I cannot. But you can.

Jesus Delights In You Drawing From Him

John 4:32
But He said to them, “I have food to eat of which you do not know.”

When people make demands on you or keep depending on you, you may end up stressed, tired and irritable. But this is not the case with Jesus. When people draw from Him, He is strengthened and refreshed!

Jesus is, after all, God. And you honor God when you take your place as man and let God be God by drawing from Him. The One who said, “I did not come to be served, but to serve,” (Matthew 20:28) loves it when you allow Him to minister to you.

The Bible tells us that when Jesus arrived at Sychar, He was wearied from the journey and rested at a well. A sinful Samaritan woman then came to the well to draw water. Jesus ministered to her and she left rejoicing with the promise of living water. The disciples, having returned with food for Jesus, found Him already strengthened and refreshed. When they wondered who had given Him food while they were away, He told them, “I have food to eat of which you do not know.” (John 4:1–42)

Today, when you draw from Jesus and let Him minister to you, it is “food” for Him that “refreshes” and “strengthens” Him.

But it takes humility for us to allow Jesus to minister to us. We take pride in doing things for the Lord. We want to build our businesses, families and ministries for Him. All that is good, but without Jesus, we are spiritually bankrupt! We really have nothing to give to the Lord and His work. What we need to do first is to receive from Him because when we freely receive from Him, we are able to freely give. (Matthew 10:8)

My friend, Jesus wants to minister to you. Don’t try to minister to yourself. That is pride and self-righteousness. The Pharisees of Jesus’ day, who felt that they did not need Him and that they could provide for themselves, were the ones who could not receive from Him. So bring to Him your needs and say, “Lord, I need to draw from You. I present my needs to You. Minister to me and meet my needs. I cannot, but You can. Thank you, Lord.”

God Can Use Those Whom The World Rejects (Today’s Daily Devotion)

1 Corinthians 1:26
26For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called.

You may think that you are a nobody, maybe even a has-been or a loser in the eyes of the world. Take heart because God’s Word says that if you are not wise, not mighty or not noble according to the flesh, then you are a prime candidate for Him to call on! And when He begins to use you, you will see His favor, power and increase change your life.

In the eyes of the ancient world, Moses was the rising star of Egypt. The Bible tells us that in the first 40 years of his life, “Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was mighty in words and deeds”. (Acts 7:22) But God could not use him then because he was too smart, strong and full of himself.
It was only 40 years later, after having been in the unglamorous desert of Midian, emptied of himself and thinking that he was a has-been, that God sent him to confound the might of Pharaoh.

The world may pass them by — the weak, the small, the forgotten and the losers, but God chooses them to confound those mighty in the world.

I know this to be true. As a little boy, I grew up facing rejection and ridicule because of my Indian-Chinese racial mix. And as a teenager, I was the butt of many jokes because of my stammering and stuttering.

When I was in my teens, I remember praying to God, “I don’t know what I can do for or give You, but You got me — spirit, soul and body.” I don’t know how many times I prayed that prayer. But I knew that God heard me because He called me. Only God would dare choose me, a stammerer and stutterer, to pastor a church for Him that has since grown to more than 18,000 members today.

I know what I was and where I came from. I know I have done nothing and can do nothing apart from His anointing and grace in my life.

My friend, when you think that you are weak and small compared to others in the world, that is when God can use you to do great and wonderful things for Him!

The timely God.

God is so timely.

He knows I’m writing my paper.

And sent today’s devotional just for me.

Christ Your Wisdom Will Prosper You

1 Corinthians 1:30
30 But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God…

It is believed that there has never been a wealthier king than King Solomon. God gave him wisdom that not only made him wise in matters of justice, but also brought him gold and silver. (1 Kings 3:12–13)

According to a report by the Illinois Society of Architects in 1925, the cost of Solomon’s temple in terms of existing values would have been about US$87 billion! The priests wore garments costing more than US$10 million! These amounts only cover what Solomon spent on the temple and not his personal assets.

We can go on talking about the riches of King Solomon, but the Bible tells us that there is one greater than Solomon. (Matthew 12:42) His name is Jesus, and He is the most prosperous Man who ever lived and who will ever live.

If there was a need to feed the hungry, He simply multiplied whatever food was placed in His hands. On one occasion, He multiplied five loaves and two fish to feed 5,000 men, not counting women and children. And incredibly, there were 12 baskets full of leftovers. (Matthew 14:15–21)

If any of His own faced lack, it was not long before abundant provision flowed to them. Once, when His disciples caught nothing after a whole night of fishing, He merely spoke a word of command and schools of fish obeyed, swimming toward His disciples’ boat so that they received a net-breaking, boat-sinking load of fish. (Luke 5:1–7) In another incident, He provided the money for the temple tax, even if it took a fish to bring it to them! (Matthew 17:24–27)

My friend, this same Jesus has become for you wisdom from God. If you are a businessman, with Christ in you, you have wisdom that is greater than the wisdom of all the world’s business gurus put together. And if you are a student, Christ in you will manifest wisdom that is greater than all the wisdom of the brilliant minds in the academic world.

Beloved, believe that because Jesus, God’s wisdom, is in you, there is no reason you cannot prosper today, and astound the world in the same way Solomon did!

Launching out.

Okay, I’ve decided to move all my baking related excitement to a separate blog for better management, and so that my personal rambling space won’t turn into a ceaseless stream of kitchen adventures. 

Am in the midst of updating it. So for future references to Lizzy’s baking progress, do visit Kitchen Expeditions.

 

—

Daily Devotion [22 July 2008]

Let God Love You Instead

1 John 4:10
In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

“You have to love God more! You must have more passion for God!” You have probably heard that before and maybe even tried your best to love God, only to fail miserably.

But what is the true definition of love? Let the Bible define it for us: “… this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us…” Yes, it is not about our love for Him, but His love for us!

“Pastor Prince, the Bible says that you must love God with all your heart, soul and strength!”

Yes, that is true according to the law (Deuteronomy 6:5), and even Jesus taught that as the great commandment when He walked on earth. (Matthew 22:37) But that was before He died on the cross. At the cross, He became the very fulfilment of this law for us when He loved us with all His heart, soul and strength, by laying down His body and life on the cross for us.

Today, we are no longer under the law but under grace. And grace tells us that God loves us, not that we love God. Yet, we will love Him when we see how much He loves us. The Bible says that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us! (Romans 5:8) That’s how much He loves us!

Beloved, God has seen you trying your best to love Him. And because He loves you, He wants you to sit down and be still, and let Him love you instead. He wants to love you with all that He is and all that He has. He loves you unconditionally regardless of who you are or what you have done because His love is not dependent on you but Himself. He will never stop loving you.

So let God love you today. Don’t worry about loving Him. The more of His love you receive, the more you will fall in love with Him!

Glimpsing TJ patriotism.

Hello! Another week has passed.
The ‘O’ level results were out yesterday, I do hope my students get to stay because they’re a really great bunch of people whom I enjoy spending time with.

The nightmare of my see-saw transition from AC to TJ 2 (or is it 3 now?) years ago seems like a rather distant memory now that the tumult of tears, fears and indecision has faded away and I’m actually waiting for my ‘A’ level results instead.

Although I have said it many times, I can’t help but repeat how thankful I am to God that I ended up in TJ. Every day I appreciate this school more and more, having come here and now, having had the opportunity to teach here.

If I sat down and reflected on all that has happened in the past 2 years, I must say that God’s hand of favour and grace has just been so strong on my life, it would be an insult to talk about my JC life without bringing Him into the picture.

Things are never 100% smooth sailing in life but when He said “I’ll look after you,” two years ago when I took that giant leap of faith to move from AC to TJ, He never disappointed. He’s seen me through all the way, and He will never stop doing so.

I feel so patriotic today that its just one of those days I feel like saying that “Yes, I come from the best junior college.” Obviously, those who know me would probably fall on the floor and die laughing from a plethora of emotions most associated with ’shock’ and ‘horror’. Yes, its something I have never said, but I know God has made it the best junior college for me.

You don’t have to be in the place that the world defines as ‘best’, because GOD knows what, and where, and who, is best for YOU. Trust Him to provide that place for you. That is why, I believe, He took me out of AC even though I was in such turmoil over whether to stay or leave, because I had sincerely thought I wanted that ‘cool’ combination; to do Theatre Studies, KI, History and Lit. To be part of that cool ‘English’ culture. To be around like-minded people.

After I left, I gradually began to see all the things He has delivered me from. I would never have been able to survive there, and now I know it. Back then I couldn’t see it. But don’t limit God to your own microscopic vision. Just because you can’t see the future, it doesn’t mean God can’t. He tells us in Jeremiah 29:11, “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.” God has already been to your future, and He says it is GOOD.

So expect good. Today’s daily devotion was aptly titled “Expect good things to happen to you!“

—

Expect Good Happening To You!

Ephesians 6:17
17 And take the helmet of salvation…

When the phone rings at odd times, most people think, “Oh dear, it must be bad news.” They don’t think, “I wonder what the good news is that it cannot wait till morning!”

When we hear, “The boss wants to see you,” instinctively, we think, “Oh dear, this is not good.” But how do we know that it is not a promotion?

Our minds are inclined towards the negative. So to guard our minds against negative thoughts, we are to put on “the helmet of salvation”, which is “the hope of salvation”. (1 Thessalonians 5:8)

If you are going through a trial right now, putting on as a helmet the hope of salvation means that you have a confident expectation of good coming your way. It means that you choose to believe that this trial that you are going through is only temporary because God will see you through it. It means that you believe that this difficult period will end with your salvation — your preservation, wholeness, wellness, health and prosperity!

You may not know what is going to happen this week. But one thing that you can do is put on the helmet of the hope of salvation. And tell yourself that you are going to have a fantastic week!

“Well, you know, Pastor Prince, you never know what to expect. We hear so much bad news these days — another flu outbreak, another company retrenching its workers… I really hope that I will not be retrenched next. But I cannot be sure. I am keeping my fingers crossed.”

No, my friend, biblical hope is not “I hope so”, but “I know so”! You can have a confident expectation of good happening to you because you are not like the people of the world. You are a child of the living God. You have a Saviour watching over you. There are more angels given charge over you than there are demons against you. And greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world. (1 John 4:4) There is every reason for you to have a confident expectation of good happening to you!

—

Expect good from your heavenly Daddy. He WANTS good things to happen to you, so believe it!

In other happy news, today is book out day. (:

Devo.

Daily Devotions

—

Only One Thing Is Needful

Matthew 6:33
But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.

George Müller, who lived in the 1800s, cared for more than 2,000 orphans in his five large orphanages. But he never allowed his huge responsibility to take him away from the Word of God. He said that every day, he would set aside time to study the scriptures until his inner man was happy in the Lord.

Once, Müller met a man who worked between 14 and 16 hours every day. He told the man, “You are destroying your health. You don’t have time for your family, and most importantly, you don’t have time to nourish your inner man with the Word of God.”

The man replied, “I hear you, but I can’t see how I can cut down my working hours and spend time on the Word because even with the 14 to 16 hours I put in each day, I still can’t put enough bread on the table for my family.”

As the man walked away, Müller said, “He doesn’t believe that if he seeks God’s kingdom first, God will take care of all his needs.”

Likewise, do you really believe that every day, only one thing is needful? Even if the bills don’t get paid, the children are not making any headway in their studies and the office work is not completed, all these things can wait. Only one thing is needful — that you spend time in the Word of God.

You will not lose out when you take time to sit down and listen to God’s Word. Even your health and well-being, and that of your loved ones, will be blessed because you choose to set aside time for His Word.

Jesus said, “… seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” He did not say that all these things will be given to you, but added. To be given means that you receive what is enough. But when things are added to you, you get more than enough!
—

Off to school for GP.

Heaven on earth.

It amazes me how many morons I’ve already met being in Starbucks for three hours.

As much as I’m tempted to make them sound even more interesting than they already are by harping on their moronic behaviour, I shall constrain my inner bitch and refrain from doing so.

In any case, Agnes sent something really heartening in the mail just after I blogged the last entry.

Practicing the Presence
by Max Lucado

How do I live in God’s presence? How do I detect his unseen hand on my shoulder and his inaudible voice in my ear? A sheep grows familiar with the voice of the shepherd. How can you and I grow familiar with the voice of God? Here are a few ideas:

Give God your waking thoughts. Before you face the day, face the Father. Before you step out of bed, step into his presence. I have a friend who makes it a habit to roll out of his bed onto his knees and begin his day in prayer. Personally, I don’t get that far. With my head still on the pillow and my eyes still closed, I offer God the first seconds of my day. The prayer is not lengthy and far from formal. Depending on how much sleep I got, it may not even be intelligible. Often it’s nothing more than “Thank you for a night’s rest. I belong to you today.”

Give God your waiting thoughts. Spend time with him in silence. The mature married couple has learned the treasure of shared silence; they don’t need to fill the air with constant chatter. Just being together is sufficient. Try being silent with God. “Be still, and know that I am God” (Ps. 46:10 niv). Awareness of God is a fruit of stillness before God.

Give God your whispering thoughts. Through the centuries Christians have learned the value of brief sentence prayers, prayers that can be whispered anywhere, in any setting.

Imagine considering every moment as a potential time of communion with God. By giving God your whispering thoughts, the common becomes uncommon. Simple phrases such as “Thank you, Father,” “Be sovereign in this hour, O Lord,” “You are my resting place, Jesus” can turn a commute into a pilgrimage. You needn’t leave your office or kneel in your kitchen. Just pray where you are. Let the kitchen become a cathedral or the classroom a chapel. Give God your whispering thoughts.

And last, give God your waning thoughts. At the end of the day, let your mind settle on him. Conclude the day as you began it: talking to God. Thank him for the good parts. Question him about the hard parts. Seek his mercy. Seek his strength. And as you close your eyes, take assurance in the promise: “He who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep” (Ps. 121:4 niv). If you fall asleep as you pray, don’t worry. What better place to doze off than in the arms of your Father.

–

And I think this was actually someone’s email signature, but I think it summarizes everything so completely. (:

“Blessed are those who hunger and thrist for righteousness, for they shall be filled.”
Matthew 5:6

Be filled my friends. Its the best feeling, the closest to Heaven, you’ll get on this Earth. (:

Time.

Okay, wow, so I had a blah night trying to finish my H3 evaluative commentary. Shall not bore you with elaborations. Had to wake up later today cause I went to bed late, and tadaaaaaaaaaaa, guess what appears in my inbox today.

Daily devotions:

No More Sleepless Nights

Psalm 127:2
It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows; for so He gives His beloved sleep.

“I was up the whole night — my boy was running a high fever.”

“I slept only for two hours — I was trying to improve my presentation.”

“I couldn’t sleep at all — I was worried about the bills that are piling up.”

The Bible says that God “gives His beloved sleep”. Who are His beloved? You and I! Because we are in Christ, we are His beloved. (Ephesians 1:6; 2 Thessalonians 2:13)

God says, “It is vain for you to rise up early; to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows…” In other words, it is pointless to worry and lose sleep because the truth is, “Unless the Lord builds the house, they labour in vain who build it; unless the Lord guards the city, the watchman stays awake in vain.” (Psalm 127:1)

You see, God is the one who builds your career and guards your marriage. He is the one who watches over your children and future. He is the one who guards your bank account, and watches over your financial investments and business ventures. You are not the one!

So don’t worry and stay up late as if you are the source of the increase or the one who has the power to make things happen and save the situation. God is the one and He says to you, “My beloved child, throw that care, that burden, to Me and go to sleep.” For when you are sleeping, He is working on your situation. He, who neither slumbers nor sleeps (Psalm 121:3–4), works the night shift for you as you sleep!

But because we are such doers and performers, it is hard for us to let go and let God take over. But when we actually do, casting all our cares, anxieties, worries and concerns once and for all into His hands, we will see how He cares for us affectionately and watchfully. (1 Peter 5:7) We will see Him taking care of our problems and working things out for our good. (Romans 8:28)

Beloved, trust your Father’s love for you. Cast your cares on Him and have no more sleepless nights!

This is especially important for all of us now, in this study season. I know everyone is fearful about not having enough time. Time, time, time.
But you know, if you worry about time, then you’re a slave to it. But God has defeated each and every enemy at the cross – including the lack of time.
If God has made you to crush satan underneath your feet, what more TIME?
You are not a slave to time.
Time is a slave to me. I am not a slave to time. As Christ is, so am I in this world.
God is my time. And it will never run out.

Another day with Jesus.

Today’s Daily Devotion:

‘I’ll Have A Large Revelation Of Jesus!’
2 Peter 3:18
grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ…

In the Old Testament, three types of burnt offerings were brought to God. The rich brought offerings of young bulls (Leviticus 1:3), the not-so-rich brought sheep (Leviticus 1:10) and the poor brought turtledoves. (Leviticus 1:14) Though of varying sizes and value, the different burnt offerings were all accepted as sweet aroma to the Lord. (Leviticus 1:9, 13, 17)

These burnt offerings speak of Jesus and His perfect work at the cross. Today, to bring a “rich” offering means that you have a large revelation of Jesus and His finished work. To bring a “not-so-rich” offering means that you have a smaller revelation of Jesus and His finished work. But whatever the size of the revelation you have of Jesus, God accepts you just the same because Jesus is your only measure of acceptance before God.

However, God wants you to grow in your revelation of Jesus because your well-being hinges on it. On that first Passover night, all the children of Israel had received the same Word of God “when I see the blood, I will pass over you”. (Exodus 12:13) But I believe that some households lived through that night trembling in fear as they heard the loud wails outside their houses, while other households rested on God’s Word, ate their Passover lamb and enjoyed the night rejoicing in His love, protection and deliverance for them.

You see, as long as the households came under the blood, they were all saved, trembling or not! But when they didn’t have a revelation of the power of the blood to save them from the destroyer, fear came in even though the blood availed for them. In the same way, God does not want you to struggle through trying times with fear, apprehension and stress. He wants you to enjoy and rest in a greater revelation of Jesus as your deliverer and salvation.

In 2 Peter 1:2, it says, “Grace and peace be multiplied to you…” God wants you to experience more of His grace and peace in your life. How? The verse continues, “… in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord”. The more knowledge of Jesus you have, the more God’s grace and peace will rest on you!

***

The more you know of our Lord, the less fear you’ll have. You’re already a success, because of His finished work. You cannot, by your own efforts, become any more or less successful in your life by what you do.

BUT when you have a greater revelation of His love, you’ll be able to enjoy your blessings with such greater peace without having to have worried unnecessarily!

(:

Another morning at Millenia Starbucks.
Another day with Jesus.

Shopping.

Hello dear blog.

Incidents, over the past few days have prevented me from blogging. *coughs lightly*

In the realm of my H3 development, not much has been done. Spent many, many hours in the airport yesterday and all I ended up with after 6 hours was 200 words and deep settled mind numbing exhaustion.

BUT. Spoke to RANNALD today. And he helped me form a pretty tight structure. HOPEFULLY. Everything he told me is still in my mind. Currently.. it isn’t. And I may break out into a panic soon. :S

In other news, reality still feels mildly suspended in holiday mode – haven’t had school for five days now. Today didn’t really count – we went to school, a half-day was announced, I don’t even remember what for. Mr Tong looked really disgruntled with the noise level we were emitting while Mrs Loke was rambling into the mike. But in the spirit of the half-day he didn’t say anything about it the same way he usually would.

So basically, I haven’t really had school since it closed in Term 2. Coming back for the exams wasn’t actually what I’ll call school.

Shopping.
Well I’ve had lots of time to do that, and I must say I’m satisfyingly sated… almost. Well at least the craving aching neeeeed to participate in 1) the GSS 2) before the GST hike has been met.
Started shopping even before the exams started – crazily enough, yes. I was doing alot of crazy things before the exams started. Like beaching myself in a resort in Sentosa sun-tanning by the pool. And going for the Mango 50% sale on the Sunday just before Term 3 commenced.

;D

So, the spoils of my combined shopping spree (which I continued on this recent long weekend that I’ve enjoyed):
5 items from Mango – 3 tops, 1 bottom and 1 bag in total.
1 top from Zara
1 bag from a pushcart stall
5 items from Topshop – 3 pairs of earrings, 1 necklace, 1 bracelet

And all at 30% to 70% off. *beams*
I only buy stuff when it’s worth it okay.. I do not indiscriminately purchase everything I lay my eyes on. Lol.

And oh, BOOKS!
Spent $50 of my remaining $90 worth of Kino vouchers as well. It was $55 worth of books, actually.

5 trashy Chinese shoujo manga. 3 of which were readable, 2 of which incomprehensible. Why did I buy it, you say? The cover nice what. *looks around hopelessly* The inadequacy of my Chinese capabilities is no secret to anyone, and I really can’t read the blurbs that are in fan ti zi even though the content is in jian ti zi. So. Pretty boys on cover, looks promising and not too horny, I buy. *nods*

I finally bought 1602, Neil Gaiman’s alternate universe comic in which all the Marvel characters – Fantastic Four, Captain America, X-Men, etc exist, instead, in Elizabethan 1602 England. ‘Tis really good, like all of Gaiman’s stuff, of course.

And Gaiman’s Fragile Things – a collection of short stories. I’ve read about two-fifths of it. And its really, really good. Oh man I can so totally see us dissecting Gaiman for Lit. There is SO MUCH in it we can analyse. When are they ever going to acknowledge him as mainstream Literature? Well, formally that is. We already know he’s brilliaaaaaaaaant.

Woo.
SO. Fulfilling. And I’m satisfied to the point that I don’t even feel like shopping anymore. Lol. (For now.)

Was bored today, but ended up going down to the National Library with Mifa, Soef and Ran anyway. Was under the assumption that I had already exhausted all the material on Satire that I could possibly need from that Reference section. BUT BY DIVINE INTERVENTION. And I believe that it was divine, they had a new book. FRESH. 2007. A Companion to Satire from Ancient to Modern. Rannald waggled it at me from between the bookshelves and boy was I excited. Thank you JESUS! Almost didn’t go to the Lib, but I’m glad God tugged me there anyway. (:

And oh, today’s Daily Devotions is REALLY powerful.

Choose Not To Worry

Matthew 6:27
Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?

Many Christians are familiar with Jesus’ rhetorical question, “Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?” But not many of us actually let it get into our hearts and allow the love of God to free us from our habit of worrying.

The truth is, no amount of worrying can lengthen your life or add anything to your physical person. Instead, worrying robs you of sleep, health and many good years. In fact, it is only when you are worry-free that God’s anointing flows freely in you, strengthening, healing, restoring and adding to you.

A church member, after undergoing a mammogram, found lumps in her breast. Upon receiving the doctor’s report, she immediately wrote this down on the report: “Jesus is my healer. I receive my healing. I am healed. I rest in God completely.”

She was due to go back to the clinic on the same day in the late afternoon for a biopsy to see if the lumps were malignant. Her sister-in-law, who was having lunch with her that day, witnessed her cheerful and worry-free attitude while she was eating her lunch.

Back at the doctor’s clinic, this precious sister sat among other ladies who were also there for their biopsies. They looked very worried, so she started sharing Jesus with them and prayed for some of them. When her turn came to do an ultrasound scan, the doctor was puzzled — her scan showed no evidence of any lumps!

She went back to consult the doctor who had first discovered the lumps. Stunned, both doctors conducted their own investigation to see if a mistake had been made. They returned to her only to say, “It is a miracle!”

My friend, when you worry, you are actually believing that the devil has the power to make inroads into your life that God cannot protect you from. But when you refuse to worry, you are putting faith in God. You have more confidence in God’s love and power working for you than in the devil’s ability to harm you! When you refuse to worry but choose to rest in the finished work of Christ, you will see the manifestation of your blessing. You will see your miracle.

(: