341 Blessed Be Your Name - M. Redman/B. Redman
Monday
We, His Sheep, will Recognise our Shepherd's Voice
Tuesday
Your GRACE is Sufficient for me
Wednesday
Make Choices that will Honour God; your Feelings will Catch Up
Thursday
Make Choices that will Honour God; your Feelings will Catch Up
Friday
Your GRACE is Sufficient for me
Saturday
Jesus You are so so good
6.00am
Just woke up. Find it difficult to smile. Difficult to be happy. Full of worry, guilt and bitterness in my heart.
7.20am
Those feelings intensified.
7.40am
Prayed to God, asking Him to carry bitterness away and to slay it when it comes knocking on my door. Poured my heart out in that prayer.
8.00am
Through someone, Jesus shown me that He has taken these feelings all away and replace them with a smile on my face and a spring in my step.
Thank You for GRACE.
Indeed, as the book says, as we will ourselves to put God first, to honour Him, feelings will catch up. Don't have to worry about our present feelings. Just allow Him to come first.
JESUS, YOU ARE SO GOOD
Chorus: Jesus You are so good, Jesus You are so good
There's nothing to fear 'cause I'm here in Your presence
Jesus You are so good, Jesus You are so, so good
And I just want to thank You with every beat of my heart
You've given me eternal life
And Your word to light my way
You've given me Your spirit
And new mercies every day
Chorus: Jesus You are so good, Jesus You are so good
There's nothing to fear 'cause I'm here in Your presence
Jesus You are so good, Jesus You are so, so good
And I just want to thank You with every beat of my heart
You've given me confidence
And my soul is filled with peace
You are my provider
You supply my every need
Chorus: Jesus You are so good, Jesus You are so good
There's nothing to fear 'cause I'm here in Your presence
Jesus You are so good, Jesus You are so, so good
And I just want to thank You with every beat of my heartAfter a wonderful day of seeing God's hand in my day yesterday, today all my past vices/bad habits were back to haunt me... They came and tempt me all day long...
Sad to say, while I won the battle for some temptations, I lost some. Guilt overwhelmed me.
But His grace is sufficient for me. Grace: the free and unmerited favor or beneficence of God.
God has become too real to deny, Jing Er. He is with you.When bitterness comes knocking on your door, ask God to slay this unwanted vistor and carry him away. And then you choose daily to never resurrect him.
God has become too real and too close to deny that He is right here with me....
Today, God spoke, in a way that kind of freaks me out. But hey, He spoke!! And that is all that matters.
Let me recount what happened. It started yesterday.... This entry is going to be very long. But it does nothing but declares that God is indeed good...
Yesterday, after school, I was doing the Bible Study portion of the book I was reading. It asked me to 'lay your burdens, anxieties, fears, and misgivings on Him... asking for the Father's help.' And so I did. I thought I would write about the heartbreak I had three weeks ago. But I didn't. I wrote: 'My fear/anxiety? I do not know what is ahead of me. I can't see the path before me. Everything, my career, family and love life, is a new beginning. I do not know if I can deal with the uncertainty.'
And then, the second part of the book asked me to turn to Matthew 6:25-27 and 1 Peter 5:7. Both are about not worrying!! Should I have written on the heartbreak, these verses wouldn't have impacted me as much as they impacted me now. God spoke! He gave me these words to give me peace and to reassure me that He is looking after me. I felt weird or fearful cos I seldom had this kind of strong 'hinting' from God that He spoke.
That is not all. This morning, I prayed a prayer asking God to let me see His work in what I do today. To open my eyes and ears to see He is looking after me. Then, I was running late for work. It seemed to me that it was almost impossible to reach school in time. I gave myself a time: 653am. Dun ask me why such a weird time, I oso dunno. If the bus hasn't come by then, I will take MC, since I was to be quite free in school today and would not miss much. I rather miss work than be late cos being late is quite an offence in this school. Then the bus came at 650am. I thought in my heart, even so, I might not reach school in time. I prayed and this impression came to me: If God allowed the bus to come at 650am, instead of 654am, then it means He wants me to go to school. And so, He will not let me be late. Lo and behold, I wasn't late!! In fact, I still have time to go toilet and style my hair... Ha...
As I was walking from the bus stop to school, I was humming this song 'Your grace is sufficient for me; Your strength is made perfect when I am weak...." I dunno why cos this song is so old. But I did and somehow I knew this was to be the 'theme' of today. I sms-ed a close friend the lyrics of this song at 715am. Then at 10 plus, when I was bored in school and reading the 'My Utmost for His Highest' devotion for today, the theme was about GRACE!!! Too much of a coincidence, isn't it?
He spoke, not in audio ways like we humans do. But in His own marvellous way, He spoke and His children, His sheep, will know it is His voice.
Brothers and sisters, do not second-guess yourself if you think you hear something from God. We, His sheep, will recognise our Shepherd's voice. And He, our Shepherd and Abba Father, wans to speak to us.
I can write on and on on what God did today. Like how when my MP3's battery died on me when I just got on the bus to go home, I prayed that God will help 'resurrect' the battery and listen to songs that glorify Him till I reach home. I on my MP3 again and it lived! Ha.... And also, my PC at home died. I was very worried cos our financial status is bit tight and dun think can repair it. Then my sis 'resurrected' it. Ha... God listens to our prayers and it is His desire to look after us...
I want to end this by saying, God is good. The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall lack no thing.
June 26, 2007
Drawing on the Grace of God— Now
We . . . plead with you not to receive the grace of God in vain —2 Corinthians 6:1
The grace you had yesterday will not be sufficient for today. Grace is the overflowing favor of God, and you can always count on it being available to draw upon as needed. ". . . in much patience, in tribulations, in needs, in distresses"— that is where our patience is tested ( 2 Corinthians 6:4 ). Are you failing to rely on the grace of God there? Are you saying to yourself, "Oh well, I won’t count this time"? It is not a question of praying and asking God to help you— it is taking the grace of God now. We tend to make prayer the preparation for our service, yet it is never that in the Bible. Prayer is the practice of drawing on the grace of God. Don’t say, "I will endure this until I can get away and pray." Pray now — draw on the grace of God in your moment of need. Prayer is the most normal and useful thing; it is not simply a reflex action of your devotion to God. We are very slow to learn to draw on God’s grace through prayer.
". . . in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors . . ." ( 2 Corinthians 6:5 )— in all these things, display in your life a drawing on the grace of God, which will show evidence to yourself and to others that you are a miracle of His. Draw on His grace now, not later. The primary word in the spiritual vocabulary is now. Let circumstances take you where they will, but keep drawing on the grace of God in whatever condition you may find yourself. One of the greatest proofs that you are drawing on the grace of God is that you can be totally humiliated before others without displaying even the slightest trace of anything but His grace.
". . . having nothing . . . ." Never hold anything in reserve. Pour yourself out, giving the best that you have, and always be poor. Never be diplomatic and careful with the treasure God gives you. ". . . and yet possessing all things"— this is poverty triumphant ( 2 Corinthians 6:10 ).
| YOUR GRACE IS SUFFICIENT | |||
|
through my darkest nights...
June 25, 2007
Receiving Yourself in the Fires of Sorrow
. . . what shall I say? ’Father, save Me from this hour’? But for this purpose I came to this hour. ’Father, glorify Your name’ —John 12:27-28
We say that there ought to be no sorrow, but there is sorrow, and we have to accept and receive ourselves in its fires. If we try to evade sorrow, refusing to deal with it, we are foolish. Sorrow is one of the biggest facts in life, and there is no use in saying it should not be. Sin, sorrow, and suffering are, and it is not for us to say that God has made a mistake in allowing them.
Sorrow removes a great deal of a person’s shallowness, but it does not always make that person better. Suffering either gives me to myself or it destroys me. You cannot find or receive yourself through success, because you lose your head over pride. And you cannot receive yourself through the monotony of your daily life, because you give in to complaining. The only way to find yourself is in the fires of sorrow. Why it should be this way is immaterial. The fact is that it is true in the Scriptures and in human experience. You can always recognize who has been through the fires of sorrow and received himself, and you know that you can go to him in your moment of trouble and find that he has plenty of time for you. But if a person has not been through the fires of sorrow, he is apt to be contemptuous, having no respect or time for you, only turning you away. If you will receive yourself in the fires of sorrow, God will make you nourishment for other people.
June 18, 2007
Keep Recognizing Jesus
. . . Peter . . . walked on the water to go to Jesus. But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid . . . —Matthew 14:29-30The wind really was boisterous and the waves really were high, but Peter didn’t see them at first. He didn’t consider them at all; he simply recognized his Lord, stepped out in recognition of Him, and "walked on the water." Then he began to take those things around him into account, and instantly, down he went. Why couldn’t our Lord have enabled him to walk at the bottom of the waves, as well as on top of them? He could have, yet neither could be done without Peter’s continuing recognition of the Lord Jesus.
We step right out with recognition of God in some things, then self-consideration enters our lives and down we go. If you are truly recognizing your Lord, you have no business being concerned about how and where He engineers your circumstances. The things surrounding you are real, but when you look at them you are immediately overwhelmed, and even unable to recognize Jesus. Then comes His rebuke, ". . . why did you doubt?" ( Matthew 14:31 ). Let your actual circumstances be what they may, but keep recognizing Jesus, maintaining complete reliance upon Him.
If you debate for even one second when God has spoken, it is all over for you. Never start to say, "Well, I wonder if He really did speak to me?" Be reckless immediately— totally unrestrained and willing to risk everything— by casting your all upon Him. You do not know when His voice will come to you, but whenever the realization of God comes, even in the faintest way imaginable, be determined to recklessly abandon yourself, surrendering everything to Him. It is only through abandonment of yourself and your circumstances that you will recognize Him. You will only recognize His voice more clearly through recklessness— being willing to risk your all.
Back from a week-long holiday...
A new start, a new beginning, new everything.... JE, God has given you a second chance in life. Dun u dare screw up again...
2 weeks ago, during worship in church, 'I own nothing, I have nothing, I am nothing' came to me... And events happened to show me that it is true. Nothing is guaranteed in life...
Today, in church, this came to me. 'I have everything when I have You. From the outside, people may see that I have nothing... But the truth is, when I have God, I have everything, no matter what the world says...'
A thousand times I've failed
Still Your mercy remains
And should I stumble again
I'm caught in Your grace
Everlasting
Your light will shine when all else fades
Never ending
Your glory goes beyond all fame
Your will above all else
My purpose remains
The art of losing myself
In bringing You praise
Everlasting
Your light will shine when all else fades
Never ending
Your glory goes beyond all fame
In my heart and my soul
Lord I give You control
Consume me from the inside out
Lord let justice and praise
Become my embrace
To love you from the inside out
Everlasting
Your light will shine when all else fades
Never ending
Your glory goes beyond all fame
And the cry of my heart
Is to bring You praise
From the inside out
Lord my soul cries out
With all I'm holding inside
With all hopes and desires
And all the dreams that I've dreamt
With all I'm hoping to be
And all that the world will bring
And all that fails to compare
You say You want all of me
I wouldnt have it any other way
I've got a Saviour and He's living in me
WHOA
I wana know
I wana know You today
And You're the best thing that has happened to me
And the world will never take
The world will never take You away
No-one could ever take You away
Sigh... Was to have 2 tuition sessions at different times today but both kids were not not home when I got there! ! Weird huh... One went to school but the mother forgot to inform me; the other went out cos she thought there is mo tuition today...
But that is not the weirdest part... You know what is the weirdest? I wasn't angry at all! Weird huh... Such a hot day; took a 20 min bus to the first one, then back home again... Rested for 40 minutes.. Then another 20 min ride to the second one, then back home again... On normal days, I would be really angry and iritated. But I was amazed that I am not at all... Ha... A new me??
Instead, I used the time to do some thinking and praying. The outcome? I decided to take up the crossover offer... Ha... I think it is what God wants to me to do loh... He is giving me a second chance in life.....
Jeremiah 29:11
Lord, help me to remember this everyday. ~ Jing Er
Now, a funny one.....
I can't sleep again. Physically tired but I just cannot sleep. Tossing and turning... I need sleep...
I can't eat again. Am hungry but I just can't keep the food down... I need food...
June 5, 2007
God’s Assurance
He Himself has said . . . . So we may boldly say . . . —Hebrews 13:5-6
My assurance is to be built upon God’s assurance to me. God says, "I will never leave you," so that then I "may boldly say, ’The Lord is my helper; I will not fear’ " ( Hebrews 13:5-6 ). In other words, I will not be obsessed with apprehension. This does not mean that I will not be tempted to fear, but I will remember God’s words of assurance. I will be full of courage, like a child who strives to reach the standard his father has set for him. The faith of many people begins to falter when apprehensions enter their thinking, and they forget the meaning of God’s assurance— they forget to take a deep spiritual breath. The only way to remove the fear from our lives is to listen to God’s assurance to us.
What are you fearing? Whatever it may be, you are not a coward about it— you are determined to face it, yet you still have a feeling of fear. When it seems that there is nothing and no one to help you, say to yourself, "But ’The Lord is my helper’ this very moment, even in my present circumstance." Are you learning to listen to God before you speak, or are you saying things and then trying to make God’s Word fit what you have said? Take hold of the Father’s assurance, and then say with strong courage, "I will not fear." It does not matter what evil or wrong may be in our way, because "He Himself has said, ’I will never leave you . . . .’ "
Human frailty is another thing that gets between God’s words of assurance and our own words and thoughts. When we realize how feeble we are in facing difficulties, the difficulties become like giants, we become like grasshoppers, and God seems to be nonexistent. But remember God’s assurance to us— "I will never. . . forsake you." Have we learned to sing after hearing God’s keynote? Are we continually filled with enough courage to say, "The Lord is my helper," or are we yielding to fear?
I own nothing....
I have nothing....
I am nothing....
But Lord, oh Lord, oh please do, please do help me to remember that in You, I have everything...
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond imagination.
It is our light more than our darkness which scares us.
We ask ourselves – who are we to be brilliant, beautiful, talented, and fabulous.
But honestly, who are you to not be so?
You are a child of God, small games do not work in this world.
For those around us to feel peace, it is not example to make ourselves small.
We were born to express the glory of God that lives in us.
It is not in some of us, it is in all of us.
While we allow our light to shine,
we unconsciously give permission for others to do the same.
When we liberate ourselves from our own fears,
simply our presence may liberate others.