Peverting the course of justice

"Do not follow the crowd in doing wrong. When you give testimony in a lawsuit, do not pervert justice by siding with the crowd, and do not show favoritism to a poor man in his lawsuit." - Exo 23:2-2

Often times when we see justice being perverted, it is easier to close one eye than doing something to right the wrong. Somehow I think that it happens more in our everyday lives than we might have realized. For instance if we witness a hit and run accident, do we behave like nothing has happened or do we go and do what is expected and right of us, as according to the bible? And what do we do when we see an elderly crossing a road with difficulty on a bustling street? So I think that these are just little incidents that we pervert the course of justice perhaps without so much consciously realizing.

"So the last will be first, and the first will be last." - Matt 20:16

We are reminded that the ones who are the last to seek the world will be the first to enter into God's kingdom, and the first to seek the world be will the last.

PRAYER:
"Abba Father, help me to always come into honesty with you, grant me the courage to do what is good and right, and to right the wrongs when I see them. Father, would you also help me to align my vision according to yours in heaven, so that I will constantly be the first to seek your kingdom, and the last to seek the ways of the earth. In Jesus' name, Amen."

On eagle's wings

"You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagle’s wings and brought you to myself." – Exo 19:4

Lord, though I have not seen what You did to Egypt, I believe. I have heard what You have done and now I believe. I believe that You are God of the everlasting, the Father of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and now Lord, you are my Father. Dear Lord, thank you for this wonderful gift of faith that has allowed me to trust that You will continue to carry me on your eagle’s wings and bring me close to You, always.

"This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your own heart." – Matt 18:35

The heart, is so important because it leads to our thought, speech and action, and that will be what we will be judged upon. Dearly beloved, let us then come with a cleansed and purified heart before the Lord so that he may be well-pleased with us when we enter his kingdom.

PRAYER:
"Heavenly Father, thank you for this wonderful gift of faith that you’ve given me, the faith that made me believe that Jesus died on the cross and arose again to be seated with You on your right hand, and the belief that You will again to this earth. Father, help me to build a faithful heart for the days to come, that in everything which I do, I will do so in Your name and strength, showing the kind of faithfulness that you have revealed to thousands of generations since the time of Noah.
Heavenely Father, would you also search my heart for any kind of impurity that detests you and transform me into the image of Christ Jesus. Forgive me Father, for sins that I have committed in folly and wilfullness, lead me back to the path of righteousness, always. In Jesus’ most precious name, Amen."

Humble up and grumble not

“Moses also said, ‘You will know that it was the Lord when he gives you meat to eat in the evening and all the bread you want in the morning, because he has heard your grumbling against him. Who are we? You are not grumbling against us, but against the Lord.’” – Exo 16:8
And he called the place Massah and Meribah because the Israelites quarreled and because they tested the Lord saying, ‘Is the Lord among us or not?’” – Exo 17:7

I have often found myself grumbling of little dissatisfactions in life, and when I do so, I fail to appreciate the goodness that was already in front of me, like the Israelites. And sometimes, I just grumble directly to God. As much as God yearns for us to have an honest communication with him (grumbling directly to God could be considered as a way), He also expects us to come with gratitude for the things that we have around us, food, job, family, friends, and even good health. So let me not find myself grumbling so often, and learn instead to cultivate a heart of gratitude for all things I have each day through the grace of God.

“Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” – Matt 18:4

I guess a child exemplifies the kind of humility that each one of us. It is easy to be humble towards compliments that are directed on us. But less so, if we consider the less obvious situations, such as during the times when we banter with people close to us. And then we go, “Oh, I’m always so good or so kind etc.. only that you don’t realize it.” I think quite a number of us, including myself have said something to that extent before. And while the premise is a harmless one, meant to create joviality or goodwill amongst others, I feel that there is still room to display humility in situations as such. For God has also said, that blessed is the man who watches over his tongue. So let us, always come with a humble heart before God, so that He will always be pleased with us.

PRAYER:
“Heavenly Father, I know that you are always close to me, so let me cast all my worries and burdens upon the cross, that in the times ahead, I may walk with peace and a grateful heart. Father, help me to become humble like a child, who does all things, not for the credit of himself, but for the joy of his father. Help me, O Lord, like the child, to always be a cheerful servant of Yours. I want to be slow to speak, as You have said that it is more important to check what comes out of our mouth, instead of what we put in. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.”

Be still and listen

Moses answered the pople, ‘Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. “ – Exo 14:13

While he was still speaking, a bright cloud enveloped them, and a voice from the cloud said, ‘This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!’” – Matt 17:5

Be still and listen to God was the command of Moses to his people. Often times, when things go in an unexpected manner, we experience frustration and worry. How easy is it to fall into this trap of taking things to our own hands. But, if we allow God to take charge of every moment of our lives, then there is no fear. With God, there is only goodness and security, not by our standards, but by His. So let us learn to walk in faith and trust in God in all that we do.

PRAYER:
"Father in heaven, I am but only human. To worry, to become angry when things do not go well is how you have created me. But God, let not these moments of unneccessary self-imposed emotions rule me over. Help me Lord, to walk in complete blind faith, to trust in all that You have for me; for I know that my path shall be lit by Your light. Grant me the boldness and courage to do all that is good and right for Your kingdom. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”

Jesus Christ the blood covenant

"The blood will be a sign for you on the houses where you are; and when I see the blood, I will pass over you. No destructive plague will touch you when I strike in Egypt." - Exo 12:13

The blood was a sign that the people of the household belonged to God, and so they were saved from His destruction. As in the NT, Jesus Christ became the blood sacrifice and covenant for us, His believers to be saved from destruction come the day of judgment.

"Then Jesus said to his disciples, 'If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me." - Matt 16:24

This is a reminder to myself, that as a follower of Christ, I ought to empty myself of worldly ambitions and desires so that by the grace of God, I can be filled in His likeness to become a true follower of Jesus Christ. It is not an easy process; but through the grace and strength that God fortifies me, I can do all things.

Once I came across a saying/verse, that I recall loosely: "Do small things in Jesus' name, so that you may glorify Him; and do big things with Jesus' strength, so that you may achieve the seemingly impossible."

And indeed it is so true!

PRAYER:
"Abba Father, thank you Lord for sending Your only son, Jesus Christ as the blood sacrifice so that I may be saved. Jesus savior, Your works are complete, and I pray that through grace and by Your mercy, help me to carry the cross that You did on Calvary hill. Help me, for the little things in life, to do them in Your name, so that I can honor and glorify You, and the big things by Your strength, so that men can see that it is the power of God at work within me. In Jesus' name, I pray, Amen."

The compassion of God II

"And the Lord changed the wind to a very strong west wind, which caught up the locusts and carried them into the Red Sea. Not a locust was left anywhere in Egypt. But the Lord hardened Pharaoh's Heart, and he would not let the Israelites go." - Exo 10:19-20

On one side we see that the Pharaoh repeatedly turn his back against God to sin; while on the other, we see that God was ready to forgive the Pharaoh each time he pleaded with Moses for God to relent on the plague that was set upon his people. And God did just that, because he was a merciful god. However, God also intentionally hardened the Pharaoh's heart, so that He may continue to perform acts of miracle for the Pharaoh to prove to him that He is indeed the God of the Israelites.

"Jesus called his disciples to him and said, 'I have compassion for these people; they have already been with me three days and have nothing to eat. I do not want to send them away hungry, or they may collapse on the way.'" - Matt 15:32

Here we see that Jesus was God, and He too, showed compassion to his followers. Such indeed shows the loving essence of God.

PRAYER:
"Abba Father, time and again, You have shown great compassion to Your people. O Father, help us to turn away from sin so that we may be worthy of Your compassion and love for us. Father, by Your love and compassion for us, You have sent your only son, Jesus Christ to die for us, so that we may be reunited with You again in time in Your Kingdom. Abba Father, thank you for the grace that you have shown upon me so generously that I may be able to run the race You have set before me victoriously. In Jesus' name, Amen."

The case of the stubborn Pharaoh

"The Moses left Pharaoh and prayed to the Lord, and the Lord did what Moses asked: The flies left Pharaoh and his officials and his people; not a fly remained. But this time also Pharaoh hardened his heart and would not let the people go." - Exo 8:30-32

Pharaoh was stubbornly disobeying God when he refused to allow the Israelites to leave Egypt in spite of the miracles that were performed before him by Aaron and Moses.

"What goes into a man's mouth does not make him 'unclean', but what comes out of his mouth, that is what makes him 'unclean'." - Matt 15:11

Jesus explained that whatever that enters the mouth through the stomach and then out of the body, does not make a man unclean, but the things that come out of the mouth comes from the heart, and these are what makes the man unclean.

PRAYER:
"Dearest Father in Heaven, grant me the eyes so that I can see, the ears that I may hear, and the mouth so that I may speak, all in accordance to Your wisdom and purpose for me. Father Lord, let me not be like the obstinate and self-righteous Pharaoh, but give me a meek heart, that is always ever ready to take Your commands.
Father I pray that the Kingdom of God within me will constantly be at work so that I may always be clean in Your sight. Purify and cleanse my heart of any kind of impurities, and I pray that You too would search my heart for anything that displeases me that I may be ignorant of. Lord, I seek Your guidance so that the light of the Kingdom of God may shine forth brightly unto me. In Jesus' name, I pray, Amen."

The favorability of the weak

"Moses said to the Lord, 'O Lord, I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue." - Exo 4:10

"But Jesus immediately said to them: 'Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid." - Matt 14: 27

In spite of what Moses thinks of himself as a highly unlikely candidate to bring his people out of Egypt, God's purpose for him was to do precisely what he thought he was unable to do. And in the NT, we also see how Jesus Christ has instructed his disciples to be bold in carrying out the will of the Lord.

PRAYER:
"Dearest Abba Father, all things that I have achieved is through Your purpose for me. Remind me that is not by my might that I am who I am today. Merciful Father, grant me the grace to do all things, like how Moses eventually did, even though they may seem impossible to the human logic. Father, would you also grant me the courage, as Jesus has instructed to go out to do what is good and right, to proclaim the Kingdom of God to all. In Jesus' mighty name, Amen."

God remembers

"God heard their groaning and he remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Issac and with Jacob." - Exodus 2:24

God had not forgotten the covenant He made with Abraham to bring His people, enslaved in Egypt, back to their own land, Israel.

"When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick." - Matt 14:14

Jesus was still mourning over the death of John the Baptist when He saw the large crowd, but when he saw them, he remembered that they were in need and began to heal them, putting away his own sorrows then.

PRAYER:
"Dear Father in Heaven, the Father of all nations, I just want to give thanks to your amazing faithfulness. Lord, You have never fallen short of the covenants You've made with Your people, and because of that, I can trust that I will run the race that You've set out for me victoriously. Father, Lord, help me also not to forgot the covenant that I have made with you, that at all times, I will uphold it so that You may be pleased and honored. In Jesus' name, Amen."

Definitely too much to contemplate

"It's almost too much to contemplate", were the words of Mr. John Lewis, a 68- year old congressman from Georgia, who spoke on the compelling link between Mr. Obama's inauguration on January 20 2009 and the historic civil rights march on Washington on August 23 1968.

Certainly for the 44th President of the United States, Mr. Barack Obama has made a remarkable journey from his days of an unknown Illinois Senator to the President of the world's greatest economy.

Reflecting on what Mr. Lewis had remarked, I cannot but be reminded of my God, mighty creator of Heaven and Earth and all that He has done since the days of Adam and Eve.

"Definitely too much to contemplate", will be how I would describe my Abba Father, President of all Presidents, King of Kings of the Earth. There can not have been any body else that could have been so faithful, so full of compassion, so full of wisdom. Lord, while many of the people around the world are placing unrealistic and exceedingly high expectations on the new US President, Father I know that you would be infinitely capable of meeting all my expectations! Isn't this truly too much for me, or any one else for that matter to contemplate?

Father, all glory and all honor belong to You. On this day that the world is rejoicing over the dawn of a new era, Father, I too want to dedicate this day to You for your amazing love and grace that You have shown to Your people throughout time immemorial.

The little mustard seed

"But Joseph said to them, 'Don't be afraid. Am I in the place of God? You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives." - Gen 50:19-20

Joseph knew that God was with him and would deliver him from all evils, and I think that is the same in my case as well.

"Though it is the smallest of all your seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and perch in its branches." - Matt 13:32

The gist of this parable says that the small will eventually become the mighty. And yet, although the kingdom of God is available to us by grace through faith, genuine faith is about genuinely embracing and yielding to God's reign, not simply acknowledging it and thereafter passing it by as if it did not exist. It is only with this genuine faith then do we turn into the tree which the birds of the air will come and perch on its branches.

PRAYER:
"Praise be to the Lord for always being by my side. Though I do not see You, You have made Your presence felt in me. And because of Your holy presence, I know Lord that you will deliver me from harm's way as you did for Joseph, Your servant. Father Lord, I remember that I too, am like the mustard seed in Jesus' parable. The purpose of the things that I do or experience on earth may seem doubtful at times, but I know Lord, that they are part of Your plans that will shape and mould me to be like Your character, so that I will be worthy to enter through the gates of Heaven come the fateful day and also a part of the building of Your kingdom. In Christ's name, I pray, Amen."

The generosity of God

"Joseph said to the people, 'Now that I have bought you and your land today for Pharaoh, here is seed for you so you can plant the ground. But when the crop comes in, give a fifth of it to Pharaoh. The other four-fifths you may keep as seed for the fields and as food for yourselves and your households and your children." - Gen 47:23-24

I am reminded that all which I have, especially my income, comes from God's provision, and therefore I should always remember to give my thanks for it. So one way to go about it is through tithing.

"He replied, 'The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. Whoever has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. " - Matt 13:11-12

I feel so blessed indeed knowing that God has chosen to reveal the secrets of his kingdom of heaven to me. And that he will continue to bless me abundantly according to His plans in heaven.

PRAYER:
"Dearest Abba Father, thank you for your generosity when it comes to giving me Your love, wisdom, faith, peace and above all, for sending Your only son, Jesus Christ to die on the cross for me. Father, thank you for revealing the glory of Your Kingdom to me. Father, help me to always remember this generosity of Yours, that I may never forget and take for granted, and help me to tithe accordingly to Your church for the furtherance of Your Kingdom. In Jesus' name, Amen."

The faith of the Ninevites

"And now, do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you." - Gen 45:5

Joseph was truly the Lord's faithful servant, because he did not only not resent what his brothers did, but forgave them for selling him to Egypt. Furthermore, he instructed all of them, together with their father to resettle in Egypt where they will get to enjoy abundant food in the midst of the famine.

"The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and now one greater than Jonah is here." - Matt12:41

The Ninevites did not witness Jonah's resuscitation themselves and they experienced the effects of a divine sign they never recognized. In other words, the Ninevites repented without recognizing a sign; where all they needed was Jonah's preaching of the truth.

PRAYER:
"Dearest Father in Heaven, forgive me, your faithless one who has always been asking You for signs of Your will. Merciful Father, may You enable me to go forth with the faith to do what is good and pleasing in Your name. Jesus Christ has spoken the truth, so help me to keep a repentant heart always so that I may be worthy to be called into Your Kingdom on the day when You come to judge us. In Jesus' name, Amen."

The brotherhood of Christ

"Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, ' Since God has made all this known to you, there is no one so discerning and wise as you. You shall be in charge of my palace, and all my people are to submit to your orders. Only with respect to the throne will I be greater than you." - Gen 41:39-40

When the chief baker forgot to mention Joseph to the Pharaoh, Joseph remained in prison for another two years. But thereafter, he was promoted to be the Pharaoh's right hand man, which was a blessing from God. This reminds that often times, things would not turn out the way that I want them to, but God always has a better plan for me.

"He said to them, 'If any of you has a sheep and it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will not take hold of it and lift it out? How much more valuable is a man than a sheep! Therefore, it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath. " - Matt 12:11-12

Again, Jesus here is focusing on the principle of Sabbath. The underlying principle for the principle of Sabbath comes from our heart, because it is about showing compassion and helping others, and not indulging in our own pleasures and ways. The heart, or the attitude towards God is more important than physical actions when we carry out deeds. A honest, sincere, repentant heart pleases God more than anything else, which would be deemed hypocritical. Such is the greatness of grace that the Lord Jesus has given to us in his death on the cross.

"For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulations." - Eph 14:14-15


PRAYER:
"Abba Father, I want to thank you for this wonderful covenant of Grace that Christ Jesus has between Him and me. That Father, although you know all my weaknesses, and how much I fall short of the glory of Your Kingdom, your Grace has enabled me to be redeemed as your loving child. The gratitude for you, is immeasurable.

Father, would you also help me to be patient and to be wise, not in my own ways, but in Your ways, Lord, for I know and I believe that Your plans for me will always be far better, far more wonderful. If you would only show me a glimpse of the greatness of Your plans, Lord, I would be so in awe of You. In Jesus' most precious name, I pray, Amen."

A sin by any other name is still a sin

"No one is greater in this house than I am. My master has withheld nothing from me, except you, because you are his wife. How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?" - Gen 39:9

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." - Matt 11:28-30

On one hand, Joseph had saw sin for what it was - a serious offence against the Lord, not an "indiscretion", or a "moment of weakness" - he did not play down the gravity of sin. He took God's moral standards as absolute. And on the other hand, God provides reprieve for those who have been faithful to him.

PRAYER:
"Abba Father, often times I am guilty of using euphemisms for offenses against You, that only weakens my resistance and trivialize the harmful effects of sin against myself. Father Lord, help me to be like your servant, Joseph, who saw sin not just as 'an error of judgment', but for what it really was. Help me Lord, to see sin as something that is completely abhorrent to You so that I can be motivated to make the right moral judgments. Would you guide me in all my ways and lead me away from the path of folly and destruction. The journey is not only long and tough, but doubtful at times as well; but I know that your Father Lord, will bring comfort and rest to my soul at the end of the race. In Jesus' most precious name, I pray, Amen."

Keeping up with God's exacting standards

"But Onan know that the offspring would not be his; so whenever he lay with his brother's wife, he spilled his semen on the ground to keep from producing offspring for his brother. What he did was wicked in the LORD's sight; so he put him to death also." - Gen 38:9-10

"Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword." - Matt 10:34

I am reminded that I should do no wicked before God's sight, because it completely detests him so. In fact, my duty is always to maintain the highest standard for God, and that includes doing nothing slowly or that displeases Him the least bit. However, I also know that because Christ has died on the cross for me, I will no longer be subjected to destruction. All praise be to the Lord for this wonderful goodness!

"Let me understand the teaching of your precepts; then I will meditate on your wonders." - Psalm 119:27

PRAYER:
"Dear Heavenly Father, Your word is final, Your will cannot be bargained. Jesus Christ has also reminded me that it will not be easy to follow him, for the path to Eternity is fraught will trials and temptations. Grant me freely the grace Lord, then to do all things that pleases You, and the strength and courage to emerge out of each trial and temptation worthy of Your name. In Jesus' most precious name, I pray, Amen."

Fear not

"Then Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, 'You have brought trouble on me by making me a stench to the Canaanites and Perizzites, the people living in this land. We are few in number, and if they join forces against me and attack me, I and my household will be destroyed." - Gen 35:30

It is really interesting that God works in ways that I cannot comprehend. It seems as if He is working on the fallen nature of man to accomplish His will. If Simeon and Levi hadn't murdered and plundered the Shechemites, Jacob wouldn't have brought his family to flee to Bethel. If Rebekah hadn't conceived of getting Jacob to deceive his father, Issac, then Jacob wouldn't have fled to Laban in the first place. And yet in each of these incidents, they were of God's plan and with the unfolding of each scene on hindsight, it showed God providing a way out for His faithful children.

"Do not take along any gold or silver or copper in your belts; take no bag for the journey, or extra tunic, or sandals or a staff; for the worker is worth his keep." - Matt 10:9-10

PRAYER:
"Father, let Thy Will be done, on Earth as it is in Heaven. Amazing Father, you fill me with immeasurable awe and intrigue. Use me as a furtherance to the glory of Your Kingdom, and pray that Thy will also grant me understanding of Your ways, the wisdom to perceive the things that happen around me.

My theme for 2009

Recalling the principle of Sabbath

"The Jacob prayed. 'O God of my father Abraham, God of my father Issac, O Lord, who said to me, 'Go back to your country and your relatives, and I will make you prosper,' I am unworthy of all the kindness and faithfulness you have shown your servant. I had only my staff when I crossed this Jordan, but now I have become two groups. Save me, I pray, from the hand of my brother Esau,for I am afraid he will come and attack me, and also the mothers with their children. But you have said, 'I will surely make you prosper and will make your descendants like the sand of the sea, which cannot be counted.'" - Gen 32:9-12

Prayer moves God; Jacob is God's faithful servant and so God answers Jacob's prayers. In his plea, he counted on the words that God had spoken to him as his rock when he was experiencing immense fear and uncertainty.

"Then he said to his disciples,'The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field." - Matt 9:38

This verse speaks directly on evangelism, which is an aspect that I am not very active in at present. However, I have been consciously telling myself that I am the light of God that shines unto the darkness of the hearts of people who have not known God yet, so in all my speech and actions, I am always mindful of what I say and do, so that it reflects what Christ would have done on earth. Interestingly, I was reminded of the principle of Sabbath, which is about not seeking our own pleasure or our own ways (Isaiah 53:13-14), and instead showing compassion and helping others.

PRAYER:
"Dear Abba Father, thank you for Your promise of constantly walking by my side. Lord, knowing that I can count on You in times of turbulence brings me assurance. You are my comforter. Father, thank you for your reminder of the principle of Sabbath, use me Lord to always be the light that shines unto the hearts of darkness. Amen."

Come thou fount of every blessing

Do you feel like you're in heaven when you hear this? I certainly did.

Walking confidently with Him

"but if the animals were weak, he would not place them there. So the weak animals went to Laban and the strong ones to Jacob." - Gen 30:42

Jacob was being oppressed by Laban's immense selfishness, and so God provided a way out for him through his dream (Gen 31:10) to allow him to own the stronger animals.

"No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment for the patch will pull away from the garment, making the tear worse. Neither do men pour new wine into old wineskins. If they do, the skins will burst, the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. No, they pour new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved." - Matt 9:16-17

Like the patching of an old garment with a shrunken cloth, and the pouring of new wine into new wineskins, there is a time for everything. It is a reminder that God has a plan for us, and we cannot hurry nor delay it, except patiently await the time that he will reveal His plan for us.

PRAYER:
"Oh God, of the highest Mount, I can walk confidently with You knowing that You will always make a way, a more prosperous way, for your oppressed ones. Lord, would you also grant me the patience to do Your work each day as it comes. Lead me away from thoughts that are only my own daydreams, but help me to focus on works that will help to build Your Kingdom. Amen."

What Issac did

"Issac trembled violently and said, 'Who was it, then, that hunted game and brought it to me? I ate it just before you came and I blessed him - and indeed he will be blessed!'" - Gen 27:33

"He replied, 'You of little faith, why are you so afraid?' Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm." - Matt 8:26

When Issac realized that he had given his first blessing to Jacob instead of Esau, he must have been horrified, and felt deceived, to say the least. Furthermore, Esau was his favorite son and Issac was not seeing well. He must have felt cheated by Jacob. But looking at v23, God had said to Rebekah, "Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples from within you will be separated; one people will be stronger than the other, and the older will serve the younger." There can be no greater clarity than the last line: Esau will serve Jacob. So when Rebekah sent for her son, Jacob to take the identity of his elder brother Esau, she was following God's will. Perhaps, it was not her intention to deceive Issac, although the act itself contained an element of deceit.

Regardless of whether he felt he had been deceived by Jacob or Rebekah, he took it upon as God's will. He could not have undone what he had earlier done, the only thing he did was to bless Esau as Jacob's soldier - "You will live by the sword and you will serve your brother." (v40)

How often, I ask myself then, or rather how little times have I been like Issac?

PRAYER:
"Abba Father, I want to thank you for showing me Issac's faithfulness even before his death. Father, often times when I have been in a similar position as Issac, feeling like the whole world has conspired against me, what do I, Lord? I lament and ask you why is it that You did not want to work things out my way. But, O God, I am only but a midget. Who am I to question Your sovereignty Lord? So, Father, would you help me to become like Issac, that although he was man, he has been fully faithful to You right to his last breath. Grant me the kind of faith that you will be well pleased with. Amen."

Thy will be done

"He moved on from there and dug another well, and no one quarreled over it. He named it Rehoboth, saying, 'Now the Lord has given us room and we will flourish in the land.'" - Gen 26:22

“Then Jesus said to the centurion, “Go! It will be done just as you believed it would.” And his servant was healed at that very hour. – Matt 8:13

The faith of the centurion had led him to believe that with just a word from Jesus Christ, without physically having to be present, He would be able to heal the centurion’s servant. This was to the extent that even Christ Himself was astonished to come across a man of such faith.

PRAYER:

“Lord Jesus, in so many things that I do, I think twice and hesitate, always asking ‘why am I doing this?’ And it sometimes slows me down from obeying Your commands, and to a certain extent, it also seems like I am doubting Your sovereignty. Oh Father, help me of the little faith, to be like the centurion and his soldiers, that when You say ‘Go’, I will instantly go. Father, you know often times I will seek reason with You when You want me to do follow Your will. I am also guilty, Lord, of being suspicious towards authoritative rule. Lord, would you guide me in all my ways so that Your will for me may be quickly done, and at the same time, if it is Your will, grant me the understanding to better appreciate the things that I am doing in Your name. Amen.”

Pray and it shall be given

"May it be that when I say to a girl, 'Please let down your jar that I may have a drink,' and she says, 'Drink, and I'll water your camels too' - let her be the one you have chosen for your servant Issac. By this I will know that you have shown kindness to my master." - Gen 24:14

This was the prayer made by Abraham's servant to God so that He will help me to a wife for Abraham's son, Issac. It is such an amazing act of God's power at work to see that the woman, Rebekah had responded to the servant in the same manner as he had prayed. Surely, if we pray for something that is in accordance with the will of God, we can be more than certain we will receive it.

"You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye." - Matt 7:5

Beyond this deceptively straightforward verse was something new that I learned today. The old adage "Judge not, that you be not judged" I have been so familiar with turned out to less straightforward than I realized. For Matt 7:16 says, "By their fruit you will recognize them,'" which indicates that we are indeed to judge; although we're supposed to avoid faulty judgments. Furthermore, our judgments are to begin with self as in Matt 7:5. And in v15 it also says, "Beware of false prophets" - this too requires judging - to be able to discern truth from falsehood.

PRAYER:
"Father in Heaven, help me to remain as your faithful servant always so that you can find favor in me. Transform me to be like the fruit that the Holy Spirit produces, so that I too, may be able to discern between the Truth and the false. Amen."

He is constantly looking out for us

"Then God said to him in the dream, "Yes, I know you did this with a clear conscience, and so I have kept you from sinning against me. That is why I did not let you touch her." - Gen 20:6

This verse brings such warm assurance to the children of God. If our heart is sincerely turned towards God Himself, then it follows that He will keep us from sinning against Him. But care must also be taken, because one's ignorance can often times lead one to sin against God too. And when it comes to sin, whether it is committed out of folly or willfulness, God will not tolerate any of them.

"But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." - Matt 6:33-34

This verse comes as a reminder to constantly seek God first; to do what is good and right. And to live each day on its own. I try to do adapt to a mentality as such, but it does become challenging at times. I think a majority of the human nature is pretty much orientated towards the future - like what we want to achieve in our careers in few years down , set up a family etc. It's not wrong to have such thoughts, but God has also said before that we are but like the dust in the wind: here today, gone tomorrow. So I think it is good to make plans and have ambitions, otherwise we'll end up being bummers all day; and at the same time, recognize and allow God to be the chief architect of our lives.

PRAYER:
"Merciful Father, Gracious Lord, help me to understand Your ways better to be able to discern between the things that will lead me to You and those to sin. Grant me the wisdom to do what is right, so that I will not base on my own judgment to prevent sin from occurring, because even that itself is futile.
Help me also to always keep my vision cast according to Yours in Heaven, for You have also said, 'where your heart is, there your treasure is as well.' Amen."

Postcript: I recall Pastor Melvin mentioned before during our first BMC session that there is a reason for the heart coming before the treasure. I don't recall the reason anymore, because when I try to read the reverse, ie. treasure before heart, it seems to make sense as well. lol.

The Compassion of God

"The Lord said, "If I find fifty righteous people in the city of Sodom, I will spare the whole place for their sake." - Gen 18:26

In this verse, God shows the side of him that is readily compassionate to his people. When Abraham pleaded with God not to destroy the righteous amongst the wicked, he knew that it was not God's nature to treat the righteous and wicked alike. True to His nature, God had shown mercy and even when Abraham continued to bargain right down to finding only ten righteous men, God was still prepared to spare Sodom. Eventually, God brought Lot and his family away before destroying the city. Although God is ever compassionate and full of mercy, it should not be taken for granted, because, He cannot tolerate even an ounce of sin. For the same reason, God destroyed Sodom as He was unable to find a single righteous man in the city, except for Lot and his family.

The word "compassion" seems like an understatement, as the incident portrays also God's loving nature, and His generosity is beyond measure.

"so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you." - Matt 6:18

This is a reminder to maintain always a humble heart before the Lord, whether in tithing, prayer, or every act in our lives.

PRAYER:
"Heavenly Father, I have nothing but humble praise for you. You are more than compassionate, more than generous and the very essence of You is love. Your ways are beyond measure and description, unworthy of those coined by man himself.
Merciful Father, help me to turn from the ways of self, and to transform my heart into one that is gentle, calm, and full of Your love. In all the things that I do, grant me the discernment so that if there are any activities that may draw me away from you, the Holy Spirit will guide me away from them; and help me to practise at all times the presence of you Lord in my life. So that on the day that You return to judge us, I, your lowly servant, will be worthy of Your compassion. Amen."

A timeless promise

"I will establish my covenant as an everlasting covenant between me and you and your descendants after you for the generations to come, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you." - Gen 17:7

Although this verse has been used umpteen times in sermons, time and again it has not failed to remind me that the God that covenanted with Abraham is still the same God that is walking with me today. Such faithfulness, such consistency only leaves me with greater awe for my God. On the other side of the covenant, I am also reminded that it is mine to keep and uphold. In the same manner that the Lord has spoken to Abraham, he also said to "walk before me and be blameless" (Gen 17:1)

"If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell." - Matt 5:27

For a brief moment, I hesitated to put up this verse, but I decided that I needed to put me up as a reminder to myself. As a young man, I have my struggles with lust, more so than the other laws that have been preached in the passage, and, if there is any one verse that speaks to me most outrightly, Matthew 5:27 would be it. Much as the stance against sin is hard-lined in this verse, I know that is God is full of compassion and love, and that He will provide the grace to help me to repent and appear blameless before Him when I turn my heart completely to Him.

PRAYER:
Dearest Father in Heaven, would you help me to be blameless in all my ways before you, as being so will bring you no greater joy and pleasure.

Although it has been only been barely six days since I've renewed my Covenant with God on the eve of 2009, I find myself quickly falling short of His grace and hence I'm putting up the Covenant that I have made with God that night to serve as a regular reminder for me to uphold the Covenant.

Lord, make me what You will. I put myself fully into Your hands: put me to doing, put me to suffering, let me be employed for You, or laid aside for You, let me be full, let me be empty, let me have all things, let me have nothing. I freely and with a willing heart give it all to Your pleasure and disposal.

Forgive my unfaithfulness in not having Your will, for You have promised mercy to me if I turn to You with my whole heart. I here from the bottom of my heart renounce them all, covenanting with You that no known sin shall be allowed in my life. Against Your Will, I have turned my love toward the world. In Your power I will watch all temptations that will lead me away from You. For my own righteousness is riddled with sin, unable to stand before You.

Before all heaven and earth, I here acknowledge You as my Lord and God. I take You, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, for my portion, and vow to give up myself, body and soul, as Your servant, to serve You in holiness and righteousness all the days of my life.

Lord Jesus, I do here on bended knees accept You as the only new and living Way, and sincerely join myself in a covenant with You. O blessed Jesus, I come to You, hungry, sinful, miserable, blind, and naked, unworthy even to wash the feet of Your servants. I do here, with all my power, accept You as my Lord and Head. I renounce my own worthiness, and vow that You are the Lord, my righteousness. I renounce my own wisdom, and take You for my only guide. I renounce my own will, and take Your will as my law.

I do here covenant with You, O Christ, to take my lot with You as it may fall. Through Your grace I promise that neither life nor death shall part me from you.

I do here willingly put my neck under Your yoke, to carry Your burden. All Your laws are holy, just, and goo.d I therefore take them as the rule for my words, thoughts and actions, promising that I will strive to order my whole life according to Your direction, and not allow myself to neglect anything I know to be my duty.

O God, You know that I make this covenant with You today without guile or reservation. If any falsehhood should be in it, guide me and help me to set it aright. And now, glory be to You, O God the Father, whom I from this day forward shall look upon as my God and Father. Glory be to You, O God the Son, who have loved me and washed me from my sins in Your own blood, and now is my Savior and Redeemer. Glory be to You, O God the Holy Spirit, who by Your almighty power have turned my ehart form sin to God. O mighty God, the Lord Omnipotent, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, You have now become my Covenant Friend. And I, through your infinite grace, have become Your covenant servant. So be it. And let the covenant I have made on earth be ratified in heaven. AMEN.

Postscript: The last I've checked there were no copyright to the bulletin, so I took the liberty to put the Covenant prayer up here. Any copyright infringement of the publication is purely unintended.

Better late than never

"I have raised my hand to the Lord, God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth, and have taken an oath that I will accept nothing belonging to you, not even a thread or the thong of a sandal, so that you will never be able to say, 'I made Abram rich.'" - Gen 14:22-23

What this verse strikes me is the reminder I shouldn't trade God's plans for me for personal benefits in life, whether in work or in school, or in my writings. It's really hard for me to do so, especially when it comes to something that I am passionate about. Still, I know I have to learn to place God's will above me.

"Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth." - Matthew 5:5

This verse immediately struck in a chord in me because growing up, I've always been, or thought of myself, at least, to be meek, both in front of relatives and God. But, that didn't necessarily mean that I was obedient all the time. Now, as I have made the commitment to take my walk with God more seriously, I find myself seeking Him for His grace and strength in everything that I do. So this verse comes in as a nice encouragement; I don't need to inherit the "earth", but knowing that I am blessed by God gives me great joy.


"Wisdom is found on the lips of the discerning, but a rod is for the back of him who lacks judgment. Wise men store up knowledge, but the mouth of a fool invites ruin. He who heeds discipline shows the way to life, but whoever ignores correction leads others astray. When words are many, sin is not absent, but he who holds his tongue is wise. " - Proverbs 10:13-14,17,19

I extracted these verses from my daily reading in the ODB. I have reading Psalms and Proverbs because there's so much humanity and wisdom inside. These verses that I have picked serve as personal reminders for me of the manner I ought to live my life by.


PRAYER:

"Dear Father, grant me the wisdom to align my vision according to Yours in Heaven. Grant me also the patience as You reveal your will for me and the wisdom to understand and accept it. If there is anything that you have set me out to do, that is against my nature, Dear Lord, would you grant me the providence and strength to accomplish all that is needed for Your kingdom. Amen."