Only By His Grace

"Psalm 42:1-6a

Only God himself can satisfy this thirst. Knowledge about God will not satisfy your inner thirst. You need to cry out, as the psalmist did, for God’s presence. Meet with God (v.2) and pour out your soul (v.4).

Worship is key. ‘I was always at the head of the worshipping crowd, right out in front, leading them all, eager to arrive and worship, shouting praises, singing thanksgiving – celebrating, all of us, God’s feast!’ (v.5:6a, MSG)

Lord, my soul pants for you, O God. My soul thirsts for you. Lord, only your presence can satisfy my deep inner thirst. I hope in you and praise you my Saviour and my God.

Deuteronomy 6:1-8:20

Your love for God flows out of his love for you. His love for you is not dependent on any innate moral quality that you possess. It is the grace of God – loving us inspite of our sins, weaknesses and failures. 

God allows you to go through tests and trials so you can learn by experience that doing things his way is the best way. If you will not serve and worship him in the hard times of life (the valleys), you may not consistently serve and worship him in the good times (the mountain tops). Mountain tops encourage us. But valleys mature us. 

The danger of forgetting God because of affluence – ‘do not forget the Lord’ (v.12). In the enjoyment of the gift, you can sometimes forget the giver. (Deuteronomy 8:6–20 expands on this.)"

1. Amen! There is no better way of explaining these verses. Hallelujah! Thank You, thank You, Lord for Your grace.

2. I have had the best Salmon Sakura ever! Thank You!

3. I am so blessed tonight by Hillsong. Indeed, there is no other name.

Magnet of Thankful Hearts

"Oliver Wendell Holmes wisely said, "If you give me a dish of sand and tell me there are particles of iron in it, I might look for them with my eyes and search for them with my clumsy fingers and be unable to detect them; but let me take a magnet and sweep through it, and how it will draw the almost invisible particles by mere power of attraction. The unthankful heart discovers no mercies but the thankful heart sweeps through the day, and as the magnet finds the iron, so it will find in every precious hour some heavenly blessing."

May we pray "Oh, Father, Who has given us so much, give us one more thing--a thankful heart." The psalmist concludes the great "Hymnbook of Humanity" with the clear commandment to praise God. He says: Let everything that has breath praise the LORD! Then, to add emphasis, he demands: Praise the LORD! (Psalm 150).

Today, let us allow the magnet of our thankful hearts to sweep over our memory and recall all the things God has done for us. Then, let us take a moment to praise Him each time a memory comes. We must learn to thank Him also for the tragedies of our lives, for in them we have begun to know Him better. Praise the LORD!

Psalms 150:6 NLT

Let everything that breathes sing praises to the lord ! Praise the lord!"

Amen!

1. As the song says "My heart is filled with You," thank You so much for really open doors and the fact that the harvest is ready!

2. No pain, no gain. Did rock climbing today and it was so much fun.

3. Thank You for the love! May You use me more!

Decisions, Not Conditions

"Richard Wurmbrand tells of the joy believers knew while confined in Nazi prison camps. Although many were cursing their lot, hating their captors, and plotting revenge, believers were serving their Christ faithfully, sincerely, and with great joy. Both the believer and unbeliever were subjected to the same conditions. However, one reacted as a saint while the other reacted as a sinner.

Viktor Frankl reminds us that true happiness in life depends not on conditions but on decisions. If our hearts are firmly turned toward Christ then we can and will joyfully worship Him--in good times and bad. This seems to be the essence of Psalm 148. Wherever we are, with whatever we have, we should still praise the Lord.

When our praise is based on God's goodness, rather than the conditions of our lives, then we have reached the state of true faith. No matter what the conditions, we will remain true. Like Paul, we learn both to be abased and to abound. Circumstances do not dictate our happiness--that is a result of a living relationship with Christ. And when He is in our hearts, we cannot help but sing--whether it be from the mountaintop or from the cellar.

Psalms 148:1 NLT

Praise the lord ! Praise the lord from the heavens! Praise him from the skies!"

1. Hallelujah for such an amazing message from You! I love it!

2. Finally THE party for the dancers, I have never danced so much! :D

3. Thank You for the genuine people around me. They are beautiful blessings.

Three Things

Luke 9:10-27

"He calls you to aim at three things which together comprise love for others and love for Jesus.

1. No sin

Sin is the opposite of love. In the middle of the word sin is the letter ‘i’. Jesus says, ‘Those who would come after me must deny themselves’ (v.23). God may ask you to make different sacrifices in your life, but the only thing we are all required to give up as followers of Jesus is sin.

Jesus says, ‘Those who would come after me must ... take up their cross daily and follow me, for those who want to save their lives will lose them, but those who lose their lives for me will save them’ (vv.23–24).

Jesus says, ‘All who are ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels’ (v.26).

Every day the challenge of love requires little acts of self-denial.

2. No self

Effectively Jesus invites his followers to ‘come ... and die’. The cross today is a symbol of hope. However, then it was a symbol of pain, shame, disgrace and ultimately death.

Jesus said that if we live lives of selfish ambition – even if we are the most successful person of all time and ‘gain the whole world’ (v.25) – it will do us no good at all. The way to find life in all its fullness is to abandon our lives to the love of Jesus and of others. Jesus says we must take up our cross daily and follow him (v.23).

Being willing to give up your life is the ultimate act of love. This is the example which Jesus set first. He calls us to follow his example: ‘cleave steadfastly to me, conform wholly to my example in living and, if need be, in dying’ (v.23, AMP).

3. No secrecy

Jesus says, ‘All who are ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels’ (v.26).

If you love Jesus you must not be ashamed of him. Sometimes even taking his name on our lips is a challenge. Nor must we be ashamed of his teaching. If you want Jesus to be proud of you, you must be proud of him. If you love people you will want everyone to know about Jesus."

Amen!

1. Thank You for hard-earned reward! =)

2. Praise God for ears that listen.

3. Alleluia for preparing my heart for this new adventure!

Learning To Appreciate

A middle-aged couple appeared before a divorce court seeking a final separation. "Are you sure you want to go through with this?" the judge asked the woman. "Yes," she firmly replied, "We have been married fifteen years and all that time I have kept house, cooked meals, and..." She paused tearfully and the judge asked, "And did he find fault with you?" "No," she said, "It's not that, but in all that time he has never once said 'Thank you.'" 

Often we forget the thoughtfulness of a "Thank you." And at times we even take God for granted. Therefore, the psalmist reminds us that it is a healthy thing for us to praise God. Praise is a habit we need to learn for the pure development of our souls (Psalm 147). 

Learning to praise God is beneficial to other areas of our lives as well. Expressing appreciation to God daily spills over into our personal relationships; we begin appreciating people. Today, let us seek ways to thank God for all He has done for us. And let us carry this appreciation over into our jobs, our school, and our families. In doing so, we will quickly learn that praising God can make us happier and healthier people. Today, "Praise ye the Lord!"

1. I cannot ask for more for all the blessings God is giving me in different packages. Praise God.

2. Thank You for Your mercy. May I have mercy to others, too.

3. Praise God for patience. Under the heat.

Power and authority are words we rightly associate with Jesus’ ministry. However, they are not unique to Jesus. Jesus called his disciples together and ‘gave them power and authority … to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick’ (9:1–2). This is the ministry to which every one of Jesus’ disciples is called (Matthew 28:18–20). His power and authority are available to you today.

Lord, help me to follow your instructions – to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick. Help me to follow your example closely and to learn to minister with power and authority.

Breaking the Walls Down

Ephesians 2:14-16 NLT

For Christ himself has brought peace to us. He united Jews and Gentiles into one people when, in his own body on the cross, he broke down the wall of hostility that separated us. He did this by ending the system of law with its commandments and regulations. He made peace between Jews and Gentiles by creating in himself one new people from the two groups. Together as one body, Christ reconciled both groups to God by means of his death on the cross, and our hostility toward each other was put to death.

1. Tests may have begun, Lord, but I know You are there to lift me up. Thank You.

2. Thank You for a dollar off during notarization! :D

3. Done with 1.5 steps out of 3. One step at a time.

Hardening of Hearts

"When God hardens the heart, all He does is step away and stop striving with us. For example, the first time I commit a particular sin, my conscience bothers me. In His grace, God is convicting me of that evil. God is intruding into my life, trying to persuade me to stop this wickedness. If He wants to harden me, all He has to do is to stop rebuking me, stop nudging me, and just give me enough rope to hang myself.

We see in Scripture that when God hardens hearts, He does not force people to sin; rather, He gives them their freedom to exercise the evil of their own desires (James 1:13–15)."

1. Documents are on stand-by. Thank You, Lord.

2. One task down! Yey, hallelujah for the blessing of a helping hand.

3. Thank You for always being there for guidance and for Your wisdom.

You Are ALIVE!

'Legend tells of a weary traveler who was making his way on a lonely road when he noticed a dry, shriveled leaf in the path. Picking it up, he was amazed at the perfume it exuded. "Oh, you poor withered leaf," he exclaimed. "Where did you get this exquisite perfume?" The leaf replied, "I have lain in the company of a rose." 

Leading the congregation in this Old Testament prayer, the Levites express a similar thought (Nehemiah 9:5-38). If there is any beauty in Israel's history, it is because that nation had been in the presence of God. In this long and beautiful prayer, the religious leaders recall how God had been with them throughout the years in their good and bad hours. Their response to this companionship was a sacred pact of devotion to the Lord forever. 

Today, let us review what God has done for us personally. We, too, are like the dry, withered leaf. If there is any beauty in our lives, it is because we have been in the company of the Rose of Sharon. In response, we pledge ourselves to His Kingdom, determined to stretch ourselves to reach the world for the Lord we love. With the songwriter we pray, "Let the beauty of Jesus be seen in me."'

1. This is just purely amazing message. Thank You.

2. Hallelujah for surrounding me with great people and great memories!

3. Thank You for life, for hope, and for eternal life. Thank You because You are ALIVE!

The Boy And His Skates

"A little boy was given a pair of skates he had long wanted. He tried his best to balance himself on them but kept falling to the hard concrete. 

A passerby noticed the lad's persistent efforts and constant falling. He said, "Son, if I were you, I would give up. Otherwise, you might get hurt." With tears in his eyes, the boy looked up from the ground and said, "Mister, I didn't get these skates to give up on; I got them to learn on." 

Nehemiah already knew God's will. He had prayed about the wall, and so the people began to build it. However, they had hardly started when the enemies came and threatened them. Wisely, Nehemiah paused to pray, and one sees in this prayer the steel will of Nehemiah and his people (Nehemiah 4:1-6). He seems to have said, "God, You do the watching, we'll do the work." 

Determination and prayer paid off. Anything worthwhile we do for the Kingdom is going to be bitterly opposed by the enemy. However, if we have received clear direction from God, then we should have the same determination as the boy on the skates. 

We didn't come this far to give up. We will finish the work God has set before us. God will watch as we pray, and our personal contributions to Christ's Kingdom will be made."

1. Thank You for watching over us.

2. Praise You for every blessing You give, the opportunities to share, and the time You have given for bonding.

3. Thank You for a wonderful movie! =)

This Is Not The End

1. Hallelujah for a wonderful dance! Finally, done done done!

2. Super enjoyed Furious 7!

3. Thank You for providing great contacts!

Jesus died on a Good Friday, but this is not the end.

"Traps, Tests, and Temptations"

1. " David cried out to God. He knew that God was able to forgive him, rescue him, and heal him. Whatever your failings or whatever difficulties you may face, you too can bring them to God in prayer." Thank You, Lord for all of these!

2. "Lord, help me today, with every person I encounter, to have the right words, to bring good news, to have a heart of compassion and to seek to minister to others, as Jesus did. Help me not to be put off by criticism but to keep following the example of Jesus." I really, really, greatly need this, O, Lord. My heart is stubborn, Lord, help me.

3. "‘No test or temptation that comes your way is beyond the course of what others have had to face. All you need to remember is that God will never let you down; he’ll never let you be pushed past your limit; he’ll always be there to help you come through it’ (1 Corinthians 10:13, MSG)." Hallelujah!

Generosity Defined

"There is an emptiness about the way of life which involves becoming ‘rich’, being ‘well fed’, with lots of superficial laughter and gaining a good reputation (Luke 6:24–26). It leaves people feeling ultimately dissatisfied and ‘hungry’ (Luke 6:25).

The way of blessing is totally different. It is the way of generosity. It may involve poverty, hunger, weeping, being hated, excluded, insulted and rejected (Luke 6:20–22) – but it is a way of satisfaction (‘You will be satisfied’, Luke 6:21) and joy (‘You will laugh’, Luke 6:21).

Jesus calls us to be generous towards our enemies. ‘Love your enemies ... If someone grabs your shirt, gift-wrap your best coat and make a present of it ... No more tit–for–tat stuff. Live generously’ (Luke 6:27–29, MSG).

Be generous to everyone; ‘Give to everyone’ (Luke 6:30). This is an attitude of generosity; ‘without expecting to get anything back’ (Luke 6:35)."

1. This is just the message I needed. God is always in perfect timing because He simply knows my heart. Praise God!

2. Thank You for trials, Lord. They are my sandpapers.

3. Hallelujah for surprises! :)

More Than Rubies

1. I cannot thank enough to be able to have very supportive people around me. Thank You, God!

2. "Lord Jesus, thank you that true wisdom is found in a relationship with you. You are more precious than rubies and nothing I desire can compare with knowing you. Help me today to act wisely and to speak words of wisdom that bring blessing to others."

3. Praise God for hearing people's prayers. You are amazing! :)

One Step at a Time

1. Complete Stage 1. Now, stage next. Thank You.

2. Thank You for wonderful catch-ups and good walk.

3. Hallelujah for open doors, I pray for nurturing the planted seed.

Capturing Possibilities

"Problems have a way of capturing our full attention. We become totally absorbed in them and cannot see anybody or anything. This is what happened to Elisha's servant. Surrounded by the enemy, his faith faltered and he cried, Alas, my master! What shall we do? Elisha merely prayed that God would help him see the angels encamped around them rather than the enemy (2 Kings 6:15-18). The prayer was answered, and the servant relaxed.

Often, we concentrate on the problems rather than the possibilities. In prayer, God desires that we exercise faith, rather than fretting in His presence. Today, may we become less preoccupied with our problems and more captured by the possibilities as we relax in Him."

1. Amen! Thank You, Lord.

2. Concert time! Praise God for all the fun!

3. Hallelujah for friends!

Endurance

Romans 5:3-5 NLT

We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.

1. I love this verse. Thank You for Your love.

2. Hallelujah for my relatives' thoughtfulness and for the wonderful sharing. Thank You for such blessings!

3. Make every minute count. Praise You, Lord, for simple things.

Love Without Measure

1. I just cannot help but share this from Our Daily Bread:

John 19:17-24

It was a bit unusual, but three times in one day I heard the same song. In the early afternoon, I visited a home for the elderly. As part of her prayer at the end of our time together, Willie, one of the residents, said, “Sing with me, ‘Jesus Loves Me.’ ” In the evening, I attended a gathering with young people who sang it while pounding out the beat with their hands and feet.

Later that evening, I received a text message on my phone with an audio recording of my 2 1/2-year-old grandniece with a sweet little voice, singing, “I am weak, but He is strong.” People in their nineties, teenagers, and a toddler all sang that song that day. After hearing that simple song three times, I began to think the Lord might be telling me something.

Actually, He gave us all this message long ago: “I love you.” We read in John 19 that He allowed people to put a crown of thorns on His head, mock Him, strike Him, strip Him, and crucify Him (vv.1-6). He had the power to stop them, but He said very little (v.11). He did it all for love’s sake to pay for our sins and to rescue us from punishment. How much does God love us?

Jesus spread out His arms and was nailed to the cross. He died for us, then rose again. That’s a precious fact for young and old.

—Anne Cetas

The truest measure of God’s love is that He loves without measure! —Bernard of Clairvaux

2. You know when to soften one's heart. You always give surprises that can stir a heart. Thank You, Lord.

3. Had a very lovely evening with good food and great friends. Thank You for the fellowship.

All I Can

"John Wesley once wrote, ‘Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as ever you can.’"

1. What a complete thought! Thank You, Lord, for these words that give encouragement and inspiration. You never ran out of them.

2. "As CS Lewis put it, ‘True humility is not thinking less of yourself. It is thinking of yourself less.’" Here is another wonderful line. May I be more like this. Thank You. I don't mind being bombarded with Your Word. 

3. Praise God for I have completed one stage! I hope to use it as a start wherever I go.

Grass Is Greener Where?

"The grass is not greener on the other side of the fence – it is greener where we water it."

1. This is a strong statement to me. Thank You for giving light and directing our hearts to be contented.

2. Thank You for bringing more people into this amazing cloud. May You send Your angels as I face the new chapter authored by You.

3. Praise God for connections!

Be Faithful To Me

"God saves a person, fills him with the Holy Spirit, and then says, in effect, “Now you work it out in your life, and be faithful to Me, even though the nature of everything around you is to cause you to be unfaithful.” And Jesus says to us, “. . . I have called you friends. . . .” Remain faithful to your Friend, and remember that His honor is at stake in your bodily life."

1. God did not indeed promise a problem-free life but He offers peace in spite of these all. Thank You, Lord.

2. Hallelujah for moments with old friends. And to have met people with the same vision. This is really amazing.

3. You have the purpose why You have made people. May Your will be done. Thank You for the life. May I use it wisely.