Every Step I Take. I Take In YOU!

Life is like a game of chess. Each step we made must be with much consideration and much thoughts. One wrong step could lead to the other. Similarly, sometimes we made a bad decision which will cause us to regret. We may think that that is the end of our hope and future but do take note that God is a God of many chances. Nothing we can do and no decisions we can made can disrupt God’s great plans for us. We may think that we have made wrong moves in our lives and in fact we may have made many stupid mistakes and bad choices in our lives, but God is still in control and if we are humble and willing to learn, He will guide us back to the correct path. Though the journey may be longer and though the journey may be harder, but through this process will we learn to be humble, to be dependent on our God.

Because Jesus lives, we have a future. All of us in one way or the other make silly mistakes but God have never given up hope on us. The true bad decision is when we start to give up and think that there are no more hope and future for us.

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. (Jeremiah 29:11) This was part of the letter of encouragement written by Jeremiah to the Israelites who had been carried into exile fromJerusalem to Babylon. God assured them that He had good plans for them and that they have a future and need not be wanderers in foreign land.

We may wonder how we can make good decisions in our lives. We have many good examples in the Bible. Before the kings in the Old Testament went to the battlefield, or even while they were making plans and strategies, they will first consult the Lord. It is when they do things based on their own way and wisdom that they lose miserably in the battle. May we learn to be patience and to commit all our plans to Him and allow Him to change it in His time. May we learn to pray that His will be done rather than ours. I had learned that if we face every circumstance together with God, there is nothing impossible that we cannot do and there are no dead ends when God is the lead in it.

Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails (Proverbs 19:21)

hp

We Need God!

In Psalm 42, we see an image of a deep longing for God. ‘As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.’ (Psalm 42:1,2 ESV). The writer of the psalm is not expressing just a casual desire. This is a strong and striking image of someone who views God as a necessity. Water is one of the most basic requirements for life, especially in the hot and dry landscape of Israel where this psalm was most likely written. We imagine a thirsty deer gratefully drinking from a stream of water, and we can imagine how happy and satisfied it feels. To the author, God is what he longs for. God is what satisfies his deepest and most basic desire. And the stream is ‘flowing’ – it will never run dry. Our God is a ‘living God’.

But what if we do not desire God? What if we feel that he’s just not that important compared to other stuff? This is what God says in Jeremiah 2:13 (NIV)-‘My people have committed two sins: They have forsaken me, the spring of living water, and have dug their own cisterns, broken cisterns that can hold no water.’ Nothing else can take the place of a living relationship with the living God. He wants a relationship with you. Jesus doesn’t want you to feel frustrated searching for happiness elsewhere. Other things may bring happiness for a while, but in the end they cannot satisfy in the deep, lasting way that God can. They are ‘broken cisterns’ – eventually, all the water will leak out and you will be left dry again.

‘Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.’ (Matt. 11:28 ESV).  God invites you to go to him. It is a simple, direct, straightforward invitation. God knows you’re tired. He knows you’re stressed from working so long and spending so little time at home relaxing. He knows about your insecurities, your personal struggles, your fears about the future. He knows your soul is thirsty.

God’s answer is simple. ‘Come to me.’

JW

Do What You Say You’d Do!

Joshua House youths at 2nd KidzPraise (6 May 2012)…

Good job team. Thanks to:

Joyce, Kelwen, Pop. Deanna, Audris, Calvin, Josh Wong, Bryan. Josh Lim, Kelvin, Cordi, Val, Kim Beng

jL

What Is Important To You?

Quiet time is not something that is foreign to us. Most of us do our quiet time. But do we view quiet time as important as our school or work? If we do not study or do revision, the outcome is bad results. If we do not do our best in our work place, the results is we may not get good increment or even will be fired by our boss. But if we do not do our quiet time consistently, we may not see the consequences immediately. But it will happen so subtly that we do not realize the change. The first thing we will see is we will feel as if we are getting further away from God; we will find it hard to talk to God; and one day we may just wake up, feeling that it is okay to completely skip our time with God.

May we be like Samuel when it comes to reading the word of God. Samuel lived in the days where every man did that which was right in his own eyes (Judges 21:25). This means everyone did as he/she is pleased with no fear of the Lord. As we know, Samuel was dedicated to the Lord’s temple (Shiloh) by Hannah as a fulfillment of her vow (1 Samuel 1:11). Samuel lived with Eli’s 2 sons who were priests in the temple and they were scoundrels and no regard for the Lord (2:12). However, though Samuel lived with them but Samuel grew in favor with the Lord because he let none of His words fall to the ground (1 Samuel 3:19). This means that Samuel considered all of the Word of God as important and did everything that the Lord commanded him to do and do not allow Eli’s 2 sons to influence him.

Likewise, though we may live in a world that may be corrupted and filled with all kinds of evil, but we can still be the shinning lights, holding on the torches of the Word of Truth in our world. Know that it is not just merely reading the Word but also with the understanding of the Word and to put it as the foundation of our faith that we are able to withstand whatever obstacles that may come to our way. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. (Ephesians 6:11-12)

hp

Treasures in Jars of Clay

But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that

the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us.

2 Corinthians 4:7

 

Each and every one of us is a ‘temple of the Holy Spirit’. Each and every one of us is precious, because we have a ‘treasure’ that is contained inside us, which is the knowledge of Christ. God is at work within us. His Holy Spirit has come to us and made his home with us. We have God’s presence with us all the time. Isn’t that amazing? The Bible describes this as a ‘treasure’. It is something infinitely precious.

God has told us that he will never leave us nor forsake us (Heb 13:5). We are only ‘jars of clay’ – weak and fragile human beings. Yet, the Great Potter himself, who formed each and every one of us from the dust of the earth, has chosen to dwell with us and have fellowship with us. We are all bearers of his light. Even though we are weak, God’s ‘surpassing power’ is with us to strengthen us and keep us going.

God’s light has triumphed over darkness. He has risen from the grave, and he has conquered death forever (1 Cor 15:55). We have been given the victory through Jesus Christ, who is living in us and who is the founder and perfecter of our faith (Heb 12:2). Though we are weak, he remains strong, and his great power will continue to uphold us now and always.

JW