Priorities in Life

Even if we need to make a living, it's important to remember to make a life first. I listen to Guidelines for Family Living every morning now after I bring my daughter to school. And one profound thought I got recently was that

We are a composite of how other people's lives and how they have touched our life. It is imperative to put Christ at the center because only when we are right with God that we can ever be right with others.

Even then it's difficult but with Christ in us, anything is possible

Be Calm and Know that I am God

I've been quite tense recently. I don't understand it. But I feel so stressed out that I just want to stop working. It's too bad though that bumming around doesn't put food on the table. I do have a family to support & a child to feed, as well as put through school so I guess I have to keep on keep on.

I read one article though from "2 Thoughts for Today." That's a nice Christian subscription that at least reminds me when I'm at work that God is there with me.

The nice thing about this article was how it reminded me of how God comforts His people - "Be calm & know that I am God." It went something like this (not exactly word-for-word like this but to the same effect anyway):

• Feeling frustrated? - Be calm & know that I am God
• Tired? - Be calm & know that I am God
• Angry? - Be calm & know that I am God
• Uncertain? - Be calm & know that I am God

And just like that, I realized how unnecessary it is for me to feel alone because I know that God is with me. I'm so fortunate. Thank you God that You are in control

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God's Tough Love

I went to church this morning and heard the message on God's "tough love." The speaker branched off from how Jesus was highly praised and adored on what we commemorate as "Palm Sunday" to when He was crucified during the "Holy Week" celebration.

She springs from this question, "What made the crowd change their tune in as fast as a week?" That is a rather difficult thing to digest there, having people shout "praise the Lord, Jesus is king" to "crucify him." That is a 180 degree turn.

As she explained it though, in the short span of time between those 2 dates Jesus started to speak of things that people didn't really want to hear:

• He reprimanded those selling and doing business in the temple
• He welcomed sinners (adulterers & tax collectors) as those who may enter heaven
• He told the people to pay their taxes so to speak

These were unexpected for people, they all wanted to hear good things - happy things about heaven and about salvation.

I guess it is rather difficult to hear reprimand and to hear correction. I certainly understand how that feels but I guess if we want to pick up our cross and follow Jesus, these are necessary for us to follow.

I do hope God can give me the strength to abide by His love - though how tough it can be sometimes. What I think though, similar to what Job said - we should accept both good and bad from the Lord

God's Daily Bread May Not Always Be Delicious, But They Are For Our Benefit

Here's a beautiful devotional/ testimony by Max Lucado From: The Great House of God on the lessons of how God provides us our "daily bread."

I hope you can learn as much from it as I have

What a statement of trust! Whatever you want me to have is all I want. Some days the plate runs over. God keeps bringing out more food and we keep loosening our belt. A promotion. A privilege. A friendship. A gift. A lifetime of grace. An eternity of joy. There are times when we literally push ourselves back from the table, amazed at God’s kindness. “You serve me a six-course dinner right in front of my enemies. You revive my drooping head; my cup fills with blessing” (Psalms 23:5 MSG).




And then there are those days when, well, when we have to eat our broccoli. Our daily bread could be tears or sorrow or discipline. Our portion may include adversity as well as opportunity.

This verse was on my mind last night during family devotions. I called my daughters to the table and set a plate in front of each. In the center of the table I placed a collection of food: some fruit, some raw vegetables and some Oreo cookies. “Every day,” I explained, “God prepares for us a plate of experiences. What kind of plate do you most enjoy?”

The answer was easy. Sara put three cookies on her plate. Some days are like that, aren’t they? Some days are “three cookie days.” Many are not. Sometimes our plate has nothing but vegetables—twenty-four hours of celery, carrots, and squash. Apparently God knows we need some strength, and though the portion may be hard to swallow, isn’t it for our own good? Most days, however, have a bit of it all. Vegetables, which are healthy but dull. Fruit, which tastes better and we enjoy. And even an Oreo, which does little for our nutrition, but a lot for our attitude.

All are important and all are from God.

The next time your plate has more broccoli than apple pie, remember who prepared the meal. And the next time your plate has a portion you find hard to swallow, talk to God about it. Jesus did. In the garden of Gethsemane his Father handed him a cup of suffering so sour, so vile, that Jesus handed it back to heaven. “My Father,” he prayed, “if it is possible may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will” (Matthew 26:39).

God's Love Shepherds us from Mara to Elim

In the church sermon today, the reference was Deuteronomy 8, where he started with verse 3

And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the LORD doth man live.

God led His people, the Israelites out of Egypt and into the desert. There He taught them humility. In the same way this is how He deal with us Christians.

I have endured this lesson as well. I came from a great work-place that offered great pay where I was revered as someone who was sort of an "expert" at what I did. I moved though thinking that I would have better opportunity in another company. This indeed was quite a humbling experience as I realized I was an expert at nothing.

God allows His people to taste the bitter waters of Mara. As we are allowed to learn lessons the hard way because some times this is the only way we can learn them. It's kind of difficult to teach humility by word only but it's a lot easier to absorb it by practice.

After Mara though, God also let's us taste how sweet the waters are after we have learned our lessons. He is also gracious enough to let us enjoy Elim - a land with 12 springs and 70 palm trees. Imagine that within the desert.

We enjoy God's presence in this abundance these days. We are very fortunate. The speaker called on the congregation to appreciate that day by day and to always acknowledge God's hand

Talking about Love

In the last few weeks, speakers at our church have been talking about love. Earlier today the talk was about how love is kind, love is sharing and love is giving. I know it sounds quite simple but it's actually true.



The speaker today emphasized how difficult it is to actually share the gospel outright. Nobody will listen. But people will not turn their heads when they are shown kindness. That is what I think the difficult thing to do. "Living" the Christian way versus just talking about it.

Living the Christian way means being kind, being forgiving, being generous. That's pretty hard considering how difficult it is these days. When God asks us to pray for those who persecute as and love our enemies, it feels like we're tearing our hair out. But I do think it's true that's what it takes to reach out.

I'm not saying I'm any good or any better than anyone else, but I do see the wisdom in that.

Overflowing Joy and Generosity

The speaker in church today was very moving when he shared about the current world crisis. Not only has it affected a lot of businesses, it has affected a lot of people. People have lost jobs, lost businesses, have tight budgets and even have a harder time getting by (not that it wasn't difficult getting by in the first place)

What the speaker tried to drive though was that despite these times of severe trial and poverty, as Christians, we should stand out. How is that? By showing overflowing joy and generosity during these times. Indeed that is difficult. He cited 2 Corinthians 8:1-7 for his talk and it did touch me.

I hope I can live up to that. It's difficult to give when you have nothing to give and it's hard to be joyful in the midst of trial. The key he said was to commit everything to God. When you are holding on to nothing, then you have nothing to lose.