Be a role model

Titus 2:7-8

In all things showing yourself to be a pattern of good works; in doctrine showing integrity, reverence, incorruptibility, sound speech that cannot be condemned, that one who is an opponent may be ashamed, having nothing evil to say to you.

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Indeed, we should practice to have a role model in our daily lives. As christian in marketplace and school, it is our mandate to be the salt and the light of the world. To be the salt of the world, we should influence others in a godly way, restore things back to the original purpose according to God's principle. Being a salt, Jesus had specially said the risk or the consequence of not being a good salt in the world, we would be threw down and trampled by others. As a result, to be a starting point to influence others, it is important to live our lives as a role model.

Here are some ways we can do so (Titus 2:7-8):
1) Showing integrity
In our works, we should show integrity. Honesty is not the best policy, it is THE policy. In Matthew 5:37, "But let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ For whatever is more than these is from the evil one." No matter if you are an engineer or other professions, or just being a normal worker, integrity is of utmost paramount.

2) Showing reverence
In greek, the word 'reverence' is σεμνότης(Semnotes) which means seriousness. Take everything serious and be as detail as possible. Do not lightly see a problem or an issue because that might influence someone's life or it might make large contributions on your works. In all projects and assignments in schools, work hard with all you can and in group projects, be a good member or a good group leader, make healthy contributions to the group. Be aware to the fine details.

3) Showing incorruptible and sound speech
In other words, speak wisely, when you speak, speak with edification. Speak in a way that build up other's lives. The life and death is in the power of tongues, you can change someone's life by saying things to them.


By doing this, bible says, our opponents, will be ashamed. I believe this is the time where your influence come in, their heart will open up to you and you can work as the salt and the light of the world.

Be a role model!

Fight a Good Fight!

1 Timothy 6:11-12

But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness. Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.

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Faith is a fight! It is not thing which you will get directly from God or straight away after you have believed. In fact the journey of faith begins since the point of our salvation, it is just a beginning.

Over here Paul actually taught Timothy to fight the good fight of faith, means we should fight for it, we may have struggles, we may have moments of faithlessness, we have moments of difficulties and disbeliefs. Despite all these things, we must fight the good fight of faith, so that our enemies (Satan) will not have victory over us because God is already in victory!

There are a few aspects that you need to fight for (verse 11):
1) Righteousness
2) Godliness
3) Faith
4) Love
5) Patience
6) Gentleness
7) Self-control, etc

It is an irony but a truth that your faith can only be seen when you go through faithless moments. Your strength can only be seen when you are weak. Same applies for those things which we should fight for.

You can only be more righteous after you went through moments when you can choose not to be righteous;
You can only be more godly after you went through moments when you can choose not to be godly;
You can only be more faithful after you went through moments when you can choose not to be faithful;
You can only be more loving after you went through moments when you can choose not to be love;
You can only be more patient after you went through moments when you can choose to be impatient;
You can only be more gentle after you went through moments when you can choose to be not gentle;

Let's fight for them, and after those crisis and critical moments, I believe we will all get stronger and stronger and continue to serve in the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen!

Prioritize your Life

1 Timothy 3:5

For if a man does not know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the church of God?

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There are many talks, seminars, etc which talks about how to manage your time and how to make a good priority. There are many ways or so-called models to prioritize your personal life.
For a worker, the first priority might be his work, so he might spend relatively more time in the workplace than in the family;
For a student, the first priority normally would be his study, so he might spend relatively more time in the library or in study room to study rather than going out to play or spending time with family too.
Of course, it can be easily known that this is not a good way to prioritize one's life.

I have known many Christians who suffers from the struggle between their works, ministries, studies over the relationship with God. Many of them say they have 'no time' for God, I am too tired after work, I am too busy and it is just not possible to read the bible or more importantly, to pray.

God has actually provided us a clear priority for our live, let us look to nowhere else but to the bible.

1) In the Ten Commandments, Exodus 20:2, God said,"You shall have no other gods before Me." Here, God does not only refer to physical idols, but also other things which occupy your life so much at which it has become your 'god'. We shall NOT put them in front of God!

2) Paul said, in 1 Timothy 3:5, that a man should not put the church of God (Ministry) or work in front of family. Ministry of God is NOT the same with God, in ministry, you are serving God and people with your works, you cannot build personal relationship with him this way. Same with our works, studies, we cannot build relationship with our families even if we say, "I am working because I want to serve my family, I want to provide money to them" or "I am studying now so that I could get a good job and help my family in finances in the future". You should put your family the 2nd after God.

To further emphasize on family in eyes of God. In Ten Commandments, the first 4 are about God, the 5th one is about honoring your father and mother. Hence, we should put our family after God before our minitries, works come in!


In summary, the priority God wants us to have is:
1) God
2) Family
3) Ministry
4) Work
5) etc..

With this, I am sure God will bless and empower us in every ways of our lives. I am a good testimony in study and in family relationship and I followed this priority in my life.

For if you seek the kingdom of God first, all things will be added unto us.
For if you honor your father and mother, you will live long and prosperous on earth.

Let's prioritize ourselves again!

How to deal with disagreement?

2 Thess 3:13-15

But as for you, brethren, do not grow weary in doing good. And if anyone does not obey our word in this epistle, note that person and do not keep company with him, that he may be ashamed. Yet do not count him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.

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There are many times, no matter where we are - company, project groups, church. There will always be some disagreement among the people. An existence of disagreement will produce not good result but opposite to the group, affecting the performance and make the group weak.

How do we deal with this?
3 ways to resolve disagreement:
1) Do not be weary (v13)
You might face brothers or sisters who might not share the same opinion, same faith or same idea with you. God teaches us not to be weary because God is with us, when we do things we are not doing out of our own ability but according to His Spirit. He will bring us through this, try to let the person understand what you are doing and the purpose so that agreement might come.

2) Do not Company with Him (v14)
If things don't work out, it is good to leave the brother or sister alone, by not keeping him/her in the company so that he/she may feel ashamed. Normally when a person is left alone, he will start to evaluate himself on whether he is right or wrong.

3) Do not add an enemy, add a friend (v15)
Despite leaving him alone, yet do not count him as enemy. Not companying with him doesn't mean boycotting him, it is just simply leaving the person for a while to let him think about it, then come and admonish him as a brother. This is what we call brotherly love.

I believe if you follow the guideline, you will not add yourself enemy, you might find yourself a good lifelong friend. As this is what friends are for.

Remember, the place of agreement is the place of power.

Sons of Light and Sons of Day

1 Thessalonians 5:5
You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness.

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We have always known that we are the children of light when we believe in God. Today when I did my devotion and with help of Holy Spirit and sermon by David Oh from CHC KL on 'What On Earth is God Doing'. I was touched by this particular verse.

Many of us when we read about 1 Thessalonians 5, we will always see a familiar passage about the coming back of Chirst like a thief, which I always thought so too, until I know that we are the children of light.

Jesus said "I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness." (John 12:46)

So as long as we believe in God, we are the children of light and we will not stay in the darkness. Right, with this, let us look at the following familiar verse.

1 Thess 5:2-11
2 For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. 3 For when they say, “Peace and safety!” then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape. 4 But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief. 5 You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness. 6 Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober. 7 For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk are drunk at night. 8 But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation. 9 For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, 10 who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him.
11 Therefore comfort each other and edify one another, just as you also are doing.

From here, we could see that, the Lord come as a thief for those who are in the darkness! But for us, who are in light, we will be aware and we will be prepared for his coming. Let us all stay awake and do the works of God in the end-time era. If God put us in this generation, there must be a purpose for that.

Let us do the will of God and be the salt and the light of the world!

Redeeming the Time

Colossians 4:5

Walk in wisdom towards those who are outside, redeeming the time.

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I have encountered similar verse 2 books before in the book of Ephesians. Paul said the similar advise to two different places.

Ephesians 5:16

Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

What did Paul really mean by redeeming the time? So I checked back to the lexicon of these two verse and I found something interesting.

In Hebrew, there are two types of 'time':
1) Kronos - which became 'chrono-' in English, means the normal time, of uncertain derivation; a space of time
2) Kairos - a special appointed moment, an opportunity

In both of these verses, the time here refer to "Kairos" time, which means, redeeming the opportunity.
Paul here told us the reason and the way to seize an opportunity:

1) The days are evil (Eph 5:16)
The devil will always seek to destroy believer from redeeming those kairos moments to hinder the work of God. As a result, we must know how to identify the kairos moment and do not afford to miss it.

2) Walk in wisdom towards those who are outside (Col 4:5)
God doesn't only give the problem and reason, He also provide us a solution. Thank God! To redeem the kairos moment, we have to walk in wisdom towards others. The word we say should be seasoned with salt, should speak with grace and not hurting others. Reply others just like how Jesus did and live your life as testimony and with wisdom.

How do we gain the heart of wisdom?

Psalms 90:12

So teach us to number our days, That we may gain a heart of wisdom.

Dwell in the Word

Colossians 3:16

Let the word of Christ (logos) dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

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Word of God is very important in our lives, it is the only weapon that God gave us with attacking power while all the others are of defensive power (Eph 6:14-17, Sword of Spirit, which is the Word of God). Hence, if we dwell in the Word, we could equip ourselves with full armor of God, with both defensive and offensive power to fight against the devil.

Using all wisdom, not only let the world dwelling in us, but RICHLY. Here Paul told the Colossians some methods to let Word of God dwell richly in us:

1) Psalms and Hymns
When you praise and worship God, it will open up your heart to accept the presence of God. You will be open to the communication with God and starts to learn His Word, not only the logos, but the rhema word. Very often I always encounter people saying that God has healed them when praise song was sung, worship song was played. Truly the power and the word of God do play a part.

2) Spiritual Songs
When you open up and sing spiritual songs, speaking in tongues. The word of God will come upon your heart and true enough that I have also heard people said they saw vision of God and heard the Word of God during Spiritual worship.

3) Grace (Thanksgiving)
Only with heart of thanksgiving the power of God can open up without hindrance. It is beginning of the imparting of the Word of God.

4) Teaching and Admonishing one another
When you teach other, you will be taught back and this process happens to and fro. By this you could learn more about the Word of God.

Just as Paul said, by all wisdom, keep the word of God richly in our heart.

Be Rooted

Colossians 2:6-7

As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving.

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Acceptance of Jesus Christ as personal saviour is always a wonderful thing I have ever seen in my life. When people starts to accept Jesus, I see their lives started to change, stronger and stronger, brighter and brighter in attitude. However, there are times too I saw many friends back-slidden, lose their faith in God and busy with their personal affairs.

One of the reason which gives these kind of action would be the lack of rooting and building up of personal life in Jesus Christ. Be rooted is a very powerful and yet difficult action. You can only suck up the nutrients if you are rooted on the ground. You can only get the revelation from the vine tree only if the branch is attached to it. Growth can only happen when you get rooted. Therefore, it is vital for one to be rooted and be built up in Chirst. In order to be rooted, one needs:

1) Faith
To have faith in God, trust that He will lead us to place from better to best. Trust that He will lead us into our own destiny. Trust that He is faithful, always be with us, the conqueror and the counselor. With this faith, we could be secure that even if situations around us looks bad and unfair, like Paul, you will still be confident and continue believing in Him.

2) Perseverance
Especially in times of crisis, perseverance is the one who keeps us praying, keep us praising Him, keep us strong and courageous.

3) Heart of Thanksgiving
With thanksgiving, the power of God will be unleashed in us and the true growth will come forth. The process of growth is difficult and hard, but it is always wonderful after the process. With the offer of thanksgiving, God can perform his might works on our lives and he will make the poor be rich, weak be strong.
Indeed, let the poor say 'I am rich', and let the weak say 'I am strong'.

Many Christians would think that after accepting Jesus Christ, it is the end of the journey. Instead, it is just the beginning of the journey.

Be rooted in Christ.

Positive Thinking

Proverbs 23:7 "For as he thinks in his heart, so is he...."

In life, we are often surrounded by negative news, negative things, negative friends, and sometimes you might be in a negative family. This will indirectly influence our character, just as the bible says, "For as he THINKS in his heart, so is he..".

As medical reports suggests, your psychological thinking will indirectly influence your health too. There is a case where medical reports of two different patients were swapped accidentally, one of the patient is confirmed diagnosed as terminally ill patient while the other does not. In the end, as the healthy patient got to know that he is diagnosed to be terminally ill, his heart kept on thinking that he will die and be very negative, truly, not so long after that, the patient passed away; On the other hand, the true terminally ill patient did not know he has cancer so he is very happy and eventually he live a healthy life onwards.
What you think could influence you yourself!

In other words, the opposite is also true, POSITIVE thinking will make us to be a POSITIVE person! It is what Jesus' character is too.

Application:

1) "What should I do if I could not cope with my studies?"
--> "I must be able to get through this, God will give me wisdom and understanding to study about this!"

2) "Oh, no I will not be able to do this properly since this is my first time"
--> " I will try my best to do this although this is my first time!"

3) "Oh, today is raining, I think I will not come to church."
--> " Oh, today is raining, it is not too hot. I should go to church."

4) ... so on.

Praise

Psalms 146:1-2
"Praise the Lord, O my soul! While I live I will praise the Lord; I will sing praises to my God while I have my being"

1) “Praise the Lord, O my soul!
Praise comes deep from our soul, from your soul it will surely be reflected in the outside, that you dance and sing and shout to Him. Praise is a sacrifice and it does depend on circumstances. In fact, the praise which you give to the Lord even when you are in difficult situations is the most precious to God. That is why praise is a sacrifice.

2) Praise is a life-long thing
Praise is not once-a-week thing, it is not true that you can only praise God during Sunday worship. Everyday we shall give praise and worship to the lord, in our devotion, in our daily lives, as long as we have breath of life in us!

3) Praise brings us closer into the presence of God

Psalms 100:4
"Enter into His GATES with THANKSGIVING, And into His COURTS with PRAISE. Be thankful to him, and bless His name."

When we give thanks, we enter into the Gate of God's house (presence), when we praise, we enter into his COURTS, which is even closer to God. From this verse we can see that thanksgiving and praise follows one after another. (Outside-->Gate-->Courts-->Holy of Holies)

Do you want to be in the presence of God? Do you want your praise to be precious to God? Let's praise God everyday!

Verse O' Thought

Mark 7:24-29
The Faith of a Gentile Woman

24 Then Jesus left Galilee and went north to the region of Tyre.[i] He didn’t want anyone to know which house he was staying in, but he couldn’t keep it a secret. 25 Right away a woman who had heard about him came and fell at his feet. Her little girl was possessed by an evil[j] spirit, 26 and she begged him to cast out the demon from her daughter.

Since she was a Gentile, born in Syrian Phoenicia, 27 Jesus told her, “First I should feed the children—my own family, the Jews. It isn’t right to take food from the children and throw it to the dogs.”

28 She replied, “That’s true, Lord, but even the dogs under the table are allowed to eat the scraps from the children’s plates.”

29 “Good answer!” he said. “Now go home, for the demon has left your daughter.” 30 And when she arrived home, she found her little girl lying quietly in bed, and the demon was gone.

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I've come into this verse today and I think this verse is worth meditating, I dont understand what the blue and red words mean but I know that it reveals the faith of the woman.

Meditating.....

24 July 2007 – Bless for Good

1 Peter 3:9

Don’t repay evil for evil. Don’t retaliate with insults when people insult you. Instead, pay them back with a blessing. That is what God has called you to do, and he will bless you for it.

Since we are young, we often heard the seniors said that we should pay the people back for what they deserve. Retaliation often seems common to the people around us.

We shouldn’t be this way, we should have pay them back with blessings, because doing such is just like placing a burning coal on the head of that person! They will feel the burden, they will feel embarrassed for doing such, rather than feeling angry and furious about your revenge.

God also promised us that for the people who pay others back for blessings, he will bless us for it. Isn’t it wonderful? Sometimes we should practice our endurance and patience, for the people who successfully conquer their hearts then they could conquer the cities.

It is true, isn’t it?

Franco

23 July 2007 - Living Testimonial

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1 Peter 2:12
Be careful to live properly among your unbelieving neighbors. Then even if they accuse you of doing wrong, they will see your honorable behavior, and they will give honor to God when he judges the world.

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Many times we heard that we Christians have to share their own testimonial about knowing Christ, and the Great Commission that Jesus gave us is to evangelize the whole world with the Word of God and baptize them in Holy Trinity. By doing this, the commencing step is that we should realize that we should have a good testimonial to others.

Now, what is meant by testimonial? It is a kind of living and experience that one occupies exclusively, most of the time we share our testimonial to someone, did you find that it is rather hard for them to believe? They still didn't have the faith that is without sight, so, 'seeing is believing' is correct for them. God knows this, so he gave us a great instruction.

We should show a good testimonial in front of people. The testimonial is living and it should be transmitted more effective by means of action instead of verbally. It is true, so when we are living with our unbeliever friends, we should have a good example to them, for they will be more convinced when they see the change in your very own body rather than hearing you talking about it again and again.

It is true, undeniable, should be accepted. As a result, a final question is being presented on you: "Do you have a good testimonial in front of people?" Or "What is your testimonial in Christ that you can share with others and let others see?"

Franco

Faith without Sight

22 July 2007 – Faith without Sight

1 Peter 8

You love him even though you have never seen him. Though you do not see him now, you trust him; and you rejoice with a glorious, inexpressible joy.

Faith, once revisited, has a great impact in our lives. Everyone here includes you and I have faith everyday we live. The wonderful thing about faith is that faith trusts something without seeing it. We often heard that the phrase ‘Seeing is believing’, which isn’t true for all cases, think about it. If you believe after you see it, can it be said as believing? Instead, it is knowing, not believing.

Faith is something that you believe its outcome will be before it is happening, and then you wait for its outcome. Faith is the faith without sight, it does not involve seeing. It is the same when applying to our faith in Christ, have you seen Christ being crucified on the spot? I bet no one of you have seen it. But why do you believe it? It is your faith!

Hebrew 11:1

Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see.

All of us living with this kind of faith, no matter you agree the statement ‘seeing is believing’ or not. From young to old, boy and girls, all of us, who are living now, has faith in things they use, the person they trust, etc.

In Christ, we trust him, even though we never seen him, and yet we can have rejoice in glorious and inexpressible joy! This is the point, once we catch this, we can continue our journey of faith with great endurance and great power, great experiences!

Fasten your seat belt! The journey of faith will be commencing in… 10..9..8…..3..2..1… GO!!!

Franco

Extraordinary in Ordinary

21 July 2007 – Extraordinary in Ordinary

James 5:16-17

The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.

Elijah was as human as we are, and yet when he prayed earnestly that no rain would fall, none fell for three and a half years!

We could find no difficulty in believing that we are ordinary people in this world, we are as ordinary as others, we are the same. What makes us different is that we trusted in an Extraordinary God!

Today, I would like to share about prayers. Friends, do you trust in the power of prayer? Perhaps the answer varies, but for me, prayer has a great power, and I have experienced it before! Some of you might say, “it is no use in praying so much, so far nothing that I prayed happened. God is not listening!” Is it true that this statement say what it belongs? CERTAINLY NOT!

God is hearing everything we said, seeing everything we do, reading everything we think. If you encounter with some experiences like above, the major problem is not always on God’s side, it is on our own.

(1) Did we pray earnestly? Or you just pray once and make this judgment?

(2) Did you really believe on what you asking? If you ask in an attitude of testing, then the power is not there!

James told us that, the power of the prayer of the earnest prayer of a righteous person is GREAT and produces WONDERFUL results. (James 5:6) Friends, did you heard of the story of Elijah before?

1 Kings 17:1
[ Elijah Fed by Ravens ] Now Elijah, who was from Tishbe in Gilead, told King Ahab, “As surely as the Lord, the God of Israel, lives—the God I serve—there will be no dew or rain during the next few years until I give the word!”

Elijah was the same like us, he is a human, an ordinary people! But he trusted an extraordinary God! He prayed earnestly for the rain to stop, then it stops! Yes, you can, too! You are no different than Elijah!

Franco

Words with Actions

20 July 2007 – Words with Actions

James 4:17

Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it.

Words come with actions. What I learnt today is that you have to do what you say, not just boasting about it. In a surprise that I realized that this is a sin (James 4:17), it is very unpleasant to others that when you promised someone something and you are not able to do it. For me, this kind of person is very annoying, I really can’t stand this kind of people, some people just don’t tell you what they really want instead of procrastinating.

Since, God is a promising and faithful God of us, He will sure hate this kind of people. It is true that God loves all the people in the world, but He hates their guts! Just like your father love you very much, but he doesn’t like your guts in talking to other people, or he hates your attitude in dealing with circumstances, etc.

Self-confidence is good, without self confidence, we can’t achieve anything successful. So it is true that if we want to do something, self confidence is the key; But then, what if self confidence is too excessive? Of course, it will make things the other way round. God understands this, so he taught us that we should be have faith in God rather in self, this is important! Notice this:

James 4:3

And even when you ask, you don’t get it because your motives are all wrong—you want only what will give you pleasure.

Friends, motives are important! Get your motives right and focus all the things towards God, he will give us what we want and what we don’t have!

Franco

Commence a Good Pace

19 July 2007 –Commence a Good Pace

James 3: 18

And those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of righteousness.^[d]

You will reap what you sow. Do keep this in mind, you will get back the consequences for you have done it before. It is true, nothing can stop this principle:

Galatians 6:7

Don’t be misled—you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant.

This is a principle that has been made up since the world began. In these few days, God had taught me a lot through his apostle James, as this book emphasizing more action than boasting. For God has given us one mouth but two hands, what does this represents? It represents that we should act out more than we say out! Isn’t it wonderful?

In everything, you will reap what you sow before, so it is important and significant that we should make a start move right! If the first step is wrong, then the following will be disasters and found difficulty in fixing. This principle is the same when we solve mathematics problems. The process is rather important than the answer, but when the starting pace is incorrect, even the answer is correct (normally results by cheating… =.=|||), the whole problem gives no mark.

It is the same with our mouth, good things and bad things cannot be mixed together, so it is unreasonable that blessing and curse comes from the same mouth! Our mouth should not become a ‘cocktail’ of bless & curse! We should all say out the good things, blessings, so that we could reap the harvest that we had sowed.

Lord,

I know that you are very aware of everything I do and everything I thought, and I cannot hide anywhere and anything from you, so please Lord, correct my attitudes and my pattern of thinking, that keep causing me to sin and do what is evil in your sight.

Help me to commence the journey right, make the first step correctly, so that in the future I will harvest what I had planted. Thank you Lord, I know that you will bless me in my journey of faith and continue to be with me always! Thank you, I pray this all in Jesus’ name, Amen!

Franco

Walk the Walk

18 July 2007 – Walk the Walk

James 2:26

As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.

Action speaks louder than words! I believe this phrase is being so familiar to most of us, it emphasize that you should act it out rather than just say an empty talk, people doesn’t want you just to talk the talk, but walk the walk!

In the book of James, I have learnt many things concerning of Christian Lifestyle, I have made the temptation clear and prayed that God will strengthen me for all things is possible for whom I believe. Although the temptation is still here and tempting, but I believe that one day I will get rid of it! In this book I also learnt that when you read the word, don’t just read it, do it!

James 1:22

Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says!

It is very important to notice that God didn’t just give us mouth, he also gave us hands and legs; that means God besides wants us to talk, he wants us to do what we said. Nothing can deny the truth when somebody saw that you really have faith from what you did.

It comes to a point that the faith is USELESS when it is not followed by deeds (James 2:26). In other words, it is about our attitude construction, nothing can change the way we think unless we decide it, it is not our circumstances, it is not the things we did, it is not the power of success, it is not the people we know, it is all about our attitude!

Pals, let us note that faith is a fact, agree? But faith is also an act!

Lord,

Change me, create in me a clean heart, wash away my sins, because you are my hiding place. Thank you for letting me to learn that faith does not make effect when the deeds are absent. Lord, be my guide, place your heart inside my soul, makes me can have a chance to talk the talk and walk the walk. What can stop you if you decided to make a move? Thank you, I commit all the Glory and the power and the authority in your name. In Jesus’ name,

Amen!

Franco

Comes from Desires

17 July 2007 – Comes from Desires

James 1:12

God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.

Endurance, which is the pre-requisite for all of us to pursue in the journey of faith, will have a phase of growth and some kind of thingy called ‘level-up’ in our lives. As it is written in the Word:

James 1:3

For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow.

Yes, indeed, we need endurance to do most of the things, even to tackle problem dealing with our desires, which includes temptations. Temptations are not from the Lord, it is from our own desires. So it makes sense of the title for now. We dare not to complain and blame that God has tempted us, no! God will not tempt us to do bad things, for He is the God of all-good! Amen?

It is our own desires that causes us to experience temptations, God has put in a promise that He will never leave us and provide the things that we need as we seek his kingdom and righteousness. But we people are always getting it wrong by using incorrect attitudes! Friends, it cannot be such!

Currently, I myself am having a temptation of my own, which is dealing with my own desires, in the aspect of adultery. It is not that I do the things; it is that like Jesus said, once your mind think of adultery, you are already committing it! I have prayed earnestly everyday and I know that God will be leading me to solve this problem! It just needs to take time! First of all, I need to apologize to all the people whom I have done wrong to, I am sorry that there is a ‘victim’; I will never do that to you again! I swear!

In the brighter angle, I can see that after I had successfully dealing with the temptation, I will have the PRIZE!! Hooray! Yes, the people who win the temptation will be crowned by God a crown of life! God is never-failing, ever-knowing, and everywhere present!

Lord,

help me to go through this temptation, for I know that this temptation comes from my own desires and the lack of my faith and endurance. I am sorry that I have hurt you God, and I am sorry to the person that has been my target of sinning, I vow to submit all my apologies and my sin to you, please, Lord, deal with them and help me to get through it, so that I will now be a new person in you! In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

Franco

Up from Downs

16 July 2007 – Up from Downs

5 Don’t love money; be satisfied with what you have. For God has said,

“I will never fail you.
I will never abandon you.”^[b]

6 So we can say with confidence,

“The Lord is my helper,
so I will have no fear.
What can mere people do to me?”^[c]

Have you ever heard an untrustworthy saying that Christian should be poor, should not be rich because money is evil? I bet you heard that before, so it is absolutely incorrect! Friends, have you ever heard that God is a prosperous God, he will make us prosper in our belongings? It is exactly what it is, as recorded in the Word of God!

1 Samuel 25:6
“Peace and prosperity to you, your family, and everything you own!

But take note that, we shouldn’t love money, not gain money! Did you realize that? Can you get the point? Yes, I bet you can! God allows us to gain money and allow us to prosper; it is just that we need to treat this with a correct pattern of thinking that was developed long ago, i.e. attitude. We should be satisfied with what we have now, by this God will make us prosper in every aspect of life, notice that it is the every aspects of life! That means it includes wealth, friendship circle, health, etc.

So we will have a confidence in these, we should get rid of our sounds of complaining as God hates complaining! We should be enrolled in the living of Promise Land rather than wandering around the wilderness! God has put in a measure of adversity to all of us, each according to their own fair measure. What we should do is not complaining, but to have a thankful attitude which enable us to have confidence to stand up from where we are!

“Up from downs” gives a meaning of that we can stand UP from the troughs, the deep DOWN valley of life. Yes! As we have faith, and rely on God, we can achieve anything with the one who strengthen us!

Franco