TOTD, Wednesday, July 29
Do Things Without Complaining
It’s never been easy to discipline our mouth. We tend to complain easily, especially when things go wrong. We can’t accept the difference with others easily, so we start to complain and sometimes gossiping. The bible reminds us to stay positive, to do all things without complaining nor disputing. We are the children of God, we need to upgrade our attitude to show that we’re His children. Start doing without complaining. (-fon-)
Do all things without complaining and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault.
—Philippians 2:14-15
TOTD, Thursday, July 30
Glory, Majesty, and Authority
Life is just an ups and downs experience. Sometimes we rise, sometimes we fall. But, the good thing is: He is able to keep us from stumbling, and He’ll make us stand in the presence of His glory with great joy. And He really deserves to receive all the glory, majesty, dominion and authority forever and ever. Amen. (-fon-)
Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy, to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.
--- Jude 1:24-25
TOTD, Friday, July 31
Divine Love
ALL PRAYER BEGINS with God.
The Creator does not wait passively
for us to come with our prayers;
rather, our prayers are
a response to divine love.
- Jane E. Vennard with Stephen D. Bryant The Way of Prayer (from the Upper Room)
Reading the quotation from Jane E. Vennard, I think it’s really interesting that actually our prayers are a response to divine love. And God does not wait passively for us to come with our prayers. And reading Hannah’s prayer from 1 Samuel 2 at least showed me how to pray to the Lord and response to His beautiful love. Divine love. Let’s rejoice in Him.(-fon-)
Then Hannah prayed and said:
"My heart rejoices in the LORD;
in the LORD my horn is lifted high.
My mouth boasts over my enemies,
for I delight in your deliverance.
--- 1 Samuel 2:1
TOTD, Saturday, August 01
He Has Prepared
A young girl with an ambition to go abroad for her study cried, because her father just told her that he didn’t have enough money to send her to further her study outside the country. She was very sad, because it’s all she ever wanted. She wanted to feel different environment, different culture, different life as well as different educational system in another country which she believed will bring her new exposures. She prayed and prayed, but didn’t get any change of plan. She will study here in her own country. But then, suddenly the scholarship letter that she has sent for quite some time ago, got a reply. And it’s a YES, she got a full scholarship from a country in Europe. When she’s just almost losing her hope, the greatest joy ever came to her. She thanked God for everything.
Maybe you’re just like the young girl. Or maybe, her story is your own story. Or maybe you’re in a desperate situation that she’s facing at the previous time. But, as long as you love God, you’ll find that someday, you’ll be surprised with whatever good plans that He has already prepared for you. (-fon-)
Eye has not seen, nor ear heard . . . the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.
—1 Corinthians 2:9
TOTD, Sunday, August 02
God Welcomes Us
ONE OF THE GREATEST OBSTACLES facing us on the road to spiritual formation is our lack of appreciation for our infinite worth in the eyes of God. No matter what faults and failings may hamper us on our way home to our Father’s house, God loves and forgives and welcomes us.
- Meeting God in Scripture: Entering the New Testament (the Upper Room)
We don’t think we’re worthy to receive all the good things from God, because we made mistakes, we’re sinful. But, God has always seen us in a much more different way, with His love He has always put on a smiling face, welcoming us. We’re precious and honored in His sight. So, never underestimate ourselves! God loves us and He wants us to feel His unconditional love without judging ourselves too much. His mercy will always be there for us. (-fon-)
Since you are precious and honored in my sight,
and because I love you,
I will give men in exchange for you,
and people in exchange for your life.
--- Isaiah 43:4
TOTD, Monday, August 03
I Will Give You Rest
This was the verse that made me receive Jesus Himself as my savior. I was so tired, worried, burdened. But then, back to the year 1999, I wanted to know Him more. Who’s Jesus who can give me rest? I’m tired, weary and burdened, and a rest was all that I need.
Suddenly, I felt peace. A heavenly peace took over me. It was so beautiful and I’ve never had that kind of experience before. Experiencing God, made me want to know Him more, that’s when I really wanted Him like no other. Then, I tried to attend the learning session of knowing Him, until finally I was baptized on December 2000.
Until now, whenever I feel worried, anxious, tired, and burdened, this verse reminds me to take my rest in prayer and trust Him once more with my life. He will lift those burdens and change them into peace. (-fon-)
Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.
--- Matthew 11:28
TOTD, Tuesday, August 04
He Heals Our Wounds
EACH TIME I SPEAK or teach or gather together in some other way with folk from our local congregation, I am aware that each one of us sits next to a pool of tears. Each one of us carries in our hearts personal wounds as well as the wounds of the nation. Each one of us groans, not only with our own painful longings, but also with the painful longings of that part of the world where we live.
- Trevor Hudson with Stephen Bryant
Listening to the Groans: A Spirituality for Ministry and Mission ( the Upper Room)
This world is full of wounds. The death of Michael Jackson, the King of Pop, has shown the world how a superstar needed to cope with his own wounds. His wounds are also our wounds. In a different way, not exactly the same way, but we all have our wounds. Sometimes, we cried a lot in sleepless nights, asking God why we need to experience this kind of painful thing? But, that’s when we can build up a better relationship with Him. And trust Him that He will heal the brokenhearted, He will heal our wounds, and He’ll be there for us in every stage and situation of our life. He’ll never leave us alone. (-fon-)
He heals the brokenhearted
and binds up their wounds
--- Psalm 147:3
TOTD, Wednesday, August 05
Triumph in Christ
Before we know God, we always thought that if we succeed, it’s all because of our hard work, good effort, and sometimes it made us arrogant. Especially when we only experience the successful things without knowing the art of loosing, the art of failure. We’ll experience some failures in this life, only to find that we’re nothing compared to God. Our perfect plan can become shattered, but His plans will never fail. Then, we can realize that whatever triumph and success we got, we got them in the glory of the Lord. If we experience the triumph, we should be thankful, because it’s our triumph in Christ. Not because of ourselves. (-fon-)
Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh
manifest the savior of his knowledge by us in every place.
--- 2 Corinthians 2:14
TOTD, Thursday, August 06
God’s Compassion and Love
Before really becoming a mother, I had this dream to do the very best for my child. I thought that I’ll be very patience all the time. But in reality, in my tired days as a stay at home mom, I found that I couldn’t stay patience all the time. There were times when I was so tired and yet I needed to take care of my child. Thinking that it’s only one child that I’m currently have as a gift of God in my life, I couldn’t imagine how will my days be if I got more.
By then, I also remember the bible’s verse that keeps telling me about God’s love. He’s gracious and full of compassion. So, with a new strength, realizing that I’m imperfect but I want to try my best to follow His paths in His love and compassion, I want to love my family better, in a better way each day. (-fon-)
The Lord is gracious and full of compassion.
—Psalm 111:4
TOTD, Friday, August 07
For Christ’s Sake…
Is your life currently very hard? You’re experiencing insults, hardships, persecutions, or difficulties? Today’s verse reminds us to remember that we bear all of those things for Christ’s sake. In my weaknesses, I know that I can get a new strength from God. In my weaknesses, I know that I’m nothing without God. For Christ’s sake, let’s endure and draw ourselves nearer to Him. (-fon-)
For Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
- 2 Corinthians 12:10
TOTD, Saturday, August 08
Abba, Help Me…
ABBA, help me to be a source of your mercy.
Teach me to forgive others
before I seek forgiveness for my own actions.
Grant me the courage
to extend your love
to the stranger and the needy.
Amen.
- Christopher Maricle
The Jesus Priorities: 8 Essential Habits
If God has a record on our sins, it’s definitely a full book of it. Sometimes, we can’t forgive others, we feel so much pain still inside our heart, it seemed that only yesterday we’ve been hurt (even though it might have happened years ago).
Forgiving, isn’t always an easy thing. But, if we think that God has always have mercy on us even though we have done so many mistakes and sins, why don’t we try to forgive others as well? And Abba, help me to develop a better attitude in forgiveness, so that I can always have mercy on others . (-fon-)
If you, God, kept records on wrongdoings, who would stand a chance? As it turns out, forgiveness is your habit, and that’s why you’re worshiped.
- Psalm 130:3-4
TOTD, Sunday, August 09
The Greatest is Love
Well, at this moment, you might have faith. You might have hope. But, you don’t have love. It’s lack of something. Love makes everything perfect. Even though imperfection exists, with the eyes of love, you’ll see in a different perspective. Just like in a healthy marriage, love makes the couples able to see the imperfection of their spouse beautifully. Beautifully imperfect.
Never forget that love is the greatest. Faith and hope? Yes, we need them. But without love, it won’t be complete. (-fon-)
Now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.
—1 Corinthians 13:13
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