DEVOTIONALS

Bible Reading: Genesis 25 – 36

Milestones (Kilometre Stones?) are as important for Highways as they are for Lifeways. They both mark the progress made or distance travelled over time.  In Genesis, altars were built to mark the encounters of the patriarchs with Yahweh. Each of these altars represent life-changing exchanges between God and man. From our Bible Reading let us look at the 3 altars that Jacob built.

1.Bethel – the Altar of Crisis (Genesis 28:18 – 22)

Here, Jacob, wearied from fleeing from his brother, Esau, slept on a stone as pillow. In a dream, God conferred on him the Abrahamic covenant and promised to protect and provide for him until he is brought back to his father’s house. Jacob named the altar, the House of God, and vowed to make Yahweh his God on the grounds that God made good His promise. He also vowed that on his safe return he would set the house of God on the very stone he slept.

II.El-Elohe-Israel – The Altar of Convenience (Genesis 33:20)

In another dream he was told to return home after being away for 14 years. Before he could fully comply he had a physically altering encounter with the angel of the Lord, in which he had his name changed to Israel. Thereafter he amicably reconciled with Esau. But instead of fulfilling his vow of setting up the house of God in Bethel he settled in Shechem and built an altar to the God of Israel. However, Shechem turned out to be a place of sorrow, vengeance and blood-shed.

III.El-bethel – The Altar of Consecration (Genesis 35:6,7)

Jacob finally acknowledged Yahweh as his own God. He and his household stopped their idolatrous practices, and he built the altar to the God of the House of God who was faithful to His Word.

We can see God masterfully leading Jacob to his life’s purpose and destiny in spite of Jacob’s own fumbling and guile. In the same way at major milestones of our life we should spiritually ‘Instagram’ them in order to chart the Lord’s leading in our lives. We will certainly discover that even in our faithlessness, the Lord has been faithful!

In Genesis 12:10-13:4, we find Abram struggling with his faith. Sometimes, he was strong and sometimes he was weak. Even a man like him is capable of faltering in the faith.

Surely we can identify with Abram as we too struggle with our faith from time to time when we face with the challenges of life. However, there are lessons we could learn from the passage starting from chapter 12.

Lesson 1: When our faith fails, God doesn’t.

It’s such a comfort to know that God is ever faithful. Even when we are faithless, He is still faithful. May we begin 2018 with this deep assurance that we worship a faithful God!

Lesson 2: Expect your faith to be tested.

The journey of faith is oftentimes filled with obstacles along the way. Abram did experience several tests in his own life. So do not be surprised by the trials of life as it’s part of the Christian life and meant to help us not hinder us in our growth.

Lesson 3: Face your fears with faith.

We must learn to face every testing and trials with faith as we know He is with us. In times of testing, the important question is not, “How can I get out of this?’ But ‘What can I get out of this?’

Lesson 4: Return to a life of faith.

As you can see, Abram stumbled along the way. At times, he was not at his spiritual best and he failed to do what was right before God. We are no strangers to such struggles but what is important is that we decide to pick ourselves up and return to the life of faith. In other words, after each detour, choose to walk back in the path of righteousness. Cry to the Lord and He will enable us!

Watch https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=8xUXfDZmu-Q for a dramatization of Abram’s call.

Bible Reading: Genesis 1-11

At the very start of this New Year, let us take hold of the opportunity to realign ourselves with God’s purposes and recalibrate our lives according to His direction. What better way than to take the first steps in this journey of reflecting on the inspired words of the Holy Spirit? God has chosen to show Himself to us through the Bible. We will start at the very beginning. Let us take a look at Genesis 1-2 today.

“In the beginning …” begins the revelation of our Creator God and His creation of our world. From before the beginning of time, God already existed. Before anything was there, He was there, from everlasting to everlasting. He is the God who knows all, sees all, and He is never taken by surprise. This speaks of our awesome God who holds our lives in His mighty hands. The past year might have been one of joys and gladness for us or it might have been one of many challenges and struggles. But as we take time to gaze on our eternal God, our fears or discouragement or even despair melt away when we recognise that His eye is always on us. Let us choose to worship Him each day because He is God, and there’s no one else like Him.

“… God created …” Genesis 1 also records the events of creation. From a formless and empty world, He brought forth light, made its atmosphere, and separated the waters and the land. He populated the sky with the sun, the moon and stars. He filled the earth with an amazing myriad of plants, sea organisms, flying creatures, and land animals. Many of us are so familiar with the creation story that we might have taken it for granted. But here, we are reminded of His all-powerful ability to speak things into being with just one word. Everything belongs to Him. We can rejoice that nothing is too hard for Him. Let us decide to place every circumstance and situation into His capable hands.

“Let us make humankind …” Finally, as the crown jewel of His creation, He made us. From eternity, God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit have the most loving fellowship as they communicate with one another. He did not need us before He created us. But He created us because He wanted to love us, to talk to us and to commune with us. God even sent His precious Son to die on the cross to save us from our sin and rebellion so that our fellowship with Him can be restored. We can draw close to Him every moment for He longs for us. Let us make up our minds to prioritise our time with our all-loving God.

“… he rested from all his work” The all-knowing, all-powerful and present-everywhere God does not need to rest. But He did. He did so because He delighted in His creation. He did so because He wanted the best of His creation to follow His example to rest and delight in Him. Let us enter into His rest and make a fresh new start for today, for this year. Our God is the God of new beginnings. God creates, re-creates and renews. Let us rest in His unconditional relentless love. Every day is a new day, in Him. Blessed 2018!

For a dramatic depiction of creation, check out: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=tW4zo6-9fLo

• PRAY AND ASK THE HOLY SPIRIT TO SPEAK TO US.
• READ THROUGH THE DAY’S PASSAGE.

Read With Imagination  We need to engage our feelings and emotions by relating to the words and word pictures crafted by the prophet.  Imagine the pictures in our mind’s eyes. Feel the passions and emotions of the different elements mentioned by the writer. It is like reading a story book or watching a movie. See and feel the tensions as he describes them with the different adjectives and word pictures.  As we immerse ourselves in these words, try not to do them in a rush, but take time to feel them as we read, and the Holy Spirit, who teaches and reveals to us the heart of God, would surely give us a “rhema” word for the day.  

• REFLECT ON THE PASSAGE

Reflect and seek to understand how the God of the universe is speaking about himself, our world, and our hearts.  Questions to ask during reflection include:

• Why is this passage important?
• What do I need to know?
• What does it say about God?
• What does it say about me?
• How does this reading point to Jesus?
• Now what must I do?

• CHOOSE ONE VERSE FROM THE PASSAGE.
• MEDITATE ON THAT VERSE.
• LOOK AT ONE PHRASE OF THE VERSE AT A TIME.

(To make it more manageable, you may also choose one verse each week and meditate on that one verse throughout the week. E.g. on week 25, the verse suggested is Gal. 5:25) 

• ASK THE HOLY SPIRIT TO SEARCH OUR HEARTS.

Ask the Holy Spirit to show us what we have replaced Christ with in our heart.  Identify these false “saviours” (our desire for comfort, approval and control).  Pray for His enabling to re-focus on Christ crucified and to work in us to remove these false idols  and replace them with our true Saviour.

• GIVE THANKS FOR HIS TRUTHS REVEALED.

But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. (Ps. 1:2) Once we’ve meditated on His Word, we will normally find our hearts inclined to worship. So we pause to lift our gaze to the excellencies of Christ, to bend our eyes off the world, to express thanksgiving and adoration when we pray.

At some point in our life, we may become discouraged, disappointed or even dissatisfied. We may even find ourselves facing challenges or even predicament one after another. Our response to these situations matter most. If we respond positively, and we will live a life of joy and victory. If we respond negatively, we will live a life of misery and failure.  So, how do we respond to these trying moments?

In Numbers 1-19, God delivered the people of Israel from slavery in Egypt so that they could enter the Promise Land of freedom and prosperity. Yet, God’s good intention was not appreciated.  They failed to cooperate or show gratitude.  Instead they complained and broke God’s heart. In the wilderness, they complained about the bitter water, about being hungry, about being thirsty, about the hardship, about the manna, and about Moses along with his leadership (Numbers 11-14). Their hardships and struggles were real but their words, behaviour and actions were inappropriate for those who had just experienced God’s miraculous intervention. Had they cried out for help with humility, God would have been pleased. Thus, what would have been a two-week journey to the Promised Land became forty years of agony.

In the wilderness, they learned their lesson the hard way. Repeated complaining is a sin that comes with serious consequences. However, gratefulness is the condition of a good heart that will always glorify God. In the end, God did give a whole new generation of Israel all the land which He had promised to give to their fathers and they possessed it and lived in it. Therefore, let us trust God’s promises and wait for each fulfilment. “For the revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false. Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay” (Habakkuk 2:3).

Are you in the midst of a wilderness experience today? Learn from it, listen to God, let Him evaluate your heart. While it is true that we do pass thorough the wildernesses of life, such as discouragement, disappointment, dissatisfaction, discomfort and the like, we do not need to complain and live there longer than we have to. In the wilderness, let us embrace the habit of praise and gratitude, with full submission to God and His will so that we will emerge from it victoriously. When we complain, we remain; when we praise, we soar. Let’s turn our wilderness into wonder and transform our complaint into compliment.

Psalms 19:14 says “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart. Be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my rock and my Redeemer”. So, let’s fasten our seatbelts, enjoy life’s journey and watch God move us from our wilderness to our Promise Land.

For a video version of the book of Numbers, please check out: https://thebibleproject.com/explore/numbers/

Bible Reading: Numbers 20:1-28

In Numbers 20:1-28, Moses went through a series of painful events.

First, he was to lose his dear sister Miriam. Miriam was the one that watched over him when he was still a baby being sent to Pharaoh’s daughter.

Moses then failed God when he struck the rock twice with his rod for water instead of speaking to it. God punished Moses by disallowing him to enter the Promised Land.

In verse 25, God told Moses that his brother Aaron was going to die and that Eleazar would take over. Moses was to be the one to transfer the garment of Aaron to Eleazar.

Amidst the pain of losing his family members and knowing he had failed God, Moses did just as the LORD commanded (verse 27). He did not question God on the deaths of his siblings. He did not defend himself when God passed the judgement for his wrong act. Moses obeyed God instead amidst all these pains and failure that he was going through.

Similarly, our lives can be filled with pain and failures. Whether it is the loss of loved ones, or our failures, we can feel like  blaming God and not want to do things His way.

However, His ways are higher than our ways, His thoughts are higher than our thoughts. So, amidst our pains and failures, let us continue to trust God and obey Him. We can hold onto the comforting thought that He will eventually make all things beautiful.

In any case, Moses did eventually reach the Promised Land when he appeared before Jesus during His transfiguration (Matthew 17:3). So let’s walk faithfully even when times are tough.

For a video version of the book of Numbers, please check out: https://thebibleproject.com/explore/numbers/

Bible Reading: Galatians; Ephesians

In his letter to the Galatians, Paul expressed his disappointment that they had been swayed by some false teachers from the gospel he had preached to them (1:6).  As a result,  they attempted to gain the approval of these teachers by going back to following Jewish rituals and laws like circumcision and dietary restrictions (3:1-2). Paul calls them back to the gospel of faith in Christ alone (1:3-5). We don’t clean up our life in order to earn merit or credited righteousness. Rather, even while we are sinners, Christ has already loved us and died for us.

That is the struggle of many pre-believers.  As human beings, we tend to rely on our own self-effort to gain possessions, exert control, and achieve status in life. We find it hard to believe we can gain salvation so easily.  Of course, it is not really easy.  Not for Jesus who had to sacrifice His life for us on the Cross.  This is the greatest paradigm shift for us.  To turn from our old way of solving our problems to God’s incredible beyond-human-understanding solution.  This is God’s offer of life.  We need to respond with faith and receive this precious costly gift that is offered freely to us. This also requires a heart shift. From enthroning ourselves to enthroning God. To give him full reign over our lives.

Paul also exhorted the Galatians to continue living the Christian life in the light of the gospel (1:3; 3:14; 5:16).  Paul is saying that we don’t begin by faith and then proceed and grow through our works. We are not only justified by faith in Christ, we also continue to grow by faith in Christ. We need to begin in, live by and be perfected through the power of the Spirit. We cannot rely on our own works, but rather we need to consciously and continuously rest in Christ alone for our acceptability and completeness.

For many of us, even as Christians, we deal with our struggles and failures simply by asking God to remove them or by “trying harder”. Resolving to “try harder” or exercising our will-power is resolving to rely on our own efforts to obey the Scriptures. We need instead to realize that the root of all our disobedience is when we try to have control of our lives. We need to continually to repent and uproot such deep-seated habits in the same way that we became Christians—by choosing Christ’s way, surrendering our pride and stubbornness to Him and letting the Holy Spirit transform us.

What is our challenge and struggle today?  Are we feeling dry and far away from God?  Do we have ungodly desires and habits? (5:19-21) Instead of just trying harder, today, let us apply the gospel once again to ourselves – ask Him to show us what we have replaced Him with in our heart, identify these false “saviours” (our desire for comfort, approval and control), make our hearts to re-focus on Christ crucified and ask the Spirit to work in us to remove these false idols  and replace them with our true Saviour. Only Christ can ultimately fulfil our deepest needs and enable us to live the Gospel Life.

Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives. (Gal. 5:25)

CHECK OUT https://thebibleproject.com/explore/galatians/ ; https://thebibleproject.com/explore/ephesians

Bible Reading: Psalms 1-21

Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, not stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on His law he meditates day and night. Psalm 1:1-2

Psalm 1 presents two ways to live: the way of the world or the way of the Word.

In other words, we have a choice to make each day and that is, to walk in the way of the world or in the way of the Word. Sometimes, it could be a difficult choice as we wrestle with distractions, temptations and pressures around us. At times we could succumb to the works of the flesh and end up with making wrong steps.

These two verses reminds us once again that the Lord wants to bless us and the blessings come when we walk in the way of the Word. So it is about choices and consequences.

“Blessed” is plural in the Hebrew and literally means, “Oh the blessedness or the blessings.’ It is an intensive plural and is designed to emphasize the multiplicity of blessings and happiness to those who fulfill the requirements marked out in this Psalm.

The author says that a person is blessed when they don’t:

– walk in counsel of the wicked

– stand in the way of sinners

– sit in the seat of mockers

It basically means, “Don’t follow in the footsteps of people who live independently from God.’

But as God’s people, we are to walk in total dependence on God by relying on His Word to guide us.  So a person is blessed when he or she:

– delights in the law of the Lord.

– meditates on His law day and night.

May we lay hold of the blessing of Psalm 1 as we choose to delight in the Word of God and seek to sustain that delight through intentional meditation.

• Verses to meditate on for the week: Psalm 1:1-2
• For an overview of the book of Psalms, watch:
  • https://thebibleproject.com/all-videos/read-scripture-old-testament/
• Read also: How To Get The Most Out Of Our Devotional Time (posted on 1 June 2018)

Of the five books or volumes that the entire Psalms is structured, this collection of psalms 22 – 41 forms the second half of Book 1.  Interestingly this section contains the most number of references to Christ: His rejection as the Messiah, His suffering on the cross, and His submission to the Father’s plan of salvation for the world.  At least 24 passages in the New Testament are either direct quotes or echoes of these psalms (Ps 22, 31, 32, 34, 35, 38, 40, 41).  There is then devotional value in looking at each psalm in this section as a reflection of what Christ would have gone through anticipating His crucifixion.  As an example let us turn to Psalm 31 (attributed to David), which is midway in the section.

This is a song of a person in great desperation, rapidly running out of options and threatened with abandonment and destruction.  Perhaps, you, too have faced extreme duress and distress (v.9)?  Forgotten and forsaken by even your closest (v.12)?  Contempt and conspiracy seemed to dog your every step (vv.11, 13)?  Your body stretched to breaking point (v.10)?  The last words Jesus uttered before He took His last breath were from Ps 31:5a, “Into your hands I commit my spirit.”

It is when we go through undue pressure that our faith in God is truly tested!  Who God is and what He means to us become paramount to us either buckling under the temptations or persevering through the challenges.  The Psalmist calls upon the LORD (vv.1 – 4) as his refuge, rock, and fortress.  He has entrusted his life to the One Who would rescue, save, deliver, lead and vindicate him.  He is confident that God knows and sees his affliction (v.7) and hears his frantic prayers (v.22).  He has found God to be good (v.19), able (v.20) and loving (vv.21, 16,7), and He will certainly defend those who take refuge in Him.

He then concludes the psalm by the exhortation, “Love the LORD, all his faithful people! . . . Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the LORD (vv.23,24).”

In the course of our journey of faith here on earth, may we be able to say with conviction and surrender along with the Psalmist, “But I trust in you, LORD; I say, ‘You are my God.’  My times are in your hands; deliver me from the hands of my enemies, from those who pursue me (vv.14,15).”  No matter what we go through for His sake, we know that He will not leave nor forsake us but will hold us securely in the grip of His hands.  God is trust-worthy!

Yet we have an advantage over the Psalmist.  Jesus prefaced His quote of Ps 31:5a with the address, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit (Luke 23:46).”  Likewise God is not our impersonal refuge and deliverer, we can call upon Him today because He is our Father!

• Verses to meditate on for the week: Psalm 31:14-15
• For an overview of the book of Psalms, watch:
  • https://thebibleproject.com/all-videos/read-scripture-old-testament/
• Read also: How To Get The Most Out Of Our Devotional Time (posted on 1 June 2018)

Bible Reading: Luke 7:1-9; Luke 1-12

Why is faith such an important aspect of the Christian life? We know that without faith it is impossible to please God (Heb. 11:6). The Bible defines faith as confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see (Heb. 11:1). It is not just believing in something, because even the demons believe in God (James 2:19). Faith in God means to trust in God whom we know is reliable (Rom. 4:5). Trust is the ultimate measure of the strength of a relationship. For example, I trust my wife with my life because I know her deeply. That is why God values our faith in Him because he values us.

In Luke 7:1-9, we see Jesus commending the centurion for having great faith in God. Only one other person in the New Testament is commended for that (Matt 15:28). Does great faith involve psyching myself up to feel confident about God like how we would do before an interview? It can’t be because Jesus said that if we have faith as small as a mustard seed, we can move mountains.

How do we express great faith? We can learn from the example of the centurion.

He trusted in Jesus. It says in verse 3 that when the centurion heard of Jesus, he sent some elders to seek help from Jesus. This shows that the centurion had heard about Jesus and his healing powers. And he believed in Jesus and his authority. This was all the more amazing because he was a Gentile who had not been brought up to know a loving God. Do we know and trust Jesus?

He took action. Faith is more than intellectual assent or passive indifference, it is always faith expressed in action. Here we see the centurion sending two groups of people to Jesus: some elders of the Jews and later his friends. There was risk and cost involved in exercising his faith as he could have been rejected. Is Jesus prompting us to say or do something to express our faith in him?

He expected a miracle. The centurion did what was unexpected when he expected Jesus to able to heal even from a distance. This was a God-sized expectation because he believed in the unlimited power of Jesus. What do we believe God for that is humanly impossible?

Lord, empower me to have great faith to trust You and Your power!

• Verse to meditate on for the week: Luke 7:7
• For an overview of the book of Luke, watch The Bible Project/Videos/NT/Luke1-9 at::
  • https://thebibleproject.com/all-videos/read-scripture-new-testament/
• Read also: How To Get The Most Out Of Our Devotional Time (posted on 1 June 2018)

Bible Reading: Luke 13-24

Luke’s  gospel  focuses on Jesus as the Saviour of the world. Jesus is able to save the world through his death and resurrection (Luke13:32-33; 18:31-33). From the announcement of the angels from the beginning of the book to his last appearances on earth (Luke 24:46-47), Jesus is seen as the only One who can provide forgiveness of sin and a new life to all mankind.   Jesus in Luke 19:10 declares that his mission on earth is to seek and save the lost. The seeking heart of Jesus is most poignantly portrayed through the three parables in Luke 15 that he narrated to the Pharisees and the teachers of the law (v2).

In these parables, we see God’s tender love for sinners even when they have consciously stayed away from him (v11-32). We see that his joy is derived from the salvation of the one sinner who repents (v7, 10).  We see the priority of the heart and life of Jesus as he willingly gives of his time to spend with sinners (vv1-2). Such a commitment towards sinners makes Him our model in relating to the lost (vv5-6, 8-9). This divine attitude would serve as a reminder to us whenever we are tempted to ignore the lost.

So while the Creator of the Universe goes seeking out for sinners, the very people he has created, the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, passing comments on Him eating with sinners (v2). Isn’t it amazing that the people God has chosen and given his law to do not share his heart for the lost? Such is the effect of sin that has caused them, and us too even as God’s redeemed people, to be blinded from the very will and purpose of God for the lost.  So one wonders who is the real ‘sinner’ here before God?

Obviously the religious leaders are more concerned about preserving a good testimony of their righteousness before others, but to this, Jesus argues that the call of God demands time be spent seeking the lost. This issue of associating with sinners is consistently brought up in the book of Luke (5:29-32; 7:36-50; 19:1-10). Jesus’ challenge against the Pharisees’ attitude does not come only in His teaching or ministry but especially in His death for the lost, which restores them to a relationship with God. For at the heart of the gospel is God’s reaching out to sinners and making provision for our forgiveness.

So the question we need to ask ourselves is: Do we have a heart for sinners like our God?

• Verse to meditate on for the week:
  • Luke 19:10 ^“For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”
• For an overview of the book of Luke, watch The Bible Project/Videos/NT/Luke10-24 at:
  • https://thebibleproject.com/all-videos/read-scripture-new-testament/
• Read also: How To Get The Most Out Of Our Devotional Time (posted on 1 June 2018)

Bible Reading: Deuteronomy 1-17

The family is the oldest institution known to man because it co-existed with man from the creation of Adam and Eve.  The devil knows that if he can destroy the family, he can accomplish his mission to destroy lives.  A look at the national statistics on the family tells us that families today are under tremendous attack.  The church is not spared.  We can easily identify many dysfunctional families all around us when we open our ears to hear private and painful stories from husbands, wives, young adults, teens and children.

So how can we build up our families? The answer lies in Deuteronomy 6:4-9.  “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord…” (4:6). The key to everything in the family lies in the centrality of God and our love for Him.  The family must recognise God as “one Lord”.  This means God alone must be our only love.  The central reason for our existence on earth is to learn to love God.  Since Adam’s sin, our fallen nature has led us to love things other than God.  However, through the whole story of God’s redemptive love: the cross, the resurrection and the coming of the Holy Spirit; God has made it possible for us to obey his Word and love Him. If parents, sons and daughters learn to love God, then everything will work out well…”The houses will be richly stocked with goods you did not produce…” (6:11a).

How can the family learn to love God? Firstly, parents must have a heart to love God.  Every parent desires their children to love God.  For that to happen, parents must purpose in their heart to love God…”And these words which I command you this day shall be upon your heart…”(6:6).  If God is not all important to parents, then it will not be for their children.  Secondly, parents must take up the responsibility to spend time diligently teach the scriptures to their children…”you shall teach them diligently to your children…”(4:7a.)  This is a responsibility that cannot be outsourced to the children’s ministry.  Thirdly, parents must learn to be creative in using everyday life to impart God’s truth…”talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.”(Deut4:7b). The challenge for parents is to use life situations to teach His Word, draw out God’s truth and if possible, to make learning fun too. Lastly, parents must practice what they preach because their children are watching them how they live their life (6:8b).  Every lived out truth becomes “a sign” to convince their children about God’s truth: through our daily activities, our thought life and attitudes, and our contact with our neighbours and friends.  Parents, let’s start today to build a lasting Godly legacy for our children.

• Verses to meditate on for the week: Deut 6:4-9
• For an overview of Deuteronomy, watch:
  • https://thebibleproject.com/all-videos/read-scripture-old-testament/
• Read also: How To Get The Most Out Of Our Devotional Time (posted on 1 June 2018).

Bible Reading: Deuteronomy 18-34

Relationship is key: Social Laws (Chapters 18–26)

God revealed to Israel how they should live as a community of His people in the Promised Land. At the end of chapter 26, there was an agreement between Israel and the Lord God. Israel declared that the Lord was their God, and that they would obey and keep His commandments. In reply, the Lord declared they were His people, His treasured possession. What did this declaration mean to them? Fundamentally, the basis for obedience was their relationship with God. Similarly, in Christ, He is our God, and we are His people.  Let us remember the day when we made Him Lord of our life. Take this time to give thanks for Christ and to give priority to our relationship with Him.

Requirement is clear: Blessings and Curses (Chapters 27–30)

Blessings follow obedience; curses follow disobedience. God has given us the choice to follow His will, or not. But the consequences of that choice are not optional. In chapter 30, the word “prosperous” is repeated numerous times. The Lord promised to restore their fortunes and take them into the Promised Land (v. 3), make them more prosperous than their ancestors (v. 5), and bless all the work of their hands (v. 9). The second word that is repeated here is “life” or to “live” (vv. 6, 15, 16, 19). It is useless to have a fortune and not live long to enjoy to it. The Lord promised them many years of life.

But the requirement is clear. They were to obey Him (v. 2), love Him (vv. 6, 20), keep His commands and turn to the Lord (vv. 10, 16), with their whole being. They were to listen to His voice and hold fast to Him (v. 20).  Ultimately, the Israelites found that they could not obey the Law perfectly.  Indeed, the Law showed that only in Christ can there be perfect devotion and obedience.  Today, let us confess to Him our struggle to love and obey the Lord with all our heart and soul.  Let us look to Christ who loved and obeyed God the Father perfectly.   He has made the way to the Father possible for us.  Let us renew our love and devotion to Him.

Relinquishment is essential: Last days of Moses (Chapters 31–34)

Consider the last days of Moses—Moses appointed his successor, Joshua (c. 31); wrote a song of warning for Israel (31:16—32:47); blessed the twelve tribes (c. 33); and finally died at Mt Nebo (c. 34). What insight can we gain from the life of Moses?  Moses experienced many supernatural things. He spoke on behalf of God. He led Israel out of Egypt. He listened to the voice of God and acted upon it. There was just one point where he did not (32:51) and as a result, he was not allowed into the Promised Land. What is amazing is Moses’ humble submission and obedience to the will of God at this point of his life. Is there an area of our life we need to relinquish control or our rights? What difficulty do we have in obeying? Do we trust and fully rely on our Heavenly Father? Let’s pray for His Holy Spirit to reveal these areas and let Him empower us to submit to Him.

• Verse to meditate on for the week: Deuteronomy 30:6
• Watch: https://thebibleproject.com/all-videos/read-scripture-old-testament/
• Read also: How To Get The Most Out Of Our Devotional Time (posted on 1 June 2018).

Bible Reading: John 1 – 11

In our Christian walk, we are often challenged to be God’s witnesses. What exactly does it mean and entail? In any trial or lawsuit, it is crucial to have credible witnesses who will speak up and not remain silent. In the Gospel of John, Jesus points to John the Baptist as a credible witness to the truth of Jesus’ own testimony about Himself (John 1:6-9; 5:31-36). John was “a lamp that is burning and shining” pointing to the greater Light and testimony of Christ (5:35-36). What an affirmation from Jesus the Light of the world! (1:4-5; 8:12). Only a burning and shining lamp can serve its purpose to shine light in the darkness and to direct people to Jesus. Let’s glean from John’s life and ministry to find the traits of a burning lamp.

John had a clear sense of identity and life purpose. Confronted by the Jewish religious authorities with the question, “What do you say about yourself?” (1:22), John confessed he was not Christ but one who was sent by God to prepare the way for Jesus (1:19-23). His mission was to identify Jesus the Messiah (1:31-34) and to direct others to believe in Jesus (1:6-8). “A man can receive nothing unless it has been given him from heaven” (3:24). Just as the lamp by itself will not produce light, may we recognise that we do not own our lives but owe it all to Jesus. Let us testify that we are sinners saved by grace and that our Saviour and Lord is Jesus Christ.

John was courageous as a witness. He did not succumb to seeking the approval of man or operating in fear of the religious authorities. His boldness was not based on his personality. His effectiveness to elicit belief was not due to his charisma. His confidence was entirely upon the truth of his testimony. Through John’s spoken testimony alone, his own disciples and many others followed and believed in Jesus (1:35-39; 2:11; 10:40-42). John trusted in the power of the Gospel. Only the Truth can set people free! A good witness does not hide but speaks up. Let our light shine before men (Matt. 5:14-16). Salvation belongs to God. Any fear of rejection? Know that it is Jesus that people reject.

When John’s disciples started to complain that Jesus’ ministry was becoming more successful than John’s, John demonstrated true humility. “He (Jesus) must increase, but I must decrease” (3:30) Proverbs 20:27 reminds us, “The spirit of man is the lamp of the Lord, searching all the innermost parts of his being.” To be an effective witness we need to have humility and loyalty to Jesus. May we be so and remain faithful at all times till the end.  However, in our own strength we will fail.  We need to depend completely on the power of the Holy Spirit. Our Father God is compassionate and gracious. Ask of Him, “Give me oil in my lamp, keep me burning…” He freely gives because He loves us unconditionally.

• Meditate on John 8:12 — Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.”
• Watch: https://thebibleproject.com/explore/john/ Part 1.
• Read also: How To Get The Most Out Of Our Devotional Time (posted on 1 June 2018).

Bible Reading: John 12-21; 15:1-17

God desires for us to bear fruit regardless of whether we are a new or mature believer. Jesus states that we can do that by remaining in him, just like a branch attached to a vine. Do not miss this—we cannot bear the fruit that the Father desires unless we are abiding in His Son, Jesus.

Jesus’ horticultural illustration came at a poignant time. He and his disciples were possibly on their way to Gethsemane and probably walking past a vineyard. They had just taken their last supper in the upper room. Jesus had washed their feet, described how He would be betrayed, and foretold Peter’s denial—all of which came true in the ensuing chapters. In John 15, Jesus was in effect giving his final words. And in this section, he concluded by commanding them to love one other (15:17).

If we want durians, we would not plant an apple tree; similarly, we would not visit an apple orchard to harvest the king of fruits. So if we are connected to the wrong vine, which is our sinful nature, we will produce wrong fruit—jealousy, conceit, arrogance, disobedience, ingratitude, slander and materialism, to name a few. A person caught in a trellis of sin will struggle to bear the fruit that God wants him to bear.

This is why we can (and must!) call upon the Vinedresser (our Heavenly Father) to remove the dirt on our branch (i.e. the sin and the idols in our life) so that we can be clean again, and be in the best condition to bear fruit (15:2). Problem is, although only God has the power and ability to clean us good, we rather rely on ourselves to get sorted out. Yet a self-cleaning branch does not exist!

If we are bearing little fruit, pruning might come soon. It may sound like a painful process but the sole objective of pruning is for the branch to bear more fruit (15:5). Difficulties and discipline are the vinedresser’s ways of loving and helping us to grow in fruitfulness. He wants to help the vineyard produce the highest yield of top-quality fruit more than anyone else.

What then is the responsibility of the branch (15:7-10)? Our role is to respond to the vinedresser instead of rejecting Him. Our role is to embrace the vinedresser’s cleaning and cutting actions instead of escaping it. Our role is remain in the presence of God regardless of highs and lows, triumphs and tragedies, and good and bad. Our role is to keep His commandments—to love God and love people—so that we can abide in His love. Not by trying hard in our own strength but by looking at Christ: focusing  on Him, meditating on His Word and receiving the power of the Holy Spirit to do so.

Sometimes we get detached from Jesus not because our branches got broken off but because we did not plan to remain attached to Him—both in the ordinary and extraordinary parts of our lives. We certainly can remain attached the Vine, but will we choose to? Make that choice again today. Respond to our Vinedresser—ask Him to get us cleaned and connected. Fruitfulness awaits!

• Meditate on John 15:5

I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in Me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing.

• Watch: https://thebibleproject.com/explore/john/ Part 2
• Read also: How To Get The Most Out Of Our Devotional Time (posted on 1 June 2018).

Bible Reading: Joshua 1-12

We all want to accomplish great things for God. We imagine celebrating great victories, overcoming great obstacles, defeating great odds and conquering great difficulties. We know that God has called us to a victorious life in Him (1 John 5:4).

However greatness comes at a cost. Smith Wigglesworth puts it accurately, ‘Great faith is a product of great fights. Great testimonies are the outcome of great tests. Great triumphs can only come out of great trials.’

And often when we measure our own ability and strength against the great obstacles, odds and difficulties, we see our inadequacies. Immediately we become hesitant to fight, our willingness to try decreases and our confidence in God for victory dips drastically. God knew the great battles that will be coming Joshua’s way. There were great enemy kings to conquer in Canaan and their great armies far outnumber the Israelites. One naturally expects Joshua to be daunted and fearful. So God repeats this encouragement 3 times: Be strong and courageous.

 Joshua 1:6-9 

6 “Be strong and courageous, for you are the one who will lead these people to possess all the land I swore to their ancestors I would give them. 7 Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the instructions Moses gave you. Do not deviate from them, turning either to the right or to the left. Then you will be successful in everything you do. 8 Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do. 9 This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

The battles ahead would be so fierce that God encouraged Joshua 3 times because Joshua would need it. And then God gives the reason in v9b: For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.

Joshua’s limited and small strength is not going to be enough. In addition, the strange encounter between Joshua and Captain of the Lord’s army in Joshua 5 shows us that the whole story was not about Israel and the Canaanites.  Rather, this was God’s battle.  Israel’s role was to trust that He will lead them and win all the battles for them. The command to be strong and courageous means: Trust in the strength of God as we partner with God in His battle against the enemy.

The great victories come when we trust in God and not ourselves. If God has called us, then He is with us. It simply means that we trust in divine resources more than our own resources.   So let us not be dismayed or discouraged at the great obstacles in front of us. Let us not turn and shun the difficulties before us. Instead, let us be strong and courageous for God is with us. Trust in the Lord, our God. Philips Brooks said this: “Don’t ask for tasks equal to your powers. Ask for powers equal to your tasks.” We look to Christ our Strength and Redeemer, and we receive each day the power of the Spirit to be bold for Him!

• Meditate on Joshua 1:9 This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.
• Watch: https://thebibleproject.com/explore/joshua/
• Read also: How To Get The Most Out Of Our Devotional Time (posted on 1 June 2018).

Bible Reading:Joshua 13-24 

Joshua 13-21–Our Inheritance  Chapters from 13-19 records the distribution of the land to the Israelites according to their tribal divisions. God gave this land as an inheritance to Israel (11:23). For the Israelites, this was the Promised Land that they had longed for after coming out from the oppression of Egypt and the many years of wandering in the wilderness. This was the land they called their own.  As God’s spiritual children, we too have an inheritance.  We have a spiritual inheritance with all the blessings that come with faith in Christ. Our Promised Land is being reconciled with our Father God and having daily communion with Him. We get to partner with Him in His mission to bring salvation to others by being the Gospel wherever we are.   At the end of our earthly journey, we can also look forward to the day when we will be together with Him in the new Heaven and Earth (Rev 21:1-4).

Joshua 22–Our Presumptions  The 2½ tribes (Reuben, Gad, Manasseh) had returned to Gilead on the east side of Jordan to settle there while the rest of the tribes settled in Jordan. On their return to Gilead, the 2½ tribes built a big altar.  When the rest of the Israelites heard this, they were greatly alarmed and fearing rebellion, they threatened to go to war against them.  It was only diffused when a delegation from the other tribes went over to confront them. To their surprise they found out that the altar was actually a witness or a memorial stone for their children to remain faithful and follow Yahweh in the generations to come.

How many times do we jump to the wrong conclusion about certain actions or words from another person? Without knowing the full facts we might decide to react and “declare war”. Wisdom nudges us to understand the whole picture before committing to any rash response.

Joshua 23-24–Covenant Renewed!  Joshua was already old in age and he called the leaders of the nation together for a final farewell. Joshua recalled the goodness of God to the nation of Israel from their difficult past to the present time of peace and prosperity. Joshua reminded and charged the leaders to stay close and love God with all their hearts. Only then would they experience His blessings. Conversely, God’s judgement would descend upon them if they strayed towards the pagan gods around them. He went on to challenge them to reaffirm their allegiance to Yahweh by stating his own commitment, “…but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.” (24:15).

Today, that challenge is still relevant and necessary.  Amidst all the distractions and pull of the world, all the chasing of fame and fortune, the clarion call is for us to renew daily our covenant with God. In times of peace and prosperity or in times of great difficulty, we need to remember the goodness of God in our past. Let us hold fast and trust in Him because His plans are always the best! (Jer. 29:11).  He is the God of the Israelites and He is our wise and good God now. So let’s reaffirm, As for me and my household we will serve the Lord! Amen!

• Meditate on Joshua 24:15 But as for me and my family, we will serve the Lord.
• Watch: https://thebibleproject.com/explore/joshua/
• Read also: How To Get The Most Out Of Our Devotional Time (posted on 1 June 2018).

Bible Reading: Philippians; Colossians; 1-2 Thessalonians

Philippians 3:10-11

“I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the sharing of his sufferings by becoming like him in his death, if somehow I may attain the resurrection from the dead.”

Many of us ‘follow’ other people on social media. Be it our family members and friends, or various celebrities and groups. We do this to receive updates from them as they show us a glimpse into their lives. This can be true as well when it comes to following Jesus.

Well, of course, following Jesus is not the same as following someone on Facebook or Twitter or other social media platforms. It is not that simple. However, the logic is the same — we cannot truly experience someone whom we do not know. Many people want to experience Jesus without following Jesus, and they end up disappointed.

Time, money and effort have to be spent in order to follow that person around. Jesus said unto his disciples in Matthew 16:24, “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.” There is a heavy cost to following Jesus. It is actually a very tall order! This cost however, is easily absorbed by love. When we love Jesus, following him becomes easier.

Every good thing that God has for us, those promises were made with an assumption—that we love him. Apostle Paul captured this assumption perfectly in 1 Corinthians 2:9 “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no human mind has conceived the things God has prepared for those who love him.”

The church at Philippi was one of the first churches planted and it was under the influence of false teachers who prided themselves in their credentials so much that it seems that they loved themselves much more than they loved the Lord. May we never become like them! All that we are, all that we have, they cannot save us from our sin. We are saved only by blood of Jesus!

Experiencing God’ and ‘Following God’ comes as a package. We can never have one without the other. When we have one of them, we will get the other! Start following God and take Him at His Word. Your life will get really exciting because you will be experiencing God in a manner you never would otherwise.

• Meditate on Philippians 3:10-11.
• Watch:
  • https://thebibleproject.com/explore/philippians/
  • https://thebibleproject.com/explore/colossians/
  • https://thebibleproject.com/explore/1-thessalonians/
  • https://thebibleproject.com/explore/2-thessalonians/
• Read also: How To Get The Most Out Of Our Devotional Time (posted on 1 June 2018).

Bible Reading: Judges 1-12 

The Book of Judges takes us to a dark and violent period in Israel’s history.  After the initial victories under Joshua and as soon as the previous generation and their leader die (Judges 1:1-18; 2:6-10), the nation descends into false worship and moral corruption.  The cause of that was their failure to completely obey God’s command to drive out all the Canaanites from the Promised Land. (1:19-36; 2:1-3) The result was that instead of taking the land totally, they were overtaken by the idolatrous lifestyle of their new neighbours. (2:10-13; 3:1-8)

The Israelites would also experience the consequences of their abandonment of God’s commandments which Moses and Joshua had repeatedly warned them of.  Throughout this time, they go through a vicious cycle: their sin and rebellion followed by oppression from the cruel treatment of their enemies, their cry in desperation to God. (2:14-15; 3:9; 3:12; 4:1-3; 6:1-10). In His mercy, God would then send them judges or leaders to deliver them. That would then give them a short period of peace before they would once again go back to their old rebellious and ungodly ways. (2:16-19; 3:9-11; 3:15-31; 4:4-31; 6:11) This goes on in a downward spiral till the whole nation plunges into utter chaos.

Even their leaders, who show sparks of heroic action, demonstrate deep character flaws and lack of understanding of the true character of God.  They treat God like any Canaanite god, testing Him, leading the people into apostasy (6:1-8:35), causing much bloodshed (9:1-57), and making rash vows and creating devastating internal strife (11:1-12:7).

Instead of being the holy people of God and becoming a witness to the nations around them, they lose their real identity to become just like the ungodly Canaanites.  Their hardened self-serving heart causes them to not give full surrender to the one and only King of their hearts.

Like them, we too can fail to be the real people of God.  In and of ourselves, we would end up in the same vicious cycle of disobedience, desperation, deliverance, temporal respite, and back to disobedience once again.  We can only praise God for Jesus who came in our place to be the restorer of true peace, giving us a new heart and a new identity as His children.  Only in the power of the Holy Spirit can we break the cycle of sin, rebellion and failings in our lives.

What is the Lord saying to us today?  Which area of disobedience or weakness do we need to surrender to Him?  What false idols have taken the rightful place of the King, the one true God,  in our hearts? Have we allowed them to cause great pain, suffering, destruction and loss of peace in our lives? We need to tear down the altars of this world that have taken us far from God. (2:2) Let Him search our hearts and allow Him full and total reign in our hearts, each and every day, each and every moment.

• Meditate on Judges 2:2 (NLT). For your part, you were not to make any covenants with the people living in this land; instead, you were to destroy their altars. But you disobeyed my command. Why did you do this?
• Watch: https://thebibleproject.com/explore/judges/
• Read also: How To Get The Most Out Of Our Devotional Time (posted on 1 June 2018).

Bible Reading: Judges 13-21; Ruth

The books of Judges and Ruth record the lives and the ways of ordinary Israelites during the times of the judges. Though the Law of Moses had been given, the new generation of Israelites failed to obey and stay true to the Lord. The final verse of Judges states it was because there was no king ruling Israel, the people did what was right in their own eyes. But there was an individual who did what was excellent before God. She was Ruth, a non-Israelite and a Moabite married to an Israelite family living in Moab.

When her mother-in-law decided to return to her homeland after the deaths of the three male breadwinners of the family, she urged Ruth to remain and re-marry.  But Ruth said, “Do not urge me to leave you or to return from following you. For where you go I will go, and where you lodge I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there will I be buried. May the Lord do so to me and more also if anything but death parts me from you.”   (Ruth 1:16-17)

Ruth’s declaration to Naomi demonstrated her loyalty and kindness. She had known of Jehovah God probably only through her marriage into this family. Yet, she was committed to care for the grieving elderly woman who had nothing left to offer her.   And to both impoverished widows, God seemed silent because of the great distress and uncertain future.

What about our lives?  What next move would we choose when we face hardships, uncertainty and the silence of God? Would we blame God? Or would we be like Ruth making a declaration to do what is right before God and following through especially when no one stands by us?

Ruth received a great blessing for her decision: she became the great-grandmother of King David and part of the genealogy of Christ, Saviour of the world (Matthew 1:5). The irony was that under the Law of Moses, no Moabite was allowed to enter the assemblies of the Israelites (Deuteronomy 23:3). Indeed, Ruth had no idea that her decision to care for her mother-in-law would lead her to her kinsman redeemer. She did so out of her love for her, not to inherit a blessing.

So, may we, as God’s beloved children, continually choose to remain loyal to Him and His ways.  May we desire always to follow our Kinsman Redeemer, out of love for Him and not out of wanting a blessing.  But we cannot deny it: God will indeed bless those who love Him.

• Meditate on Ruth 4:14 (NASB). Blessed is the Lordwho has not left you without a redeemer today and may his name become famous in Israel.
• Watch:
  • https://thebibleproject.com/explore/judges/
  • https://thebibleproject.com/explore/ruth/
• Read also: How To Get The Most Out Of Our Devotional Time (posted on 1 June 2018).

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Bible Reading: Acts 1-12

Bewilderment. Amazement. Awesome. Astounding. Miraculous. Shaken. Fearsome. Unstoppable. Angelic. Fearless. Astonishing. Uproar.

These twelve superlatives can be found repeatedly in the first twelve chapters of Acts, in that sequence – on average one per chapter. This shows not just that it is an action-packed story, but more than that, it speaks volumes about God, the Church, and every individual believer. There is much encouragement we can get for our lives and ministry today, just by looking at the extreme way in which the author describes the situation. It is extraordinary, but not exaggerated.

First, we see that God is invincible. The author begins by setting the context and basis for all that is about to happen – JESUS IS ALIVE! Hope that seemed far gone is now alive and well! The iniquitous injustice and excruciating execution experienced by the King of the Jews had a dramatic turn-around. The headlines in heaven must have read: “Yahweh Outwits the Adversary Again!” All the most lethal arsenal in hell cannot vex, much less topple the Lord of Glory. God is invincible. Friend, be reminded today that the God we serve is not confounded by the evil in this world. In fact, He intends to use it for His own glory and purposes (John 9:3). You can face any challenge today because “If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31)

Next, we see that the Church is unstoppable. These words came from a Pharisee doctor of Jewish Law, Gamaliel, as he argued against condemning the apostles: “But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God.” (Acts 5:39) How deeply profound and true! Herein lies a powerful truth: when we do God’s will, we are unstoppable. The primary mission of the Church is to preach the gospel in order to make disciples of all nations. The gospel is the ultimate answer to every problem in society. Yes, the Church may face opposition and persecution, but it will inevitably emerge victorious. If you are not involved in the ministry of the gospel and discipleship through the Church, I urge you to come and be a part of this winning team.

Third, we see that the individual believer is formidable. Not only do we read of God at work and the Church advancing the gospel, we also see examples of individuals living overcoming and victorious lives. Peter went from denying Christ to preaching Christ fearlessly. Saul went from persecuting Christians to promoting Christianity. Stephen faced death without blinking an eye. Many apostles performed astounding miracles. The source of this power is of course the Holy Spirit, and specifically the baptism of the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:5). Let the Spirit fill you again as you go about your activities today. It may seem mundane, but when you are directed by the Spirit, the ordinary becomes extraordinary.

When people look at the way we worship our God, when they hear the gospel message that we preach, and when they encounter us in our homes, schools and offices, may they also describe the impact on their lives by these words: Bewilderment. Amazement. Awesome. Astounding. Miraculous. Shaken. Fearsome. Unstoppable. Angelic. Fearless. Astonishing. Uproar. This is our God.

• Meditate on Acts 1:8
• Watch: https://thebibleproject.com/explore/acts
• Read also: How To Get The Most Out Of Our Devotional Time (posted on 1 June 2018).

Bible Reading: Acts 13-28

Acts 13-28 describes to us about the work and leading of the Holy Spirit in Paul’s three missionary journeys and finally to Rome. From start to end of these chapters, they not only reveal the Holy Spirit and His initiative, His guidance and His wisdom, but also the Spirit’s work in Paul’s life and ministry with perseverance, love and maturity. As we unpack the narratives, we discover the following principles:

THE HOLY SPIRIT’S WORK INVOLVES THE SUPERNATURAL – Paul’s ministry started and continued with encounters of the supernatural! He was commissioned during worship, prayer and fasting sessions (13:2-4), performed signs, wonders, healings, miracles (13:9-11, 14:3, 14:8-10, 19:11-12, 20:9-12, 28:8-9), divine interventions (16:6-7), visions (16:9-10, 18:9-11), deliverances (16:18), assurances (18:9-11, 23:11). When we are led by the Holy Spirit to do His will, whether in ministry or the marketplace, be assured that we will experience exciting supernatural encounters.

THE HOLY SPIRIT’S WORK INCURS OPPOSITION – Wherever Paul preached the Good News of the kingdom of God – Jesus the Messiah, to both Jews and Gentiles during his journeys (13:38-39, 14:15-16, 17:3, 19:8), many believed and the Gospel message spread (13:48-49, 14:1, 17:4, 19:20) while the Jews stirred up trouble, mobs and riots (13:50, 14:19, 17:5, 19:23). Paul was expecting it and he encouraged the believers to remain in the faith (14:21-22). When we share the Gospel, enabled by the Holy Spirit, it is inevitable that we will face oppositions from people who are jealous, greedy and insecure.

THE HOLY SPIRIT’S WORK INVITES DIVINE PROTECTION & RESCUE – Because Paul was clear in the vision God gave to him (26:12-14,19), he was confident in the Holy Spirit’s protection and rescue in every circumstance. The Spirit helped release him from prison (16:25-26), demonstrated His wisdom in people (19:35-41), exposed evil plots (14:5-6, 23:12-22), guided him to encourage others in sinking ship (27:21-26), and healed him of snake-bite (28:3-6)! So even when we are in the middle of challenging situations, we can stand firm in the Spirit’s guidance and protection to see His will being done.

As we learn to be led by the Holy Spirit to do His will – Jesus declaring the two greatest commandments of loving God and loving our neighbor as ourselves – in our everyday lives, the Holy Spirit’s work in us and through us, will involve supernatural encounters, His divine protection and deliverance out of every situation and persecution we face!

• Meditate on Acts 18:9-10 ⁹ One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision and told him, “Don’t be afraid! Speak out! Don’t be silent!¹⁰ For I am with you, and no one will attack and harm you, for many people in this city belong to me.”
• Watch: https://thebibleproject.com/explore/acts
• Read also: How To Get The Most Out Of Our Devotional Time (posted on 1 June 2018).

Bible Reading: Psalms 42-57; Psalm 45:1-17

Psalm 45 describes a king, his bride and his royal wedding. The main subject of the psalm is the king, and it is a picture of Jesus the Messiah. The psalmist writes in verse 2b, “Grace is poured upon Your lips.” The words of Jesus are like music to our souls.   In Christ we find “truth, meekness and righteousness” (v. 4). Jesus is the righteous ruler (v. 6b). He is anointed of God (v. 7). He is both God and man. Emmanuel––God with us.

The relationship between God and Israel is represented in the Old Testament as a husband-wife relationship. In the New Testament the church is referred to as the bride of Christ. Ephesians 5:25 reminds us, “Christ loved His church and gave His life for her” so He might present to Himself a glorious church, a beautiful bride, without spot and without blemish. He has clothed us in His righteousness. Since we are heirs and coheirs with Him, all that belongs to Him belongs to us. “We are made partakers of the divine nature” (2 Peter 1:4).

What a powerful message the psalmist wants to teach his people. Our King is glorious, and He comes with blessings for His bride. To be an excellent bride of this King we must hear the wisdom of the palmist. Verse 10 charges her to forget her own father’s house, and her own people. Forsake all to follow Him. Forget our worldly attachments, the false idols of our hearts.

In verse 11 she is in total awe and love for her husband. “Then the King will desire your beauty; Because He is your Lord, bow down to Him.” He must be the Lord and Master of our lives. When we desire His beauty we worship Him! We continually crown Him Lord of our life when we choose His ways over our own ways. “We love Him because He first loved us.” That love needs to be mutual and constantly growing. The gold clothing of the queen is a metaphor of that pure garment of righteousness given to us by Christ our Saviour.  Our renewed inner nature is far more precious than any outward physical beauty.

The marriage ceremony is described (vv. 14-15). All these remind us of another wedding that will take place when the King comes for His bride. Are we ready for the marriage of the Lamb? Revelation 19:7-9 describes that wedding. “Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready.”

Today if you will believe on Jesus Christ as your personal Savior He will give you a place in His kingdom. Come worship the King of all glory. Have you bowed your knees before Him and confessed Him as your Lord and Savior? “Whoever will call upon the name of the Lord will be saved.”  Come and worship Him!

• Meditate on Psalm 45:6.
• Watch: https://thebibleproject.com/explore/psalms/

Bible Reading: Psalms 58-72

Ageing can be scary. But ageing well is something that everyone wants.  Psalm 71 tells us how to grow old in God’s way. The psalmist was an old man facing many trials and yet, he was a joyful man with a steady faith in the Lord. He had developed a walk with God from his early years.

Firstly, we need to know God personally. The psalmist had a personal understanding of God. He had known God even from his youth (71:17). He knew God as his refuge (71:1, 7) and his righteous Saviour (71:2). He called God his rock and fortress (71:3), his hope and confidence (71:5). The psalmist also proclaimed God’s “mighty acts” (71:16, 18), His power (71:18), and the great things He had done (71:19). He recounted the Lord’s deliverance and restoration (71:20), His comfort (71:21), and His faithfulness (71:22). The psalmist knew his God, and it is apparent that He had personally experienced Him throughout his life. Even when crying out to God for help, he did not have to say, “God, whoever and wherever You are, please help.” He could call on God with faith because He knew God.   Do you know God like that? How are you growing in the process of knowing God personally through His Word and applying it in your life? We need to know God personally so that we can call on Him with confidence even in the time of our old age, for He is the unchanging God.

Secondly, we need to hope in God persistently. Hoping in God often does not come naturally, but we need to learn to make it a habit by frequently practicing and repeating it over a period of time. Some people become habitually negative and pessimistic, while others become habitually positive and hopeful. The habits we develop determine how we become when we grow older.   We can see that the psalmist had developed a habit of hoping in God since young (71:5). This hope is certain because it is based on the nature of God and His faithfulness. Even though the psalmist was currently struggling in his difficult circumstances, he could hope in God because God had brought him through tough times before (71:20). He recalled what God had done (71:6, 15-20, 23-24), and that strengthened his faith.   Are you developing a habit of hoping in God persistently? If you have trouble with that, focus on knowing God for who He is and take time to remember what He has already done for you. Develop a habit of hoping in God even when you face troubles.

Lastly, we need to serve God passionately. Although the psalmist was in his old age (71:9), he still had a concern for the things of God. He did not say, “I have worked hard all my life and deserve to retire and spend my time as I please now.”  He wanted to be delivered to proclaim God’s power, to serve God and model this lifestyle to the younger generation (7:18).   Are you serving God passionately, in whichever season of life you are in right now? How can we serve the body of Christ, recognizing that all of our time and energy belongs to God?   Growing old in God’s way is to develop our walk with Him now – by knowing Him personally, hoping in Him persistently, and serving Him passionately. Then, regardless of our age and circumstances, as long as we have breath, we can proclaim the greatness of God to those around us!

• Meditate on Psalm 71:3.

          Watch: https://thebibleproject.com/explore/psalms/

Bible Reading: 1 Samuel 1-15

Heart-broken was she, barren was her name.

Full of hope in her honeymoon, but all she got was an empty womb

Still and sterile; why is there no IVF help?

Why do you cry dear, am I not more than ten sons to you?

Haiz! Elky, don’t you know what I am going through?

Heart-broken was He, Israel was barren

full of love for His bride, yet she grew cold and distant

the priest is blind and hard of hearing

his sons are playing with whores

the sheep starve, the shepherd sleeps

He stands in the temple

Waiting to speak

But no one is listening…

What a sad state Israel was in.  Sin was rampant; the word of the Lord was rarely spoken or heard. Stolen sacrifices! Sexual immorality!  Pastors, elders and leaders, what state are we in today? Do we steal from the Lord? Do we play video games with explicit sexual content?  Are we playing pious and religious games?  Who are we fooling?  The Lord sees all things hidden, He hears every word and knows every thought.  Nothing is hidden from Him.

But here was Hannah!  Despised, anguished, mocked by her rival.  Did she retaliate? No.  Did she pray imprecatory prayers against her rival? No. But she went faithfully every year to the temple with her husband to worship the Lord.  A painful event for Hannah as portions of food were given by husbands to their wives according to the fruitfulness of their womb.  Weeping and deeply distressed, she presented her request to the Lord.  She made a vow that if the Lord were to give her a son, she would give him back to the Lord to serve Him in the temple all the days of his life.

Are you like Hannah, longing and crying out to the Lord for an answer, waiting desperately for a solution? Jesus Christ, Man of Sorrows, understands our anguish and pain.  The Lord is “merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness…”  (Ex. 34:6)

“…and the Lord remembered her.  And in due time Hannah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Samuel…”  1 Sam 1:19-20   What is your need today, my friend?  Paul the apostle exhorts us not to be anxious but in all things, make our requests known to God and then thank Him for what He has done (Philippians 4:6).   R.D. Bergen says,  True power is to be found not in one’s position in society but in one’s posture before God.  What is our posture before God today?

• Meditate on 1 Samuel 2:1-2.
• Watch: https://thebibleproject.com/explore/1-samuel/

Bible Reading: 1 Sam 16 – 31

Transitions and turning points are important times of change for all of God’s creation, whether we see them coming or not. “The only constant in life is change” (Heraclitus). Seeing and believing that in all things God works out for the good of those who love Him, and are called according to His purpose, can help us embrace these inevitable changes and walk in the destiny that God has prepared for each one of us.

While Saul failed in his response to the ever changing situations and circumstances of his life, David’s trust and faith in God led him to respond in ways and manners that pleased the Lord.  David’s famous encounter with Goliath wasn’t without preparation. He was faithful and courageous behind the scenes, getting himself ready, though he didn’t know it at that time, performing mundane tasks as a shepherd boy, protecting the sheep under his care.

The test of a man’s character is not on the mountain tops of successes, but in the valleys of failures. David went through many trials as seen in his years of persecution from Saul, humiliation by his enemies and betrayal by his own men. Even when he had legitimate reasons and opportunities to kill Saul and rid himself of all his suffering, he did not take matters into his own hands but he let God set His timetable. He said to his men, “The Lord forbid that I should do such a thing to my master, the Lord’s anointed, or lay my hand on him; for he is the anointed of the Lord.” (1 Sam 26:6)

Truly he was a man after God’s heart because of his trust and faith in God’s deliverance.

What about us?  In Christ, we are assured of God’s deliverance and learn precious lessons of faith.

1. Can we find or see meanings in the mundane things we are doing now? Take some time to pray, reflect and ask the Lord to reveal them to us.

2. Are we going through a difficult time or situation? Ask the Lord to give us strength and courage to trust Him that in His time, He will make all things beautiful.

3. Are we basking in our successes and forgetting to thank Him? Take time and offer our praise and gratitude.

• Meditate on 1 Samuel 22:23-24.
  • 23 The Lord rewards everyone for their righteousness and faithfulness. The Lord delivered you into my hands today, but I would not lay a hand on the Lord’s anointed. 24 As surely as I valued your life today, so may the Lord value my life and deliver me from all trouble.”
• Watch: https://thebibleproject.com/explore/1-samuel/

Bible Reading: Philemon 1

The Book of Philemon depicts a wonderful story of forgiveness and restoration. While Paul was in prison in Rome (v1, 9, 10, 13, 23), he wrote to his dear friend Philemon, a well-respected Christian leader that hosted church meetings at his home (v2), about Onesimus, Philemon’s runaway slave (v15).  Onesimus had stolen money from his master (v18-19), ran away, and was later led to Christ (v10), became a Christian, as well as a servant to Paul (v13).

In this epistle, Paul appealed to Philemon on the behalf of Onesimus–to receive Onesimus back no longer as a slave, but as a dear brother in the Lord (v16-17). Paul was seeking forgiveness, reconciliation and restoration between Philemon and Onesimus, by virtue of their spiritual relationship in Christ. Although Onesimus in Greek literally means “useful, profitable”, Paul pointed out that Onesimus, who had become useless to Philemon, now had become useful to both Philemon and to Paul (v11).

The extraordinary gospel transforms our relationships with one another, making it possible for genuine forgiveness and reconciliation with other brothers and sisters in Christ. The Word of God exhorts us to “bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.” (Col 3:13, NIV)

The life of Onesimus represents each of us, for we were all slaves as well, being slaves to sin. The Bible reminds us that “everyone who sins is a slave to sin” (John 8:34), and we “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Rom 3:23). We may have at some point of our lives sinned and run away from God, just as Onesimus fled from Philemon. But we can repent and turn our hearts back to the Lord, even when we have wandered far away from Him.

We can seek God’s forgiveness and reconciliation. Just as Paul had offered to pay for all the debts Onesimus owed to Philemon (v18-19), Jesus Christ has already paid for our eternal debts through his great atoning sacrifice in the Garden of Gethsemane and on the Cross at Calvary.  And as Paul regarded Onesimus as his son (v10), we too are already sons and daughters of God when we are spiritually reborn. We can turn back to God with the confidence in this spiritual sonship.

The message to us from this passage is clear – freely we receive, freely we give. Just as we have freely received forgiveness in the atoning saving grace of Jesus, we need to forgive others that have done us wrong. “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” (Eph 4:32).   We all have times in our lives when we need to forgive and to be forgiven. As long as we are still in our human weakness, we will be hurt and we will hurt others, often times without even realising it.

Is there someone whom we have yet to forgive and reconcile with? Are there areas in our life which we need to turn back to God for His forgiveness and reconciliation? Let us decide this day to restore our relationships, both with others and with God. Let us let go of any resentment and unforgiving spirit, or the guilt and shame of being in slavery to sin, and give it all up to the Lord today.

• Meditate on Philemon v17.

Watch: https://thebibleproject.com/explore/philemon/

Bible Reading: Hebrews 1-13

The letter to the Hebrews presents Christ, the Great High Priest, who sits at the right hand of God making intercession for us and challenges us to run the race of our Christian faith in rest, faith and hope.

In Chapter 3:1-19, the word, today, emphasizes that rest is for the people of God now.  Most of the time, we are so caught in the web of busyness, pressures, and struggles that we forget the need to get away and come into the presence of God.  It is a spiritual rest that enables us to cease from cares, confusions and worries and to focus or fix our eyes alone on God.  It is spiritual refreshment that we can face the mundane of lives.  It is spiritual renewal that we can find His grace and strength to do what we cannot do it on our own.  It is spiritual empowerment through which we can overcome difficult problems, trials and temptations.

In Chapter 5:18-20, we are reminded of the certainty of hope and security we have in God.  We can confidently approach Christ, the High Priest, who sympathizes with us, as He has gone through the same human experiences on earth (Chapter 4).  He bears gently with the weak because He himself was subjected to the same infirmities and temptations.  He was in all points tempted like as we are. We can exercise our faith in the confidence on who God is – His character and His promise.  J. Hudson Tayler realized that ‘faith’ is confidence in God’s faithfulness … it is not his faith but faithfulness of God.

Chapter 6 also tells us that the firm and unchanging hope we have in God is a strong and stable anchor in the face of raging storms, roaring tides and changing seasons in our lives.  Our faithfulness comes not from the profession of the hope in Him, but from living out the reality of that profession through acts of obedience of His Word and spiritual disciplines, which leads to the spiritual growth and maturity.

Chapter 11 speaks of the victorious faith of the heroes like Abraham, Patriarchs and Moses.  Even more so, Jesus Christ, who endured the cross, now sits at the right hand of God in power and glory and promises to be with His disciples until end of this age (Matthew 28:20).  Because He is with us, we are able and empowered to live a life of faith and obedience.

Chapter 12 points us to the race ahead of us and we are encouraged not to look back but to fix on Jesus the author and finisher of our faith.  He is the One who brings faith to completion.  He, who endured the agony and suffering of the crucifixion and become the hope of the resurrection, sets an example for us to run the race of life on earth and, press forward to the prize of the calling of God in our lives.  We can look to the heavenly city where we will abide with God forever!

• Meditate: Let’s take a few minutes each day during this coming week to ponder over Hebrews 12:1b-2a
  • … let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith.
•  Watch: https://thebibleproject.com/explore/hebrews/

Bible Reading: 2 Samuel 1-12

Have you ever wondered why God the Father, who is perfect in every way, would use imperfect people to accomplish His purposes in this world? Second Samuel chapters 1-12 shares the story of David.

Anointed king around the age of 15, David did not become king over Judah until he was 30, and he did not become king over all Israel until he was 37. During that long waiting period David experienced hardship, betrayal, hunger and pain, yet he waited patiently by strengthening himself in God (1:2). Now, David finally assumed the throne as Israel’s king (2:4; 5:1-5). He ascended in God’s way and God’s timing.

God did not forget David. He does not forget you either. Do not be discouraged about the delays you experience.  Accept them as training to become an exceptionally instrument that He can use for His glory.

David’s priority was to listen to God for His direction and to carefully obey it. That is why God called him “a man after His own heart” (Acts 13:22). He frequently “inquired” of the Lord (2:4-5; 5:1-5). He set an example of a joyful, self‐less worship. He did not care what others would think so long as he worshipped God. (6:5-15). He planned to build a house of cedar for the Lord. But God in His sovereignty replied that He would build a greater kingdom for David and his descendants instead (7:1-17). He spent time consistently in the Lord’s presence, that made him grow closer to Him (7:18).

Spiritual greatness is born in the presence of God.  If we think we know it all and stop seeking God, we are headed for destruction. Seeking God is essential for God’s best for us and success in life.

But David like any other man had many failures. He was far from perfect (11:1-21). David failed as a father and a husband, when he was unfaithful through his adulterous relationship with Bathsheba. David failed as a king, when he had Bathsheba’s husband killed in battle. God was not pleased (11:17). Though he humbled himself before God, confessed his sin and repented (12:13), he, his family and the nation suffered.

Even godly men and women can be tempted and fall. Every sin has consequences, yet God in his love and mercy, stands ready to forgive and restore those who have drifted and fallen into sin.

Why would a perfect God use imperfect people to accomplish his purposes? God is not looking for perfect people to serve Him, because there is none, but rather He is looking for those who have a heart of love and commitment for Him and who will willingly entrust their flaws and imperfections to Him for service. Every person has times of failure, as well as times of success. King David, in times of failure and in times of success, never lost his desire to love and please God. He accepted his imperfections but never excused them, a hero of faith yet far from perfection.

• Meditate on Philemon v17.
• Watch: https://thebibleproject.com/explore/2-samuel

Bible Reading: 2 Samuel  13-24

“And the king was deeply moved and went up to the chamber over the gate and wept. And as he went, he said, “O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! Would I had died instead of you, O Absalom, my son, my son!””   2 Samuel 18:33 ESV

The episode in 2 Samuel 15-19 was one of the saddest times of David’s life. It was a time where his son Absalom revolted and stole the throne from him. To avoid a further family feud, David fled from Jerusalem. However, Absalom, in a turn of events, was eventually killed. On learning about that, King David was devastated. Which parent would not be? Which father would want to attend the funeral of his children?

In retrospect, was David responsible for Absalom’s death? While David did not directly kill Absalom, there were things he probably did that had contributed to this.

When there was a house feud between Amnon and Absalom, David did not intervene decisively against the sins of his sons. Amnon violated his half-sister Tamar, who was Absalom’s sister of the same mother.  As both king and father, David failed to deal with and judge this sin (Leviticus 18:9). When Absalom subsequently murdered Amnon in revenge, David merely banished him and eventually even allowed him to return. Thus, David had allowed grievous sins to brew in his family.

As individuals or as a family, have we allowed sins to germinate in our lives or the lives of our loved ones? Sins need to be addressed at their infant stage. When we allowed them to grow, they will take roots and become more devastating and lead to other sinful acts. For parents, the responsibility is given to us to both love and discipline our children in God’s ways.   We need to set the standard of holiness in our own lives and set a godly example for our children to learn and emulate. We need to pray for them, to love them unconditionally, even and especially when they fail, and to encourage and correct them with a spirit of gentleness and humility.

We need to be aware of not only the effects of sins, we need to begin to process of dealing with them.  We should not justify them as mere weaknesses or the results of our environment.  Identify them honestly and desire to have a heart firmly fixed on God.  Take time to meditate on what God’s Word says about this area of brokenness.  Take time to commune with God in prayer and make our confessions before Him.  Repent whole-heartedly and make a commitment to genuine obedience, day-by-day, moment-by-moment, one step at a time, on a path that is empowered by His grace and His Spirit.  Know that He will grant us spiritual victory because Jesus has already broken the power of sin and given us His Spirit enable us to live a life that honours Him.

Let’s commit to live holy lives and not be afraid to confront sins in our household!

• Meditate on Ps 51:1-2. Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.
•  Watch: https://thebibleproject.com/explore/2-samuel

Bible Reading: James, 1-2 Peter

In the month of November this year, a devastating fire swept across California, bringing destruction and death.  More than a thousand people were missing, at least 250000 people were evacuated, hundreds of homes burnt and 40000 over hectares of forest were lost to the fire and fire fighters estimated that they would need more than three weeks to contain the blaze.

James 3 tells us of a fire that is even more destructive and it comes from a small part of our body – our tongue.  The writer warns the church community of the potential danger from those in the church who gather a group of their own followers and criticise others (3:1). Such a small but untameable thing is evil and full of deadly poison (3:8) whose source is the bitter jealous selfish and ambitious heart that is influenced by the evil one (3:14-16).  The result are quarrels and conflicts amongst the members of the body (4:1), not unlike the massive scale of destruction by the fires in California but with even greater eternal consequences.

Instead, he exhorts his readers to embrace wisdom and understanding to bring about peace and unity in the church by submitting themselves to the Holy Spirit (3:13, 17-18).  In and of ourselves, we would be unable to control our own tongues if our hearts have become embittered by the hurts and pains of life.  Only when we allow the Spirit to renovate our hearts then will we be able to speak words of life instead of death. 

So how do we do that?

One way is to surrender ourselves daily to the Spirit’s leading and transformation of our hearts.  We can be assured that God has given us the freedom to choose our words.  Before we say anything, especially when we are upset or angry is to ask ourselves, Is what I’m about to say based on self-seeking motives or to encourage that other person?  Am I prompted by love or envy?  Will what I’m about to point out be filled with peace, gentleness, mercy and fairness?

So, let us dedicate out heart, mind and tongue to the Lord daily.  Pray that He will give us a greater awareness of our words and their effect.  Give Him every right to remind and warn us of potential hurt we may do to others, especially when we want to complain, vent and blast out on them.  We are also grateful for His grace that we might seek forgiveness for our unkind and unloving words and attitudes.

Let us continually practise speaking words of encouragement, comfort, edification and inspiration.  May our tongues bring the warmth and life of love and not the wild fire of pain or destruction!

• Meditate on James 3:17 — But the wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and the fruit of good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere.
• Watch: https://thebibleproject.com/explore/james/

Bible Reading: 1-3 John, Jude

A recent study by a team of researchers in Duke University School of Medicine in Durham, North Carolina, reported (in July 2018) that being rich and successful is actually written in the genes. 20,000 individuals from Britain, New Zealand and the United States were followed from childhood to adulthood, and the results seem to show that those who had the ‘genes for education’ did better academically, and helped make them more upwardly mobile. A similar study also reports that certain characteristics in the DNA make this group of people more likely to hold more prestigious jobs, earn higher incomes, partner with better-off mates, manage their money more effectively, and accumulate more assets. It seems these people were literally born to succeed!

It is interesting that the Bible speaks of the believer in a similar way. Not that we are more likely to become rich and successful as Christians, but that we are born to be overcomers! Apostle John’s epistles to the early church were written to counter those who cast doubt on the divinity and humanity of Jesus. His warning to them was clear: only those who believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, are “born of God” (1 John 5:1). He then goes on to declare that “everyone born of God overcomes the world” (1 john 5:4). Specifically, he was referring to overcoming sin, which will then enable the believer to live a life that is characterised by love for God and for people.

Did you know that your spiritual DNA predisposes you to overcome sin? In your true nature, you are destined to be victorious over evil because “the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.” (1 John 4:4) When you were born again, you were made new, given a new nature, a new creation. Now you are a child of God. You have His royal blood flowing in your spiritual veins. This is an identity that the enemy wants you to be ignorant of; he does not want you to realise that “The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work.” (1 John 3:8) Everything that the enemy plots against you has been nullified in Christ. But we need to be aware of that.

The story is told of an eagle egg being accidentally mixed together with a coop of chicken eggs. When they hatched, the eaglet lived with the little chicks, played with the little chicks, and lived like a little chick. Oblivious to his conspicuously larger wings, he wondered why he longed for the skies, while his friends remained content pecking the dirt for worms. He tried countless times to fly but was only met with ridicule from his chicken friends. The moment came when he heard his mother’s call, echoing from the mountains.  It dawned on him that he was an eagle, not a chicken. With that new-found identity, he confidently spread his wings and soared into the sky, never to return again.

Friends, it is so crucial for us to regain our identity as people who are born to overcome. We can overcome that besetting sin, that addiction, that bad habit, that weakness by the wisdom and grace of God. We were not born of God by our own striving. We placed our faith in Jesus. Similarly, we will overcome our challenges as we trust God and receive empowerment from the Holy Spirit today!

• Meditate on 1 John 4:4 — But you belong to God, my dear children. You have already won a victory over those people, because the Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world. 

• Watch: https://thebibleproject.com/explore/1-3-john/

           https://thebibleproject.com/explore/jude/  

Bible Reading: Revelation 1 -11

The Revelation of Jesus Christ is one of the more difficult Bible books to interpret and to understand, hence, to apply in our lives.  It is filled with symbols and cryptic references couched in a context that initially seems distant and foreign to ours.

What is clear though is the theme and purpose of the book.  It is an exhortation to God’s people for patient endurance despite the growing anti-Christian climate, through the author’s use of warnings, admonition, and prophetic revelation.  In the midst of severe doom and gloom, the true and faithful disciples of Christ can yet experience bloom and boom!

The book begins with Jesus’ command to John, the author, to convey His message to the seven churches in Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey).  Each message contains a description of the glorified Christ, addresses the angel of the church, starts with “I know . . .”, contains a specific word of admonition, and concludes with “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”

The message to the church in Philadelphia is the sixth (Rev. 3:7-13).  The glorified Christ, who gives this message is described as the holy and true Son of David, who exercises complete sovereignty and rules with total authority.  That He holds the keys to every door (cf. Isa. 22:22, Rev. 1:18) infers that whether something happens or not depends entirely on His will.  This too, is our comfort; that our destiny is not determined by the plans and ploys of others, and therefore, cannot be undermined by anyone’s discrimination and malevolence towards us.

This is the only message (of the seven) that does not contain condemnation from Christ but a clear commendation for the Philadelphians’ faithfulness. They did not deny His name nor His word, even though it was to their disadvantage.  The Lord does not overlook our faithful sacrifices for His sake.  He has promised to reward the faithful with vindication and to spare them from the coming great tribulation (Rev 3:10).  The call is for us to persevere so that we will not lose our heavenly rewards.

To us who endure and overcome by faith, despite the unfavourable conditions of potential persecution and setbacks, the Lord will grant us a place of eternal security (pillars) in the house of God (Rev. 3:12).  Therefore, let us be faithful to hold on to His Word, and to hold fast to the doors of opportunity that are still opened to us to be the Gospel wherever we are.

• Meditate on 3:11 — I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take away your crown.
•  Watch: https://thebibleproject.com/explore/revelation/   

Bible Reading: Revelation 12 -22

Revelation 22:1-5 NIV   [1] … Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb [2] down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. [3] No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. [4] They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. [5] There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever. …

What Is the difference between the first Eden and the restored Eden?

In the first Eden, there was the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and the tree of life. In the restored Eden, there is now only the tree of life. Those that enter the restored Eden enter through the man who was cursed on the tree—the cross, Jesus Christ. Their entire lives have shown that they passed the test of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil by their faith in God and its resulting obedience. There is no longer a need for the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. The curse of disobedience is lifted and we get to partake of the tree of life. What a privilege!   How are we passing the test of the knowledge of good and evil on a daily basis by living lives of trust and obedience as an outflow of the grace of salvation received?

In the first Eden after the fall, the work of man was filled with toil and limited fruitfulness. In the restored Eden, the curse of the land and toil is lifted, we can enjoy once again the fullness of the fruit of our labour. The tree of life provides constant fruit and healing. The servants of God will get to serve and reign with God in the restored Eden.   What if your current vocation is a training and rehearsal to perform the good work of stewarding and reigning with God in the restored Eden? How would your attitude and perspective at work change with the knowledge that building His Kingdom starts now wherever God has placed you?

In the first Eden, Adam and Eve hid from God when they sin. In the restored Eden, God’s people will see his face and God’s name will be on their foreheads. This signifies great intimacy with God because we belong to God having been bought with the precious blood of Christ. There is also no need for the sun and the moon to give light because the full glory of Christ, the one who overcame will be the light. What glorious experience that will be!

Do you hide from God whenever you sin/fail or do you run to seek His Face knowing you belong to God and can experience His intimacy and glory based on the finished work of Jesus on the cross?

• Meditate on 22:1-5.
• Watch: https://thebibleproject.com/explore/revelation/