What If?

Saturday February 28, 2015

In a recent email, a woman named Renee told me how she and her husband had unsuccessfully spent years trying to start a family. After numerous rounds of in vitro fertilisation treatment and several years waiting to adopt, they were exhausted from the ordeal and considered bringing the journey to an end. Knowing that my wife and I had walked a similar path, Renee asked a question, "How do you give up on a dream of parenthood without regretting what might have been?"

As I started to share some advice, I realised something else was lurking behind Renee´s question. I told her that her fear could be summed up this way : "If we make the wrong decision, will our lives be ruined?"

I think that´s what we all fear when making a major life decision. We give way to worry, and "what if" questions haunt us : "What if a call from the adoption agency was only another day away?" "What if another potential spouse never comes along?" "What if I choose the wrong career?" We fear our lives will be ruined if we don´t make the perfect decision.

I shared with Renee the liberating news that the answer to her fearful question was a resounding "NO!" If we head in the wrong direction, God can still turn us around (Proverbs 3:5-6). If the dream dies before God chooses to act, He can resurrect it (John 11:23-44). Paul says that in this imperfect world "God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God" (Romans 8:28; see also vv. 18-23). If we love Him, He can make even a poor decision fit into the tapestry of our lives.

"Your life will not be over if you choose to end your search for a family," I told Renee. "Trust Him to take you somewhere new; whatever you decide." - Sheridan Voysey

Read 
Romans 8:18-28
I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God.
We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.
In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God´s will.
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

James 1:5
If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.

Philippians 4:6-7
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Proverbs 11:14
For the lack of guidance a nation falls,
but many advisers make victory sure.

Question To Ponder
How do you make decisions? 
How can you trust God even when things don´t go according to your plans?

**Article taken from ODJ (Our Daily Journey with God) Dec 2014 - Feb 2015 issue

Eyes Ahead

Friday February 27,2015

Glen, an old family friend, took a fall inside his home and fractured his neck. Fortunately, he didn´t need surgery. His doctor fitted him with a neck brace and instructed him not to bend, lift or turn until his neck had healed. This meant that he had to move his entire body to see anything outside his direct line of sight. He could focus only on what was directly in front of him.

God wanted the Israelites to focus on Him exclusively - keeping Him at the centre of their lives. According to Joshua, the people were not to turn "to the right or to the left" (Joshua 23:6). This wasn´t easy for the nation of nomads when they entered the Promised Land. Distractions were everywhere - pagan gods, exotic foreigners and an array of unusual customs.

Still God promised to bless the Israelites if they would concentrate on Him. They would have the respect of other nations, gain victories and enjoy climate changes tailored to meet their needs! Their children, crops and livestock would flourish (Deuteronomy 28:1-14). Joshua warned them, however, "If you turn away from [God] and cling to the customs of the survivors of these nations ... and if you intermarry ... [then] they will be a snare and a trap to you, a whip for your backs" (Joshua 23:12-13).

As believers in Jesus, we live in a world teeming with temptations that can dilute our devotion to God. Discipline in our spiritual lives can help us focus on Him. Contemplating Scripture, conversing with God, worshipping Him and fasting are some prime practices to keep us from turning to the left or to the right (v.6). Staying focused on Him means loving Him with all of our heart, soul, strength and mind (Luke 10:27). - Jennifer Benson Schuldt.

Read
Joshua 23:1-16
After a long time had passed and the Lord had given Israel rest from all their enemies around them, Joshua, by then old and well advanced in years, summoned all Israel - their elders, leaders, judges and officials - and said to them : "I am old and well advanced in years. You yourselves have seen everything the Lord your God has done to all these nations for your sake; it was the Lord your God who fought for you. Remember how I have allotted as an inheritance for your tribes all the land of the nations that remain - the nations I conquered - between the Jordan and the Great Sea in the west. The Lord your God himself will drive them out of your way. He will push them out before you, and you will take possession of their land, as the Lord your God promised you.
"Be very strong; be careful to obey all that is written in the Book of the Law of Moses, without turning aside to the right or to the left. DO not associate with these nations that remain among you; do not invoke the names of their gods or swear by them. You must not serve them or bow down to them. But you are to hold fast to the Lord your God, as you have until now."
"The Lord has driven out before you great and powerful nations; to this day no one has been able to withstand you. One of you routs a thousand, because the Lord your God fights for you, just as he promised. So be very careful to love the Lord your God."
"But if you turn away and ally yourselves with the survivors of these nations that remain among you and if you intermarry with them and associate with them, then you may be sure that the Lord your God will no longer drive out these nations before you. Instead, they will become snares and traps for you, whips on your backs and thorns in your eyes, until you perish from this good land, which the Lord your God has given you."
"Now I am about to go the way of all the earth. You know with all your heart and soul that not one of all the good promises the Lord your God gave you has failed. Every promise has been fulfilled; not one has failed. But just as every good promise of the Lord your God has come true, so the Lord will bring on you all the evil he has threatened, until he has destroyed you from this good land he has given you. If you violate the covenant of the Lord your God, which he commanded you, and go and serve other gods and bow down to them, the Lord´s anger will burn against you, and you will quickly perish from the good land he has given you."

Daniel 6:10
Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before.

Daniel 6:19-23
At the first light of dawn, the king got up and hurried to the lions' den. When he came near the den, he called to Daniel in an anguished voice, "Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to rescue you from the lions?"
Daniel answered, "O King, live forever! My God sent his angel, and he shut the mouths of the lions. They have not hurt me, because I was found innocent in his sight. Nor have I ever done any wrong before you, O King."
The king was overjoyed and gave orders to lift Daniel out of the den. And when Daniel was lifted from the den, no wound was found on him, because he had trusted in his GOd.

Question to Ponder
Why does God prize our wholehearted devotion to Him?
What kind of spiritual discipline most effectively helps you focus on God?

**Article taken from ODJ (Our Daily Journey with God) Dec 2014 - Feb 2015 issue

Birth Religion

Thursday February 26, 2015

It´s popular today to dismiss all religions as merely an accident of birth. The chances are that a person born in Pakistan will become a Muslim. India produces Hindus, Thailand makes Buddhists, Brazilians tend to be Catholics and so on. Have you wondered if the only reason you believe in Jesus is due to the influence of your parents or others? Is becoming a believer simply about being born in the right family?

The Christian faith does tend to run in families, and for good reason. God often uses people to bring sinners to Himself. Paul said, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them? ... That is why the Scriptures say, 'How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!' " (Romans 10:13-15). This might require crossing an ocean with the gospel, but it should always start at home.

Paul to Timothy that a Christian heritage is a reason to praise God. He wrote, "Timothy, I thank God for you - the God I serve with a clear conscience, just as my ancestors did. Night and day I constantly remember you in my prayers" (2 Timothy 1:3). The apostle chose to follow Christ and he implored Timothy to do the same.

If you learnt about Jesus from your parents, that´s something to be thankful for. But regardless of where you were born or how you were raised, you can truly give thanks for the family of believers you´re now a part of. And, at home with those you love as well as with others you know, it´s your joy to freely share how to join the family of God. - Mike Wittmer.

Read
2 Timothy 1:3-14
I thank God, whom I serve, as my forefathers did, with a clear conscience, as night and day I constantly remember you in my prayers. Recalling your tears, I long to see you, so that I may be filled with joy. I have been reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also. For this reason I remind you to fan into the flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.
So do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord, or ashamed of me his prisoner. But join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God, who has saved us and called us to a holy life - not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Saviour, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. And of this gospel I was appointed a herald and an apostle and a teacher. That is why I am suffering as I am. Yet I am not ashamed, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day.
What you heard from me, keep as the pattern of sound teaching, with faith and love in Christ Jesus. Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you - guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us.

Deuteronomy 6:1-25
These are the commands, decrees and laws the Lord your God directed me to teach you to observe in the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess, so that you, your children and their children after them may fear the Lord your God as long as you live by keeping all his decrees and commands that I give you, and so that you may enjoy long life. Hear, O Israel, and be careful to obey so that it may go well with you and that you may increase greatly in a land flowing with milk and honey, just as the Lord, the God of your fathers, promised you.
Hear, O Israel : The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on your door frames of your houses and on your gates.
When the Lord your God brings you into the land he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, to give you - a land with large flourishing cities you did not build, houses filled with all kinds of good things you did not provide, wells you did not dig, and vineyards and olive groves you did not plant - then when you eat and are satisfied, be careful that you do not forget the Lord, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.
Fear the Lord your God, serve him only and take your oaths in his name. Do not follow other gods, the gods of the peoples around you; for the Lord your God, who is among you, is a jealous God and his anger will burn against you, and he will destroy you from the face of the land. Do not test the Lord your God as you did at Massah. Be sure to keep the commands of the Lord your God the stipulations and decrees he has given you. Do what is right and good in the Lord´s sight, so that it may go well with you and you may go in and take over the good land that the Lord promised on oath to your forefathers, thrusting out all your enemies before you, as the Lord said.
But in the future, when your son asks you, "What is the meaning of the stipulations, decrees and laws the Lord our God has commanded you?" tell him : "We were slaves of Pharaoh in Egypt, but the Lord brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand. Before our eyes the Lord sent miraculous signs and wonders - great and terrible - upon Egypt and Pharaoh and his whole household. But he brought us out from there to bring us in and give us the land that he promised on oath to our forefathers. The Lord commanded us to obey all these decrees and to fear the Lord our God, so that we might always prosper and be kept alive, as is the case today. And if we are careful to obey all this law before the Lord our God, as he has commanded us, that will be our righteousness."

Question To Ponder 
What heritage have you received from your parents or other mentors?
How will you pass on your beliefs to those you know?

**Article taken from ODJ (Our Daily Journey with God) Dec 2014 - Feb 2015 issue

God Speaks

Wednesday February 25, 2015

One day I had an interesting conversation with a young man. Although he believed that God existed, he didn´t think that He was directly involved in the affairs of humanity - a belief known as deism.

There are times when we wonder where God is in this broken, noisy world. But from Adam and Eve in the garden (Genesis 3:8) to the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ (Hebrews 1:1-2) to the activities of the early church, we see God consistently involving Himself in the affairs of human beings. 

In the Old Testament, God often spoke to people through the prophets. After years of consistent disobedience, He allowed the people of Judah to be taken captive by the Babylonians (1 Chronicles 9:1), yet He never gave up on them. Instead, He sent - among other prophets - His "watchmen" Ezekiel to speak to the exiles through a series of visions (Ezekiel 1:1-3, 2:1-8, 3:17, 33:7).

The people had been overcome with grief (Jeremiah 8:18-21), for they had lost their homes and were now living in a foreign land as a result of their rebellious, hard hearts. God, however, revealed through Ezekiel that He had not forgotten them (Ezekiel 2:4-5). He remained faithful and reminded them that they would once again be restored (28:25, 39:25-29).

God speaks to us today in many ways : through the Bible (2 Timothy 3:16-17), His Holy Spirit (Romans 8:14; 2 Peter 1:20-21), other people, the natural world (Job 12:7-9; Psalms 50:6, 97:6) and dreams and visions (Job 33:15). God´s plans is to restore all creation to Himself through Jesus (Romans 8:20-24), and He continues reaching out to us today. Let´s remain still and listen for His active voice above the din of this world (Psalms 46:10). - Ruth O'Reilly-Smith

Read
Ezekiel 2:1-7
He said to me, "Son of man, stand up on your feet and I will speak to you." As he spoke, the Spirit came into me and raised me to my feet, and I heard him speaking to me.
He said: "Son of man, I am sending you to the Israelites, to a rebellious nation that has rebelled against me; they and their fathers have been in revolt against me to this very day. The people to whom I am sending you are obstinate and stubborn. Say to them, 'This is what the Sovereign Lord says.' And whether they listen or fail to listen - for they are a rebellious house - they will know that a prophet has been among them. And you, son of man, do not be afraid of them or their words. Do not be afraid, though briers and thorns are all around you and you live among scorpions. Do not be afraid of what they say or terrified by them, though they are a rebellious house. You must speak my words to them, whether they listen or fail to listen, for they are rebellious."

Job 33:13-18
Why do you complain to him that he answers none of man´s words?
For God does speak - now one way, now another - though man may not perceive it.
In a dream, in a vision of the night,
when deep sleep falls on men
as they slumber in their beds,
he may speak in their ears and terrify them with warnings,
to turn man from wrong doing and keep him from pride,
to preserve his soul from the pit, 
his life from perishing by the sword.

Question to Ponder
How might God be speaking to you today?
Be aware and strive to see or hear Him as He´s working in and through you.

**Article taken from ODJ (Our Daily Journey with God) Dec 2014 - Feb 2015 issue

Walking Close

Tuesday February 24, 2015

In 2014 a pod of pilot whales was found floundering in perilously shallow water off the shore of Florida, America. Forty or fifty short-finned whales remained close to a narrow shoreline - choosing not to swim out to the deeper waters, where they would be safe. Several of the blackfish were ill, which caused conservationists to worry. Pilot whales are intensely loyal creatures, and when one in their group is sick or in jeopardy, the rest of the pod simply will not leave. They form a circle and stay close together.

The Scriptures call God´s people to this kind of life, where we stick close to each other and find our life alongside others. We´re called to help meet one another´s needs, to tend to one another in our time of weakness and to protect one another during perilous stretches that we will inevitably endure. If any find themselves overwhelmed by temptation, we shouldn´t reject them, but "gently and humbly help them back onto the right path" (Galatians 6:1). If any find themselves in distress or grief, isolation or pain, we should "share [their] burdens" (v.2)

We may not know what to do or say. In fact, we may have no idea how to help. We can, however, simply walk close to our brothers and sisters. We can put our shoulder next to theirs and say, "I don´t know what to do. I have no answers here. But I can carry your burden alongside you."

I find it instructive - and hopeful - that Paul didn´t say we´re to fix one another´s burdens. We´re simply to bear them. Their burdens are also our burdens, and - in time - our burdens will also be their own. Let´s choose to walk next to our hurting brothers and sisters in Jesus today. - Winn Collier

Read
Galatians 6:1-3
Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted. Carry each other´s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself.

John 13:-34-35
A new command I give you : Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.

Question to Ponder
Are there any people you believe God would have you walk beside, bearing their burdens?
How can you begin to share your burdens more freely with others?

**Article taken from ODJ (Our Daily Journey with God) Dec 2014 - Feb 2015

Frozen

Monday February 23, 2015

Snuggled in blankets, we settled in for one of the worst ice storms our usually temperate climate had ever experienced. Roads had been closed, schools cancelled and citizens warned to stay safely inside their homes. With our power cut, we cooked pizza rolls in the fireplace, watched films with our reserve computer battery and slept under layers of blankets to keep warm. In the middle of the night, however, I awakened to loud intermittent cracking sounds. Layers of ice and snow had weighed the branches of the tall trees behind our house. Unable to bear the burden, they were taking turns crashing to the snowy ground below.

Declaring that He alone would be our ongoing source of life, Jesus gives us the picture of a vine and its fruit bearing branches (John 15:5-7). Just like the lifeless branches that littered our garden, we can´t expect to flourish if we separate ourselves from the truth of God´s Word (1 John 2:3-5).

Satan would love to see us weighed down with man-made rules, meaningless arguments and broken ideologies. Layer upon layer, each lifeless, frozen word settles upon the next, until our faith is weakened, hearts are deceive and minds darkened. Our focus bent in the wrong direction, we will then forget the freedom of God´s love as our hearts grow cold (Mark 8:15-17).

Yet, the love of God persists (Song of Solomon 8:6-7). Storms invariably will come, but we don´t have to be deceived. Paul´s encouragement is clear : "And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow him. Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him" (Colossians 2:6-7). Let´s keep our eyes on Christ (3:1-4). - Regina Franklin

Read
Colossians 2:1-7
I want you to know how much I am struggling for you and for those at Laodicea, and for all who have not met me personally. My purpose is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. I tell you this so that no one may deceive you by fine-sounding arguments. For though I am absent from you in body, I am present with you in spirit and delight to see how orderly you are and how firm your faith in Christ is.
So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.

Psalm 119:138-144
The statutes you have laid down are righteous;
they are fully trustworthy.
My zeal wears me out,
for my enemies ignore your words.
Your promises have been thoroughly tested,
and your servant loves them.
Though I am lowly and despised,
I do not forget your precepts.
Your righteousness is everlasting
and your law is true.
Trouble and distress have come upon me, 
but your commands are my delight. 
Your statutes are forever right;
give me understanding that I may live.

Question to Ponder
What are some lies you´ve heard that have tried to keep you from the love of Christ?
What does it mean to "let your roots grow down into [Jesus]"?

**Article taken from ODJ (Our Daily Journey with God) Dec 2014 - Feb 2015

Together

Sunday February 22, 2015

A strange phenomenon is occurring all around me as I write this article. Tucked into the warm splendour of my niece´s living room, I´m observing ants occasionally crawling and darting about on the walls. Why is this strange? Well, there´s nearly 2 feet of snow outside her home, and it was -28°C a few days ago. So I´ve been wondering, How are these tiny creatures surviving? It appears they´re doing so by sticking together, working together and dwelling in the warmth found inside the house.

Paul was probably well acquainted with ants as he sat in a prison cell and wrote his epistle to the church at Philippi. And much like my little friends on the walls around me, the apostle wanted his readers to "[stand] together with one spirit and one purpose, fighting together for the faith" (Philippians 1:27). Paul was behind prison bars and the believers who he was writing to were facing persecution, so they were truly in a "struggle together" (v.30).

But was Paul tossing in the towel? Had he given up the fight? No way. As he wrote his epistle of joy, Paul encouraged his friends to "live as citizens of heaven" and to share in the "privilege of trusting in Christ ... [and] of suffering for Him" (vv. 27, 29). Though they faced the bitter "elements" of outside forces that threatened to destroy them, Paul wrote of the warming hope that they would be "saved, even by God Himself" (v. 28).

It´s vital that you and I walk with other believers in Jesus through the difficulties and faith-challenging attacks of the world. Together we can experience encouragement, comfort, fellowship and compassion "in the Spirit" (2:1). Let´s stick together, work together and dwell in the warmth of God´s love. - Tom Felten

Read
Philippians 1:27-2:2
Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in one spirit, contending as one man for the faith of the gospel without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you. This is a sign to them that they will be destroyed, but that you will be saved - and that by God. For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for him, since you are going through the same struggle you saw I had, and now hear that I still have.
If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose.

Ephesians 4:1
As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.

1 Thessalonians 2:12
encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God, who calls you into his kingdom and glory.

Question to Ponder
What has been causing you to pull away from other believers in Jesus?
How can you encourage someone today to press on in the faith?

**Article taken from ODJ (Our Daily Journey with God) Dec 2014 - Feb 2015

Spiritual Heart Attack

Saturday February 21, 2015

Heart attacks are the No.1 cause of death in many parts of the world. In America a heart attack occurs every 20 seconds, with someone dying from heart disease every 34 seconds. In Singapore on in three deaths is due to heart disease or stroke. We need to pay careful attention to what medical professionals are saying about heart attack prevention : reduce stress, don´t smoke, exercise regularly and watch your diet. "Guard your heart above all else" is instruction that we ignore to our own peril (Proverbs 4:23).

But the "heart" in this verse is not the biological organ that pumps blood. In Scripture the "heart" is the place where our feelings, attitudes, words and actions are conceived (Luke 6:45). "As a face is reflected in water, so the heart reflects the real person" (Proverbs 27:19). It´s the "inner man" that defines who we are.

The heart is where Christ makes His home (John 14:23; Ephesians 3:16-17), and where God´s Spirit dwells (Romans 8:9-11; 1 Corinthians 3:16-17). The heart determines our receptivity and our responsiveness towards God (Deuteronomy 30:6; Ezekiel 11:19-20). It´s the centre of our worship (Jeremiah 32:39; Psalm 86:12). It defines, shapes and "determines the course of [our] life" (Proverbs 4:23). 

Police and soldiers on active duty wear bulletproof vests to protect their hearts from possible danger. Solomon offers a heart attack protection and prevention advisory : "Pay attention" and "listen carefully" to God´s Word. Let His words "penetrate deep into your heart, for they bring life... and healing to [your] whole body" (vv. 20-22).

The psalmist speaks of the importance of this truth : "I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you" (Psalm 119:11). The risk of a fatal spiritual heart attack intensifies when you neglect and ignore God´s Word. - K.T.Sim

Read
Proverbs 4:20-23
My son, pay attention to what I say;
listen closely to my words.
Do not let them out of your sight,
keep them within your heart;
for they are life to those who find them
and health to a man´s whole body.
Above all else, guard your heart,
for it is the wellspring of life.

Deuteronomy 32:46-47
He said to them, "Take to heart all the words I have solemnly declared to you this day, so that you may command your children to obey carefully all the words of this law. They are not just idle words for you - they are your life. By them you will live long in the land you are crossing the Jordan to possess."

Joshua 1:7-8
Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.

Psalm 119:9-12
How can a young man keep his way pure?
By living according to your word. 
I seek you with all my heart;
do not let me stray from your commands.
I have hidden your word in my heart
that I might not sin against you.
Praise be to you, O Lord;
teach me your decrees.

Psalm 119: 97-105
Oh, how I love your law!
I meditate on it all day long.
Your commands make me wiser than my enemies,
for they are ever with me.
I have more insight than all my teachers,
for I meditate on your statutes.
I have more understanding than the elders,
 for I obey your precepts.
I have kept my feet from every evil path
so that I might obey your word.
I have not departed from your laws,
for you yourself have taught me.
How sweet are your words to my taste,
sweeter than honey to my mouth!
I gain understanding from your precepts;
therefore I hate every wrong path.
Your word is a lamp to my feet
and a light for my path.

Proverbs 3:1-2
My son, do not forget my teaching,
but keep my commands in your heart,
for they will prolong your life many years and 
bring you prosperity.

Question to Ponder
What things are threatening your heart at this moment?
What will you do to guard it?


**Article taken from ODJ (Our Daily Journey with God) Dec 2014 - Feb 2015 issue

Some tits and tats about the Chinese "culture" or "tradition".....

So.... apparently, everything that I "hear" of, that was said practised for many generations, is not necessarily originating from my ancestors in China. Dug up this article, during this remarkable festive season (yea, I am missing home alot - although it´s already 4 years that I haven´t gone home, but every year, Chinese New Year is the hardest to pass by), and I thought.... as a reading leisure or something to "update" your knowledge about the Chinese New Year festives.

Happy reading

Original Article  : Yee Sang? The Chinese in China haven´t heard of it (Clickable Link)

Yee Sang? The Chinese in China haven’t heard of it

February 20, 2015

Bernama's correspondent Niam Seet Wei jots in her diary from Beijing the differences in the Chinese New Year celebrations in China and Malaysia.

BEIJING: The much anticipated Lunar New Year is just two days away and food plays an integral part in this traditional festival for the Chinese around the world.

For the Chinese in Malaysia Yu Sang or Yee Sang, the Teochew-style raw fish salad originating from South China, is one of the common yet popular dishes served during the Chinese New Year (CNY).

The dish, made up of shredded colourful vegetables and raw fish is usually served as an appetiser before lunch or dinner and everyone will say loudly their auspicious wishes while tossing the yee sang so that their wishes would be heard and fulfilled.

Surprisingly, this signature CNY dish is only well-known in Malaysia and Singapore.

Northern China-coin wrapped inside dumplings

Le Gao, a 26-year from the northern Chinese city of Dalian had no idea about Yee Sang when I asked her.

“Tossing Yee Sang sounds interesting, but I have never heard about that,” she told Bernama.

Instead, Le said in Dalian the must-have dishes during Chinese New Year, particularly on the eve of the new year was dumplings, sticky rice dumplings, lettuce, dates, sticky rice cake and fish.

“We will randomly put a clean coin, usually a gold fifty-cent into some dumplings (jiaozi in Chinese),” she said, adding that whoever gets the dumplings with the coins symbolising good luck will enjoy a good year.

Besides dumplings, Le said the food served on the eve of CNY was symbolic.

For instance, the sticky rice cake symbolises growing taller or growing wealthier each year, fish means having more than enough money, lettuce symbolises rising fortune, while sticky rice dumplings mean earning big money every year.

Le’s family members would gather at home and eat dumplings from lunch until midnight while playing cards and watching television programmes together.

In central China, sweeping the floor is allowed

In Malaysia, one of the CNY taboos is sweeping the floor on the first day of the new year as the Chinese fear that good fortune will be swept away. However, this belief does not apply to people in central China’s Hubei Province.

“Of course we sweep the floor on the first day of the Chinese New Year, come on, it is a holiday, dozens of people are coming around and the floor gets dirty easily,” said 32 year-old Yang Jing.

Up to 50 paternal relatives visit Yang’s house during CNY.

“On the eve of CNY, we usually eat fish, spring rolls and lotus, of course wine will be served as well,” he said adding that in recent years the family had opted for Western-style wines instead of traditional wines.

“Nowadays, everything goes Western-style, we don’t even have reunion dinner or lunch at home, instead we dine in restaurants from eve until the third or fourth day of the Chinese New Year,” he added.

However, traditional practices such as setting off fireworks or firecrackers, decorating houses with red lanterns and red couplets, playing mahjong, as well as visiting temples were still being practiced among the people in Hubei.

Unmarried adults have to give Ang Pows

Receiving Ang Pows, or money in red packets is regarded one of the best things that anyone can anticipate during CNY. As for Chinese children it is like longing for their Christmas gifts.

For the Chinese in Malaysia, Ang Pows are usually given by married couples to unmarried friends and families as a symbol of good blessings while parents will give Ang Pows to their unmarried children.

However, this is not the case in Beijing, the capital city of China. Here adults who start working, regardless of whether they are married or not, have to give out Ang Pows to the younger generation without income in the family.

“Our parents will not give us Ang Pows after we start working, instead, we have to give them as a symbolic gesture of love and blessings,” said Zhang Zhe.

Zhang said like the Chinese from other provinces, Beijingers would eat auspicious food such as dumplings, sticky rice cake and fish during CNY.

“Usually, the locals will be visiting temple fairs during CNY,” Zhang added.

Temple fairs are one of the popular annual activities in China during the Chinese New Year. Dozens of temple fairs are held during the festival where hundreds of booths selling a wide range of snacks, food, handicrafts and antiques can be found.

– BERNAMA

Unchanging

Friday February 20, 2015

How badly would someone have to betray oyu before you turned your back on that person forever? What if he told you that he loved you, would even die for you, but shortly thereafter adamantly denied that he even knew you? I´m guessing you´d turn your back on that person, or at least give him the cold shoulder for a few months.

Such is the situation in John 21. Peter had failed Jesus by denying him three times, even calling down curses upon himself in the process. Later, Peter went right back to what he had been doing before he met Jesus - fishing (v.3). This is a good example of how we inevitably revert to the pursuits and interests we held before we met Jesus when we begin to feel distant from Him.

But who did Peter jump in the water to see on the shore? Jesus! (v.7). Despite His disciple´s earlier denial, Jesus had not abandoned him. In fact, He basically re-enacted what occurred at the start of their relationship, the time when He had revealed His divine power and called Peter to the life of a disciple (Luke 5:1-11).

These accounts are a wonderful reminder of one aspect of God that I´m so prone to forget - His unchanging nature. I often think that when I fail, God turns away from me - angered and ashamed by my actions. I imagine that He loves me a little bit less as a result of my behaviour.

But Hebrews 13:8 says, "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever." And in James 1:17 we read that God doesn´t change like "a shifting shadow." Our failures, as dark as they might be, aren´t bad enough for God to deny us or give up on us. He stands by the shore of our lives, calling us to repentance and renewed fellowship. His ways are unchanging! - Peter Chin

Read
John 21:1-14
Afterwards Jesus appeared again to his disciples, by the Sea of Tiberias. It happened this way : Simon Peter, Thomas (called Didymus), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples were together. "I´m going out to fish," Simon Peter told them, and they said, "We´ll go with you." So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.
Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus.
he called out to them, "Friends, haven´t you any fish?"
"No," they answered.
He said, "Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some." When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish.
Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, "It is the Lord!" As soon as Simon Peter heard him say, "It is the Lord," he wrapped his outer garment around him (for he had taken it off) and jumped into the water. The other disciples followed in the boat, towing the net full of fish, for they were not far from shore, about a hundred yards. When they landed, they saw a fire of burning coals there with fish on it, and some bread.
Jesus said to them, "Bring some of the fish you have just caught."
Simon Peter climbed abroad and dragged the net ashore. It was full of large fish, 153, but even with so many the net was not torn. Jesus said to them, "Come and have breakfast." None of the disciples dared ask him, "Who are you?" They knew it was the Lord. Jesus came, took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish. This was now the third time Jesus appeared to his disciples after he was raised from the dead.

Luke 15:11-32
Jesus continued : "There was a man who had two sons. The younger one said to his father, 'Father, give me my share of the estate.' So he divided his property between them.
Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.
When he came to his senses, he said, 'How many of my father´s hired men have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired men.' So he got up and went to his father.
But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.
The son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you- I am no longer worthy to be called your son.'
But the father said to his servants, 'Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his fingers and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let´s have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.' So they began to celebrate.
Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. 'Your brother has come,' he replied, 'and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.'
The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. But he answered his father, 'Look! All these years I´ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!'
'My son,' the father said, 'You are always with me, and everything I have is yours. But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is live again; he was lost and is found.' "

Question to Ponder
After making a mistake or experiencing a failure of some kind, do you ever feel that God loves you less?
What does it mean for you to know that God is unchanging?

** Article taken from ODJ (Our Daily Journey with God) Dec 2014 - Feb 2015 issue

Glow Worms

Thursday February 19, 2015

In response to a critic, former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill once replied, "We are all worms, but I do believe that I am a glow worm."

Today at a children´s football game I saw a very different, yet increasingly common, response to criticism. Rather than using humour or graciousness to diffuse a situation, a group of parents nearly stormed the field when a referee penalised a player on their team. When the player rudely talked back to the referee, the parents shouted, "Way to go! You were right, and you need to let that ref know it!" The more rudely the boy behaved, the louder the parents cheered and demonstrated complete ignorance and disregard of God´s basic command : "For the Lord´s sake, submit to all human authority" (1 Peter 2:13).

Though I haven´t (and hopefully never will!) speak disrespectfully to a referee, what I saw this morning caused me to reflect on ways that I - and other people - can be pursuing mature ways to react to misunderstandings.

Relying on the strength and grace Jesus has provided, let´s make it our goal to follow these biblical principles as we interact with others in person or via social media : 

- Pursue holiness. This means using our bodies, especially our mouths that can form helpful or hurtful words, as "living and holy [sacrifices]" (Romans 12:1).
- Be humble and honest. "Don´t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us" (v.3)
- Be considerate of other believers. For "we all belong to each other" (v.5). Misunderstandings happen. But may our words and responses glow with the grace God has shown to us! - Roxanne Robbins

Read
Romans 12:1-5
Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God´s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God - this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God´s will is - his good, pleasing and perfect will.
For by grace given me I say to everyone of you : DO not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgement, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you. Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.

Proverbs 19:11
A man´s wisdom gives him patience; 
it is to his glory to overlook an offense.

Question to Ponder
Why is it vital to show respect to others as we interact with them, even when they´re not showing it to us?
How can you be more considerate in the way you communicate today?

**Article taken from ODJ (Our Daily Journey with God) Dec 2014 - Feb 2015 issue

Dark Secrets

Wednesday February 18, 2015

Do you have a dark secret that you´ve kept from others? Maybe you did something you think is so bad that if people found out about it they would have nothing to do with you. Perhaps you´re hooked on watching porn or you struggle with substance abuse. Maybe you´re carrying deep hatred for someone who hurt you.

Some people think that it´s best to keep such skeletons tucked away in a closet. But as one man learned, keeping dark secrets can be its own punishment.

In 2 Samuel 11 we see the story of how David Israel´s second king, chose to have sex with another man´s wife and got her pregnant. When he was unable to cover it up, he arranged for the woman´s husband to be placed on the front lines where he died in battle. Shortly thereafter he married the grieving widow (2 Samuel 11:1-27).

For over a year, David hid his secret. He didn´t tell a single soul, refusing even to discuss it with God. But keeping it hush-hush tore him up inside. In Psalm 32, David wrote about this time in his life, "When I refused to confess my sin, my body wasted away, and I groaned all day long" (v.3). The torture of hiding his secret ended when he broke down and confessed what he had done.

"Finally, I confessed all my sins to you and stoppe trying to hide my guilt. And you forgave me! All my guilt is gone" (v.5; see also 2 Samuel 12:1-13).

Are you hiding a secret that´s making you sick inside? Confess it to the Lord and consider sharing it with someone safe who won´t be put off, won´t put you down, nor pull away from you. You´ll discover one of the "best kept secrets" of life - the power of vulnerably confessing our faults to each other (James 5:16). - Jeff Olson

Read
Psalm 32:1-11
Blessed is he
whose transgressions are forgiven,
whose sins are covered.
Blessed is the man
whose sin the Lord does not count against him
and in whose spirit is no deceit.

When I kept silent, 
my bones wasted away
through my groaning all day long.
For day and night
your hand was heavy upon me;
my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer.
Then I acknowledged my sin to you
and did not cover up my iniquity.
I said, "I will confess
my transgressions to the Lord"
and you forgave the guilt of my sin.
Therefore let everyone who is godly pray to you
while you may be found;
surely when the mighty waters rise,
they will not reach him.
You are my hiding place;
you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance.

I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;
I will counsel you and watch over you.
Do not be like the horse or the mule,
which have no understanding
but must be controlled by bit and bridle
or they will not come to you.
Many are the woes of the wicked,
but the Lord´s unfailing love
surrounds the man who trusts in him

Rejoice in the Lord and be glad, you righteous;
sing, all you who are upright in heart!

Psalm 51:1-12
Have mercy on me, O God,
according to your unfailing love;
according to your great compassion
blot out my transgressions.
Wash away all my iniquity
and cleanse me from my sin.

For I know my transgressions,
and my sin is always before me.
Against you, you only, have I sinned
and done what is evil in your sight,
so that you are proved right when you speak
and justified when you judge.
Surely I was sinful at birth,
sinful from the time my mother conceived me.
Surely you desire truth in the inner parts;
you teach me wisdom in the inmost place.

Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean;
wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
Let me hear joy and gladness;
let the bones you have crushed rejoice.
Hide your face from my sins 
and blot out all my iniquity.

Create in me a pure heart, O God,
and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Do not cast me from your presence
or take your Holy Spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of your salvation
and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.

Question to Ponder
What´s keeping you from confessing your dark secret sins to God?
How does unconfessed sin affect you and those you love?`

**Article taken from ODJ (Our Daily Journey with God) Dec 2014 - Feb 2015 issue

We should all lend a hand to stop human trafficking, sex trafficking, child prostitution and violence. Instead of saying, it´s not involving me, so not my problem.

Original Article : What it´s like to be a mum and wife at 13 : The vicious cycle of Child Marriage  (Clickable Link)

What it’s like to be a mum and wife at 13: The vicious cycle of child marriage

• 17 HOURS AGO FEBRUARY 17, 2015 10:19AM

Young mothers often struggle with labour and breastfeeding. Source: Supplied

They are only girls, but they already have children of their own.

Many of the babies are born with complications, far from the nearest hospital, and the mortality rate for mother and infant is sky-high.

Nor does the future look rosy. The daughters of these child brides are born into a cycle of systemic abuse, violence and poverty.

“I thought I’d have a better life, but at the end, it didn’t turn out that way,” says Aracely, who was married to a 34-year-old when she was 11. When she was four months’ pregnant, her husband left, declaring the child wasn’t his. Now 15, she is raising her son on her own.

Sonhita, 13, married her cousin in Bangladesh when she was 10. Source: Supplied

“During the time I was pregnant, he didn’t give me any money,” she says. “He hasn’t even come to see the boy now that he’s a year old.”

Aracely is one of the girls who feature in photojournalist Stephanie Sinclair’s Too Young To Wed project on Guatemala, where it’s legal for a girl to marry as young as 14 — though many are married far younger than that.

The UNFPA says one in nine girls in developing nations will marry before 15, with 50 million likely to marry before their 15th birthday in this decade. They are usually poor, less educated and living in rural areas — and their early marriages make life even worse.

The girls struggle with motherhood because they are far from physically and psychologically ready, say health workers. Their undeveloped bodies make labour and breastfeeding dangerous and difficult.

“Motherhood is hard,” 14-year-old Saida told Ms Sinclair. “When they get sick, you don’t know why. I don’t have experience and don’t know what to do with him.”

Early motherhood means these girls have no chance of a decent education. Source: Supplied

The young mums face an increased risk of STIs, physical and sexual violence and a premature end to their education.

Human rights organisations believe changing the norms that legitimise child marriage should be a priority.

“These [social norms] can and do start to change, once parents and communities understand the harm that child marriage does and once they are able to identify alternatives,” reads the UNFPA report.

Equality Now’s 2014 report, Protecting the Girl Child, calls on governments to end child and forced marriages and related human rights violations. “Child marriage does not take place within a vacuum,” says director Jacqui Hunt. “It is part of a continuum of abuse experienced by a girl and is often linked with female genital mutilation, sex trafficking or force-feeding before marriage, rape, domestic violence and the removal of future opportunities.

“When a child bride gives birth, the vicious cycle of poverty, poor health, curtailed education, violence, instability, disregard for rule of law and legal and other discrimination often continues into the next generation, especially for any daughters she may have.

Child marriage can come hand-in-hand with other abuses. Picture: Equality Now Source: Supplied

“Sadly, child marriage directly affects approximately 14 million girls a year, and in the process legitimises human rights violations and the abuse of girls under the guise of culture, honour, tradition, and religion. It is part of a sequence of discrimination that begins at a girl’s birth and continues throughout her entire life.”

This weekend, the group launched a global report on sex discriminatory laws around the world, using the hashtag #unsexylaws.

It shows in shocking clarity that these discriminatory laws are not simply relics of the past. Just last year, Kenya adopted a marriage act that permits polygamy without consent of the first wife, while Iran’s 2013 penal code maintains that a woman’s testimony is worth less than a man’s.

An Indian Act from 2013 states: “Sexual intercourse or sexual acts by a man with his own wife, the wife not being under fifteen years of age, is not rape”.

In the Bahamas, an act from 1991 defines rape as the act of someone over 14 “having (non-consensual) sexual intercourse with another person who is not his spouse”, thereby permitting marital rape.

In Nigeria, violence “by a husband for the purpose of correcting his wife” is considered lawful, while in Guinea, a wife can have a separate profession from her husband “unless he objects”.

In Yemen’s 1992 act, article 40 suggests that a wife “must permit [her husband] to have legitimate intercourse with her when she is fit to do so.”

The practice means a vicious cycle of poverty and discrimination. Picture: Equality Now Source: Supplied

In the Democratic Republic of Congo: “The wife is obliged to live with her husband and follow him wherever he sees fit to reside.” In Malta, if a kidnapper “after abducting a person, shall marry such person, he shall not be liable to prosecution”.

Ms Hunt adds: “As long as a girl or woman is not equal in the text of a country’s law and its legal system, she cannot fully participate in, or be valued equally in society. Legally, she is of lesser importance.

Eliminating child marriage

“Twenty years after 189 governments pledged to ‘revoke any remaining laws that discriminate on the basis of sex’ as part of the Beijing Platform for Action, only just over half of the laws highlighted in our reports on the subject have been revised, appealed or amended — a great achievement, but one which falls very short of what was envisaged.”

While many poor families hope marrying off their children will help them survive, that’s usually not the case.

Several of the girls Ms Sinclair interviewed were abandoned by their husbands while pregnant, leaving the family with an extra mouth to feed. Others admitted they and their families had found the experience distressing.

“They said I was really little and it’s a lot of responsibility to take care of someone,” said Sulmi, 14. “I was a little sad to be married so young.”

Zali Idy was married at 12 to a 23-year-old in Nigeria. Source: AAP