Communication

Yesterday morning as I was doing the homework for PUP class I felt that the passages were speaking directly to me. It was about communication, and it was asking us to refer to various scriptures that touch on our tongue, speech, words etc.

Guess what today's devotion passage is taken from?

Matthew 12:33-37

33 “Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is recognized by its fruit. 34 You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of. 35 A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him. 36 But I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken. 37 For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.”

Even yesterday I acknowledged to my brother that this is an area that I know I offend others often. I guess God is really doing a deeper work in me and wants to perfect me in this area.

Dear God,

I thank You for constantly teaching and guiding me, and above all for accepting me for who I am despite all my flaws. Thank You for showing me where you want me to work on. Give me the strength to do so so that I may bring glory to You.

In Jesus' Name
Amen

Proverbs 3: 1-9

Guidance for the Young

1 My son, do not forget my law,
But let your heart keep my commands;

2 For length of days and long life
And peace they will add to you.

3 Let not mercy and truth forsake you;
Bind them around your neck,
Write them on the tablet of your heart,

4 And so find favor and high esteem
In the sight of God and man.

5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart,
And lean not on your own understanding;


6 In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He shall direct your paths.

7 Do not be wise in your own eyes;
Fear the LORD and depart from evil.

8 It will be health to your flesh,
And strength to your bones.

9 Honor the LORD with your possessions,
And with the firstfruits of all your increase;

Interestingly yesterday as I was going for dinner in Chow Yang verse 5 and 6 came to my mind. "Trust in the Lord your God with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He shall make your path straight"
 
And Proverbs 3:1-9 happens to be the verses for my devotion today. I believe that God is really trying to speak to me. This is the 3rd time within a short period that God has been speaking to me through His word and confirming it through my daily devotion.
 
Trust in Him with all my heart and lean not on my own understanding. Many people might not agree with how I'm handling my current situation. They think that I should be more proactive in changing my situation. And that's exactly how I'd do last time. But I think God wants me to follow His guidance and rely on Him more.
 
I believe that my past 2 interviews came from God and I want to wait on Him. I guess for many it'll be considered wiser to wait on God but at the same time apply for other jobs as well since there is no guarantee that I'll pass the interview. 1 of the interview has already been unsuccessful actually.
 
But as I was pondering upon the situation, an analogy came to my mind. Let's say a couple has been engaged and they plan to get married. But just in case things didn't turn up right they decided to have a backup plan- the guy gets involve with another girl and the girl gets involve with another guy.
 
This is exactly what I feel if I were to look for other jobs rather than wait upon God. 
 
In all your ways acknowledge Him and He shall make your path straight.
 
 
Father,
Help me to acknowledge You in all the things I do, and I pray that You'll lead me in a straight and smooth path. Help me to lean not on my own understanding, but to trust in You wholeheartedly.
 
In Jesus' Name
Amen 

Psalm 33 and 27

"Rejoice in the Lord, O you [uncompromisingly] righteous [you upright, in right standing with God]; for praise is becoming and appropriate for those who are upright in heart."

This was the opening verse for today's devotion. When I was reading the verse it sounded quite familiar. And as I look at the address, it was Psalm 33:1 from the Amplified Bible. Aha, no wonder it sounds so familiar. My brother texted me Psalm 33 yesterday and I was reading it.

Hmm..coincidence? Looks more like God is speaking.

Psalm 27

A Psalm of David.

1 The LORD is my light and my salvation;
Whom shall I fear?
The LORD is the strength of my life;
Of whom shall I be afraid?

2 When the wicked came against me
To eat up my flesh,
My enemies and foes,
They stumbled and fell.

3 Though an army may encamp against me,
My heart shall not fear;
Though war may rise against me,
In this I will be confident.

4 One thing I have desired of the LORD,
That will I seek:
That I may dwell in the house of the LORD
All the days of my life,
To behold the beauty of the LORD,
And to inquire in His temple.

5 For in the time of trouble
He shall hide me in His pavilion;
In the secret place of His tabernacle
He shall hide me;
He shall set me high upon a rock.

6 And now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies all around me;
Therefore I will offer sacrifices of joy in His tabernacle;
I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the LORD.

7 Hear, O LORD, when I cry with my voice!
Have mercy also upon me, and answer me.

8 When You said, “Seek My face,”
My heart said to You, “Your face, LORD, I will seek.”

9 Do not hide Your face from me;
Do not turn Your servant away in anger;
You have been my help;
Do not leave me nor forsake me, O God of my salvation.

10 When my father and my mother forsake me,
Then the LORD will take care of me.

11 Teach me Your way, O LORD,
And lead me in a smooth path, because of my enemies.

12 Do not deliver me to the will of my adversaries;
For false witnesses have risen against me,
And such as breathe out violence.

13 I would have lost heart, unless I had believed
That I would see the goodness of the LORD
In the land of the living.

14 Wait on the LORD;
Be of good courage,
And He shall strengthen your heart;
Wait, I say, on the LORD!

Today's devotion passage. A timely chapter I guess, especially with all the things that are going in my life right now.

Dear God,

Indeed you have always been my help. And I pray that even in my current situation right now You'll help me swiftly. The path that I'm on doesn't seem very smooth right now. Lead me in Your straight path I pray.
Help me to believe that I will see Your goodness in the land of the living, so that I might not lose heart.
And even as I wait on You, strengthen my heart o God.

In Jesus' Name
Amen

Hebrews 10:32-39

Hebrews 10:32-39 (New International Version, ©2011)


32 Remember those earlier days after you had received the light, when you endured in a great conflict full of suffering. 33 Sometimes you were publicly exposed to insult and persecution; at other times you stood side by side with those who were so treated. 34 You suffered along with those in prison and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property, because you knew that you yourselves had better and lasting possessions. 35 So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded.

36 You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. 37 For,

“In just a little while,
he who is coming will come
and will not delay.”
38 And,
“But my righteous one will live by faith.
And I take no pleasure
in the one who shrinks back.”
39 But we do not belong to those who shrink back and are destroyed, but to those who have faith and are saved.
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Devotion today is from Hebrews 10: 32-39.
A timely passage I guess. Many times I wonder whether I'll give up eventually because I don't see the things I hope for coming to past and giving up, going my own way seems to be the easiest thing to do.

Patience is power. I need to have the courage to refuse the lies of Satan that says the Word is not working for me. I knows that God's Word has never failed. Patience will not draw back in fear but will press forward in faith until I have the answer.

Deeper- Planetshakers

Deeper By Planetshakers

Verse:
I want to know you, I want to hear your voice
I want to feel you, More than before
I want to touch you, I want to see your face
I want you Jesus, More than before

Pre Chorus:
More of you Jesus I want more, More of you my Lord

Chorus:
Take me deeper than I've been before, Take me further God I long for more
Take me Higher that I've been before, Jesus I want more,
Jesus I need more

Bridge:
More of you, More of you Jesus
More of you, I need more of you (2x)

Books for 2011

List of books that I have but have yet to finish reading:

1. The Spiritual Secret of Hudson Taylor
2. Bario Revival
3. Secrets to Prevailing Prayer
4. Faith and Doubt
5. Boy Meets Girl
6. The Heavenly Man
7. Jesus Column (Korean)
8. Ready to Love (translated from Korean)
9. In His Step
10. A Blind Eye
11. God is a Matchmaker
12. Knowing God
13. Ugly Women Destroy the Country (Korean)

I'm sure I'll somehow ending up buying new books in 2011. Let's see how much of the above I can finish before 2011 ends.

Last Day of Work

My first official last day of work.

I have 2 weeks notice, but because I have 5.5 days of leave today is my last day in office.

I have plans in mind, but I shall wait till I spend time talking to God.
It's not an easy task, considering that I'm the hyperactive type who'll want to take things into my own hand.

But I shall wait on God.

Hopefully He doesn't make me wait too long.

Recently a friend of mine who is contemplating about his career had this verse from God:

Psalm 28

Of David.


1 To you, LORD, I call;
you are my Rock,
do not turn a deaf ear to me.
For if you remain silent,
I will be like those who go down to the pit.

2 Hear my cry for mercy
as I call to you for help,
as I lift up my hands
toward your Most Holy Place.

I guess now is the time for me to call out to God. I'm sure He will not turn a deaf ear to me. Just that I'm nervous that He'll make me wait for an extended period of time..

God,
 
I want to trust in your guidance.
Give me the patience and faith to trust in You.
You have been gracious to me all these while.
Let me trust in Your unfailing faithfulness again.
I pray that even as I wait upon Your guidance You will open the doors for me.
 
In Jesus' Name
Amen

Handed in my Letter

Officially handed in my letter to my boss.

Been thinking, talking, praying about it. Decision was made last week. But we agreed to send in the letter today.

So now I need to wait on God.
I want to wait on God.
Spending time to seek His direction and guidance before I make my next move.

Many people will not understand the decision I make.

Guess a lot of time the journey I've chosen is a lonely one.


Went to BASF Malaysia Sdn Bhd in Bukit Jelutong this morning.
It's a program BASC do for new joiners. But I didn't manage to go the past few times due to lack of man power in my team. Hmm..6 months. Fast? or Slow?

Discover Our Calling in Life

Making choices without considering God is easier. I don't have to worry whether I'm making the right or wrong choices. Just make the most sound and correct choice and don't regret about it.

But when I put God in the picture things get a bit more complicated. I want to make the right choices in God's sight. But I'm not able to discern which is the correct one. The most sound and decent option by man's standard may not be what God has in mind.

Probably it is fear. Fear that I've made the wrong choices. Like the decisions that I've made recently regarding my career. I really don't want to do something if I know it's not from God. I prayed, I tried to wait on Him, I asked people to pray for me. But I still don't know. Then the night before I had to make a decision I had a strange dream. Was that a sign from God? Or was it just a random thought? I've never made any decision base on my dream. My brother says that my decision was due to a lack of faith. But he didn't know that the whole day I was trying to do what he thought was right. If God had given me the slightest indication I would have gladly done so. But none of that came. I only had a strange dream from the night before.

Today one of my colleague send me a link on a sermon her husband preached recently, called Discover Your Life Calling. It suggested 5 questions to help people discover their calling:
1. What do you feel joy doing?
2. What are you good at doing?
3. What do you feel are the biggest needs of the people around you?
4. What is your unique personality?
5. What do your trusted friends say?

But what spoke to me more was this paragraph:

Having said that, our focus should not be just on methods to discern God's will. We are to trust in God Himself. There is no system that ensures you never make mistakes, but we can rely on a God of grace who will guide us and teach us even when we make mistakes. He is big enough to rescue us and lift us up when we fall. Otherwise, we would live in constant fear, always searching for the perfect formula for discovering God's will so we won't make any mistakes.

God,

If I've made the wrong choices please forgive me. Kindly guide me back to the path that You've intended. Even as I face new challenges and need to make new decisions everyday, I pray that You'll give me a discerning mind and an obedient heart.

Probably it's not biblical, but I pray that You'll close the doors that are not from You till I am more mature to discern which open door is from You.

Help me O God.

In Jesus' Name
Amen

The Inner Witness

Been going through some confusion lately. Not sure where is God leading me in my career and not sure how to make decisions cause I'm not sure which is the 'correct' decision.

On the way back from prayer meeting yesterday my brother was saying that sometimes we focus too much on our prayer items that we do not focus enough on God. He was also asking me how much time I spend waiting on Him.

Coincidentally or miraculously today as I do my devotion the article was on this issue of hearing from God.

The Inner Witness

Do you ever have trouble hearing from God? Do you find yourself caught in confusing circumstances needing guidance, and yet even after praying and reading the Word- you're still not sure what God wants you to do?

I've had that experience. I knew His written Word and acting on it changed my life. But I was uncertain when I had to make decisions about things the Word didn't specifically address. Things like whether to move to one city or another, for example.

What held me back was my ability to know that I was doing the right thing. You see, God's written Word and the inward witness are two different things. They never contradict each other, but they're both a vital part of our walk with God.

God expected Israel, for example to obey His written Word. But He also said to them, "Obey my voice" (Jer 7:23) because He wanted them to know His will in specific situations That's what happened when Israel invaded Jericho...

..But exactly how, you may wonder, does God speak to us? Does He just shout down to us from heaven?

Not usually! Romans 8 says the Holy Spirit bears witness with our spirit. That means that God's directions come from inside, not outside, of you.

At times when you hear His guidance, you may even wonder, "Was that me, Lord, or was that You?" That's because God doesn't normally inject thoughts directly into your mind from the outside. Instead, He speaks to your spirit, and your spirit translates it into a thought.

Tune in today to that inward witness, to that quiet knowing, that urging, prompting and leading arising within you.

If when you hear it, it sounds like you, don't be surprised. It is you! It is your spirit being influenced by the Spirit of God! After you're born again, your spirit is a safe guide because you are born of God's Spirit. You have His nature. And the Holy Spirit lives in your spirit to teach you and to give you direction.

Gloria
From Faith To Faith
A Daily Guide To Victory