Sunday, August 30, 2009

TOTD, August 29-31

One in Christ Jesus

We are all one in Christ Jesus. It’s not that we’re all the same, but we’re gathered as one big family of Christ in this world. And let’s give our best to do whatever we can as the member of His big family. We can give every talent that we have, every single thing that we have from Him, only for His Glory. Because we’re one in Christ. (-fon-)

There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
--- Galatians 3:28


Give Ear and Hear Him

Sometimes we talk too much and fail to hear. But God’s word reminds us to give ear and come to Him. Then only we can hear Him so that our soul may live.
I long for the times when I can listen to His voice. His voice is always there, but sometimes it’s just so soft, that I fail to listen. Or my own voice or the voice of the evil. That’s why we need discernment. In order to develop a better relationship with Him, we need to come to Him often and give ear. (-fon-)
Give ear and come to me;
hear me, that your soul may live.
I will make an everlasting covenant with you,
my faithful love promised to David.
--- Isaiah 55:3


Faith Without Action is Dead
Reading the kidnapper’s of Jaycee Dugards, Phillip Garrido who not only kidnapped her, but also fathered two children from her, made me realize of something.
The info from the Straits Times said that Garrido was described as a religious fundamentalist who often preached from his front yard and wanted to set up his own church. Garrido boasts of his ability to ‘speak in the tongue of angels’ on a blog called Voices Revealed, which has drawn hundreds of angry denunciations in recent days.
Sounds irrational but this is the truth. The man who looked like a religious man had this kind of attitude and crime. It’s very sad to see this kind of reality. But, what we can do is just to keep our faith alive, to show it to this world or at least to the people surround us and do something about it. Faith without action is dead. Being faithful also needs some real action as well. Only talking without action is nothing. Only talking, do the contrarian to the talk is even worse. Try to balance our faith with actions! (-fon-)

What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.
--- James 2:14-17

Thursday, August 27, 2009

TOTD, August 28

You Have Done for Us

When you’re successful, you reach something big or huge, what will you think? Will you think that you’re so cool, powerful, and you can do everything on your own?
Or…it’s just another time to reflect that God is the maker of all things. Including everything good in our life?
So, let’s be reminded that all that we have accomplished: You have done for us, oh Lord. Yes, we’ve got our part and try our best, but without God, without His permission, things won’t turn out this way. (-fon-)

LORD, you establish peace for us;
all that we have accomplished you have done for us.
--- Isaiah 26: 12

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

TOTD, August 27

Obey Your Parents

It’s not easy to obey our parents. Especially, when we’re getting older and we think we know right from wrong, we can make our own decision, and we’re more educated (or higher paid than our parents).
But the thing is: we can’t choose our parents. God gave them to us in the first place for some reasons.
The bible reminds us to obey our parents in the Lord, for this is right.
Of course, when they’re getting older, they will have some character changes as well. Sometimes for the better, sometimes for the worse, but anyhow, let’s try to see them as God’s gifts in our life. Maybe, they don’t look like our ideal or perfect parents, but respect them anyway. At least try to do it. They’re only human after all, with many mistakes along the way, but they’re the best that we’ve got. (-fon-)

Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right
--- Ephesians 6:1

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

TOTD, August 26

Never Will I Leave You

The bible reminds us to keep our life free from the love of money, but of course, we need to fight for our living. Because even though money is not the most important thing, but with money we can do a lot of things as well, such as helping others in need.

The love of money that leads to the selfishness, or make us forget about the eagerness to share to others, those are the things that we should avoid.

The Lord will never leave us. He will keep us sufficient. He will never leave you alone. (-fon-)

Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said,
"Never will I leave you;
never will I forsake you."

So we say with confidence,
"The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid.
What can man do to me?"

---- Hebrews 13: 5-6

TOTD, August 25

Rush Hour

I realize we sometimes have rush hours. We tend to wake up late, sleep very late, and put ourselves in a rushing situation most of time.

Even Jesus Himself has this situation when He spent the night praying to God.

We really need to find some time to talk privately to God. And that means we need to manage our rush hours and try to find special hour(s) with Him. (-fon-)


One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God.

--- Luke 6:12

Monday, August 24, 2009

TOTD, August 24

He Turned His Ear to Us

Alone. Inside your room. You want to cry and shout so loud, because you have this heavy burden inside of you, but you got no one to talk to. Everyone is so busy, there’s no time prepared for you just to listen to you. Then, your wandering mind brought you to some negative thinking. Keep saying that, “ You’re not worthy, nobody loves you, or you’re just a failure, you can’t even have someone to talk to, etc.”
Remember this: God is there. He is listening to you. He hears your voice, He turns his ear to you, and above all: you’re not alone as what you’ve thought. Just spend more time with Him, just spend more intimate worship in Him, then you’ll find that He’s amazingly there and listen to you. He will even give you guidance for the rest of your life if you trust your cares, your problems in Him. (-fon-)

I love the LORD, for he heard my voice;
he heard my cry for mercy.
Because he turned his ear to me,
I will call on him as long as I live.
Psalm 116:1-2

Saturday, August 22, 2009

TOTD, August 21

Do it with God

Maybe you’ve got a very big dream that you thought you’ll never achieve, or maybe you want to do something but you’re so scared, most probably because you’re young, you don’t have any experience, or you’re lack of knowledge.

But, if God wants you to do it, do it anyway. Do it with God. As He’s with you, you will not be shaken.

Even though you’re scared, but He will guide you.

Even though you think you’re not able, He will empower you.

He is at your right hand! And it’s good to know that we’re in His good hands. (-fon-)

I have set the LORD always before me.
Because he is at my right hand,
I will not be shaken.

--- Psalm 16:8

TOTD, August 22-23

How We Should Live…

Here’s a very good advice from Ephesians 5:

Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is. Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit. Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
--- Ephesians 5:15-20


Let’s live our life wisely and to spread a fragrant smell to this world. Let’s live our life for Him. (-fon-)

Known to You

Last week on Sunday mass, I heard this wonderful song, called Known to You, and part of the verses are:

Before I speak, O Lord, You hear
Before I think my thought, You know
You have searched my mind, know all I feel
All my ways are known to You…


God knows our heart. He will hear us. God knows how we feel. He has searched our mind. And nothing's unknown to Him. And let's pray in confidence, let's pray according to His will in our life, so that we can live our life to the fullest and bring the very best only for Him. Amen. (-fon-)

This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.
--- 1 John 5:14

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

TOTD, August 20

Light Makes Everything Visible

In this world, somehow the darkness has also got its power.

You can see, now and then, here and there, the devil is trying to do something to make this world, to make this life even worse.

But our God is the light. And being His disciple means we have also shared His light as long as we follow Him with all our heart. Light makes everything visible. Transparent. Nothing is hidden. We need to fight the darkness by continuously try our best to shine and light this world with love. (-fon-)

for it is light that makes everything visible

--- Ephesians 5:14

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

TOTD, August 19

Preaching for Christ

Some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill. If we should preach and act as God’s Children (not necessarily a preacher, but we preach through our life, don’t we?), there are choices how we should preach. There are choices how we should live.
Do we preach out of envy and rivalry? Or preach for goodwill? Even though in every way, in every motives, Christ is preached, but let’s choose the goodwill in preaching. Let’s choose the goodwill in life. (-fon-)

It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill. The latter do so in love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains.But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice.
--- Philippians 1:15-18

Monday, August 17, 2009

TOTD, August 15-18

Things Will Get Better

Things are going to get bad, really bad, before they get better. ( Max Lucado)

I like the quote from Max Lucado. It somehow reflects our daily problems.
We pray, things getting worse. We pray harder, things seem worsen. But, maybe we need to get all through the bad experience and wait for the better. Things will get better. We need to trust God. (-fon-)

But I trust in you, O LORD;
I say, "You are my God."
--- Psalm 31: 14


Be Low-Profile


Have you met some friends who has changed tremendously only because they have achieved something, for example: wealth, education, career, or admirable spouse?
If we happen to meet them or maybe we’re once like that, we need to move on and do what we should. We need to boast in the Lord. Whatever we have is actually His Gifts, His Presents in this life.
Whatever we achieve, it’s He who gives permission as well.
Be low profile and if you should boast, just boast in the Lord. (-fon-)

But, "Let him who boasts boast in the Lord.”For it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends.
--- 2 Corinthians 10:17-18


Wisdom and Understanding

Maybe you’re young now. So, you think that you don’t need any wisdom and understanding. You think that it’s only for the older generation. Mothers, fathers, grandparents, they need wisdom, but not me…Maybe, sometime in the next 20 years, I might need that.
But when we look at our daily life, each step of the way that we take, needs a wisdom. Each decision we make, needs a wisdom as well. And what kind of wisdom that we need? The best is from the Lord Himself. Nothing compares to the wisdom and understanding from Him. Ask to be empowered by wisdom and understanding. (-fon-)

How much better to get wisdom than gold,
to choose understanding rather than silver!
--- Proverbs 16:16


Freedom

It’s independence day today. Indonesia has reached its 64th birthday. I just want to encourage all of us to treasure this moment and be thankful for being able to breath the fresh air in our freedom. Thank God for Indonesia!

The bible did mention about freedom. One of them is from the book of Isaiah saying that the Spirit of the Lord has anointed him to preach good news to the poor, sent him to bind up the brokenhearted, proclaim freedom for the captives and release from the darkness of the prisoners.

Are you longing for the true kind of freedom? Find it only in God’s mighty hand. You’ll experience freedom like no other. Not the kind of freedom that this world has always offered. Free sex will lead to the bondage to the sex itself. Not to mention pornography, drugs, and other addictions. Those temporary excitement will only bring you to temporary freedom while it has another bondage, the attachments to them.

Freedom is a choice. And if you have to choose, choose the freedom that comes from God. (-fon-)


The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me,
because the LORD has anointed me
to preach good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim freedom for the captives
and release from darkness for the prisoners
--- Isaiah 61:1

Thursday, August 13, 2009

TOTD, August 14

Kindness

Today, your might feel that you’re too tired of doing good things in life. You’ve tried your best everytime you have the chance, but the response was disappointed. People forget your kindness easily and sometimes give something evil in return. It was sad, wasn’t it?
But, God has shown us His kindness every season of our life. It’s our duty to maintain the kindness that He has and spread it to this world. No matter how unkind the world is treating you right now, try to stay in your kindness. One day, you’ll see that kindness will never fail.

God is kindness. God is good. And it’s our duty to maintain the kind of kindness in our heart. (-fon-)

You gave me life and showed me kindness,
and in your providence watched over my spirit.
--- Job 10:12

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

TOTD, August 13

He Protects Us

A THREE-year-old boy miraculously survived a nine-storey fall after landing in a thick clump of bushes at Goldenhill Park Condominium in Lorong Chuan yesterday.

The South Korean toddler was found conscious and wailing only minutes after he went missing from the family's rented four-room apartment.

Park Sihu - who turns four next month - was taken back upstairs to his distraught mother. Paramedics treated him for cuts and abrasions before rushing him to the KK Womens and Childrens' Hospital for further tests. Doctors there said that the boy escaped with little more than a fractured ankle as well as cuts to his chin, face and body.

When The Straits Times visited Sihu at the hospital yesterday afternoon, he was getting ready for an operation to fix his fractured right ankle. A large piece of plaster covered his chin. His mother, Madam Hanna Kim, was at his bedside.

The 36-year-old homemaker felt her son was 'lucky' to have survived the fall. 'God must have protected him,' she said tearfully, stroking her son's forehead. ( Source: The Straits Times)


Sihu’s case was regarded as a miracle. Even some doctors who had taken care of him said so. As Sihu was being protected by God, we also need to believe that our entire life’s journey will be in His beautiful and safe protection. Maybe, it’s different with what we thought. But, He protects us all the way. (-fon-)

It was the LORD our God himself who brought us and our fathers up out of Egypt, from that land of slavery, and performed those great signs before our eyes. He protected us on our entire journey and among all the nations through which we traveled.
--- Joshua 24:17

Monday, August 10, 2009

TOTD, August 11

Ever-Present Help

Whatever your condition right now, in the midst of difficulties or troubles, only God who can have that ever-present help to give us strength to carry on in this life.
He will be there 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year of our life. In every second, in every minute of our life. He is there. And His help is unthinkable. Glory to You, Lord, I find peace in your refuge. (-fon-)


God is our refuge and strength,
an ever-present help in trouble.
--- Psalm 46:1

Sunday, August 9, 2009

TOTD, August 10

Never Live in Fear

After the terrorist’s bomb in JW Marriott and Ritz Carlton Jakarta and a recently recuperation of some terrorists in Central Java and Bekasi, lots of people in Jakarta live in fear. Of course, we need to be alert and stay cautious, but living our days with fear? It’s actually not the right thing to do.
God has always remembers us, even the sparrows he remembered. The bible reminds us that even our very hairs of our head are all numbered. We need to believe in Him and put our faith in Him. Never be afraid! (-fon-)

Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.
--- Luke 12:6-7