Psalm119:10

I seek you with all my heart;

do not let me stray from your commands.

Christmas Day is coming very soon. However, not all new lives begin on Christmas Day itself. You can create your own Christmas Day ...... in your heart.... every day is a new begining of a new life in Jesus!

Psalm 31:9 - 10

Be merciful to me, O Lord, for I am in distress;
my eyes grow weak with sorrow,
my soul and my body with grief.

My life is consumed by anguish and my years by groaning;
my strength fails because of my affliction,
and my bones grow weak.

Let's see, isn't this how we pray when we are in distress?
Someone one asked me, "How do you know that God listens to our prayer?"
I did not know the answer then.
However, I know the answer now.
Jesus, who dies on the cross for us, is the channel where we can bring our sorrow to God.
No matter who we are, rich or poor, young or old............. Jesus never fails anyone.
Be sincere in telling God your fears .....

Luke 6:47 - 49

I will show you what he is like who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice.
He is like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock.
When flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built.

But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collasped and its destruction was complete.


Maybe there are times, when we do or say things at a spur of a moment, without thinking. These maybe the times we regretted later as we saw the world which we built without a good base came crumbling down.

If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.

The saying goes well with the verses. Everything we do, we must have a good plan as well as God's permission to do it.

Psalm 119:33 - 40

Teach me, O Lord, to follow your decrees;
then I will keep them to the end.

Give me understanding, and I will keep your law
and obey it with all my heart.

Direct me in the path of your commands,
for there I find delight.

Turn my heart toward your statutes
and not selfish gain.

Turn my eyes away from worthless things;
preserve my life according to your word.

Fulfill your promise to your servant,
so that you may be feared.

Take away the disgrace I dread,
for your laws are good.

How I long for your percepts!
Preserve my life in your righteousness.

The law of our Lord is there to keep us from falling. It is like the fire-proof wall that keeps us safe from fire. Yet, most of us choose to stay away from the wall. We always find ourselves being restricted and confined withing the wall. That's the reason we want to get out. So, what is the use to having our Lord's law and not obeying Him?

Psalm 25:16-18

Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted.

The troubles of my heart have multiplied, free me from my anguish.

Look upon my affliction and my distress and take away all my sins.

When there is no one you can turn to, there is always God who promised us He would be with us. He has given us His only son, who had then sent the Holy Spirit to be with us. Through Jesus, we can communicate with God, and we do not even need a telephone line. A sincere prayer ends all the pain!

Ecclesiasies 3:1-8

A Time For Everything

There is time for everything,

and a season for every activity under heaven,

a time to be born and a time to die,

a time to plant and a time to uproot,

a time to kill and a time to heal,

a time to tear down and a time to build,

a time to weep and a time to laugh,

a time to mourn and a time to dance,

a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,

a time to embrace and a time to refrain,

a time to search and a time to give up,

a time to keep and a time to throw away,

a time to tear and a time to mend,

a time to be silent and a time to speak,

a time to love and a time to hate,

a time for war and a time for peace.

As there is a time for everything, why does man want to hurry and make these events happen faster?

Ecclesiates 5:3

The more you worry, the more likely you are to have bad dreams,
and the more you talk, the more likely you are to say something foolish.

How often we worry unneccessarily. Bringing the worry to bed and have many miserable nightmares! There is no ending to the griefs we have to wade through. No light at the end of the tunnel.
How often we talk foolishly without thinking. Bringing destruction to ourselves.

Help us, Lord.................. to be wise with our words, just as you are wise with YOURS.

Isaiah 41:10

Do not be afraid - I am with you!
I am your GOD - let nothing terrify you!
I will make you strong and help you;
I will protect you and save you.

This is a verse that I always remember when I'm facing something new. Be it a new job, environment or just simple new tasks, God is always there with me. His promises never fails. Amen.

Mathew 7: 1-2

Do not judge others, so that God will not judge you,
for God will judge you in the same way you judge others,
and he will apply the same rules you apply to others.

Remember these verses every time you judge somebody. Man comes in all shapes with different personalities and characters. Yet, all are God's children. If we have been praying that no one judges us, then, it's also the same we should pray not to judge others!

Matthew 15:17 - 20

Don't you understand?
Anything that goes into a person's mouth goes into his stomach and then out of his body.
But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these are the things that make a person unclean.
For from his heart come the evil ideas which lead him to kill, commit adultery, and do other immoral things; to rob, lie and slander others.
These are the things that make a person unclean ..............

Sometimes, we don't mean to say things that will hurt others. Most of the time, we thought we meant well. However, what we want to mean in our heart, will surely reflects in our words.
So, watch out!
Pray that we are all careful with what we think, least we offend our Maker too!

Happiness is spiritual, born of truth and love.
It is unselfish; therefore it cannot exist alone,
but requires all mankind to share it.

- Mary Baker Eddy


Today, try to feel the 'love' you have for yourself and others. If you love yourself more, then it is selfish. But, if you love others more, that's not a sacrifice..... just a reflection of unhappiness.
In my opinion, you need to balance the love you have for yourself and to others, then you'll truly be happy.
Sad to say, not every man can share their happiness. Man posseses this great feeling for others ...... not love but jealousy!

Proverbs 6:16-19

There are seven things that the Lord hates and cannot tolerate:

A proud look,
A lying tongue,
Hands that kill innocent people,
A mind that thinks up wicked plans,
Feet that hurry off to do evil,
A witness who tells one lie after another,
and
A man who stirs up trouble among friends.


As a humble person, I possess all the weaknesses mentioned. Even I do good all day, the Lord may still search through my heart and know my motives.

Jesus spoke to the Pharisees again,
"I am the light of the world," he said.
"Whoever follows me will have the light of life and will never walk in darkness."
John 8:12

We always lost our way even though there's light around us. How amusing!
What can we be if there's no inner light (truth) in us?
What will happen if our Lord was not here once to grace our ways?

One who gains strength by overcoming obstacles possesses
the only strength which can overcome adversity.

- Albert Schweitzer (1875-1965)

Isn't it true? What an insight!

Let us not be content to wait and see what will happen, but give us the determination to make the right things happen.
- Peter Marshall (1902-1949)


I always like to wait for some time before I decide. Good opportunities passed by me, just like that.
Now, I determine not to wait and see. I want to act what I think is right, hoping to grip on the opportunity, even though it may not be as great.

Where is your treasure

The kingdom of heaven is like this:
A man happens to find a treasure hidden in a field. He covers it up again, and is so happy that he goes and sells everything he has, and then goes back and buys that field.

Matthew13:44

Most of us found our ‘treasure’. However, we never really appreciated it. We only thought finding the treasure should be one of the many quests in our short lives. Gradually, with many setbacks, we have forgotten where we placed the treasure or whether we really found it! How pathetic!
And so, we start all over again, looking high and low for the treasure!

Happy are those who are persecuted
because they do what God requires;
the Kingdom of heaven belongs to them!
Matthew 5:10


These days, we still do not do what God requires of us, not because of persecution, but mostly out of selfishness and pride.
The Kingdom of God is now farther and farther away.........................

How Are You Today?

I Said a Prayer for You Today

I said a prayer for you today
and I know God must have heard,
I felt the answer in my heart
although He spoke no word.
I didn't ask for wealth or fame -
I knew you wouldn't mind -
I asked him to send treasures
of a far more lasting kind.
I asked that He be near you
at the start of each new day,
To grant you health and blessings
and friends to share your way.
I asked for happiness for you
In all things great and small;
But it was for his loving care
I prayed for most of all!

- Author Unknown

Why must we pray for fame and wealth when they come in a package when we pray for others?

Attitude

It is our attitude at the beginning of a difficult task which,
more than anything else, will affect its successful outcome.

(William James, American psychologist and author, 1842-1910)

How true!
It’s always our attitude towards the incidents in our short lives that determine
how we live the remaining years!

Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called sons of God.
Matthew 5:9



Many called themselves as peacemaker, but, are they?

Happy are the pure in heart;
they will see God!
Matthew 5:8

Happy are those who are merciful to others,
God will be mercil to them!

Matthew 5:7

Happy are those whose greatest desire
is to do what God requires;
God will satisfy them fully!
Matthew 5:6

Have you prayed today?
Do you know what God wants you to do today?
I know.
He wants me to be happy today.
He wants me to be grateful that I have a 'present' to look forward to.

Inheritance?

Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the kingdom
Matthew 5:5

I love this verse as it reminds me how I have changed throughout the years.
I know I’m no more the humble one, yet God always wants me to be humble.
He wants to share His kingdom with me, you, and everyone who is as humble as Jesus.

He is my comfort

Happy are those who mourn;
God will comfort them!
Matthew 5:4

Isn’t it wonderful and amazing to know that even though you think you are alone, burdened with all the troubles of the world, God is there to comfort you. He will never, ever leave you.

Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Matthew 5:3

When one is spiritually poor, he is usually very humble. His acceptance level of God's words is very high. I believe God wants us to be humbe but not spiritually poor so that we can share his kingdom.

You are like the salt for all mankind.
But if salt loses its saltiness,
there is no way to make it salty again.
It has become worthless,

so it is thrown out and people trample on it.

Matthew5:13

How can you not be happy? Salt is an important part of our daily diet.
However, can you really be happy when you no longer is the salt?

This then, is how you should pray:

Our Father in heaven.
Hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done
on earth as it is in heaven,
Give us today our daily bread
Forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.
Matthew 6:9-13

When you don't know what to pray, just pray 'Our Lord's Prayer'.

I can recite this prayer in 3 languages. However, what use is that if I don't pray at all?

Look at the birds in the air;
They do not sow or reap
or store away in barns.
And yet,
your heavenly Father feeds them.

Are you not much more valuable than they? (Mathhew 6:26)

I still remember during one of my Sunday school many years ago, we sang a song like this. I was very young that time, and I did not know how important the song would be to me later. I have met failures many times. Every time I want to give up, that song will creep into my mind. I will reflect again the verses........... Yes, God is good and wise.
I read the Bible many times, and every time I come to this verse. I meditate for a while, thanking God for reminding me not to worry about tomorrow. His gift for me is the 'present'.

Who of you by worrying can a single hour to his life?

(Mathhew 6:27)

As the deer pants for the water,
so my soul pants for you, O God.
My soul thirsts for God, for the living God
When can I go and meet with God?

(Psalms42:1-2)

Everyone yearns for someone .....................
It's the filling of the soul that's what we are looking for ..........

Do not boast about tomorrow

Do not boast about tomorrow,
For you do not know what a day
May bring forth.

Proverbs 27:1

There are many times we dreamt of better tomorrows. Many times, we woke up to be disappointed that it was just like yesterday. Then, we did not learn to appreciate that day all. Another 24 hours wasted.

Keep your dreams to yourself. Hold on fast to the present, pray hard for the next morrow!
Then, whatever happen will happen, in our Lord’s timing.

Greed

Jesus saith unto him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life; no man cometh unto the Father, but by me”
John 14:6

Most of the time, we thought the truth is somewhere out there. We wasted much of our time looking for it. We thought there are aliens in other planets. We thought secrets of life are in the food or medicines we took. We thought working our way up to riches and fame would solve our problems.

Yet, most of the time we were left in desperate situations. We wanted more and more. The thirst was never satisfied.
Even if we have the whole world in our hands, what could it mean when we did not have the means to enjoy the moment?

Good friend?

Perfume and incense make the heart glad, but the sweetness of a friend is a fragrant forest. Proverbs 27:9

How true indeed.
How many true friends do you have?
One who doesn’t care about your wealth?
One who doesn’t care about your appearance?
One who cares if you are well?
One who still cares even if you bade farewell?

JESUS cares

Life's Secret

Life’s Secret

A friend gave a bookmark to me with these words:

Life’s Secret is not what happens to you
But what you do with what happens to you.

How true!
Many times, we reacted the other way. We thought we would die if something bad happens. We thought we could not take it if we lost our job, lost the very much needed income, lost a loved one, and so on.
Yet, most of us survived.
We went on living, telling others how to go on living ………..

And that’s life’s greatest secret …… be strong!

Be yourself!

"As you get older three things happen. The first is your memory goes, and I can't remember the other two..." -Sir Norman Wisdom

The other two …… money and sanity!

How about that?

A Dose of Daily Supplement

Psalm 100 :2 - 3

Worship the Lord with gladness;
come before Him with joyful songs.
Know that the Lord is God.
It is He who made us, and we
are His;
we are His people, the sheep of
His pasture.

Do you like to take supplements?

I don’t. To me, it means I’m not eating right all the time. Yet, I read somewhere that our body does not generate sufficient nutrients by itself. So, taking supplements is a way to help the body to function well.

It’s the same with a daily dose of prayer. Even though these prayers may be short, yet they are powerful enough to sustain our sanity throughout the 24 hours a day.

Our Maker never forsakes us!

Reassessing Life

Psalm 105: 2-4

Sing to Him, sing praise to Him;
tell of all His wonderful acts.
Glory in His holy name,
let the hearts of those who seek
the Lord rejoice;
Look to the Lord and His strength,
seek his face always.

Re-assessing the time we spend in a day is very important. We also need to re-assess our relationship with God. Knowing He will never let us go on life alone as He knows we will lost our way soon. Seek His hand at all times.

Praise Him

Psalm 113 :1 -3

Praise, O servants of the Lord,
praise the name of the Lord,
Let the name of the Lord be praised,
both now and forevermore.
From the rising of the sun to the
place where it sets,
the name of the Lord is to be
praised

Another day has gone by. Has anyone of us wonder what we did the whole 24 hours? All right, minus an eight hour long sleep, what about the rest of the 16 hours? Work? Are you sure you are working? Did you really finish your work? Or just sign in and out like all the others?
Isn't it a shock that our days are numbered, not by our Maker, but by ourselves?

Have you been praising your Maker? Have you done anything interesting for Him today? Don't wait too long, as the day will never come, unless you decide it yourself!

New Hope

Psalm 116:5-6

The Lord is gracious and righteous;
Our God is full of compassion.
The Lord protects the simplehearted,
when I was in great need, He saved me.

Every morning, as I wake up, I thank my Maker for allowing me to stay alive.
My Maker has no reason to let me die yet, I think.
But, I want to give thanks too, as being alive is the greatest gift I can give back to my Maker!