Psalms 104:1-26
Monday, November 21, 2011
Declaring and praising God for who He is. This passage paints a picture of heaven and a picture of how God would look like - the glorious majesty of our King.
V5-v9 talks about the great flood and how God was still in control when that happened. Though many perished and asked “why God”, still we know that God was in the midst of all of it. And we know that He is a good God, desiring the best for us.
V10-v18 the Lord provides. Even the beasts of the field have all they need to quench their thirst and the birds of the air rejoice also. The Lord provides for man to cultivate and bring forth food out of the earth. The funny thing is, man was not made to just eat of nature but to work for their food. This came ever since Adam’s time when they first sinned because they ate the forbidden fruit. But the Lord is still faithful to provide a harvest in due season.
V19-23 In their time, I do not think they knew about the earth being round and revolving round the sun. But still, they did not hesitate to give praise to God because of what the eye can see. Whether the sun or moon, the Lord has everything in its perfect position.
V24-25 There are so many things that God has placed on the earth for us to discover and enjoy. If only humans were not so preoccupied with their own lives, they would understand what God had made for them and intended them to discover.
No matter what happens, God is still in control. And He is faithful to provide. When we take the time to enjoy His magnificence and beauty, we find that He is beyond all that we can imagine. And we stand in awe knowing that this God still cares for us and wants us to know Him the way He knows every each one of us.
Monday, November 21, 2011
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
God rejecting you?
Psalm 44
Tuesday, July 05, 2011
This is something I missed when I read this last week. It’s weird that I could have missed this but somehow my mind was frustrated because of so many things. Now I can think clearly and I’m loving it.
After the Sons of Korah praised God and boast of Him, they stated a fact, that the Lord did not always bring them through good times and victory. They went through defeat as well and also suffering. They were divided and scattered into different nations. Sometimes we may feel like that. We may have walked into those situations where we say, “This cannot be from God”. I mean why would God allow me to go through defeat instead of victory? Didn’t He send His Son to die for us and give us victory?
Then we go on to thinking, “Did we do something wrong?”, “Is God unhappy with something we might have done?”, “Is He still here with me?”. A lot of these questions and doubts pop up in our minds about how these things are not from God and if it happens, then we have truly done something wrong.
But be rest assured, the Sons of Korah faced the same thing. And verse 17 is our reassurance, that we did nothing wrong. The Sons of Korah did what was right, followed the covenant of God, did not forget the Lord, and kept on following Him. Even the Sons of Korah felt that they were rejected by God. This is what I felt throughout the past few months. Rejected, dejected and I thought that I was doing something wrong. But God reassured me that I’m still on the right road.
It’s just that God was trying to show us something, that life with God is not always chill and relaxing. And if we can take this, then God can take us anywhere.
Romans 8:38-39 – Nothing can separate us from the love of God.
Thank you, Lord, that no matter what happens or what you put me through, one thing still remains and that is that you still love me and care for me and you will always be with me.
The following is a video of two who went through a really tough ordeal and came out of it full of hope:
Tuesday, July 05, 2011
This is something I missed when I read this last week. It’s weird that I could have missed this but somehow my mind was frustrated because of so many things. Now I can think clearly and I’m loving it.
After the Sons of Korah praised God and boast of Him, they stated a fact, that the Lord did not always bring them through good times and victory. They went through defeat as well and also suffering. They were divided and scattered into different nations. Sometimes we may feel like that. We may have walked into those situations where we say, “This cannot be from God”. I mean why would God allow me to go through defeat instead of victory? Didn’t He send His Son to die for us and give us victory?
Then we go on to thinking, “Did we do something wrong?”, “Is God unhappy with something we might have done?”, “Is He still here with me?”. A lot of these questions and doubts pop up in our minds about how these things are not from God and if it happens, then we have truly done something wrong.
But be rest assured, the Sons of Korah faced the same thing. And verse 17 is our reassurance, that we did nothing wrong. The Sons of Korah did what was right, followed the covenant of God, did not forget the Lord, and kept on following Him. Even the Sons of Korah felt that they were rejected by God. This is what I felt throughout the past few months. Rejected, dejected and I thought that I was doing something wrong. But God reassured me that I’m still on the right road.
It’s just that God was trying to show us something, that life with God is not always chill and relaxing. And if we can take this, then God can take us anywhere.
Romans 8:38-39 – Nothing can separate us from the love of God.
Thank you, Lord, that no matter what happens or what you put me through, one thing still remains and that is that you still love me and care for me and you will always be with me.
The following is a video of two who went through a really tough ordeal and came out of it full of hope:
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
His Love Endures Forever
Psalm 136
Wednesday, May 04, 2011
There are two versions of this passage. The NIV and other versions say, “His love endures forever”. The NKJV and other versions say, “His mercy endures forever”. The NET says, “His loyal love endures”. We can link mercy and love together in this passage. One passage says, “His mercies are new every morning”. Another says, “His love is unchangeable”. Let’s try to explain it. His love for you is never changing but He loves you anew every morning. Yea, it sounds like what God would say.
I had a revelation with verse 4 – “to the One who performs magnificent deeds all by himself”. All by Himself. He doesn’t need us to tell Him how to do His work, nor does He need us to pray so that He can move. I always think back of a story from the Greek mythology where Zeus always needs the praise of the people for his kingdom in “heaven” to stay stable. Our God doesn’t need that. But He delights in our praises.
We are like His drug and He cannot help but desire communion with us. And He made us with a desire to commune with Him. But the pressures of the world choke us up to be busy with other stuff than to spend time with Him.
From verses 23-25, I find that my God really loves and cares for humanity – for me. He remembered us and He cared to know all that we’re going through. He provides for us and guards us against our enemies.
And the verses in the middle give account to all that God has done for Israel, from beginning to end. So we see that His love is unchanging, His mercies are unchanging. But they are refilled for us every day.
The God who made the heavens and the earth cares for me. And that is more than enough revelation, if you get it, to lead you the whole day knowing that you are blessed.
Wednesday, May 04, 2011
There are two versions of this passage. The NIV and other versions say, “His love endures forever”. The NKJV and other versions say, “His mercy endures forever”. The NET says, “His loyal love endures”. We can link mercy and love together in this passage. One passage says, “His mercies are new every morning”. Another says, “His love is unchangeable”. Let’s try to explain it. His love for you is never changing but He loves you anew every morning. Yea, it sounds like what God would say.
I had a revelation with verse 4 – “to the One who performs magnificent deeds all by himself”. All by Himself. He doesn’t need us to tell Him how to do His work, nor does He need us to pray so that He can move. I always think back of a story from the Greek mythology where Zeus always needs the praise of the people for his kingdom in “heaven” to stay stable. Our God doesn’t need that. But He delights in our praises.
We are like His drug and He cannot help but desire communion with us. And He made us with a desire to commune with Him. But the pressures of the world choke us up to be busy with other stuff than to spend time with Him.
From verses 23-25, I find that my God really loves and cares for humanity – for me. He remembered us and He cared to know all that we’re going through. He provides for us and guards us against our enemies.
And the verses in the middle give account to all that God has done for Israel, from beginning to end. So we see that His love is unchanging, His mercies are unchanging. But they are refilled for us every day.
The God who made the heavens and the earth cares for me. And that is more than enough revelation, if you get it, to lead you the whole day knowing that you are blessed.
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Eternity in Your Heart
Ecclesiastes 3:9-11
Sunday, January 30, 2011
God-given tasks that we Christians are preoccupied with will never benefit ourselves. We should know fully well that our motivations for doing ministry should not be for selfish gain.
One thing we God-workers have in common is eternity in our hearts (verse 11). We know, like Abraham and David, that we will never get to see God’s full plan from beginning till end, but in this moment at the present, we press on to the upward call of Christ Jesus our Lord. For who else is wiser and greater that his/her plans could compare to what God is doing on earth.
Abraham and David did not live to see all the promises of God accomplished, but they knew that what they did and all that they had labored would benefit the plans of God. Are you right now preoccupied with stuff that if you’re honest with yourself has a motive of self-profit? Have you ever considered setting your motives for everything you do to be all about Jesus and God’s work on earth?
Sunday, January 30, 2011
God-given tasks that we Christians are preoccupied with will never benefit ourselves. We should know fully well that our motivations for doing ministry should not be for selfish gain.
One thing we God-workers have in common is eternity in our hearts (verse 11). We know, like Abraham and David, that we will never get to see God’s full plan from beginning till end, but in this moment at the present, we press on to the upward call of Christ Jesus our Lord. For who else is wiser and greater that his/her plans could compare to what God is doing on earth.
Abraham and David did not live to see all the promises of God accomplished, but they knew that what they did and all that they had labored would benefit the plans of God. Are you right now preoccupied with stuff that if you’re honest with yourself has a motive of self-profit? Have you ever considered setting your motives for everything you do to be all about Jesus and God’s work on earth?
Friday, January 14, 2011
Love Conquers All
1 Cor 13:1-8
Friday, January 14, 2011
The Lord reminds me again that it is not about service nor is it about gifts and talents but the motive behind it that matters the most. Love must come first. If we do not love, then we should not do, because what is not born out of love will fail and with the failure comes discouragement and with it comes depression.
Love conquers all. You are at your best when you love. Gifts may fail but love never fails. When you do something out of love, it is the best. But when you do something out of service, you tend to give in to second best.
Love is righteousness, so hang on to it. When we do something out of obligation, it does not satisfy us. But when we do it out of love, somehow we feel that we have accomplished so much more. So learn to love as Christ loved the church. God demonstrated to us so well the art of sacrificial love. In all that He did, love came first. Whether rebuke, correction, good deeds or praising, Jesus did them out of love.
So the next time you do something, before you act, think of your motives for doing it. If it is not out of love, don’t do it if you can help it. Without love, you’ll only come out of it sore, throw a pity party and expect others to comfort you. But with love comes encouragement, strength, a strong will, and a satisfied heart.
Friday, January 14, 2011
The Lord reminds me again that it is not about service nor is it about gifts and talents but the motive behind it that matters the most. Love must come first. If we do not love, then we should not do, because what is not born out of love will fail and with the failure comes discouragement and with it comes depression.
Love conquers all. You are at your best when you love. Gifts may fail but love never fails. When you do something out of love, it is the best. But when you do something out of service, you tend to give in to second best.
Love is righteousness, so hang on to it. When we do something out of obligation, it does not satisfy us. But when we do it out of love, somehow we feel that we have accomplished so much more. So learn to love as Christ loved the church. God demonstrated to us so well the art of sacrificial love. In all that He did, love came first. Whether rebuke, correction, good deeds or praising, Jesus did them out of love.
So the next time you do something, before you act, think of your motives for doing it. If it is not out of love, don’t do it if you can help it. Without love, you’ll only come out of it sore, throw a pity party and expect others to comfort you. But with love comes encouragement, strength, a strong will, and a satisfied heart.
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