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Cancer Update from Johns Hopkins

2009-09-10T17:45:00.000+07:00

Every person has cancer cells in the body. These cancer cells do not show up in the standard tests until they have multiplied to a few billion. When doctors tell cancer patients that there are no more cancer cells in their bodies after treatment, it just means the tests are unable to detect the cancer cells because they have not reached the detectable size.
Cancer cells occur between 6 to more than 10 times in a person's lifetime.
When the person's immune system is strong the cancer cells will be destroyed and prevented from multiplying and forming tumors.
When a person has cancer it indicates the person has multiple nutritional deficiencies. These could be due to genetic, environmental, food and lifestyle factors.
To overcome the multiple nutritional deficiencies, changing diet and including supplements will strengthen the immune system.
Chemotherapy involves poisoning the rapidly-growing cancer cells and also destroys rapidly-growing healthy cells in the bone marrow, gastro-intestinal tract etc, and can cause organ damage, like liver, kidneys, heart, lungs etc.
Radiation while destroying cancer cells also burns, scars and damages healthy cells, tissues and organs.
Initial treatment with chemotherapy and radiation will often reduce tumor size. However prolonged use of chemotherapy and radiation do not result in more tumor destruction.
When the body has too much toxic burden from chemotherapy and radiation the immune system is either compromised or destroyed, hence the person can succumb to various kinds of infections and complications.
Chemotherapy and radiation can cause cancer cells to mutate and become resistant and difficult to destroy. Surgery can also cause cancer cells to spread to other sites.
An effective way to battle cancer is to starve the cancer cells by not feeding it with the foods it needs to multiply.

CANCER CELLS FEED ON:
- Sugar is a cancer-feeder. By cutting off sugar it cuts off one important food supply to the cancer cells. Sugar substitutes like NutraSweet, Equal, Spoonful, etc are made with Aspartame and it is harmful. A better natural substitute would be Manuka honey or molasses but only in very small amounts. Table salt has a chemical added to make it white in color. Better alternative is Bragg's aminos or sea salt.
- Milk causes the body to produce mucus, especially in the gastro-intestinal tract. Cancer feeds on mucus. By cutting off milk and substituting with unsweetened soya milk cancer cells are being starved.
- Cancer cells thrive in an acid environment. A meat-based diet is acidic and it is best to eat fish, and a little chicken rather than beef or pork. Meat also contains livestock antibiotics, growth hormones and parasites, which are all harmful, especially to people with cancer.
- A diet made of 80% fresh vegetables and juice, whole grains, seeds, nuts and a little fruits help put the body into an alkaline environment. About 20% can be from cooked food including beans. Fresh vegetable juices provide live enzymes that are easily absorbed and reach down to cellular levels within 15 minutes to nourish and enhance growth of healthy cells. To obtain live enzymes for building healthy cells try and drink fresh vegetable juice (most vegetables including bean sprouts) and eat some raw vegetables 2 or 3 times a day. Enzymes are destroyed at temperatures of 104 degrees F (40 degrees C).
- Avoid coffee, tea, and chocolate, which have high caffeine. Green tea is a better alternative and has cancer-fighting properties. Water-best to drink purified water, or filtered, to avoid known toxins and heavy metals in tap water. Distilled water is acidic, avoid it.
Meat protein is difficult to digest and requires a lot of digestive enzymes. Undigested meat remaining in the intestines become putrified and leads to more toxic buildup.
Cancer cell walls have a tough protein covering. By refraining from or eating less meat it frees more enzymes to attack the protein walls of cancer cells and allows the body's killer cells to destroy the cancer cells.
Some supplements build up the immune system (IP6, Flor-ssence, Essiac, anti-oxidants, vitamins, minerals, EFAs etc.) to enable the body's own killer cells to destroy cancer cells. Other supplements like vitamin E are known to cause apoptosis, or programmed cell death, the body's normal method of disposing of damaged, unwanted, or unneeded cells.
Cancer is a disease of the mind, body, and spirit. A proactive and positive spirit will help the cancer warrior be a survivor. Anger, unforgiveness and bitterness put the body into a stressful and acidic environment. Learn to have a loving and forgiving spirit. Learn to relax and enjoy life.
Cancer cells cannot thrive in an oxygenated environment. Exercising daily, and deep breathing help to get more oxygen down to the cellular level. Oxygen therapy is another means employed to destroy cancer cells.

CANCER UPDATE FROM JOHN HOPKINS HOSPITAL , U S - PLEASE READ

No plastic containers in micro.
No water bottles in freezer.
No plastic wrap in microwave.

Johns Hopkins has recently sent this out in its newsletters. This information is being circulated at Walter Reed Army Medical Center as well. Dioxin chemicals causes cancer, especially breast cancer. Dioxins are highly poisonous to the cells of our bodies. Don't freeze your plastic bottles with water in them as this releases dioxins from the plastic.

Recently, Dr. Edward Fujimoto, Wellness Program Manager at Castle Hospital , was on a TV program to explain this health hazard. He talked about dioxins and how bad they are for us. He said that we should not be heating our food in the microwave using plastic containers.

This especially applies to foods that contain fat.

He said that the combination of fat, high heat, and plastics releases dioxin into the food and ultimately into the cells of the body.

Instead, he recommends using glass, such as Corning Ware, Pyrex or ceramic containers for heating food. You get the same results, only without the dioxin. So such things as TV dinners, instant ramen and soups, etc., should be removed from the container and heated in something else.

Paper isn't bad but you don't know what is in the paper. It's just safer to use tempered glass, Corning Ware, etc. He reminded us that a while ago some of the fast food restaurants moved away from the foam containers to paper. The dioxin problem is one of the reasons.

Also, he pointed out that plastic wrap, such as Saran, is just as dangerous when placed over foods to be cooked in the microwave. As the food is nuked, the high heat causes poisonous toxins to actually melt out of the plastic wrap and drip into the food. Cover food with a paper towel instead.

This is an article that should be sent to anyone important in your life

One Life to Live

2009-09-10T17:29:00.000+07:00

"I tell you the solemn truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains by itself alone. But if it dies, it produces much grain."
(John 12:24 NET)

She had a professional qualification in accounting and had worked in one of the Big 4 accounting firms for a while. But deep down she knew she was a teacher with a special love for preschoolers. And so she resigned from her accounting job and became a kindergarten teacher in her church. The drop in salary was drastic. She had to take another job to make ends meet. But her faith was strong. And her joy was real. Her story moved me profoundly.

If you are a regular reader of this column you will know that I do not divide jobs on the basis of whether they are secular or spiritual. If you are a regular reader of this column you will know that I champion the call for Christians to understand that God calls us into all sorts of work and not just into church related work. And we definitely need God's people in the Big 4! But what moved me about my friend's decision was that she had the courage and the faith to be true to her heart's call.

There will be those who will call her decision a waste. What a waste to give up a job of such earning potential. What a waste of her had earned expertise in accountancy. And doesn't she know how expensive it is to live these days? Doesn't she know the crushing effects of inflation on those of us who are not rich?

I heard the same arguments when I came to understand that God wanted me to leave dentistry to be a full time minister of the Word. I had expected that non-Christian friends would have found it difficult to accept such a
counter-cultural decision. What I didn't expect was that most of the resistance to my leaving dentistry to go into a church related vocation came from Christians.

I would have thought that Christians would be the first to understand that our lives are not our own and that we are all but stewards of the lives we have received. I would have thought that Christians would understand that their security lies ultimately in the Lord and not in the monthly pay cheque, and that the most secure place one can be is walking in the will of the Lord wherever that journey takes you. I was wrong.

It seems that many churches are not places that encourage people to discover their vocations, and support them as they embark on their God-given adventures. And it seems like this reluctance to think of life in vocational
terms is not new.

At the age of 30, Albert Schweitzer decided to leave his position as principal of a theological seminary to enter medical school to prepare to be a missionary doctor to Africa. He talks about the resistance he received.

"My relatives and friends reproached me for the folly of my enterprise. They said I was a man who was burying the talent entrusted to him and wanted to trade in false currency. I ought to leave work among Africans to those who would not thereby abandon gifts and achievements in scholarship and the arts...

In the many adversarial debates I had to endure with people who passed for Christians, it amazed me to see them unable to perceive that the desire to serve the love preached by Jesus may sweep a man into a new course of life. They read in the New Testament that it can do so, and found it quite in order there.

I had assumed that familiarity with the sayings of Jesus would give a much better comprehension of what to popular logic is not rational."
(Albert Schweitzer, Out of My Life and Thought, Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins
University Press, 1998, pp. 81-95.)

We cheat the world of the Schweitzers in our midst by not encouraging our people to find and pursue their vocations. And we cheat ourselves and our children from living lives of meaning and significance.

How do we discover our vocation? I believe discovering our vocation is a life long journey. A good starting place is to consider the primary calls on our lives. We have been called to love God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength, and to love our neighbour as ourselves (Mark 12:29-31). With my abilities, burdens and opportunities how do I best love God and neighbour at this point of my life?

And here is Frederick Buechner's oft quoted advice:

"By and large a good rule for finding out (your life calling) is this: the kind of work God usually calls you to do is the kind of work (a) that you need most to do and (b) that the world most needs to have done. If you really get a kick out of your work, you've presumably met requirement (a), but if your work is writing cigarette ads, the chances are you've missed requirement (b). On the other hand, if your work is being a doctor in a leper colony, you have probably met requirement (b) but if most of the time you're bored and
depressed by it, chances are you have not only bypassed (a), but probably aren't helping your patients much either. Neither the hair shirt nor the soft berth will do. The place God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and the world's deep hunger meet."
(Frederick Buechner, Wishful Thinking: A Theological ABC, New York: Harper &
Row, 1973, p.95.)

I also believe there is no ideal time to pursue one's vocation. Some of us carry heavy financial responsibilities --- aged parents to care for, children to feed etc. The Lord knows that. We may have to do one job to put food on the table while pursuing our vocation outside of work time --- and striving to do our best in both responsibilities. Others may have to wait for another season in their lives to pursue their vocation full time.

The Lord knows the details of your life and will work out everything in the end. Nothing will be wasted. We are to follow God in the realities of our life and not in some romantic never-never land.

But what all of us need is the courage and faith of my young friend who became a kindergarten teacher. At some point we need to choose the security of obeying God over the security that comes from popular logic. And when we do that we find life, life for others and life for ourselves.

Joey's Journal - September 25, 2006

2008-11-08T15:35:00.000+07:00

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

May the Lord's mercy, joy and peace be with you always!

I am pleased to send you next week's journal for your reading and reflection. I really hope that Psalm 50 will touch your hearts and understand what the Lord needs from us. God doesn't need our 'burnt offerings' or sacrifices - a physical atonement for our disobedience against Him. He wants our true and contrite repentance for our sins. Furthermore, He wants our heartfelt thanksgiving and praise for His unfailing love and compassion shown to us. He forgives us faithfully even when we are faithless. The Lord, our God, is good!

May His blessings of protection, provision and guidance be with you.

Have a close and personal relationship with Him next week.

Joey

'But thanks be to God who always leads us in triumphal procession with Christ to spread everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of Him.' (2 Cor. 2:14)

September 25, 2006

Heavenly Father, I give You all praise and glory for being an awesome God! You give us protection from danger and accidents, provision for our daily needs and guidance to live our lives more close to You. May we always remember to give You thanks and honor for Your continued blessing. Lord, during times when we distance ourselves from You, may we know that with the Holy Spirit, we will be by our side to bring us closer to You. Thank You Father, for being faithful to us. I offer my thoughts, words, joys and sufferings of this day and hope that they will be pleasing and acceptable to You. Keep our day free from the grasps of the evil one and always allow us to focus on You. I request these in the Name of Jesus. Amen.

My Reading - Psalm 50

Giving thanks is a sacrifice that truly honors God

The mighty God, the Lord, has spoken; he has summoned all humanity from east to west! From Mount Zion, the perfection of beauty, God shines in glorious radiance. Our God approaches with the noise of thunder. Fire devours everything in his way, and a great storm rages around him. Heaven and earth will be his witnesses as he judges his people: Bring my faithful people to me – those who made a covenant with me by giving sacrifices. Then let the heavens proclaim his justice, for God himself will be the judge.

‘O my people, listen as I speak. Here are my charges against you, O Israel: I am God, your God! I have no complaint about your sacrifices or the burnt offerings you constantly bring to my altar. But I want no more bulls from your barn; I want no more goats from your pens. For all the animals of the forest are mine, and I own the cattle on a thousand hills. Every bird of the mountains and all the animals of the field belong to me. If I were hungry, I would not mention it to you, for all the world is mine and everything in it. I don’t need the bulls you sacrifice; I don’t need the blood of your goats. What I want instead is your true thanks to God; I want you to fulfill your vows to the Most High. Trust me in your times of trouble, and I will rescue you, and you will give me glory.’

But God says to the wicked: ‘Recite my laws no longer, and don’t pretend that you obey me. For you refuse my discipline and treat my laws like trash. When you see a thief, you help him, and you spend your life with adulterers. Your mouths are filled with wickedness, and your tongues are full of lies. You sit around and slander a brother – your own mother’s son. While you did all this, I remain silent, and you thought I didn’t care. But now I will rebuke you, listing all my charges against you. Repent, all of you who ignore me, or I will tear you apart, and no one will help you. But giving thanks is a sacrifice that truly honors me. If you keep to my path, I will reveal to you the salvation of God.’

My Reflection – We have read about the sacrifices given by the Israelites to God. We have seen their burnt offerings and sacrificial lambs. They honored and praised God for the many blessings and this offering was handed down from the time of Moses. In this psalm, God clearly states His complaints of the people. They give Him praise and honor doing these offerings but, they still do not obey His laws and live wicked lives. How can God not be pleased by their actions! They just went through the motions of the sacrificial atonement and went back to disobeying His Will. No honor and genuine thanksgiving was given to God after delivering them from the enemy and more so, became hardhearted people for their evil and immoral lives of idolatry.

In present times, we believers, are like the Israelites. We call on the Lord to help us during our most trying moments; to deliver us from our present situation and bless us and so on. We may fall into the same pattern as the Israelites did, offering sacrifices of thanksgiving but losing their significance as we fall back to disobeying God’s Word. Have we ever looked back on the many times God has rescued us or answered our prayers without even acknowledging His goodness to us? We fail to repent of our disobedience to God and continue living our wicked lives. But, God clearly states that repentance is what He needs from us and an acknowledgment of thanks truly honors Him. When did we last repent and thank God for His love and compassion shown to us?

My Prayer – Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for the many blessings You have given to us. Thank You for allowing us to call on Your Name and be delivered from certain damnation because we keep on disobeying Your Word. Lord, a contrite and humble heart is what You require of us; not an arrogant and unrepentant one. With our submission to You, our hearts are molded by the Holy Spirit to firmly obey Your commands. Help me, Father, to constantly have a repentant and contrite heart for You. All in Jesus’ Name. Amen.

by Joey B.

Busby SEO competition is still going on until January 31st.

Joey's Journal - September 24, 2006

2008-11-08T15:32:00.000+07:00

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

May the Lord's mercy, joy and peace be with you always!

I am pleased to send you next week's journal for your reading and reflection. I pray that the Word of God touches your heart and meditate on the eternal rewards in heaven. As Psalm 49 states, we should not count on our wealth to go with us when we die as all that we have amassed on earth will stay there. We will stand with nothing when we are in front of God. So, brothers and sisters, let us remember to invest in what we will enjoy in heaven by believing and trusting in God, obeying His commands and doing good here on earth. These are the investments that we will give us eternal rewards in God's presence.

May the Lord protect from all that is evil, provide for your needs and guide you to the righteous path for a close and personal relationship with Him.

Have a blessed week with the Lord.

Joey

'But thanks be to God who always leads us in triumphal procession through Christ for us to spread everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of Him.' (2 Cor. 2:14)

September 24, 2006

Our Father in heaven, thank You for sending Your angels to watch over us; for calming down a restless and crying Joel, a peaceful sleep for Joshua and for bringing my wife safely home last night. You are really awesome, Lord. I thank You for the provision and guidance given to us. In times of trouble and worries, Your Holy Spirit calms us down and recharges our walk with You. I ask for Your continued wisdom to correctly reflect on Your Word. Give Your words Lord so that I may record them and those reading the journal may be touched and be blessed by it.

A special prayer for Joel who is participating in the school’s musical, may he perform and sing well; may there be no miscues or mishaps in the children’s performance and may You guide them to have a great and rewarding time! All these I ask in the Mighty Name of Jesus. Amen.

My reading - Psalm 49

Earthly possessions will not redeem us from death

Listen to this, all you people! Pay attention, everyone in the world! High and low, rich and poor – listen! For my words are wise, and my thoughts are filled with insight. I listen carefully to many proverbs and solve riddles with inspiration from a harp. There is no need to fear when times of trouble come, when enemies are surrounding me. They trust in their wealth and boast of great riches. Yet they cannot redeem themselves from death by paying a ransom to God. Redemption does not come so easily, for no one can ever pay enough to live forever and never see the grave. Those who are wise must finally die, just like the foolish and the senseless, leaving all their wealth behind. The grave is their eternal home, where they will stay forever. They may name their estates after themselves, but they leave their wealth to others. They will not last long despite their riches – they will die like the animals. This is the fate of fools, though they will be remembered as being so wise.

Like sheep, they are led to the grave, where death will be their shepherd. In the morning the godly will rule over them. Their bodies will rot in the grave, far from their grand estates. But as for me, God will redeem my life. He will snatch me from the power of death. So don’t be dismayed when the wicked grow rich, and their homes become ever more splendid. For when they die, they carry nothing with them. Their wealth will not follow them to their grave. In this life they consider themselves fortunate, and the world loudly applauds their success. But they will die like all others before them and never again see the light of day. People who boast of their wealth don’t understand that they will die like the animals.

My reflection – There is no way for a person to buy eternal life with God. God alone can redeem our soul. We can’t count on wealth and physical comforts to keep us happy because we will never have enough wealth or material possessions to keep us from dying. In previous journals, we have read that we will leave all these behind, and whatever we have accumulated on earth will stay there. Whether we are rich or poor, we can not take it to where we are going as we stand ‘naked and empty-handed’ before God.

At the time of our death, each of us will wish we had invested less on earth, where we must leave it, and more in heaven, where we will retain it forever. The only riches that will count are those we have invested already in our eternal heritage. To ultimately enjoy the treasures of heaven, we must place our faith in God, pledge ourselves in complete obedience to Him, and serve Him through our resources for the good of His Kingdom. Now is the good time to check up on our investments and see where we have invested the most and where they really count.

My Prayer – Lord, my human frailties grip me with fear. In my life, why have I tried to connect success to wealth and fortune? Haven’t I seen a lot of successful people pass away and all that they amassed were left behind to relations, who more often than not, squabbled about their inheritance? Father God, I know that I am guilty of wanting more material and earthly possessions to show off my success and notoriety. I truly repent for my wrong attitude and hope for Your mercy and forgiveness. May I give You thanks and praise for the goodness You gave in my life. May I show repentance by being more content and satisfied to the things You bless me with because I know that You are the God, who gives all and takes all of it away. All these things on earth are Yours! I pray these in Jesus’ Name. Amen.

by Joey B

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Jey's Journal - September 23, 2006

2008-11-08T15:29:00.000+07:00

I am pleased to attach next week's journal for your reading and reflection. May Psalm 48 burn in our hearts and minds that the guidance required in our lives is following the Word of God, the Bible. It is a living testimony of God's goodness to us offering a 'blue-print' to follow as we seek salvation and restoration in His Presence. Through our knowledge of Jesus' life of total obedience to the Father, we are able to trace and emulate His example. And finally, the Holy Spirit is our guide through all the trials and challenges along our path of righteous. May we live our lives worthy, pleasing and for the greater glory of our Father.

I pray for His continued protection against all evil, His abundant provision for all needs and His unending guidance to the righteous path be with you. All in Jesus' Name. Amen.

Have a blessed week with the Lord.

Joey

'But thanks be to God who always leads us in triumphal procession through Christ for us to spread everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of Him' (2 Cor. 2:14)

Father in heaven, I give You all honor and praise for Your continued protection, provision and guidance in our lives. You have sent the Holy Spirit to be our reminder when we are derailed on the righteous path. You stretched out Your hand when we stumble and fall to the enemy’s snares. I pray that we will always look to You for help and call on Your love and compassion to forgive us during our sinful ways. Lord, wash away all our inequities and restore us to be in Your presence.

May You continue to guide me with your wisdom as I reflect on the Psalms and the words that I record are from You, Father. I offer my thoughts, works, joys and sufferings of today and may they be pleasing and acceptable to You. Lord, watch Joel while he is in school and my wife as she goes out today. May You be with them and protect them. All these I pray in Jesus’ Holy Name. Amen.

My Reading - Psalm 48

He is our God forever and ever and he will be our guide

How great is the Lord, and how much we should praise him in the city of our God, which is on his holy mountain! It is magnificent in elevation – the whole earth rejoices to see it! Mount Zion, the holy mountain, is the city of the great King! God himself is in Jerusalem’s towers. He reveals himself as her defender. The kings of the earth joined forces and advanced against the city. But when they saw it, they were stunned; they were terrified and ran away. They were gripped with terror, like a woman writhing in the pain of childbirth or like the mighty ships of Tarshish being shattered by a powerful east wind. We had heard of the city’s glory, but now we have seen it ourselves – the city of the Lord Almighty. It is the city of our God; he will make it safe forever.

O God, we meditate on your unfailing love as we worship in your Temple. As your name deserves, O God, you will be praised to the ends of the earth. Your strong right hand is filled with victory. Let the people on Mount Zion rejoice. Let the towns of Judah be glad, for your judgments are just. Go, inspect the city of Jerusalem. Walk around and count the many towers. Take note of the fortified walls, and tour all the citadels, that you may describe them to future generations. For that is what God is like. He is our God forever and ever, and he will be our guide until we die.

My Reflection – The psalmist begins in praising the Lord, our God, in His holy mountain – Mount Zion, that is in high elevation. All rejoice to see God’s heavenly place! Mount Zion in the Holy Scripture is also referred to as Jerusalem, where the temple of God is situated and where all the earth will gather in the last days when God will judge all nations and be with His faithful believers. Many conquering nations take over Jerusalem as we have read in scripture, yet with God as its defender, the city is liberated again and again. God’s hand has time and again made it safe for His people. The remaining verses speak of the day when God would bring justice to the land in His Kingdom. After an enemy army had unsuccessfully laid siege on Jerusalem, it is important to inspect its towers of defenses, fortifying them when needed, and praising the Lord for His protection.

As believers, in times of our great joy and after God has brought us through some great trial, we need to inspect our ‘defenses’ making sure our foundations – faith in God, knowledge of His Word, and the fellowship and prayers of the body of believers – remain strong. Then, we should praise God for His protection. It is just right! In our prayers of thanksgiving, we often ask God’s guidance as we struggle with tough decisions in our lives. We need both the guidance and a guide. The Bible will be our source for guidance as it is God’s Word and the Holy Spirit will be our guide and constant companion to live our lives following God’s Word.

My Prayer - Father in Heaven, I pray for Your continued protection in my life against the temptations and traps of the enemy. May I always remember to give praise and glory to Your Name as You deliver me from the bait of Satan. I also pray that Your Word will be my source of guidance in my life; holding it close to my heart as I read and reflect on the Bible, and understand and record in my journal what You want to impart to us believers. Lord, send Your Holy Spirit to be my guide, to read and reflect on the Bible so that I may be able to apply it in my daily life. All these I ask in the Name of Jesus. Amen.

By Joey B.

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Joey's Journal - September 22, 2006

2008-11-07T10:48:00.000+07:00

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

May the mercy, joy and peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you!

I am pleased to send you next week's journal for your reading and reflection. I pray that God's goodness and blessings are continued to be bestowed on you as you remain faithful to the Lord. You have read God's mighty and powerful deeds and His merciful and compassionate heart. May these assure you of a God who wants you to be restored in His Presence and reserves a place for you in His Heavenly Kingdom. The Lord truly is an awesome God!

I also pray that His protection, provision and guidance be with you.

God bless and have a great week with the Lord.

Joey

'But thanks be to God who always leads us in triumphal procession through Christ to spread everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of Him.' (2 Cor. 2:14)

September 22, 2006

Lord God, thank You for Your protection, provision and guidance in our lives. I thank You for bringing my wife safely home. Thank You for the great fellowship last night with the brothers in the cell. We all felt Your presence in our midst; touching our hearts to share our experiences and edify one another through prayer and contribute to the discussion in obedience to God’s will to secure a place in heaven. We all know that it will be tough going along the path of righteousness. But, with You there with us, we will persevere. You are a great God!

I offer to You my thoughts, works, joys and sufferings of this day and may they be acceptable and pleasing to You. Father God, look after my son, Joel while he is in school. May Your angels protect him from any mishaps and any unruly behavior. May You also protect my wife as she goes out today and keep her safe. All these I pray in Jesus’ Mighty Name. Amen.

My reading - Psalm 47

Our God is the King over all the earth

Come, everyone, and clap your hands for joy! For the Lord Most High is awesome. He is the great King of all the earth. He subdues the nations before us, putting our enemies beneath our feet. He chose the Promise Land as our inheritance, the proud possession of Jacob’s descendants, whom he loves. God has ascended with a mighty shout. The Lord has ascended with trumpets blaring. Sing praise to God, sing praises; sing praises to our King, sing praises! For God is the King over all the earth. Praise him with a psalm! God reigns above the nations, sitting on his holy throne. The rulers of the world have gathered together. They join us in praising the God of Abraham. For all the kings of the earth belong to God. He is highly honored everywhere.

My reflection – The Lord Most High is awesome beyond words, but this didn’t keep Bible writers from trying to describe Him. And it shouldn’t keep us from talking about Him either. We can’t describe God completely, but we can tell others what He has done for us; His many blessings of protection, provision, guidance, His mercy, love and compassion for us sinners. Let us not prevent ourselves from telling others what we know of Him even though we can’t describe Him. The psalmist speaks of God reigning above all nations sitting on His Holy Throne and the rulers of the world are gathered together praising the God of Abraham. God promised Abraham and those who believed in God that he will be the father of all nations and his descendants too numerous to count like the stars in heaven. All the kings of the earth will give Him due honor and glory for everything belongs to Him, our God Almighty.

My Prayer - Father in Heaven, may we be given the boldness and the words to speak of You to others, especially unbelievers. May Your Holy Spirit strengthen our resolve to spread Your good and mighty deeds to mankind. May Your awesome power be demonstrated to those who do not believe and let their hearts be touched by Your mercy, love and compassion to all who will believe. Lord, may I continue to walk with You, in complete faith and trust in Your Ways and with full obedience to Your Will. In Jesus’ Name I pray. Amen.

By Joey B.

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Joey's Journal - September 21, 2006

2008-11-07T10:24:00.001+07:00

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

May the mercy, joy and peace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you!

I am happy to send you next week's journal for your reading and reflection. May your heart be touched by Psalm 46 and be assured even in uncertain times that God is with you. May the Holy Spirit strengthen you to stand firm against the enemy. May you bring the Word to those who are under the enemy's stronghold. And, may you call on the Lord's goodness in your life as you uphold and spread His divine plan to others. He is our refuge and comforter.

May the Lord continue to protect you from all evil. May He provide for all your needs. And, may He guide you towards the path of righteousness and eventually be restored in His Presence. All these I pray in the Mighty Name of Jesus. Amen.

Have a blessed week with the Lord.

Joey

But thanks be to God who always leads us in triumphal procession through Christ to spread everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of Him. (2 Cor. 2:14)

Dear God, I thank You for watching over us while we slept. Thank You for the protection You have given my household, most specially giving good sleep to the kids and rest for their nannies. I thank You for bringing my wife safely home. And, I give You praise and glory for giving me another day here on earth to live for You. Father, send me Your grace of patience, humbleness, tenderness and forgiveness to be used to those I interact with today. May You impart to me Your wisdom as I read Your word and reflect on the thoughts You want me to record on my journal. Keep me focused to You and take away all anxieties and distractions far away from me. This prayer I offer to You in the Name of Jesus. Amen.

My reading - Psalm 46
God is our refuge, always ready to help in times of trouble

God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble. So we will not fear, even if earthquakes come and the mountains crumble into the sea. Let the oceans roar and foam. Let the mountains tremble as the waters surge! A river brings joy to the city of our God, the sacred home of the Most High. God himself lives in that city; it cannot be destroyed. God will protect it at the break of day. The nations are in an uproar, and kingdoms crumble! God thunders, and the earth melts! The Lord Almighty is here among us; the God of Israel is our fortress.

Come, see the glorious works of the Lord; see how he brings destruction upon the world and causes wars to end throughout the earth. He breaks the bow and snaps the spear in two; he burns the shields with fire. ‘Be silent, and know that I am God! I will be honored by every nation. I will be honored throughout the world.’ The Lord Almighty is here among us; the God of Israel is our fortress.

My reflection – The fear of the mountains or cities suddenly crumbling into the sea as the result of a nuclear blast haunts many people today. But the psalmist says that even if the world ends, we should not fear. We should have quiet confidence in God’s ability to save us. When we think of the end of the world, we are consumed with fear, but the Bible is clear – God is our refuge even in the face of total destruction. He is not merely a temporary retreat but our eternal refuge who provides strength in any circumstance. What a great sight to see when all the nations pay honor to our Lord and Father! This is what every Christian should delight in and we anticipate this occurring during our lifetime. We, believers have been commissioned by our Lord Jesus Christ to spread the Good News and the truth about how we will get salvation. We will stay firm in accomplishing our calling to bring the unbelievers to be saved. We will save souls for God as He requires this from us. We will fight the evil one as He requires this from us as His soldiers. And, we will demonstrate in our lives how God has prospered and blessed us by being godly. We will seek the Lord’s refuge in times of trouble and He will be ready to give it. Great is our God, our deliverer and our fortress!

My prayer – Lord God, our Father, in times of uncertainty in this world we live in, may You be our assurance as our eternal refuge. May we speak in confidence that You will be merciful and will save us from any fear that grips us in such uncertain times we live in this world. War and destruction are inevitable, but so is God’s final victory. And, at that time, we will stand quietly before the Lord Almighty. It is just proper now to reverently honor Him and His power and majesty. May Your Holy Spirit give me the strength to push on, to endure and to persevere in spreading Your Good News to others by way of this journal. May You always be by my side. All these I pray in Jesus’ Name. Amen.

By Joey B.

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Joey's Journal - September 20, 2006

2008-11-07T10:18:00.000+07:00

O Lord, I thank You for love and compassion for us. Thank You your protection, provision and guidance that You have given to us. I give You all honor and praise for a very loving Father. In You we put our faith and trust knowing that You will not leave those who are faithful to You and follow Your commands. You will be there to sustain, refresh and lift us from falling into Satan’s traps when we call on Your help. Lord Almighty, I offer You my thoughts, works, joys and sufferings of this day. May they be acceptable and pleasing to You. May You continue to give me wisdom and breathe in me what You want for me to record in my journal. Finally, may You watch over us and my loved ones to continue in our personal walk with You. All these I pray in Jesus’ Holy Name. Amen.

My reading - Psalm 45
You are so glorious, so majestic, riding out to victory defending the truth, humility and justice.

My heart overflows with a beautiful thought! I will recite a lovely poem to the king, for my tongue is like the pen of a skillful poet. You are the most handsome of all. Gracious words stream from your lips. God himself has blessed you forever. Put on your sword, O mighty warrior! You are so glorious, so majestic! In your majesty, ride out to victory, defending truth, humility, and justice. Go forth to perform awe-inspiring deeds! Your arrows are sharp, piercing your enemies’ hearts. The nations fall before you, lying down beneath your feet. Your throne, O God, endures forever and ever. Your royal power is expressed in justice. You love what is right and hate what is wrong. Therefore God, your God, has anointed you, pouring out the oil of joy on you more than on anyone else. Your robes are perfumed with myrrh, aloes, and cassia. In palaces decorated with ivory, you are entertained by the music of harps. Kings’ daughters are among your concubines. At your right side stands the queen, wearing jewelry of finest gold from Ophir!

Listen to me, O royal daughter; take to heart what I say. Forget your people and your homeland far away. For your royal husband delights in your beauty; honor him, for he is your lord. The princes of Tyre will shower you with gifts. People of great wealth will entreat your favor. The bride, a princess, waits within her chamber, dressed in a gown woven with gold. In her beautiful robes, she is led to the king, accompanied by her bridesmaids. What a joyful, enthusiastic procession as they enter the king’s palace! Your sons will become kings like their father. You will make them rulers over many lands. I will bring honor to your name in every generation. Therefore, the nations will praise you forever and ever.

My Reflection – I can’t help but think after reading this that the psalmist was in the first paragraph, was alluding to David, God’s chosen leader of Israel. Why? It is because he speaks of His majesty, victorious in defense of truth, humility and justice. He speaks of David as a royal power; nations falling before him and his God has anointed Him with the oil of joy more than anyone else in the tribe of Israel. He also speaks of performing awe-inspiring deeds and His palace is decorated in ivory and harp music entertained him. All the glory of the future King of Israel. The psalmist spoke with great admiration, praise and honor of King David.

In our daily Christian walk, do we give honor and praise to our Lord? Or, do we just pray for what we need God to do in our lives, which is mostly on material things, possessions, good health or good careers? He deserves our praise especially in thanksgiving for the many blessings He has bestowed on us. I am not advocating that we don’t pray for our requests with God, but stating the fact that, oftentimes, we fail to give thanks and praise God. God will be pleased when we start our prayers with thanksgiving and He will delight in us because we give Him all due honor and glory as the psalmist did with David. Give thanks always to our awesome Lord!

My Prayer – Lord God, may I always remember to give You full adoration; to give You honor, praise and thanksgiving for the blessings You have done in my life. May I put complete faith, trust and obedience in Your Will. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

by Joey B.

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2008-10-18T12:36:00.002+07:00

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Joey's Journal - September 18, 2006

2008-10-02T09:46:00.000+07:00

Heavenly Father, I give You all praise and glory for another day here on earth to live Your Word. May I be worthy to live today a life with patience, gentleness, humbleness and forgiveness to the people I will interact with. Lord, may Your wisdom be on me as I reflect on Your Word and may the words I record in my journal be Your words. I thank You for the protection, provision and guidance for me and my loved ones. May we always remember that all these come from You. May my thoughts, works, joys and sufferings I offer at Your feet be acceptable and pleasing to You. Strengthen me Lord, during wavering times in trusting Your ways. All these I pray in the Name of Jesus. Amen.

My Reading – Psalm 43

Your light and your truth will guide me

O God, take up my cause! Defend me against these ungodly people. Rescue me from these unjust liars. For you are God, my only safe haven. Why have you tossed me aside? Why must I wander around in darkness, oppressed by my enemies? Send out your light and your truth: let them guide me. Let them lead me to your holy mountain, to the place where you live. There I will go to the altar of God, to God – the source of all my joy. I will praise you with my harp, O God, my God!

Why am I discouraged? Why so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise him again – my Savior and my God!

My Reflection - I often wonder during times of weakness and frailty that these happen when my focus on God becomes lukewarm. These are times when my human reasoning struggles with ‘just taking that leap of faith’ and trusting the ways of God. These are our trials and challenges; especially when things do not work out for our benefit; or when we feel that God is distant to us and doesn’t answer our prayers.

When the pain and suffering come sometimes too heavy for us to bear, do we buckle down from the load of the struggle and just lose all hope? Do we complain to our Lord because we feel discouraged and sad that He is not giving us our needs? Or, do we lose faith and trust in Him because He has allowed some tragedy to happen in our lives or to our loved ones? A lot of times we feel this way. This is why in times like these, we need to seek God even more, who is our light from whom all good things come. Have we ever thought that God is not answering our prayers because He has something much better planned for us? He is not distant from us but we, thinking this way, have distanced ourselves from Him. Our belief in Him and His truth will always give us hope. We hope in the Risen Lord who died for our sins because of His love and compassion. After having done this for us, what more are our prayers of material possessions worth for us? They can’t compare to our being delivered and saved from the enemy and our restoration with the Father.

My Prayer – Lord God, let me always seek Your light and Your truth. May I never lose hope in Your Ways even through heavy trials and difficult challenges. May I stand firm in my belief in Your provision and be contented in my blessings. May I affirm that You are my Protector from all evil and trust in Your plan for me. I pray all these in Jesus’ Name. Amen.

by Joey B.

Joey's Journal - September 17, 2006

2008-10-02T09:19:00.000+07:00

Lord God, I thank You for being with us and watching over us last night. Thank You for giving the children a good night’s sleep and rest for the nannies. This morning, I offer You my thoughts, works, joys and sufferings; may they be acceptable and pleasing to You. May Your wisdom be with me as I continue to record my reflections starting with Book Two of Psalms. Lord, may You guide my thoughts to what You intend for me to say. I pray that my focus will be on You and that You will take away all anxieties and distractions that the evil one tempts me with and strengthen me to stand up and rebuke these traps. All these I pray. Amen.

My Reading - Psalm 42

I thirst for God, the living God

As the deer pants for streams of water, so I long for you, O God. I thirst for God, the living God. When can I come and stand before him? Day and night, I have only tears for food, while my enemies continually taunt me, saying, ‘Where is this God of yours?’ My heart is breaking as I remember how it used to be: I walked among the crowds of worshippers, leading a great procession to the house of God, singing for joy and giving thanks – it was the sound of a great celebration!

Why am I so discouraged? Why so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise him again – my Savior and my God! Now I am deeply discouraged, but I will remember your kindness – from Mount Hermon, the source of the Jordan, from the land of Mount Mizar. I hear the tumult of the raging seas as your waves and surging tides sweep over me. Through each day the Lord pours his unfailing love upon me, and through each night I sing his songs, praying to God who gives me life.

‘O God my rock,’ I cry, ‘Why have you forsaken me? Why must I wander in darkness, oppressed by my enemies?’ Their taunts pierce me like a fatal wound. They scoff, ‘Where is this God of yours?’ Why am I discouraged? Why so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise him again – my Savior and my God!

My Reflection – What a fitting simile (figure of speech) comparing a deer’s thirst for water and King David’s thirst for the living God! Just as the deer seeks water after escaping the traps of a predator, we also seek our Father’s living water after combating the enemy. Yes, the spiritual warfare with the enemy is very frequent because he is relentless and trying to derail us from the righteous path. We stumble and fall because of our human weaknesses but, if we have our Father’s living water in us, meaning the Holy Spirit, we will not grow ‘thirsty’ but be ‘stronger’ to fight the temptation from the evil one. The enemy will not have a stronghold on us if we are focused on God’s righteousness. No matter how strong his traps are through evil desires and thoughts, if we are dedicated to following the Ways of God, we will be triumphant over the enemy. So, it is good to thirst for the living God!

My Prayer – Lord, let me seek You. Let me long for You. And, let me thirst for You. During those times, I struggle with thoughts and desires planted by the evil one, let me yearn more of You and Your unfailing love and compassion. Let Your suffering and eventful death on the Cross remind me that You delivered me from my sins; You have forgiven me and that You await my restoration in Your presence. As I go through my remaining years, may I only seek and thirst for You, O living God. All these I pray in Jesus’ Name. Amen.

by Joey B.

Joey's Journal - September 16, 2006

2008-10-02T09:17:00.000+07:00

Gracious Father, I offer You all my thoughts, works, joys and sufferings of this day. May they be acceptable and pleasing to You. May Your wisdom and guidance be with me as I reflect on Your Word. Lord, let my day be filled with Your grace of patience, humility, mercy and love for the people I interact with. May I try to follow Your Ways showing kindness and forgiveness to those who offend and hurt me. And, my I completely submit to Your authority leaving the controls of my life to You. Praise and glory be always with You.

Father God, I thank You for the protection, provision and guidance in our lives. May Your angels continue to watch over Joel in school and Joshua at home and shield them from all mishaps and illnesses. May Your healing hand be with my wife to be restored spiritually to You and be guided to submit to You. Take care of all who are dear to me and keep them safe and sufficiently provided for. All in the Name of Jesus I pray. Amen.

My Reading - Psalm 41

The Lord protects the poor and keeps them alive!

Oh, the joys of those who are kind to the poor. The Lord rescues them in times of trouble. The Lord protects them and keeps them alive. He gives them prosperity and rescues them from their enemies. The Lord nurses them when they are sick and eases their pain and discomfort. ‘O Lord,’ I prayed, ‘have mercy on me. Heal me, for I have sinned against you.’ But my enemies say nothing but evil about me. ‘How soon will he die and be forgotten?’ they ask. They visit me as if they are my friends, but all the while they gather gossip, and when they leave, they spread it everywhere. All who hate me whisper about me, imagining the worst for me. ‘Whatever he has, it is fatal,’ they say. ‘He will never get out of that bed!’ Even my best friend, the one I trusted completely, the one who shared my food, has turned against me.

Lord, have mercy on me. Make me well again, so I can pay them back! I know that you are pleased with me; for you have not let my enemy triumph over me. You have preserved my life because I am innocent; you have brought me into your presence forever. Bless the Lord, the God of Israel, who lives forever from eternal ages past. Amen and amen!

My Reflection – I must confess that there were times I was in the hospital that my pride got a stronghold on me and I struggled with the thoughts that did not please God. As David lamented on this psalm ‘ Lord, have mercy on me. Make me well again, so I can pay them back!’ Evil thoughts came to my mind like, if I were not in Surabaya, this accident wouldn’t have happened; if I stayed in the city and didn’t work that day; this wouldn’t have happened and, lastly, if I had put my safety belt on and watched the road ahead of me, I wouldn’t be in this situation in the hospital, unable to move. Why was I posted in Surabaya? Was it because of what I did or didn’t do for the company that resulted to being posted there? These were the thoughts that I had to struggle with and they were not pleasing God at all.

When I finally repented of my many complaints and submitted myself to the Lord, it dawned on me that the Lord allowed these things to happen for the greater glory of His Name. It wasn’t until I said, ‘Lord, I have complete trust in Your Ways and the purpose You have in my life’, did I picture what I had to do to please and glorify our Father. The Lord pointed out for my being involved with the church’s Special People Ministry; to speak and testify to fellow wheel-chair bound people of God’s love and compassion to them, and to edify and motivate them to know He has not forgotten them. They must continue to seek the Father and obey His Will and His blessings will be with them. He will not forsake His children!

My Prayer – Father God, we oftentimes forget that You want nothing but the best for us. Yet, in our material world, we would rather strive for earthly gains like financial security, notoriety in our careers or healthy bodies. We fail to recognize that You would want us to give glory to Your Name by living godly lives and testifying of Your goodness and blessings bestowed on us. You are the great provider, the greater healer and our faithful Father, who gives all these blessings to us. No wonder we fail to recognize that all these come from You and not from our own doing. May we submit to You and thank You for the many blessings You have given us. All these in Jesus’ Name. Amen.

by Joey B.

Joey's Journal - September 15, 2006

2008-10-02T09:16:00.000+07:00

Heavenly Father, I give You my thoughts, works, joys and sufferings of today and pray that they are pleasing and acceptable to You. May I have complete focus on You as I reflect on Your Word; not my words but Your Words will I record in my journal. Lord, I thank You for Your protection, provision and guidance. A special thank You for giving us a good and spiritually charged cell meeting last night. The brothers were all touched by Your Word on submission to Your authority and opened their hearts to obeying Your Law and Your delegated authority.

Lord, I continue to ask for Your protection and guidance on Joel as he is in school. Keep Your angels at his side always and keep him safe from mishaps and unruly behavior. I also pray that You guide Annabel as she prepares to start a new business. May You give her wisdom and manifest Your glory to her so that she will give You full control of her life. You only want the best for her and us, Lord. Lastly, may You keep me focused to You. All in the Name of Jesus. Amen.

My reading – Psalm 40

Your Law is Within My Heart

I waited patiently for the Lord to help me, and he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the pit of despair, out of the mud and the mire. He set my feet on solid ground and steadied me as I walked along. He has given me a new song to sing, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see what he has done and be astounded. They will put their trust in the Lord. Oh, the joys of those who trust the Lord, who have no confidence in the proud, or in those who worship idols. O Lord my God, you have done many miracles for us. Your plans for us are too numerous to list. If I tried to recite all your wonderful deeds, I would never come to the end of them.

You take no delight in sacrifices or offerings. Now that you have made me listen, I finally understand – you don’t require burnt offerings or sin offerings. Then I said, ‘Look, I have come. And this has been written about me in the scroll; I take joy in doing your will, my God, for your law is written on my heart.’ I have told all your people about your justice. I have not been afraid to speak out, as you, O Lord, well know. I have not kept this good news hidden in my heart; I have talked about your faithfulness and saving power. I have told everyone in the great assembly of your unfailing love and faithfulness. Lord, don’t hold back your tender mercies from me. My only hope is in your unfailing love and faithfulness. For troubles surround me – too many to count! They pile up so high I can’t see my way out. They are more numerous than the hairs on my head. I have lost all my courage.

Please, Lord, rescue me! Come quickly, Lord, and help me. May those who try to destroy me be humiliated and put to shame. May those who delight in my trouble be turned back in disgrace. Let them be horrified by their shame, for they said, ‘Aha! We’ve got him now!’ But may all who search for you be filled with joy and gladness. May those who love your salvation repeatedly shout, ‘The Lord is great!’ As for me, I am poor and needy, but the Lord is thinking about me right now. You are my helper and my savior. Do not delay, O my God.

My Reflection – When we proclaim Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we do not only acknowledge Him as our God but also follow His Will. And, when we follow His Will asking us to give Him service, we think of our responsibility of proclaiming the Good News to all, especially unbelievers. Can we honestly say we are doing this service to God? Or, are we simply going to hold on the Good News for ourselves? Jesus and His followers took on the ministry of proclaiming the truth and belief in God’s plan for us, living godly lives, obeying His laws and being restored back in His Father’s Holy Presence.

Are we able to truly say like David did in his psalm that ‘I take joy in doing Your Will, my God, for Your law is written in my heart’? More often than not, our sin of disobedience to His law is what we do and we succumb to Satan’s subtle temptation. If we take joy in ’obeying’ God’s Will then there will be no place for the evil one to trap us. He knows our hearts hold firm in being godly and doing righteous things. Because of this, the Lord takes delight in our lives and He continually blesses us and makes us prosper. Do you take joy doing the Will of God? If not, let us ask His help to remind us that obeying His Will is required for entrance in His Heavenly Kingdom.

My Prayer – Lord God, I take joy in dong Your Will! I want to be deserving or worthy of Your unfailing love and compassion. Too numerous are the times when I have disobeyed You. Enough is enough! I resolve that I will take Your laws to my heart and obey them with great joy all the days of my life. Father, I long to be restored back to You and be seated at Your Heavenly Banquet that You have prepared. May Your Holy Spirit remind me of this purpose in my life. All these I pray in the Mighty Name of Jesus. Amen.

by Joey B.

Joey's Journal - September 14, 2006

2008-10-02T09:14:00.000+07:00

Dear Father God, I give You thanks and praise for taking care of our needs, for watching over us and for leading us to a more godly path. Your grace sustains us each day as we live our lives on this earth full of lawlessness and disobedience to Your Word. Lord, continue to hold the faithful ones dear and near to Your heart. They only long to do Your Will and to follow Your Ways. For these, may Your hand be on them, strengthen them with Your grace of peace, and equip them with Your Words as they share the Good News. Father, may Your blessing be upon me as I focus on You and Your Word on the book of Psalms. Keep us all safe and protected today. All these in Jesus’ Name. Amen.

My reading - Psalm 39

Remind me that my days are numbered, my life is fleeing away

I said to myself, ‘I will watch what I do and not sin in what I say. I will curb my tongue when the godly are around me.’ But as I stood there in silence – not even speaking of good things – the turmoil within me grew to the bursting point. My thoughts grew hot within me and begun to burn, igniting a fire of words: Lord, remind me how brief my time on earth will be. Remind me that my days are numbered, and that my life is fleeing away. My life is no longer than the width of my hand. An entire lifetime is just a moment to you; human existence is but a breath.’

We are merely moving shadows, and all our busy rushing ends is nothing. We heap up wealth for someone else to spend. And so, Lord, where do I put my hope? My only hope is in you. Rescue me from my rebellion, for even fools mock me when I rebel. I am silent before you; I won’t say a word. For my punishment is from you. Please, don’t punish me anymore! I am exhausted by the blows from your hand. When you discipline people for their sins, their lives can be crushed like the life of a moth. Human existence is as frail as breath.

Hear my prayer, O Lord! Listen to my cries for help! Don’t ignore my tears. For I am your guest – a traveler passing through, as my ancestors were before me. Spare me so I can smile again before I am gone and exist no more.

My Reflection – As I read the first paragraph of this psalm, my thoughts are of how much we long to live godly lives and do away with sin. Yet, because of our human frailties and the temptations of the evil one, we resort back to our sinful ways and disobey God over again. This is why we have to seek God’s help and strength to withstand the evil one’s traps and rebuke him. We are to realize that we are mocking God if we keep repeating the same sin over again.

Often times, we live our lives here on earth like it is our permanent home. We strive and yearn for material possessions like wealth, physical beauty or healthy lives that we will all leave behind when we are called by God. The question each of us has to ask ourselves is ‘are we ‘building’ our lives for earth, or for God’s Kingdom? And, if we don’t change our sinful ways, we won’t have a chance to live a permanent life with God in heaven.

by Joey B.

Joey's Journal - September 13, 2006

2008-10-02T09:13:00.000+07:00

Father in Heaven, I thank You for giving us the protection from the evil that is out there and lift our heads to focus to You. Thank You for the provision that You have provided sufficiently for us. Most of all, I thank You for Your guidance in living my life more close to You. I commit to Your hands our son, Joel as he is in school; may You watch over him and keep him safe, attentive and obedient. Thank You for the protection over my wife and bringing her safely home last night. May You manifest Your glory to her. May You also watch over us as we live our day. Guide my thoughts continually in my reflection of the book of Psalms. All in the Name of Jesus I pray. Amen.

My Reading - Psalm 38

My guilt overwhelms me – it is a burden too heavy to bear.

O Lord, don’t rebuke me in your anger! Don’t discipline me in your rage! Your arrows have struck deep, and your blows are crushing me. Because of your anger, my whole body is sick; my health is broken because of my sins. My guilt overwhelms me – it is a burden too heavy to bear. My wounds fester and stink because of my foolish sins. I am bent over and racked with pain. My days are filled with grief. A raging fever burns within me, and my health is broken. I am exhausted and completely crushed. My groans come from an anguished heart.

You know what I long for, Lord; you hear my every sigh. My heart beats wildly, my strength fails, and I am going blind. My loved ones and friends stay away, fearing my disease. Even my own family stands at a distance. Meanwhile, my enemies lay traps for me; they make plans to ruin me. They think up treacherous deeds all day long. But I am deaf to all their threats. I am silent before them as one who cannot speak. I choose to hear nothing, and I make no reply. For I am waiting for you, O Lord. You must answer for me, O Lord my God. I prayed, ‘Don’t let my enemies gloat over me or rejoice at my downfall.’ I am on the verge of collapse, facing constant pain. But I confess my sins; I am deeply sorry for what I have done. My enemies are many; they hate me though I have done nothing against them. They repay me evil for good and oppose me for I stand for the right. Do not abandon me, Lord. Do not stand at a distance, my God. Come quickly to help me, O Lord my savior.

My Reflection - David’s lament on receiving God’s anger and discipline because of his sin should bring back memories of our sins. The subtlety of the devil’s temptation in us makes us think that this disobedience to God’s will is a small thing or something we can get away with because it is not too serious. How wrong we are to think this! Disobedience or sin no matter how small, is still a sin against our Father. Yes, we will feel His anger just like when our earthly fathers were angered at our disobedience to their instructions and we get the punishment, i.e., spanking when we were toddlers, grounding or reduction in allowance when we were teens.

When we sin against God, we feel the guilt once we realize our disobedience and we have a great burden in our hearts. We try to hide from, make excuses or reason out to God just like Adam and Eve did but the thought of this offence against God weary us down. But, God with all His love and compassion for us, gives us a chance to confess and repent of our transgressions in order to bring us back closer to Him. There will be consequences for our disobedience and we will have to bear them. But again, the Father wants us to do away with our sinful ways and rebuke the evil one who tempts us. He still offers His outstretched hand for us to hold on to Him and as we walk again the righteous path. Are we ready to take His hand and walk the path leading back to Him?

My Prayer – Father in Heaven, I ask for Your forgiveness of my sinful ways. I confess and repent for the sins of disobedience to Your Will. Please show Your mercy on me and those who ask for Your forgiveness. May I stand firm to rebuke the traps of the evil one no matter how subtle they are. May Your Holy Spirit be with me to strengthen and reinforce my thoughts with only of Jesus’ death on the cross because He wanted me to live. May I continue to walk a path of righteousness that would eventually lead to the Father. All in the Name of Jesus. Amen

by Joey B.

The God Debate - Rick Warren vs. Sam Harris - Is God Real?

2008-09-28T08:14:00.000+07:00

At the Summit: On a cloudy California day, the atheist Sam Harris sat down with the Christian pastor Rick Warren to hash out Life's Biggest Question—Is God real? A NEWSWEEK exclusive.

Newsweek - April 9, 2007 issue - Rick Warren is as big as a bear, with a booming voice and easygoing charm. Sam Harris is compact, reserved and, despite the polemical tone of his books, friendly and mild. Warren, one of the best-known pastors in the world, started Saddleback in 1980; now 25,000 people attend the church each Sunday. Harris is softer-spoken; paragraphs pour out of him, complex and fact-filled—as befits a Ph.D. student in neuroscience. At NEWSWEEK's invitation, they met in Warren's office recently and chatted, mostly amiably, for four hours. Jon Meacham moderated. Excerpts follow.

JON MEACHAM: Rick, since you're the home team, we'll start with Sam. Sam, is there a God in the sense that most Americans think of him?

SAM HARRIS: There's no evidence for such a God, and it's instructive to notice that we're all atheists with respect to Zeus and the thousands of other dead gods whom now nobody worships.
Rick, what is the evidence of the existence of the God of Abraham?

RICK WARREN: I see the fingerprints of God everywhere. I see them in culture. I see them in law. I see them in literature. I see them in nature. I see them in my own life. Trying to understand where God came from is like an ant trying to understand the Internet. Even the most brilliant scientist would agree that we only know a fraction of a percent of the knowledge of the universe.

HARRIS: Any scientist must concede that we don't fully understand the universe. But neither the Bible nor the Qur'an represents our best understanding of the universe. That is exquisitely clear.

WARREN: To you.
HARRIS: There is so much about us that is not in the Bible. Every specific science from cosmology to psychology to economics has surpassed and superseded what the Bible tells us is true about our world.

Sam, does the Christian you address in your books have to believe that God wrote the Bible and that it is literally true?

HARRIS: Well, there's clearly a spectrum of confidence in the text. I mean, there's the "This is literally true, nothing even gets figuratively interpreted," and then there's the "This is just the best book we have, written by the smartest people who have ever lived, and it's still legitimate to organize our lives around it to the exclusion of other books." Anywhere on that spectrum I have a problem, because in my mind the Bible and the Qur'an are just books, written by human beings. There are sections of the Bible that I think are absolutely brilliant and poetically unrivaled, and there are sections of the Bible which are the sheerest barbarism, yet profess to prescribe a divinely mandated morality—where do I start? Books like Leviticus and Deuteronomy and Exodus and First and Second Kings and Second Samuel—half of the kings and prophets of Israel would be taken to The Hague and prosecuted for crimes against humanity if these events took place in our own time.

[To Warren] Is the Bible inerrant?

WARREN: I believe it's inerrant in what it claims to be. The Bible does not claim to be a scientific book in many areas.

Do you believe Creation happened in the way Genesis describes it?

WARREN: If you're asking me do I believe in evolution, the answer is no, I don't. I believe that God, at a moment, created man. I do believe Genesis is literal, but I do also know metaphorical terms are used. Did God come down and blow in man's nose? If you believe in God, you don't have a problem accepting miracles. So if God wants to do it that way, it's fine with me.

HARRIS: I'm doing my Ph.D. in neuroscience; I'm very close to the literature on evolutionary biology. And the basic point is that evolution by natural selection is random genetic mutation over millions of years in the context of environmental pressure that selects for fitness.

WARREN: Who's doing the selecting?

HARRIS: The environment. You don't have to invoke an intelligent designer to explain the complexity we see.

WARREN: Sam makes all kinds of assertions based on his presuppositions. I'm willing to admit my presuppositions: there are clues to God. I talk to God every day. He talks to me.

HARRIS: What does that actually mean?

WARREN: One of the great evidences of God is answered prayer. I have a friend, a Canadian friend, who has an immigration issue. He's an intern at this church, and so I said, "God, I need you to help me with this," as I went out for my evening walk. As I was walking I met a woman. She said, "I'm an immigration attorney; I'd be happy to take this case." Now, if that happened once in my life I'd say, "That is a coincidence." If it happened tens of thousands of times, that is not a coincidence.

There must have been times in your ministry when you've prayed for someone to be delivered from disease who is not—say, a little girl with cancer.

WARREN: Oh, absolutely.
So, parse that. God gave you an immigration attorney, but God killed a little girl.

WARREN: Well, I do believe in the goodness of God, and I do believe that he knows better than I do. God sometimes says yes, God sometimes says no and God sometimes says wait. I've had to learn the difference between no and not yet. The issue here really does come down to surrender. A lot of atheists hide behind rationalism; when you start probing, you find their reactions are quite emotional. In fact, I've never met an atheist who wasn't angry.

HARRIS: Let me be the first.

WARREN: I think your books are quite angry.

HARRIS: I would put it at impatient rather than angry. Let me respond to this notion of answered prayer, because this is a classic sampling error, to use a statistical phrase. We know that human beings have a terrible sense of probability. There are many things we believe that confirm our prejudices about the world, and we believe this only by noticing the confirmations, and not keeping track of the disconfirmations. You could prove to the satisfaction of every scientist that intercessory prayer works if you set up a simple experiment. Get a billion Christians to pray for a single amputee. Get them to pray that God regrow that missing limb. This happens to salamanders every day, presumably without prayer; this is within the capacity of God. [Warren is laughing.] I find it interesting that people of faith only tend to pray for conditions that are self-limiting.

WARREN: That's a misstatement there.

HARRIS: Let's go back to the Bible. The reason you believe that Jesus is the son of God is because you believe that the Gospel is a valid account of the miracles of Jesus.

WARREN: It's one of the reasons.

HARRIS: Yeah. It's one of the reasons. Now, there are many testimonials about miracles, every bit as amazing as the miracles of Jesus, in other literature of the world's religions. Even contemporary miracles. There are millions of people who believe that Sathya Sai Baba, the south Indian guru, was born of a virgin, has raised the dead and materializes objects. I mean, you can watch some of his miracles on YouTube. Prepare to be underwhelmed. He's a stage magician. As a Christian, you can say Sathya Sai Baba's miracle stories are not interesting, let's not pay attention to them, but if you set them within the prescientific religious milieu of the first-century Roman Empire, suddenly miracle stories become especially compelling.

Sam, what are the secular sources of an acceptable moral code?

HARRIS: Well, I don't think that the religious books are the source. We go to the Bible and we are the judge of what is good. We see the golden rule as the great distillation of ethical impulses, but the golden rule is not unique to the Bible or to Jesus; you see it in many, many cultures—and you see some form of it among nonhuman primates. I'm not at all a moral relativist. I think it's quite common among religious people to believe that atheism entails moral relativism. I think there is an absolute right and wrong. I think honor killing, for example, is unambiguously wrong—you can use the word evil. A society that kills women and girls for sexual indiscretion, even the indiscretion of being raped, is a society that has killed compassion, that has failed to teach men to value women and has eradicated empathy. Empathy and compassion are our most basic moral impulses, and we can even teach the golden rule without lying to ourselves or our children about the origin of certain books or the virgin birth of certain people.

Rick, Christianity has conducted itself in an abjectly evil manner from time to time. How do you square that with the Christian Gospel of love?

WARREN: I don't feel duty-bound to defend stuff that's done in the name of God which I don't think God approved or advocated. Have things been done wrong in the name of Christianity? Yes. Sam makes the statement in his book that religion is bad for the world, but far more people have been killed through atheists than through all the religious wars put together. Thousands died in the Inquisition; millions died under Mao, and under Stalin and Pol Pot. There is a home for atheists in the world today—it's called North Korea. I don't know any atheists who want to go there. I'd much rather live under Tony Blair, or even George Bush. The bottom line is that atheists, who accuse Christians of being intolerant, are as intolerant—

HARRIS: How am I being intolerant? I'm not advocating that we lock people up for their religious beliefs. You can get locked up in Western Europe for denying the Holocaust. I think that's a terrible way of addressing the problem. This really is one of the great canards of religious discourse, the idea that the greatest crimes of the 20th century were perpetrated because of atheism. The core problem for me is divisive dogmatism. There are many kinds of dogmatism. There's nationalism, there's tribalism, there's racism, there's chauvinism. And there's religion. Religion is the only sphere of discourse where dogma is actually a good word, where it is considered ennobling to believe something strongly based on faith.

WARREN: You don't feel atheists are dogmatic?

HARRIS: No, I don't.

WARREN: I'm sorry, I disagree with you. You're quite dogmatic.

HARRIS: OK, well, I'm happy to have you point out my dogmas, but first let me deal with Stalin. The killing fields and the gulag were not the product of people being too reluctant to believe things on insufficient evidence. They were not the product of people requiring too much evidence and too much argument in favor of their beliefs. We have people flying planes in our buildings because they have theological grievances against the West. I'm noticing Christians doing terrible things explicitly for religious reasons—for instance, not fund-ing [embryonic] stem-cell research. The motive is always paramount for me. No society in human history has ever suffered because it has become too reasonable.

WARREN: We're in exact agreement on that. I just happen to believe that Christianity saved reason. We would not have the Bill of Rights without Christianity.
HARRIS: That's certainly a disputable claim. The idea that somehow we are getting our morality out of the Judeo-Christian tradition is bad history and bad science.

WARREN: Where do you get your morality? If there is no God, if I am simply complicated ooze, then the truth is, your life doesn't matter, my life doesn't matter.

HARRIS: That is a total caricature of—

WARREN: No, let me finish. I let you caricature Christianity. If life is just random chance, then nothing really does matter and there is no morality—it's survival of the fittest. If survival of the fittest means me killing you to survive, so be it. For years, atheists have said there is no God, but they want to live like God exists. They want to live like their lives have meaning.

HARRIS: Our morality, the meaning we find in life, is a lived experience that I believe has, to use a loaded term, a spiritual component. I believe it is possible to radically transform our experience of the world for the better, very much the way someone like Jesus, or someone like Buddha, witnessed. There is wisdom in our spiritual, contemplative literature, and I am quite interested in understanding it. I think that meditation and prayer affect us for the better. The question is, what is reasonable to believe on the basis of those transformations?

WARREN: You will not admit that it is your experience that makes you an atheist, not rationality.

HARRIS: What in your experience is making you someone who is not a Muslim? I presume that you are not losing sleep every night wondering whether to convert to Islam. And if you're not, it is because when the Muslims say, "We have a book that's the perfect word of the creator of the universe, it's the Qur'an, it was dictated to Muhammad in his cave by the archangel Gabriel," you see a variety of claims there that aren't backed up by sufficient evidence. If the evidence were sufficient, you would be compelled to be Muslim.

WARREN: That's exactly right.

HARRIS: So you and I both stand in a relationship of atheism to Islam.

WARREN: We both stand in a relationship of faith. You have faith that there is no God. In 1974, I spent the better part of a year living in Japan, and I studied all the world religions. All of the religions basically point toward truth. Buddha made this famous statement at the end of his life: "I'm still searching for the truth." Muhammad said, "I am a prophet of the truth." The Veda says, "Truth is elusive, it's like a butterfly, you've got to search for it." Then Jesus Christ comes along and says, "I am the truth." All of a sudden, that forces a decision.

HARRIS: Many, many other prophets and gurus have said that.

WARREN: Here's the difference. Jesus says, "I am the only way to God. I am the way to the Father." He is either lying or he's not.

Sam, is Rick intellectually dishonest?

HARRIS: I wouldn't put it in such an invidious way, but—

Let's say Rick's not here and we're just hanging out in his office.

HARRIS: It is intellectually dishonest, frankly, to say that you are sure that Jesus was born of a virgin.

WARREN: I say I accept that by faith. And I think it's intellectually dishonest for you to say you have proof that it didn't happen. Here's the difference between you and me. I am open to the possibility that I am wrong in certain areas, and you are not.

HARRIS: Oh, I am absolutely open to that.

WARREN: So you are open to the possibility that you might be wrong about Jesus?

HARRIS: And Zeus. Absolutely.

WARREN: And what are you doing to study that?

HARRIS: I consider it such a low-probability event that I—

WARREN: A low probability? When there are 96 percent believers in the world? So is everybody else an idiot?

HARRIS: It is quite possible for most people to be wrong—as are most Americans who think that evolution didn't occur.

WARREN: That's an arrogant statement.

HARRIS: It's an honest statement.

Rick, if you had been born in India or in Iran, would you have different religious beliefs?

WARREN: There's no doubt where you're born influences your initial beliefs. Regardless of where you were born, there are some things you can know about God, even without the Bible. For instance, I look at the world and I say, "God likes variety." I say, "God likes beauty." I say, "God likes order," and the more we understand ecology, the more we understand how sensitive that order is.

HARRIS: Then God also likes smallpox and tuberculosis.

WARREN: I would attribute a lot of the sins in the world to myself.

HARRIS: Are you responsible for smallpox?

WARREN: I am responsible to do something about it. No doubt about it. I am responsible to do something about the 500 million who get malaria every year and the 40 million who have AIDS, because I will be held accountable for my life. And when I say, "God, why don't you do something about this?" God says, "Well, why don't you? You were the answer to your own prayer."

HARRIS: I totally agree with Rick: it is our responsibility to help bridge these inequities, but I think you become even more motivated, potentially, to help people when you realize there is no good reason, certainly not a supernatural good reason, for the fact that I have so much and my neighbor has so little.

Do you think that religiously motivated good works are actually harmful?

HARRIS: The thing that bothers me about faith-based altruism is that it is contaminated with religious ideas that have nothing to do with the relief of human suffering. So you have a Christian minister in Africa who's doing really good work, helping those who are hungry, healing the sick. And yet, as part of his job description, he feels he needs to preach the divinity of Jesus in communities where literally millions of people have been killed because of interreligious conflict between Christians and Muslims. It seems to me that that added piece causes unnecessary suffering. I would much rather have someone over there who simply wanted to feed the hungry and heal the sick.

WARREN: You'd much rather have somebody—an atheist—feeding the hungry than a person who believes in God? All of the great movements forward in Western civilization were by believers. It was pastors who led the abolition of slavery. It was pastors who led the woman's right to vote. It was pastors who led the civil-rights movement. Not atheists.

HARRIS: You bring up slavery—I think it's quite ironic. Slavery, on balance, is supported by the Bible, not condemned by it. It's supported with exquisite precision in the Old Testament, as you know, and Paul in First Timothy and Ephesians and Colossians supports it, and Peter—

WARREN: No, he doesn't. He allows it. He doesn't support it.

HARRIS: OK, he allows it. I would argue that we got rid of slavery not because we read the Bible more closely. We got rid of slavery despite the profound inadequacies of the Bible. We got rid of slavery because we realized it was manifestly evil to treat human beings as farm equipment. As it is.

Rick, what is your role as a pastor in encouraging reformation of other faiths?

WARREN: All of the great questions of the 21st century will be religious questions. Will Islam modernize peacefully? What's going to happen to the influx of Muslims into secular Europe, which has lost its faith in Christianity and has nothing to counteract this loss in religious terms? What will replace Marxism in China? In all likelihood it's going to be Christianity. Will America return to its historic roots—will there be a Third Great Awakening, or will America go the way of Europe?

HARRIS: I think the answers, in spiritual and ethical terms, are going to be nondenominational. We are suffering the collision of denominations, specifically the collision with Islam. Whatever is true about us isn't Christian. And it isn't Muslim. Physics isn't Christian, though it was invented by Christians. Algebra isn't Muslim, even though it was invented by Muslims. Whenever we get at the truth, we transcend culture, we transcend our upbringing. The discourse of science is a good example of where we should hold out hope for transcending our tribalism.

WARREN: Why isn't atheism more appealing if it's supposedly the most intellectually honest?

HARRIS: Frankly, it has a terrible PR campaign.

WARREN: [Laughs] It's not a matter of PR.

HARRIS: It is right next to child molester as something you don't want to be. But that is a product, I would argue, of what religious people tell one another about atheism.

Sam, the one thing that I find really troubling in your arguments is that I am guilty, to quote "The End of Faith," of a "ludicrous obscenity" when I take my children to church. That is strong language, and it doesn't exactly encourage dialogue.

HARRIS: To some degree the stridence of my writing is an effort to get people's attention. But I can honestly defend the stridence because I think our situation is that urgent. I am terrified of what seems to me to be a bottleneck that civilization is passing through. On the one hand we have 21st-century disruptive technology proliferating, and on the other we have first-century superstition. A civilization is going to either pass through this bottleneck more or less intact or it won't. And perhaps that fear sounds grandiose, but civilizations end. On any number of occasions, some generation has witnessed the ruination of everything they and their ancestors had built. What especially terrifies me about religious thinking is the expectation on the part of many that civilization is bound to end based on prophecy and its ending is going to be glorious.

WARREN: I believe that history split into A.D. and B.C. because of the Resurrection. And the Resurrection is not only the resurrection of Jesus Christ, it is the hope of the world: it says there's more to this life than just here and now. That doesn't mean that I do less, it means that this life is a test, it's a trust and it's a temporary assignment. If death is the end, shoot, I'm not going to waste another minute being altruistic.

HARRIS: How do you account for my altruism?

WARREN: You have common grace. Even in people who don't believe in God, there is a spark God has put in you that says, "There's got to be more to life than just make money and die." I think that that spark does not come from evolution.

Sam wrote that without death, the influence of faith-based religion would be unthinkable.

WARREN: Because we were made in God's image, we were made to last forever. That means I'm going to spend more time on that side of eternity than on this side. If I did not believe that there is a Judgment, if I believed Hitler would actually get away with everything he did, that would be a reason for great despair. The fact is, I do believe there will be a Judgment Day. God is not just a God of love. He is a God of justice. So death is a factor. On the other hand, even if there were no such thing as heaven, I would put my trust in Christ because I have found it a meaningful, satisfactory, significant way to live.

HARRIS: How is it fair for God to have designed a world which gives such ambiguous testimony to his existence? How is it fair to have created a system where belief is the crucial piece, rather than being a good person? How is it fair to have created a world in which by mere accident of birth, someone who grew up Muslim can be confounded by the wrong religion? I don't see how the future of humanity is in good care with those competing orthodoxies.

Rick, let's be blunt. Is Sam's soul in jeopardy, in your view, because he has rejected Jesus?

WARREN: The politically incorrect answer is yes.

HARRIS: Is that the honest answer?

WARREN: The truth is, religion is mutually exclusive. The person who says, "Oh, I just believe them all," is an idiot because the religions flat-out contradict each other. You cannot believe in reincarnation and heaven at the same time.

Sam, let's be blunt as well. Has Rick, in your view, wasted much of his life on behalf of a Gospel that you think is a first-century superstition?

HARRIS: I wouldn't put it in those stark terms, because I don't have a rigid view how someone should spend their life so as not to waste it.

WARREN: What's your politically incorrect answer?

HARRIS: I think you could use your time and attention better than organizing your life around a belief that the Bible is the inerrant word of God and the best book we're ever going to have on every relevant subject.

How would the ideal world work, in the Sam Harris view?

HARRIS: Right now, we have to change the rules to talk about God and spiritual experience and ethics. And I'm denying that that is so. You can have your spirituality. You can go into a cave and practice meditation and transform yourself, and then we can talk about why that happened and how it could be replicated. We may even want, for perfectly rational reasons, to say we want a Sabbath in this country, a genuine Sabbath. Let's realize that there's a power in contemplating the mystery of the universe, and in reminding yourself how much you love the people closest to you, and how much more you could love the people you haven't met yet. There is nothing you have to believe on insufficient evidence in order to talk about that possibility.

WARREN: Sam, do you believe human beings have a spirit?

HARRIS: There are many reasons not to believe in a naive conception of a soul that kind of floats off the brain at death and goes somewhere else. But I do not know.

WARREN: Can you have spirituality without a spirit?

HARRIS: You can feel yourself to be one with the universe.

WARREN: OK, then why can't you just take the next step? Because right now you're talking in extremely nonrational terms.

HARRIS: There's nothing irrational about it. You can close your eyes in meditation and lose the sense of your physical body, totally. Many people draw from that the metaphysical conclusion that "I'm just spirit, and I can transcend the body." That's not the only conclusion you have to draw from that experience, and I don't think it's the best conclusion.

WARREN: You're more spiritual than you think. You just don't want a boss. You don't want a God who tells you what to do.

HARRIS: I don't want to pretend to be certain about anything I'm not certain about.

Rick, last thoughts?

WARREN: I believe in both faith and reason. The more we learn about God, the more we understand how magnificent this universe is. There is no contradiction to it. When I look at history, I would disagree with Sam: Christianity has done far more good than bad. Altruism comes out of knowing there is more than this life, that there is a sovereign God, that I am not God. We're both betting. He's betting his life that he's right. I'm betting my life that Jesus was not a liar. When we die, if he's right, I've lost nothing. If I'm right, he's lost everything. I'm not willing to make that gamble.

How To Forgive (7%)

2008-09-15T11:24:00.000+07:00

One day a while back, a man, his heart heavy with grief, was walking in the woods. As he thought about his life this day, he knew many things were not right. He thought about those who had lied about him back when he had a job.

His thoughts turned to those who had stolen his things and cheated him. He remembered family that had passed on. His mind turned to the illness he had that no one could cure. His very soul was filled with anger, resentment and frustration.

Standing there this day, searching for answers he could not find, knowing all else had failed him, he knelt at the base of an old oak tree to seek the one he knew would always be there. And with tears in his eyes, he prayed:

"Lord- You have done wonderful things for me in this life. You have told me to do many things for you, and I happily obeyed. Today, you have told me to forgive. I am sad, Lord, because I cannot. I don't know how. It is not fair Lord. I didn't deserve these wrongs that were done against me and I shouldn't have to forgive. As perfect as your way is Lord, this one thing I cannot do, for I don't know how to forgive. My anger is so deep Lord, I fear I may not hear you, but I pray that you teach me to do this one thing I cannot do - Teach me To Forgive."

As he knelt there in the quiet shade of that old oak tree, he felt something fall onto his shoulder. He opened his eyes. Out of the corner of one eye, he saw something red on his shirt. He could not turn to see what it was because where the oak tree had been was a large square piece of wood in the ground. He raised his head and saw two feet held to the wood with a large spike through them.

He raised his head more, and tears came to his eyes as he saw Jesus hanging on a cross. He saw spikes in His hands, a gash in His side, a torn and battered body, deep thorns sunk into His head. Finally he saw the suffering and pain on His precious face. As their eyes met, the man's tears turned to sobbing, and Jesus began to speak.

"Have you ever told a lie?" He asked? The man answered - "yes, Lord."

"Have you ever been given too much change and kept it?" The man answered - " yes. Lord." And the man sobbed more and more.

"Have you ever taken something from work that wasn't yours?" Jesus asked? And the man answered - "yes, Lord."

"Have you ever sworn, using my Father's name in vain?" The man, crying now, answered - "yes, Lord."

As Jesus asked many more times, "Have you ever"? The man's crying became uncontrollable, for he could only answer - "yes, Lord."

Then Jesus turned His head from one side to the other, and the man felt something fall on his other shoulder. He looked and saw that it was the blood of Jesus. When he looked back up, his eyes met those of Jesus, and there was a look of love the man had never seen or known before.

Jesus said, "I didn't deserve this either, but I forgive you." It may be hard to see how you're going to get through something, but when you look back in life, you realize how true this statement is.

Read the following first line slowly and let it sink in.

If God brings you to it - He will bring you through it.

Lord I love You and I need You, come into my heart, today. For without You I can do nothing.
When Jesus died on the cross, he was thinking of you!

If you are one of the 7% who will stand up for him, forward this with the Title 7%.
93% of people won't forward this.

Joey's Journal - September 12, 2006

2008-09-15T11:09:00.000+07:00

Praise and honor be with You, Lord! Thank You for giving me another day here on earth to continue reflecting on Your Word. I thank You also for the protection, provision and guidance You have given us. May I put on Your grace of patience, humility, kindness, gentleness, forgiveness and love to the people I interact with today. Lord, may Your Holy Spirit be my reminder in times when I distance myself from You through sinful thoughts and desires. May I gain strength in You to combat and rebuke the enemy. I offer to You my thoughts, works, joys and sufferings of this day and may they be pleasing and acceptable to You.

As today is Worship Service, may Your Words through Senior Pastor Khong be the words that would soften and touch our hearts as we journey towards restoration to You. May the final message on the book of Colossian be the messsage that would empower us to be spreaders of God’s Word and ignite a revival of spiritual growth in Singapore. May Your Hand be on us as we do Your Will. And, finally may our day be more focused on You! All these I pray in the Mighty Name of Jesus. Amen.

My Reading - Psalm 37

The Lord destroys the wicked but saves and prospers the godly.

Don’t worry about the wicked. Don’t envy those who do wrong. For like grass, they soon fade away. Like springtime flowers, they soon wither. Trust in the Lord and do good. Then you will live safely in the land and prosper. Take delight in the Lord and he will give your heart’s desires. Commit everything you do to the Lord. Trust him, and he will help you. He will make your innocence as clear as the dawn, and the justice of your cause will shine like the noonday sun. Be still in the presence of the Lord, and wait patiently for him to act. Don’t worry about evil people who prosper or fret about their wicked schemes. Stop your anger! Turn from your rage! Do not envy others – it only leads to harm. For the wicked will be destroyed; but those who trust in the Lord will possess the land. In a little while, the wicked will disappear. Though you look for them, they will be gone. Those who are gentle and lowly will possess the land; they will live in prosperous security. The wicked plot against the godly; they snarl at them in defiance. But the Lord just laughs, for he sees their day of judgment coming. The wicked draw their swords and string their bows to kill the poor and the oppressed, to slaughter those who do right. But they will be stabbed through the heart with their own swords, and their bows will be broken.

It is better to be godly and have little than to be evil and possess much. For the strength of the wicked will be shattered, but the Lord takes care of the godly. Day by day the Lord takes care of the innocent, and they will receive a reward that lasts forever. They will survive through hard times; even in famine they will have more than enough. But the wicked will perish. The Lord’s enemies are like flowers in the field – they will disappear like smoke. The wicked borrow and never repay, but the godly are generous givers. Those blessed by the Lord will inherit the land, but those cursed by him will die. The steps of the godly are directed by the Lord. He delights in every detail of their lives. Though they stumble, they will not fall, for the Lord holds them by the hand.
Once I was young, and now I am old. Yet I have never seen the godly forsaken, nor seen their children begging for bread. The godly always give generous loans to others; and their children are a blessing. Turn from evil and do good, and you will live in the land forever. For the Lord loves justice, and he will never abandon the godly. He will keep them safe forever, but the children of the wicked will perish. The godly will inherit the land and will live there forever. The godly offer good counsel; they know what is right from wrong. They fill their hearts with God’s law, so they will never slip from his path. Those who are evil spy on the godly, waiting for an excuse to kill them. But the Lord will not let the wicked succeed or let the godly be condemned when they are brought before the judge. Don’t be impatient for the Lord to act! Travel steadily along his path. He will honor you, giving you the land. You will see the wicked destroyed.

I myself have seen it happen – proud and evil people thriving like mighty trees. But when I looked again, they are gone! Though I searched for them, I could not find them! Look at those who are honest and good, for a wonderful future lies before those who love peace. But the wicked will be destroyed; they have no future. The Lord saves the godly; he is their fortress in times of trouble. The Lord helps them, rescuing them from the wicked. He saves them, and they find shelter in him.

My Reflection – Through this psalm of David, we are again reassured that the Lord delights in those who live godly lives. The Lord never forsakes them but hears their cry for help and being a merciful Lord, He rescues them from turbulent times and famine and gives them the land to make them prosper forever. In contrast, the Lord will destroy the wicked; for they scheme and plot against the godly. He will shatter the wicked who has acquired much from evil ways and they will die of their own doing as they plot to kill the godly. The wicked will have no future but the Lord saves the godly and they find shelter in Him.

If you read this psalm over again, it will refresh you from your troubles. As you seek the path of righteousness, the Lord will lead the way because He is delighted with our decision. He holds our hand when we stumble to the plots and traps of Satan. It is an assuring reminder that if we seek the ways of the godly and obey God’s laws here on earth, He will not forsake us but even give us much blessing and prosperity. Let us believe in this and put our trust in the Lord’s ways.

My Prayer – Lord God, I pray that this reassuring psalm of David of the Lord’s goodness to those who are godly is taken to heart by the reader of the journal. God will surely bless and prosper those who are righteous. At the same time, let this psalm be also a warning to those who do evil and sinful ways of their destruction and God’s wrath toward them. It is scary Father that if we do wicked things, we will sow damnation however, if we follow a godly path, we will stand in Your presence. May I live the remaining days of my life more in line and full obedience in Your Will. All these I pray in Jesus’ Name. Amen.

By Joey B.

Joey's Journal - September 11, 2006

2008-09-15T10:59:00.000+07:00

My Father in Heaven, I give You praise and honor for Your protection, provision and guidance. You are a faithful Father, rich in love and compassion for mankind. You offer everyone a chance to believe You, trust You and follow Your Ways. It is great to know that we have a faithful God that has given us hope and will rescue us from Satan’s traps. That even in our sinful nature, You offer us the chance to be restored back to You. Your outstretched Hand is ready to lift us from possible damnation.

Lord, I offer You, my thoughts, works, joys and sufferings of this day. May they be pleasing and acceptable to You. May I focus in You more and more in understanding Your Word. May Your Word bring us peace, hope and trust in Your plans. Please watch over my family and loved ones; may You manifest Your glory to them. Father, a special thank You for my niece, Marissa, whom You have positioned to live in Guam and find work there. May You continue to watch over her and humble her to make peace with her parents; and most especially, come back to You! All in Jesus’ Name I pray. Amen.

My Reading - Psalm 36

Your unfailing love, O Lord, is as vast as the heavens; your faithfulness reaches beyond the clouds

Sin whispers to the wicked, deep within their hearts. They have no fear of God to restrain them. In their blind conceit, they cannot see how wicked they really are. Everything they say is crooked and deceitful. They refuse to act wisely or what is good. They lie awake at night hatching sinful plots. Their course of action is never good. They make no attempt to turn from evil.

Your unfailing love, O Lord, is as vast as the heavens; your faithfulness reaches beyond the clouds. Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains, your justice like the ocean depths. You care for people and animals alike, O Lord. How precious is your unfailing love, O God! All humanity finds shelter in the shadow of your wings. You feed them from the abundance of your own house, letting them drink from your rivers of delight. For you are the fountain of life, the light by which we see. Pour out your unfailing love on those who love you; give justice to those with honest hearts.

Don’t let the proud trample me; don’t let the wicked push me around. Look! They have fallen! They have been thrown down, never to rise again.

My Reflection – As I re-read the second paragraph over and over, David calls to God who is omnipotent, omnipresent and omniscient. I can not be more sure of God’s love and compassion for mankind. How can you even think of measuring God’s love when it is as vast as the heavens? A love that is both limitless and never ceases. His faithfulness goes beyond the clouds; how very reassuring to us believers because we have a God who is full of love and compassion and always faithful to us. We can always count on His help and protection in times of trials and tribulations we face daily. He sufficiently provides for our physical needs and draws from His truth the path of a godly life for us to follow. His unfailing love is poured out to those who love Him. How truly awesome is our God!

My Prayer – Heavenly Father, I want to be like David who was after Your heart. I want to thank and praise Your Name always and demonstrate Your glory in my life. You are truly a Great God, slow to anger and quick to give mercy to my sinful ways. Lord, in times when I am weakened by the evil one’s material and physical traps, may Your Holy Spirit breathe Your strength to forge ahead and focus on You. May I be worthy and delight You of my rebuking the temptations of the enemy. Keep me in Your desired path.

Dear God, I remember and say a prayer today for those who perished during the 9-11 tragedy. May the souls of those who died be rested and may they look forward to Jesus’ Second Coming. Father, continue to comfort the loved ones who were left behind by these people and long for that heavenly reunion with them again.

All these I pray in Jesus’ Holy Name. Amen.

by Joey B.

Joey's Journal - September 10, 2006

2008-09-15T10:55:00.000+07:00

Almighty Father, thank You for sending Your angels to watch my family as we slept. Thank You for giving us another day in this temporarily residence yet always longing for a more permanent residence with You, Lord. Thank You also for watching over my wife and bringing her safely home. I give thanks and praise to You for controlling Joshua’s sinus allergy and not get serious. May You continue to heal him and completely cure the allergy. Jesus, please be with Joel and watch over him and protect him from any mishaps or misbehavior in school. Make him more and more attentive to his teachers and his temper controlled.

Lord, may I understand Your Word better as I continue reflecting on the Book of Psalms. May You be beside me and breathe Your wisdom and truth so that I may impart Your instructions from the Word. Let me stay focused in You. Jesus, may You always be the center of my life. I pray all these in Jesus’ Holy and Precious Name. Amen.

My Reading - Psalm 35

Great is the Lord who enjoys helping his servant

O Lord, oppose those who oppose me. Declare war on those who are attacking me. Put your armor, and take up your shield. Prepare for battle, and come to my aid. Lift up your spear and javelin and block the way of my enemies. Let me hear you say, ‘I am your salvation!’ Humiliate and disgrace those trying to kill me; turn them back in confusion. Blow them away like chaff in the wind- a wind sent by an angel of the Lord. May their path be dark and slippery, with the angel of the Lord pursuing them. Although I did them no wrong, they dug a pit for me. So let sudden ruin overtake them! Let them be caught in the snare they set for me! Let them fall to destruction in the pit they dug for me.

Then I will rejoice in the Lord. I will be glad because he rescues me. I will praise him from the bottom of my heart. ‘Lord, who can compare with you? Who else rescues the weak and helpless from the strong? Who else protects the poor and needy from those who want to rob them?’ Malicious witnesses testify against me. They accuse me of things I don’t even know about. They repay me with evil for the good I do. I am sick with despair. Yet when they were ill, I grieved for them. I even fasted and prayed for them, but my prayers returned unanswered. I was sad, as though they were my friends or family, as if I were grieving for my own mother. Bur they are glad now that I am in trouble; they gleefully join together against me. I am attacked by people I don’t even know; they hurl slander at me continually. They mock me with the worst kind of profanity; and they snarl at me. How long, O Lord, will you look on and do nothing? Rescue me from their fierce attacks. Protect my life from these lions! Then I will thank you in front of the entire congregation. I will praise you before all the people. Don’t let my treacherous enemies rejoice over my defeat. Don’t let those who hate me without cause gloat over my sorrow. They don’t talk of peace; they plot against innocent people who are minding their own business. They shout that they have seen me doing wrong. ‘Aha,’ they say. ‘Aha! With our own eyes we saw him do it!’

O Lord, you know all about this. Do not stay silent. Don’t abandon me now, O Lord. Wake up! Rise to my defense! Take up my case, my God and my Lord. Declare me, ‘not guilty,’ O Lord my God, for you give justice. Don’t let enemies laugh at me in my troubles. Don’t let them say, ‘Look! We have what we wanted! Now we will eat him alive!’ May those who rejoice at my troubles be humiliated and disgraced. May those who triumph over me be covered with shame and dishonor. But give great joy to those who have stood with me in my defense. Let them continually say, ‘Great is the Lord, who enjoys helping his servant.’ Then I will tell everyone of your justice and goodness, and I will praise you all day long.

My Reflection – David calls on to the Lord to rescue him. He begs the Lord not to be silent as the Lord sees all that is happening to him; slander, false accusations, insults and gossips on the misery and troubles that engulfed him. He did not tire or lose hope but kept praising the Lord because of His justice and goodness and that his Lord would hear the call of a faithful servant. His Lord will not abandon him and would deliver him from his enemies that hunt him.

I am reminded of this story that an uncle used to tell about this man servant who worked for a prominent family during World War II in the Philippines. This servant was a faithful and honest man who was accused by the townsfolk of collaborating with the Japanese forces. Those days, collaborators were looked at as traitors to motherland and were harshly treated by the townsfolk, some even killed. The servant was kidnapped by a group of vigilantes and brought to their safe house, forced and beaten up to admit his wrong doings and confess to implicate the household he was working for as pro-enemy. The servant took on all the beatings, insults and hardships but never gave in. He was faithful to his master, who treated him with much dignity and even adopted him as part of the family while under their employ. The vigilantes fearing of the prominence and connections of this family with liberating forces decided to let him go. When the servant was back to the family, he told the master of the horrific ordeal he went through and showed the signs of the torture and beatings. But, he said ‘I always knew, sir, you will be here to accept me back because I have served you faithfully!’ The master broke down and carried him to the house and cared for his servant’s wounds. This servant was never called a servant after that, but carried the family name of the master.

The Lord, our God, allows all the bad things to happen to us in order for us to persevere during these hard times. God knew David was after His heart yet, He let him go from trial to trial so that he will learn and persevere. But most of all, God knew of David’s faithfulness, just like in the story, the master, who knew the servant’s undying faithfulness. This is why, we should be forever faithful to our Father, and during times of uncertainty and trials, we call on His help to rescue us and deliver us from this situation. Wouldn’t our perfect Lord and Father not stretch His Hand out to help us? I am sure He will! He is such an awesome Father!

My Prayer – Father in Heaven, I thank You that You are a God slow to anger but quick to give mercy to us sinners. You have forgiven us time and time again for the hurts we hurl at You. We are not worthy to be called Your sons if we do not see Your justice and goodness. We must seek You and repent for our sins to be acceptable to You. Lord, I ask for Your forgiveness to those times I failed to obey You. Purify and cleanse my heart so that I may stand firm on earth and long to be in Your presence in Heaven. Amen.

by Joey B.

Read and Return

2008-09-15T10:42:00.001+07:00

Each and everyone one of us are going through tough times right now, but God is getting ready to bless you in a way that only He can. Keep the faith.

This prayer is powerful, and prayer is one of the best gifts we receive.
There is no cost but a lot of rewards. Let's continue to pray for one another.

The prayer:

Father, I ask You to bless my friends, relatives and those that I care deeply for, who are reading this right now. Show them a new revelation of Your love and power. Holy Spirit, I ask You to minister to their spirit at this very moment. Where there is pain, give them Your peace and mercy. Where there is self-doubt, release a renewed confidence through Your grace. Where there is need, I ask you to fulfill their needs. Bless their homes, families, finances, their goings and their comings. In Jesus' precious name. Amen.

Joey's Journal - September 9, 2006 - 1 Thessalonians 4 (Part 2)

2008-09-08T14:04:00.002+07:00

My Reading - 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

Part 2 : The Coming of the Lord

(13)Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope. (14)We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. (15)According to the Lord's own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. (16)For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. (17)After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. (18)Therefore encourage each other with these words.

My Reflection - In Paul’s letter to the Thessalonians, we see that the early Christians were wondering what would happen to many of their fellow believers who have died when Christ returned. Paul wanted them to know that death is not the end of the story. When Christ returns, all believers - dead and alive - will be reunited, never to suffer or die again. Paul confirms that during the Lord’s second coming, those believers who have died will rise up first and those believers who are still alive will be caught up together with the dead and meet the Lord. He speaks of these events to challenge believers to comfort and encourage one another when loved ones die. Therefore, we as believers need not despair when our loved ones die or world events take a tragic turn. God will turn our tragedies to triumphs, our poverty to riches, our pain to glory, and our defeat to victory. All believers throughout history will stand reunited in God’s presence, safe and secure. We as believers should comfort and reassure each other with this great hope as the Apostle Paul did to the Thessalonians.

My Prayer - Father, thank You for Your impartation of Your Word through the Apostle Paul in 1 Thessalonians. We have read and understood Your call to live our lives to please You. Lord, sends us Your Holy Spirit to strengthen us to be godly and pure. Helps us to avoid the temptation of the devil with regard to sexual desires and actions. We long to have Your grace of self-control and rebuke the traps are set by the evil one. What we long for Father, is the hope to be standing in Your Mighty and Holy Presence when Jesus comes the second time. I pray these in Jesus’ Name. Amen.

This is the part 2 of 2.
See the part 1 of this Article here.

By Joey B.

Joey's Journal - September 8, 2006 - 1 Thessalonians 4 (Part 1)

2008-09-08T13:57:00.004+07:00

Heavenly Father I thank You for the protection You have given to me and my family. Thank You for the provision to our needs and for the guidance You have given us to the right path. I give You all honor and glory for the blessings bestowed in my life. May I always remember to trust Your ways and to obey Your will for I long to be standing in Your Holy Presence. I give You my works, joys and sufferings of this day and hope that they will be of delight to You. All these I pray in Jesus’ Name. Amen.

My Reading - 1 Thessalonians 4:1-12

Part 1 : Live to Please God

(1)Finally, brothers, we instructed you how to live in order to please God, as in fact you are living. Now we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus to do this more and more. (2)For you know what instructions we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus.
(3)It is God's will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; (4)that each of you should learn to control his own body in a way that is holy and honorable, (5)not in passionate lust like the heathen, who do not know God; (6)and that in this matter no one should wrong his brother or take advantage of him. The Lord will punish men for all such sins, as we have already told you and warned you. (7)For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life. (8)Therefore, he who rejects this instruction does not reject man but God, who gives you his Holy Spirit.
(9)Now about brotherly love we do not need to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love each other. (10)And in fact, you do love all the brothers throughout Macedonia. Yet we urge you, brothers, to do so more and more.
(11)Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you, (12)so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody.

My Reflection - Why does Apostle Paul clearly identify for the church of Thessalonica ‘to keep clear of sexual sin’? In this way, he says ‘you will control your body and live in holiness and honor – not in lustful passion as non-believers do’. He wants them to be holy and pure, perfect and acceptable to God. Because God is holy and perfect, Paul wants the people to be holy and perfect when they stand in God’s presence. I can only guess that sexual sin was prevalent in Thessalonica during those times as it is in our times and that is why Paul zeros in on it. How can we be holy and pure in the eyes of the Lord? Avoid sexual sin and successfully control our bodies from these thoughts and desires. Also related to sexual sin, he warns of taking another brother’s wife, in v6’ and that in this matter no one should wrong his brother or take advantage of him’ I believe Paul’s message applies to the opposite gender too, ‘taking a Christian sister’s husband.’ This is another sexual sin that is so rampant nowadays. Most of us are not able to control our sinful desires. God created sex for procreation and pleasure, and as expression of love between a husband and wife. Sexual experience must be limited to the marriage relationship to avoid hurting ourselves, others and our relationship with God. And, if we reject this, he paints a warning that ‘the Lord will punish us for all such sins.’ Paul warns that taking another Christian’s wife or husband will be avenged by God.

There is more to Christian living than simply loving other Christians. We must be responsible in other areas of life. Paul probably saw that some of the Christians in Thessalonica had adopted a life of idleness, depending on others for handouts. He instructed them in this letter to work hard and live a quiet life. We, as Christians, can’t be effective in sharing our faith with others if they don’t respect you.

My Prayer - Sovereign Lord, thank You for Your wisdom to reflect on 1 Thessalonians and record Your imparted Word. May we receive the strength and the grace from You to love one another more and more and following the real meaning of love and not lustful love. May we grow more focused on how Jesus loved when He was on earth, without reservation or condition. Father, may You continue to remind us to be pure and holy in our walk with You. Grant all these prayers in Jesus’ Name. Amen.

This is the part 1 of 2.
See the part 2 of this Article here.

by Joey B.

Be Thankful NOW

2008-09-06T16:01:00.002+07:00

Thank You

Dear GOD,

I want to thank You for what you have already done.

I am not going to wait until I see results or receive rewards; I am thanking you right now.

I am not going to wait until I feel better or things look better; I am thanking you right now.

I am not going to wait until people say they are sorry or until they stop talking about me; I am thanking you right now.

I am not going to wait until the pain in my body disappears; I am thanking you right now.

I am not going to wait until my financial situation improves; I am going to thank you right now.

I am not going to wait until the children are asleep and the house is quiet; I am going to thank you right now.

I am not going to wait until I get promoted at work or until I get the job; I am going to thank you right now.

I am not going to wait until I understand every experience in my life that has caused me pain or grief; I am thanking you right now.

I am not going to wait until the journey gets easier or the challenges are removed; I am thanking you right now.

I am thanking you because I am alive. I am thanking you because I made it through the day's difficulties. I am thanking you because I have walked around the obstacles.

I am thanking you because I have the ability and the opportunity to do more and do better.

I'm thanking You because FATHER, YOU haven't given up on me.

God is just so good, and he's good all the time. Send this message to 8 friends, and continue to THANK HIM

Joey's Journal - September 7, 2006

2008-09-06T15:27:00.001+07:00

Heavenly Father, I give You all honor and praise for Your unfailing love and compassion. You are with us faithfully seeing us through trying days and enjoying our peaceful days. Thank You for Your protection, provision and guidance You have given my family. Thank You for giving us restful sleep last night even though Joshua had a runny nose that the doctors suspect as a start of sinus allergy and was waking up every so often. I asked for Your healing hand be upon him. Lord, I offer this day to You; all my works, joys and sufferings of today, may they be pleasing and acceptable to You. Give me Your guidance in my reading and reflecting on Your Word.

Today, I specially commit my mom to You on this her birthday; she would have been 92 today. I know that she has prepared herself to see You during the Second Coming of Jesus and she will be enjoying herself standing in Your presence. All these in Jesus Name I pray. Amen.

My Reading - Psalm 34 The eyes of the Lord watch over those who do right

Taste and see that the Lord is good. Oh, the joys of those who trust in him! Let the Lord’s people show him reverence, for those who honor him will have all they need. And those who trust in him will never lack any good thing.

Come, my children, and listen to me and I will teach you to fear the Lord. Do any of you want to live a life that is long and good? Then watch your tongue! Keep your lips from telling lies! Turn away from evil and do good. Work hard at living in peace with others.

The eyes of the Lord watch over those who do right; his ears are open to their cries for help. But the Lord turns his face against those who do evil; he will erase their memory from the earth. The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those who are crushed in spirit. For the Lord protects them from harm – not one of their bones will be broken! The Lord will redeem those who serve him; everyone who trusts in him will be freely pardoned.

My Reflection - Have we ever felt that when we did the right things and obeyed our earthly father, we got our ways with him? We felt good and beaming with pride and anticipated the rewards from our father; maybe a new record album (nowadays, maybe a new DVD album) we always wanted, an increase in our allowance or being able to stay out late on a Saturday night. Yes, I am referring to those times when we were in our teens. Those were the times when we were closely watched by our fathers. Those were the days when we had to show good results in our studies, to obey house rules on our chores and curfew and to follow our parent’s instructions and discipline. When we did good and the right things, we were rewarded!

Isn’t this the same with our Heavenly Father? He watches us 24-7, 365 days a year, knows what we are thinking and planning before we even do them. Yet, He gives us the free will to decide on what course of action we will be taking; the right or the wrong thing. When we do right, He is happy and pleased with us. However, when we decide to do wrong and disobey Him, He is hurt dearly. God left us His commands to follow while we are on earth. He also provided a way back to Him through His Son, Jesus who died for all our sins and rescued us from the enemy. Are we doing the right thing for God? Are we keeping and following His Will? Our reward will be a permanent attendee to the Father’s Heavenly Banquet and kingdom. Isn’t this something to look forward to?

My Prayer - Father in Heaven, may I do right and pleasing things here on earth. May I follow Your commands and never grow weak in trusting Your Ways for my life. I know that You are a good God and Father, and want only the good things for me. Allow me to show that to You by living a godly life here on earth. There is no greater reward for me than standing in Your presence in Your heavenly kingdom. All in Jesus’ Precious Name. Amen.

by Joey B.

A Whale Story

2008-09-06T14:47:00.001+07:00

A heart-warming tale of a whale!

Urban Legends ¨C true story

If you read the front page story of the SF Chronicle, you would have read about a female humpback whale who had become entangled in a spider web of crab traps and lines.

She was weighted down by hundreds of pounds of traps that caused her to struggle to stay afloat. She also had hundreds of yards of line rope wrapped around her body, her tail, her torso, a line tugging in her mouth.

A fisherman spotted her just east of the Farralone Islands (outside the Golden Gate) and radioed an environmental group for help. Within a few hours, the rescue team arrived and determined that she was so bad off, the only way to save her was to dive in and untangle her... a very dangerous proposition. One slap of the tail could kill a rescuer.

They worked for hours with curved knives and eventually freed her. When she was free, the divers say she swam in what seemed like joyous circles. She then came back to each and every diver, one at a time, and nudged them, pushed gently around-she thanked them. Some said it was the most incredibly beautiful experience of their lives.

The guy who cut the rope out of her mouth says her eye was following him the whole time, and he will never be the same. May you, and all those you love, be so blessed and fortunate.

to be surrounded by people who will help you get untangled from the things that are binding you. And, may you always know the joy of giving and receiving gratitude. I pass this on to you, my friend, in the same spirit.

Little Girl With Faith

2008-09-06T14:29:00.000+07:00

A little girl went to her bedroom and pulled a glass jelly jar from its hiding place in the closet. She poured the change out on the floor and counted it carefully. Three times, even. The total had to be exactly perfect. No chance here for mistakes.

Carefully placing the coins back in the jar and twisting on the cap, she slipped out the back door and made her way 6 blocks to Rexall's Drug Store with the big red Indian Chief sign above the door.

She waited patiently for the pharmacist to give her some attention, but he was too busy at this moment. Tess twisted her feet to make a scuffing noise. Nothing. She cleared her throat with the most disgusting sound she could muster. No good. Finally she took a quarter from her jar and banged it on the glass counter. That did it!

"And what do you want?" the pharmacist asked in an annoyed tone of voice. I'm talking to my brother from Chicago whom I haven't seen in ages," he said without waiting for a reply to his question.
"Well, I want to talk to you about my brother," Tess answered back in the same annoyed tone. "He's really, really sick...and I want to buy a miracle."
"I beg your pardon?" said the pharmacist.
"His name is Andrew and he has something bad growing inside his head and my Daddy says only a miracle can save him now. So how much does a miracle cost?"
"We don't sell miracles here, little girl. I'm sorry but I can't help you," the pharmacist said, softening a little.
"Listen, I have the money to pay for it. If it isn't enough, I will get the rest. Just tell me how much it costs."

The pharmacist's brother was a well dressed man. He stooped down and asked the little girl, "What kind of a miracle does your brother need?"
" I don't know," Tess replied with her eyes welling up. I just know he's really sick and Mommy says he needs an operation. But my Daddy can't pay for it, so I want to use my money."
"How much do you have?" asked the man from Chicago .
"One dollar and eleven cents," Tess answered barely audibly.
"And it's all the money I have, but I can get some more if I need to."
"Well, what a coincidence," smiled the man. "A dollar and eleven cents---the exact price of a miracle for little brothers . "

He took her money in one hand and with the other hand he grasped her mitten and said "Take me to where you live. I want to see your brother and meet your parents. Let's see if I have the miracle you need."
That well dressed man was Dr. Carlton Armstrong, a surgeon, specializing in neuro-surgery. The operation was completed free of charge and it wasn't long until Andrew was home again and doing well.

Mom and Dad were happily talking about the chain of events that had led them to this place.
"That surgery," her Mom whispered. "was a real miracle. I wonder how much it would have cost?"
Tess smiled. She knew exactly how much a miracle cost...one dollar and eleven cents....plus the faith of a little child.

In our lives, we never know how many miracles we will need.
A miracle is not the suspension of natural law, but the operation of a higher law. I know you'll keep the ball moving!
Here it goes. Throw it back to someone who means something to you!

A ball is a circle, no beginning, no end. It keeps us together like our Circle of Friends. But the treasure inside for you to see is the treasure of friendship you've granted to me.
Today I pass the friendship ball to you.
Pass it on to someone who is a friend to you.

MY OATH TO YOU...
When you are sad....I will dry your tears.
When you are scared.....I will comfort your fears.
When you are worried.....I will give you hope.
When you are confused....I will help you cope.
And when you are lost....And can't see the light, I shall be your beacon.....Shining ever so bright.
This is my oath.....I pledge till the end.
Why you may ask?.....Because you're my friend.

Signed: GOD

To Meet Such A Man - A Beautiful Story

2008-03-14T06:24:00.002+07:00

Wouldn't it be great to have the freedom to deliver God's word!?

TO MEET SUCH A MAN

I sat, with two friends, in the picture window of a quaint restaurant just off the corner of the town-square. The food and the company were both especially good that day. As we talked, my attention was drawn outside, across the street. There, walking into town, was a man who appeared to be carrying all his worldly goods on his back. He was carrying, a well-worn sign that read, "I will work for food." My heart sank. I brought him to the attention of my friends and noticed that others around us had stopped eating to focus on him. Heads moved in a mixture of sadness and disbelief.

We continued with our meal, but his image lingered in my mind. We finished our meal and went our separate ways. I had errands to do and quickly set out to accomplish them. I glanced toward the town square, looking somewhat halfheartedly for the strange visitor. I was fearful, knowing that seeing him again would call some response..

I drove through town and saw nothing of him. I made some purchases at a store and got back in my car. Deep within me, the Spirit of God kept speaking to me: "Don't go back to the office until you've at least driven once more around the square."

Then with some hesitancy, I headed back into town. As I turned the square's third corner, I saw him. He was standing on the steps of the store front church, going through his sack. I stopped and looked; feeling both compelled to speak to him, yet wanting to drive on. The empty parking space on the corner seemed to be a sign from God: an invitation to park. I pulled in, got out and approached the town's newest visitor.

"Looking for the pastor?" I asked.
"Not really," he replied, "just resting."
"Have you eaten today?"
"Oh, I ate something early this morning.."
"Would you like to have lunch with me?"
"Do you have some work I could do for you?"
"No work," I replied. "I commute here to work from the city, but I would like to take you to lunch."
"Sure," he replied with a smile.

As he began to gather his things, I asked some surface questions. "Where you headed?"
" St. Louis ."
"Where you from?"
"Oh, all over; mostly Florida ."
"How long you been walking?"
"Fourteen years," came the reply.

I knew I had met someone unusual. We sat across from each other in the same restaurant I had left earlier. His face was weathered slightly beyond his 38 years. His eyes were dark yet clear, and he spoke with an eloquence and articulation that was startling. He removed his jacket to reveal a bright red T-shirt that said, "Jesus is The Never Ending Story."
Then Daniel's story began to unfold. He had seen rough times early in life. He'd made some wrong choices and reaped the consequences. Fourteen years earlier, while backpacking across the country, he had stopped on the beach in Daytona. He tried to hire on with some men who were putting up a large tent and some equipment. A concert, he thought.

He was hired, but the tent would not house a concert but revival services, and in those services he saw life more clearly. He gave his life over to God
"Nothing's been the same since," he said, "I felt the Lord telling me to keep walking, and so I did, some 14 years now."
"Ever think of stopping?" I asked.
"Oh, once in a while, when it seems to get the best of me But God has given me this calling. I give out Bibles . That's what's in my sack. I work to buy food and Bibles, and I give them out when His Spirit leads."
I sat amazed. My homeless friend was not homeless. He was on a mission and lived this way by choice. The question burned inside for a moment and then I asked: "What's it like?"
"What?"
"To walk into a town carrying all your things on your back and to show your sign?"
"Oh, it was humiliating at first. People would stare and make comments. Once someone tossed a piece of half-eaten bread and made a gesture that certainly didn't make me feel welcome. But then it became humbling to realize that God was using me to touch lives and change people's concepts of other folks like me."

My concept was changing, too. We finished our dessert and gathered his things. Just outside the door, he paused. He turned to me and said, "Come Ye blessed of my Father and inherit the kingdom I've prepared for you. For when I was hungry you gave me food, when I was thirsty you gave me drink, a stranger and you took me in."
I felt as if we were on holy ground. "Could you use another Bible?" I asked.
He said he preferred a certain translation. It traveled well and was not too heavy. It was also his personal favorite. "I've read through it 14 times," he said.
"I'm not sure we've got one of those, but let's stop by our church and see" I was able to find my new friend a Bible that would do well, and he seemed very grateful.
"Where are you headed from here?" I asked.
"Well, I found this little map on the back of this amusement park coupon."
"Are you hoping to hire on there for awhile?"
"No, I just figure I should go there. I figure someone under that star right there needs a Bible, so that's where I'm going next."
He smiled, and the warmth of his spirit radiated the sincerity of his mission. I drove him back to the town-square where we'd met two hours earlier, and as we drove, it started raining. We parked and unloaded his things.
"Would you sign my autograph book?" he asked. "I like to keep messages from folks I meet."
I wrote in his little book that his commitment to his calling had touched my life. I encouraged him to stay strong.. And I left him with a verse of scripture from Jeremiah, "I know the plans I have for you, declared the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you; Plans to give you a future and a hope."
"Thanks, man," he said. "I know we just met and we're really just strangers, but I love you."
"I know," I said, "I love you, too." "The Lord is good!"
"Yes, He is. How long has it been since someone hugged you?" I asked.
"A long time," he replied.
And so on the busy street corner in the drizzling rain, my new friend and I embraced, and I felt deep inside that I had been changed. He put his things on his back, smiled his winning smile and said, "See you in the New Jerusalem."
"I'll be there!" was my reply.
He began his journey again. He headed away with his sign dangling from his bedroll and pack of Bibles. He stopped, turned and said, "When you see something that makes you think of me, will you pray for me?"
"You bet," I shouted back, "God bless."
"God bless." And that was the last I saw of him.

Late that evening as I left my office, the wind blew strong. The cold front had settled hard upon the town. I bundled up and hurried to my car.. As I sat back and reached for the emergency brake, I saw them... a pair of well-worn brown work gloves neatly laid over the length of the handle. I picked them up and thought of my friend and wondered if his hands would stay warm that night without them.
Then I remembered his words: "If you see something that makes you think of me, will you pray for me?"

Today his gloves lie on my desk in my office. They help me to see the world and its people in a new way, and they help me remember those two hours with my unique friend and to pray for his ministry. "See you in the New Jerusalem," he said. Yes, Daniel, I know I will...

"I shall pass this way but once. Therefore, any good that I can do or any kindness that I can show, let me do it now, for I shall not pass this way again."

My instructions were to send this to four people that I wanted God to bless and I picked you. Please pass this to four people you want to be blessed.

This prayer is powerful and there is nothing attached. Please do not break this pattern. Prayer is one of the best gifts we receive. There is no cost but a lot of rewards. Let's continue to pray for one another. God bless and have a nice day!

"Father, I ask you to bless my friends, relatives and e-mail buddies reading this right now. Show them a new revelation of your love and power. Holy Spirit, I ask you to minister to their spirit at this very moment. Where there is pain, give them your peace and mercy. Where there is self-doubt, release a renewed confidence through your grace, In Jesus' precious Name Amen."

I sent this to more than four, but this story is so touching I felt each of you would enjoy it greatly.

GOD BLESS YOU MY FRIENDS AND FAMILY!!

Joey's Journal - September 6, 2006

2008-03-14T06:21:00.001+07:00

Gracious Lord and Savior, I commit this day to You! All my thoughts, works, joys and sufferings today I place at Your feet. May the life I live today be acceptable to You. May I do You honor in being godly and following how Jesus lived. Lord, allow me to borrow Your grace of patience, kindness, patience, humbleness and servant-hood to be mindful of my neighbors who I interact with. May I be a source of motivation and enlightenment for them to know more of You. As I reflect on Psalm 33 today, may Your thoughts be the words I write in my journal. May Your word and instructions be shared in my reflection today.

Father, I thank You for Your provision, protection and guidance. May You be always by our side reminding us that we can always call on You for strengthening and guidance to live godly lives. All in the name of Jesus I pray. Amen.

My Reading - Psalm 33 The Lord watches over those who fear him

Let the godly sing with joy to the Lord, for it is fitting to praise him. Praise him with melodies on the lyre; make music for him on a ten-stringed harp. For the word of the Lord holds true, and everything he does is worthy of our trust. He loves whatever is just and good, and his unfailing love fills the earth.

The Lord merely spoke, and the heavens were created. He breathed the word, and all the stars were born. He gave the sea its boundaries and locked the oceans in vast reservoirs. Let everyone in the world fear the Lord, and let everyone stand in awe of him. For when he spoke, the world began! It appeared at his command. He looks down from heaven and sees the whole human race. From his throne he observes all who live on earth. He made heir hearts, so understands everything they do.

The Lord watches over those who fear him, those who rely on his unfailing love. He rescues them from death and keeps them alive in times of famine. We depend on the Lord alone to save us. Only he can help us, protecting us like a shield. In him our hearts rejoice, for we are trusting in his holy name. Let your unfailing love surround us, Lord for our hope is in you alone.

My Reflection – Aside from acknowledging God with praise and honor, we should fear Him. The fear of the Lord ensures our obedience to Him and His authority. It is easier to explain the conditions when we do not fear Him; and simply put, it is the time of lawlessness or when we rebel against His authority. It is when we turn our backs on Him, the one who created the heavens, the earth and us and show irreverence towards Him by sin and outright disobedience to His Word. We resort to listening to the evil thoughts and desires from the enemy that makes us rebel against our Father. But, those who fear Him, listen and obey His commands and do what is righteous in His Name. The Lord watches over these people who follow and trust His ways. He upholds the stature of those who revere Him and His love and compassion are with them always.

My Prayer – Father in Heaven, may I always have this fear in You. May I know the great consequence in not fearing You, is total lawlessness and will forever distance me from You and Your heavenly kingdom. If I am to say, Jesus is Lord of my life, I have to follow and obey You and fear the thought of losing You when I fall to sin. I ask for Your Hand to guide and strengthen me; to rescue me from the enemy’s traps; and to obey Your will. Lord, send me the Holy Spirit so that I am reminded of Your love and compassion for me and I can call on You for help and deliverance. All in Jesus’ Name. Amen.

by Joey B.

Joey's Journal - September 5, 2006

2008-03-14T05:52:00.002+07:00

Father, thank You for protecting us while we slept; giving the boys good sleep and rest for the nannies. Thank You for the daily provision You give us. Lord, may the recipients of this journal be inspired by Psalm 102 to call on You for help during times of trials and challenges. May we acknowledge You, trust in Your ways and obey Your will always. In Jesus’ Name I pray. Amen.
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

Anne Ahira : Who I AM

2008-01-03T01:09:00.000+07:00

I am really Indonesian but for Indonesian, my name sounds unusual. Actually, this young lady is from Banjaran, Bandung, West Java. She is nice, friendly, cute and women. She is smart, and breave, and after all, she is rich and famous! Not many people in offline activity know her, but when we talk about the Internet, I think you are with me, that she is a famous one. You can be famous because of the good things and the second is because the Bad things. And the young lady was awesome, Anne Ahira is famous because of both good and bad things. Many of Indonesia's top Internet Marketer don't like her, as many of the rest is on the opposide, love her so much. So, where are you, my good fellow? The founder of the Asian Brain Internet Marketing Center. Asian Brain IMC was created to help anyone, especially from Indonesia, to learn how to build a better financial future for themselves, and to learn how to use it quickly.

For every seriously interested in creating a rich life, it offers comprehensive, online training, taught a simple step at a time. Training by an experienced marketer rocket helps you to success! With Anne, you will receive your own personal guide and mentor!

Anne Ahira, who goes by the nickname of the Asian Brain, is 28 years old. You can speak 8 languages, graduated from the university in less than 3 years, and was the top student in the class of 832 students.

They stood in the book of 30 Days To Internet Marketing Success by some as the Best Internet Marketing eBook of 2003.

Anne is also the editor of The BEST Affiliate newsletter is read, the professional networkers in over 120 countries around the world.

By Anne's knowledable but gentle touch, you will not only enjoy reading their newsletters, you also enjoy learning more about Internet marketing.

More useful link about Anne Ahira : http://anne-ahira.teddysiswanto.com/

Anne Ahira

2008-01-03T01:07:00.000+07:00

Anne Ahira is the founder of the Asian Brain-Internet Marketing Center. Asian Brain IMC was created, someone to help, especially from Indonesia, learn how to make a better financial future for themselves, and to learn how so fast.

For any serious interest in creating a rich life, it offers comprehensive, online training, taught a simple step at a time. Training by an experienced marketer rocket helps you to success! With Anne, you get your own personal guide and mentor!

Anne Ahira, who goes by the nickname of the Asian Brain, is 28 years old. You can speak 8 languages, graduated from the University in less than 3 years, and was the beginning of students from the class of 832 students.

She was in the book "30 Days To Internet marketing success," as some of the BEST Internet marketing eBook of 2003.

Anne is also the editor of The BEST Affiliate newsletter is read, the professional networkers in over 120 countries around the world.

With gentle, but Anne's knowledable touch, you are not only fun reading their newsletters, you also enjoy learning more about Internet marketing.

To find out what Anne Ahira's business is all about, or see their pictures and drawings, which you can visit her personal website: www.AnneAhira.com

This website is the speech of Internet marketing of the Asian Brain (articles, stories, thoughts, experience reports, or whatever), which is very surprising.

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2008-01-01T19:19:00.000+07:00

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Joey's Journal - September 5, 2006

2007-05-15T12:04:00.000+07:00

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

2007-05-15T12:01:00.000+07:00

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

2007-05-15T11:58:00.000+07:00

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

2007-05-07T00:35:00.000+07:00

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

2007-05-07T00:27:00.000+07:00

‘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

2007-02-20T16:14:00.000+07:00

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)

In what occation do you usualy sing? (church, birthday party, happy time, in the bathroom)
And what make you sing?
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?
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.
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

2007-02-18T14:12:00.000+07:00

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

2007-02-10T21:38:00.000+07:00

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

2007-02-10T21:33:00.000+07:00

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

2007-02-08T00:52:00.000+07:00

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

2007-02-01T11:11:00.000+07:00

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

2007-02-01T10:25:00.000+07:00

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

2007-02-01T10:23:00.000+07:00

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

2007-02-01T10:08:00.000+07:00

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

2007-02-01T09:57:00.000+07:00

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

2007-01-14T06:43:00.000+07:00

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

2007-01-14T06:42:00.000+07:00

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

2007-01-14T06:36:00.000+07:00

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

Joey's Journal - August 20, 2006

2006-11-25T23:55:00.000+07:00

Our Father in heaven, thank You for loving me; thank You for the protection over my family; and thank You for giving us another day here on earth. Lord, today is Worship Service and I look for Your inspiring words to move me as it is said by Pastor Khong. May Your Word hit a raw nerve in my heart to follow it in my objective of saying Jesus is the Lord of my life. May I be reassured that when I pick up my cross and follow You, I will not falter or stumble due to hardship or weakening of the spirit. May You be always at my sights and nothing else matters except the thought of being with You always all the days of my life.

Father, thank You for today and the chance to hear Your Word in church. May my example be a blessing to my family. All in Jesus Name. Amen.

My reading - Psalm 18 The Lord rewards those who do right.

In contrast, the Lord’s wrath will fall on the wicked. His anger will make the earth quake and tremble; foundations of mountains will shake; smoke will come out of His nostrils and fierce flames from His mouth. He will come down from the heavens and mounted on a mighty angel, will soar in the wings of the wind covered by darkness and concealing His approach with dense rain clouds. He will breakthrough from the clouds and shoot His arrows and scatter the enemies confused. His breath will blast and the bottom of the sea will be seen and everything of the previous earth will vanish. The foundations of a new earth will be laid bare. (perhaps the psalmist is speaking about the second coming.)

(Here is King David’s affirmation of God rescuing him from all his enemies and from Saul.)

To the faithful, You will show yourself faithful; to those with integrity You show integrity; to the pure You show yourself pure; but to the wicked You show Yourself hostile. As for God, His way is perfect. All the Lord’s promises prove true. He is a shield for all who look to Him for protection. For who is God except the Lord? Who but our God is a solid rock?

You gave me victory over my enemies and appointed me as the ruler of all nations; people I don’t even know now serve me. As soon as they hear of me, they submit; foreigners cringe before me. They all lose their courage and come trembling from their strongholds. The Lord lives! Blessed be my rock!

My reflection – I can’t help thinking about David’s jubilation after the Lord rescued him from his enemies and Saul who were trying to hunt and kill him. During his plight from his enemies, I can picture from the previous psalms of his fear of death while his enemies gloat at him. I can see a young David who did everything good and pleasing to God, yearned for His help. Also I saw God’s compassion to David and poured out His mercy to His Anointed One. God’s love and favor moved from Saul to David and He protected him and gave him the kingdom of Israel to rule.

Just like how are earthly fathers, when we were young, rewarded us when we did the right thing and punished us for doing wrong. It is with great love and compassion that we display this to our children. I still think that if we, as earthly fathers, showed this love and compassion to our children, what more from our Father, who wants us to be with Him permanently in heaven. In comparison, I showed love and compassion to correct and discipline my son, Joel a couple of days ago. God also did this to David; He brought David to the caves during his plight, living away from Saul’s palace and testing and strengthening his character to persevere during times of adversity and preparing him for ruling Israel. Joel did something wrong and he had to be disciplined and punished accordingly. Although our heart aches and bleeds when we do this to our children, it is quite necessary and this corrective action will build their character for their own good when they’re grown up. God’s heart aches and bleeds too when we hurt Him by doing wrong but He forgives and still sends us His love and offers us salvation so we can enjoy His presence forever.

My prayer - Father in heaven, thank you for giving me the grace of wisdom to understand Your word in the book of Psalms. Especially with David’s plight and hiding from his enemies and from Saul, he was really after Your heart during times of anguish and fear because he placed his trust in You. He knew You will be his deliverer. Lord, during my trying hours when the evil one attacks or plants evil thoughts in my mind, may You strengthen me and be my deliverer. May I seek You more and more and sing praises to You in good times and bad. Lord, allow me not to lose focus in You and be my shield daily from the arrows of the enemy. May Your name and glory be always in my mouth as I spread Your word. All these I pray in the Mighty Name of Jesus. Amen.

By Joey B

Joey's Journal - August 19, 2006

2006-11-25T23:50:00.000+07:00

Heavenly Father, I ask for Your continued protection, provision and guidance in my life and my family. Lord, may we always give You the controls of our lives and trust in Your ways. Thank You for Your protection over Annabel last night and for bringing her safely home. I also give You thanks and praise for giving the children good sleep and their nannies good rest. May I have full focus on Your ways and obey Your instructions. May You send Your Holy Spirit to remind us about Your love and forgiveness and may we give You in return our obedience this day and the rest of our lives. All in Jesus’ Name. Amen.

My reading - Psalm 17 The Lord shows his unfailing love in wonderful ways

Lord, You have tested my thoughts and examined my heart; You have scrutinized me and found nothing amiss for I am determined not to sin; followed Your commands; my steps have stayed on Your path and I have not wavered from following You. I know You will answer my prayer because You save those who seek refuge in You from the enemy. Guard me as the apple of Your eye; hide me in the shadow of Your wings; protect me from wicked people who attack me. And because, I have done what is right, I will see You and will be fully satisfied for I will see You face to face.

(Omitted purposely David’s call for God’s wrath to befall against his enemies, their children and their children’s children and so on.)

My reflection – My thoughts after reading David’s psalm are with full adoration and awe in the Lord’s unfailing love and compassion. We have read about David’s life after slaying the Philistine giant, Goliath and being favored by King Saul in his rule. Even though he was God’s Anointed One and gave the kingdom of Saul to him, became king of the Israelites, yet he still fell to the traps of the evil one. The most heinous crime he committed was taking someone else’s wife and sending the husband to inevitable death. (2 Samuel 9). Our God and all-knowing Father already saw that this will happen during King David’s rule but yet, He still rested His favor on him. God knew of all the inequities of King David yet He blessed and prospered him, stood beside him and David’s house continued to rule Israel under his son, Solomon.

In our Christian walk today, when we sin against God for disobeying His commands, do we ask for mercy and repent for our evil deeds. God’s unfailing love and compassion are shown to those who repent and do away with sin in their lives. They are forgiven and blessed as they stay godly obeying God’s will.

My prayer – Almighty Father, You know what is in my heart. You have examined and scrutinized it. I am a sinful man with many sins in the past; sins of disobedience, evil thoughts, desires and actions, greed and idolatry believing in the pursuit of material earthly things. I confess these to You and lay them on Your feet. I hope for Your unfailing love and compassion to have mercy on me; forgive me for my sins. May Your grace refresh me and give me strength to push on staying in the righteous path to You. Send Your Holy Spirit to remind me of my ultimate goal – to attain salvation and spend permanent days with You in heaven. All these in Jesus Name. Amen.

By Joey B

Joey's Journal - August 18, 2006

2006-11-25T23:40:00.000+07:00

Father in Heaven, I give You thanks and praise for keeping us safe while we slept. Thank You for giving us another day on earth to do godly deeds and obey Your laws. Keep us today focused to You, Father God and our lives be worthy and pleasing to You. I commit my son, Joel in Your protection and safeguard. Send Your angels to watch over him and his behavior at school. May his temper be controlled and rude attitude be changed. Thank You Lord for keeping my wife protected last night and bringing her safely home. I offer my day’s works, joys and sufferings to You. May I continue to be blessed in reading the book of Psalms and may You guide my thoughts and heart with my reflections and prayers. All in the Name of Jesus. Amen.

My reading - Psalm 16 When the Lord is with me, I will not be shaken!

Lord, You are my inheritance, my cup of blessing. You protect all that is mine; the land You have given me is a pleasant land. I will bless the Lord who guides me; even at night my heart tells me You are right beside me. No wonder I am filled with joy and I sing praises to You. For You will not leave my soul among the dead or allow me to rot in the grave. You will show me the way of life as I stand with joy in Your presence and the pleasures of living with You forever.

My reflection – This psalm of David reminds me of the prayer of Jabez. ‘O Lord, bless me indeed. Enlarge my territory. May Your Hand be on me to keep me from harm and be free of pain. And, because Jabez was more honorable than his brothers, God granted his request.’ (1 Chronicles 4:9-10) It was a simple prayer but yet important that Jabez professed to God and the Lord heard his prayer. Why was Jabez’s prayer placed along God’s lineage of the leaders of His Chosen people? There must have been a purpose; it is a simple yet important prayer from an honorable man. The main thing here is that God saw Jabez as more distinguished or more godly than his brothers. Even though, his mother gave him a name not to be admired because it meant ‘his birth had been so painful’, God granted his prayer. David talks about this pleasant land God has given him and asks for the Lord’s protection and guidance in his life, watching him closely and never leaving his side.

When we look to the Lord and ask for His blessings of provision, protection, and guidance, the Lord will respond to our call and we hope we are worthy enough for Him to grant our requests just like what He did for Jabez and David. The main word here is whether we are worthy; meaning are we continuously living a godly life, honorable and pleasing to God? And, when the Lord answers our request, His favor rests with us and, we will not be shaken!

My prayer – Father in heaven, may You continue to shower us with Your abundant blessings of protection, provision and guidance. May our walk with You be acceptable and pleasing, worthy to be at Your side and stand in Your presence. Father God, may You watch over us, examine us and scrutinize us in order for us to be godly here on earth. It is gong to be tough Lord, but I know You will be with us and keep us from the clutches of Satan. May You enlarge my territory and may Your hand be with me and keep me from harm. I pray these in Jesus’ Name. Amen.

by Joey B

Joey's Journal - August 17, 2006

2006-11-25T23:31:00.000+07:00

Last night while Joel was playing his game boy, Joshua wanted to ‘sayang’ his brother but accidentally hit him instead on the head. Joel who probably felt the pain or could have been disturbed while playing, retaliated and tried to hit back. Carlyn was able to hold his one hand holding on the game boy but couldn’t stop the other hand. Joshua was hit on the right cheek and cried. Carlyn hit Joel on the rear end and I heard the cries and commotion. I called Joel out shouting at the top of my voice. Joel, in defense said, his brother hit him first. I scolded him for doing this and told him Joshua is still a baby and doesn’t know if he hurts someone or not. Also told Joel that Joshua is his younger brother and rather than hurt him, he should look after him and be his protector when they are grown. While I was driving this point to him, I could see his displeasure and his wanting to vent his anger at me. I told him he should not be like this and if does this hitting his brother again, he will get a real serious spanking from me, one that he will feel so much pain. I banged the desk with my left hand so hard so that he will know, I can still give him a painful spanking. I told everyone not to talk to him as punishment for his actions. He walked off with such an angry and displeased face. I reminded him again to stay away from Joshua and sit in the living room so I can see him.

After a while watching TV, he said he was hungry and wanted his food right away. His mom called earlier and told the nanny, Maria that she was bringing cheese pizza for his dinner. Joel waited but was very hungry so he asked Maria for some food first and will still eat the pizza later. Finally, his mom came and gave him the pizza. She stayed with him for 5 mins and said she had to go out again because she forgot to buy the newspaper. Joel didn’t create a fuss unlike before with his mom leaving the house in the evening because he was really hungry. About 45 mins later, he washed up after taking his dinner and went straight to bed without saying goodnight or asking about his mom who was still out.

Dear Heavenly Father, I thank You for watching over us last night while we were resting. Thank You for keeping us safe from the enemy. Lord, I also thank You for sending the Holy Spirit last night and I was able to control my anger at Joel. I hope and pray that my disciplining Joel last night will work positively on him and he would not repeat this incident. I am sorry that I had to raise my voice and display what Joel will get should he do this again. Father, I pray that he would have a change in attitude towards disciplining from us and know this is for his own good. May You watch over him today at school that he behaves well and obeys instructions from teachers. Lastly, may You watch us today and keep us protected from the evil one’s works and temptation. I pray all these in Jesus Name. Amen.

My reading - Psalm 15 Who may worship in your sanctuary, Lord?

O Lord, who will be saved and enter Your kingdom to stand in Your presence? Those who lead blameless lives and do what is right; speaking the truth from sincere hearts. Those who refuse to slander others or harm their neighbors, or speak evil of their friends. Those who despise persistent sinners and honor the faithful followers of the Lord and keep their promises even when it hurts. Those who do not charge interest on the money they lend, and who refuse to accept bribes to testify against the innocent. These people will stand firm forever!

My reflection – Why does David clearly define ‘the treatment we give to our neighbor’ as a pre-requisite to enter God’s kingdom. Aside from clean and blameless living for ourselves, He speaks of our treatment to others like not slandering others, harming others or speaking evil of others as tantamount to our salvation. He also clearly points out that people who charge interest for money lent or accept bribes to testify against the innocent will not be in God’s presence. Jesus also proclaims this statement of ‘loving your neighbor as yourselves’ as one of the two greatest commandments of God. The other, of course, is ‘love God with all your heart, your soul and strength’.

These two commandments, I believe can not go without the other. To love God with your all also means to follow and obey Him. And, in our obedience to Him, we have to deal with others in the world. Jesus, in His ministry on earth, was asked by His disciples a question – who will inherit the Kingdom of God? And, Jesus responded by saying ‘I was hungry and you feed me; I was thirsty and you gave me drink; I was a stranger and you invited me to your house; I was naked and you clothed me; I was sick and you took care of me; and I was in prison and you visited me’ and He added ‘whoever does these things to the least of my brothers and sisters will enter the Kingdom.’ In obeying God’s Word and following how Jesus lived, we have to love them just like we love ourselves hoping for that invitation to gain entrance to the Kingdom of God.

My prayer – Lord, may the two greatest commandments You have given be always in my heart. May I exercise them in my life especially wanting to know more of You and being with You always. May I always long for You and may I follow Your example of loving our neighbor wholeheartedly. I pray these in Jesus’ Name. Amen.

by Joey B

Joey's Journal August 16, 2006

2006-11-25T23:27:00.000+07:00

Dear Father, I thank and give You praise for Your protection on my household. Lord, I offer to You my joys, works and sufferings of this day; may they be pleasing to You as I continue to walk with You. May Your grace always be with me to have humility, patience, kindness and forgiveness to the people I will be dealing with this day. Gracious God, may Your Holy Spirit watch over me and be my alarm bell when I swerve away from the righteous path. I also pray my loved ones, wife and children and relations and nannies to be under Your watchful eyes and protection. All in the Name of Jesus. Amen.

My reading - Psalm 14 Will those who do evil never learn?
The Lord looks down from heaven on the entire human race; He looks to see if there is even one with real understanding, one who seeks for God. But no, all have turned away from God and all have become corrupt. No one does good, not even one! Terror will grip the evil doers for God is with those who obey him; the Lord will protect and restore his people and salvation would come from Mount Zion.

My reflections – This is a clear warning to those who do evil! For God knows everything that happens to us. And if we do evil, we should be gripped with fear because of God’s wrath. But, for those who obey Him, they will be protected and salvation will be with them. I believe the major word here is ‘obey’; and it is the most difficult instruction to follow in our Christian walk. A Christian can say the sinner’s prayer and profess his belief in Jesus who died for his sins and accept Him as Lord and Savior, but after that what happens to his life. Most often, this person thinks he has been promised the salvation and is unaware of his disobedience to God and His decrees. What happened when he accepted Jesus was more of giving God lip-service and then, resorting to his old self.

The righteous things we do after accepting Jesus is what counts. We are all sinful people and can easily ‘go back to our old self’. This is when we need Jesus’ strength to get us through these sinful phases in our lives when we are weak and can easily fall to Satan’s traps. His Holy Spirit will be our helper in advising us to avoid sinful thoughts, desires and actions. All Christians are not assured of salvation to God’s Kingdom. It is a requirement to acknowledge God and believe that He sent His Son to die and wipe away our sins, but our response and follow through to this belief is the one that will save us, and this is living a godly life and obeying God’s laws.

My prayer – O Lord, I am grateful for Your Hand to be guiding and protecting me on the right path. May I stay dedicated to living a life that is godly and pleasing to You. Although in my trying times, I stumble and fall, may Your grace help me to get up and be reminded of Your forgiveness and love. Lord, keep me focusing on You and the salvation You offer. I pray in Jesus Name. Amen.

by Joey B

Joey's Journal August 14, 2006

2006-10-15T15:35:00.000+07:00

My God, praise and thanks I offer You for taking care of us last night; giving the children a good night’s sleep and rest for the nannies; bringing my wife safely home and keeping all loved ones and relations protected. I thank You for letting me wake up to another day yet always longing to be with You when You call me. May Your blessings be upon us as we live this day. May You guide us today to be more and more like Jesus as we proclaim He is the Lord of our lives. May You keep Joel safe when he is in the bus, in school and in their field trip at Raffles Hotel. Keep him attentive and obedient to his teachers and his temper controlled. May today be a blessing to us and the people we interact with. I pray these in the Mighty Name of Jesus. Amen.

My reading- Psalm 12 Where are the godly?

Help O Lord, for the godly are fast disappearing! The faithful have vanished the earth! Neighbors lie to each other; speaking with flattering lips and insincere hearts. They will lie to their hearts’ content and say – who can stop us? But the Lord sees all the violence done to the helpless and have heard their groans. Now He will rise up to rescue the godly, who fear the Lord. The Lord’s promises are pure, like silver refined in a furnace, purified seven times over. Therefore the Lord will protect the godly and preserve them forever.

My reflections – I thought to myself, ‘why is the psalmist saying the godly are fast disappearing?’ I asked myself was this also happening then in the psalmist’s time? Evil and wicked people and things abound then. Now, we are more sophisticated and quite modern. Take away crimes like murder, rape, robbery, debauchery and other serious ones, what is prevalent today are lying, slandering, cheating, gossiping, philandering, womanizing, drinking etc. These are modern words saying the same evil things. Living on earth now is no different from when the psalmist lived back then.

Yes, the godly is fast disappearing. The people who fear the Lord are diminishing. Have they been swallowed by the wickedness of this evil world? Has the evil one placed his mark on his captives enticing others with material possessions so that they can follow their ways? No! I know there are still many out there who fear the anger of the Lord and by doing evil, they forfeit their invitation to the heavenly banquet God has prepared for us. These are the people who will stand firm because God is beside them and they engage in spiritual warfare with the enemy. Like the early prophets and followers of Jesus, they stood firm and upheld their faith and trust that they will be saved even with certain death staring them in the face. These were the godly people and they were let in to God’s heavenly feast and will live forever with the Lord.

My prayer – God, our Father, send me Your Holy Spirit to remind me to live a godly life. Keep me in the right path with Your decrees and help me be obedient to Your laws. I am a sinful man Lord, forgive my transgressions against You and my neighbor. Allow Your grace to change me and not forsake me to be given to the hands of the evil one. Breathe Your strength in me so that I can be firm like Your followers, fearing the lost of Your love and compassion. May I live more and more in the likeness of how Jesus lived then. All these I pray in the Holy and Precious Name of Jesus, who took our sins and nailed them on the Cross with Him. Amen.

By : Joey B

Joey's Journal August 13, 2006

2006-10-15T15:29:00.000+07:00

Got up at 6:20 am and prepared to get ready for Sunday service. At 7:30 am, Joel and Joshua woke around the same time and the nannies were getting them ready. Annabel got up at 8:00 am when Joel went inside the room to wake her up. Had their light breakfast and we left at 8:35 am for FCBC at Singapore Expo.

While being transferred from car to wheelchair by Carlyn, Tommy from Special People Ministry (SPM) came over to help and informed us about cell group meeting. Informed Annabel that after church, SPM will have cell meeting. Wheeled in place with other wheelchair bound people; said hello to Mrs. Koh who was beside me and saw brother Joseph, who was not present for 4 weeks. Glad he is back with us. Praised and thanked God for all SPM volunteers, Pastor Patrick, Joanna and Viola. It was great to see them.

Worship was led by the Planet Shakers from Australia and the whole place was rocking. Worship songs were great and very moving. FCBC was jumping and rocking the whole Max Pavillion. The song ‘Evermore’ was really moving and touched many people in the congregation; words of the refrain went like this.

‘You are my God, my life, my all;
And I’ll live for You alone.,
I am Yours Evermore.
Heaven and earth will shout Your praise,
The wonder of Your Name,
I’ll be Yours Evermore.’

It was an awesome sight! Senior Pastor Khong’s message was titled ‘If we want to proclaim Jesus is Lord, we have to go beyond religious beliefs, rules and authority’ which is taken from Col 2. After service, I met with the cell group comprised of 6 wheelchair bound people. Leader spoke from the book of Daniel and how a servant like Daniel was favored by God; and how God used him to draw the masters and other servants to His Glory. Like Daniel, we have to stand firm in our belief and trust in God; meaning we have to deal with ourselves internally first. When we have done this then, God will do the external part of rewarding and blessing us and even using us to bring in the unbelievers to be saved as we live here on earth.

My reading - Psalm 11 The Lord watches us closely

I trust in the Lord for protection, so do you say to me, ‘Fly to the mountains for safety! The wicked are stringing their bows and setting their arrows in the bow strings. They shoot from the shadows at things who do right. The foundations of law and order have collapsed. What can the righteous do?’ But, the Lord is in his holy Temple; the Lord still rules from the heavens. The Lord watches everything closely, examining everyone on earth; examining both the righteous and the wicked. He is righteous and he loves justice and those who do what is right will see his face.

My reflection - I remember this story of a teenager who got caught shoplifting a 40 cent pen at the neighborhood drugstore. When he was apprehended by the store security, he quickly pulled his wallet and offered to pay for the item. The store manager, when he was questioning him, recognized the boy who lived a few houses away from his. He also didn’t tell him that the boy’s father and he were close friends back when they were in school. He interrogated him like any other shoplifter whether he lifted goods worth 40 cents or ten dollars, to prove a point – it was wrong and if this goes unpunished, there is great probability that this offence will continue. He called for the boy’s father to inform him what had happened and told him that he wanted to teach the boy a lesson. The father was furious about his son’s actions but went along with the store manager’s plan for corrective action. They planned for the father to agree on whatever punishment the store manager gives out on the boy and it was to work as a drugstore bag boy and assist older customers with their purchases for a whole month. The boy really thought hard about his punishment, sometimes shaking his head and saying, ‘this punishment does not fit my shoplifting a 40 cent pen; where is the fairness in this?’ But, unwillingly he did his punishment at his father’s insistence or it would be worst at home.

Sometimes we think we can get away with our offence against God. Maybe we think, it is a small offence and God will not be angry. How terribly wrong we are! An offence whether how small or how serious, is an offence against God. God always watches us very closely from heaven and He knows our every move even before we think or act on it. He gives us a free will to decide what we want to do – good or bad.

My prayer – Almighty Father, this morning I got up with a bright outlook and hope that today’s sermon would touch our hearts in a special way. And once again Lord, You guided my heart to reach out more for You and proclaiming that Jesus is the Lord of my life. The worship song ‘Evermore’ led by the Planet Shakers from Australia, was very inspiring and moved a lot to tears. Thank You for speaking through Senior Pastor Khong’s message that we long to bring our personal relationship with You to a higher level, beyond religious beliefs and rules and authorities. The new life that Apostle Paul spoke in Colossians must be higher than all these because God wants us to be more and more like Jesus and these rules like religious rituals and beliefs were surpassed by His love for mankind.

Father, teach me to be like Jesus; to follow His example of servant-hood humility, unfailing love, compassion and forgiveness. May I be worthy to even be guided by You to do these to others, especially my loved ones. Open my heart to understand Your word and know that You have been speaking to me through my readings. All these I pray in the Holy Name of Jesus. Amen.

Today is the birthday of our eldest sister, Maribel who resides with her husband, Eddie in Japan. I sent her my birthday greetings and offered a prayer for both for their relationship to be more focused to God even in their present ages. There are no age boundaries in serving God as Moses and Abraham did. It is that first step that is difficult to proclaiming that Jesus is Lord of their lives. But with God’s strength and grace, anything can be done! Amen.

by : Joey B

Joey's Journal August 12, 2006

2006-09-25T07:28:00.000+07:00

I woke up when Carlyn switched the light on. It was still dark outside as I looked at the clock and figured it’s going to rain again. She got me up and transferred me to the wheelchair. After washing up, I asked her to put me by the computer so I can write down my daily opening prayer. Before I could start, Joel comes out of his room and says, ‘Dad, I have this line on my leg, what is it?’ I looked at it and told him it was a scratch, maybe from playing with Joshua last night. I asked him if he was feeling better after the stomach flu virus and he said yes, but he still felt warm last night due to a slight fever.

Dear Father in heaven, I thank you for watching over us and keeping us safe. I thank you for a peaceful night for the boys and their nannies. I thank you for calming down Joshua when he was drinking his milk and wanted to be hugged at the same time. He wanted comforting and assuring hands and not his pillow. I also thank you Lord, for watching over my wife last night and bringing her safely home. I thank you for healing Joel of his fever and viral stomach flu. Lastly, I thank you, Lord for giving us another day here on earth. I commit this day into your mighty hands; keep us protected from all anxieties and distractions of this world; keep us focused on you and obeying your will. I asked all of these in the Holy Name of Jesus, your beloved Son. Amen.

My reading - Psalm 10 The Lord will call us to account

Father, You see all and take note of what we have done on earth. You see the proud and wicked oppressing the poor; bragging about their evil desires; praising the greedy and cursing You. The wicked people are too proud to seek God; they seem to think that God is dead. Though the wicked succeed in everything they do but they do not see Your punishment awaiting them. They say to themselves ‘nothing bad will happen to us and we are free of trouble forever.’ But Lord, You do see the trouble and grief the wicked has caused. You take account of it and punish them. The helpless put their trust in You as You are the defenders of orphans. You know the hope of the helpless and surely You will listen to their cries and comfort them.

My reflections - While re-reading the chapter, my thoughts bring me to the story of a young and aggressive officer of a company who proved to his bosses of his worth by successfully raising funds through public offering of shares and other fund raising vehicles. The bankers and portfolio managers quickly snapped up the offer and after analyzing the company’s books, they were so convinced of the company’s present and future financial capability and strength and started to give huge loans to it. The officer was on a high roller coaster ride and gleamed of his accomplishments and rewards from the bosses. Bankers admired him and co-workers aspired to be like him. But, the high ride was short-lived due to the market’s downturn and resulted to the company’s inability to service its debt with all the creditors. Creditors sued the company as it defaulted on the debts; some claiming that the financial records were pumped-up to show higher earnings. The bosses got together and pointed the finger at the officer of the company who allowed all this to happen. The officer was also asked to leave the company or face more accusations in court from the creditors. After this whole incident, nobody wanted to be associated with the young officer; bankers snubbed and sneered at him; co-workers even betrayed him by saying to the bosses, they only did their job following his instructions and worst of all, he could not get a decent job after his departure, as no other company wanted to hire him.

My feelings go with the young officer and the co-workers but they are not free of the offence against God. Why? Because he was doing his job and as an officer, he was responsible for the company’s well being and financial future growth. I’m sure he informed his superiors and reported to them what he was planning to do and how he was to accomplish this. As a boss, you would like to know how this will be achieved. If there was real evidence of ‘fudging the books’, the young officer did it knowingly and deliberately and this was wrong and this was an offence against God. If the bosses knew about it and still let him continue with plan, they too were wrong and it was an offence against God. And likewise, if the co-workers knew what they were doing was wrong and continued to do so, this was also wrong and also an offence against God.

At the end of it all, we will all be held accountable to what we do here on earth because God watches us 24-7 and 365 days a year. The offences we commit against God are in the Book of Life which the Lord will show us at judgment day.

My prayer – Lord and Father, may You always guide me to live a godly life. May You send Your Holy Spirit to be my conscience in the daily business dealings I go through. May I have Your wisdom to do what is right and pleasing to You. I give You full control of my dealings with others, and full control of my life from here on. I know that You will guide me in path of righteousness. All these I pray in the Mighty Name of Jesus. Amen.

by Joey B

Joey's Journal August 11, 2006

2006-09-25T07:25:00.000+07:00

O Lord, I give You thanks and praise for another day that You give us here on earth. Thank You for sending Your angels to camp in our house and protect us from any evil that is out there. I thank You, Lord for watching over my wife when she is out and bringing her safely home. Praise God! I pray for Joel who is still with the viral stomach flu that You will heal him today and make him feel better. I also pray for Your help in getting Joel be balloted for his new school. If he doesn’t make it in that school, I know that this is Your plan and will help us find him another school. Lord, keep me focusing on You today. Lastly, I pray for loved ones, my nephew Dino and family, that You look after them; give them protection and safe flight to Manila this afternoon. All these I pray with Jesus’ Mighty and Glorious Name. Amen.

My reading- Psalm 9 The Lord will judge and He will be fair

O Lord, our God, You reign forever, executing judgment from Your throne. You will judge the world with justice and rule the nations with fairness. You will rebuke the nations and destroy the wicked; my enemies have met their doom; their cities are perpetual ruins and even the memory of their uprooted cities is lost. Yet Lord, You are a shelter for the oppressed; a refuge in times of trouble; and those who know Your name trust in You for You do not abandon them. O Lord, do not let mere mortals defy you! Let the nations be judged in your presence; make them tremble in fear and let them know they are mere human and You are God!.

My reflections – The thought of not being with You in heaven, scares me! The mere idea of You not in control of my life, makes me weak and I stumble and fall in Satan’s snares. Before, I always thought I controlled my life without You. My achievements and good accomplishments, I thought, I did by myself. The decisions I made then, I believed, were totally without Your help. But I know differently now, I could not have done them without You. In times when I followed, You were always with me and when I decided to disobey You, this hurt You dearly. I know You will be fair when I am with You face to face during final judgment. My sins and offences against You will be presented to me. O God, I hope for Your mercy and forgiveness for past and present sins. Your love and compassion I will long for!

My prayer – Dear God, as I said above, I am scared of not being with You. I am scared I won’t be invited to the heavenly banquet You have prepared. Lord, I confess my past and present sins and am truly sorry for them. These offences have hurt You dearly and I ask Your forgiveness and mercy. May Your unfailing love and compassion be bestowed on me for I commit the rest of my life serving You and being godly. Lord, help me in this goal I have placed upon Your feet and I promise to give You all honor and glory from this day forward. All these I pray in the Holy Name of Jesus. Amen.

by Joey B

Joey's Journal August 10, 2006

2006-09-25T07:20:00.000+07:00

Our Father in heaven, I thank You for Your provision and protection. I am grateful that You have provided for some extra funds via commission for the palm oil business done in the Philippines and Your guiding hand on the supplier’s decision to give the commission for flexitank orders which we did not agree to in the beginning. Lord, I also want to commit my son, Joel who last night had high fever because of viral stomach flu. Let Your healing hand touch him when he is in pain and give him the confidence to understand to start calling to You for help. In my condition, I can only pray with him and I am sure You will be there to help him. I also pray that You will send a message to my wife to be with Joel in times like these when Joel needs her comforting words and embrace. I pray for Your protection be with her always when she is out. Let her be aware that You are in control of her life too. Special prayers go out to Joshua, who is becoming to be wanting more attention nowadays. He is also pushing off his big brother when I am holding him and doesn’t want Joel to join us when we are playing. Lord, as Your appointed parents and caretakers of Your two boys, give us patience every day to handle them with love and discipline and bring them up close to You.

Father, may Your guidance be on me as I reflect on Your Word. May I be able to soften some hearts so that they can seek You, believe in You and trust in Your plans for them. I ask all these in Jesus’ Name. Amen.

My reading- Psalm 8 The Lord’s plan for man

Lord God, I see Your mighty creation of the earth from the moon and the stars that are set in place in the heavens. Your sovereignty in the heavens and on earth and its life forms are truly majestic. Yet, who are we, humans and what is Your plan for us? You have made us second to You and crowned us with glory and honor. You put us in charge to have dominion over everything. You have made us to be of authority over all things – the sheep and the cattle and all the wild animals, the birds in the sky, the fish in the sea, and everything that swims the ocean currents. O Lord, our Lord, Your name is so awesome!

My reflections – God made us second to Him to live on this world and have dominion over all things He has created. What a privilege this is for us! We were created in God’s image. Again, we should be thankful as it’s quite an honor. This was God’s plan for creation and man. But, God also gave us the free will to decide on what is right and wrong. And, it is quite often that we decide to do the wrong thing, one that He didn’t plan for us. We offend Him for doing sinful things and this hurts Him dearly. Isaiah 59:2 says, ‘but our sinful acts have alienated us from our God; and caused him to reject us and not listen to our prayers.’ In comparison to our earthly fathers who gave us life, raised us, sheltered us and loved us more than anything else, God also feels this way and wants us to be on the right path and not do wrong and offensive things. With His unfailing love and compassion for us, He sent His Only Son to die for our sins and be restored to Him. Romans 5:8 says, ‘but God demonstrates his own love for us, in that while we were sinners, Christ died for us.’

My prayer – Lord, may You keep me from taking the wrong path of offending You! I should be thankful to Your creation and the plan to be second to You. Yet, I am the one with my own free will who offends You the most. May You continue to plant in my mind Your plan for man and that is, to have dominion over all on earth and be thankful to You for this provision. May I be worthy to walk the earth and lift my head in gratitude for Your love. All these I pray. Amen.

by Joey B

GoGroup question, Sunday September 10. 2006 with Sermon Note

2006-09-11T18:28:00.000+07:00

QUESTIONS

1. What is the most romantic moment you experience in your life ? Please share.
2. What make it so romantic ? Was it because of the atmosphere, the setting, your mood, or anything else.
3. Married is like going to the restaurant, especially if you never go to that restaurant before. You order something, your friend order something, and when you get your food, you think somebody else's is better than yours.
Do you agree with that opinion? Explain why.
4. Do you have a special time that you set to have a quality time together with someone you love ? Please share when, how often and what do you do ?
5. Please share if you have tips to keep your love with your spouse/girfriend/boyfriend.
6. For singles who dont have BF/GF ypu can share who do you fall in love with or who do you want to pursue now. Is he/she from ICA ? :) Share tips among each other how to treat the person you love and how to attract them.

There is no right or wrong answer in those questions. The important thing is share your life with your gogroup members. Let's pray for each other's burden. May be you srtuggle with your relationship with someone, or may be you still doing your job 'naming the animals' and haven't find your mate. Keep on working and praying each other.

Challenge :
For husbands/boyfriends, to give thanks to God everyday for your wives/girlfriends. Dont forget to give her appreciation, respect and gratitude.
For wives/gorfriends, to give him respect, honor and care.

God bless you all

SERMON NOTES
Part #4 of 6 The First Family
How to Fall in Love and Stay There
TEXT : Genesis 2:15
1. Imagine the garden of Eden
2. It was Adam's job to give guidance to Eve
a. Men take spiritual authority in your home
b. God never told Eve directly
c. Women make men wait a little bit, it's good for them.
3. Adam fell in love more quickly than Eve.
a. I wonder what went through Eve's mind
b. ADam had been waiting is whole life for that moment.
4. God did not create Eve directly after Adam stated he was lonely.
a. Loneliness happened even before sin entered the world. It is not a sin to be lonely.
b. Adam named the animals first before looking for a suitable mate. It takes a long time.
c. God created Eve so that when He did Adam would have the utmost : appreciation, respect and gratitude.
d. God created Adam so that when he met Eve she would have the utmost : respect, honor and care.
5. There is security in perfect love.
a. For that reason they could be naked.
b. This was the first thing they notice after eating of the fruit was they were now naked.
c. They had a level of security between the two of them.
6. Sin cause people to fall out of love.
a. When you are first in pursuit everything is perfect.
b. When we have sinned against each other love begins to disappear.
c. Imagine how much they lost.
d. Being a Christian and rediscovering God's love for us help us to know and attain perfect love.

Go SOLID

Joey's Journal August 9,2006

2006-09-08T13:39:00.000+07:00

Our Father in heaven, as today is Singapore’s National Day, I say a prayer for the people of this country. Lord, may You continue to watch over the people of Singapore and bless the country even more! Let Your hand guide its leaders to preserve the country’s safety, freedom and financial well being. But most of all, may the great spiritual revival happen here and plant a seed in every Singaporean’s life to know You are the Lord and Savior. All of these I ask in Jesus’ Name. Amen.

My reading – Psalm 7 The Lord will be our judge

King David, in his call to God, acknowledges that God will pass judgment on all. And the Lord will declare the righteous and end the wickedness of the ungodly. He will help those who obey Him for the Lord looks deep within the mind and heart of all. God will be the shield of those whose hearts are true and right. God is a judge who is perfectly fair. For those who do not repent. He will sharpen His sword; He will bend and string His bow. He will prepare His deadly weapons and ignite His flaming arrows. I will thank the Lord because He is just.

My reflections – At the final day, I have put this picture in my mind when I am face to face with our Father. The picture is like a normal room, but everything is white, chairs, tables, cabinets etc. God the Father will be seated in front of me and Jesus will be on His right. My book of life will be presented to me and I will see a lot of recordings in it and the records are in red and green. And God will point at this red record and ask ‘what do we see here on such and such a date, you did this offence against someone and eventually against me etc.’ I will be asked to respond and if I had a sinful day or a day of disobedience against Him, I will look at Jesus to intercede for me for the good deeds after my re-commitment to the Lord. I sincerely hope that God has a liquid ‘white out’ and with my pleadings and Jesus’ intercessions, those bad days will be ‘blankoed-off’.

It is sort of funny the way I picture judgment day to be, just like in a judge’s chamber. I sincerely hope that my sins, my offences and my disobedience against God will be forgiven. Jesus, my brother, will definitely intercede for me as He will for all. The Father will be fair during this day.

My prayer - O Lord, I know You will be our judge during Your second coming. By then as I have re-committed to You, may my heart be pure as gold and worthy of Your love and invitation to enter Your Kingdom. Guide me with Your Hand and keep me focused on You and Your Ways. I pray this in Jesus’ Holy Name. Amen.

Joey's Journal August 8,2006

2006-09-08T13:36:00.000+07:00

Gracious and merciful Father, may Your goodness strike a raw nerve in my body that it would change my attitude during times of impatience, arrogance, doubtfulness, and unkindness. Lord, teach me to be more patient, humble, trusting and kind to people I deal with daily like my spouse and children, house helpers, friends and relations, business associates and so on. Help me to follow and attain Your attitude to people You came across with in Your time, O Lord. Keep me straight on Your path of righteousness so that I may be presentable to Your eyes. May I live my life with Your help, more and more like Jesus’. I offer these prayers with the blood of Jesus which has been given up for our sins. Amen.

Psalm 6 The Lord hears our call

Heavenly Father, during our darkest and most trying moments, we can call on the Lord for His help and deliverance. We think that because things don’t change at once when we pray, the Lord is angry at us or is not listening or even testing us. We cry out until we are so worn out and succumb to the evil one’s thoughts that the Lord has left us. We must fight him and rebuke his evil thoughts and ways. And say, the Lord has heard my cry for help and He will answer our prayer.

My reflections – I remember the times in my Christian walk that I have felt forsaken by God and all my cries for help, He has not listened or responded to. I felt that He was very distant to me because my prayers have not been answered. As a result of this, I grew impatient and weary because of no response from You, Lord. There are times in my weakest state that I question and ask ‘Lord, are You punishing me for my sins by being quiet?’ I know during these times, the evil one attacks me with more fervor because I am at my weakest without You. But, I have to be strong and resist Satan’s temptation. I know it is not You who is distant, but me O Father! I have put distance between us when I sin and entertain Satan’s words. I have to call on You for help.

My prayer – Dearest Lord, let me walk with You and be assured You are beside me. Give me the strength to fight the evil one’s grasp! Do not let me go astray, during times when I am weak. Let me stay firm and in good standing with You all the days of my life. Amen.

Joey's Journal August 7,2006

2006-09-08T13:33:00.000+07:00

Father in heaven, I commit my day to You! May I be worthy and pleasing to stand firm in faith and trust in Your word. May the experience of today be more about Your glory and awesome power as I continue to read and interpret the book of Psalms. Lord, I know that You said, You will not forsake me, but during the times when the enemy plants evil thoughts and desires in my mind, may I have the strength to counter and drive him away. With Your help and guidance, I will be able to stand up to him and never loss focus on You. Lord, when the road is rough and the trials become unbearable, please be my rock, my fortress and my shelter. I claim Your promise of being fully restored again and put my full faith and trust in You. Keep my family safe and protect them from illnesses and diseases; and give us good health. Thank You too, Lord for the negative report of my TB test which I know, You had Your hand in the good result. And, Lord, use me as the example for them to follow in my wanting to have a close and personal relationship with You. I pray these in the Mighty and Precious Name of Jesus, Your Son. Amen.

My reading - Psalm 5 The Lord detests the wicked

In contrast to the godly, Lord, You take no pleasure on the wicked as You can not tolerate the slightest sin. The proud will not stand in Your presence; the evil doers will be hated by You; those who tell lies will be destroyed by You and You detests murderers and deceivers. David laments; ‘my enemies cannot speak a word of truth; their desire is to destroy others; their talk is foul and smell like an open grave; and it is filled with flattery. O God, declare them guilty, caught in their own traps and drive them away because of their sinfulness against You’. But the godly who takes refuge in You, will rejoice and sing praises to You forever. Protect them, for those who love Your name may be filled with joy because You bless the godly and shield them with Your love.
My reflections – I think about how you detest the slightest sin. But I believe, You will not weigh one sin against the other when we are being judged by you. A sin is an offence against you and no matter how major or not. I remember my catholic upbringing through the Jesuits, they spoke of sin being called ‘venial or mortal’. And back then, they taught us about white lies being venial sins and real lies as mortal. Now, as a Christian, I see sin as sin; an offence against God and His laws. This is why there is no in between living a godly life and a wicked life. It is one or the other. And, in reading the chapter, I know the evil doers will be hated by You and You will punish them for the evil things they have done. But the godly, You will favor and reward them for following Your decrees and the ultimate reward is permanently being with You at the heavenly banquet You have prepared.

My prayer – Father God, do not allow me to do wicked or evil things in this life. May You guide me on the right path to You. May Your Holy Spirit remind me of Your goodness and mercy to my life; giving me a second chance to serve and follow You wholeheartedly. Lord, whenever I veer away from Your path, please be there to put me back to the right direction to You. I ask these in Jesus’ precious blood. Amen.

Joey's Journal August 5, 2006

2006-09-06T06:29:00.000+07:00

Heavenly Father, I thank you for watching over us while we sleep and keeping us safe and sound. Lord, as I live my life today, may it be focused on You. May You take away all distractions and anxieties of the day and let me give You the controls of my life today and all the days of my life. Lord, give me Your grace of patience, love, hope and total trust in Your ways and I lay on Your feet my joys and sufferings of this day. May Your wisdom be imparted to me as I continue to read the book of Psalms. May I dedicate this day and all the days of my life to You, Lord. I ask all of these in the Name of Jesus. Amen.

My reading - Psalm 4 The Godly will be saved

As David hid from Saul’s snare, he calls on God for mercy and take away his fear of his enemies. Likewise, I ask the Lord for His protection and mercy as I do battle daily with the evil one’s grasps and temptation. But the Lord ‘will separate the godly for Himself and answer our call to Him’. To be godly, I must not sin nor let this anger to my enemies gain control of me. I must meditate on it in silence with the Lord, offer sacrifices and trust in Him. With this, The Lord rests His favor on me and I will have great joy and sleep peacefully knowing that when I am with Him, He keeps me safe.

My reflections – When the fear of what consequences will happen to us stares us in the face, we call on the Lord for His help. Just like King David, who was fearing for his life, we shout out to the Lord to have mercy on us. But I am thinking, what got us in this situation in the first place? For King David in the book of 2 Samuel, he was being hunted by his son, Absalom, who wanted to overthrow him because he didn’t exercise his kingly authority against a crime committed in his house (2 Sam. 13) and because he was a weak ruler and also broke the law of God against murder and taking one’s wife (2 Sam. 9). For us, we have committed sins that weighed the same as King David’s and now, we are griped with fear losing our lives to the evil one.

This is the time we call on God for mercy and forgiveness. Again, I ask, what got us there? It is because of our sinful nature. We just stumble and fall on the traps of the evil one. We are enticed by Satan’s lures of temptation. Yet God, full of compassion and love rescues and forgives us; bringing us back to godly standing with Him. He makes us fully restored in His presence. Even though, oftentimes, we struggle and fall to the same sin again because of our human frailties. It seems like a never ending process of us committing sin after sin yet God forgives. Why? Because of His unfailing love and compassion for us always giving us the chance to live godly lives and attain our salvation. What a wonderful and merciful Father we have!

My prayer – O Father in heaven, I am a sinful man. I confess that because of my weakness, I get caught in Satan’s traps. I am lured by him of evil thoughts and desires. I call on You Father God, to rescue me from this situation. I long to stand rightfully in Your presence; to do godly things that would honor You; to faithfully live and obey Your laws. I thank You for giving me these chances and opportunities to go back to You. And should I fail again, please do not desert me for I only long to attain my salvation. And to have this, it will only come from Your unfailing love and compassion to me. I asked all of these in the precious Name of our Lord, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Joey's Journal August 4, 2006

2006-08-17T16:44:00.000+07:00

Heavenly Father, I thank you for Your protection and provision. Lord, may Your angels look after Joel while in the bus, in school the whole day and bring him safely home with a changed attitude so that he will not be hard-headed and obey instructions given to him. May You be in control of the TB test reading I will be getting this afternoon. May You watch over my wife, Annabel and give her wisdom as she meets up with the bank people. May You always show her You control her life and may she affirm this and obey Your will and follow Your ways. As I live my life today, may it be focused on You, Jesus. May You take away all the distractions and anxieties of the day. I pray all these in Jesus’ Holy Name. Amen.

My reading - Psalm 3 Call on the Lord for help

Lord our Father, as I face the trials and tests in my life, I call on the Lord for protection and deliverance just like David did when he was hunted by Saul. Lord, you are my protector and deliverer, who comes from the most high. Even in my sleep, you watch over me and I will not fear these tests and trials around me because You will rescue me. Victory comes from You!

My reflections – In these present times when there are a lot of trials and tests mainly due to the works of the evil one, the Lord is always there to rescue us. Our evil thoughts and desires, our self-centeredness and uncaring for others, and a lot more are slowly choking us to the clutches of Satan. But, if I follow God’s decrees and live my life more and more like Jesus did, I will be protected and freed of Satan’s grasps. The Lord sees all that is happening and will happen in our lives. All we need to do is to call on Him and He will be there for us. Guaranteed!

My prayer – Father God, let me call on You for protection and deliverance as I go through the trials and tests of my life. Sometimes these can be overbearing to me because I am weak and can easily fall to Satan’s traps. My desires are at times only for myself, never thinking about the people I offend. My wishes Lord are at times only for my self gain. Please Father, when I am like this, send Your Holy Spirit to breathe a new life in me. Make me realize that I can always call on Your help to deliver me from my sinful ways. O Lord, assure me that You will always be by my side. Amen.by : Joey B

Joey's Journal August 3, 2006

2006-08-17T16:36:00.000+07:00

I was up to see Joel have his breakfast and bid him goodbye as he headed for school. He walked up to me, held my arm and placed it over his shoulder and neck area. As I told him ‘to be good in school and no hitting anyone’, I hugged him and said this prayer over him ….

Joel, my dear son, may the blood of Jesus cover you with His protection and safety all day. May His angels watch over you and guide your behavior in class and during playtime and not allow you to be naughty and unruly. May you follow the instructions of your teachers obediently without any grumbling or rude response when you do not get your way. May you have a good day today. All these I ask in the Holy Name of Jesus. Amen.

Lord, as I continue to read and interpret the book of Psalms, may Your Words speak to my heart so that I may understand what You want me to read and guide my thoughts as I record each chapter’s interpretation in my journal of today. May Your wisdom continue to be with me as I speak of any chapter or verse in the book of Psalms. I lay my heart and my mind at Your disposal. Amen.

My reading - Psalm 2 The Anointed One

The psalmist writes about the earthly rulers and kings of nation’s anger and rage wasting their time with futile plans plotting together against the Lord and His anointed one. The Lord scoffs at them and rebukes them, terrifying them with his fierce fury and warning. The Lord has placed His chosen king on the throne of Jerusalem and the king proclaims the Lord’s decree. ‘You are my son, only ask and I will give you the nations as your inheritance, the ends of the earth as your possession. You will break them with an iron rod and smash them like pots of clay.’

God’s warning – Be warned, you rulers of the earth, serve the Lord with reverent fear and rejoice with trembling; submit to God’s royal son or he will become angry and you will be destroyed for his anger can flare up in an instant.

God’s promise – But what joy for all who find protection in the Anointed One.

My reflections – I wonder after reading the above, is the psalmist talking about King David or about Jesus Christ. I believe this is about King David, anointed one by God to be king of Israel, and given the nations as his inheritance. Jesus Christ already has all these as God the Son. God sends His enthroned king to proclaim His laws to the people of Israel and gives him the power to rule other nations with God at his side. God sends out a warning to these rulers to fear and submit to King David, His royal son and if they don’t, He will vent His mighty anger and destruction at them. And for those who do submit and fear King David, they will be full of joy because they were protected by their submission to him.
In a way, I can’t doubt the analogy to Jesus Christ with this statement. We, in our current days, should submit and fear Christ Jesus for He is the Son of God, making sure through our submission, we will follow Him. And, by doing this we will be joyful as we live in the protection of our Lord Jesus Christ.

My prayer – Father in heaven, let me heed Your warning in my heart that I serve the Lord Jesus, Your Son, with reverent awe and trembling fear and submit to Him, as my Lord and Savior. For if I do this, there will be joy in my heart because of His protection and the assurance of taking the right path back to You, Father. May the Anointed One be always with me. I pray these in His Holy Name. Amen.

by : Joey B

Joey's Journal August 2, 2006

2006-08-11T22:11:00.000+07:00

Woke up when Carlyn brought Joshua in our room. Joshua said, ‘hi daddy’ ‘hi mama’. He was playing on our bed throwing the small pillows to my face. He also got a hug and a kiss from his mom. At 7:15am, Carlyn transferred me to wheelchair and parked beside the dining table. Joel left at 7:30 am for school. I prayed that God will give His protection for a safe ride to school and that His angels would watch over him at school in his behavior and attentiveness to his teachers and that he would be safe there.

Did my journal on the completion of the book of Colossians recorded in August 1 journal.

Today, I begin my bible reading and journalizing my reflections and after-thoughts on the book of Psalms.

My prayer in preparation for this reading – Dear Heavenly Father, as I prepare myself to reading and interpreting the book of Psalms, I ask that you impart your wisdom to my mind as I read thru the book and plant a seed in my heart in order for me to correctly interpret what the psalmist wants to say in his book. May I be enlightened by Your word and by my recording it, may your word touch the lives of the people who will read my journal. All these I pray in the Holy Name of Jesus. Amen.

Psalm 1 The Godly and the Wicked

The psalmist writes about how happy are the godly. They are the ones who do not follow the advice of the wicked or be with sinners. The godly delights in doing all the Lord wants, day and night they live His law. As compared to a tree planted along the river bank, the godly bear fruit each season without fail and leaves never wither, but prosper.

However, this is not true for the wicked, who are worthless chaff, scattered by the wind. They are condemned at judgment day. Sinners will have no place among the godly.

God’s promise – For the Lord watches over the path of the godly, but the path of the wicked leads to destruction.

My reflections – In this world we live in with all the temptation and material things that we want to possess like, money, fame, health, careers and relationships; how do we become godly? When someone ‘hits’ you on the right cheek with an offence, do you freely offer the other? How do we explain to ourselves about God’s fairness when we see evil doers stay in big houses and drive big cars? Is God ‘blessing’ the wicked too? It is tough O Lord.

But, the psalmist didn’t expound on the material possessions of people in those days. There were people then owning large herds of cattle, huge parcels of land and rulers and king, who lavishly held expensive banquets. Did they thank and praise God for what they had? Maybe some did, but many didn’t. Then there were many who clung on to their meager possessions, but honored and thanked God for what little they had. This is also true with our time. We, as human beings, have this envious attitude towards another person who has more than us. We want to outdo our neighbor with earthly possessions.

Thus, the psalmist is right in saying to live godly while on earth. If we live godly which means living and following God’s law, doing good and not evil to others, loving our neighbor and resisting the evil one’s temptation then, we will receive God’s reward as He promised. The godly will be watched over by God and will have the nourishment from the Lord like a tree planted by the riverbank drawing water for its growth and will bear fruit every season and its leaves will not wither. While the evil doers will find destruction in their paths. I believe the point here is ‘earthly possessions’. People who think this way only think of ‘life on earth which is temporary’ as mentioned in The Purpose Driven Life, by Rick Warren. When we die, we all leave behind what we have, either riches or rags. No one brings their possessions to the after life.

My prayer – O Lord, I pray for Your guidance to be a godly person. I know it will be tough but with Your strength and reassuring promise of being with You, I am contented and I will follow Your law day and night; will not listen to the enemy and succumb to his clutches; and when I stumble, I will be refreshed by Your nourishment and assurance that as a godly person, I am near You, beside You and with You all the days of my life. Amen.

Today, is my niece’s birthday, Tina. I wished her via cellphone a happy birthday and many more to come. May her day be blessed as she continues her walk with the Lord. Hope and pray she’s coping well with their new addition in the family, Cassidy. May God continue to bless them in their missionary work in the Philippines and bringing in the nonbelievers to Christ.

by Joey B

Joey's Journal August 1, 2006

2006-08-11T21:53:00.000+07:00

I was awaken by Joshua’s cries. Must be 5:45 am as it was still dark outside. I prayed for God’s grace to calm Joshua down and go back to sleep. He became quiet and the next thing I heard from him was he was jabbering and chatting with Carlyn. By then, it was about 6:45 am and he was trying to wake up his brother, Joel. Joel didn’t want to get up as he was still sleepy and soon, started to cry and banter. Annabel got up and went to find out why he didn’t want to get up. After much talking to Joel, he finally goes unwillingly for his bath. Left for school bus without saying ‘goodbye’ and I prayed for God’s protection to be with him, in the school bus and in school. May he listen to the teachers and not hurt anyone and be naughty in school.

Annabel left at 9 am to register Joel at Ngee Ann Primary at Marine Parade. We thought we were going with her which is why we all got ready. Before she left I asked Carlyn to follow her to get my passport as I have an appointment for TB test injection at SATA in Bedok. She said, she needed my passport for Joel’s registration and will be back after and go for the test.

I read Colossians 2-3 as a continuation of my bible reading of yesterday. Here are my thoughts.

In chapter 2, Apostle Paul talks to the people of Colosse that by believing in the truth about God’s merciful plan of sending Jesus Christ to die and take away our sins, they are free of all rulers and authority. This new life in Jesus and His commandments are to be obeyed and we should follow Christ’s way.

Verses 6-7 say ‘and now, just as you have accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to live in obedience to him. Let your roots draw up nourishment from him, so you will grow in faith, strong and vigorous in the truth you were taught.

Paul explains and reiterates the do’s and the don’ts in this new life in Christ throughout chapters 2 and 3.

‘Let your lives overflow with thanksgiving for all he has done.’ v7

‘Don’t let anyone lead you astray with empty philosophy and high sounding nonsense that come from the evil powers of the world, and not from Christ.’ v8

‘So don’t let anyone condemn you for what you eat or drink, or for not celebrating certain holy days or new-moon ceremonies or Sabbaths.’ v16

‘Don’t let anyone condemn you by insisting on self-denial. And don’t let anyone say you must give worship to angels, even though they say they have had visions about this.’ v19

‘…so why do you keep on following rules of the world, such as ‘don’t handle, don’t eat, don’t touch’. v24

Paul’s explanation to this. ‘Such rules are mere human teaching about things that are gone as soon as we use them. These rules may seem wise because they require strong devotion, humility, and severe bodily discipline. But they have no effect when it comes to conquering a person’s evil thought and desires.’

Here are other ‘do’s and don’ts’ in chapter 3.

‘Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, (you) set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits at God’s right hand in the place of honor and power. Let heaven fill your thoughts. v1-2

‘So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you. Have nothing to do with sexual sins, impurities, lust, and shameful desires. Don’t be greedy for the good things of life, for that is idolatry. v5

Paul adds a warning to the above ‘God’s terrible anger will come upon those who do such things.’ v6
‘But now is the time to get rid of anger, rage, malicious behavior, slander, and dirty language.’ v8

‘Don’t lie to each other, for you have stripped off your evil nature and all its wicked deeds.’ v9

Paul’s affirmation in this new life of how Christ lives in all.

‘In this new life, it doesn’t matter if you are a Jew or a Gentile, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbaric, uncivilized, slave or free. Christ is all matters, and he lives in us.’ v11

‘… you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. You must make allowance for each other’s faults and forgive the person who offends you.’ v12-13

‘And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. Always be thankful. v15

Finally, Paul speaks of our purpose and commission.

‘And whatever you do or say, let it be as a representative of the Lord Jesus, all the while giving thanks through him to God the Father.’ v17

Like his letter in the book of Ephesians, Paul speaks of God’s instructions for the Christian households of Colosse (and also to us.)

‘You wives must submit to your husbands, as is fitting to those who belong to the Lord. And you husbands must love your wives and never treat them harshly.’

‘You children must always obey your parents, for this is what pleases the Lord. Fathers, don’t aggrevate your children. If you do, they will become discouraged and quit trying.’

‘You slaves must obey your earthly masters in everything you do. Obey them willingly; work hard and cheerfully as though you were working for the Lord; and the Lord will give you an inheritance as your reward. But if you do wrong, you will be paid back for the wrong you have done. For God has no favorites who can get away with evil.’

‘You slaves owners must be just and fair to your slaves. Remember that you also have a Master-in heaven.

‘Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart.’ Col4:2

‘Live wisely among those who are not Christians, and make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be gracious and effective so that you will have the right answer for everyone.’ v5-6

My prayer from this reading of scripture – Our Father in heaven, as I have embraced you as Lord and Savior, may I be faithful to Your teachings of the truth. May Your grace continue to be with me as I endeavor to imitate the life of Jesus as He lived on earth. Help me Lord to set my sights on Your kingdom, following and obeying Your ways. May You give me a special anointing to share and speak about You and about Your heavenly kingdom that awaits us all. Father, through Jesus, I ask for your help that I may follow the rules of the new life, live and abide it in my heart All these I ask in the Mighty Name of Jesus. Amen.

by Joey B

Joey's Journal August 6, 2006

2006-08-08T07:34:00.000+07:00

Father in heaven, I thank you for your protection and guiding hand for looking after us while we sleep. Lord, I praise and glorify your name as I begin my day in walking with you. May your awesome and majestic power be always on my lips as I share my spiritual growth to others, most especially to my loved ones. May you Father, soften their hearts as I speak of my experience with you; open their hearts so that they can also see you as I do; and follow your ways as I do. May today be a blessed day for us as we celebrate church service with fellow believers at FCBC; and may the sermon of senior pastor be inspiring to them to live their lives for Jesus. All of these I pray in the Holy Name of Jesus, our Lord and Savior. Amen.

‘Jesus is Lord’, a second part of six series of messages by Senior Pastor Lawrence Khong of FCBC taken from the book of Colossians.

Apostle Paul says in Col 2:24-25, ‘I am glad when I suffer for you in my body, for I am completing what remains of Christ’s sufferings for his body, the church. God has given me the responsibility of serving his church by proclaiming his message in all its fullness to you Gentiles.’

Paul, in speaking to the people of Colosse, further illustrates his passion ‘to minister’ to them about the life of Jesus Christ. For him, it probably felt like ‘a suffering’ because he took on the task of building Christ’s churches after Jesus ascended to be with his Father. I’m sure there were times when Paul’s physical strength was drained and needed God’s help to keep his body going to continue to minister to the new churches and resulting to changing the lives of people in these places. Paul states, he is glad to suffer for the church and thereby, completing Christ’s suffering for His church. He was not talking whether Christ still had to suffer for the church, but takes it to himself that he will continue that suffering in his ministry. Because Christ’s suffering and eventual death has already accomplished our sins to be wiped away. Our redemption has been completed as He said, ‘it is finished!’ while He was dying on the cross. Paul is talking about ministering and changing the lives of the new believers which is what Christ entrusted to His followers.

It is a clear message to us followers and believers of Christ that there is more suffering ahead when we take up the responsibility of affirming that Jesus is Lord of our lives.

Verse 28 says, ‘So everywhere we go, we tell everyone about Christ. We warn them and teach them with all the wisdom God has given us, for we want to present them to God, perfect in their relationship to Christ.’

Paul speaks of the biggest responsibility he has taken up in his ministry. Aside from spreading the Good News that Jesus proclaimed when He was on earth, Paul’s greatest commission was ‘to bring everyone perfect in their relationship to Christ’. This is what he is telling us Christians and if we proclaim Jesus is Lord in our lives, we should do the same. What a tall order, this is from Paul! How do we present others PERFECT in their relationship with Jesus? This is quite a task! Spreading the word to others and getting them to embrace it is already tiring, what more making them perfect to Christ? This will be a life long undertaking because we will be dealing with the lives of others. But, this is the Lord’s order! It is not enough to say, I believe that Jesus died for my sins and rose from the dead. But we also proclaim Him as our Lord and Savior!

And, when we truly mean this, we should in all our energy and with Christ’s help try to achieve it. This is true when we pick up the ministry of spreading God’s Good News to all. This ministry is a life long struggle and it is continuous, never ending task. And, it will cost us dearly; maybe our careers, finances, relationships and even our lives. That's probably why Paul calls it 'a suffering'.

Finally, Apostle Paul affirms his role in verse 29 saying, ‘I work very hard at this, as I depend on Christ’s mighty power that works within me.’

My prayer after reading these verses – Sovereign Lord, thank you for opening my heart to Your word! It has touched the very corners of my heart and mind that I now know what Jesus meant when He said, ‘pick up your cross andfollow me!’ It is with satisfaction that as I read these verses, my heart leaps for joy! Yes, Lord, I will continue what you have started and follow Your way to minister to people. I know that the road will be rough and challenging; will cost me dearly; and will be an endless struggle and suffering to change peoples lives so that I can present them to You, perfect in their relationship to Jesus. But, I know, that with You by my side every step of the way, I will not tire because the thought of You, refreshes me; I will not complain about physical pain, because You will heal me and restore my strength; and I will not turn my back on this ministry, because You are at its head and I long to be with You to finish the race. I ask all this in Jesus’ Mighty Name. Amen.

Important things to remember about taking up this ministry of Jesus and proclaiming Him as Lord.

1. It will cost us dearly, i.e., careers, finances, assets, relationships, lives etc.
2. It will change the lives of other people, presenting them perfect to Christ.
3. It will be a never ending struggle or suffering of a continuous ministry.

So, with all these, I ask ‘Is Jesus still the Lord of your lives?’

by : Joey B

Joey's Journal 31 July 2006

2006-08-08T07:09:00.000+07:00

Was woken up by Joshua’s cries at 6:30am. Annabel got up to find out what made him cry. Joshua continued to cry and wanted his mom to hold him. I prayed for God to quiet down Joshua and be contented with his mom carrying him. He eventually stopped and was having his pancake with syrup breakfast. Carlyn put me on the wheelchair and parked beside the table. Joel was ready for school and having his doughnut breakfast while watching tv. His mom reminded him to take food and he threw a tantrum and rudely answered his mom. Annabel warned him that if he responded or gave her the rude look again, she will slap him. She went to the room and laid on the mattress. Joel left for school without saying goodbye to his mom. Prayed for him that the blood of Jesus will protect him in the bus and in school for the day.

Joshua was given a bath and also threw a fit, long cries. His mom got up and carried him but he continued to cry and didn’t want to put on his clothes. His mom was getting upset and smacked his backside lightly. Joshua continued to cry each time she raised her voice. I prayed that the Holy Spirit would help Annabel to control her patience with Joshua’s crying and that Joshua would calm down. Eventually Joshua peed on his mom’s house dress and Carlyn carried him while his mom changed. Soon Joshua stopped crying and he played in his room.

I continued to finish my journal for yesterday and Annabel laid on the mattress while Joshua was playing in his room.

Read and finished the book of Colossians. Some after-thoughts are as follows:

Apostle Paul as in all his letters to different churches, starts with a prayer greeting to the people of Colosse. He gives thanks and praise that the members of the Colosse church have trusted on the Lord and have loved one another. Why? The answere are on chapter 1, as follows:
qVerses 5-6 says ‘you do this because you are looking forward to the joys of heaven-as you have been ever since you first heard the truth of the Good News. The same Good News that came to you is going out all over the world. It is changing lives everywhere, just as it has changed yours that very first day you heard and understood the truth about God’s great kindness to sinners.’

Paul speaks of what the Colossians did after hearing about Jesus and His teachings for the first time. They changed their lives and embraced the faith in God and gave full trust in Him. He emphasizes that the same teachings of the Good News is being spread all over the world and would change the lives of different people just like it did them knowing of God’s mercy to all who have sinned. The Good News of the Father, full of love, mercy and forgiveness that is given to us to believe.

My prayer after reading this verse: ‘Lord, continue to strengthen me during times when I am weak and unable to share Your Good News to others. Give me a fresh anointing of Your Holy Spirit to have the right words to say to both believers and unbelievers as I share my experience of you with them. Open their hearts to the Good News you want them to hear and keep it with them so they can live their lives for You, Father. And, lastly, give them the tongues of fire from the Holy Spirit to share what they have heard and have embraced with others. May we continue to live Your Good News in our daily lives for Your greater glory. Amen.’
Paul in v15-17 talks about Jesus Christ is God.

‘Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before God made anything at all and is supreme over all creation. Christ is the one through whom God created everything in heaven and earth. He made the things we can see and the things we can’t see-kings, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities. Everything has been created through him and for him. He existed before everything else began, and he holds all creation together.’

This is a clear statement saying ‘Jesus Christ is also God’. I thought of some other faith with many followers who believe in a God but contend that Jesus was a mere human being, who lived like a prophet in those days and was not God. I believe that God the Father, who is invisible, sent His only Son to be His visible self or image on earth. This means to be visible, Jesus had to be human. But Jesus as God existed before the Father made anything, before creation itself. I spoke about this bible scripture and sermon last Sunday by Pastor Khong to my caregiver, Carlyn who is an Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) member. INC upholds the belief that Jesus Christ is not God. I asked her to read the verse and listen to the sermon again via FCBC website and open her heart and mind to the truth. I know it would be hard but I will pray for her to believe in this- Jesus is God who was sent by the Father to be human and visible image on earth in order for him to die for our sins and save the world from the grasps of the evil one.

My prayer on this verse of scripture – Heavenly Father, allow my mind and my heart to focus on you as I pray this prayer of belief that Jesus is God. I commit my sister and caregiver, Carlyn, to know more about Jesus and your plan for Him to be both God and human so as the people would see a visible God and through Him, their lives will be changed so that they will attain their salvation. Lord, speak to her heart daily and let her know Your goodness and mercy for those who did not believe this truth. May she willingly accept the belief that Jesus is God through the things she can see happening around her. I pray for her salvation to start today, Lord and may she cherish learning more about Jesus being part of her life. Amen.’
Paul also speaks of the Heavenly Father’s plan for Jesus, His only begotten Son in v19-23 and through Jesus, His forgiveness to us all which has brought us back in good standing with God, without any sin. Finally, Paul warns of not drifting away from this truth but rightfully affirming and standing by it.

‘For God in all his fullness was pleased to live in Christ, and by him God reconciled everything to himself. He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth by means of his (Jesus) blood on the cross. This includes you who were once so far away from God. You were his enemies, separated from him by your evil thoughts and actions, yet now he has brought you back as his friends. He has done this through his (Jesus) death on the cross in his own human body. As a result, he has brought you into the presence of God, and you are holy and blameless as you stand before him without a single fault. But you must continue to believe in this truth and stand in it firmly. Don’t drift away from the assurance you received when you heard the Good News.

Sovereign Lord, I thank you for this divine plan of rescueing me from the clutches of the enemy. Oftentimes, I am weak and succumb to the power of the evil one and this I know, offends You. Lord, please do not give up on me when I have distanced myself to you. Bring me back to Your fold of righteousness through the blood of Jesus Christ, my brother and strengthen me not to waver anymore so that I may be worthy to be in Your presence. I give thanks and praise to Jesus for obeying You wholehearted and trusting in Your plans. May I live my life more and more like Him. Amen.

To be continued ………Aug 1st.

by : Joey B

Joey's Journal Sunday, 30 July 2006

2006-08-08T07:05:00.000+07:00

Woke up early at 6:30 am to get ready for 9 am church service. Second son, Joshua was already awake, as usual and having his pancake with syrup breakfast. Noticed fishbowl water was cloudy and asked Carlyn to change water and wait for Joel to wake up and feed his new pet goldfish. Didn’t feel like having anything for breakfast, just water. Was still feeling bloated from not going to the toilet for some time.

At 7:40, Joel and Annabel wake up same time. Very synchronized. While Annabel was getting ready, Joel feeds his fish and we talk about what name to call it. Nemo? El-josh? Fishy? Joel liked ‘fishy’ so from now on it will be called Fishy! I said good; at least Joshua can call its name. By 8:20 am, Joel and Annabel were having their breakfast, pancakes with syrup for him and a Fuji apple for her. Carlyn was pushing Joshua on his pram; he really looked sleepy after taking his morning bath. Maria was attending to Joel and Annabel.

We were off to church at 8:35 am taking ECP to Singapore Expo. Was very concerned about the way Annabel drives and at times, very scary. I pray that she is able to get the confidence of driving back and with God’s help and guidance, she will be able to. At the entrance, brother Tommy from the Special People Ministry, met us and asked three gentlemen to assist Carlyn to transfer me from car to wheelchair. Thanked Tommy and the guys for giving me ‘red carpet’ service. Carlyn wheeled me to the place where all the other wheelchair-bound people were. Said hello and nodded to all who were there already. Said hello to Mrs. Koh and her caretaker, Jennifer while coming in to join the worship time.

Worship, what can I say. This time I spend glorifying and thanking the Lord for all His blessings on me, on us as a family and for loved ones. As each song is sang, my eyes start to water and soon I am engulfed in this breathlessness feeling, like I will start weeping. But these are not unhappy tears, but joyful ones. Someone said, I remember reading this, that these heartfelt tears sting the eyes unlike unhappy ones. And, I agree; they do sting! Once the worship team turns from fast and jovial songs to slow and somber ones, I look at the congregation and notice there are others who are moved to teary eyes. I sincerely hope for their heartfelt connection to our Lord as I have connected. Praises and glory be to God!

Senior Pastor Lawrence Khong delivered the word of God, 6 part series called ‘Jesus is the Lord!’. He read from Colossians 1: 1-14 about Paul’s affirmation why Jesus is the Lord. Pastor Khong supported this by 3 definitive reasons why Jesus is Lord. (1) Jesus is God; (2) Jesus is God in the flesh; and (3) Jesus is God and He died for us. These are very basic truths in which our faith as Christians is etched in the cornerstone of our hearts. Every Christian believes in these three basic truths. Listening to Pastor Khong gave me a sense that he was driving these points across very emphatically so that we, as believers in the Word of God, would not be shallow in our faith. He compared some believers to a Sequoia tree, towering almost 300 feet from the ground and considered to be the tallest of trees. Yet, in its majestic splendor, its roots are not deep and would topple over when strong gusts of wind came along. Some believers are shallow; outside like the Sequoia, they look holy and regal; but their faith can be tested and soon, they are no longer the believers they say they are. They give lip service about the faith and sometimes the word and could not support what they say. Real believers live with the three basic truths. They uphold this faith in their hearts. They spread and share these three truths with others. Overall, another good and moving message from our spiritual father.

After church service, we headed for Parkway Parade for lunch. Had 2 green bean filled pastry and coffee; still feeling full. Met former cell members, Mike and Grace with their son, Jared. Also, saw Sally and Liang Kheng plus 4 boys. Annabel asked Sally to join us for coffee at MPH Bookstore while we were on our way out of food court area. On the way to MPH, a lady approached Annabel, introduced herself and asked what happened to me that I am on a wheelchair. She brought the lady over to talk to me. The lady introduced herself as Susan from Lighthouse church led by Pastor Ronnie. Susan asked if I have attended their healing service at Tampines and if not, I should plan to go because she has witnessed cripples walking and miracles happening. I told her I believe in healing services and went to one done by well-known pastor from South Africa, Korbus van Rensburg, who had the gift of healing. I told her too that I believed in miracles and seen people healed through healing services but I respectfully declined. She was puzzled with my response. I explained that the Lord is using me to be of service to Him on this wheelchair. I added that God revealed His plan for me to minister to the wheelchair-bound people, since I can empathize with them. He also said He will not forsake me after calling on to Him to claim His promise that I will be restored. I told sister Susan that I will follow God’s word to be ‘healed spiritually’ now and wait patiently for Him to physically heal me and said ‘if God wants me to be on this wheelchair to spread His Good News, so be it!’ I informed sister Susan that I am a member of the Special People Ministry of FCBC and explained that the ministry is involved taking care of the physical needs of the wheelchair bound people like cooking for them, cleaning their homes, giving them baths and taking them out of their homes from time to time. Along with other volunteers, I have to get involve in cultivating their spirituality. This is what God has revealed to me in serving and uplifting the spiritual side of these people whom He has not forgotten. I added that God’s purpose for me has been revealed and this is why He gave me a second chance in life; to serve Him with all my heart. I briefly mentioned about the voice encounter with the Lord and gave Him praise and thanks for being fortunate enough to hear His voice and following His purpose that He revealed during my stay at the hospital. Sister Susan understood what I told her that this message was from God and I must follow it. She spoke of her visions and asked me for my interpretation. I told her that her visions are related to salvation; hers first, second are her loved ones and third, are the lost. God is speaking to her on these visions of seeing the Singapore river filled with honey rather than water; people lined up on its banks being interrogated by the evil one; and one by one asking them if they were Catholic, Christian or otherwise. Should they renounce their faith in God then they are sent to the depths and sweetness of honey and if not, they were sent back to earth. Of course, the devil entices them with honey, making hell sound nice. She mentioned that when it was her turn, she saw the sky filled with crucifixes and a balloon floating in the heavens. The crosses asked her to cling on to the balloon and she did. But, she thought of her loved ones and pleaded to take them, particularly her mother, who was a staunch buddhist being left behind while other believers in the family went with her. I explained this is what is going to happen at the second coming of Jesus. Believers will be raised up in this rapture and along with the believers who have passed away before us will meet the Lord and be judged. Not all will be allowed to enter God’s kingdom.

Sister Susan understood that God’s message to me was clear and said ‘maybe after my service to the wheelchair bound people, He will let me walk’. I said I sincerely hope for this to happen. She prayed over me and I prayed for her before she left to attend church service at Tampines. I told her to spread what I have testified to her with her church members and continue sharing God to others.

Home around 4:30pm and spent my quiet time thanking God for this meeting with sister Susan. I prayed for strength and God’s hand to be on me. Prayed the Jabez prayer as we go through finding what business to concentrate on and for God’s hand of protection to be on us; shielding us from anxieties and the evil one’s temptation; that God’s grace will give us strength to release forgiveness to those who have offended us and keep us safe under His refuge.

Did some computer work and took on sister Susan’s advise to journalize my daily affairs and experience with God in my heart’s focus. This is first day.

Washed up and prepared for bed at 10:30pm

by : Joey B

GoGroup question and Sermon Note - Sun July 16th

2006-07-18T10:23:00.000+07:00

Questions

1. Describe what is your goal as a Christian (Your main goal in life)
2. Beside your main goal in life, do you have a personal short term goal you want to achieve? (Can be in work, family, hobby, etc)
Please share how you're doing with tat goal. How do you work on it, how long do you think you can achieve, how it is related to your main goal in life.
3. Please share if you have any tips, dealing with LUST. Please share simple ideas to avoid them, because this is really not easy.
Remember, in this world we are surrounded by lustful views we cannot avoid.
How do you think Job can make covenant with his eyes against lust (Job 31:1)
4. Please mention your hobbies, as many as possible.
5. From all your hobbies, which one do you think you are doing too much so you need to reduce or fast from it for a certain period?
6. Let's make commitment together if there something we need to fast, to gain self control over it.
Pray for each aother for it.

Have a wonderful go group discussion this week.

GoSOLID

SERMON NOTE
Sunday, July 16th 2006
Title : Seven Habit of Highly Defective People Part #3

GOALS and GAPS
In our Chrdtian life we should have the right goal.
Our goal as a Christian should be : Get closer to the Lord. It should be a constant and continual desire. That 1st goal sould be above any other goal (family, hobby etc)
As we don't pursue that goal, the gap between we and God become bigger and bigger, and when we never think about that goal may be our Christian life will be like 'auto pilot'. We may go to church every Sunday and doing church activities but we don't really realising God.

Habit #6 : LUST.
On all internet surveys, Lust was always the #1.
Every book of the New Testament warns us to avoid lust because it leads to sexual immorality.
Mat 5:28, Mark 7:21-23, Acts 15:29, Romans 13:12-13
1Cor 5:11, 6:13, 6:18, 2Cor12:21, Jude 7

Define LUST to have an inordinate desire especially sexual.
When lust came, there is a chemical reaction and it is addicted so we will want more. It happen mostly on men.
It can be illustrated like having test drive on a car. The seller let us try and enjoy the luxury of the car, the smell of its leather, comfortable driving, and when we realise we already sign the contract, purchase it.

Lust isn't limited to sexual things, it is lusting after something in this sense, it is related to greed but mostly focused on other people.
For women, lust is more spiritually and emotionally like thinking about how is it like to be married to another husband.

Sexual sin is more grievous than other sins.
We easily tolerate mixed standards in everything.
We must make covenant with our eyes likr Job
Job 31:1 "I make covenant with my eyes not to look with lust at a young woman."
We must make covenant with our minds too.
Because by not having covenant with our eyes and minds we make worse defect.
We will reap the benefits in our heart and in our relationship with God and families.
Minimise the opportunity for temptation.
From ladies perspective you must dress modestly.

The CURE of LUST is LOVE.
When we lust we USE people and when we love we VALUE our relationship with people.

How can we attain love instead of lust?
- firstly by reading and staying in the word of God (Ps. 119:9 How can a young person stay pure? By obeying your word.)
- By being a accountable to someone for eyes and thoughts
- By making your spouse the center of your desires and not allowing desires for someone else to creep in.

Habit #7 : GLUTTONY
Gluttony is misdirected hunger, It is the pursuit of physical or personal pleasures.
Several types of gluttonous behaviors are things like watching too much TV, sleeping too much, playing too many games on the computer, a hobby that is out of control and of course over eating.
It was describes by one person as they no longer eat to live but live to eat.
Stoppong gluttony is about gaining power...
The gluttons says "I have no will power."
Stopping gluttony is about having control...
"Don't let anything have control over you. FASTing is good, it disciplines you.
When it comes to being gluttonous about food it is hard because you just can't stop eating.

The CURE of GLUTTONY is SELF CONTROL
We over eat, we over sleep, we over work, we over play, we over over. So how do we become self controlled and defeat the voice that is inside us saying just one more time won't hurt.

Self control enables us to stay within God's ordained boundries.
People in God's word that were mastered themselves, their appetites and emotions so they could please God and not themselves, Self control is the evidence that you are allowing the Holy Spirit to work in your life.
Self control provides protection.
Self control provides freedom.

Here are a few other steps to gain the cure;
- know what you want
- Don't settle for anything less.
- Be purposeful in everything you do.
- Depend on Christ.

GoSOLID

From Joey

2006-07-03T10:31:00.000+07:00

Thanks for remembering me while discussing about Job. I honestly feel I can not compare to Job's life before God allowed the devil to 'shake' him. I don't mind saying this, eventhough I was raised a Catholic, I didn't live the faith. I controlled n wrecked havoc in my life and business dealings. Some of you knew that I was divorced before Annabel came to my life and before totally committing to God. Again, I recommitted when the Lord spoke to me one night at my hospital bed because He showed me His plan/purpose why I should be on a wheelchair for now. Service to Him! That is it; will serve Him to the maximum spreading the Good News to the wheelchair bound and sick people. I am a living testimony to God's goodness and mercy and at the same time, His purpose in my life. And, I tell you focusing on God and His Glory is tough as Satan tries to bait his traps and get me to lose my hope and trust in God by throwing all sorts of trials and challenges in my way like our marriage, finances, health etc. But, I will continue to seek the Lord as my refuge during all these times and be humbled by His power, hoping for His hand for guidance and His love to overcome all adversities. It is all about being humbled and obedient to God.

Recent update.... I'm walking more steadily now but still need strength in my right leg and hand muscles. No more assistance getting up from wheelchair, sitting longer hours without foot swelling, doing more computer work and writing my daily journal. Meet weekly with all-men cell group and also ministering to wheelchair bound church members uplifting them spiritually. Daily email with former fellow patient who is a new believer and edifying him in the Lord. Onwards for Jesus! God bless ICA. Joey

Short meeting with Keith Sorbo

2006-06-19T08:05:00.000+07:00

Pastor Keith Sorbo, our old friend was coming to Indonesia. Yes! We had his sermon this week and we really enjoy it that morning.
2.30pm, ICA lobby logue. We, some of ICA-ers have a meeting with Keith Sorbo. It's an informal meeting, talking about how we are doin' now and latest news of ICA.
There is an intersting 'lesson' we got from Pastor Keith in this short meeting. He mention about the book "Sacred Love" which speaks about understanding God. Some people understand God like 'household God' or 'idols' which means God will react based on how we act. It means if you do good, tithing, involve in ministry, then God will bless us, or evrything will be okay. Many people still thinking even to sacrifice something or harm himself to please God, hoping to get something in return.
Well, let's look at the life of Job. He didn't sin against God but still God let everything to be taken away from him. His wealth, his children, his body (health), his wife and finally his friends too! When finally Job questioned God 'Why', God didn't give him answer. It seems like God said 'It's not your business!' Eventhough finally Job's condition was restored, Job never knew about God's conversation with Satan at the beginning. It's really up to God to do what He wants. He can not be manipulated, He can not be controlled.
In this talks we also remembered our friend Joey with everything he had experienced. How do you explain that? Is that means there is some thing wrong that Joey did in the past? (Message for Joey : How are you now? Please send us your news, we want to hear from you too.)
We also talk about How can we understand God's existence. Wowow..! It will be a long discussion.
But yes. We did talk about understanding God. Here are few words from Keith : Like 3 dimensional thing like sphere become 2 dimension (circle), that is a story he told us. Sorry i'm not gonna tell you the whole story if you missed it.
I also added another analogy about understanding God's esistence. It's like a carpenter creates a table. The table is a creation with limited function and abilities. Can you imagine how the table tries to understand its creator? It's beyond its capacity to understand. Like us try to understand God.
Have a GoGroup discussion this week !

The multiplication of GoSolid, the birth of GoLiquid (Is it?)

2006-06-16T12:50:00.000+07:00

On the last meeting (celebration) we decided to multiply GoSolid. The member who attend Sjany's group in Margorejo are will be still continue GoSolid, while the other member like me and Abraham who meet at Tenggilis/Kendangsari area will form new Go Group called GoLiquid (yea!).
We moved the meeting day from Wednesday into Thursday because Abraham the host was not
availabe. We thought more people will come that time because Sjany's group also cancel the
meeting on Wed, and inform the member to come to ours on Thu.
The place was wellplanned I say, and Abraham prepared more chairs (and more food I guess) for more people coming because the other member from Margorejo group will also come.

Maybe because the communication was not well organized, it comes to be only me and
Abraham in the meeting. :)

It's okay! We enjoyed sharing and having a nice bubur ayam in that meeting. We came up with new ideas to develop our GoGroup in the future. We looked back when we still have enthusiastic to come in every meeting, when every Wednesday is longed, and we can't wait untill it's next Wednesday again. That night our spirit was renewed and we decided to bring out new ideas to our GoGroup.

Celebration! The End of PDL Program

2006-06-11T13:52:00.000+07:00

We had a barbeque together at Sjany's place. Many people came, and there also Bruce and Ruth Wills, our old friend attendance to visit our celebration. There was also our new comer who were trying to come to our PDL meeting, but they missed all the meeting, finally they came to this celebration. Praise God :) They are Sujana and Sisi and their son, Faith.
We had good food, good quiz game with prizes (yes, we love it), and share our opinion about series of PDL meeting we just ended.
Well, here is mine : Worship is not only about singing or musical thing. It include every aspect of our life, every activity. So we can always worship God everywhere and everytime. Amen!

Tenggilis PDL Group meeting at Indah Ananda's Place

2006-05-11T14:33:00.000+07:00

Left to right : Rio, Teddy, Abraham, Chandra, Indra, Hartanto

Left to right : Elya, Effi, Paulina, Vivian, Indah

Vivian, Indra, Abraham, Chandra, Elya, Paulina, Indah, Hartanto, Effi, Teddy

Meet the "PDL Rungkut" Group

2006-05-07T21:17:00.001+07:00

These are the activities of PDL Rungkut. Thanks to Pak Daniel for this photos. Any comments? Please do share your photo of your PDL group.

PDL West

2006-04-22T07:38:00.000+07:00

We begin our first meeting on Purpose Driven Life last monday. I was a little worry because I have never lead a small group discussion before and especially knowing that beside Tommy and Andy, everyone else is still pretty new to me. I was scared, what if everybody stays silent and passive, what if everyone did not get what they should get out of this reading? So I let God take control on our group.

At 7pm, one by one people start to come to my house. And we started our group pretty much on time. I was very thankful for Annie, Andy, and Tommy because I was nervous and yet somehow they've helped me to ease my tension.

My group was awesome. About 10 people turning up and 2 said that they couldn't make it that night. The questions were alive, and the enthusiasm was there. I can feel God's works among each and everyone of us. There were sceptical questions, sharing and testimonies of new believer, and most importantly, the group was very open hearted to the book. I believe that as Rick Warren said, God has planned this group in mind and for all of us to be together, to meet and discover the purpose of our lifes. I hope the next 5 weeks to come will be a blessed week, and I also know the temptation will always be there but I am sure, God is the in the presence for us, and with that in mind, nothing is impossible.

(This article is taken from Yudiana's Blog)

Doing 40 Days of Purpose With You

2006-04-20T19:52:00.000+07:00

Yes you read it right. I'm doing the 40 Days of Purpose with you guys. It's a great book and while reading it, I'm tracing my thoughts, heartfelt emotions, joys and tears during the first time I read PDL. Yup, I shed some tears; they were tears of joy in finding out why I am here on earth and my purpose. I believe I shared this with you at church and at our GO Group meeting.

Just to keep you updated. Aside from ministering to the wheelchair bound FCBC church members, I have been constantly in touch (via email) with a former fellow patient(Mr. Ronnie Tay) at Tan Tock Seng hospital. He was the one who accepted Jesus at our first fellowship meeting there. Ronnie testified that he didn't know why the taxi he was driving had a mind of its own and decided to ram this big tree. That was how he got injured. And after being discharged from NUS Hospital, he had his rehab therapy at Tan Tock Seng. He continued to say that he now believes that this accident happened for a purpose. And that was to finally accept Jesus as his Lord and Savior in a fellowship meeting at the hospital led by me. It is a great feeling that I was able to help in the fulfillment of God's plan to convert Ronnie. God is real awesome!

On 30th April, I will host a fellowship at home. I have been asked to motivate and minister to Mr. Fung Liang, who a couple of years ago was shot 7 times in the US and God has kept him alive after this tragic experience. He still carries 3 bullets which the doctors decided not to take out because they were deeply imbedded and he might lose his life. A church volunteer has arranged the fellowship. We will also celebrate Fung birthday (23rd April) during the fellowship. PLEASE pray for a successful fellowship and that Fung is able to know why God has kept him alive after his ordeal. Also for me, to be able to speak the right words of motivation to Fung.

Thank you, brothers and sisters in Christ. Onwards for Jesus!

First PDL home meeting @ Abraham's Place

2006-04-20T11:11:00.000+07:00

Yesterday, April 20,2006 we did our first PDL home meeting at Abraham's place. There are 5 people in the list not coming, but... we still have 7 people yesterday because... there are people who are not on the list coming. Yay! They were Rio and Paulina with their little girl Caitlin. We have also Indah who has been coming to ICA for 4 months, Hartanto (unfortunatelly his wife Cindy was not coming because she was taking care of her sick kid), me(Teddy) and Effi, and Abraham as the host. There will be 1 more couple coming next week, Sujana and Sisi. They don't come to ICA but they are our friends.
It's quite interesting, we began with introducing each other (like our old habit in GoSolid, say name, work and hobbies lol).
The video was good, and the discussion was alive, everybody took part of it. We decided to take turn to lead every week, and also look for a new alternative place to meet to make it more interesting. We made agreement about the group and made commitment to do it consistantly. It was a good environment we had last night.
Finally we had our nice refreshments. Abraham did prepare many good things for us. We had noodle, fruit cocktail, and my favourite kacang ijo (green bean) :P

Hi quality image

Purpose Driven Life

2006-04-19T15:35:00.000+07:00

Start from last Sunday, April 16th, 2006 (Easter Day) our church ICA Surabaya start a program called '40 Days of Purpose'. We, all the member of the church will read a book 'A Purpose Driven Life' 1 chapter a day at the same time. (If you don't have an idea what kind of book that is, I'll try to tell you later in another posting).
We as a church member will also meet in the small group once a week during the weekday, and on Sunday for 6 week in a row, the sermon will be talking about the Purpose Driven Life too!
Our Go Solid members will not be in one group. We are separated in few groups. My wife and I will join with Abraham's group in his house in Tenggilis while other members maybe go to Wijaya and Sjany's place.
My opinion, I'm so excited about this program and could't wait to involve in that highly supporting environment. You know, you can join too if you want. There are a lot of changing life testimony from people who have ever done this before. Then you can say : "I know my purpose. Do you?"

Worship With MP3

2006-04-19T15:08:00.000+07:00

On our last meeting on April 12, we try to do something different. Actually it already started last week, but we're not well prepared about this idea. It's Sjany's idea to do worship using CD/MP3 instead of guitar. Because when we do it with guitar, often time the guitarist (me) have problem with the accord, too soon or too late when go to reff, or may be we don't know how to sing the song exectly. Especially Bu Elly who always pick songs which are too difficult that even she didn't know the song (ha ha ha).
So, that time we prepared MP3 player and our new song lyrics from ICA and worship God together with that. And the result? It was great! It brought new atmosphere in our worship time.

Many Things to Celebrate

2006-04-19T12:19:00.000+07:00

Meeting at Sjany's place, Wednesday, April 5th 2006.
It was a regular meeting like we usually have, but that time I felt enthusiastic feelings among our group. May be because 2 days ago we have just had our 'Church annual business meeting'. It is a yearly meeting attended by our church member to present and discuss about church business.
We had many things to celebrate :
- Juddy Ang has elected as a new deacon.
- Jason has nominated also, but not elected (may be because he was in Singapore so he didn't come to the business meeting).
- Wijaya was appointed earlier to replace Ester as deacon.
- Cherry, our faithful member became member of ICA.