“Do one thing everyday that scares you” was a quote which was believed to have been said by Eleanor Roosevelt.
She wasn’t saying that we do something unwise and foolish. Rather, she was referring to stepping outside our comfort zones so that we will have greater courage as we move on in life.
On a daily basis, I have to make decisions, solve problems for the good of the church. It can be scary at times as the decisions can affect the running of the church.
I am glad that doing something fearful help me to be able to make better decisions when similar circumstances arise. It is something that I have to keep learning. 🙂
God has carried us through the first half of the year. How was your first half of the year?
Today is the last day of the first half of 2023! Time flies! Looking back at the first half of the year, God has been good and faithful.
I am sure you have tasted and see God’s goodness in your life as well! He provided for us (Philippians 4:19, Matthew 6:31-32): we have food on the table, a shelter over our head, a bed to rest on at night, and work that we can do to keep our minds active and body moving.
He leads us (Proverbs 20:24): when we are struggling in our work, when we are at the crossroad when making decisions, God gives us wisdom and strength to manage them.
He gives us peace (John 14:27): when we are worried about our life, having a health scare, or even having a weak body, or worrying about our children, we know when we pray to Him and cast all over worries to Him, He hears us. He promises us that. He does not turn a deaf ear to us.
God has been faithful to us. There are so much to be thankful to God for! May God continue to lead and guide us for the second half of 2023!
This was Apostle Peter’s instructions to the church leaders. In the Bible, believers are sometimes referred to as sheep because sheep are gentle and sheep are valuable.
Peter reminded the leaders to be good examples for God’s people, to teach them God’s Word and to nurture them in their Christian faith.
As leaders, we need God’s grace and wisdom to lead us and to guide us so that our lives may bring glory to Him.
What is the “Good News” or the “Gospel”? The “Good News” or the “Gospel” refers to the same thing.
Apostle Paul wrote, “For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures “ (1 Cor. 15:3-4).
The Gospel is this: Sin has separated us from God. God loves us and wants to save us from sins. He sent His only Son Jesus Christ, who was without sins, to die on the Cross for us. The blood of Jesus washed away our sins. Nothing else can do that.
Jesus had paid the price of our sins —with His own life.
In our sinfulness, we are rebelling against God. We reject Him as our God. But Jesus died on the Cross to reconcile us with God.
Three days later, by the power of God, Jesus rose from the dead. He is in Heaven now, preparing a place for us so that when we leave this world, we will be with Him in Heaven.
This is the Good News: no one is so bad and so unlovable that God can not save.
22 April. Today is Earth Day. Since 1970, Earth Day has been an annual event celebrated by 1 billion people in more than 193 countries around the world. The participants take part in projects such as picking up litter and planting trees to protect the planet from pollution and deforestation.
But the task of taking care of this earth went back further than 22 April 1970. After creating the universe and the beautiful earth, God our Creator created a man and a woman and entrusted them to care for this world. God placed the man Adam and his wife Eve in the Garden of Eden, and oh, what a beautiful place that was! There were fruits on the trees and flowers of every kind and animals were living peaceably with one another. God gave them this responsibility to work and take care of this alluring garden (Genesis 2:15).
However, when Adam and Eve disobeyed God, they were banished from this garden. Taking care of the earth became a much harder job. There were now thorns, plants would wither, fruit trees might fall to bear fruits and we had to toil hard for food from the ground. Yet, God is still with us. He speaks to us through His creation. When we observe the nature around us, we see how tiny we are compared to the gushing waterfalls and the grandiose mountain. When we look at our garden: the blooming flowers, the singing birds, the mischievous cats and the loyal pet dogs, we can not help but be amazed at God’s creativity and love when He created all these wonderful creatures.
In 1901, pastor and poet Maltbie Babcock wrote the hymn, “This Is My Father’s World”, expressing his delight in God’s creation! During his morning walks, he was fascinated by God’s creations: the sky, the seas and all the creatures in them. And he was inspired to write this song.
This is our God’s world. He puts the seasons in order (Job 38:12-13). He controls the weather (Job 38:22-30) and He provides food for the living creatures (Job 38:39-41). He sustains this world, whether it is things visible or invisible to our human eyes.
Wherever we are, whether we live in a bustling city or a quiet town, each of us can play a part in caring for the environment. This can be our way of thanking God for creating this amazing world for us to live in. Let us protect this earth. We only have one earth. May our children and their children get to enjoy this beautiful world.
Lent is a period of 40 days before Easter whereby we examine ourselves in reflection to the sacrificial love of Jesus Christ for us. During Lent, we can:
Forgive someone
Habouring resentment is hard. Psychological studies show that there are negative effects on our bodies if we are resentful or are angry at someone. Just as God has forgiven us of our sins which we have committed knowingly and unknowingly, ask God for His grace so that we can forgive those who have wronged us.
2. Thank a person
Are there people in your life whom you appreciate but you hardly tell them their presence in your life means a lot to you? Let us say something nice to our family and friends. Lent is a time to appreciate and thank someone. It also means appreciating the people in the society. We can do so by saying “thank you” to them or give them a smile, or even acknowledging their presence by having an eye contact with them. Their selfless contributions bring improvement to the society.
3. Do an act of kindness
Lent is a wonderful time to do an act of kindness to others. Do you see someone a need? You can offer your help. In our day to day life, we can be caught up with our own needs. Let us look beyond ourselves and see how we can help those who are in need.
4. Exercise and take care of our bodies
In the midst of pandemic, it doesn’t take long for one to realise the importance of having a healthy body. If we have been neglecting our bodies due to work or bad eating habits, Lent is a time for us to give it the proper nutrition, adequate rest and some exercise.
Lent is a season for us to draw closer to God. Through these acts of love and kindness, may we experience His love in our daily living.
Though tested positive for my antigen test on Day 6, I felt much better physically, and emotionally today. I am physically stronger to move about the house to clean, to sweep the fallen leaves on the porch, to delight watching the cats play from across the road, to water my plants and to end the day by preparing a simple dinner for myself.
The aroma in the kitchen smells different today: fresh and lovely. I was more present when I was washing the veggies, cutting them and cooking them in the pan. I was taking my time to enjoy the process of meal prepping and cooking.
A week ago, these simple chores of taking care of the house, gardening and cooking were done in a rush and mindlessly. They were things that I needed to get over and done with because there always something else more important that needed my attention: some messages to reply, some assignments waiting to be completed, another email to respond to, cleaning the house before the visitors arrive, rushing to church for some activities and so on. But, when I am in home quarantine, activities become slower, time seems longer and tasks are manageable. I can slow down and enjoy the beauty in the simple things in life, and not rush from chores to chores.
Apostle Paul writes, “4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!”(Philippians 4:4-5)
Rejoice in the Lord is not something that we do when we feel like it. It should be our lifestyle as the disciples of our Lord Jesus Christ. Joy comes from God. Joy is knowing that God sent Jesus Christ to die for our sins, the Holy Spirit is with us and we have eternal life with God. We can rejoice regardless of our present circumstances because we stand on the promise and assurance of who God is and what He is doing and will do in the life of His people.
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” (verse 6)
What are you worried about? Our list can go on and on. Apostle Paul urges us not to be anxious or worried about anything but to commit everything to God in prayers. We are invited by God to tell Him the things that are bothering us. In prayers, we are reminded of the sovereignty of God who cares and loves us. When we tell God our needs and requests, we are to give thanks to God, simply because He is good. He has been faithful, merciful and loving to us. In our desperation, He hears us and delivers us.
“And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:7)
Peace is a state of well-being. In the Old Testament, the word “Shalom” in Hebrew means: harmony, wholeness, completeness, health, tranquillity, safety, rest, peace with God, and these are permanent state.
God’s peace guards our heart and mind. May He guard and protect our heart and mind from cumbersome worries and anxieties. Wait upon God. Rest in Him.
During this season of Lent, let us continue to:
(1) Pray
Deepen our relationship with God through prayers. We pray and also hear for His voice when we pray.
(2) Read God’s Word
God’s Word illuminates our path. It leads us to the path of righteousness, holiness and wisdom. Let us read His Word, meditate on it and apply it in our lives. St John of the Cross (1542-91), a Spanish Catholic priest, said that when we read God’s Word, the new life of Christ gets brighter and brighter in us.
(3) Obedience to God
Perhaps much of our anxieties in our relationships, our chores and daily activities are more manageable if we commit them into God’s will and time. We can find peace and rest in God if we are mindful that God is with us in our chores and in our relationships with others.
May the peace of the Lord be with you in whatever you do and in the people you meet.
My retreat came earlier this year than I had planned. I had planned one in August right around my birthday. The reason for this unplanned retreat: I was down with Covid.
I could not believe it when I was tested positive. I had all those symptoms: flu, chills, muscle ache, cough but the results from the antigen tests were negative. I was hopeful that I might just be having a common flu. I prayed hard that I would remain ‘negative’ for Covid tests.
How could I get Covid, right? I am relatively healthy: I take my supplements daily. I have always been super careful: double my masks, sanitize the cart at the supermarket before using, sanitize my hands every time I touched something (may be I was a little extreme) and once I return home, I immediate sanitise my handbag and my phone. How can someone so careful like me get Covid?
On the morning of Day 5 of my exposure to the virus, I did an antigen test upon waking up. It said, “positive”.
I stared at the result. I was shattered.
I was given a ‘Home Isolation Or Surveillance Order’ for one week.
Home Isolation. Away from people. I am used to being away from people for retreats but this time, while in home isolation, I was in isolation with angry thoughts, bitter thoughts, sad thoughts.
On the first day, I spent much of my time being angry: I was angry at the person for giving the virus to me. My breaths were hot, like a fiery dragon’s. Nobody wants to be infected. Nobody in their right mind wants to pass the virus on to others, I understand. My friend is feeling guilty, I understand. But still, I was very angry. I have to announce to the church that I am a “Covid Positive”, a label I was trying to run away from ever since the start of Covid 2 years ago. And it has been miserable getting Covid. It was a terrible experience.
On the second day, I spent most of my time sulking and getting angry at God. I complained to God. Why would You allow this happen? What about Sunday? Who would preach at the church on Sunday? What would the church leaders think of me? Would the people run away from me when I see them in church on Sunday?
On the third day, I re-watched some of my favourite movies and TV series (grateful for streaming services and good internet connection). I laughed and laughed at my favourite scenes. The movie therapy took away my sadness and anger for a while. I talked to some friends (via chat, I couldn’t talk due to the persistent sore throat and cough). One of them commented that I have “joined the Covid party” which I thought was hilarious.
On the fourth day, I was ready for a therapy session with God. I stopped sulking and stopped throwing myself a pity party (but still angry at my friend!). Throughout these couples of days, family and friends remind me that God is with me. I may be angry and bitter but this does not change the fact that God loves me.
We are in the Season of Lent. Lent is to remember that Jesus was in the wilderness for 40 days and night to prepare Himself for the public ministry. I would love to have been there to hear His intimate conversations with His Father in Heaven. In these 40 days, Jesus was tempted by the devil three times but every time He was tempted, He leaned on God’s Word and power and He was victorious over these temptations.
May be God wanted me to experience Him in a new way in this season of Lent. May be I should lean upon God and rest in Him, no matter what the circumstances I am in.
Looking back at the past couple of days, I am so grateful for family and friends who sent me words of encouragement. They check in on me daily to make sure that I am physically (and emotionally) healthy. There are friends who send me groceries, lunch and dinner, snacks, coconut juice, and a slice of yummy cheesecake. I am never hungry. I spent a lot of time at the dining table enjoying these little surprises. There are friends who go to the pharmacies for me to get the needed medication. I am never in need. My needs have been supplied.
When I count my blessings, I have less to grumble about. No more complaints. No more worries. No more asking God why. After all, this is what Lent is all about: focusing on the love and sacrifice of Jesus. Not on our current misery. For now, I will nurse myself to good health and to be strong for ministry again, emotionally, physically and spiritually.
Suggestions from Pope Francis on Fasting for Lent:
Fast from hurting words and say kind words.
Fast from sadness and be filled with gratitude.
Fast from anger and be filled with patience.
Fast from pessimism and be filled with hope.
Fast from worries and trust in God.
Fast from complaints and contemplate simplicity.
Fast from pressures and be prayerful.
Fast from bitterness and fill your heart with joy.
As Christians, we are commanded to grow in the Lord. Here are some of the spiritual disciplines which we can put into practice in our daily living.
“The greatest difficulty in conversion is to win the heart to God, and the greatest difficulty after conversion is to keep the heart with God” –Jeremy Walker, Life in Christ.
Isn’t it true? Before we became Christians, we gave our heart to God. And after we become Christian, it is our duty to keep our heart with God or else we will be distracted and stray away.
We should always strive to be growing spiritually. Apostle Paul said to the Thessalonians: “We ought always to thank God for you, brothers and sisters, and rightly so, because your faith is growing more and more, and the love all of you have for one another is increasing” (2 Thessalonians 1:3).
“Make every effort to…be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.” (Hebrews 12:14). It is important to make every effort, strive to grow towards holiness because it is only through holiness, we can see the Lord.
Apostle Peter also wrote, “Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18).
As the apostles urged the Christians, it is important and necessary to grow. We can not remain stagnant forever, or worse, to go backwards. When we plant a seed, we expect growth. We expect the seed to sprout, and that it will grow into a plant and eventually bear fruits that we can enjoy.
When we have a baby, we want to see the baby grow day by day. It is very worrying if the child does not grow. There will be sleepless nights of worry, going to hospital for check-ups to find the reason why. Similarly, it is worrying if we do not grow spiritually.
In the letter to Hebrews, the original audience were the Jews who believed in Jesus. They did not grow spiritually. Instead of growing, they go backwards. They were at the danger of falling away from the faith.
“11 We have much to say about this, but it is hard to make it clear to you because you no longer try to understand. 12 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! 13 Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. 14 But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.” (Hebrews 5:11-14)
These Christians were no longer trying to understand God’s Word. Were they callous? The fact is, they had become lazy. Their ears had become dull. We see this same word in Hebrews 6:11-12, which is used to describe sluggish. They had become lazy in hearing God’s Word, sluggish in their relationship with God.
These Christians should have been matured enough to be teachers already. They were supposed to be teachers of God’s Word. Yet, they were regressing to the point of having to go back to the elementary school again. They needed someone to teach them about the basic truth of God all over again. At one point, they were able to enjoy steak: a thick, rich, flavourful steak but they went so backwards to drinking milk again.
How do we know if spiritual growth is happening in our lives?
As important as it is to grow spiritually, growth is in God’s Hands. Apostle Paul wrote to the Corinthians regarding this matter. 1 Corinthians 3:6-7, “I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow.” Apostle Paul planted the seed, Apollos watered it. God was the one who provided sunlight and water to make the seeds growth but nonetheless, Paul and Apollos still worked hard and diligently in their respective tasks. God gave the growth but we have to do our part to grow spiritually.
Our growth is in God’s timing. Will we still be diligent in taking care of our spiritual growth? We cultivate spiritual disciplines because our end goal is not just the growth, but our end goal is to know God better and to love Him deeper.
Richard of Chichester (1197-1253), wrote this prayer called “Day by Day”:
Thanks be to thee,
my Lord Jesus Christ,
for all the benefits which
thou hast given me,
for all the pains and insults
which thou hast borne for me.
O most merciful Redeemer,
Friend and Brother,
may I know thee more clearly,
love thee more dearly,
and follow thee more nearly.
Amen.
It is St Richard’s prayer to see God more clearly day by day. Love God more dearly day by day. Follow God more nearly day by day. There will be ups and downs in our life but may this be our prayer too: that we strive to see God, love Him more and follow God ever closely day by day.
Spiritual disciplines is important so that we can grow spiritually. John Wesley our Methodist spiritual forefather, set the example for us. Below are some of the spiritual disciplines he practiced:
Meditation
John Wesley meditated. He read the Bible first and meditated on what he had just read. John Wesley meditated a lot and out of these came his doctrinal and spiritual teachings. The purpose of meditation is to hear God clearly and then we obey Him. When we meditate, we invite the Holy Spirit to illumine us so that we can understand and obey God’s Word.
Prayer
John Wesley was one of those who spent a few hours on his knees in prayers. He said prayers should include “public prayer, family prayer, and praying in our closet”. His directions for prayers? “Tell Him simply all you fear, all you feel, all you want…. Pour out your soul and freely talk to God…. Pray just as you are led…. in all simplicity.” Wesley urged the people to pray written prayers in the Bible as well as using the written prayers in “The Book of Common Prayer”. He prayed 4 hours a day and before his death, 8 hours a day in prayers.
Fasting
Fasting is to abstain from food or certain pleasures for a period of time to seek God’s face. Wesley fasted 2 times a week. For us who are not able to fast because of health reasons, we can also fast from things that distract us: social media, entertainment, shopping sprees and so on. The purpose of fasting is so that we can whole heartedly seek God.
Giving
It was said that John Wesley gave away 80% of his income to help the poor. Though he had good income from his writings, he still lived on 28 pounds per year, just as he had in his student days. He gave away the rest of his money to the widows, the orphans. He also built orphanages to care of the orphans.
Worship
Worship is important for our spiritual growth. We should make it a priority to worship God, especially on Sunday—the Lord’s Day. Each worship service is an encounter with God: we gather together with other believers to adore Him, praise Him, confess our sins, listen to His Word and be refreshed to enter into the world once again. Even at times when we do not feel like worshipping God, we can tell God how we feel and ask for His grace to help us to worship Him. Being together with other believers will help to encourage our faith.
These spiritual disciplines help us to grow spiritually and enable us to reject the things that are not beneficial for our souls. May God give us the grace and the wisdom to grow in Him day by day.
What are some of the reasons to give thanks to God?
Giving thanks to God is a choice we have to make every day. We can focus on life’s challenges and struggles or we can focus on God and trust that God is with us every day.
Sometimes, we feel that we can not find any reasons to give thanks to God. May be we are experiencing these scenarios:
Too caught up with other people’s lives
With our finger tips, we can peer into a friend’s life through social media: the birth of a baby, the wedding anniversary celebration, a new lover, a job promotion, a new handbag, an online shopping haul, a slice of mouth- watering cheese cake they had, a stylish café they were in…it is so easy to crave and lust for what they have and despise what we have. If we are always comparing ourselves to our friends, we will not be grateful for all that we have.
Too busy in the day to pause and enjoy what we have
Some of us work long hours. If we are not intentional in taking a few minutes each day to pause and give thanks for what we are enjoying: clean water, electricity, the fact that we are healthy and alive, we have a roof above our heads and food on our table. In our pursuit in life, we may not realise how much blessings we are receiving from God. His blessings is overflowing (Psalm 23:5).
Too overwhelmed in life
We may be at a point in our life when we are overwhelmed: our family, our job, we may be unwell, or the need to take care of a loved ones, all these contribute to stress in our lives.
The root of bitterness is still in us
Always playing the victim robs joy from us. If we are always thinking we are the victims, and others are to be blamed for what had happened to us, we will only feed the bitterness, resentment and hatred in us. Let us let go and move on.
Instead of focusing on our circumstances, let us turn our eyes to God. He will open our eyes to see His greatness and faithfulness, and how He is with us every moment of the day. He provides for our needs. He protects us in our going out and coming in. He is our refuge whom we can run to when life gets overwhelming. He gives us courage to face the challenges each day.
Why shall we cultivate a heart of thanksgiving?
It reminds us the purpose of our existence
Each of us is wonderfully and fearfully made by God our Creator (Psalm 139:14). We were created for a purpose. We do not just live for ourselves. One of the greatest joys in life is to love and be loved in return. To love others, we have to take time out of our schedule to care for a friend, or walk an extra mile for someone in need, but it is so worth it, to know we are loved in return.
There is more to life than wanting what others have and crave after them. There is more meaning in life than working hard for self-glorification, power, money and fame. Power, money, fame are never the answer or solution to our lives’ problems.
It reminds us of Who God is
Our God didn’t just create us and let us be. He longs for a relationship with us. Being the good Father, He cares for us and provides for our daily needs.
“He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?”(Romans 8:32)
Take time to enjoy God’s creations around us and you will experience a deep joy in you: the plants in our garden, or the clouds in the sky, the breath-taking shades of colours during sunset, the fluttering butterflies, the smell of the earth after the rain, the faces of our family members or our pets’. Our God is a creative God. He creates all this wonderful nature for our enjoyment and for His glory.
It reminds us what matters in life
Our children certainly do not want our money or how powerful we are in our company. What they want most from us is our undivided attention as we spend time with them. They want to see our examples in how we navigate challenges in life. They want to see how we treat others and love others, including the marginalised. Our parents would want us to spend time with them, either a phone call or a visit, than receiving gifts from us but never see us.
The joy of the Lord is our strength
Nehemiah 8:10 says, “The joy of the Lord is our strength”. We are not exempted from problems in life but God is our strength. When we find joy in Him, we will experience His strength to go through each day. Not only that, He gives us wisdom to navigate through our challenges. God too, encourages us to move forward when we fall. He forgives our mistakes and gives us grace to start again.
What to give thanks to God for?
His love
In 1 John, the disciple says straight out that, “God is love” (1 John 4:8).
The Bible tells us that God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son to save us from death and sin (John 3:16). He does not want us to live our lives without knowing Him. He loves us and sees us before we were in our mother’s womb (Jeremiah 1:5). He has great plans for us. His love for us is so deep and wide. Ephesians tells us:
“so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ”(Ephesians 3:17-18)
The psalmist also reminds us to praise God because of His love endures forever and it is unfailing.
“Praise the Lord. Give thanks to the Lord for he is good; his love endures forever”(Psalm 106:1).
“Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for mankind…”(Psalm 107:15).
His Son
Jesus Christ is the expression of God’s love towards us. While we were yet sinners, God sent His Son, Jesus Christ to die for us. He suffered for us so that we will know how much He is willing to give His life for us so that we might live. His blood cleans us from our sins. Jesus is the only way we can go back to God.
“This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him.”(1 John 4:9)
His Word
God’s Word is the Bible. It is inspired by God the Holy Spirit. “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”(2 Timothy 3:16-17)
God’s Word not only tell us who we are, whose we are, what our future will be like, it always teaches us how to live our life: our relationship with God and His relationship with us, and our relationship with others.
God’s Word is a lamp for our feet and a light on our path (Psalm 119:105). It illuminates our path so that we will not grope in the dark but walk in light and in the likeness of His Son, Jesus.
His people
You may have heard that Christianity is not for the lone rangers. It involves a community of fellow believers. They are there to pray for us, to encourage us in our spiritual walk, to have wholesome fun with, to keep us accountable as we move on in holiness, and to journey with us in our live journeys. We have laugh together through the good times and we cry together during times of sadness. “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.”(Galatians 6:2)
His plan for us
Etty Hilleseum (1914-1943), the Dutch author who was killed in Auschwitz concentration camp said, “Despite everything, life is full of beauty and meaning”. God has a wonderful plan for us. His plan may not be what we have imagined but it is always exciting to where God is leading us: His path is the best path for us. As His children, we are to walk in holiness. We may be sticking out like a sore thumb in the world because our lifestyle is in contrast with the world’s, but may God use our time, resources and life for His glory.
“But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ”(1 Corinthians 15:57).
May it be that we are so overwhelmed by His love that we will always give thanks to God for His love, goodness and faithfulness to us!
