s radical gratitude. In all circumstances give thanks, because it’s God’s will for you.
You can thank God in every circumstance because God is in control. He can bring good out of evil. He can turn around the stupid mistakes you make. No matter what happens, God isn’t going to stop loving you. There are a hundred things to be thankful for in any circumstance, even when the circumstances stink.
Radical gratitude — being thankful in all circumstances — is God’s will because it creates fellowship.
What do I mean by that? Gratitude always builds deeper relationships between you and other people and between you and God.
Whoever you want to get closer to, start expressing gratitude to that person. If you’ve moved away from your husband or your wife, you need to start doing what you did when you were dating: Express gratitude. Write little notes of kindness and encouragement. Make calls or text during the day, just to tell him or her that you’re thankful. Do the things you did at first. The reason you’ve lost that lovin’ feeling is because you stopped doing the things that created that lovin’ feeling early on, and you take each other for granted.
Do you want to build your small group? Don’t just go to small group. During the week, text them, email them, call them, write them. Say, “I’m grateful for you, and here’s why.” You’ll find that the more grateful you are for your group, the more your group will bond.
The Bible tells us to “encourage one another and build each other up” (1 Thessalonians 5:11). As you build others up, you’ll find that God builds into your life as well through your deep relationships with him and others.
Talk It Over
- Who do you need to encourage or connect with this week? To whom do you need to show your gratitude?
- What are some simple ways you can express your gratitude to your spouse, friend, or small group members?
- As you develop an attitude of gratitude, what changes do you see in yourself and your relationships?
Thursday, 28 November 2013
The Way to Enter
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TODAY'S SCRIPTURE: Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name. Psalm 100:4, NKJV. TODAY'S WORD: What a wonderful privilege we have to enter boldly to His throne of grace. We serve a personal God who desires a relationship with us. We have access to Him 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year! But notice that today’s verse tells us that we shouldn’t just come any old way to God. We shouldn’t come empty-handed to the King of kings and the Lord of lords. What do we have to give that’s worthy of Almighty God? Our praise. Our thanksgiving. Our worship. We are to enter His gates with an offering of adoration from our hearts because He is so worthy! We have to understand, praise isn’t just about singing songs on Sunday mornings. Praise is the expression of gratefulness to Father God for who He is and all that He has done. Praise gets God’s attention. Praise is a powerful tool in the life of the believer because God inhabits our praises! When we enter His presence the right way, He enters our circumstances; and when God shows up, the enemy must flee! Today, enter into His gates with thanksgiving and open the door for Him to move on your behalf! PRAYER FOR TODAY: Father, You alone are worthy of my praise. Today I declare that You are good, and Your mercy endures forever! Have Your way in me by the power of Your Holy Spirit. I honor You today and submit every area of my life to You in Jesus’ name. Amen. |
PS...
“Be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry.” James 1:19 (NLT)
When you’re trying to reconcile with someone, don’t listen for the problem or the issue. Listen for the hurt beneath their complaint, their issue, or their anger.
Hurt people hurt people. Healthy people don’t hurt other people. Holy people don’t hurt other people. Happy people don’t hurt other people. It doesn’t matter whether you’re talking about marriage or the market place or the Middle East. When people are hurting, they lash out at others.
People around the world are dying for respect. When you treat people with dignity, the anger dissipates quickly, whether it’s with nations or businesses or churches or ethnic groups or your own family. You treat people with respect.
What is the greatest way to show people respect? Listen to them, and look them in the eye. In a peace conference, you need to stop and listen to what’s beneath the words they’re saying. What is the hurt they’re expressing?
James 1:19 tells us how to do this: “Be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry” (NLT). God gave you two ears and one mouth. He wants you to listen twice as much as you speak. But we get in a hurry. What you need to do is try to understand the perspective of other people. Don’t just look at the situation from your point of view. St. Francis of Assisi said, “Seek to understand before seeking to be understood.”
You’re going to have a hundred chances this week to put this verse into practice. Don’t miss an opportunity to show respect to someone by listening to his or her hurt. Then, you can work toward reconciliation.
Talk It Over
- With whom do you have conflict? What do you think might be the cause of his or her hurt?
- How would you rate your listening skills? What gets in the way of taking time to listen to others?
- What steps can you take to sit down with someone and really listen to his or her heart so that you can work toward reconciliation?
Wednesday, 27 November 2013
This is the Will of God
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This is the Will of God
TODAY'S SCRIPTURE:
Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.1 Thessalonians 5:18, NIV.
TODAY'S WORD:
So many people today wonder what God’s will is for their lives. Oftentimes, they look for big things, signs and supernatural events. But really, God’s will for us unfolds each and every day as we obey Him and serve Him with a thankful heart.When you wake up every morning with an attitude of praise and thanksgiving, you just took a step toward your destiny—you are walking in the will of God. When you go throughout your day, thanking God that His hand of blessing is on you, thanking Him for ordering your steps, thanking Him for a new day, you are taking another step in His will. Today, remember to keep the right perspective. We should have goals and dreams and look forward to a bright future, but the way you live your life today is what’s going to get you to where you need to be tomorrow. Keep praising, keep believing and keep thanking Him because that’s what will keep you moving forward. Submit every area of your heart to Him and walk forward in His will for your life!
PRAYER FOR TODAY:
Father, I come to You today with thanksgiving in my heart and a mouth full of praise! I bless You because You are worthy! Thank You for redeeming my life from the pit. Thank You for leading me in the way everlasting as I keep my heart and mind on You today in Jesus’ name. Amen.PS... |
“So if you are presenting a sacrifice at the altar in the Temple and you suddenly remember that someone has something against you, leave your sacrifice there at the altar. Go and be reconciled to that person. Then come and offer your sacrifice to God.” Matthew 5:23-24 (NLT)
Some people say, “Time heals everything.” No, it doesn’t! Time heals nothing. The only way to resolve conflict is to face it.
When you love somebody, you level with that person. We call this a peace conference — a sit down, face-to-face meeting.
You may say, “OK, fine. When they come to me, then I will face it.”
No! God expects you to take the first step. He expects you to be the peacemaker. You make the first move. It doesn’t matter if you are the offended one or the offender. God says it’s always your move.
Matthew 5:23-24 says, “So if you are presenting a sacrifice at the altar in the Temple and you suddenly remember that someone has something against you, leave your sacrifice there at the altar. Go and be reconciled to that person. Then come and offer your sacrifice to God” (NLT).
Reconciliation takes priority over worship. You need to get your relationships right and then come back and worship God.
Here are some suggestions on how to do a peace conference:
Why should you do this? Why should you take the initiative?
First, Jesus tells you to do it. Second, your worship is worthless if you’re in the middle of conflict. Third, God won’t hear your prayers until you’ve reconciled with others and him. That one may surprise you. The Bible says in 1 Peter 3:7,“Husbands must give honor to your wives. If you don’t treat her as you should your prayers will not be heard.”
This verse is for people in any relationship. God wants you to get your relationships right. He wants you to offer forgiveness. Then, you can have a right relationship with God.
Talk It Over
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Tuesday, 26 November 2013
Find a Reason
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TODAY'S SCRIPTURE: O give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; for His mercy and loving-kindness endure forever! 1 Chronicles 16:34, AMP. TODAY'S WORD: No matter what is going on in life, we can find a reason to thank God. We choose what we focus on. We can either focus on our problems, or we can focus on our blessings. The question is: do you want more problems, or do you want more blessings? When you thank God, you are focusing on the blessing! One thing I’ve noticed is that when you live with an attitude of constant gratitude, not only do you thank God for what He’s done in your life, you start thanking Him for what He will do in your life. You thank Him for opening doors for you. You thank Him for increasing you. You thank Him for bringing the right people into your life. When you say “Thank You” to God for the things that are coming, it’s really a declaration of your faith in Him. You are saying in essence, “God, I’m so sure of Your goodness, I’m so sure that You’re working in my life that I’m going to thank You right now for what You are going to do tomorrow!” Today, have an attitude of gratitude. Let your faith say, “Thank You.” Praise Him throughout the day with a humble heart and watch what He will do on your behalf! PRAYER FOR TODAY: Father, thank You for another day to praise You. Thank You for all You have done in my life. Help me to see Your hand of blessing as I continually acknowledge and praise Your name in Jesus’ name. Amen. PS... |
“At one time you were far away from God and were his enemies because of the evil things you did and thought. But now, by means of the physical death of his Son, God has made you his friends, in order to bring you, holy, pure, and faultless, into his presence.” Colossians 1:21-22 (GNT)
You’re never going to make peace with others until you make peace with God, and the only way you’re going to make peace with God is surrender. You were made to live with him as the manager, CEO, and chairman of the board of your life.
Sam Harris, who is a friend of mine, is also a well-known atheist. We had a three-and-a-half-hour debate for Newsweek magazine. One of the last questions they asked was, “Can you be spiritual without believing in a spirit?”
During the discussion on this issue, I said, “Sam, what interests me is not so much that you don’t believe in God but why you don’t believe in God. I don’t have enough faith to not believe in God. It takes far more faith to believe this is all an accident than to believe that there was a design and creator behind it. You can’t prove it, and I can’t prove it, so we’re both living by faith. I believe it by faith. You doubt it by faith.”
I asked Sam, “If you were to believe in God, would you have to change your lifestyle?” When he said, “Yes,” I responded, “So that’s the real issue. The issue is not that you can’t believe in God. It’s that you don’t want to believe in God. The truth is that you just don’t want a boss. You don’t want a sovereign Lord who tells you ‘This is right and this is wrong.’ You want to make it up yourself. You want to be God.”
That is the fundamental issue that causes our war with God: We want to be our own God.
So, how do you make peace with God?
The Bible says in Colossians 1:21-22, “At one time you were far away from God and were his enemies because of the evil things you did and thought. But now, by means of the physical death of his Son, God has made you his friends, in order to bring you, holy, pure, and faultless, into his presence.” (GNT).
There’s only one way to make peace with God: by faith. The good news is that Jesus Christ has already done everything you need to make peace with God. All you need to do is surrender and accept it by faith.
“So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God.” Romans 5:11 (NLT).
Talk It Over
- What does it mean to surrender?
- What areas of your life do you still need to surrender to God so that you can have peace?
- What do you think are the effects of surrender that should be evident in your life?
Monday, 25 November 2013
Right this Way!
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Today's Scripture: “The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and He delighteth in his way.” (Psalm 37:23, KJV). Today's Word: The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord! Many people today might find it difficult to see themselves as “good” in the eyes of God, but did you know that in the original Greek, this word means “strong” like a warrior? In other words, when you stand strong, when you are willing to fight the good fight of faith, you are giving God something to work with. He is ordering your steps. He’s making a way when there seems to be no way. He’s clearing a path for you, and He is delighting in you. That means He is pleased with your attitude of courage. He is pleased that you are taking a stand for what is right. He is pleased that you are putting Him first place and relying completely on Him. Remember, God loves your passion for Him. He loves it when you come boldly to His throne of grace. He is honored when you stand and fight the good fight of faith. If you are facing difficulty today, know that God wants to lift you up and give you His strength. Receive it by faith today. Dig your heels in knowing that He is ordering your steps; and when God is leading you, He’s always leading you in the path of victory! Prayer for Today: Father, thank You for giving me Your supernatural joy and strength. I choose to stand strong in You no matter what is going on around me. I choose Your ways and thank You for ordering my steps. I bless You and praise You for Your goodness and faithfulness in Jesus’ name. Amen. What to Do with the Truth
13 hours ago
by Rick Warren
“You must continue to believe this truth and stand firmly in it. Don’t drift away from the assurance you received when you heard the Good News.” Colossians 1:23 (NLT)
Once you’ve discovered the truth, there are four things you need to do with it:
Now you know it, too. What are you going to do about it? Would you pray this prayer today? “God, I’m stepping across the line today. Jesus Christ, I want to believe you are the way, the truth, and the life. I want to know the truth so the truth will set me free. I want to believe it. I want to do it. I want to stand for it. I want to spread the truth. I’m in. I’m putting my trust in you. In your name I pray. Amen.” |
At the airport
I am currently waiting for my best friend. I
have known her since high school. We attended the same university. We had so
many things in common. Well, in fact we loved the subject Chemistry and she
pursued it until college while it was my choice to be in Architecture.
Even though, we’re from different institute, we always had
the time to meet together in the library, to share lunch and dinner before
going home. I also shared some notes with her in Physics and sometimes helped
her in her assignments (I had some minor subjects the same with her like
Philosophy, Psychology and Physics) which we loved to discuss.
If there’s particular thing that I was able to remember
about my best friend… that’s when I had my thesis. She never helped me to
complete it because she cannot relate on my course however; she was there to
look after me while sleeping inside their Chemistry Laboratory Room. I was too
sleepy after completing my thesis for submission (prior to my final deliberation).
I was too blessed to have her that time and for about an hour, I totally
recharged again. After that she attended her next class while I went to
register and get the schedule for my thesis defense.
Sometimes, I may not have the time to talk to her but I always ensure that she’s in my heart. I truly appreciate her understanding. Now, far beyond I can imagine, I will be meeting here again in Malaysia (supposed to be in Hong Kong as my first offered destination). Anyway, regardless of the place everything is a blessing. It was indeed a divine intervention. A blessed choice. =)
Sunday, 24 November 2013
I Loved Her First / A Daddy’s Letter to his Little Girl About Her Future Husband
A Daddy’s Letter to his Little Girl About Her Future Husband
Dr. Kelly Flanigan is a therapist who has seen women who needs a good man in their life time and time again. He wanted to write a letter to not only his little girl, but to every woman out there. It’s a fantastic reminder of what a man needs to be to his wife.
Dear Cutie-Pie,
Recently, your mother and I were searching for an answer on Google. Halfway through entering the question, Google returned a list of the most popular searches in the world. Perched at the top of the list was “How to keep him interested.”
It startled me. I scanned several of the countless articles about how to be sexy and sexual, when to bring him a beer versus a sandwich, and the ways to make him feel smart and superior.
And I got angry.
Little One, it is not, has never been, and never will be your job to “keep him interested.”
Little One, your only task is to know deeply in your soul—in that unshakeable place that isn’t rattled by rejection and loss and ego—that you are worthy of interest. (If you can remember that everyone else is worthy of interest also, the battle of your life will be mostly won. But that is a letter for another day.)
If you can trust your worth in this way, you will be attractive in the most important sense of the word: you will attract a boy who is both capable of interest and who wants to spend his one life investing all of his interest in you.
Little One, I want to tell you about the boy who doesn’t need to be kept interested, because he knows you are interesting:
I don’t care if he puts his elbows on the dinner table—as long as he puts his eyes on the way your nose scrunches when you smile. And then can’t stop looking.
I don’t care if he can’t play a bit of golf with me—as long as he can play with the children you give him and revel in all the glorious and frustrating ways they are just like you.
I don’t care if he doesn’t follow his wallet—as long as he follows his heart and it always leads him back to you.
I don’t care if he is strong—as long as he gives you the space to exercise the strength that is in your heart.
I couldn’t care less how he votes—as long as he wakes up every morning and daily elects you to a place of honor in your home and a place of reverence in his heart.
I don’t care about the color of his skin—as long as he paints the canvas of your lives with brushstrokes of patience, and sacrifice, and vulnerability, and tenderness.
I don’t care if he was raised in this religion or that religion—as long as he was raised to value the sacred and to know every moment of life, and every moment of life with you, is deeply sacred.
You.
Because in the end, Little One, the only thing you should have to do to “keep him interested” is to be you.
Your eternally interested guy,
Daddy
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