Fret-Free Living

Psalm 37

A Psalm of David.

 ¹ Do not fret because of evildoers,
         Nor be envious of the workers of iniquity.
 ² For they shall soon be cut down like the grass,
         And wither as the green herb. 
         
 ³ Trust in the LORD, and do good;
         Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness.
 ⁴ Delight yourself also in the LORD,
         And He shall give you the desires of your heart. 
         
 ⁵ Commit your way to the LORD,
         Trust also in Him, 
         And He shall bring it to pass.
 ⁶ He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light,
         And your justice as the noonday. 
         
 ⁷ Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for Him;
         Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, 
         Because of the man who brings wicked schemes to pass.
 ⁸ Cease from anger, and forsake wrath;
         Do not fret—it only causes harm. 
         
 ⁹ For evildoers shall be cut off;
         But those who wait on the LORD, 
         They shall inherit the earth.
 ¹⁰ For yet a little while and the wicked shall be no more;
         Indeed, you will look carefully for his place, 
         But it shall be no more.
 ¹¹ But the meek shall inherit the earth,
         And shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.


I returned my brother's book to him, the devotional material that I've been using for over 1 year now. Decided to look up what Our Daily Bread have and the above was the passage for today and below the sharing by the author. Today verses 5-6 stood up for me. To commit my ways to him, even in the new job that I'm taking. Even when things doesn't seem well, commit it to Him and eventually His righteousness in me will shine through.

Does it bother you to see how much attention is paid in today’s culture to people who stand for all the wrong things? Perhaps it is entertainment stars who get the headlines while espousing immoral philosophies in their music, movies, or programs. Or it could be leaders who openly thumb their noses at right-living standards.

It would be easy to fret about this and wring our hands in despair, but Psalm 37 suggests a better way. Listen to David’s wise advice: “Do not fret because of evildoers, nor be envious of the workers of iniquity” (v.1).

While it is right to be “salt and light” (Matt. 5:13-14) in this tasteless, dark world—attempting to counter sin by reflecting Jesus’ light wherever possible—we cannot let negative forces cause us to live in anger and wrath (Ps. 37:8). Instead, we must rely on God to have the ultimate say about evildoers: “They shall soon be cut down like the grass” (v.2). Beyond that, we should take David’s approach: (1) “Trust in the Lord, and do good.” (2) “Feed on His faithfulness.” (3) “Delight yourself also in the Lord.” (4) “Commit your way to theLord.” (5) “Rest in the Lord” (vv.3-7).

We may not like what we see and hear from some aspects of society, but remember this: God is in control. Trust Him to do what is right. And don’t fret.

When tragedy, heartache, and sorrow abound,
When evil appears to have conquered the right,
We center our heart on our Father’s great love,
For He will bring hope in the darkest of night. —D. De Haan

Don’t despair because of evil; God will have the last word.

A Power House of Protection

Isaiah 54:10-17

New King James Version (NKJV)

10 For the mountains shall depart
And the hills be removed,
But My kindness shall not depart from you,
Nor shall My covenant of peace be removed,”
Says the LORD, who has mercy on you.
11 “ O you afflicted one,
Tossed with tempest, and not comforted,
Behold, I will lay your stones with colorful gems,
And lay your foundations with sapphires.
12 I will make your pinnacles of rubies,
Your gates of crystal,
And all your walls of precious stones.
13 All your children shall be taught by the LORD,
And great shall be the peace of your children.
14 In righteousness you shall be established;
You shall be far from oppression, for you shall not fear;
And from terror, for it shall not come near you.
15 Indeed they shall surely assemble, but not because of Me.
Whoever assembles against you shall fall for your sake.
16 “ Behold, I have created the blacksmith
Who blows the coals in the fire,
Who brings forth an instrument for his work;
And I have created the spoiler to destroy.
17 No weapon formed against you shall prosper,
And every tongue which rises against you in judgment
You shall condemn.
This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD,
And their righteousness is from Me,”
Says the LORD.


A wonderful promise.
Still waiting for further solid answer as to when and how long..
But a promise to hold on too wherever I may be.


Dear God,


Indeed let me see Your goodness and comfort in the land of the living.
Help me to remain in You and walk in Your ways all the days of my life.
May I be a vessel fit for Your work.
May I be reminded of Your promises when I go through the valleys of life.
Help me to turn the valleys into springs of life.
Thank You.


In Jesus' Name
Amen

Word, Prayer & Persecution

On Sunday I attended the "Church History" class.
The first lesson was on the early history of the church, which we saw much persecution going on.

Yesterday I was reading the book "Lord, Teach Me to Pray in 28 Days" by Kay Arthur, and it was quoting Acts 5 where the apostles chose 7 deacons and devoted themselves to Prayer and Ministry of the Word.

Today's devotion "From Faith to Faith" by Kenneth and Gloria Copeland is about persecution as well.
The opening verse was taken from 2 Timothy 3:12 "Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution."

But interestingly of all the passages that spoke on persecution the Scripture reading was from Acts 5, and starting from verse 1 to 15, talking about the apostles wanting to devote themselves to Prayer and Word and choosing Stephen, and how people were opposing Stephen.

Sometimes I wonder whether all this are just coincidence...


God, are You trying to tell me something?
Persecution on the way?
Right now I'm already struggling with so many things and its not settled yet. Please delay any more persecution for awhile O God....
But when it does come, help me to stand strong in You, that my faith may be refined and proven true, and may it encourage others to remain in You as well.
Thank You Jesus.

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