Joey's Journal - September 5, 2006

Gracious Father in Heaven, I thank You for the protection, provision and guidance You always bestow on us. How can I not trust in Your Ways? You have not forsaken me as You spoke in my heart. But, there are times when I lose the strength and the focus in Your power and authority. Lord, I pray that during times of my weakness and confusion, send me Your Holy Spirit to refresh and make me strong to combat the enemy. I will give You all honor and praise for uplifting my spirit to You. As I start my day, please Lord, let me have a heart of patience, kindness, humbleness and forgiveness to the people I interact with. Let me always walk with You and follow Your Ways. I also commit my son, Joel who will go for a health check-up today. Father, let Your healing be upon him especially his acute sinusitis. May You breathe in his lungs to clear whatever is causing such problems. May You also watch over Joshua as he becomes more and more adventurous to do things, let Your angels protect him from all accidents. I pray too for my wife not to lose her faith and trust in You. Lord, thank You for watching over her and bringing her safely home. All in Jesus’ Name I pray. Amen.

My Reading – Psalm 32 Oh, what joy for those whose rebellion is forgiven

Oh, what joy for those whose rebellion is forgiven, whose sin is put out of sight! Yes, what joy for those whose record the Lord has cleared of sin. When I refused to confess my sin, I was weak and miserable, and I groaned all day long. Day and night your hand of discipline was heavy on me. My strength evaporated like water in the summer heat.

Finally, I confessed all my sins to you and stopped hiding them. ‘I will confess my rebellion to the Lord.’ And you forgave me! All my guilt is gone. Therefore, let the godly confess their rebellion to you while there is still time, that they may not drown in the floodwaters of judgment. The Lord will guide you along the best pathway for your life. He will advise you and watch over you. So rejoice in the Lord and be glad, all you who obey him! Shout for joy, all you whose hearts are pure!

My Reflection – The rebellion that the above psalm refers to is our disobedience to God, His Word and His Will. It is compared to an earthly upheaval and revolt against the King of Kings. Simply put, it is turning our backs on the Lord’s authority.

We remember that it was Adam’s disobedience that sealed the fate of mankind to be fallen from our Creator. We lost our inheritance to the heavenly kingdom through his sin of disobedience. This rebellion against God has weighted our feet heavy-laden and unable to reach for God. But, because of God’s unfailing love and compassion, He sent Jesus to erase all the sins of mankind and nailed them on His cross. Yes, we were restored by Jesus’ grace and should have stayed there.

However, in our lives now, we continue to sin, to rebel and to disobey God’s laws. Why? Because we live in a place of lawlessness and ‘go against’ God’s authority. But again, our faithful God is giving us every opportunity to confess and repent of those sins before the Second Coming of Jesus. There is still time to ask for mercy and forgiveness. And, by dong this, we will rejoice in the goodness of the Lord bringing us back to His heavenly kingdom.

My Prayer – Father in heaven, I rejoice because of Your unfailing love and compassion to us, we stand a good chance of being with You again. Lord, send Your Holy Spirit to remind us about our disobedience towards You. I know that this has cost us dearly and have hurt You so much. May Your grace teach us to ask for mercy and repent for our rebellion against You, because our hearts are heavy-laden with the fear of losing You. I confess all my past and present sin and disobedience towards You, Lord and ask for Your forgiveness so that I can be restored back to You. I pray al these in the Mighty Name of Jesus. Amen.

by : Joey B.

Joey's Journal - September 4, 2006

Father, I offer to You my thoughts, works, joys and sufferings of this day. May Your grace of patience, kindness, thoughtfulness, love and compassion be with me today. Lord, let me live my life patterned after Jesus. May Your strength be with me when the enemy attacks with the evil desires and temptations and rebuke his ways. May Your Holy Spirit remind me when I am falling to the devil’s traps and be able to lift my head to You and continue on the path towards You. I thank You for Your provision, protection and guidance in our lives. Lord, watch over us and always be by our side. I pray these in Jesus’ Holy Name. Amen.

My Reading - Psalm 31 Love the Lord, all you faithful ones!

O Lord, I have come to you for protection; don’t let me be put to shame and rescue me for you always do what is right. Be my great rock of safety, a fortress where my enemies cannot reach me. Rescue me, Lord, for you are a faithful God. I trust in you and am overcome with joy because of your unfailing love, for you have seen my troubles, and you care about the anguish of my soul.

My future is in your hands. Let your favor shine on your servant. Your goodness is so great! You have stored up great blessings for those who honor you. You have done so much for those who come to you for protection, blessing them before the watching world.

Love the Lord, all you faithful ones! For the Lord protects those who are loyal to him, but he harshly punishes all who are arrogant. So be strong and take courage, all you who put your hope in the Lord!

My Reflection – While re-reading the psalm, the phrase that sticks out to me is ‘my future is in your hands’, and I emphasize ‘my future’. Oftentimes, we fail to say ‘my’ and change it to ‘the’. Are we too proud to ask for ourselves, when we pray and we make it like a general request? Our prayers must be personal to the Father, especially when we ask for His Divine Intervention, seeking change in our monotonous sinful life or asking for guidance in the people we deal with or in short, making our future bright. Didn’t Jesus say in Matt 7:7-11 ‘Keep on asking, and you will be given what you ask for. Keep on looking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And the door is opened to everyone who knocks.’ (NLT) We need to ask God to start the change in our lives and not the other lives around us. Like prayer, this change has to start with us. And, when we ask the Lord, He will respond in His time. Because of His faithfulness, He will give us what is best future in our lives. Trust in Him completely!

My Prayer – Father, You have mapped out my life for me. I give You thanks and praise for all the blessings You have given to me. I am also asking Your forgiveness for the sins and disobedience I have given You in return. Lord, I confess my sinful ways both past and present; I am terribly sorry for them. Have mercy on me, Father! Let me be restored back to You, acceptable and pleasing in Your presence. I pray these in the Hoy Name of Jesus. Amen.

by : Joey B.

Joey's Journal - September 3, 2006

Gracious Father, I commit to You all my thoughts, works, joys and sufferings of this day. May they be pleasing and acceptable to You. I give thanks and praise for Your protection and provision for my family. Also, pray for continued guidance to be on my family as we live Your life of goodness and kindness towards our neighbor. May You always be in our sights to remind us of Your love and compassion for Your children. And, may we look forward to sharing Your heavenly kingdom. Lord, I ask these in the Name of Jesus. Amen.

My Reading – Psalm 30 You have turned my mourning into joyful dancing!

O Lord my God, I cried out to you for help, and you restored my health. You brought me up from the grave, O Lord. You kept me from falling into the pit of death. His anger lasts for a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime! Weeping may go on all night, but joy comes with the morning.

When I was prosperous I said, ‘Nothing can stop me now!’ Your favor, O Lord, made me as secure as a mountain. Then you turned away from me, and I was shattered. I cried out to you, O Lord. I begged the Lord for mercy saying, ‘What will you gain if I die, if I sink down into the grave? Can my dust praise you from the grave? Help me, O Lord.’

You have turned my mourning into joyful dancing. You have taken away my clothes of mourning and clothed me with joy; that I might sing praises to you and not be silent. I will give you thanks forever!

My Reflection - Have you ever felt and said the important phrase, ‘nothing can stop me now!’? Don’t we feel like we are ‘on top of the world’ when we achieve something great? Normally, we get this feeling when a tough business deal successfully closes, or when our boss rewards our contribution and promotes us to higher position in the company, or when we go on that luxurious only-the-rich-can-afford cruise with the whole family; and there are many more feelings of prosperity. Yes, it is in times of prosperity when we feel great and most often than not, fail to recognize who was responsible for making all these happen.

I know of a business friend who was like this! There was a point in his life that he strongly felt he could do anything successfully whether it was related to work, studies, sports or relationships. Was this the high point of success in his life? No! This was the highest point of fortune, fame and notoriety engulfing him. The material things that make up a successful person were all in his reach like houses, cars, money etc. But, there was one thing he couldn’t do successfully – to thank God for these material possessions. Can we say he was ‘blessed’ by God? Even with his pride and ungratefulness, God allowed him to have these material things. Why?

I believe that this is part and parcel of God’s plan for us that there will be people who will have more than others. And, at times, there is this noticeable wide gap between the rich and the poor, making us think at times – was God fair in all of this? In times of prosperity, we should remember to thank God for His graciousness, allowing this to happen for a purpose. We remember the scripture verse that says ‘more will be asked from those who were given more’ and this could mean using what more we have and helping the poor, giving back to the church and charitable institutions. When we thank God for His goodness in us and return that goodness without reservation or boastfulness to others, it is the time when we can say, we are truly blessed by God.

My Prayer - Lord, thank You for giving the material things in my life. Thank You for answering my desires for these things. Teach me to learn to do what is right with regard to material possessions. I know when You call me, I will leave all these behind. Let Me not be so attached to earthly things because of this. Whatever little or more I have in my life, let me share it with the poor or give to church and charitable institutions. May I follow the example of Jesus as He lived on earth. All these I pray. Amen.

by : Joey B.

Joey's Journal - September 2, 2006

O Sovereign Lord! You have made the heavens and earth by your great power. Nothing is too hard for you!’ If we believe this, why do we not obey the Lord?

Part 2 of 2

Background : Jeremiah’s prayer and bewilderment were heard by God. Because he obeyed God’s instructions, God responds to His faithful messenger and further affirms why His plan was to give Israel to the Babylonians and then, redeem it back to its full glory and prominence. God blesses Jeremiah for his obedience and restores him to own the land he purchased before the Babylonian rule.

My Reading - God’s response to Jeremiah’s Prayer The Lord acknowledges that nothing
is really hard for Him! He validates that the wrath and anger He has shown to them was due to their disobedience in turning to worshipping other gods like Baal. He again allows and puts His chosen nation under the captivity of King Nebuchadnezzer of Babylon. God says, 32 The people of Israel and Judah have provoked me by all the evil they have done—they, their kings and officials, their priests and prophets, the men of Judah and the people of Jerusalem. 33 They turned their backs to me and not their faces; though I taught them again and again, they would not listen or respond to discipline. 34 They set up their abominable idols in the house that bears my Name and defiled it. 35 They built high places for Baal in the Valley of Ben Hinnom to sacrifice their sons and daughters [c] to Molech, though I never commanded, nor did it enter my mind, that they should do such a detestable thing and so make Judah sin (Jer 32:32-35)

God’s Promise of Restoration : This is self-explanatory and better read the way God has said it and we should take it to heart. He is really awesome! God says, 37 I will surely gather them from all the lands where I banish them in my furious anger and great wrath; I will bring them back to this place and let them live in safety. 38 They will be my people, and I will be their God. 39 I will give them singleness of heart and action, so that they will always fear me for their own good and the good of their children after them. 40 I will make an everlasting covenant with them: I will never stop doing good to them, and I will inspire them to fear me, so that they will never turn away from me. 41 I will rejoice in doing them good and will assuredly plant them in this land with all my heart and soul. 42 "This is what the LORD says: As I have brought all this great calamity on this people, so I will give them all the prosperity I have promised them. (Jer 32:37-42)

God’s Answer to Jeremiah’s Puzzlement : 43 Once more fields will be bought in this land of which you say, 'It is a desolate waste, without men or animals, for it has been handed over to the Babylonians.' 44 Fields will be bought for silver, and deeds will be signed, sealed and witnessed in the territory of Benjamin, in the villages around Jerusalem, in the towns of Judah and in the towns of the hill country, of the western foothills and of the Negev, because I will restore their fortunes, [d] declares the LORD." (Jer 32:43-44) God, because of His faithfulness and love, would bring back the Promise Land to His chosen nation. And because of his obedience to God, Jeremiah will be blessed by having title to the land he purchased during the Babylonian siege.

My Reflection - I can not help but be amazed by our God! His unfailing love and compassion are very reassuring and He forgives all the despicable sins that we have thrown at Him. The Chosen Nation after He delivered them from the Egyptians and into the Promise Land, a land flowing with milk and honey, started to disobey Him by worshipping other gods and doing sacrifices that defiled God’s Temple. He gave them disaster after disaster so that they will be corrected in their ways. And finally, He rescued them again to bring the 2nd Israel to a better standing than the previous one.

Just like in our lives, we, after accepting Jesus as Lord and Savior, go back to our sinful ways much to God the Father’s unhappiness. He has sent His only Son to erase all our sins just like God delivering the Israelites from Egypt’s bondage. Yet, our sinful nature gets the best of us and again we succumb to the temptation of the evil one. The Lord God time and again because of His goodness, sends alarm bells and wake up calls to us to correct and turn away from our sinful ways. Our God is there to forgive us and restore us to that perfect standing with Him. He promises this covenant with us that He will bless us and do good things for us and more importantly, offer us that invitation to once again be with Him in the Heavenly Kingdom.

My Prayer – Father, may You never stop giving us second chances. May we know that Your love and compassion for us includes the invitation to be with You in the Heavenly Kingdom. May we choose to accept the invitation without any reservation because it will restore us back holy and pure in the presence of our Father. May we always know that the Father is faithful to His children and offers nothing but the best for them! All these I commit in Jesus’ Holy Name. Amen.

by : Joey B.

Joey's Journal - September 1, 2006

‘O Sovereign Lord! You have made the heavens and earth by your great power. Nothing is too hard for you!’ If we believe this, why do we not obey the Lord?

Part 1 of 2

Background :
Jeremiah’s message from the Lord was that the city of Judah as well as Jerusalem, will fall to the Babylonian army. King Zedekiah, king of Judah, upon hearing this prophecy, put Jeremiah in prison because of God’s message that the city will fall to the Babylonian army, its king will be taken to Babylon to be sentenced and any resistance to the Babylonians will never succeed. But, the King needed Jeremiah as he was God’s faithful messenger and maybe this prophesy will be reversed and had him imprisoned in the palace courtyard. In another message, God spoke to Jeremiah and was instructed to buy the land that he was entitled to. It was a costly purchase but he obeyed. God’s plan was for him to have title to the land before the siege of Babylon and when the Babylonians have been driven out of Israel, Jeremiah will have full and rightful ownership of this land again, just like God giving the Promise Land back to His Chosen People.

My Reading - Full text of Jeremiah’s Prayer ‘O Sovereign Lord! You have made the heavens and earth by your great power. Nothing is too hard for you! You are loving and kind to thousands, though children suffer for their parents’ sins. You are the great and powerful God, the Lord Almighty. You have all wisdom and do great and mighty miracles. You are very aware of the conduct of all people, and you reward them according to their deeds. You performed miraculous signs and wonders in the land of Egypt – things still remembered till this day! And you have continued to do great miracles in Israel and all around the world. You have made your name very great, as it is today.

You brought Israel out of Egypt with mighty signs and wonders, with great power and overwhelming terror. You gave the people of Israel this land that you have promised their ancestors long before – a land flowing with milk and honey. Our ancestors came and conquered it and lived in it, but they refused to obey you or follow your law. They have hardly done one thing you told them to! That is why you sent this terrible disaster upon them.

See how the siege ramps have been built against the city walls! Because of war, famine, and disease, the city has been handed over to the Babylonians, who will conquer it. Everything has happened just as you said it would. And yet, O Sovereign Lord, you have told me to buy the field – paying good money for it before these witnesses – even the city will soon belong to the Babylonians. (Jer 32:17-23)

My Reflection - Jeremiah’s prayer and bewilderment. He starts by saying that ‘nothing is hard for the Lord’. He had saved His chosen nation out of Egypt, brought them and blessed them to the Promised Land, but because of their disobedience and idolatry, God sent disaster after disaster on them and brought other nations ruling over them. Jeremiah asks God why the sons and daughters are suffering the wrath and anger of God because of their fathers’ disobedience. Also, he is puzzled why the Lord instructs him to buy land now while the city lay in siege and soon to be handed over to Babylonian rule, the purchase and transfer be witnessed by all and the title be hidden in a clay jar and to be exposed much later on. He says, ‘Babylon has laid siege to Judah and soon to fall under its rule yet the Lord instructs me to buy the land’.

In our Christian walk, when God speaks to our hearts, do we follow without questioning Him? Are we leaving everything in His control? Or, do we sometimes question Him and say, ‘is this good for me?’ or ‘would I benefit from this decision?’ We remember that because of Adam’s disobedience, we were detached from God and His Heavenly Kingdom. Thus, Jeremiah obeyed after realizing God was sending him a message, to buy the land even though the Babylonian army was ready to invade Judah. Would we do the same thing? Would we buy a property that will soon be devastated and ravaged under the rule of the enemy? Our human frailty will dictate otherwise. Oftentimes we only think of ourselves and only for our own benefit. We fail to obey the Word of God and more often than not, it results to a bad decision on our part. So, why don’t we start listening to God and obeying His Word which is always for our own good. We have a God who only does what is best for us because of His goodness to those who believe and trust Him.

My Prayer – Father in heaven, may I have complete trust in Your ways. May I leave the controls of my life to You. I know that You want to give the best for us, yet we still question whether it will benefit us or not. Lord Jesus, change my heart to fully put my life in Your Hands! Let me do Your Ways and try to live like You did, obeying the Father.

Lord, thank You for Your protection, provision and guidance for us and my loved ones. May they show their appreciation by living a life more close to You knowing that their lives are in Your hands, a perfect God. May each day bring all of us that special joy and assurance that You Father, are by our side as we live our lives daily. I commit my life to be more and more close to You. All these I pray in Jesus’ Name. Amen.

by : Joey B.

GoQuestion : How to Crush Your Enemy Without Even Touching Them

GoGroup Question
Ice breaker : Distribute a piece of paper for each member.Take time to think and then write your opinion about : What Go Group means to you personally? It can be positive or negative comments. Please relax, You may enjoy your snack or drink while you think.After you all finish writing, read and share it to your group.Leaders, please collect all the comments after you finish.You can email all of the comments to icagosolid@gmail.comWe will make an opinion pooling about GoGroup.Let's find out together what improvement can we make in the future.All of the pooling will be published on : http://gosolid.blogspot.comWithin two weeks, we will choose the most quality comment and prepare prize for it.The quality comment doesnt always a positive one. It can be critic, dissapoinment or suggession. All of this is made for improvement of all gogroups.

Now. let's go to the main disscusion!

How to Crush Your Enemy Without Even Touching Them (by Scott Stricker)

1. In what occation do you usualy sing? (church, birthday party, happy time, in the bathroom)
2. And what make you sing?
3. In no 1 and 2, did anybody say about singing in time of sadness or in the difficult situation or sing when we face enemies? May be this is a not common idea to sing in the difficult situation. But actually in our scripture today 2 Chronicles 20 about King Jehosaphat who sing in this difficult situation. How could it be? Is that possible? What's your opinion about this? Is that make sense?
4. Singing that we are talking about is not just ordinary singing. It is PRAISE (Praising God). For us Christians it become make sense because of what we have leart from Scott's sermon. There are three points that say why we should Praise.-Change Our Focus-Change is Coming-Chance for Deliverance(for complete sermon note see below)Please, if there any testimony about praising God and how it affected our life, please share.
5. This is the conclution for today discussion. How is our praise and worship life. Do we do praising God everyday? How often? Do we realize the power behind the praise? 6. If there any commitment you want to make related to praising God, let's pray together and keep reminding each other about it.

SERMON NOTE
How to Crush Your Enemy Without Even Touching Them by Scott Stricker
“Praise is Powerful” Choose to Praise

(vs 1 -4) After this, the armies of the Moabites, Ammonites, and some of the Meunites declared war on Jehoshaphat. Messengers came and told Jehoshaphat, "A vast army from Edom is marching against you from beyond the Dead Sea. They are already at Hazazon-tamar." (This was another name for En-gedi.) Jehoshaphat was terrified by this news and begged the Lord for guidance. He also ordered everyone in Judah to begin fasting. So people from all the towns of Judah came to Jerusalem to seek the Lord's help.

The king and all the people got together and sought the Lord’s help. He answered them through a prophetic word.

(17 – 19) But you will not even need to fight. Take your positions; then stand still and watch the Lord's victory. He is with you, O people of Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid or discouraged. Go out against them tomorrow, for the Lord is with you!"

18 Then King Jehoshaphat bowed low with his face to the ground. And all the people of Judah and Jerusalem did the same, worshiping the Lord. 19 Then the Levites from the clans of Kohath and Korah stood to praise the Lord, the God of Israel, with a very loud shout.

Choose to Praise

Jehoshapat and the people faced what was an impossible situation but they didn’t sit around complaining or feeling sorry for themselves. They grabbed a hold of the prophetic word, a promise from God, took it as fact, and began to PRAISE the Lord.

We also have the promises of the Lord. He promises us that he will never leave us or forget about us, He will work all things together for good, and that He has a plan for us. But, often times when we face our battles we choose to worry, to doubt, to complain and in doing those things we forfeit the power of praise.

• Hebrew word for praise is HALAL: to praise, celebrate, glory, sing (praise), boast
• Celebrate
• Glory
• Sing
• Boast

Change Our Focus

(vs 12b ) "For we have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon you."

They said, “God, we know that we are outnumbered and that we can’t beat them. But we are not going to look around at how bad things are how horrible our situation is, we are going to look up.” And then they put their words into action. * (vs 21) Jehoshaphat appointed men to sing to the LORD and to praise him for the splendor of his holiness as they went out at the head of the army

That is looking up! They put their worship band at the front as head of their attack formation.

Where are you looking, around you or up?

Darlene Zschech

"I learned we’ll never find hope looking at our circumstances," she says. "It’s only found by fixing our eyes on Jesus who doesn’t change and who’s always faithful.“

When we are surrounded by circumstances and difficulties we can experience the POWER OF PRAISE by looking up

Change is Coming

Don’t just Praise God when things are going good. Don’t just praise Him after he answers your prayer. We need to praise him… - Before the Battle v. 18 ...all the people of Judah and Jerusalem fell down in worship before the LORD - During the Battle v. 22 As they began to sing and praise, the LORD set ambushes against the men of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir who were invading Judah, and they were defeated. - After the Battle v. 26 On the fourth day they assembled in the Valley of Beracah, where they praised the LORD. This is why it is called the Valley of Beracah to this day.

Many of us don’t have a hard time praising God when we see the light at the end of the tunnel or when we can see that the victory is ours, but it can be hard for us to praise him before we see any results

Darlene Zschech commented that praise is "thanking God for things even though they’re not there yet," she says. "It’s appreciating Jesus not [just] for what He can do, but for being your Savior. And there’s power in that.”

Chance for Deliverance

(Vs. 27-30) Then, led by Jehoshaphat, all the men of Judah and Jerusalem returned joyfully to Jerusalem, for the LORD had given them cause to rejoice over their enemies. 28They entered Jerusalem and went to the temple of the LORD with harps and lutes and trumpets.29The fear of God came upon all the kingdoms of the countries when they heard how the LORD had fought against the enemies of Israel. 30And the kingdom of Jehoshaphat was at peace, for his God had given him rest on every side.

Chance for Deliverance

Talk about being delivered and the joy that comes with it. I believe that when we praise and worship the Lord it will release His power and we will experience wonderful things like.. miracles. - It’s not our own power but the power of God that delivers us and gives us victory over our enemies and problems.

Challenge

Choose to praise God and keep your focus on him. Don’t just praise him afterward but before and during your battle. Allow him to deliver you as you praise him. * Deut 10:21 o He alone is your God, the only one who is worthy of your praise , the one who has done these mighty miracles that you have seen with your own eyes.

Teaching with Fire

DO I REALLY CARE?
     That is the question we must all ask ourselves. I can tell you almost everything you need to know about Sunday school teaching. I have done it for years. But classroom techniques and instructional strategies are a waste of time unless you deeply care for the young people you are attempting to reach.
     It starts on the inside. Without a fire that burns in your bones, it doesn’t matter how many teacher’s quarterlies you have read or how many years you have been in the classroom.
     Henrietta Mears, an author who spent a lifetime in Christian education, has said, “The teacher has not taught until the pupil has learned.”
     How do they learn? When children love the messenger, they are open to the message. That is why caring must always precede communication. If people don’t like you, they’re not going to listen to you. It’s that simple.
     The answer to a successful Sunday school program cannot be found in the careful lesson plans that have been written and published for decades. Some people treat their teacher’s manual as if it were inspired and ordained by God – but most of the time it has never been tested on kids!
     Every week the lesson plan at Metro Sunday School becomes written curriculum that is used around the world. It is not published before it is presented but only after it has been designed, developed and demonstrated.
     What we have developed may be the most exciting, effective material you can find, but it will be as boring as 4 A.M. if it is not presented by people who have a fire burning within their spirits.
     If you don’t “feel” the lesson, your classroom will become as dead as a funeral parlor. It is only when your “thus saith the Lord” is accompanied by a heart of compassion and caring that the message comes through. People of every age will respond by feeling what we feel. When we don’t care, they won’t either.
     Every week when I deliver what we work so hard to prepare, I treat that hour as if it were heaven or hell – because that is exactly what it is.
     Speaking to a group of Christian educators recently, I was rather blunt. “If you look at your class as anything less than life or death, you do not deserve to be a teacher. If you walk into the classroom ten minutes late, week after week, you need to resign. You wouldn’t come in late on your job all the time, but I’d venture to guess that some of you do it on Sunday.” There is no excuse. I’m sorry, there just isn’t.
     What does this have to do with Christian education? Everything. Sunday school teachers need to come face to face with the depth of their love and concern. If people don’t know how much you care, they couldn’t care less about how much you know.
     You can be a teacher for 30 years and have a dozen achievement certificates on your walls, but they are meaningless if you don’t have a heart for your class. Do you cry when they cry? Are you touched bye their feelings? The Bible says Jesus was not only touched by people’s infirmities, but by the very feelings of the infirmities.
     The world has grown tired of the games being played in many churches. What they are searching for is something they recognize instantly. It is called reality.
     As Christians we have learned the right words to the right songs and have become experts on the topic of love and forgiveness. We have practiced how to smile and how to show concern. We can even yawn and praise the Lord at the same time. Isn’t that amazing? There is just one problem. People recognize a phony when they see one, and shallowness is exposed faster than most people imagine.
     The days of attempting to “Fake it ‘til we make it” need to end. Either we are in this thing for the right reason – and for the long haul – or we need to get out of the way and let someone else take over.
     The world is watching. They’ve seen enough scandals. Now they want to see if what we believe really works. A hurting child is only looking for one thing – something with compassion and concern. They are looking for love that is shared heart to heart.
     Are we teaching because lives need to be transformed? Or are we there only because no one else would take the class? It’s hard to believe that some teachers can present a lesson week after week and never take the time to talk personally with one student. In most cases they’ve never been in the kids’ homes or don’t even know the kids.
     What conclusion can I draw about a Sunday school teacher who never visits a home, never phones an absentee and never invites someone to attend the class? Do they really care?
     Life is too short and the problems are too great to hurriedly spend fifteen or twenty minutes every Saturday night putting some slop-job lesson together. It is time we stop thinking about teaching the lesson and begin to consider how we can reach out with love and concern for a child.
     We’re not supposed to be teaching lessons; we’re teaching people.

Quote from ; Bill Wilson – Whose Child is This

Joey's Journal - August 31, 2006

Father, I thank You for watching over us while we slept and encamping Your angels to protect us from the evil that’s out there. We ask for Your continued provision and guidance for this day. Remind us at all times whenever we are in decision making situations this question – What Would Jesus Do? (WWJD?) May we stay in the path of following You. Keep my son, Joel, safe in school and my wife, Annabel, safe when she out of the house. May You manifest Your glory to her that You are in control of her life. May You keep my relatives safe as they travel back to Manila this afternoon. All these I pray in Jesus Name. Amen.

My Reading - Psalm 29 The voice of the Lord is powerful; hear Him.

The voice of the Lord echoes above the sea. The voice of the Lord is powerful. The voice of the Lord is full of majesty. The voice of the Lord splits the mighty cedars; shatters the cedars of Lebanon. He makes Lebanon’s mountains skip like a calf and Mount Hermon to leap like a young bull. The voice of the Lord strikes with lightning bolts. The voice of the Lord makes the desert quake; the Lord shakes the desert of Kadesh. The voice of the Lord twists mighty oaks and strips the forests bare.

The Lord rules over the floodwaters. The Lord reigns as king forever. He gives his people strength and blesses them with peace.

My Reflection – After reading this psalm, I can’t help but think about a drill sergeant’s booming voice as he welcomes new recruits in military service. The voice of the drill sergeant is a new recruit’s first taste of military training and true enough, it is the voice that will grip fear in his mind to follow and obey orders. Should the new recruit fall short of the drill sergeant’s expectations, he will surely be required to take the punishment. His voice is the authority in the camp and everyone gets to recognize it without fail, even in their sleep.

Just like what the psalmist said, God’s voice is powerful and full of majesty. The psalmist goes to describing God’s powerful voice like a strong axe that can split the mighty cedars of Lebanon, and commanding enough to make Lebanon’s mountains skip like a calf and Mount Hermon leap like a young bull. His voice is thundering enough and shoots lightning bolts and make the deserts shake and twists mighty oaks leaving them bare.

The powerful voices of the drill sergeant and the Lord accomplish two things – for us to hear it and obey it. Yet, God’s voice supercedes the drill sergeant’s in that, we are spiritually strengthened and blessed with the assurance of peace when we follow Him. Let us hear and obey His Word!

My Prayer – Heavenly Father, let me be reminded of Your mighty power through Your voice. As You speak, let me hear and obey You! In my sinful ways, may Your powerful voice make me turn and rebuke the evil one. Do not let me listen to the temptation of the enemy because I will again distance myself to You. Lord God, guide me through the path of righteousness and living a godly life. May I always fear not hearing Your voice! All in Jesus Name. Amen.

By : Joey B.

Joey's Journal - August 30, 2006

Father God, I offer my day to You today! May my works, joys and suffering be acceptable to You. Thank You for Your protection, providence and guidance. May Your hand be upon us to protect us from all evil and pain. Watch over the children and give us Your grace to be patient with them in times of disciplining and guidance. Lord, make this day be a fruitful one as I reflect on the Book of Psalms or other books in the bible. Guide my thought, words and my actions in living Your Word. All these I pray in Jesus’ Holy Name. Amen.

My reading - Psalm 28 The Lord is my strength, my shield from every danger.

O Lord, you are my rock of safety. Listen to my prayer for mercy as I cry out to you for help; as I lift my hands toward your holy sanctuary. With those who do evil, those who speak friendly words to their neighbors while planting evil in their hearts. Give them the punishment they so richly deserve! Measure it out in proportion to their wickedness. Pay them back for all their evil deeds! Give them a taste of what they have done to others.

Praise the Lord! For he has heard my cry for mercy; the Lord is my strength, my shield from every danger. He protects his people and leads them like a shepherd and carry them forever in his arms.

My reflection – ‘Those who speak friendly words to their neighbors while planting evil in their hearts’. When I think about this statement, I remember that this is one frailty that we all have as humans. And, this is in regards to how we treat our neighbor, our brother or sister, spouse, children, boss or staff etc. The definition of a ‘neighbor’ is any other person besides our self. In one occasion or another, we have done this in our lifetime. We speak good and friendly words about another person, yet we do not mean it and even plant evil thoughts about that person in our hearts. How many times have we said ‘hello’ to a co-worker and really meant it. Usually, it is a ‘ hello’ gesture, and then a thought comes to our mind like better not cross my path wrongly today. Or, we speak bad or spread rumors about the co-worker! Do we really mean it when we say ‘I love you’ to our spouses; or is it mainly lip-service? What did Jesus say about loving our neighbor? We should love them as ourselves! We will never tolerate rumors, especially bad and false, about ourselves. We will never accept gossips or simple talk that distracts us from the truth. If we don’t want these things happening to us, why then do we do it to others? This is when we need the Lord’s strength to make us strong and rebuke the evil one. The Holy Spirit is there to remind us how sin is against God and by doing this, we reject Him. But, when we have the Lord as our strength, He will shield us from the enemy.

My prayer – Our Father, keep us focusing on You and on the path of living godly lives! Jesus, You have set this example for us to follow in order to be acceptable to the Father. May we put complete trust in Your ways! Lord, we are sinners yet we long for Your mercy and forgiveness because we fear losing You. Remind us to love our neighbor as we love ourselves! And, should our sinful nature derail us from this objective, send Your Holy Spirit to strengthen us to change. All in Jesus Name. Amen.

By : Joey B.

Joey's Journal - August 30, 2006

Father God, I offer my day to You today! May my works, joys and suffering be acceptable to You. Thank You for Your protection, providence and guidance. May Your hand be upon us to protect us from all evil and pain. Watch over the children and give us Your grace to be patient with them in times of disciplining and guidance. Lord, make this day be a fruitful one as I reflect on the Book of Psalms or other books in the bible. Guide my thought, words and my actions in living Your Word. All these I pray in Jesus’ Holy Name. Amen.

My reading - Psalm 28 The Lord is my strength, my shield from every danger.

O Lord, you are my rock of safety. Listen to my prayer for mercy as I cry out to you for help; as I lift my hands toward your holy sanctuary. With those who do evil, those who speak friendly words to their neighbors while planting evil in their hearts. Give them the punishment they so richly deserve! Measure it out in proportion to their wickedness. Pay them back for all their evil deeds! Give them a taste of what they have done to others.

Praise the Lord! For he has heard my cry for mercy; the Lord is my strength, my shield from every danger. He protects his people and leads them like a shepherd and carry them forever in his arms.

My reflection – ‘Those who speak friendly words to their neighbors while planting evil in their hearts’. When I think about this statement, I remember that this is one frailty that we all have as humans. And, this is in regards to how we treat our neighbor, our brother or sister, spouse, children, boss or staff etc. The definition of a ‘neighbor’ is any other person besides our self. In one occasion or another, we have done this in our lifetime. We speak good and friendly words about another person, yet we do not mean it and even plant evil thoughts about that person in our hearts. How many times have we said ‘hello’ to a co-worker and really meant it. Usually, it is a ‘ hello’ gesture, and then a thought comes to our mind like better not cross my path wrongly today. Or, we speak bad or spread rumors about the co-worker! Do we really mean it when we say ‘I love you’ to our spouses; or is it mainly lip-service? What did Jesus say about loving our neighbor? We should love them as ourselves! We will never tolerate rumors, especially bad and false, about ourselves. We will never accept gossips or simple talk that distracts us from the truth. If we don’t want these things happening to us, why then do we do it to others? This is when we need the Lord’s strength to make us strong and rebuke the evil one. The Holy Spirit is there to remind us how sin is against God and by doing this, we reject Him. But, when we have the Lord as our strength, He will shield us from the enemy.

My prayer – Our Father, keep us focusing on You and on the path of living godly lives! Jesus, You have set this example for us to follow in order to be acceptable to the Father. May we put complete trust in Your ways! Lord, we are sinners yet we long for Your mercy and forgiveness because we fear losing You. Remind us to love our neighbor as we love ourselves! And, should our sinful nature derail us from this objective, send Your Holy Spirit to strengthen us to change. All in Jesus Name. Amen.

by : Joey B. 

Vallery's Sharing : 10 things we can learn from Hillsong Church

1. We are all leaders.

No matter what we do, we influence someone in one way or another. If you are a mom, dad, brother, sister, employer, employee or friend, you have someone in your world that you influence, either you do it on purpose or unconscious. So basically that is everyone!

God called us to be examples of Jesus. As Nelson Mandela said, we are born to manifest God’s glory.

Matthew 5:14-16 (ANIV)
"You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. [15] Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. [16] In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.

Some thoughts about being a good leader

a. A leader is not about a position or title but a person’s character
b. A leader is to be a good example (1 Tim 4:12-16)
c. A good leader shows honor and respect to others
d. A good leader takes initiative
e. A good leader cares more about his/her followers than themselves
f. etc

All the things a good leaders does all has to do with his/her character.

One thing I just want to re-emphasis is that a leader takes initiative. I see many people complaining about different things in church or in their life, but when asked to do something about it they say they cant or don’t want to.

Both a good leader and a good follower should always be up for a challenge.

2. Servant hood

In order to be a good leader you first need to learn how to be a good servant. You can’t lead if you can’t serve!

Matthew 20:25-28 (NLT)
But Jesus called them together and said, "You know that in this world kings are tyrants, and officials lord it over the people beneath them. [26] But among you it should be quite different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, [27] and whoever wants to be first must become your slave. [28] For even I, the Son of Man, came here not to be served but to serve others, and to give my life as a ransom for many."

Matthew 23:11-12 (NLT)
The greatest among you must be a servant. [12] But those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.

How often do we see people as soon as they are given a higher position or a position of leadership, they suddenly are too good to get their hands dirty anymore. Pride is one of our biggest challenges. It was what caused Lucifer to fall. Let us not allow ourselves to become proud of ourselves. Don’t ever forget where you have come from and it is God who gave you the promotion.

3. Spirit of excellence

I have been told by Jeff that 2007 is the year of excellence for ICA.

Genesis 4:2-4 (NLT)
When they grew up, Abel became a shepherd, while Cain was a farmer. [3] At harvest time Cain brought to the Lord a gift of his farm produce, [4] while Abel brought several choice lambs from the best of his flock. The Lord accepted Abel and his offering, but he did not accept Cain and his offering. This made Cain very angry and dejected.

What do we give to God? Do you give him your best and finest work or do you give him whatever is left over?
Same in church,… do you give God your very best in music, worship, Sunday school, youth, greeting people, and even clean up? No matter how big or small your job is…. Are you doing it with excellence?
When you think of how much God loves you and what he has done on the cross for you, God totally deserves our very best!!!

4. Spirit of faith

Hebrews 11:1 (NLT)
What is faith? It is the confident assurance that what we hope for is going to happen. It is the evidence of things we cannot yet see.

How much faith do you have to see people get healed, marriages and relationship restored, financial provision? How much do you believe God can do such miracles?

Matthew 10:1 (NLT) – Mark 3:15;6:7
Jesus called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to cast out evil spirits and to heal every kind of disease and illness.

Confess with your mouth and believe in your heart!!! Power of confession.

5. Discipleship

Matthew 28:19-20 (NLT)
Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. [20] Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age."

ICA culture : people come and go. Don’t see it as a weakness but as an opportunity.

Titus 2 – encourages the church to disciple the people

Titus 2:14-15 (NLT)
He (Jesus Christ) gave his life to free us from every kind of sin, to cleanse us, and to make us his very own people, totally committed to doing what is right. [15] You must teach these things and encourage your people to do them, correcting them when necessary. You have the authority to do this, so don't let anyone ignore you or disregard what you say.

6. Open to change

In general, people don’t like change. They prefer stability because people like to feel in control but Change is something that is inevitable (something you cant avoid). Society changes every 10 year with a different generation. Even at ICA as I said before, people come and ago, there is a constant change of people coming to ICA. It has become part of the ICA culture, you have to be able to be flexible to change. Illustration: hillsong events department, ICA on the move – majapahit, heritage club, somerset, ptc.

7. Live under Kingdom principles, not the worldly principles

Romans 12:2 (NLT)
Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will know what God wants you to do, and you will know how good and pleasing and perfect his will really is.

How often do people (or we ourselves) do things just because everyone else is doing it? How often do we use the excuse… it is trend or that’s just our culture?

“Jam karet” is one of the most common examples. Where in the bible does it say that is ok to be late? What I do know is that the bible teaches us to have integrity. Integrity means honesty, being honest. So when you say you will be there at 7, you are there at 7. or if you say the meeting starts at 5 then you start at 5. That’s called accountability.

8. Expand your territories

Where there is life, there must be growth! We need to continue to grow in our spiritual journey. Life is not a destination but a journey!
Allow yourself to grow and stretch yourself. Illustration: Body muscles – baby learning to walk, crawl, stand, walk, run

3 Major challenges every believer must fight against:
1. Spirit of familiarity – getting stuck in your comfort zone!
2. A negative spirit – fear, guilt, blame, lazyness
3. Pride

by : Vallery D

 

Joey's Journal - August 29, 2006

Dear Father, thank You for watching over us last night and giving us good night’s rest. Thank You for protecting us from the evil that’s out there. I give You this day my joys, works and sufferings. May they be pleasing and acceptable to You. Father, send Your angels to watch over Joel while he is at school; on his behavior and attentiveness to his teachers and schoolmates. May Your grace be with him; control his flaring temper with the nannies and us while at home. May You keep my wife safe and protected from all anxieties and distraction caused by the enemy. May You show her that You are in control of her life and she submits to You. All these I pray in the Mighty Name of Jesus. Amen.

My reading - Psalm 27 - If the Lord is with me, whom shall I fear?

O Lord, You are my light and salvation, so why should I be afraid? The Lord protects me from danger, so why should I tremble? When my enemies surround me and people dare to destroy me, they will stumble and fall. For I am confident with the Lord beside me. The one thing I ask of the Lord is to live in His house all the days of my life delighting in His perfections and meditating in His Temple. Because this is the place where You can give me shelter when trouble comes. You will place me out of reach from the enemy’s clutches. I will praise You O Lord.

Lord, teach me how to live; lead me along the path of honesty, for the enemy waits for me to fall from his traps. Don’t let me fall to his hands and I am confident that I will see the Lord’ goodness while I am here on earth. Amen.

My reflection – It was not in God’s plan that I have an older brother; He gave me older sisters. I remember this childhood friend who had an older brother. The brother was five years older than my friend. When we got in trouble with other kids our age, my friend’s older brother would always be there to protect, defend and even retaliate for his younger brother. My friend was relishing the thought that he could bully his way with other kids of same age. One day, he was in a predicament after roughing up another kid at school. This kid had an older brother too and my friend got a taste of his own medicine. He wasn’t able to call his older brother because he had to do errands for their mother. He wasn’t there to see for his own eyes what happened to his younger brother and therefore, could not and did not do anything. I was happy to have older sisters unlike my friend because I didn’t have to rely on them in times like these; if I was able to, I just avoided the situation all together.

It is a different protection and defense that God does for us. He knows our weakness and that is, falling to the enemy’s traps and lies. And we are not able to avoid temptation and lies from the evil one that’s why we call on God for help. Unlike the older brother, God watches over us every time and He will respond and protect us from the enemy. And, when we have God in us, we fear no evil. Great is our God!

My prayer – Heavenly Father, I pray that You will always be by my side; to protect me from the enemy. May You always guide to live a godly life so that I can stand in Your presence, pure and holy. Lord, I will fear no evil when You are with me. Amen.

by : Joey B 

Joey's Journal - August 28, 2006

Dear Father, I thank You for Your protection, provision and guidance in our lives. Lord, may I offer You all my joys, works and sufferings of this day and hope that they are pleasing and acceptable to You. May Your angels continue to watch over Joel while he is at school and to curve his attitude and behavior when his temper flares. May You also watch over my wife and protect her from all anxieties and temptation by the evil one and may she call on You for help. May we always stay focused to Your instructions and obey them wholeheartedly. May You continue to bless our loved ones, church friends and cell group members and colleagues and friends. All these I pray in Jesus’ Holy Name. Amen.

My reading - Psalm 26 - For the Lord, I will take a stand to do what is right

Lord and Father, declare me innocent for I have acted with integrity. I trusted in the Lord without wavering. Put me on trial, Lord and cross examine me; test my motives and affections. Because I am constantly aware of Your unfailing love, and I have lived according to Your truth. Don’t let me suffer the fate of sinners, nor condemn me along with murderers. Their hands are dirty with wicked schemes and they constantly take bribes. But Lord, I am not like them; I do what is right; so in Your mercy save me for I have taken this stand and publicly praise You.

My reflection – I ask myself, ‘do I really want the Lord to put me on trial and cross- examine me?’ There is no need for this because the Lord knows and sees all before I even think of what to say or do. The answer to the question really is how will the Lord judge me! As a sinner, I know of the gravity of the offence against God. I have hurt Him dearly with my disobedience to His laws and decrees; my impatience, unforgiving and uncaring behavior to others. As sure as the rising of the sun tomorrow, if I don’t change, I will not see God.

This is the key – to change my sinful self. The Lord Jesus asked His disciples to pick up their crosses and follow Him. I believe Jesus wasn’t asking them to die physically like He did, because He already did this. He has taken our past, present and future sins to the cross with Him. Jesus wants us to ‘die spiritually’. This means changing from our sinful nature and living a godly life so that we can stand pure in God’s presence.

Yes, this is a tall order Jesus presents to us. But if we acknowledge Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we have to follow His Ways. Our objective is to live daily more and more like He did. Tough, yes it will be tough and we will struggle just like all His disciples! But, we have a God, who has great love and compassion for us. He will be there to stretch out His Hand to pick us up when we stumble and fall along the way and bring us eventually back to Him. Great is our God!

My prayer - Our Father in heaven, I thank You for keeping me on the right path. Thank You for giving me patience, unselfishness, kindness and mercy to the people I have interacted with. Thank You for Your grace of goodness that my wife was able to meet up with my sister and her family for lunch. Thank You for Your presence while with them. Also, Lord, I know to change from my sinful ways is a tall order but with You in my heart and mind, I know that I will be successful. Stay with me always so I may be worthy of being in Your Presence. All these in the Name of Jesus. Amen.

by : Joey B

Chapter 11 Forgiveness: You don’t give – You don’t get

This chapter of the book emphasizes what Jesus said in the Gospel of Mark 11:24-26

‘Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them. And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses. But, if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses.’

This is both mercy and a warning coming from Jesus. And when Jesus speaks, He wants us to take Him seriously. We cannot view what He says the way we view the other authorities or relations in our lives. When He says something, He means it. He is faithful even when we are faithless. So when Jesus said, ‘But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses’. He meant it.

And, Jesus says this many times in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke.

‘For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.’ Matt 6:14-15

‘Forgive, and you will be forgiven.’ Luke 6:37

‘And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.’ Matt 6:12

Here the author relates his personal experiences in his ministry of the consequences of having an unforgiving heart.

Ex. 1 – the story of a rich man who died and was outside the gates of heaven. Jesus was there and dealt with him about his disobedience. The man pleaded with the Lord that if He would extend his life, he would serve Him. The Lord consented but before sending him back to his body, he was shown a vision of hell. There he saw his wife’s mother burning in the flames of hell. The man was amazed because she had said the ‘sinner’s prayer’, confessed to being a Christian, and had attended church. Why is she in hell?
The Lord told him that she had refused to forgive a relative and therefore could not be forgiven.

Ex. 2 – the story of a wife who complained to the author about not experiencing the presence of the Lord even after going to every service. The author after praying with her, felt no sense of God’s presence at all. God spoke to the author and said ‘she is holding unforgiveness against her husband’. She agreed to this; ‘but have done my best to forgive him.’ But because of the horrible things he had done to her, she wrestled with forgiving him. The author explained God’s command and Jesus’ teaching about forgiveness;

‘For you to receive from God you must forgive. You cannot forgive him in your own strength. You must take this before God and ask God to forgive you. Then you can forgive your husband.’

She released her husband, said this simple prayer, wept and spoke in tongues for the first time. She experienced the presence of the Lord.

In Matthew 18, Jesus sheds further light on the bondage of unforgiveness and offence.

Peter asked, ‘Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?’

Peter as always, talks before thinking and felt generous saying this, taking things to the extreme. Jesus saw through this question and gave a shocking response. ‘I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.’

In other words, forgive as God does, without limits.

Jesus explained the enormity of this statement through The Parable of the Talents. He shows the compassion and forgiveness of the master writing off the higher debt of a servant. But, the servant did not show mercy to a fellow servant owing a lower debt, Jesus shows our ‘true self’ in holding on to debt or offence.

The offences we hold against each other cannot be compared to our offences against God, yet God forgave by sending His only Son, Jesus, to die for our sins.

As a lesson to believers, Jesus explains the parable further that once the master heard of the unforgiveness by the servant to another, the master scolded and condemned the unforgiving servant and delivered him to the torturers until he pays the debt. And Jesus concludes, ‘my heavenly Father (like the master) also will do this to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses.’

Three major points in these verses.

1. The unforgiving servant is turned over to torture.
2. He has to pay off the original debt
3. God the Father will do the same to any believer who doesn’t forgive.

The Bait of Satan
July 12, 2006

Joey's Journal - August 27, 2006

O Lord, I give You thanks and praise for taking care of us while we were sleeping. Thank You for giving us good rest and protecting us from the evil that is out there. Father God, I offer this Sunday worship service to You. May my heart be moved by Your Word as spoken by Senior Pastor Khong. May the FCBC congregation respond to the message of today and start the revival of Singapore. May my wife be touched by the Word and surrender herself to You as You show her Your awesome power. May the children also continue to be interested in Sunday school and be their stepping stone to knowing more about Jesus. All these in the Name of Jesus.  AMEN.

My reading - Psalm 25 - The Lord is good and does what is right

Lord, I lift up my soul; I trust in You, my God! Don’t let me be disgraced, or let the enemy rejoice in my defeat. Anyone who trusts in You will not be disgraced; but disgrace comes to those who try to deceive others. Lord, You are so good and does what is right; show the proper path to those who go astray. You lead the humble in what is right, teaching them Your way. With Your unfailing love and faithfulness You lead all those who keep Your covenants and obey Your decrees.

O Lord, forgive my many, many sins. My eyes are always looking to You for help; for You alone can rescue me from the traps of the enemy. My problems go from bad to worst; O God, save me from them all! Protect me! Rescue my life from the enemy; for I put my hope in You, O Lord.

My reflection – As I read this psalm over and over again, my eyes focus on the line ‘anyone who trusts in You will not be disgraced, but disgrace comes to those who try to deceive others’. My thoughts bring me back to a story of a finance manager who made a very major decision in his life. The company he worked for was being sued by two financial institutions. His boss called him to give an affidavit in court. And the affidavit was for him ‘to say under oath that he was threatened by the suing party and its lawyers with personal involvement and legal action if he didn’t divulge knowledge of its deals’. The story went on to say that the manager was very pressurized by the request and unforeseen outcome if he followed it. He weighed all the options of not following and thought of being out of a job as a result and how will he feed his family. He also thought of following the request and the result would possibly be in good standing with the boss and possible financial reward. The manager was confused and troubled when he discussed his situation with a good friend. The friend sympathized with him and said this in parting, ‘ask God to give you the strength and the wisdom to weigh the idea and do what is right.’

The manager did just that. In his quiet time alone with God, he sought His wisdom and prayed for His guidance. That same night he called his boss and told him about his decision of not doing the affidavit. On hearing this, his boss sounded disappointed but respected the choice. The manager felt at peace with himself and didn’t disgrace himself by doing the right thing in the eyes of God. Yes, maybe his boss felt betrayed by him but he would ‘heal later on’ as the company eventually won the lawsuit. God made sure that the manager didn’t disgrace himself in His eyes or the other friends and colleagues. By standing firm in doing the right thing, God’s favor rested with him and his family as He provided sufficiently for them.

My prayer – Dear God, I pray that Your Holy Spirit will be my alarm bell to do what is right and acceptable to You, whether in business or personal relations. Let Your love and compassion for me be in my heart always so that I can follow Your ways. Lord, as I live my days from now on, may the joy of being invited at Your Heavenly banquet be always in my mind. This is what I long for. Guide and protect me on the path towards You. All in Jesus’ Name. Amen.

by : Joey B 

Joey's Journal - August 26, 2006

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for giving me another day on earth. Thank You for watching over my family last night; the boys and their nannies having a good night’s rest and my wife coming safely home. Lord, today I lay at Your feet all my joys, works and sufferings and may they be acceptable and pleasing to You. Let me stay focus to You and be by my side all day. When certain situations arise and I am needed to make a decision, may Your wisdom be with me and always remember WWJD (What Would Jesus Do?). Take away from my mind all the anxieties and distractions brought about by the evil one. All these in Jesus’ Name. Amen.

My reading - Psalm 24 - Who will enter and stand in God’s presence?

God created the earth and everything in it is his! The world and all its people belong to him; for he has laid earth’s foundation on the seas and built it on the ocean depths. Who will stand in God’s holy place? Only those whose hands and hearts are pure, who do not worship idols and never lies. They will receive the Lord’s blessing and have right standing with God the savior. They alone will enter God’s presence and worship the God of Israel.

My reflection – ‘Only those whose hands and hearts are pure, who do not worship idols and never lies.’ If you think about this statement, really think about it – this statement reminds us about the two greatest commandments of God, that is, it refers to loving God and loving our neighbor. This is its foundation! And, if we do these, we will receive the Lord’s blessing and have right standing with God.

But, we have to have pure hands and a pure heart to love God and our neighbor. As I said in previous psalms, the most difficult to achieve is loving our neighbor because of our human frailty, self-centeredness in other words, our wanting to outdo others. However, in my recent readings, I have changed my mind to thinking loving God is the most difficult. How do I TRULY love God? To truly love God, we need to acknowledge Him, obey His Word and follow His Ways with a pure heart. All three words we think are easy but if we go deeper to their real meaning and requirements, we probably say, ‘it is tough!’ Yes, it is tough and that’s why we need all the help from our Lord. Without His help and guidance, we can not do it.

So, to stand in the presence of God, we need God to help us to lead us in the righteous path, the godly one.

My prayers – Gracious Father in heaven, teach me to truly love You. Lord, You have given up Your only Son, Jesus to die for my sins and be restored back to You. I can only think that it is just right to obey and follow Your ways. All I want is to be worthy of standing in Your presence at the final judgment. I know good deeds alone will not earn my salvation but acknowledging You, obeying You and following You, will be pre-requisites for getting that heavenly banquet invitation. May I lead a life from now on that will be pleasing and acceptable to You. All these I pray in the Name of Jesus. Amen.

by : Joey B

Joey's Journal - August 25, 2006

Dear God, I give You thanks and praise for watching over us last night. Thank You for Your comforting hands to get Joel to finally have some rest and sleep after waking up crying due to a bad dream. Also, for Joshua who was awaken by his brother’s voice and wanted to play rather than sleep. Thank You for finally making them sleep at 12 midnight. I thank You too, for watching over Annabel while she was out last night and bringing her safely home. Thank You, Father God. May our day be blessed in following Your Word. May You be in control of our lives. I rebuke all anxieties and distractions coming from the enemy and live more godly today. Take care of Joel in school. All in the Name of Jesus. Amen.


My reading - Psalm 23 – The Lord is my shepherd, I have everything I need

The Lord is my shepherd, I have everything I need. He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful waters. He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name. Even when I walk through the dark valley of death, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me. You prepare a feast for me in the presence of my enemies. You welcome me as a guest, anointing my head with oil. My cup overflows with blessings. Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the Lord forever.


My reflection – What a wonderful psalm this is from David! It is a prayer of affirmation that when God is with us, we will be safe and protected; sufficiently provided for and with abundant blessings. Yes! This is a prayer of affirmation of a loving and caring shepherd who watches over his herd of sheep; nurturing, protecting and guiding them from young to maturity. God, our Father, is like our shepherd, guiding us to right paths, protecting us from the evil one and providing for our daily lives. He is really an awesome God! And, if He is with and in my heart, I have everything I need!

During my primary school days in the Philippines, the Jesuit fathers were my mentors. ‘The Lord is My Shepherd’ was taught to us as a song in order for us to remember the words. At school, every Friday is dress up day for an all-school mass and celebration. We always sang this first part of the song………

My shepherd is the Lord, nothing indeed shall I want.

My shepherd is the Lord, there is nothing I shall want.
Fresh and green are the pastures, where He gives me repose.
Near restful waters He leads me, to revive my drooping spirit.

My shepherd is the Lord, nothing indeed shall I want.

As Christians, we should remind ourselves to say this prayer of affirmation while in our quiet time with the Lord. By saying this, we rebuke the powers of Satan and what his legions are doing to us because the Lord, like a good shepherd, watches us with love, compassion and mercy. And lastly, we acknowledge that the Lord our Father has prepared a heavenly banquet for us when we meet with Him face to face and we will share in it permanently.

My prayer – Dear Father, You are all I want. You are all I long for. Let me stay focused to You. Be by my side always. Protect me from all that is evil. Guide me in Your ways to do good and be caring to others. Invite me to Your heavenly Kingdom where I will be permanently with You. All in the Name of Jesus. Amen.

by : Joey B

Joey's Journal - August 24, 2006

Our Father in heaven, I offer this day to You; my works, joys and sufferings. May they be pleasing and acceptable to You. Thank You for watching over us and giving us this day to live for You. Lord, I commit my son, Joel into Your guiding hands and keep him safe and obedient in school. And, when he is home this afternoon, I pray Your grace to be with him and us; obedience for him to our instructions and patience for us to discipline him. Help Carlyn take care of the two boys tonight as Maria is away. May I spend today being more close and focused to You and Your Ways as I continue reading Psalms. I pray all these in the Name of Jesus. Amen.

My reading - Psalm 22 - No one else can help me except You, Lord!

Everyday I call to you, my God; but you do not answer. Have you forsaken me? Why do you remain distant and ignore my cries? Yet you are holy, and the praises of Israel surround your throne. Our ancestors trusted you and you rescued them; they were never disappointed. But I am scorned and despised by all; everyone mocks me. They sneer and shake their heads and say, ‘Is this the one who relies on the Lord? Then let the Lord save him! If the Lord loves him so much, let the Lord rescue him!’

Don’t stay so far from me, for trouble is near, and no one else can help me. My enemies surround me like a herd of bulls, like roaring lions attacking their prey. My life is poured out like water and all my bones are out of joint. My heart is like wax, melting within me. My strength has dried up like the sun-baked clay. My tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth, and you have laid me in the dust and left me for dead. My enemies surround me like packs of dogs. They have pierced my hands and feet. I can count every bone in my body. My enemies stare at me and gloat; they divide my clothes among themselves.

Show the Lord reverence, all you descendents of Israel; for he has not ignored the suffering of the needy. He has not turned and walked away, and has listened to their cries for help. All who seek the Lord will praise him; their hearts will rejoice with everlasting joy. The whole earth will acknowledge the Lord and will return to him. People from every nation will bow down before him; for the Lord is king! He rules all the nations. Future generations will also serve him; our children will hear about the wonders of the Lord.

My reflection – After reading the psalm, I can’t help but put myself in David’s shoes and try to experience this situation he was in, being hunted by his enemies and fearing for his life. Facing certain death at the hands of his enemies, he cries out to the Lord to rescue him and describes how he feels. Scary for the most part of what he goes through thinking about death. But, he called on God to help and rescue him. And, God responded.

Oftentimes in my reading the psalms, I flashback to the car accident I had last year. I still clearly recall the events from the start; seeing that the car’s brakes would not be enough to safely avoid the mishap, my body being thrusted forward because of the braking motion and my mind thinking we would definitely hit the truck in front of us. Even for those seconds I was staring death in the face. Did I call on God’s help? I really don’t think so! Because it was only after the accident happened did I think of God. And, I even called out to Him and said, ‘Why?’ and had that voice encounter with Him. I was complaining to God why He let this happen now after committing myself to serving Him in our church in Surabaya. I vividly tried to move and lift myself up; my arms, shoulders, hands and legs but to no success. Even when the on-lookers were taking me out of the car, I was saying to my driver, ‘Saya mati! Saya tidak boleh krassa dan mundur! Anakku masih mudah.’(I am dead! I can not feel anything or move! My children are still young). While being transported to the nearby small hospital, I kept thinking about paralysis from neck down and could not walk, move or function normally. It was really scary! And, I called on the Lord to help me recover from this serious accident and help me walk again.

Like with David, God answered my call for help. He sent His Holy Spirit to my pastor and his wife to inform as many church members and friends and start the prayer brigade for God’s hand to be with me while in the hospital and that there will be no serious or unrecoverable injuries. My pastor when he saw me the next day, told me that God will fully restore me and I should claim His promise daily!

My prayer – Heavenly Father, may I always stay focused to You. May I always remember You are there by my side. Should I stumble or become weakened by the enemy, may Your Holy Spirit be my alarm bell to rebuke the bait of Satan and stay on the right path with You. May I always remember in my quiet time, to worship You; in my tough times, to trust You; in my happy times, to praise You and all the time, to thank You! All these I pray in Jesus Name. Amen.

by : Joey B