The Light Is Shining Upon Us

Be planters and gatherers

2011-01-24T10:23:00.000+08:00

Scripture Reading: John 4:27-42

“Open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest.”
John 4:35

Though we are called to live for God in all kinds of careers and vocations, we have to remember one thing: Jesus calls us all to be planters and gatherers.

He wants folks who work hard together to produce his harvest: the rich variety of people from all nations whom God will welcome into his kingdom.

Jesus wants followers who will risk new plantings and tend the soil patiently till it produces. He wants us to see how our livelihood depends on the harvest. Our hearts must beat for it.

Jesus saw Samaritans approaching after the woman he was speaking with told others about him. Jesus had planted a seed, and it was now yielding a crop.

Unfortunately his disciples were wrapped up in their everyday busyness. While it was fine to go into town to get food for Jesus and themselves (see John 4:8), the disciples paid no attention to the people around them. They ignored the Samaritans’ need to hear about the Messiah.

Let’s not be a church of people who only go about our daily busyness and forget to share God’s love and good news with others.

Let’s be a people who eat, drink, plant, work at, and dream of his harvest!

by Norm Prenger

Are we going on with Jesus?

2010-08-18T08:18:00.002+08:00

You are those who have continued with Me in My trials —Luke 22:28

It is true that Jesus Christ is with us through our temptations, but are we going on with Him through His temptations? Many of us turn back from going on with Jesus from the very moment we have an experience of what He can do. Watch when God changes your circumstances to see whether you are going on with Jesus, or siding with the world, the flesh, and the devil. We wear His name, but are we going on with Him? “From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more” ( John 6:66 ).

The temptations of Jesus continued throughout His earthly life, and they will continue throughout the life of the Son of God in us. Are we going on with Jesus in the life we are living right now?

We have the idea that we ought to shield ourselves from some of the things God brings around us. May it never be! It is God who engineers our circumstances, and whatever they may be we must see that we face them while continually abiding with Him in His temptations. They are His temptations, not temptations to us, but temptations to the life of the Son of God in us. Jesus Christ’s honor is at stake in our bodily lives. Are we remaining faithful to the Son of God in everything that attacks His life in us?

Are you going on with Jesus? The way goes through Gethsemane, through the city gate, and on “outside the camp” ( Hebrews 13:13 ). The way is lonely and goes on until there is no longer even a trace of a footprint to follow— but only the voice saying, “FollowMe” ( Matthew 4:19 )

by my utmost for his highest

Do not go beyond the boundaries

2010-08-17T08:23:00.000+08:00

The African impala can jump more than ten feet high and cover a distance of thirty feet. So why can impalas be held captive in a zoo behind a wall that is only three feet high?

It’s because this magnificent animal will not jump if it can’t see where its feet are going to fall–and beyond the zoo wall it cannot see.

Unlike the impalas, we human find it extremely difficult to avoid pushing or stepping beyond the boundaries put in around us.
God reminded us not to stray from His Words. The very reason for this reminder is we cannot see where our feet will end up landing. Just like the impalas.......

Within His boundaries, we know we can find love, peace and abundantly blessed life....
Beyond His boundaries, there is only darkness.......
We need to stay in His light......

drifting away....

2010-08-16T08:40:00.002+08:00

“Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?” Genesis 3:1

On a recent vacation, Tom was casually bobbing around on a raft just offshore. He closed his eyes, basking in the warm sun. Before he realized it, he had drifted too far from shore. He hopped off the raft to get back to the security of the sand, but the water was now over his head. He didn’t know how to swim.

The drift of our lives away from God is just as subtle. And just as dangerous. We drift one thought at a time, one small choice at a time, and often one damaging doubt at a time. In fact, our adversary is delighted to help our rafts drift from the protection and presence of God by casting doubt on God’s goodness to us. If you sense that your life has been set adrift—that God is not as close and precious as He used to be—then you may have just been in the riptide of an old trick of the enemy of your soul. The same trick he used to sever Eve’s heart from the joy of her relationship with her Creator.

Satan’s opening volley was not a blistering attack on God; it was a simply a question that he wanted Eve to think about. “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden?’” (Genesis 3:1). Actually, God had said that she could eat of every tree but one. But Satan twisted the facts to suit his purposes and to lead Eve’s mind to the conclusion that God was not the generous God she had known Him to be, but rather a stingy, restrictive, joy killer. Once she had let her heart drift to the wrong conclusion, it was easy for her to believe Satan’s lie that God just wanted to keep her from being as knowledgeable as He is and that the threat of them dying was just God’s way of scaring them into compliance with His stingy ways.

Satan still sets us adrift by planting doubt about God’s Word and spinning the facts to his own evil advantage.

Once we begin to suspect God instead of trusting Him, we inevitably drift away from Him. So, beware! Your life is full of scenarios where Satan can put his deceitful twist on your experiences. He is the spin-doctor of hell, and as Jesus said, “When [Satan] lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies” (John 8:44).

With that in mind, keep a lookout for some of Satan’s favorite spins:

Lie #1: God is to blame for the evil that Satan has inflicted on our lives.
Lie #2: God has not rewarded me for being good. I’ve been used, not blessed!
Lie #3: God’s rules are restrictive and oppressive. He just wants to take the fun out of my life.
Lie #4: God is good to others but not to me. He must not love me!
And there are many other lies, all custom-made for your head and heart. If you believe them, you have begun to drift away from the safe shores of God’s love and protecting provision. You’ll soon discover that you are adrift in the middle of nowhere, bobbing dangerously over your head. And count on it, as Eve was soon to learn, Satan won’t stay around to make you happy and fulfilled. He’ll be slithering off to more interesting company, leaving you in the deep waters of shame and regret.

from Strength for the Journey RBC.org

being with Him

2010-07-15T09:25:00.001+08:00

Psalm 73:23 -24(a): Yet I am always with You; You hold me by my right hand. You guide me with Your counsel. . .. (TLB).

So, God, what are You saying to me? What am I supposed to hear?

"I am always with You"

Do I really believe this? Do I walk in this? Am I consciously aware that everywhere I go I am in His presence-in the car on the way to town; walking the dog; sitting at my desk; at the supper table? I am always with You. If I accept this as truth, then I won't ever, ever consider Him to be not listening, not interested, somewhere far away where I have to concentrate to get in touch with Him or isolate myself to be with Him. Never will I have to do this. The teaching that tells me I have to implore God to listen, to beg God to intercede, to inform Him of my problems pales in the light of His constant presence with me-always.

"You hold me by my right hand"

This makes it even more incredible. But how can He be holding my right hand and Bill's right hand at the same time? Or holding my hand and a missionary's hand in the deepest jungles of Africa? I don't have to understand-I must just believe. Right? So not only is He with me, but He is so involved in all that I do He is actually holding me by my right hand.

Why my right hand and not my left? Most people are right-handed. That means we lead with this hand, it's our "doing" hand; it's my emphasis hand; I'd be terribly frustrated without the use of my right hand! Now, if He is holding that hand with which I do everything-be it my right or my left-then all I can do is discuss with Him my plans, then let Him do it. I can't. I'm incapacitated!

"You guide me with Your counsel"

Isaiah 1:18: God says, "Come over here and sit down. Let's talk this over together." That's one of the most amazing verses in the Bible! "Let's reason together." Imagine! Someone whose I.Q. is infinity wants to "reason" with me!

Someone constantly holding my "doing" hand knows everything that I do. If I were with a peer, we would no doubt spend a lot of time expressing our opinions, trying to sway each other to our way of thinking, and probably arguing. But it is God: Omniscient! And He is there to counsel me. I guess you could draw the image of me dragging Him along (He's still holding my hand) on ventures of my own choosing. Complete the image, however. I'd hit the inevitable "brick wall." Of course, He would be there to "pick up the pieces," to brush me off and tend my wounds. How long would it take me to learn what a mess I would make using my wisdom-dragging Him on my route instead of following Him on His.

Reflection:

Oh, He is so wise! Why in the world do I insist on doing things my way when He has given me this beautiful promise? Do I really listen to what He says to me?

Picture this: He has asked you to sit down. Then, he takes hold of your chin and says, "Now look directly into My eyes. I'm talking to YOU. Listen to Me. I am always with you. I will never leave you on your own. And I am holding your right hand which means that you are going to have to let Me do this. I will give you My counsel as we go. We will talk about options, opportunities, and unexpected results. Do you understand what I am saying to you?"

I'm sorry, Lord. I hear what You're saying to me now. I guess I just wasn't listening very well a while ago.

Because you say so....

2010-07-07T08:44:00.000+08:00

“Master, we … haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.”
Luke 5:5

Simon was probably not in a good mood when Jesus asked him to put his boat out a ways so he could teach the people. Simon and his crew had just come in from fishing all night without catching anything, and now they were cleaning their nets. They must have been exhausted! But instead of being able to clean up, go home for breakfast, and sleep, they had to wait while this rabbi preached to all the people who were following him. How frustrating that must have been!

But then Jesus told Simon to row out to deep water and cast his nets. Why would Jesus do that? Jesus wanted to make a strong disciple of Simon. Simon had already heard the words of Jesus and may have experienced a change in his heart. But he may also have had doubts about Jesus. In response to Jesus’ command, Simon said, “Because you say so, I will let down the nets.” And what happened? They caught so many fish that their nets nearly broke and they filled two boats to overflowing!

Those little words “because you say so” are powerful, for they capture the response of obedient faith. Like Simon, we need to listen to Jesus, and we need to trust him when he calls us to cast our nets in faith, even if it’s a strain to do so. Though fatigue, hunger, or other discomfort may make it difficult, we need to follow when he calls. He is the Lord!

Waiting patiently...

2010-07-06T08:59:00.000+08:00

Have you ever been in a situation with no good resolution, feeling like God had abandoned you?

Sometimes we find ourselves in over our heads. Our natural inclination is to try to dig ourselves out, but sometimes we find that there’s no right way to do so. We can keep trying to dig ourselves out… or we can wait patiently for God to help us.

At Strength for the Journey, Joe Stowell describes the process of waiting patiently for God. It’s not an easy thing to do. But it could be, as in the story of king David, that God has already planned our deliverance:

King David understood this. He knew that he was to be the next king of Israel. Rather than staging a dramatic takeover, he faithfully served in the army and played his harp in the palace to soothe King Saul’s stress. Things were going great until Saul developed an insane jealousy that drove him to try to kill David. When David was being hunted by Saul, he found himself in a cold cave crying out to God, “How long, O Lord? Will You forget me forever? How long will You hide Your face from me? How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart all the day? How long will my enemy be exalted over me?” (Psalm 13:1-2 NASB).

Like David, when we feel that God has forgotten us we are prone to plan our own escape. We say, “I know what I’ll do. I’ll—no, that won’t work. Here’s what I’ll do—no, I don’t think that will work either.” It’s the total despair of seeming to be locked in with no apparent way out.

Take courage. God already knows how He is going to deliver you. In fact, He is in the business of making ways of escape! Peter assures us, “the Lord knows how to rescue godly men from trials” (2 Peter 2:9). So you can count on it: When you are faithful and patient through trouble, God will, in His time, exercise options of deliverance that are far beyond what you ever dreamed!

Have you ever been in a situation in which you needed to rely on God in faith that he would deliver you?

Indah yang jahat

2010-04-20T14:00:00.003+08:00

Sudah menjadi lumrah manusia untuk cenderung menyukai perkara-perkara yang sedap atau indah dipandang. Melihat di sekeliling kita saja pun, kita mahu mencari sesuatu yang indah pada pandagan mata. Dalam segala aspek kehidupan, kita mahu mencari yang cantik-cantik belaka. Rumah yang cantik, kereta yang cantik, pasangan yang cantik, pakaian yang cantik dan macam-macam lagi yang cantik. Mungkin kalau dibuat kajian, entah berapa peratus orang saja yang mahu mencari yang buruk....

Ketika Abram dan Lot memutuskan untuk berpisah, Lot memandang ke sekelilingnya. Pandangannya jatuh kepada kawasan Lembah Yordan yang indah seperti "taman Tuhan". Lantas Lot memilih untuk menuju ke sana. Beliau akhirnya mendirikan khemahnya di sebuah kota yang dipanggil Sodom.

Namun ternyata apa yang kelihatannya indah umpama "taman Tuhan" itu sebenarnya adalah tempat yang dipenuhi dengan dosa dan kejahatan! Kota Sodom terlalu jahat sehingga Tuhan memutuskan untuk memusnahkan kota itu dengan api dari sorga.

Hari ini mungkin kita memandang sekeliling kita, memandang masa depan kita dan melihat sesuatu yang indah dan penuh pengharapan terbentang di depan mata kita...kelihatan seperti 'taman Tuhan'. Hati-hati! Kerana kita tidak pernah tahu kalau-kalau 'taman Tuhan' itu adalah Sodom yang penuh dengan kejahatan.

Kerana itu kita diminta untuk mengenakan segala perlengkapan rohani...dan berwaspada dengan si jahat yang mengaum-ngaum di sekeliling kita sambil mencari kesempatan untuk mengaburi mata kita....

Defeating The Roaring Giant

2010-04-19T11:36:00.001+08:00

The story of a little David fighting against a gigantic Goliath has been one of the well known chapter in the Bible. Almost everyone knows that David was merely a sheperd when he came to face the biggest and strongest fighter in the form of Goliath.

How did David fought Goliath? Well, as everyone knows...with catapult loaded with stone he selected from the bed of a nearby river! Actually, the story was not all about how he won the battle but also what he had experienced prior to the big battle. While his brothers were well trained fighters and fought with King Saul forces, David was tasked to take care of his father’s sheeps. David was young and physically little in size but he was brave. He spent most of his time guarding his sheeps from wild animals and playing with his harp. David was very good in protecting his sheep. He had no fear of the threat from wild animals such as lions and bears. With time he developed his skills in fighting with the beast! Little that he knows that God sent him to fight with the beast and to guard sheeps because he was destined to fight with a giant and to guard a nation (as a king)!

Most of the time we are just another David. We were trained in some field, developing skills we tought to be of little use...David might has been thinking to himself why he was not allowed to join the army even though he was a brave young man. His father sent him to the desert and guard their sheeps instead! At this moment we might be doing less established jobs, less important tasks or responsibility of the least priority..but hey!...we are being trained for something BIG!..

There are also many ‘Goliaths’ in our life...these Goliaths are roaring around us...trying to scare us...The Goliaths of that we face could be crisis in our job, marriage, relationship, financial and many more..They are yelling at us to frighten us...they laugh when they see the fear in our face, the worries in our heart...yes, they trouble us day after day..just like what Goliath did to the Isrealites!

But then, what is our reaction?..Are we being frightened like the Isrealites?..Are we being scared and worried and unable to think?...Or are we being like David who came forward and faced the crisis in the name of God?...Yeah, the crisis might be BIG and FRIGHTENING...but our God is even BIGGER! He will help us come through tests and temptations when we ask.

Mencuba itu memang baik.....

2010-04-01T12:33:00.003+08:00

Yusuf merupakan salah satu daripada watak Alkitab yang sangat menarik. Beliau dikatakan seorang pemuda yang baik rupa paras dan mulia budi pekerti. Belaiu juga merupakan anak kesayangan kedua ibu dan bapanya. Namun demikian, Yusuf dibenci oleh adik beradiknya kerana rasa dengki dan iri hati.

Kesudahannya Yusuf dijual ke Mesir sebagai hamba oleh saudara-saudaranya sendiri. Di Mesir, Yusuf mulanya menjadi hamba kepada seorang pegawai kerajaan namun akhirnya dihumban ke dalam penjara kerana sikap jujurnya. Perbuatan-perbuatan baik Yusuf dibalas dengan nasib malang yang bertukar ganti. Dimarahi saudara-saudaranya, dibuang ke dalam perigi, dijual sebagai hamba dan akhirnya meringkuk di dalam penjara....

Akan tetapi dalam mengharungi pergolakan yang silih berganti itu Yusuf tidak pernah merungut. Dia tetap percaya dan berharap kepada Tuhan. Persoalannya: Apakah tindakan Yusuf? Sering kali orang berkata "Tunggu dan lihat saja la...Tuhan pasti akan menolong kita"...Benar dan memang benar. Tuhan akan menolong. Itu suatu yang pasti. Namun tidaklah bermaksud yang kita hanya perlu 'tunggu dan lihat' tanpa mengambil sebarang tindakan yang wajar....

Ketika dipenjara, Yusuf menterjemahkan erti mimpi dua orang pegawai istana Firaun. Kepada salah seorang daripada mereka Yusuf berkata "Tetapi, ingatlah kepadaku, apabila keadaanmu telah baik nanti, tunjukkanlah terima kasihmu kepadaku dengan menceritakan hal ihwalku kepada Firaun dan tolonglah keluarkan aku dari rumah ini.
Sebab aku dicuri diculik begitu saja dari negeri orang Ibrani dan di sinipun aku tidak pernah melakukan apa-apa yang menyebabkan aku layak dimasukkan ke dalam liang tutupan ini. (Kejadian 40:14-15)"....Yusuf mencari jalan untuk keluar dari penjara itu.! Dia tahu yang Tuhan pasti akan menolong dia tapi dia mencari jalan..kalau-kalau jalan itu yang ditunjukkan Tuhan....

Tapi itu tidak berlaku. Pegawai istana itu melupakan Yusuf. Hanya setelah lewat dua tahun dari itu, barulah Yusuf dikeluarkan dari penjara...Tidak salah berenang ke tepian dan menjerit minta tolong andainya kita sedang lemas. Memang Tuhan akan tolong kalau kita sedang lemas, itu pasti. Tapi berteriak minta tolong sambil cuba berenang itu juga bukan bertentangan dengan kehendak Tuhan.

Tuhan akan melindungi kita dan segala milik kita sentiasa. Itu pasti. Tapi tidak salah memasang pagar dan alat penggera keselamatan di rumah untuk melindungi kita. Tuhan pasti tahu kalau-kalau pagar dan alat penggera itu mahu digunakanNya sebagai jalan untuk melindungi kita. Kalau kita sedang sakit, pasti Tuhan akan menyembuhkan. Namun tidak salah untuk membuat usaha untuk mencari rawatan. Kalau-kalau rawatan yang kita cari itu merupakan jalan Tuhan untuk menyembuhkan kita. Lihat saja Yusuf. Ternyata akhirnya pegawai istana itu jugalah yang dipakai Tuhan sebagai jalan untuk mengeluarkan Yusuf dari penjara.

Andai hari ini kita dalam kesulitan, percayalah,berdoalah dan berusahalah kerana Tuhan pasti akan membuka jalan penyelesaian. Akan tetapi masa dan saatnya pertolongan itu tiba hanya Dia yang tahu. Amen.

5 roti dan 2 ikan

2010-03-31T08:22:00.002+08:00

Pada suatu ketika, Yesus dan murid-muridNya berada di pergunungan. Ramai orang yang mengikuti Dia kerana mahu mendengar ajaranNya. Apabila hari sudah lanjut, orang ramai itu mula keletihan dan kelaparan. Namun kerana tempat di mana mereka berada itu agak terpencil, murid-murid Yesus mula risau bagaimana untuk mencari makanan agar dapat diberikan kepada orang ramai yang besar jumlahnya itu.

Menurut Alkitab, jumlah orang yang ada di situ pada waktu itu ialah 5 ribu orang laki-laki. Belum termasuk perempuan dan kanak-kanak. Kalau dicongak-congak, 5 ribu orang itu boleh memenuhi satu padang bola sepak...malah mungkin tidak cukup untuk menampung jumlah itu. Kalau pada masa sekarang, satu majlis perkahwinan yang dihadiri oleh 5 ribu tetamu, majlis itu sudah amat besar....

Murid-murid Yesus mencari- cari jalan untuk mendapatkan makanan dan apa yang mereka temui hanyalah seorang budak yang membawa bekal 5 roti dan 2 ikan. Bekalan sebegitu hanya cukup untuk keperluan budak itu sahaja!. Bayangkan kalau anda adalah budak itu. Anda membawa bekal dari rumah untuk keperluan sendiri buat sepanjang hari itu. Tiba-tiba ada pula orang meminta bekal anda itu. Apa reaksi anda? Budak itu sendiri pun pastinya keletihan dan kelaparan. Tapi bila bekalan makanannya diambil, kira-kira bagaimana perasaannya?

Tidak pula diceritakan di dalam Alkitab sama ada budak itu menolak semasa murid-murid Tuhan meminta bekalan makanannya, tapi yang pasti bekalan 5 roti dan 2 ikan itu dibawa oleh murid-murid Yesus kepada Yesus. Apa yang terjadi seterusnya?
Yesus memberkati makanan itu dan membahagikannya kepada orang yang ramai itu. Mereka semua makan hingga kenyang termasuklah budak itu sendiri. Dan ada lagi pula baki makanan sebanyak 12 bakul...Kira-kira kalau budak itu makan sendiri bekalannya itu, adakah dia akan kenyang sebegitu?.Mungkin juga tapi bakinya tiada.

Kalau pada hari ini, kita hanya ada 5 roti dan 2 ikan, tiba-tiba Tuhan minta semuanya itu....apakah reaksi kita? Sedangkan kita sendiri pun amat memerlukan 5 roti dan 2 ikan itu.
Mungkin kita berkata, "Tuhan, saya bagi 4 roti dan 1 ikan saja dulu sebab saya perlukan yang selebihnya untuk saya".
Atau "Tuhan, macam mana saya mau bagi ni..ini saja yang saya ada..saya pun perlu juga?"

Budak itu mengajar kita untuk memberi apabila Tuhan minta kerana Tuhan ada rencana untuk hal itu. Semasa Tuhan minta bekal budak itu, dia sendiri pun tidak tahu kenapa. Yesus tidak memberitahu apa yang Dia mahu lakukan. Namun budak itu menurut dan memperolehi berkat yang berlimpah-limpah malah dapat memberkati lebih 5 ribu orang yang lain.

Kalau hari ini Tuhan minta kita memberi apa yang ada pada kita, walaupun pada zahirnya adalah sedikit, berilah sebagaimana budak itu memberi kerana Tuhan akan memberkati kita dan orang-orang lain di luar sana melalui pemberian itu. Mungkin tidak sampai 5 ribu orang jumlahnya tapi yang pasti akan ada orang yang diberkati. Melalui pemberian itu kita juga akan diberkati sehingga kenyang malah berlimpah-limpah.

"Kenapa Tuhan???"

2010-03-30T16:37:00.002+08:00

Beberapa minggu yang lepas saya sememangnya amat bertuah kerana diberkati dengan pesanan Tuhan melalui khotbah di gereja semasa kebaktian mingguan. Pesanan Tuhan pada hari itu adalah berkenaan persoalan-persoalan yang dihadapi dalam kehidupan kita seharian...Pengkhotbah memetik dari Kitab Ayub dan membuat huraian yang begitu memberkati...Terpuji nama Tuhan Yesus Kristus kerana memberkati pengkhotbah itu dengan keupayaan yang sangat baik untuk mengupas dan menghalusi pesanan Tuhan dalam KitabNya.

Nabi Ayub sememangnya seorang nabi yang terpaksa memikul beban yang sangat berat. Menurut Alkitab, beliau seorang yang hidup melakukan kehendak Tuhan dan hidup kudus di depan Tuhan. Beliau memiliki segala kekayaan dan kebahagiaan yang hanya dapat dimimpikan oleh manusia lain pada ketika itu. Namun Tuhan mengizinkan kesesakan yang hebat menghentam dia....

Mula-mulanya Ayub masih dapat bertahan dan terus berpegang kepada imannya kepada Tuhan. Namun akhirnya beliau mula mempersoalkan Tuhan akan kesesakan yang dialaminya. Mungkin kerana sudah terlalu berat beban yang dia pikul...ditambah pula dengan desakan-desakan oleh rakan-rakannya sendiri....Akhirnya Ayub bertanya..."Kenapa Tuhan??...Kenapa bah Kamu membiarkan saya menghadapi hal-hal ini???"....

Mavcam biasa dengarkan?...kenapa bah ini???...kenapa saya sakit??? kenapa saya miskin??? kenapa keluarga saya begini??? kenapa ???? kenapa???....

Apa jawapan Tuhan kepada Ayub?...sangat mudah....

Ayub 38:4 Di manakah engkau, ketika Aku meletakkan dasar bumi? Ceritakanlah, kalau engkau mempunyai pengertian!

Dalam Ayub pasal 38, Tuhan menjawab Ayub dengan panjang lebar....

Lebih kurang jawaban Tuhan ialah..."Hei Ayub...di mana kau ketika aku menciptakan alam semesta??...kalau kau pandai sangat, dimana kau ketika aku menciptakan segala sesuatu???"....

Tuhan adalah pencipta segala sesuatu...Tuhan adalah pencipta kita...Dia memiliki segala hak untuk melakukan apa saja dalam hidup kita...siapa kita untuk mempersoalkan perbuatanNya?....lebih kurang begitu lah.....

Namun ternyata benar!..siapa kita untuk bertanya kepada pencipta
"kenapa kau cipta saya begini??"
"Saya mahu hidung mancung bah tapi kenapa kau cipta hidung saya kemek??"
"Saya mahu jadi penyanyi bah tapi kenapa kau kasih saya suara macam bunyi kambing gurun??"
"Saya mau begitu ba..tapi kenapa begini????"...

Intipatinya, Tuhan berhak untuk melakukan apa sahaja terhadap ciptaanNya...dan dalam semua yang Dia lakukan itu matlamatnya adalah agara nama Tuhan dimuliakan....melalui apa yang kita alami, yang kita lalui...biarlah nama Tuhan dipermuliakan...

Di dalam segala kesesakan kita, Tuhan memperhatikan kita...sebagaimana Ayub diperhatikan....
Tiba waktunya, Dia hulurkan tangan untuk mengangkat kita dari kesesakan itu kepada kelimpahan yang lebih besar......

A Helping Hum

2010-02-17T10:01:00.001+08:00

Read Exodus 17:8-13

Strengthen the feeble hands, steady the knees that give way; say to those with fearful hearts, "Be strong, do not fear."
-Isaiah 35:34 (NIV)

ANA came forward to sing a solo. She is a new church member, participating for the first time as a soloist in our worship service. As she began singing a familiar hymn, a look of fear crossed her face. Her voice came out shaky and weak. She was singing without instrumental backup, so she struggled alone.

Suddenly, someone in the congregation began quietly humming the melody. Soon others joined in. Before long, a four-part harmony of humming accompanied Ana as she sang. Help came from all over the sanctuary. Ana took courage and finished the hymn with a beautiful, strong voice.

Our congregation's impromptu musical support for Ana reminds me of the story of Aaron and Hur, who figured out how to support Moses. When he became weary in his important task, their helping hands made all the difference.

All of us may get tired as we serve God. We may be overwhelmed with fear and feel ready to give up. Someone's helping hand can make all the difference.

by Marion Speicher Brown (South Carolina, USA)

Widows and Orphans

2009-12-11T08:26:00.000+08:00

Read James 1:22-27

What God the Father considers to be pure and genuine religion is this: to take care of orphans and widows in their suffering and to keep oneself from being corrupted by the world.
-James 1:27 (TEV)

WHILE I was in foster care, in the home of a minister, my friends taunted me, saying that my mom would never return to get me. But they were wrong. She came for me after proving she could be a responsible adult by holding down a job and securing living quarters for her children.

As I was getting ready to leave his home, the minister spoke to my mom in private. I later found out that he had saved all the money he had received for my foster care. He gave it to my mom to help her get a fresh start. My foster dad was living out the truth of the scripture verse above.

But that verse from James goes much deeper in its meaning. An orphan is someone who has no living biological parents, but in a sense we are all spiritual orphans until we recognize God as our father. If we are to live "pure and genuine religion," we must care for spiritual orphans by guiding them to relationship with our Father in heaven. My foster dad surely did, and my mom and I are living proof of the power of God to redeem broken lives through those who obey God's word in scripture.

by Sandra Kay Ramirez (Ohio, USA)

A Christmas Joy

2009-12-01T12:23:00.001+08:00

Read Mark 12:41-44

[Jesus] called his disciples and said to them, "Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the treasury."
-Mark 12:43 (NRSV)

FOR many years I have been helping the Salvation Army by operating one of their kettle stations and ringing a little hand bell in front of a local grocery store. Some days the winter cold makes the bell ringing challenging and unpleasant, but the faces of the coin droppers make it all worthwhile. Last Christmas season, a dear elderly woman stood near the kettle searching a long time in her purse for some coins. She appeared as if she were the one who needed financial help. Finally, she beamed with success as she deposited her rather meager offering. But as Jesus noted in his story of the widow and her penny, it was the sacrificial giving from the heart that mattered.

Often during my Salvation Army bell-ringing experience, I noticed that the people who gave the most often were ones who seemed to be the poorest, and their beaming countenance reflected their joy in giving. But the ones I remember the most are the children who deposited coins given to them by a parent. When they heard the words "Merry Christmas" they flashed wonderful smiles. Yes, giving -- however small the amount -- can bring us a bright face and a soaring spirit.

by Jack Ballard (Colorado, USA)

Checking the Fence

2009-11-23T12:04:00.001+08:00

Read Psalm 119:97-106

All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching the truth, rebuking error, correcting faults, and giving instruction for right living.
-2 Timothy 3:16 (TEV)

MANY mornings on my way to work, I see two ranchers carefully checking their fence that borders a busy road. They make sure the posts are secure and the wire is intact to keep their cattle safe from the dangers of the road and from wandering onto property that doesn't belong to the ranchers. Their diligence is necessary, since many times I see cattle leaning over the wire trying to snatch a mouthful of grass or to satisfy their curiosity. Without that fence, the cattle would wander.

In many ways, God's word is like that fence. The Bible tells me how to set safe boundaries in my life to keep me from the dangers of sinful actions and bad decisions. Whatever the day brings, God's word offers me the answers I need for living that day. But, like the ranchers, I need to "check my fence" daily. Some days I don't want to hear from God's word because I'm "leaning on the wire" trying to go my own way. But daily Bible reading keeps my spiritual fence in good repair and helps me remain in God's safe pasture.

by Laurinda Wallace (Arizona, USA)

Painting God

2009-11-19T08:29:00.000+08:00

Read 1 Corinthians 2:6-16

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.
-Proverbs 3:5 (NIV)

MY grandmother is a talented artist. She has twelve grandchildren, and we all had our turn in her studio to see if we inherited her gift. I soon realized that my talents lie elsewhere. As hard as I tried, I could never make my painting look real, as Grandma's did. My attempts at art looked more like cartoons. She told me that I should pay attention to what I was seeing and draw that, not what I thought my subject should look like. Although I never caught on to painting, Grandma did teach me a lesson about God.

I spent many years "painting" God as I thought God should be. Because I could not understand some things about God, I made up my own image. Like my paintings, the end result was pretty pathetic. And when times got hard for me, my hope crumbled. But my grandmother's advice has helped me in my Christian walk. It has helped me let go of what I think God should look like and look to the Bible to see what God is really like.

by Sarah Negroni (Louisiana, USA)

God will strengthen us

2009-11-18T09:09:00.000+08:00

Read Nehemiah 2:17-20 and 6:9, 15-16

The gracious hand of my God [was] upon me.
-Nehemiah 2:18 (NIV)

I kept fretting over the persistent pain in my hands. Housework, weeding the garden, and even helping my children dress caused my hands to scream in protest. When I tried to spend time with God, I found myself thinking about the pain instead.

At the time, I was reading the book of Nehemiah. This man who loved God was striving to rebuild the wall around God's city, Jerusalem. Nehemiah rallied hundreds to help. Throughout the massive project, Nehemiah prayed and then depended on God for success. Amazingly, in just 52 days the new wall was completed. Everyone knew it was a work of God.

During the rebuilding process, enemies of Israel threatened and taunted God's people, trying to intimidate the workers. These enemies cast doubt by shouting, "Their hands will get too weak for the work, and it will not be completed." Nehemiah wasn't distracted by their attempts at intimidation. Instead he prayed, "Now strengthen my hands" (Neh. 6:9).

As I read Nehemiah's prayer, I realized my focus was badly misplaced. Pain had distracted me from praying, but Nehemiah's life reminded me to pray despite obstacles. I adjusted my focus. Depending on God, I chose to watch for God's power in my life.

by Linda Walstrom (Illinois, USA)

Joyful Testimony

2009-11-17T08:26:00.000+08:00

Read John 4:1-39

Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in [Jesus] because of the woman's testimony, "He told me everything I ever did."
-John 4:39 (NIV)

SOMETIMES I hesitate to talk about God with those around me. Feeling inadequate, I wonder how I can explain that Jesus is alive and loves us deeply. Arguing will not persuade them of the truth. Today's reading showed me how one woman successfully shared the good news about Jesus.

Quite simply, the woman at the well could not hide her excitement. "Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did," she exclaimed, eager for others to get to know him, too. Instead of a clever argument, she enthusiastically described her meeting with the Savior, making him real to those who listened. Because of that woman's testimony, many Samaritans in her town believed in Jesus.

So when I struggle to find the right words, I think of the Samaritan woman and remind myself that I can simply explain that God knows all about me -- the good and the bad -- and still loves and accepts me. Why would I make sharing the gospel more complicated than this? No amount of clever arguments will win hearts as much as will our communicating the joy of knowing God -- and the joy of God's knowing all about us and loving us anyway.

Emma J. Peterson (Buckinghamshire, England)

A Lost Sheep

2009-11-17T08:18:00.001+08:00

Read Luke 15:1-7

The Lord says, "I will come to you and save you."
-Jeremiah 30:11 (TEV)

AT one point in my life, my faith began to falter. I had abandoned my God and the strong faith I'd had since childhood. I was no longer wearing my cross, the symbol that constantly reminded me of Jesus' sacrifice. I had even removed all religious pictures from my walls. I'd had enough of religious dogma. I had not prayed for many days, and I felt lost. Eventually, when I could not bear my situation any longer, I turned to God for help.

I took the Bible from my bookshelf and held it in my hands, uttering desperately, "If there is a God, please help me. Maybe there is something you would like to tell me, Lord." Then I opened my Bible and read these words: "I am the Lord who created you; from the time you were born, I have helped you. Do not be afraid" (Isa. 44:2).

My eyes filled with tears. I clearly felt the strong presence of God's living Spirit coming that afternoon to guide me, a lost sheep.

Einar Ingvi Magnusson (Bratislava, Slovakia)

Blessed by Beauty

2009-11-03T09:02:00.001+08:00

Read Psalm 104:1-24

The earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof.
-Psalm 24:1 (KJV)

I live in the beautiful city of Cape Town in South Africa. On my way home from dropping my children at school, I often go into a botanical garden situated on the slopes of Table Mountain. I spend half an hour walking, communing with God, before I start my day's work.

As I walk, I feel exhilarated by the fresh air, the sun on my face, and the rhythm of my body as I move. I am immersed in a feast for the senses: the glint of sunlight on water, the flash of red as a sunbird darts across my path, the rich scent of plants, and the calls of birds that fill the air. Towering against the brilliant blue of the sky is Table Mountain with its white tablecloth of cloud.

I walk nearly every day. If it's raining, I enjoy feeling the rain on my face, knowing that in our dry climate, water is life. I always return home feeling refreshed. My body is energized by the walk, my spirits are lifted, my hope is revived, and my heart rejoices in the beauty of the world God has given us. I am thankful for those who work to maintain this beautiful place and for the way God feeds my spirit through it. I am thankful for this and for all the ways God speaks to me.

by Sally Argent (Cape Town, South Africa)

Submit to Legitimate Human Authority

2009-10-30T11:16:00.001+08:00

1Peter 2:13,14 Submit yourselves for the Lord's sake to every authority instituted among men: whether to the king, as the supreme authority, or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right.

The practice of submission to human authority is a good thing, given that it is with regards to legitimate human authority acting within their legitimate realm of authority. In fact in Peter's time Christians had to disobey authority. For there came a time when the Emperor required Christians to worship him, which was not his God-given right to command. For all human authority has only a limited realm of authority outside of which they are not legimate authority, such as if they were to command people to sin. However if one steps outside of their legitimate realm of authority, such as the Emperor demanding worship, that does not mean they are no longer to be reckoned legitimate authority figures within their legitimate realm of authority. Daniel was an excellent example of one who practiced this type of submission.

Likewise Paul writes on this subject saying, "Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and he will commend you. For he is God's servant to do you good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword for nothing. He is God's servant, an agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also because of conscience." Rom 13:1-5

And he says, "I strive always to keep my conscience clear before God and man." Acts 24:16 Part of having a clear conscience is submitting to legitimate human authority.

Crave the Milk of the Word

2009-10-26T13:16:00.001+08:00

1Peter 2:2,3 Like newborn babies, crave the pure milk of the Word, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.

Those who have been saved have an inherent craving for the Word. Thus one indicator of a person's salvation status is whether they are regularly studying the Bible with a view towards application. Growing as a Christian is firstly a function of Bible study, apart from which there will be no spiritual growth. And then developing applications from Bible study indicates one has embraced its truths. Just as in school one first learns the facts and later learns to apply them, so also with the Christian life.

Beware of the tend some have gotten caught up in of replacing the Bible with an existentialistic experience of Christ. Growth is gained through Bible study and not simply by having "experiences". While Biblical Christianity contains both of these, many abandon the Bible, replacing it with a New Age type of Jesus that they "feel", and go on to make such a "Jesus" in their own image, making up their own doctrine. That's why we have the Bible - to ensure that our experience of Christ is an experience of the Biblical Christ and not some idol.

Start with the basics. What are the fundamentals of the faith. What are the essential elements of the gospel and what constitutes basic Christian living? Paul writes to the immature Corinthians, "I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready." 1Cor 3:2 Don't delve into issues of advance theology until you have embraced and applied the fundamentals. Realize also that you are required to mature and even to go on to teaching. Hebrews 5:12 says, "In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God's word all over again. You need milk, not solid food!" So get on with it! "Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteous living. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil." Heb 5:13,14

Realize also that not all who have tasted of the good Word of God have been genuinely saved. By their fruits you will recognize them. And beware, for "it is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age, if they fall away, to be brought back to repentance, because to their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace. Land that drinks in the rain often falling on it and that produces a crop useful to those for whom it is farmed receives the blessing of God. But land that produces thorns and thistles is worthless and is in danger of being cursed. In the end it will be burned." Heb 6:4-8

A Lawn to Mow

2009-10-23T09:25:00.001+08:00

Read Luke 10:25-37

The teacher of the Law wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, "Who is my neighbor?"
-Luke 10:29 (TEV)

"HEY, can you come over here?" yelled Ruby, leaning against her doorway. I walked across the yard, reaching her quickly. She asked if I knew someone who could mow her lawn. I explained that I was visiting my daughter and didn't know anyone in town. I added that I would let her know if I heard of anyone who cuts grass. She took a deep breath from her oxygen canister and thanked me.

Of course, I was capable of mowing her lawn, so I felt guilty. I made excuses to justify not helping Ruby: I take care of my 81-year-old mother; I help my children and grandchildren; I work at my church; Ruby is not my responsibility. But even to me, my excuses sounded lame. Jesus said, "Love your neighbor as yourself" (Matt. 19:19, NRSV). Ruby needed to see God's love in my love for her.

Pushing the mower to Ruby's small patch of lawn, I cranked the machine to life. Cutting the yard helped Ruby, and my action pleased God.

I realized then that our days are filled with chances to help our neighbors. Practicing kindness, offering genuine smiles, and easing a burden of someone in need says we are trying to live the life of love that God wants us to live.

by Irene Pruett-Wilson (Texas, USA)

Limps and Scars

2009-10-12T09:42:00.001+08:00

Read Genesis 32:9-32

Paul wrote, "Forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus."
-Philippians 3:13-14 (NRSV)

ONE of my favorite Bible stories recounts Jacob wrestling with God. I like it because it reminds me of life's dark moments when my dreams crumble around me and I am down in the dirt, wrestling with God. At times like these I have asked myself, What good can possibly come from this? Jacob's story answers that question. Jacob came away from his battle with a new name, Israel, because he had struggled with God and with humans and had overcome. (See Gen. 32:28.) When we wrestle with God, we too become strengthened to overcome the trials ahead.

Like Jacob, we may come away with a limp or a scar. But often our scars can remind us to reach out to those who need the good news of hope in the midst of their own struggles.

The "sun rose upon [Jacob]" (Gen. 32:31) as he moved on to deal with old struggles in a new way. Whatever our struggles may be, God helps us to leave yesterday's trials behind and to press on in hope toward tomorrow.

by Dyton L. Owen (Oklahoma, USA)

Working for God

2009-10-09T08:59:00.001+08:00

Read 2 Thessalonians 3:6-13

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as though you were working for the Lord and not for people.
-Colossians 3:23 (TEV)

AFTER working with a title of "minister" for many years, I now work outside the church as a mental-health counselor. Even so, I don't feel any less a minister; my approach to this job is that of a Christian serving the Lord. Each person I see is a child of God. When I work with that in mind, my job becomes my ministry. Whatever job we have, whether a church job or a job in a secular field, we have opportunities to share the love of God.

In my current job, I see many people who would never enter a church. Because of this my ministry is more far-reaching than before. One day a co-worker asked me how I could treat our clients, who at times are belligerent, with such patience and kindness. I answered, "Because I'm doing it for God."

Each of us can look for opportunities to work for God in the way we do daily tasks.

by Malinda Fillingim (Georgia, USA)

Pretentious or Plain?

2009-10-08T08:40:00.001+08:00

Read Jeremiah 18:1-10

You turn things upside down, as if the potter were thought to be like the clay! Shall what is formed say to him who formed it, "He did not make me"? Can the pot say of the potter, "He knows nothing"?
-Isaiah 29:16 (NIV)

I have to admit that I have trouble with the concept of being clay and not having a voice in my development. It's not that I'm rebellious and want my own way; it's just that I want some say in what happens to me. Okay, I admit it. I'm afraid that God's plan for me won't suit me. What if I would make a great ceramic bowl to be displayed and admired, but instead I get molded into an ashtray? All right, maybe being a display bowl is too pretentious. But what if I would make a great serving dish that could be useful in many ways, but I get molded into a chamber pot? (In that case, I think I'd rather be an ashtray.)

In my mind, I know that God wants not only what is good for me but also what is best for me. Still, I have trouble feeling that truth in my heart and living it in my life, especially when people around me treat me like I am an ashtray or worse.

I've learned that when I do what God wants me to do, I am being who God wants me to be. I won't have to worry about how that might look to me or to anyone else.

by Darlene Mackey (California, USA)

Watch what you say

2009-10-06T10:56:00.001+08:00

Eph 4:29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.

Jesus said, "I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken." Mt 12:36

But conversely words can edify.
Words are power things, often underestimated.

God left us with His Spirit and with His Word. And "the word of God is living and active." Heb 4:12a God says of His Word, "my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it." Is 55:11 Likewise with us. Peter writes, "If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God." 1Peter 4:11a

Words influence.
Words have impact.

So consider carefully what you say.

"Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone." Col 4:6

And pray, "Set a guard over my mouth, O LORD; keep watch over the door of my lips." Ps 141:3

Let us learn to speak by listening to the Lord and receiving the grace given Isaiah who said, "The Sovereign LORD has given me an instructed tongue, to know the word that sustains the weary. He wakens me morning by morning, wakens my ear to listen like one being taught." Is 50:4

Be Dispassionate

2009-10-06T10:49:00.001+08:00

Eph 4:26,27 "In your anger do not sin": Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold.

A dispassionate person is one who doesn't allow his passions to cloud his judgments. Yes there are legitimate reasons to get angry. God get's angry and we are to conform to his image. But God also is longsuffering. And besides, our emotions are often clouded by sin. One indication that our anger has sin in it is when we lose control over it. The devil can gain a foothold through roots of bitterness.

"Know that the LORD has set apart the godly for himself; the LORD will hear when I call to him. In your anger do not sin; when you are on your beds, search your hearts and be silent. Offer right sacrifices and trust in the LORD." Ps 4:3-5

In the Garden

2009-10-05T08:40:00.001+08:00

Read 1 Samuel 3:1-10

"Be still, and know that I am God! I am exalted among the nations, I am exalted in the earth."
-Psalm 46:10 (NRSV)

I love noise -- steady, constant reminders that I am not alone. Radio, television, the sound of other family members clanking around in the kitchen -- all of these are a joy to me. And when no one else is around to make noise for me, I create the illusion of company by making noise myself. This need for company even carries over to my relationship with God. More often than not, when I've run out of things to say, I start saying the same things over again.

Unfortunately, while I am busy talking, no one else is able to. Over the years, I have discovered that God is a very polite listener and refuses to talk when I am talking. God consistently waits to speak until I'm ready to listen.

Finally, knowing this day might never come, God gently began nudging me toward the hobby of gardening -- an activity that occupies me so well I didn't think about talking. Amazingly, as I pull the weeds out of the dirt to make room for my herbs and vegetables and flowers, I am silent. I hear the birds and feel the wind, but I am content with no need to comment. Thoughts about my day, my friends, family, and co-workers simply drift away, and I am with God. For me, time in the garden is prayer.

by Anna C. Gheen (Idaho, USA)

God's Time

2009-10-02T13:37:00.001+08:00

Read Psalm 37

Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act.
-Psalm 37:5 (NRSV)

ONE day, I learned an important lesson about making a cake. After mixing all the ingredients, I poured the batter into the baking pan and put it in the oven. After 40 minutes, the cake smelled so good that I could not help peeking through the oven's glass window. I saw that the cake had risen and looked ready. So I turned off the oven and took out the cake. I called my mother, showed her the cake, and asked her to taste it. However, when she cut into the cake she found out that the middle wasn't completely cooked. She told me that I should let the cake bake for another five minutes.

This experience reminded me of how impatient we are in waiting for God's answers to our prayers. My impatience in taking out the cake is like our impatient attitude toward God. We often want a "quick fix" from God when a hasty response might make matters worse. Often I have to be reminded that our God is an "on-time God" -- neither too late nor too early to help. We can trust that God wants the best for us and that we will see God's glory at last.

by Marcelina Dewi Kumalasari (Jakarta, Indonesia)

Memberi perpuluhan

2009-09-24T10:12:00.002+08:00

Baca Maleakhi 3:6-12

Muliakanlah Tuhan dengan hartamu dan dengan hasil pertama dari segala penghasilanmu, maka lumbung-lumbungmu akan diisi penuh sampai melimpah-limpah, bejana pemerahanmu akan meluap dengan air buah anggurnya.
-Amsal 3:9,10

Bertahun-tahun saya bergumul dengan konsep perpuluhan. Saya tidak kisah menghulurkan sedikit ke dalam kantung persembahan pada setiap hari minggu, tetapi 10 peratus? Saya mereka-reka pelbagai alasan kenapa saya tidak dapat memberi perpuluhan, namun saya tidak menghadapi sebarang kesulitan untuk membelanjakan jumlah yang sama di pasaraya.

Kemudian saya bertemu dengan Anne, seotang ibu tunggal yang bukan sahaja memberi perpuluhan malah menyimpan setiap wang lebihan untuk misi. Anne memiliki sukacita dan keyakinan dalam Tuhan yang saya cemburui. Dia tidak mempunyai pekerjaan yang bergaji besar, namun dia hidup bergaya dan menngikut kemampuannya. Satu hari, saya bertanya tentang rahsianya. "Saya menuruti rencana Tuhan dan percaya kepadanya," katanya dengan yakin. Dia seterusnya menerangkan betapa memberi perpuluhan itu bukan satu kewajipan tetapi satu keistimewaan dan satu cara untuk menunjukkan yang kita menghormati Tuhan. "Tuhan tidak pernah mengecewakan saya, walaupun pada waktu-waktu paling sukar," kata Anne.

Tuhan mencabar saya melalui Anne. "Ujilah saya dalam hal ini," Tuhan seolah-oleh berbicara sedemikian kepada saya. Jadi saya menerima cabaran Tuhan dan tidak pernah berpaling lagi. Dengan penuh kesetiaan, Tuhan telah memenuhi segala janji-janji yang diberikan di dalam Alkitab, dan berkat-berkatnya melimpah kepada saya setiap hari. Kerana Tuhan setia dan murah hati, saya sentiasa berkecukupan.

oleh Karen Gallagher (Florida, USA)

Eager Efforts

2009-09-23T08:47:00.000+08:00

Read Ephesians 2:1-10

We are what he has made us, created in Christ Jesus for good works.
-Ephesians 2:10 (NRSV)

ONE spring my wife and I planted gardenias. "We'll help," said our two young sons. We gave them trowels, and they began digging. Before we knew it, they were off playing with their toys, leaving a few shallow holes in the dirt. Of course we didn't mind. Actually, we were pleased by their effort.

But if I'd hired a landscaping firm to plant those gardenias, I'd have been upset. "You won't get paid until it's done right," I might have said. That thought reminded me of the difference between serving as a response to God's grace and love and serving in an attempt to earn these gifts of God with our works. It's the difference between the eager offerings that children give their parents and the anxious toil that workers may do for their employer.

Our position in our Father's house is secure. Even if our good works are mixed with the remnants of sin and the best we can do is dig shallow holes for the Almighty, God is pleased with our effort. When we look for salvation in God's grace and not in our own good deeds, we are free to offer joyful service.

by Marvin Lindsay (Virginia, USA)

Personal Best

2009-09-15T10:35:00.001+08:00

Read Matthew 22:34-40

Let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith.
-Hebrews 12:1-2 (NRSV)

WHEN I first started on the swim team at 11 years old, I wasn't a great competitor, but I loved records. I made it my goal always to break my own. Sometimes I would be the last one to finish in a race; but I would jump out of the water, run excitedly to the coach, and say, "Hey, coach, I beat my best time!"

My performance improved, and later I won the district in the 100-yard breaststroke during high school. But the best part about that race was that I beat my previous best time. This way of thinking became part of my personality, and it became part of my faith too.

In Matthew 22:34-40 Jesus taught the greatest commandment, but keeping it sounds difficult, almost impossible. Still, I've learned from swimming that we don't reach our goal on the first day of practice. Learning to love God and our neighbor takes a lot of persistence, and we will face many setbacks. It is easier to love others when we're not worried about who is winning and who is losing, who is better and who is worse. Instead, we can find ways to celebrate our gifts together. And though we will not become saints overnight, we can do a little better each day. I'm not yet what God wants me to be, but thank God I'm better than I used to be.

by David Turner (Texas, USA)

Menjadi saksi Kristus

2009-09-14T09:11:00.003+08:00

Dalam amanat agungNya, Yesus menyuruh murid-muridNya agar 'pergi ke seluruh dunia, jadikanlah segala bangsa muridKu dan baptislah mereka dalam nama Bapa, Anak dan Roh Kudus...'.

Sebagai orang yang percaya Yesus, kita juga menjadi murid Kristus. Sebagai murid Kristus, amanat agung ini adalah untuk kita. Kita diamanahkan untuk melaksanakan amanat ini. Jadi kita harus 'pergi...jadikan....dan baptis mereka....'. Tugas ini bukan dipertanggungjawabkan kepada seorang individu sahaja tetapi kepada semua murid Kristus. Paulus mengatakan dalam suratnya, 'ada yang menjadi tangan, ada yang menjadi kaki...ada yang bernubuat, ada yang mentafsirkan mimpi, ada yang diberi karunia untuk berkhotbah' dan banyak lagi karunia yang berbeza-beza.

Dalam kebaktian Ahad kelmarin, gereja kami dikunjungi oleh sukarelawan dari kapal MV Dolous. Mereka ini menjadi sukarelawan sebagai hamba Tuhan dengan melayani melalui pelayanan bersama-sama dengan kapal MV Dolous. Firman Tuhan dalam kebaktian tersebut pula dibawakan oleh rombongan dari Gideon International, satu pergerakan Kristian antarabangsa yang memberi fokus kepada penyampaian firman Tuhan kepada semua bangsa. Saya percaya di luar sana ada banyak lagi persatuan, pertubuhan, institusi dan sebagainya yang bergerak dengan satu tujuan iaitu untuk mencapai jiwa-jiwa untuk Tuhan. Namun adakah semua murid Tuhan perlu mengambil bahagian dalam pertubuhan atau gerakan sebegitu?

Saya melihat mereka yang terlibat dalam pelayanan sepenuh masa, penginjilan dan sebagainya ini merupakan mereka yang diberi karunia dan hikmat untuk melayani dalam bentuk sebegitu. Ada antara kita yang tidak berkesempatan untuk turut serta dalam pelayanan sebegitu kerana kekangan tertentu namun kita mampu melayani dalam bentuk yang lain. Antaranya pelayanan di gereja, di tempat kerja malah di kalangan keluarga kita sendiri.

Malah pelayanan melalui doa merupakan pelayanan yang sangat dituntut. Doa yang sungguh-sungguh mampu menggoncang sorga dan menggerakkan gunung. Berdoa boleh dilakukan di mana-mana jua. Sama ada berdoa secara sendirian mahu pun secara berkumpulan, Tuhan akan mendengar doa itu. Doa mampu mengalahkan segala bentuk tentangan. Malah doa merupakan senjata yang paling afdal bagi jiwa manusia. Dan doa yang paling berkuasa adalah doa dalam nama Yesus Kristus. Sesiapapun boleh mengambil bahagian dalam pelayanan doa ini. Jadi berdoa untuk pelayanan dan penginjilan juga merupakan satu bentuk pelayanan kepada Tuhan apabila dilakukan dengan sepenuh hati dan dengan kerendahan.

Seorang ibu atau ayah yang tidak mampu terlibat dalam pelayanan sepenuh masa untuk menggapai jiwa-jiwa di luar sana boleh dipakai Tuhan dengan luar biasa untuk bersaksi kepada anak-anak dan ahli keluarganya yang lain. Malah tulisan-tulisan dalam majalah, surat khabar ataupun laman web boleh menjadi berkat buat ramai orang.

Kerana itu, gunakanlah segala hikmat dan bakat yang Tuhan berikan kepada kita untuk melayani Tuhan dan menggapai jiwa-jiwa untuk Tuhan. Melalui kesaksian kita, baik dalam perkataan mahu pun perbuatan, akan ada jiwa yang akan diberkati. Melalui kehidupan kita, Roh Tuhan akan bekerja di dalam kehidupan orang lain dan menggerakkan hati mereka untuk mengenal Tuhan. Maka Tuhan pasti akan mengirim hamba-hambaNya yang diberi karunia untuk menginjil kepada orang itu seterusnya memimpin mereka untuk menerima Yesus sebagai Tuhan dan Juruselamat.

Longings Fulfilled

2009-09-14T09:10:00.001+08:00

Read 1 Samuel 1:21-28

Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life.
-Proverbs 13:12 (NIV)

AS I sat in the obstetrician's office, I felt heartbroken. For the second time, my husband and I had lost a baby through miscarriage. Our hope of starting a family was deferred again. Less than a year later, I was overjoyed when God fulfilled my longing and gave us a son.

While reading 1 Samuel 1, I identified with Hannah's desire to have children. Pouring out her heart to the Lord, she prayed for years that God would bless her with a son. She eventually conceived and gave birth to a son, Samuel. "I prayed for this child," she said, "and the Lord has granted me what I asked of him. So now I give him to the Lord" (1 Sam. 1:27-28).

Hannah's story reminds me that my child is a gift that I should continually surrender to the Lord. It would have been easy for Hannah to keep Samuel to herself after years of hoping for a child. But she offered him back, in thanksgiving and praise, to serve the Lord.

Indeed, all of our fulfilled hopes are gifts from God and reminders that all we have comes from and belongs to the Lord. Our proper response to God is gratitude and surrender.

by Kelley Brown (Alabama, USA)

Lean on God

2009-09-09T09:56:00.000+08:00

Read 1 Kings 19:1-18

[Elijah] prayed that he might die. "I have had enough, Lord," he said. "Take my life."
-1 Kings 19:4 (NIV)

I had lost my job. After a six-month search, I found work 2500 miles away. My wife and children stayed behind until we knew this new job would work out. My first three months alone were a nightmare. The new work was challenging, and I missed my family. I felt alone and defeated, and I cried in despair.

In times like this, I can really identify with Elijah. After he had been empowered by God to resurrect a dead child, to stop the rain, and to bring fire down from heaven, Jezebel vowed to kill him. The fear and pressure became too much for Elijah. When I see the great prophet in despair and know the end of his story, I thank God because this means there is hope for me. When pressures such as money problems, family illness, stress at work, or internal struggles make us feel defeated, we can remember Elijah and how God tenderly cared for him.

We can do this by reading the Bible daily to become encouraged and better tuned to God's voice. When we express our pain in prayer and seek Christian companionship, God helps us through our dark valleys. Elijah recovered and returned to serve God. When we feel defeated, we too can lean on God and find hope.

by Tom Smith (Utah, USA)

Forgiving Others

2009-09-07T08:14:00.001+08:00

Read Matthew 18:21-35

Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
-Ephesians 4:32 (NIV)

SUNDAY morning. Time for church. My husband and two older children had walked out the door, but I stayed behind, too hurt and angry to get myself and the baby ready to go. I felt bitter and slighted from a problem at church. God knew I had a right to cry. I decided to stay home and nurse my hurt feelings with angry tears.

Reaching for the baby's bottle, I heard a voice speak one word in my heart. Forgive. I paused, startled. I knew whose voice I had heard. God was gently nudging me. It wasn't easy, but in time and with God's help, I did forgive.

Now, at 80 years old, I look back to see how many times in the past 50 years I have needed to heed God's simple command -- "Forgive!" Sometimes I delay and sometimes I complain, but, with God's help, I forgive. When I pray the Lord's Prayer, asking to be forgiven as I forgive others, I know what I must do. The peace and comfort of God's presence are worth the effort. We can forgive others with love because Christ first loved and forgave us.

by Joyce Woeste (Iowa, USA)

Penyembahan yang tidak berbelah bahagi

2009-09-03T08:55:00.002+08:00

Sering kali apabila saya berurusan dengan seseorang, orang itu akan menghulurkan kad perniagaannya sebagai tanda perkenalan. Dan juga kalau-kalau saya memerlukannya untuk berhubungan dengan mereka pada masa yang lain. Satu kelaziman yang saya dapat perhatikan ialah apabila menghulurkan kad, orang itu akan menghulurkannya dengan kedua-dua tangan. Pada mulanya tidak timbul rasa hairan namun apabila ianya berlaku berulang kali, tercetus juga rasa ingin tahu.

Seorang rakan memberitahu kepada saya bahawa dalam budaya orang berbangsa Cina, apabila memberi sesuatu kepada seseorang, harus dihulurkan dengan kedua-dua tangan. Ini merupakan tanda bahawa pemberian itu diserahkan dengan sepenuh hati. Agak masuk akal juga kerana menghulur dengan satu tangan sementara tangan yang satu lagi sibuk bermain 'handphone' agak kurang sopan dan menunjukkan rasa tidak ikhlas. Menghulur dengan kedua-dua tangan memerlukan segala aktiviti yang lain dihentikan dan sepenuh perhatian diberikan kepada tindakan menghulur itu sahaja.

Lantas saya terfikir perkara yang serupa dalam penyembahan kita kepada Tuhan. Adakah kita menyembah dengan kedua-dua tangan yang terhulur? Atau adakah hanya satu tangan kita terhulur sementara tangan yang satu lagi sibuk dengan tugas duniawi yang lain? Melihat ke dalam diri saya, sering kali satu daripada tangan saya penuh dengan kesibukan duniawi walaupun tangan yang satu bersungguh-sungguh menyembah Tuhan. Kesannya penyembahan itu tidak dilakukan dengan sepenuh hati!

Apabila kita datang menyembah Tuhan, Dia menghendaki agar kita menyembah dengan sepenuh hati. Namun sering kali kesibukan duniawi mengganggu penyembahan yang sepenuh hati. Separuh perhatian kita tertunpu kepada tugas-tugas kita di pejabat, masalah perniagaan, masalah rumahtangga, masalah kewangan dan sebagainya. Hasilnya penyembahan kita tidak bermaya di depan Tuhan.

Adakah kedua-dau tangan kita terhulur apabila kita memberi penyembahan kepada Tuhan atau adakah tangan kita yang satu lagi masih sibuk dengan hal-hal duniawi?

God's plan

2009-08-26T09:05:00.001+08:00

We need to have faith that He can hide us in a field. Fields are wide open spaces and at first glance would seem to be not a very good place to hide.

I need Him to hide me sometimes, and instead of hiding me in a cave or a forest or an underground super secret impenetrable fortress, He chooses to hide me in a field.

I may feel exposed, but I realize that in hiding me in a field He is asking me to have trust in Him to keep me safe and hidden. My faith grows in knowing He could hide me anywhere and I would be safe.

Psalms 27:5 For he will hide me in his shelter in the day of trouble; he will conceal me under the cover of his tent; he will lift me high upon a rock.

Children and parents

2009-08-25T11:13:00.000+08:00

Proverbs 22:6 and Ephesians 6:1-4 (NRSV)

Train children in the right way, and when old, they will not stray.

Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. "Honor your father and mother"--this is the first commandment with a promise: "so that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth."

And, fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.

Menakluki!

2009-08-12T09:07:00.004+08:00

Baca Wahyu 3:11-13

In all these things we are more than conquerors through [God] who loved us.
-Romans 8:37 (NRSV)

Sebagai seorang kanak-kanak, kita sering kali cuba meniru wira-wira dalam buku komik; siap sedia untuk bertarung bersenjatakan pedang kayu, berperisaikan gabus dan dipenuhi imaginasi yang seakan nyata.

Buku Wahyu juga seakan-akan kisah sebuah komik. Dipenuhi dengan wira-wira yang perkasa dan musuh-musuh yang ganas. Dalam semua kisah wahyu, wira-wira sentiasa dapat menakluki musuh dan menerima ganjaran.

Lalu kita bertanya, "Siapakah musuh dalam kisah ini?"

"DOSA," adalah jawabannya.

Alangkah bahayanya berdepan dengan musuh ini! Kita perlu menggunakan pedang, perisai dan kadang-kala penumbuk kita.

Cuba kita fikirkan akan makna perkataan 'takluk' ini. Melalui pengalaman, kita diyakinkan bahawa musuh kita yang paling licik ialah musuh yang dengan ribuan cara, cuba untuk mengalihkan kita daripada berdoa dengan tetap, membaca dan merenung firman Tuhan, datang ke gereja, memuji dan menyembah Tuhan. Marilah kita sentiasa peka kepada tekanan yang tidak kelihatan namun sangat berkuasa ini kerana ia akan sentiasa berusaha untuk memesongkan fokus kita kepada Tuhan.

Cries for Help

2009-08-11T09:58:00.000+08:00

Read Psalm 86:1-8

The psalmist wrote, "In the day of my trouble I call on you, for you will answer me."
-Psalm 86:7 (NRSV)

As children of God, we are blessed to know that God does hear our prayers. Sometimes we may panic when there is a crisis. However, if we call out in prayer, we will find that God is always there to help us and give us peace.

Our Father

2009-08-10T09:03:00.000+08:00

Read Psalm 19:1-6

[Jesus] said unto [his disciples], "When ye pray, say, Our Father ..."
-Luke 11:2 (KJV)

AS a child of about five, I looked up in awe of the bright stars flickering against winter's dark sky. My warm breath made momentary shallow clouds above me as I shivered in January's chill. Mom and my two older sisters were just steps ahead of my dad and me as we walked to a covered-dish supper at church. My dad held my hand snug in one hand while balancing a dish of steaming scalloped potatoes in the other.

Darkness always frightened me except when my dad was near; I felt safe and peaceful when he was nearby. He had a strong trust in God's faithfulness and love, and he lived confidently in that assurance. Dad helped me grow in the shelter of God's love and set my feet on a path that led me to find my own way to my heavenly Father.

When Jesus invites us to call God Father, wonderful images of my dad remind me of the tender love God has for us. God welcomes us to take his hand and walk in the shelter of divine presence. Even the greatest example of human love can't compare to the depth of love God has for each of us. The Creator of the magnificent stars that decorate the night sky graciously gives each of us the privilege of calling him Father!

by Dori Magee (New York, USA)

Khusus buatku....

2009-08-07T08:36:00.003+08:00

Baca Keluaran 16:11-18

My God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
-Philippians 4:19 (KJV)

Ketika saya berjumpa kawan saya Jan bertahun yang lalu, dia merupakan orang yang paling baik yang saya temui. Namun dia tidak mengenal Yesus Kristus. Salah satu daripada berkat-berkat dalam hidup saya adalah melihat perubahan yang berlaku dalam hidupnya semenjak Jan mengenal Kristus sebagai Juruselamatnya. The Upper Room merupakan salah satu alat yang membantunya untuk bertumbuh sebagai seorang Kristian. Satu jenaka kami yang biasa ialah mengatakan yang setiap renungan harian itu ditulis khusus untuk kami: "Saya tidak tahu apa yang dikatakan oleh renungan anda hari ini, tetapi renungan saya sememangnya ditulis khusus untuk saya." Baru-baru ini, pada harijadi saya, saya merupakan orang yang paling gembira kerana Fokus Doa untuk renungan hari itu adalah "mereka yang menyambut harijadi pada hari ini."

Walaupun Jan dan saya berjenaka tentang perkara itu, namun sebenarnya Tuhan mengetahui apa keperluan-keperluan setiap kita pada setiap hari. Tuhan boleh dan bercakap kepada hati setiap kita melalui perkataan-perkataan yang kita baca, senyuman seorang asing, panggilan telefon daripada seorang kawan dan banyak lagi kejadian yang membantu dalam keperluan-keperluan peribadi dan pergumulan. Kita hanya perlu terbuka kepada Roh Kudus dan sedar akan "kebetulan-kebetulan" yang terjadi dalam kehidupan kita seharian untuk mendengar Tuhan berbicara atau melihat tangan Tuhan bekerja.

oleh Donna Heizer (Kentucky, USA)

Apa ada pada nama?

2009-07-30T09:30:00.003+08:00

What's in a Name?

Baca Efesus 5:1-10

A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches.
-Proverbs 22:1 (NRSV)

Sewaktu melanjutkan pelajaran ke kolej saya berpindah dari bandar kediaman saya yang didiami oleh tiga ratus orang. Pernah sekali, apabila saya kembali untuk melawat bandar tersebut, saya pergi ke pekan bersebelahan untuk membeli-belah. Apabila saya hendak membayar, saya teringat yang cek saya adalah cek luar negeri.

"Adakah kamu menerima cek dari luar negeri?" saya bertanya kepada jurujual. Saya membuka terlebih dahulu cek saya.

Dia melihat kepada nama keluarga saya, Bothof, yang mana bukanlah nama kebiasaan. "Kamu anak John?" dia bertanya.

"Bukan, saya anak Henry, dari Chandler. John adalah pakcik saya."

"Baiklah. Tiada masalah dengan cek kamu," kata jurujual itu.

Saya menulis cek itu dan membuat pembayaran. Kerana pakcik saya sudah membina reputasi yang baik, maka saya mendapat kepercayaan. Dan cek saya juga tidak bermasalah; saya tidak memalukan pakcik saya dan ayah saya.

Saya mempunyai nama lain: Kristian. Saya adalah milik keluarga Kristus. Kristus membina reputasi, dan saya menuruti jejaknya. Dalam kehidupan harian saya, adakah saya menggambarkan sifat Kristus? Saya ingin agar orang didekatkan kepadad Kristus kerana saya.

Adakah sikap dan sifat seharaian saya membawa malu atau hormat kepada nama Kristian?

oleh Diann Bothof Lopez (Arizona, USA)

Masa untuk rehat!

2009-07-29T08:54:00.003+08:00

Baca Matius 6:25-34

The psalmist said to God, "How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!"
-Psalm 119:103 (NRSV)

Lebah madu terkenal dengan ketekunannya yang tidak kunjung pudar. Di dalam sarangnya berjalan pesat aktiviti yang pelbagai. Tidak menghairankan. Seekor lebah pekerja mengeluarkan 1/12 sudu teh madu sepanjang hayatnya, dan sarang yang baik menghasilkan 50 ke 60 paun madu untuk bertahan pada musim sejuk. Tugas tersebut tidak pernah berakhir!

Namun, sedikit yang tahu akan kebenaran bahawa lebah madu yang rajin pun akan mencari satu ruang di dalam sarangnya, menghentikan segala aktiviti---langsung tidak melakukan apa-apa untuk seketika! Tiada yang produktif dalam pandangan dunia. Namun masa penyegaran dan pembaharuan ini adalah sangat mustahak. Lebah memerlukan sedikit waktu untuk keluar daripada kesibukan hidup dan ini kelihatannya tidak langsung merosakkan sarang mereka.

Ramai antara kita menyedari yang tahap tekanan dan kebimbangan kita meningkat kerana tugasan harian kita yang tidak pernah berakhir. Kita risau sama ada kita dapat bertahan. Pada waktu-waktu sebegini saya mendapati yang terbaik ialah mengikuti teladan lebah madu dan berhenti sekitika. Lagi pun, Yesus juga melakukan yang serupa. Apabila dia sangat sibuk, dia mendaki ke bukit untuk berdoa -- mengujudkan satu waktu dan ruang buat Tuhan menyegarkan kembali rohnya. Sekiranya Yesus pun memrlukan waktu sebegitu, pastinya kita juga.

Hari ini, sekiranya kita terhimpit oleh tugasan yang bertimbun, ambil waktu walaupun sedikit untuk keluar dari kesibukan itu. Gunakan waktu itu untuk berdoa, melakukan aktiviti yang lain daripada tugasan kita. Pada waktu yang sama, roh kita akan disegarkan. Selepas itu kembalilah kepada tugasan kita dengan kesegaran yang baru!

Strong Again

2009-07-28T08:58:00.001+08:00

Read Hebrews 3:12-14

Jesus said, "I have told you this so that you will have peace by being united to me. The world will make you suffer. But be brave! I have defeated the world!"
-John 16:33 (TEV)

AFTER 32 years of marriage, my husband wanted a divorce. I felt defeated, rejected, and unloved, wondering if I was even important to God anymore.

In this troubled time, my faith was crucial. I needed and wanted to stay in touch with God through reading scripture and praying. My friends and family encouraged me and reminded me how important I am to God -- so important that Jesus died for me. How much more important could I be? One of my friends even phoned me and read scripture to me. When I lay down at night, wiping away tears, I felt God's arms around me. I thanked God for caring and for giving me faithful Christian friends.

Isaiah 40:31 tells us that those who trust the Lord will become strong again. God has made me strong again and given me a desire to help others in their troubled times. Knowing that God would never betray me is my source of strength. No one will ever have a problem-free life. But faith in God and in our worth as beloved children of God will give us the hope and encouragement we need to remain strong and to witness to others for Christ.

by Debbie Gillis (South Carolina, USA)

God's Lifeline

2009-07-27T11:10:00.000+08:00

Read Romans 10:8-17 and 1 Corinthians 1:18-30

Moses said to the Israelites, "I have set before you life and death. ... Now choose life, so that you and your children may live."
-Deuteronomy 30:19 (NIV)

A documentary on television showed a U.S. Coast Guard helicopter rescuing two people who had been lost at sea for three torturous days and nights. Their commercial fishing boat had capsized in a violent storm that killed the rest of the crew. As the two survivors were pulled to safety, I could not only see but also feel their gratefulness and jubilation. They were saved from the threat of death.

After watching this dramatic event, I began to think of how God seeks to rescue the lost. Rescue workers cast lifelines to victims in distress. In a spiritual sense, God does the same for each of us, offering us eternal life. Can you imagine anyone who would refuse to be rescued from death?

Every day millions of people remain lost, cast adrift or separated from relationship with our loving Savior, Christ Jesus. As believers, as those who have been rescued, we have the privilege and responsibility to offer God's lifeline to those in danger of drowning in life's turbulent seas. For them it is a matter of life or death.

by Donald L. Maly (Texas, USA)

Praying Always

2009-07-23T09:40:00.001+08:00

Read Ephesians 6:10-20

Pray in the Spirit at all times in every prayer and supplication.
-0Ephesians 6:18 (NRSV)

AT a busy city intersection, my wife and I waited to cross the road. I pressed the button for the pedestrian walk sign once, twice, half a dozen times.

"Why did you do that?" asked my wife. "Once is enough. You are not going to speed anything up by doing it again and again."

"I know," I replied, "but it makes me feel better."

Her question made me think of one of my own "whys." The Bible encourages us to pray with confidence, knowing that our requests are heard. But it also tells us to pray constantly. I have wondered why, but I have concluded that prayer is so much in the realm of mystery that I cannot expect to understand. Nevertheless I try.

Prayer is as much for me as it is for God. Though I would like to think that the world is different because I pray, I know that all I can do is rely on God and simply pray in faith. But regardless of what happens in the world outside me, when I pray, something happens within me. Not only do I feel better, but I am also changed by the experience. Sometimes I don't want to pray about a problem that is troubling me, and I resist. When I pray, God sorts out my motives. Then the world seems different because I am different, and I am more confident in leaving the final answers to God.

Bill Adams (Queensland, Australia)

Expecting the Best

2009-07-21T09:08:00.000+08:00

Read Ephesians 3:14-21

Now unto [God] that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, unto him be glory.
-Ephesians 3:20-21 (KJV)

A few years back, I injured the rotator cuff in my shoulder. Suffering great pain, I decided to see an orthopedic surgeon. He gave me a shot of steroids and prescribed physical therapy. Frankly, I was not expecting much relief. But to my surprise, within a few weeks the pain was virtually gone.

This led me to think about my spiritual life. Sometimes I pray, then pray again; but whether I pray about finances, relationships, or peace of mind, I do not really expect the Lord to answer. So I decided to start praying expectantly. I did not imagine that God would say "yes" to all of my prayers, but I prayed with a new attitude and new hope regarding God's response to my petitions. And I have not been disappointed.

by Edward Sarp (Pennsylvania, USA)

Dear God, however you answer our prayers, let us be at peace with your response, knowing that you have our best interests in mind. As Jesus taught us, we pray, "Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth. Give us day by day our daily bread. And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil."* Amen.

Hidden Fruit

2009-07-15T12:49:00.003+08:00

Read Psalm 119:7-20

All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, so that everyone who belongs to God may be proficient, equipped for every good work.
-2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NRSV)

ONE of my favorite summer activities is picking wild raspberries. I love to stand in one spot and pick as many raspberries as I can find before moving on to the next patch. Often when I think I have exhausted the supply of berries before me, I prepare to move on, only to spy the ripest, biggest, most luscious berry yet. How did I miss this one? I wonder. The answer is simple: Changing my stance and my line of sight lets me see what had been there all along, waiting for me to claim it.

In a way, the same is true with God's word. At times I become complacent, even bored, with a passage of scripture, thinking I have exhausted its meaning and relevance to my life. When time and experience have changed my outlook on life, however, I find myself re-reading the passage and thinking, Wow, how did I miss that? Surprised I didn't see some message sooner, but grateful to have the newfound insight, I am enriched. The wisdom is fresh and new every morning. (See Lam. 3:23). Thanks be to God!

by Kristine Liknes (Ohio, USA)

My Hope

2009-07-10T09:17:00.001+08:00

Read 1 Peter 5:6-10

May our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father, who loved us and through grace gave us eternal comfort and good hope, comfort your hearts.
-2 Thessalonians 2:16-17 (NRSV)

MY life has been filled with hard trials. When I was just two or three days old, I almost died because of the midwife's carelessness. Ever since then, I have suffered from various illnesses. Then, when I was a teenager, I had a kidney operation that left me unable to have children.

When I got married, I decided to adopt a child, Iva. Although I loved her unconditionally, I was upset because she too was ill. I struggled alone with her illnesses, without the support of my husband, an alcoholic. While I was taking care of Iva, my mother-in-law tried to take her away from me. Eventually, Iva died in my arms at the age of 13. I felt absolutely helpless but managed to find strength for the next trial -- my husband divorcing me.

I wouldn't be alive right now if I didn't know Christ. Fortunately, during all those long years of suffering I was a Christian. When my daughter died and I couldn't see a direction in my life, God showed me the right way and gave me a message of comfort. Through my struggles I learned an important lesson: We cannot blame God when we suffer. We live in a sinful world filled with imperfect people, but God is perfect and merciful. God is our hope.

by Anna Georgieva Georgieva (Pleven, Bulgaria)

Spiritual Balance

2009-07-09T08:55:00.000+08:00

Read Isaiah 40:28-31

Because so many people were coming and going that [the apostles] did not even have a chance to eat, [Jesus] said to them, "Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest."
-Mark 6:31 (NIV)

IN retirement I found myself becoming a full-time volunteer. While volunteering is personally rewarding, at times it can also lead to stress and frustration. One day a friend shared her concern that I was on overload. This led me to stop and think: Why am I volunteering? Is it because I can't say "no?" Or is it something deeper inside, such as the need to be needed and noticed? Have I been serving just to receive the affirmation of others?

I've since learned to pull back some and to spend more time in prayer and reflection. In neglecting my inner being, I was becoming spiritually unbalanced. In serving and doing for others, I wasn't waiting on the Lord for strength and direction. I'd forgotten what Jesus said: "Apart from me you can do nothing" (John 15:5).

No one was more pressed into doing for others than Jesus. The crowds gave him no relief. So it was necessary -- even for Jesus -- to draw apart and pray for strength and wisdom in serving others. Should we seek anything less?

by Donald Joiner (North Carolina, USA)

Faith Under Crisis

2009-07-07T08:22:00.000+08:00

Read Psalm 56 and Deuteronomy 20:1-4

The psalmist wrote, "In the shadow of your wings [O God] I will take refuge, until the destroying storms pass by."
-Psalm 57:1 (NRSV)

I picked up the magazine, eager to be inspired by its cover story about military chaplains striving to live the word of God under fire in Iraq. To my dismay, the article began with the story of one young chaplain whose faith had been so shattered by what he saw in war that he wanted nothing to do with God; he had become sick of religion and had come to hate God.

It hurt to read this account of faith in crisis. But I had to ask myself: What would it take to turn me away from God? A bitter divorce? The death of one of my children? Incurable cancer? I understood how that chaplain's inner struggles had caused him to become bitter, angry, and alienated.

I read on to discover that the chaplain, now counseling wounded military personnel at a government hospital, had recovered his faith. After agonizing months of adjustment back home, he found and described a new relationship with God brought about by what he had experienced. After enduring a life-changing and belief-eroding time, this soldier/pastor returned to God, a different person but still a believer.

As his story showed me, times of doubt can become a doorway to renewed faith.

by Prudence Schofield (Maine, USA)

A Root of Bitterness

2009-07-01T09:10:00.002+08:00

Read Genesis 27:30-41

Pursue peace with everyone. . . . See to it . . . that no root of bitterness springs up and causes trouble.
-Hebrews 12:1415 (NRSV)

THE company I have worked for over the last 21 years recently reorganized. When the dust settled, I found myself in a new position. A younger engineer with much less experience was given the job that I loved. The injustice I felt created bitterness within me.

Today's scripture reading tells of "a root of bitterness" that sprouts within Esau after Jacob steals his birthright and blessing. The bitterness grows into such hatred that Esau plans to kill Jacob, his own flesh and blood. Bitterness can work that way - consuming us as a briar consumes a garden. Left unchecked, it grows stronger and stronger and chokes out the fruit in our lives. And like a briar, its root must be removed entirely or it will sprout up again.

I discovered this painful truth: Bitterness hurts the one who harbors it more than the one to whom it is directed. I came to realize that my bitterness was stealing my joy, breaking my fellowship with God, and contradicting God's will. But when we discover briars of bitterness, God can help us to forgive and so uproot them.

by Terry Thomas Bowman (North Carolina, USA)

Our Own Path

2009-06-30T08:44:00.002+08:00

Read 1 Corinthians 3:1-4

Glorify the Lord with me; let us exalt his name together.
-Psalm 34:3 (NIV)

I grew up in the mountains of Colorado. Near my home, a canyon road begins as a single highway and then splits into two roads that appear to go in different directions. However, the roads actually encircle a mountain and then re-join in a state park. Although they end in the same place, the routes are unique in beauty, terrain, and history.

In a similar way, early believers in Corinth were divided. They were quarreling over whom they should follow. Some said, "I follow Paul," while others said, "I follow Apollos." However, Paul stressed that he and Apollos were only servants, saying, "Neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who gives the growth" (1 Cor. 3:7, nrsv).

A common temptation among believers is to talk more about a particular church or leader than about Christ. Perhaps we think our journey in faith is the best way to Christ. The two routes to the state park remind me that although we journey with other believers to a common destination, we are individually unique creations of God with our own stories and our own path to walk. Some day our paths will converge and we will discover that we were each on the right path.

by Barbara Gail Bliss (Colorado, USA)

Letters of Christ

2009-06-29T10:22:00.000+08:00

Read 2 Corinthians 2:17–3:4

You are a letter of Christ, prepared by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.
-2 Corinthians 3:3 (NRSV)

SEVERAL years ago, my husband and I went to Haiti on a building mission from our local church. There were 13 of us on the team, and we lived in some rooms behind the church. We decided to ask each team member to lead a devotion for one morning after breakfast. In searching for something to use, I read from 2 Corinthians, "You are a letter from Christ." After reading several other verses, those six words kept coming back to me. I wondered if our friends in Haiti thought of us in that way. They were also letters from Christ to us as they extended hospitality to us by being so generous with what little they had.

Then I realized that no matter where we are, we are letters from Christ to our families, friends, and neighbors in the communities where we live. We can be letters of encouragement and letters of love whether we are at home or in some other part of the world. Perhaps we may at some time in our lives be "letters of introduction" about Christ for someone who doesn't know him.

by Annette Kinney (North Carolina, USA)

work our land

2009-06-26T10:33:00.001+08:00

Proverbs 12:11
He who works his land will have abundant food,
but he who chases fantasies lacks judgment.

I love this one. We all have land. Opportunities that we are given and asked to work. And when we do, they yield abundant food. But how often do we ignore the land we have? The jobs we have? The friends we have? The situations we have and chase fantasies in far off lands with far off people instead? I struggle with this every time I visit a really interactive blog. I immediately think, “I need to be doing more with video and live chat and graphics and and and.” Suddenly, the land I have, writing, becomes really small and unimportant as I chase fantasies.

What land do you have that you are taking for granted right now?

What fantasies are you chasing?

by Prodigal Jon

Fully Ripe

2009-06-25T11:36:00.000+08:00

Read Isaiah 40:27-31

No one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides you, who acts on behalf of those who wait for him.
-Isaiah 64:4 (NIV)

EVERY year it happens. I wait and keep checking my blackberry vines to see the white flowers turn from green berries to red and then finally to a delicious black.

I'm so impatient that I usually pick that first blackberry too soon. It's never sweet enough. Eventually I remember the art of just gently touching the darkest one. If fully ripe, it will fall into my hand.

My blackberry vines remind me that God knows the right time for everything that will happen in my life. Recently I sensed this when I felt frustrated about my job. I was tempted to complain or quit. I wanted relief because I felt powerless. But waiting for God's timing meant learning patience with unreasonable coworkers. Waiting meant believing God could stretch my paychecks. And as I waited, I saw God use these frustrating circumstances to bring forth fruit in my life.

Trying to force things to be a certain way is like pulling fruit off the vine prematurely. Instead, if we patiently persevere, we can become less consumed with our wanting and more focused on the sweet fruit that will come in God's time.

by Dolly Dickinson (North Carolina, USA)

No Substitute

2009-06-22T09:52:00.000+08:00

Read 1 Corinthians 1:26-31

The psalmist wrote, "Oh, how I love your law! It is my meditation all day long."
-Psalm 119:97 (NRSV)

MY dentist's office is full of very expensive and sophisticated equipment. The high-tech gadgetry helps him to monitor possible problems with my teeth and treat whatever problems may arise with greater precision and less pain for me.

But there's one dental-health issue that all the fancy equipment can't address: the results of not flossing daily. Standing in the middle of all that equipment, my dentist told me, "There's no substitute for running that piece of floss between your teeth." It's hard to believe that an action so simple can have such great effect.

Sometimes in the pursuit of good spiritual health, we try to substitute complicated and advanced methods for the simple ones we have readily at hand. We may go to conferences or seminars to deepen our spirituality but neglect daily meditation and Bible study.

There's no substitute for flossing, and there's no substitute for praying and reading scripture daily.

Giants in the Road

2009-06-15T08:56:00.001+08:00

Read Numbers 13:25–14:9

The people who live [in Canaan] are powerful, and their cities are very large and well fortified. Even worse, we saw the descendants of the giants there.
-Numbers 13:28 (TEV)

A tiny, orange salamander rested at the edge of the expansive black road. From the other side of the road, the waters of a mountain stream beckoned. The creature crept forward, but froze as we "giants" blocked its path.

At the same time, my friend and I stared at the small animal on the road. Just a few feet from the safety of the stream, it stopped, seemingly paralyzed by fear. I realized that often my life mirrors this. At times, I am eager to reach a goal but afraid to face the "giants," just like the Israelites who lost courage even with the Promised Land in sight. Joshua and Caleb's response to the people's fear reminds me: "The Lord is with us . . . so don't be afraid" (Num. 14:9).

We all face giants such as financial difficulties, temptations of the flesh, and selfish desires. One of my scariest giants appeared when I had to decide whether or not to leave my dream job to move closer to my wife's family. I made the move, and in my new location I found the abundant love of family and friends who helped me to grow closer to Christ. Once I acted on my trust in the Lord, I discovered that I had entered my "promised land."

by Jesse F. Stewart (South Carolina, USA)

Answering God's Call

2009-06-15T08:51:00.001+08:00

Read 1 Samuel 10:17-24

[The people] inquired again of the Lord, "Did the man come here?" and the Lord said, "See, he has hidden himself among the baggage."
-1 Samuel 10:22 (NRSV)

THE date of our church's annual meeting was drawing near. My wife and I were praying to discern God's will because I had received an invitation to join the governing board of our church. I could think of many good reasons to decline the invitation. However, I wasn't sure.

Just before departing for the meeting, I read that day's meditation in El Aposento Alto (the Spanish edition of The Upper Room). It cited the scripture above, which told about Saul trying to hide from God's call. I knew I had been trying to hide "among the baggage," but I felt God was clearly asking more of me. I was left with no doubt in my mind: I should take on the challenge. I was elected to serve the church in a position of great responsibility.

We all have gifts and talents to offer. If we place them at God's disposal, in God's time and plan, the Holy Spirit will give us power to serve God and God's people.

by Antonio Mario Schar (Buenos Aires, Argentina)

A Watered Rose

2009-06-12T10:04:00.000+08:00

Read Ephesians 4:31–5:2

The Lord will guide you continually, and satisfy your needs in parched places, and make your bones strong; and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters never fail.
-Isaiah 58:11 (NRSV)

HAVE you ever stood still, looked into the head of a rose, and marveled at its beauty? Days before, such a beautiful rose was a small, tight bud. Who could imagine that within a few days this would become a beauty so large it seemed impossible that it ever fit into that bud? What's more, the rose can overwhelm with the pleasure of its exquisite fragrance.

Becoming a Christian is like this. Without Christ, we "are limited and small" but once we have been "united with Christ," (Phil. 2:1, niv) our loving Savior, we unfold and expand like that rose. In Christ we can become full and rich in compassion, spreading the fragrance of love.

by Alison Mason (Victoria, Australia)

Running the Race

2009-06-11T10:11:00.000+08:00

Read Philippians 3:10-16

Those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.
-Isaiah 40:31 (NRSV)

MY brother, Art, often took part in Colorado's annual Pike's Peak run, which is 14 miles. One year Art's 13-year-old daughter, Ruth, decided to enter. But about a quarter-mile into the race, Ruth called, "Daddy, I'm dropping out. I can't do it." "Can you run if I run with you?" Art asked.

"Well, I can try," came Ruth's answer. So as the other runners raced up the mountain, Art and Ruth plodded along. At miles 5, 10, 12 and 13 they were still going. When they finally crossed the finish line, Ruth fell to the ground, exhausted but elated, and said, "Daddy, I think this is the closest I've ever felt to you."

Art died after a two-year battle with injuries sustained in a major fall. But I know that he did not run that last race alone. God ran with him as he struggled "up the hill," and I know that Art was truly close to our heavenly Father at the finish line.

At times when we are struggling with life and think we can't go on, we discover that God is "running the race" with us. God can give us the strength to do what we had believed was impossible.

by Walter H. Everett (Pennsylvania, USA)

A Patient's Prayer

2009-06-11T09:15:00.001+08:00

Psalm 28:6-9 (NRSV)
Blessed be the LORD, for he has heard the sound of my pleadings. The LORD is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts;so I am helped, and my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him. The LORD is the strength of his people; he is the saving refuge of his anointed. O save your people, and bless your heritage; be their shepherd, and carry them forever.

In all thy ways acknowledge [God], and he shall direct thy paths.
-Proverbs 3:6 (KJV)

A patient came to my office seeking a hip replacement. His former cardiologist believed that the man's heart was too weak for him to survive a major operation. However, a new cardiologist had stated that while the man faced risks in undergoing surgery, his condition appeared stable. Therefore, he gave his permission to proceed.

Our patient soon passed all preliminary tests. Still, on surgery day I could sense tension in the room among the nurses, anesthesiologist, and me. Our patient could likely sense this as well. He said, "Doctor, I know this is a busy time, but I would like to ask you for one moment to pray." In my 20 years of medical practice, no patient had ever made such a request. All chatter ceased. With his heart monitor beeping in the background, our patient prayed for God to take care of him and all of us in the room who were trying to help him. He thanked God for the opportunity to get better, acknowledging the human limitations of the staff in trying to repair his fragile body.

A sense of calm filled the room. The surgery was a success. In all my professional experience, I never have felt more strongly than on that day the presence of God sent through my patient to me.

by Thomas S. Woo (Indiana, USA)

The Arm of the Lord

2009-06-09T11:32:00.001+08:00

Read Romans 8:35-39

Cast all your anxiety on [God], because he cares for you.
-1 Peter 5:7 (NRSV)

EVERYWHERE I looked, I saw problems in my family. My mother, living at the other end of the country, had been admitted into the hospital in an emergency. My sister, her caregiver, had been diagnosed with the same infection. My husband feared losing his job; my younger daughter was having difficulties in her student accommodations, and my working hours had been cut from 28 to eight hours a week. Having broken my ankle, I felt overwhelmed, helpless, and as if I were a liability rather than an asset to my family. I could see no solutions. I needed to be in two places at once, and I could barely cope with the situation in one place.

Then I felt God say in my heart, "Come to me." Walking to a nearby window, I looked out at the vast expanse of sky. I relaxed and slowly exhaled a deep breath. The inward voice spoke again, "Am I too small?"

With sky illuminated from horizon to horizon, what could I say? "No, Lord!" I breathed.

"Then give me all your cares."

A tiny silver speck of an airplane emerged from between the vast, billowing clouds. My problems must seem like that to God. I realized then that knowing God is with me is enough.

by M. S. Foster (England)

More than Money

2009-06-04T09:25:00.001+08:00

Read 1 Timothy 6:17-19

Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.
-Hebrews 13:16 (NRSV)

WHEN I arrived in the city where I now live, I saw a beautiful place, where many people vacation. To show God how I appreciated being able to live in such a city, I engaged in social work. For 15 years, as a volunteer I have managed a Christian organization that meets the needs of almost five hundred impoverished children.

Recently, I was surprised when a skeptical friend expressed doubt that I would work for free. The friend thought I am crazy to work without pay.

While meditating on what my friend had said, I received a call from my mother, who is 82, lucid, and healthy. She told me how beautiful Sunday worship had been. When we hung up, the phone rang again. My six-year-old grandson, filling my heart with joy, asked if we could go to the beach that week. Of course I said we could.

I don't work for money, but I am rich. My mother's good health, a hug from my grandson, the beauty of the city, a walk on the cool sand on summer mornings, a family dinner, laughter in the living room - what blessings! They are immeasurable, and more valuable than anything money can buy.

Orlando Lima Coutinho (Santa Catarina, Brazil)

Pray! Pray!

2009-06-03T10:10:00.001+08:00

Read 1 Thessalonians 5:11-21

Be very careful . . . how you live - not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity. . . . do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is.
-Ephesians 5:1517 (NIV)

MY two-year-old daughter often repeats one word as many as six or seven times before moving on to the next. I admit that I tune her out sometimes, especially if I am attempting to have an adult conversation.

Our next-door neighbor came over one day just as we were sitting down to lunch. Feeling a little inconvenienced, I nonetheless invited her to sit with us. The neighbor began to pour out her heart about a serious medical condition she was facing. She was very worried. I could hear the Lord speaking in my heart, nudging me, "Don't just say you're going to pray for her. Do it now. Pray in her presence." I tried to disregard the Spirit.

Suddenly, I heard the word my daughter was repeating. "Pray! Pray!" she was saying, waiting for me to give thanks for her food. I grabbed her hand, and as she held the neighbor's, we gave thanks for our food and prayed for this woman we both love. As I closed the prayer "in Jesus' name," I saw that my neighbor's eyes had filled with tears. I blinked back a few tears of my own, hoping that this would be one of many opportunities to share my faith.

by Sarah Beth Snook (South Carolina, USA)

Power and Responsibility

2009-06-03T09:19:00.000+08:00

Read Acts 2:1-11

Jesus said, "Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit."
-Matthew 28:19 (NIV)

ONE of the most memorable lines from the first of the recent Spiderman movies is when Peter (Spiderman) Parker's uncle Ben tells him, "With great power comes great responsibility." Ben didn't know how powerful his nephew had become, but those words were to remain with Peter as he faced many challenges.

At Pentecost, Jesus' disciples experienced an outpouring of the Holy Spirit which equipped them to follow Christ with the almighty power of God. But with this new power came a responsibility to others, for they were commissioned to go into the world and tell everyone of God's love.

God's power, through the Holy Spirit, is available to Christ's followers in every age, yet often we forget it is offered. We may not travel to all the ends of the earth, but most of us meet people who need to hear about Christ as we go to work, the gym, the school, neighborhood spots. How wonderful that with our responsibility to share God's message comes the Spirit's great power!

by Rosemary Gemmell (Renfrewshire, Scotland)

God's Presence

2009-05-29T09:25:00.001+08:00

Read Isaiah 58:6-12

No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God lives in us, and his love is perfected in us.
-1 John 4:12 (NRSV)

A year after Hurricane Katrina, I went to New Orleans with other students in my campus ministry group. We spent a week hanging drywall, spackling, and sanding in Alice's home. Alice was an older woman who had lost three siblings in the year after the hurricane. As she served us peach tea and showed us her paintings of Jesus and Mary, she told us about her life.

By the end of the week, Alice's warmth, gratitude, and faith had inspired and strengthened our faith. Before we could thank her for sharing her life with us, she put her arms around us and told us, with tears in her eyes, "Y'all have been God's presence in my life. You don't know how much you've blessed me. God has been good to me by sending you."

That night during our evening devotions, we reflected on the reciprocal nature of God's rich blessings. Alice had taught us about faith, hope, and love as much as we had helped her as she rebuilt her house and grieved her losses. God truly does become present through the people in our lives; God lives, heals, and loves through our interactions with one another.

Alison VanBuskirk (New York, USA)

"Maybe Yes and Maybe No"

2009-05-26T10:21:00.001+08:00

Read Proverbs 3:1-7

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.
-Proverbs 3:5 (NIV)

YEARS ago a little girl in our preschool class would always sit up front next to me for our morning "circle time." When I'd show the children's name cards for the helper chart, she'd blurt out, "What about me?" Or she would ask, "Is it my turn today?" I finally began telling her, "Maybe yes and maybe no." For some reason, that answer seemed to comfort her, and she would smile and echo my words.

Over and over again, I'm reminded of my words to her. If I want to know if something is going to happen in the future, I'll think, Maybe yes and maybe no. If I want to know if certain prayers will be answered, I'll repeat those words to myself.

When I do this, it somehow comforts me as it did that student. I realize that it does me absolutely no good to try to figure out all the little details. I just have to trust in the Lord. I repeat the words over and over - "maybe yes and maybe no" - until they are planted in my heart to stay. They remind me that I can trust any decision to an all-powerful God who loves me.

by Beth DeLong (Hawaii, USA)

Planting Tomatoes

2009-05-26T10:05:00.001+08:00

Read 1 Corinthians 3:5-9

Paul wrote, "I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth."
-1 Corinthians 3:6 (NRSV)

MY dad loved to plant and grow vegetables, particularly tomatoes. However, because he was in the military, we had to move every three or four years. Even if we knew we were about to be moved, Dad would plant and tend a garden anyway, and say with a smile, "I'm planting tomatoes for someone else to pick."

Dad's words come back to me at times when I feel my work for God is not showing any result. I have never helped someone find God in a single encounter, nor have I ever helped guide a straying Christian to return to God's path in a single conversation. Frankly, most of what I have done for God may not bear fruit in my lifetime.

Each act I do for God nudges someone closer to God's grace, but never all the way. In the few cases that I've been present when someone does find God for the first time or is restored to spiritual health, it's always been the last of a long series of events in that person's path.

God calls us to work in the garden. We can plant or water, whether or not we get to enjoy the harvest.

by James M. Playford (Kansas, USA)

Praying the Psalm: Praising God In Every Situation

2009-05-21T09:42:00.001+08:00

Read Psalm 103:1-5

Let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God . . . will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
-Philippians 4:67 (NRSV)

I received devastating news: I had breast cancer. Teary-eyed and frightened, I returned home from doctors' appointments and lab tests to find a message on my answering machine. My aunt's voice said, "Read Psalm 103:1-5. Read it over and over again. Read it every day."

I picked up my Bible and read: "Praise the Lord, O my soul; all my inmost being." I marked that page in my Bible. "Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits . . .who . . . heals all your diseases" (niv). I typed out the words to take to the hospital.

As I repeated the verses, I replaced the word your with my: ". . . who redeems [my] life from the pit" (verse 4). I read the psalm through surgery and recovery and while I waited for test results: ". . . and crowns [me] with love and compassion" (verse 4). I continued reading it through my treatments, more than once a day when I was weak, exhausted, and afraid of the future - if I had a future - "so that [my] youth is renewed" (Ps. 103:5, niv).

I read those verses daily for over a year, until my strength was renewed and I had another opportunity for life. Today my life is back almost to what it used to be, but I am not the same. Now I understand the importance of praising God in every situation.

by Carol A. Lowe (Texas, USA)

More than Words

2009-05-15T15:31:00.000+08:00

Read John 14:15-27

The Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words.
-Romans 8:26 (NRSV)

I have always loved books - new hardbacks with crisp pages, musty volumes with yellowed leaves, or well-worn paperbacks. Books take me to adventurous places. So it seemed a dream come true when I became the owner of a quiet little bookstore located in the tranquility of the mountains. I happily traveled there every weekend.

After some time, I began to feel uneasy. My children were going to church without me. The Holy Spirit began leading me to pray that I could sell my beloved bookstore, go to church with my children, and be involved in that part of their spiritual education. Almost immediately, I was asked to teach my daughter's Sunday school class. I sold the bookstore, trading thousands of books to study the Bible, the greatest book of all, with my daughter's class. And in doing so, I found the peace I needed.

When we try to live by our own wisdom, we often end up feeling that something is missing. By following the guidance of the Holy Spirit, we can find the life that God offers us, life that feels complete and right.

by Madsen-Ostinato (Virginia, USA)

Sustainable Monday

2009-05-13T08:44:00.001+08:00

Read Philippians 2:12-18

God . . . works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.
-Philippians 2:13 (NIV)

I am not fond of Mondays because they mean the return to another long week of problems at work. A study published in the American Journal of Hypertension showed that the risk of having a heart attack and stroke is higher on Monday than on any other day of the week. My moment of truth came one Sunday evening as I once again began to worry about everything that could go wrong the next day at work where I was surrounded by complaints, problems, and negative people. As I struggled to trust God with my worries, I remembered God's past faithfulness and promises to keep us safe and to give us strength to sustain one day at a time.

Since then, my morning meditation and prayers have sustained me through Mondays and other difficult days. Through God's grace, I have been able to react differently in many difficult circumstances.

Philippians 2:13 says that God is working in us, giving us the desire and power to do what pleases God. I am learning to struggle less and to believe more as God gives me the power to do what accomplishes that "good purpose," even in the most difficult times. God's mercy and grace are sufficient and new every day, including Mondays, so our lives can shine brightly in all circumstances.

by Era Pawlowski (Illinois, USA)

Love's Example

2009-05-11T09:48:00.001+08:00

Read John 13:1-17

Jesus said, "I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you."
-John 13:15 (NIV)

JESUS' words in the Gospel of John, chapters 13 to 17, tell us about the days just before the Crucifixion - how Jesus washed the feet of the disciples and prayed for them and for us. It was Jesus' time to be glorified, to give his life for us. My human mind is too limited to understand the greatness of this act of love; I can accept it only from my heart.

And once I accept this gift, how do I show my gratitude? By doing what Jesus tells me to do. Jesus said, "By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another" (John 13:35, nrsv). Loving our neighbors is often not easy or simple, but for the Christian it is compulsory. Nothing can justify us if we are able to help the needy but choose not to.

We find the strength to love others and give ourselves for them by the power of the Holy Ghost, the Spirit of truth. That powerful witness for the Savior who loved us to the end gives us strength to do his works. When fear and despondency try to pull me down, the Spirit encourages me. And as I meditate on the words and actions of Jesus in the final days of his life - how he washed the disciples' feet and prayed for them and for us, how he gave himself for us - I find hope in his example of love.

by Alice Atanassova (Varna, Bulgaria)

Helping the Fallen

2009-05-07T10:42:00.000+08:00

Read Galatians 6:1-5

My friends, if anyone is detected in a transgression, you who have received the Spirit should restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness. Take care that you yourselves are not tempted.
-Galatians 6:1 (NRSV)

RECENTLY I had an accident while I was working with my guide dog, Elko. I tripped on a bad section of sidewalk, lost my balance, and fell into the street. I wanted to continue our route, but I was in a lot of pain and could not manage to get up. Fortunately, someone stopped and helped me. Elko and I continued on our way.

This incident reminded me of today's Bible reading. When someone in a congregation "falls" into sin, the church's members have a responsibility to help that person back onto his or her feet. We offer this help not as superior and saintly but in a spirit of meekness and humility, knowing that we are all sinners, fallen and in need of God's grace.

God and God's people pick us up when we fall and set us on the right path again. When we confess our sins, God "will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9). When we see fellow believers sin, we do not stand aside and wish them well; we work to restore them and to show them God's love and grace. Then other people can see that God's love and forgiveness are real.

by Roger E. Brannon (Florida, USA)

Daily Bread

2009-05-06T09:09:00.001+08:00

Read Matthew 6:9-13

One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.
-Matthew 4:4 (NRSV)

I love it when people wish me "bon appetit" or simply say, "Enjoy," as they place a meal before me. What a blessing it is to have a good appetite!

While living in Africa, we experienced many food shortages. On one occasion visitors brought supplies, and so my refrigerator was full. But then I lost my appetite because I was ill. I needed healing - and asked for it.

Although it is as important for us to feed on God's word as it is for us to eat food, sometimes we lose our appetite for studying the Bible. We can ask for healing for this too.

Living alone now, I often feel I don't want to eat. But I know if I am to stay well, I must eat good, balanced meals. So I thank God for my daily bread, both physical and spiritual, and I ask God to give me an appetite to enjoy it.
by
Pauline Lewis (South Wales, United Kingdom)

Time and Space

2009-05-04T11:30:00.000+08:00

Read Ruth 2:1-13*

When you reap your harvest in your field and forget a sheaf in the field, you shall not go back to get it; it shall be left. . . . When you gather the grapes of your vineyard, do not glean what is left; it shall be for the alien, the orphan, and the widow.
-Deuteronomy 24:1921 (NRSV)

WHEN Ruth and Naomi found themselves widowed, homeless, and hungry, they survived by gleaning in the fields of Boaz. Showing the compassion instructed in Deuteronomy, Boaz left some grain in his field. He welcomed gleaners, saying, "The Lord be with you."

What does this passage tell me about generosity, about leaving something for those in need? I don't have a field or a vineyard, but I do have a calendar. Can I learn to leave time to help those who need food or shelter or some other gift of compassion that I can offer?

Leaving time unscheduled frees me from worry about where I need to be next. Leaving time free allows me to be interrupted if a friend needs someone to listen or if a neighbor needs a meal. Leaving space in my schedule gives me time to slow down and think of others, to think of God's grace given for me and of the ways I can offer that grace to another.

by Amy Fryar Kennedy (Michigan, USA)

From a Dummy?

2009-04-30T08:34:00.000+08:00

Read Isaiah 55:1-5

The Lord says: "Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls."
-Jeremiah 6:16 (NIV)

IN a large department store, I could not figure out where an item was located. I saw the back of what looked like a store employee standing next to a counter. I walked up from behind and said, "Excuse me," only to discover that I was speaking to a mannequin. I felt foolish and hoped that no one noticed. The designer had done a great job of making the mannequin look realistic, but it could never have helped me.

How many of us in the world seek guidance from that which is not real? We may believe that true happiness comes from having certain possessions or from wealth or beauty. We may follow false religious leaders. We may harm our bodies with drugs or alcohol. All along, the real God stands near calling to us and signaling the true way.

We don't have to rely on "dummies" because we have the living God who can supply what we lack. God asks us to read the Bible, to study it, and even to challenge what it says, confident that it will prove itself true in all circumstances.

by Bob La Forge (New Jersey, USA)

Sympathetic

2009-04-29T13:37:00.001+08:00

Mt 9:36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. A person's cruelty or sympathy is revealed by their attitude towards animals, and particularly towards domestic animals. For they are dependent up us. David was a shepherd, as was Moses. And Jesus likens himself to a shepherd, and even to the "lamb" of God. One aspect of being a good shepherd is to have sympathy towards those who are helpless and harassed.

Mt 15:32 Jesus called his disciples to him and said, "I have compassion for these people; they have already been with me three days and have nothing to eat. I do not want to send them away hungry, or they may collapse on the way." Sympathy goes hand in hand with thoughtfulness. One who gives little thought to another's circumstances cannot be sympathetic.

Luke 11:46 Jesus replied, "And you experts in the law, woe to you, because you load people down with burdens they can hardly carry, and you yourselves will not lift one finger to help them. A person's sympathy is revealed by taking practical steps to help others who are burdened. If you are in a position to do so, beware of imposing regulations unsympathetically. "This is what the LORD Almighty says: `Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another. Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the alien or the poor. In your hearts do not think evil of each other.'" Zec 7:9,10 and "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices— mint, dill and cummin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law— justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former." Mt 23:33

Sympathy is also developed through experience. Even of Jesus it is written that, "we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are— yet was without sin." Heb 4:15 and "For this reason he had to be made like his brothers in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people." Heb 2:17

Christians are to sympathize with fellow Christians who are persecuted for their faith, regardless of the consequences. Heb 10:34 You sympathized with those in prison and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property, because you knew that you yourselves had better and lasting possessions.

Desiring God's Peace

2009-04-28T08:31:00.000+08:00

Read Genesis 50:15-26

When you are offering your gift at the altar, if you remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother or sister, and then come and offer your gift.
-Matthew 5:2324 (NRSV)

A family member and I were attempting to work out a peaceful solution to a long-standing conflict between us. As we talked, I asked her to forgive me. She refused, saying she wouldn't forgive me, but perhaps we could move on and just not mention it again. Deep in my heart I knew that she was going to continue to let what had happened years earlier eat at her, and it saddened me.

Not sure what to do next, I asked the Lord for guidance. Speaking to me in my heart, God said, "Pray that she will desire my peace."

Those words from God have come to mind many times since then. Everybody has conflicts in this life, but not everybody becomes bitter. I look to many examples in my own life of kind and loving people who like Joseph forgive those who have wronged them. Like Joseph, they have endured many hardships but have not let the circumstances of their lives destroy them. Instead, they can treasure the peace that comes from forgiving others.

by Karen Nadeau (Texas, USA)

Safe Path

2009-04-27T08:59:00.000+08:00

Read Psalm 40:1-5

[The Lord] set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand.
-Psalm 40:2 (NIV)

IT was a cold and windy Sunday morning in Alaska. After a brief warming trend, the temperature had dropped precipitously. The roads were so slick that even my four-wheel-drive vehicle was difficult to control unless I stayed on the gravel strip the road crew had laid down.

On our way to church, we passed two children who were walking toward us on the icy roadway. They were sliding and falling, and the wind made staying on their feet almost impossible. My wife called out, "Walk on the gravel; it's much easier."

They quickly scrambled over to the nearby gravel strip. Grateful for their newfound stability, they shouted, "Thank you."

God always provides a path for us to follow. Unfortunately, we are sometimes distracted; our attention wanders, or we see an attractive diversion. As a result, we find ourselves off God's path, slipping, falling, and stumbling under the buffeting winds of life. Regaining our spiritual footing seems impossible.

How blessed we are to be always under the watchful eye of the Lord! But when we find ourselves skidding, God doesn't just call out directions. God comes to us, takes us by the hand, and leads us to safety.

by Jack Aiken (Alaska, USA)

Head or Heart?

2009-04-24T08:39:00.000+08:00

Read Romans 8:5-11

Paul wrote, "I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate."
-Romans 7:15 (NRSV)

MY brother's grandson loved to have his grandpa babysit him. But Grandpa, weary of urging the child to prepare for bed, asked, "Don't you want to obey me?"

The youngster, sitting among his toys, replied sadly, "I want to, but my head doesn't want to."

The child's answer reveals a problem familiar also to adults. We allow some self-serving notion to enter our heads when we know in our hearts the better way. The apostle Paul confesses to wrestling with a similar dilemma when he grieves, "I do the very thing I hate." Paul goes on to say that we, as believers, "are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in [us]" (Rom. 8:9, niv).

I have come to realize that this kind of inner conflict may be an invitation to relinquish our headstrong ways and make room for the Holy Spirit to act. When we allow God's love to direct us, we will find our conflict ended. And we can have God's peace within.

by Hazel Keenan Schrum (Ontario, Canada)

Are You Serious?

2009-04-23T10:54:00.001+08:00

Read Hebrews 12:4-11

How happy is the one whom God reproves; therefore do not despise the discipline of the Almighty.
-Job 5:17 (NRSV)

AS a young child, I understood discipline to be a bad word. Changing my perspective has been a challenge.

I was brought up in a Christian home, but I was 30 years old and facing a crisis before I sought to live a Christian life. I began to read about the Christian disciplines of prayer, worship, study, and meditation. Those sounded OK. When I read that fasting, solitude, simplicity, submission, and confession were supposed to bring me joy, I thought, Are you kidding me?

But over time God has patiently taught me that all these practices bring me closer to my Creator and strengthen my spirit. They help me to be attuned to God's voice and to know God's will for me. They help me to drown out the world's noise so I can hear God's "still small voice" (1 Kings 19:12, KJV). And, yes, they have brought me joy as I seek to travel along God's path. I have learned that in love God teaches us and strengthens us so that we may do God's work.

Now, when I am tempted to be lazy about practicing the disciplines or when I realize that I have been neglecting God, I ask myself, "Are you serious about knowing God better?" I want to be.

by Susan King (Texas, USA)

God Loves the World

2009-04-22T12:09:00.002+08:00

Read Genesis 2:8-15

God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not die but have eternal life.
-John 3:16 (TEV)

MANY read this verse and interpret it to mean "God so loved us" - people. However, the Greek word translated here as "world" means "cosmos." In other words, God loved all creation - including this planet and the entire universe - not just people.

There is much about this planet to love. I look forward to taking walks in our local park. Since each season has its own beauty, I walk year round - looking around me and thanking God for what I see, whether the trees are barren or full. Sometimes I wonder if this same beauty will be available for my grandchildren and great-grandchildren to enjoy.

As a person of faith, I am concerned about God's creation and what we are doing to it. We don't have to agree about the issue of global warming to know that we all need and want clean air, clean water, and unpolluted soil in which to grow our food. We want our grandchildren and great-grandchildren to experience the same beautiful planet we have enjoyed. Each of us can find ways to love and care for this world that God loves so much.

by Barbara A. Chaplin (Kansas, USA)

Amennn....God put men in the world to TILL and KEEP it....Are we keeping it with good hand??

Producing Fruit

2009-04-21T09:32:00.001+08:00

Read Philippians 2:12-16

It is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.
-Philippians 2:13 (NIV)

WHILE chatting with a friend, I mentioned that I had begun taking art classes and that I was not doing well because I am not naturally creative. My friend surprised me by saying, "Jane, the Creator lives within you! Of course you are creative."

That truth began to change my thinking. Scripture verses to support her assertion came to my mind, such as when Jesus said, "I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit" (John 15:5, nrsv). Before long, I was creating - making inspirational cards by using watercolors, pens, and verse. As I worked, I prayed that those who received the cards would see in them the hand of our ever-present Creator who is at work in and through us.

The great Initiator of all good, creative works desires to dwell in us. God lovingly cultivates the soil of our lives to produce fruit through us - sometimes in ways we never dreamed possible.

(by Jane Ebersole (Pennsylvania, USA))

Whatever He instructs you to do, do it...

2009-04-20T09:48:00.002+08:00

Yesterday's sermon was on obeying the words of Jesus. It's not only about obeying but doing them in faith. By obeying and doing what's been instructed by Jesus, miracles will take place.....

Many times in the Bibles miracles happened when people obeyed Jesus' instruction. The most obvious instance was the story of the weeding at Cana. At that time Jesus was unknown. Even He himself said "My time is not yet come". But when Mary, Jesus' mother told the servants to do whatever Jesus instructed them to do, they just did it. The servants didn't have any idea when Jesus instructed them to fill the jars with water. If I were the servants, I might have been confused because the host was running out of wine not water. But Jesus asked them to take water! Yet the did as told..they obeyed Him. Even when Jesus instructed them to serve the water, they did just that. What do you think in the mind of the servants when they serve the water? The master of the house was expecting wine not water yet the servants knew they were serving water. What happened after that was a total miracle. That miracle would not happen if the servants did not fill the jars with water, if they did not serve the water...it happened because they obeyed Jesus' instruction.

When Jesus asked Peter and Andreas to cast their net to the particular side of their boat, and they obeyed, they caught plenty of fish...when Jesus asked His disciples to tell the multitude of 5000 men to sit down and feed them with only five loaves and two fishes, they did it. They knew that all they have were five loaves and two fishes and the knew that it will not suffice for the huge multitude but they obeyed Jesus and did what have been instructed. Things that followed were miracles...

When the angel told Mary and Mary Magdelene to go to Galilee and they will meet Jesus there, they went and not long before they saw Jesus.

Obey Jesus and do what he are instructed in faith and miracles will happen in our life.

Complete Overhaul

2009-04-20T09:47:00.000+08:00

Read 2 Peter 1:1-12

The psalmist wrote, "Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and ... see if there be any wicked way in me."
-Psalm 139:2324 (KJV)

THE lawnmower engine coughed, spluttered, stopped. Outwardly there was no sign of a problem. It had petrol, oil, a new spark plug. Still, no amount of cord pulling could get it going. The problem? Pebbles in the fuel tank! My young grandchildren had been at work.

Sometimes my spiritual life reflects "pebbles" in my "fuel tank." Outwardly I seem okay. But inwardly, the joy of being with the Lord is blocked, and I sputter to a stop. However this happens, I cannot blame others for the presence of pebbles within. It's my responsibility to address the problem.

First I have to identify it. The pebbles of greed, jealousy, self-righteousness, unforgiveness, lust, laziness, hurt feelings, and so on clog the fuel line of the spirit. The Bible gives us directions for fixing the problem, but I still have to read and obey them. I may have to work at making spiritual and relational "repairs." When I call on God in prayer, grace is instantly available. God does a complete overhaul, renewing me and preparing me for the tasks ahead. Praise the name of the Lord!

by Raymond N. Hawkins (Tasmania, Australia)

Who's Watching?

2009-04-17T10:35:00.002+08:00

Read Colossians 3:15-17

Jesus said, "You are like light for the whole world."
-Matthew 5:14 (TEV)

SOME years ago while studying abroad, I was sad and homesick. My studies were proving more challenging than I had expected. One morning I was especially downhearted, feeling sorry for myself, when I heard a sound, "Tap! Tap!" Looking out my window, I saw a young, blind woman. The tapping sound was produced by the stick she was using to make her way.

Despite her handicap, she determinedly made her way along. As I reflected on what I saw in this young woman, I was encouraged to continue with my studies and, in due course, completed them.

Christ calls us to put forth our best effort in any task. We never know who may be watching us - someone suffering from a debilitating disease, a colleague at work facing financial challenges, a young person discouraged because he can't find a job, a young couple trying to cope with a rocky marriage, a member of our own family in distress. All these as well as others may be looking for encouragement and inspiration that could come from our example. This is precisely why Jesus reminds us, "You are like light for the whole world."

by J. Emmette Weir (The Bahamas)

Someone may say "I want to be like you". Why? Because the person sees something interesting in our life be it our deeds, character or achievements. But at the same time also, people may say "Do not be like him" because they see something not so encouraging in our life.

We live our lives in the eyes of the world. Someone is watching us whether we want it or not. We ought to live encouraging others maybe not by talking to them but showing it to them in our deeds.

Someone will be encouraged or discouraged by the way we live today....

Halfhearted

2009-04-16T11:49:00.000+08:00

Jer 3:10b "Judah did not return to me with all her heart, but only in pretense" Are you just pretending to live the Christian life? 2Ch 25:2 "He did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, but not wholeheartedly." So you did what was right. But did you do wholeheartedly or reluctantly, or for some ulterior motive? Often the fear of people can interfere with wholehearted obedience. For "many even among the leaders believed in him. But because of the Pharisees they would not confess their faith for fear they would be put out of the synagogue." John 12:42 Or when one considers the implications of one's faith when trials come up it's like, "The one who received the seed that fell on rocky places is the man who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. But since he has no root, he lasts only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, he quickly falls away." Mt 13:20,21

Just attending church on Sunday is not enough. There's a zeal that drives the Christian to do more. 2Kings 13:18,19 "Take the arrows," and the king took them. Elisha told him, "Strike the ground." He struck it three times and stopped. The man of God was angry with him and said, "You should have struck the ground five or six times; then you would have defeated Aram and completely destroyed it. But now you will defeat it only three times."

A Pillow for My Head

2009-04-16T08:45:00.003+08:00

Read Mark 4:35-41

[Jesus] was in the stern, asleep on the cushion.
-Mark 4:38 (NRSV)

WHEN my husband and I got married, we hoped to have children right away. Soon our dream came true. Two children were born to us, and we adopted another; within five years we had three children under the age of four! I was filled with love and with gratitude for these blessings.

I also felt completely overwhelmed by an unending list of chores to accomplish. I asked myself, How can I nurture my children, take care of our household, and work full time? Every night I fell into bed, exhausted and not sure how I would get up in the morning to start all over again.

A wise grandmother took me aside. "Do you remember that Jesus rested?" she calmly asked. She reminded me that in between preaching and teaching, Jesus slept as he and his disciples sailed across the Sea of Galilee (Mark 4:38). Even as a windy storm rocked their small boat, Jesus gave his body the rest that it needed. Jesus wasn't absent from his responsibilities - responding as soon as his disciples cried out in fear - but he took time to rest, trusting that God was with him.

Now I try to find a few peaceful moments of renewal every day. During these times I rest, whisper a prayer, read, even put my head on a cushion. In these brief times of quiet, I am reminded that I can face the tasks ahead because God is with me.

by Susan J. Foster (Connecticut, USA)

If today we feel exhausted and tired, take a rest. Take a moment of quiet, a deep sleep maybe. A moment of our own. Do not listen nor care about the raging storm around us. Take a moment to rest, pray, listen to God's voice and enjoy the time in God's presence. And as soon as we wake up, we will be more focus and energetic even to calm the windy storm down...

Forgive Us As We Forgive

2009-04-15T10:08:00.000+08:00

Read Romans 2:1-16

If you do not forgive others, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
-Matthew 6:15 (NRSV)

I had been wronged by a colleague at work. Because of the lies she had told my boss about me, I was overlooked for a promotion I had been looking forward to and had worked very hard to gain.

I became resentful at being passed over. I took out my anger on other colleagues and eventually gained a reputation for being difficult. My attitude was destroying me. Then one day a Christian colleague took me aside. He pointed out to me how much God had forgiven me and suggested that I forgive her. Why should I forgive? I asked myself. I am the one who was hurt. As I considered his advice, the words of the Lord's Prayer rang true for me in a new way. "Forgive us ... as we forgive our debtors."

Slowly and painfully, I started trying to forgive. It took many months. I never did get a promotion and I worked in a job below my capabilities, but I was finally able to have compassion on the wrongdoer. And I was a better example to my co-workers.

by Carol Purves (Cumbria, England)

Do You Hear?

2009-04-13T08:09:00.000+08:00

Read John 20:1-18

Jesus said to her, "Mary!" She turned and said to him in Hebrew, "Rabbouni!" (which means Teacher).
-John 20:16 (NRSV)

JOHN tells the story of the resurrection through the experience of Mary Magdalene, who loved Jesus. She had seen him on the cross and heard him say, "It is finished." She knew that Jesus was dead. So on the third day, she came to recover a corpse, not to witness a miracle.

According to John, Mary was not convinced that Jesus had risen. She comes to believe only when the risen Christ calls her name. And when she hears her name, she turns toward Christ.

That's the reason most of us believe: because we have heard Christ call our name. Maybe it was in a worship service or while reading the Bible. Or reading a good book, looking at a piece of art, or hiking through the woods. Or maybe in a time of deep trouble or doubt. Or on bright, sunny days when we know that life is good and right and that Christ is present, that the Eternal is real.

Mary heard Christ call her name, and she believed. That personal response is the only thing we've got to go on. No outward evidence can convince anyone. We hold on to the truth that Christ reached out to us and we knew it. Because of that, we believe and can tell others he lives.

Joe E. Pennel Jr. (Tennessee, USA)

Listens

2009-04-09T10:59:00.000+08:00

Proverbs says, "Pay attention and listen to the sayings of the wise; apply your heart to what I teach, for it is pleasing when you keep them in your heart and have all of them ready on your lips. So that your trust may be in the LORD, I teach you today, even you." Pr 22:17-19 And it says, "A wise son heeds his father's instruction, but a mocker does not listen to rebuke." Pr 13:1 Parents can relate to that.

Both people's eternal destiny and Christian's maturity are largely dependent upon listening. Where does faith come from? "Faith comes from hearing the message" Rom 10:17b Listening to the message of the gospel and believing it is God's chosen method of salvation. Paul speaks of the opposition he faced. He says of his opposition, "They displease God and are hostile to all men in their effort to keep us from speaking to the Gentiles so that they may be saved." 1Th 2:15b-16 For "it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe." 1Cor 1:21

Children of God are to be characteristically "quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry" Jas 1:19 That is, to be quick to receive instruction, but slow and thoughtful to react. "Quick to listen" doesn't mean gullible. But rather to listen careful and then consider thoughtfully. For example it says, "Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others judge." 1Cor 14:29 When something is said, scrutinize, evaluate, interpret - considering the sense of what was said, consider the implications, develop applications, and then respond. It is a blessed state to be able to hear and see.

"Blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear." Mt 13:16

Stay with Me

2009-04-09T08:58:00.001+08:00

Read Matthew 26:36-46

[Jesus] said to them, "My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me."
-Matthew 26:38 (NIV)

I tuck my three young daughters into bed. With a peck on my cheek and a hug, two of the girls are quickly off to sleep. But Carly, my six-year-old, has trouble relaxing.

"Please stay with me," she asks.

I sit by her bed. In the dark, I feel her little fingers lock tightly around mine. She is secure in our silent companionship. Neither of us feels the need to talk. My daughter is content to know that I am there. Within minutes her hand relaxes, and Carly is asleep.

This experience with my daughter changes the way I respond to the story of Jesus in Gethsemane. He said to his disciples, "Stay here and keep watch with me." I see Jesus overwhelmed by the path set before him: abandonment by God and rejection by people, crucifixion for the sins of the world. Jesus needed companionship that night.

My first reaction to the scripture is to pray, "Lord, I would have stayed awake. I would have sat up with you." But then I remember how often I fail. I realize that I am too weak to do what Jesus asks.

But Jesus did not come to save the strong. He came for people like you and me who in weakness hold out our hands for help. And Jesus stays with us.

by Tom Smith (Ontario, Canada)

To be rich in good deeds

2009-04-07T09:55:00.001+08:00

Command [those who are rich in this present world] to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share.
-1 Timothy 6:18 (NIV)

I love fireworks. I wait in the dark. BANG! A splatter of gold sparks fills the sky. They take my breath away. My face hurts from smiling. My ears ring from the noise. When the show is over, I picture in my mind the flashes of brilliance, and a twinkle of joy lingers.

When we do a good deed, it flashes a spark of pleasure in someone's day. We shine God's love into the lives of others. Good deeds are fleeting, though their memory lingers in the mind.

The flash of fireworks affects all those who see it. Love sparkles in the same way: we all feel the joy. Some "fireworks" are small and personal; opening the door for another and being courteous are like handheld sparklers. Some fireworks, such as publicly giving big donations to charity, get a lot of attention. The volunteer showing up every week to help is like fireworks that go on, explosion after explosion. When the annual fireworks show is over, planning begins for the next year.

We can each plan and be part of an explosion of good deeds. Today and every day, God can use us to shine the brilliance of love into the world.

by Lisa Bogart (California, USA)

Close to the Lord

2009-04-06T10:39:00.000+08:00

After throwing their cloaks on the colt, they set Jesus on it.
-Luke 19:35 (NRSV)

THE text describes an intimate moment, one almost hidden in the comings and goings before Jesus' final entry into Jerusalem. As a young colt stamps the dust, cloaks are quickly thrown onto its back. And then the strong arms of the disciples lift Jesus. He does not climb up alone; he depends on his friends as he faces the road ahead.

Giving this help requires getting close to the Teacher, to grasp an arm or brace a shoulder. It means the disciples are close enough to feel Jesus' breath on their skin, to smell the sweat on his cloak. Jesus could have found something to stand on without leaning on his friends, but he does not.

For Jesus, once he enters the city, other intimate moments will follow: bread-breaking, wine-sharing, foot-washing, truth-telling. And at what would appear to be the end of the road, once again a few will put their hands under his arms and lower him from the cross. Intimate moments, all.

The Christian's journey to Jerusalem and beyond calls for such intimacy. Discipleship requires vulnerability, closeness, and a willingness to lean on others. Let us give thanks to God for those who stand near, ready to love us, ready to help.

by Pamela Hawkins (Tennessee, USA)

Live by His Grace

2009-04-03T10:01:00.003+08:00

Paul wrote, "[The Lord] said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.'"
-2 Corinthians 12:9 (NIV)

We may never aware or experience the grace of God in our life in any special way. We may have a smooth sailing of our life with few tame waves along the way. We may live with good education, secure a good job, get married and have children. We may think we will live the rest of our lives happily.

We would not aware the grace of God until turbulence were thrown into our way. We need to be reminded through special way on the grace of God in our life.

But the fact is God had been providing grace for us throughout our life, even when we was unaware of it. He had always been there for us but we never aware of His presence for we took everything for granted. We thought we could handle all things and all things went on our way as we wanted them to be.

The grace of God is sufficient for us...even the smallest thing was there by the grace of God...we live by His grace so we should live for His grace....Thank you God for your grace...