No Worries!

Worry is a learned response. We learn to worry from:

i. EXPERIENCE. Out of years of mistakes, failures etc, we form the habit of worrying.
ii. EXAMPLES. Models around us, maybe our parents, friends etc.

Since worry is a learned response, then it can be unlearned!

"An anxious heart weighs a man down” (Proverbs 12:25 NIV).

Worry cannot change the past nor control the future; instead, it only makes us miserable today.

Worry exaggerates the problem - when you worry about a problem, it only gets bigger.

- adapted from Rick Warren's daily devotion

"Lord, teach me to pray instead of worry - to turn all my worries into prayers."

“Don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life” (Philippians 4:6–7 MSG).

Decision-making in the CLEAREST of times..

"Commitments to a preferred future do not come randomly. They are intentionally established at times when you are thinking clearly and are close to God." - Cordeiro, W

How many times have we made the WRONG decisions at the WRONG time (i.e. in the spur of a moment):

- after an argument with our parents;
- a tiff with our boyfriend/husband;
- a bad day at work;
- a discouraged moment in ministry;
- moments of silence while waiting on God;
- people who do not reciprocate according to your expectations etc

I believe we have all made some wrong decisions when we were not in the best 'time' of our lives, and sometimes, these wrong decisions result in long-term consequences that cannot be reversed.

Looking back, I have made some decisions at the wrong 'times' and these have resulted in situations less favorable. I thank God that these bad decisions never led to any major consequences. Now that I am back in Singapore for a season, I'm in a mode where I have to do alot of pondering and planning to the next step of my life - career, relationship, family etc. These are definitely areas of my life that I DO NOT want to make decisions that I will regret later on.

Hence, it is VERY IMPORTANT that we make decisions at the clearest of times - when we are "thinking with insight rather than ambiguity".

The next time you feel discouraged, angry or in a physical setback, take a step back and refrain from making any hasty decisions. Instead, allow yourself to take control of your emotions before you make any decisions.

Take Time Out to Reflect

"The best lives are like notebooks whose writings are read and reflected upon over and over again. Lessons are extracted and futures reassessed." Wayne Cordeiro

It hit home today the importance of taking time out to rest and reflect.

Imagine the amount of time you've wasted committing the same mistakes in life, ministries, relationships etc. If only we are disciplined enough to sit down and reflect on what was good/bad, then alot of time could be saved!!

Having more free time on hand back in Singapore has really given me the time out to reflect on the past few months, even years. This is the only (and start to many) time that I've really sat down to pen down my thoughts and not merely running it through my mind and shaking it off at the end of the day.

As Wayne mentioned, the BEST notebooks of life is one that is reflected upon over and over again - to the extent that the 'pages' become seasoned as a result of the constant 'revisits'. The best notebooks of life is NOT one that has a detailed record of everything good/bad and looks pretty; BUT has never been revisited.

"Experience alone will not make one wiser. When we repeat a mistake, experience only reminds us that we made the same blunder before. Experience plus reflection will grant us insight, and insight helps us to grow and change." Wayne Cordeiro

I want to be one who has insight - which will help me to grow and change.

Time to take time out to reflect!

Our acceptance is NOT determined by anything or anyone

"Most of us spend our entire lives trying to earn acceptance. We want to earn it from our parents, peers, partners in life, from people we respect, maybe even from people we envy. The drive to be accepted is a deep drive that can influence the kind of clothes you wear, the kind of car you drive, the kind of house you buy, even the career you choose." - Rick Warren's daily devotion

I thought by changing my dress style, I'll be accepted by the 'cool' people;
I thought by doing what my peers do, I'll be accepted by them;
I thought by being someone that conforms to the society, I'll be accepted.

So many 'I thought's, but ultimately, I have come to the realization that I will never be happy if I allow my acceptance to be determined by something or someone.

I thank God that I do not have to earn His acceptance, I don't have to prove myself to Him. Jesus accepts me and it is not based on my performance (if it was, I think it'll take me a lifetime to earn His acceptance!!)

If there is one person I want acceptance from, it is God. He is the same yesterday, today and forever.

Is your acceptance determined by anything or anyone today?

We all give our life for something..

In our lives, like it or not, we give our lives for something. Some give their lives for their career, some for their hobby, some for the fame, some for the people around them, some simply for the term of their lives.

As for me, I used to spend my life trying to please others - trying to fit into a mold defined by others, and many of us will know that it wouldn't work out at the end. We can never please everyone around us, in the midst of doing so, we just end up frustrating ourselves and setting 'goals' we can never achieve.

I have decided, that I will not live my life for others; I want to live a life that counts - a life for God!

What about you?

MISSing them already!!!

"God, please break down the 'walls' that are hindering my faith."

What is right?

“We should choose to follow what is right. But first of all we must define among ourselves what is good” - Job 34:4 LB

Everything we do is somehow influenced by the values we have - our actions in life are largely determined by the values we hold:

How we decide to react when someone treats us unfairly;
How we decide to respond to a situation perceived favorably by our friends when they are looking at us;
How we allow the norms of society to replace what is right (in the eyes of God) etc

What kind of values do you have today - are they shaped by society (i.e. parents, friends, experiences etc); OR are they shaped by that of God.

Values determined by Man are fallible; but values based on the Word of God is infallible.

Lord, teach me to learn what is right and daily make the conscious decision to NOT follow the norm BUT follow what is right.

"I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith." - 2 Tim 3: 7

I am still fighting the good fight, I have yet to finish the race and I am still learning daily to keep the faith.

Father I pray that you teach me to fight the good fight till the end, to last the race. Not to give up halfway because of anything/anyone, for nothing and no one is GREATER than you are. Teach me to walk righteously with you daily despite my weaknesses and imperfection, for I have a PERFECT Father and God. In Jesus' Name, AMEN

"For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him..." - 2 Chron 16: 9

Build the Dream He Has Placed Within You

(An excerpt from Rick Warren's daily devotion)

"'If you can'?" said Jesus. "Everything is possible for him who believes." (Mark 9: 23 NIV)

God will build your faith by planting a dream within you. But that dream will require a decision of faith, and then God will stretch your faith as you face delays, difficulties, and dead ends.
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Yes, the dream has been planted within me. Now, it is to make that decision of faith so that the dream God has placed within me can start to grow, and ultimately blossom!

Lord, I pray for your strength and wisdom to be upon me. Grant me the faith to step out and make that decision, once and for all. Not looking back on things that I should/could have done, but looking forward to fulfill that dream that you have birthed within me. God, teach me to deal with all distractions (esp ones that I'm more susceptible to); help me to face the delays, difficulties, and even dead ends without complaining, but with the confidence that I can, because I believe.

Resent, resign or anticipate?

Do you sometimes wonder if God knows what's best for you, if in fact His Will will be done in you?

I do. I wonder sometimes if God has it all wrong and if His hand is truly on my case.

"Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven" - Matthew 6:10 NIV

In Rick Warren's devotion, he said:

You can pray "Your will be done" in three different ways. You can say it in:

- RESENTMENT: "Your will be done, but I don't like it.";
- RESIGNATION: "Your will be done, because I can't help it."; or
- ANTICIPATION: "Your will be done, because I know it is the best and that's what I want for my life today!"

I find myself sitting on the fence between RESENTMENT & ANTICIPATION and RESIGNATION & ANTICIPATION sometimes, especially when things don't turn out the way I want it to.

At the end of the day, if we profess that Jesus is Lord and He is the Author and Perfecter of our faith (Heb 12: 2), we should be ones who pray 'Your will be done' in ANTICIPATION. Afterall, His ways and thoughts are higher than ours (Isa 55: 9)

"Lord, teach me to humble myself and place everything at Your feet. Teach me to understand Your sovereignty in my life and allow You to let Your Will be done in my life according to YOUR time."

Why We Need the Ten Commandments

“We don’t keep the Ten Commandments in order to be saved; we keep them because we want to please God and bring honor to Him by the way we live. Jesus said, ‘If you love me, you will obey what I command’ (John 14:15).” - Dr Billy Graham

to KNOW and MAKE Him KNOWN

"What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ" - Phil 3: 8

Sometimes in ministry and even in life we get so caught up with so many things, but at the end of the day, it’s about KNOWING God and MAKING Him known.

As a Christian, isn't it all about knowing God more and more each day, making His Name known to all the others who do not (yet) know Him?

Paul from the Bible (Philippians 3:4-6)is one whom you would term as an extremely intellectual and religious person today:

"though I myself have reasons for such confidence. If anyone else thinks he has reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for legalistic righteousness, faultless.

However, in v7-9, Paul said:

"But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ - the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith.

Now, it really takes ALOT for a person like Paul to consider all his achievements and everything he had a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ! He must have experienced God to a very deep extent to say such a thing.

Enjoy the following song.

Till I see You - Hillsong
The greatest love that anyone could ever know
That overcame the cross and grave to find my soul
And 'til I see You face to face and grace amazing takes me home
I'll trust in You

With all I am I'll live to see Your kingdom come
And in my heart I pray You'd let Your will be done
And 'til I see You face to face and grace amazing takes me home
I'll trust in You

I will live to love You
I will live to bring You praise
I will live a child in awe of You

You are the voice that calls the universe to be
You are the whisper in my heart that speaks to me
And 'til I see You face to face and grace amazing takes me home
I'll trust in you

You alone are God of all
You alone are worthy Lord
And with all I am my soul will bless Your name

My heartcry

(Chorus of Hosanna by Hillsong)

Heal my heart and make it clean
Open up my eyes to the things unseen
Show me how to love like you have loved me

Break my heart from what breaks yours
Everything I am for your Kingdom's cause
As I go from nothing to Eternity
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We sang this song at church today and once again, my eyes were soaked with tears. This song has never failed to bring up that deep 'burden' on my heart.

This burden - for His people, for the community.

I have been asking God all this while - "How can I 'answer' this burden?"

Lord, show me how. OPEN UP my eyes to the things unseen, SHOW ME how to love like You have loved me. BREAK my heart for what breaks Yours.

Permissible AND Edifying

Excerpt from John Bevere's Bait of Satan

"We should make it our aim not to cause another to stumble because of our personal liberty. What we do may even be permissible according to the Scriptures. But ask yourself: Does it seek the edification of another or myself?"

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Isn't it true how we sometimes choose personal liberty at the expense of others - we rather stumble others so that we can do/enjoy what we like.

The Bible says in 1 Cor 10: 23-24 (The Amplified Bible),

"All things are legitimate [permissible--and we are free to do anything we please], but not all things are helpful (expedient, profitable, and wholesome). All things are legitimate, but not all things are constructive [to character] and edifying [to spiritual life]. Let no one then seek his own good and advantage and profit, but [rather] each one of the other [let him seek the welfare of his neighbor]."

and 1 Cor 10: 31-33 (The Amplified Bible)

"So then, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you may do, do all for the honor and glory of God. Do not let yourselves be [hindrances by giving] an offense to the Jews or to the Greeks or to the church of God [ R5 do not lead others into sin by your mode of life]; Just as I myself strive to please [to accommodate myself to the opinions, desires, and interests of others, adapting myself to] all men in everything I do, not aiming at or considering my own profit and advantage, but that of the many in order that they may be saved."

Think about your actions and words today - though permissible, are they edifying?

Think about the places you visit or things you do in your free time - are they edifying to others on top of being permissible?

The point here is to do/say things that are permissible AND edifying.

Let's all learn to be like Paul who not consider his own profit and advantage, BUT that of others first!

Please God; not man

Sometimes I wonder if man live to please man.

As Christians, we might start off on the right track (i.e. live to please God), but along the way, we get side-tracked (i.e. live to please man).

John Bevere mentioned in his book 'Bait of Satan', "when you live for the will of God, you will not fulfill the desires of man."

When we have made up our mind that we will live for the will of God, we will not compromise just to please man.

Lord, I pray that You will help me to grow in living for You and not for man. Let my every decision and action be made to please You and not man."

Without You I am.....LOST

Have you ever wondered where you'll be if not for something that did or did not happen?

I have. I wonder where I'll be today if God did not give His life for me.

Without Him, I'll be:

-caught in my own self-pity;
-hating the world because I do not have what it takes to be in the 'cool' crowd;
-looking at life in a less positive way (given my pessimistic personality);
-screaming my head off at people who do not do things the way I want;
-caught up in achieving what the world sees as successful (but tiring in a way);
-yada yada

The point I am making here is, without God's redemption for man on the cross, we will not be where we are today - believe it or not.

I believe.

Hope the lyrics of the song below speaks to you.

Thank You for the cross Jesus!

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For Your Cross - Citipointe Church

You gave Your life for me
You wore that crown for me
And now I live for You

You gave Your all for me
You gave so I am free
And now I live for You

Thank You for the cross
Without You I am lost
It is for Your cross I live today
Living for Your love
Lost but now I am found
It is for Your cross I live today

My Father, Creator
All Glory to the King
So worthy of all honor
All Glory to the King

Shut up. Be silent.

Can't stand the silence in the car? Need to turn on your music/TV once you get home to get rid of the silence?

Sometimes we try to keep ourselves surrounded by sound (or noise) that we fail to listen out to the still, small voice of God.

We pray "God, I need your guidance" and then once 'Amen' is said, we get up and walk off.

When was the last time you sat down in silence and listened to the voice of God in the midst of everything?

A formula offered by Rick Warren:

Divert daily, withdraw weekly, abandon annually. Get quiet once a day, take one day a week to rest, and always take some sort of vacation at least once a year.

So, what are you waiting for.

Shut up. Be silent.

Allow God to speak.

An excerpt from John Bevere's 'Bait of Satan'

"It is righteous for God to avenge His servants. It is unrighteous for God's servants to avenge themselves. Saul was a man who avenged himself. He chased David, a man of honor, for fourteen years and murdered the priests and their families.

As David stood over the sleeping Saul, he faced an important test. It would reveal whether David still had the noble heart of a shepherd or the insecurity of another Saul. Would he remain a man after God's heart? Initially it is so much easier when we take matters into our own hands, rather than waiting on a righteous God.

God tests His servants with obedience. He deliberately places us in situations where the standards of religion and society would appear to justify our actions. He allows others, especially those close to us, to encourage us to protect ourselves. We may even think we would be noble and protect others by avenging ourselves. But this is not God's way. It is the way of the world's wisdom. It is earthly and fleshly.

...was I [John Bevere] going to become like the man who sought to destroy me? Or would I allow for God's judgment or mercy if the man repented."
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Many times we want to take things in our own hands and see the instant result - we think that we are protecting others by avenging ourselves.

However, is that what God instructs us to do?

Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord. - Romans 12: 19