Ephesians 2

Ephesians 2
Made Alive in Christ

I figured today i'd go on into Eph 2 cos Eph 1 was so awesome...

1 As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2 in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3 All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature [a] and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath.

Before Christ, we were under the jurisdiction, ways and power of the prince of this world - the devil. And even now, the Bible says, he is at work in those who are disobedient. Other translations call them the sons of disobedience. I believe this is refering to non believers. Because we believers are now sons of God. Strong's translation of the word disobedience is actually unbelief. And we are now believers of Christ. But as the Word goes on to say, we were all deserving of wrath.

But it is because of ONE reason that we are now no longer sons of unbelief, sons of disobedience, subjected to the whim and fancy of the prince of the air. It is for the ONE reason that we now sit in Christ, clothed with His majesty and authority. Clothed in the robe of righteousness that is from God. That we are seated with Him in Christ Jesus so that as He is, so are we in this world. That ONE reason is this..

4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. 6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7 in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.

Why have we been saved? From a position of sin and death, from being called sons of unbelief, sons of disobedience. How were we saved? Did we fulfill the commandments? The Bible says that death is the penalty of sin. Jesus Himself said :"19Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven... 20For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven." ... "21 “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder,[a] and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.’ 22 But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause[b] shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, ‘Raca!’ shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, ‘You fool!’ shall be in danger of hell fire."

Which of us have never been angry with another? Which of us have never insulted another? "Raca" means "worthless". Jesus said that even anger and insult is worthy of the charge of murder before God according to the commandments! Is this an insult to the law? No! It is the uncompromising, unwavering upholding of the law!

So then how were we saved? Go back to Ephesians 2:4 again.

4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. 6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7 in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.

And to emphasize again, the letter to the Ephesian church went on..

8 For it is by GRACE you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
Jew and Gentile Reconciled Through Christ 11 Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called "uncircumcised" by those who call themselves "the circumcision" (which is done in the body by human hands)— 12 remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

Jesus died on the cross as a sacrifice for us all. That those who believed on Him would be saved. That we who were once sons of disbelief, sons of disobedience are now brought near to our Heavenly Father through the blood of Christ. Now we are reconcilled with the Father and can be called the sons of God. Believers.

How? Because Christ set the law aside in His flesh. And gave us, the Holy Spirit.

14 For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, 15 by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, 16 and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. 17 He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. 18 For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.

19 Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God's people and also members of his household, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. 21 In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. 22 And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.

Thank you Jesus for your Sacrifice. That I may now call God Abba Father. That the Holy Spirit now dwells in me. That as You are seated at God's right hand in heaven, so am I in this world. Amen.

To The Praise of His Glory

I havent written here in a very long while. There might prob not be anyone reading my site anymore. But I am writing here for myself and because I feel led to.
I was trying to get to sleep cos i have an early morning tomorrow. But as i laid down, I felt so awake and refreshed. I had just finished reading the Bible and my spirit was asking for more. I didnt know how much was just my logic and told God that if He wanted me to read more, He would keep me awake, and if not He would bless me with slumber. Several minutes later, and a visit to the toilet, I'm here writing my first blog after a long long while.

I had finished reading Jonah. It is an amazing short story about a man that God wants to use but runs away initially. As the story goes, when God wants to use someone, and has anointed him for his purpose, there really is nowhere for him to run! Interestingly, I was in a discussion tonight with Josiah Kelvin if he ever feared when the thought of possibly being used in a leadership position in church crossed his mind. Long story short, he told me it was natural, the things I felt, and that if God has blessed me for where He has called me, no one can take it away. And if not, then my efforts can never prosper me. My desires if they are in God’s work are true and will be from Him.

That was b4 I tried to sleep. After getting back up, I went on to read Galatians 5 where I had discussed with Kelvin tonight. And went on the Gal 6, and finally to Ephesians 1.

The Lord reassured me through the following verses:

Galatians 6
3If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. 4Each one should test his own actions. Then he can take pride in himself, without comparing himself to somebody else, 5for each one should carry his own load.
6Anyone who receives instruction in the word must share all good things with his instructor.
7Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. 8The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature[a]will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. 9Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. 10Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.

It hit right on the nail because I was testing myself in some things that I did. Testing my thoughts and intentions. And doubting myself as well. Yet verse 6 assured me once again that it was God. And verse 7 fortified me that I had sown a seed and it was pleasing to God.

Ephesians 1 was amazing.

11In him we were also chosen,[e] having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, 12in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, might be FOR THE PRAISE OF HIS GLORY.

God has a purpose and a will in which He predestined before the creation of the World. And He has a will for you and me. And it is FOR THE PRAISE OF HIS GLORY.

Do you know why our salvation is acceptable and sure! It is irrevocable. Incorruptible. It is permanent and Irrefutable.
Because

13And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, 14who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession—to the praise of his glory.

When we heard the Word of truth, [the Word of Truth is the Gospel of our Salvation! – Gospel being good news. Salvation being Jesus One Act on the Cross. Salvation is Hebrew also means Yeshua which means Jesus. Jesus is our Salvation. Although the new Testament is in Greek.] we believed. It just says we believed. I believe in my heart that God is gracious and His heart is for us to be saved. So even for those who doubt later, but for that one moment when they received the Word, they believed. And therefore they are saved. How saved?
We were marked in him with a Seal. The Holy Spirit. He cannot be broken. This seal CANNOT be broken! And He guarantees our inheritance! (later further expounded in verse 18) Until when? Until the redemption of those in God’s possession. Who are these? Those who believed! Jesus will return and redeem us. Now the song My Redeemer Lives takes new meaning in my heart!

And once more why God do all this? TO THE PRAISE OF HIS GLORY. It is not about you and I. It is about God.

Ephesians 1: 15+
For this reason…
16I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. 17I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit[f] of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better.

I want to know Him better. And the Spirit inside me leapt out when I read verse 16 and said out aloud "Amen". And the Spirit inside me spoke – that I have claimed Paul’s prayer for myself. Because God transcends time! Hallelujah!
I want to know Him better! The prayer continues by the way.

18I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints,

He has called us to hope! And to the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints. And it gets better!

19and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength, 20he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, 21far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come.


That we might also know His great power for us who believe! What is this power? The SAME POWER THAT RAISED CHRIST AND SEATED HIM AT THE RIGHT HAND…
This SAME POWER is FOR us!

22And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, 23which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.

God is Merciful

My friend went home from brunei this morning.. last night his grandmother had passed away.. and i tot of going with him to church this sat.. i hope he would be fine.. me and him go back to about three years ago when we started in the air force.. i remember being shortlisted together with him to take part in some running competition, being some of the stronger runners, yet the weakest amongst the strongest.. we jus pushed each other on..

Yest i could see sadness in his eyes.. and i asked him if his grandma was saved, cos he is from chc. He said no.. Funny how i have to face this a second time.. i could only tell him that God was merciful.. that we never know that at some point in the person's life.. i went to sleep praying God to be His Comforter cos He really is.

Lord you know what i am really thinking.. You know the desires of my heart.. You are the God of the small things, so what more you will fulfill this big thing for me.. i claim your promise Lord.

Silent Lamb

havent blogged in a long time.. been wanting to.. but everytime jus didnt get to doing it.. now i am in brunei trying to finish up my Operational Conversion Unit (OCU) course.. flying's been doing rather well, but i guess it's kinda like a game of golf, where you keep trying to get that perfect game and never will get it..

Ever felt like somebody did something wrong to you, and you thought that your close ones would support or understand you but ended up defending the party who did you wrong? Would jus shock you wouldnt it? Worse when the other party jus refuses to budge from that stand.. Kind of corners you and make you feel like you were supposed to suffer in silence..

Well Jesus was beaten by those he loved. The people He was trying to save, persecuted, beat, tortured and crucified Him. Like a Lamb to the slaughter, He chose to stay silent. Lord if anyone can teach me to handle this, You can..

A Revelation?

Been in Australia for a week now.. and i have been so busy with flying and preparation that it seems i have been here longer.. Got a test on monday.. thereafter i'm looking for a break from wed till next week cos the last time i looked, i wasnt planned to fly those days..

Sometimes i feel like i must be the number one worryer in the world. Even when i know i am worrying, i stop for a while sometimes but start again soon after.. I realise that everytime i worried, it was because i did not trust God with the situation. Yet at times, i jus find it so difficult these days.. seems like it was much easier when i was a young christian and was hungry for every Word, believed every Word..

Daddy God will you give me a revelation of You? A revelation of what it means to have You as my Heavenly Father. A revelation that You care so much about me in every area to not let me fear. I dont want to be worldy. I dont want to live like i dont have a good and loving God. Help me Jesus. Help me believe once again in my heart. It has to be in my heart.

Lord i thank you. I thank you because this is what i can only do. Because You have given the victory to me. Because You have blessed me superabundantly in every area of my life. I thank you for every minute that i live, every person i meet. I thank you because You will take every head knowledge that i have and drop it into my heart and restore everything that has been lost many times over. Thank you for loving me.

Dad, mum, thanks for the support you have both given me. Thanks for the concern as well. I love you both and i pray that life will be good for you in the times ahead.
Beloved i miss you much. Sometimes i wish i could jus spend everyday having fun with you and doing nothing else. I love you.

Nuggets

The following are some nuggets that i have been receiving from devotionals and want to remember them.. to feed on them, or want people to read them...


When we go through a trial, we tend to ask ourselves, “Does God really love me? How come He is not showing it?” When that happens, it is time to bring in the cross, for God’s love for you is forever displayed at the cross.
Jesus wore the crown of thorns on His head so that you can have a sound mind free from fears, guilt, depression, anxieties and stress.

Psalm 91:10–11
10“No evil shall befall you, nor shall any plague come near your dwelling; 11for He shall give His angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways.”
Listen, when tomorrow comes, the bread, provision and grace will be there. I am not saying be lazy and don’t do anything. By all means, do your homework, but don’t worry about it. Just trust the One who wants you to give Him all your cares (1 Peter 5:7), and enjoy His peace and life today!
“Be anxious for nothing.” The apostle Paul said it. Yet, it was not him — he was prompted by the Holy Spirit. And when Paul wrote that, he was in a pit, literally! He was in a dungeon in Rome, bound by chains to a Roman guard as if he were a criminal, and waiting for his death.

But praise God Jesus wore the thorns on His head to show you that He has borne this curse for you and redeemed you from it. He wore the crown of thorns so that you can work stress-free and yet have the results. You don’t have to toil night and day like the world just to get ahead in life. Your heavenly Father can get you there without the stress. (Matthew 6:32–33)

Beloved, every curse that was supposed to fall on your head fell on Jesus’ head, typified by the crown of thorns. He wore the crown of thorns for you so that you can have peace of mind. He wore the crown of thorns for you and took your curse so that you can wear the crown of glory and take His righteousness, and all the benefits of that righteousness!

God’s Word says that Christ is the head and we the church are His body. So Christ and the church are one. Christ and you are one! You cannot say that God sees Christ the head perfect but His body imperfect. Or that Christ is accepted but His body not accepted. The measure of Jesus’ acceptance with God is the measure of your acceptance with God! In other words, what Jesus is before God, you His body are. As He is, so are you in this world. (1 John 4:17)

In the midst of the trial that you are going through, you praise Him that He is Your righteousness in spite of all the mistakes you have made. You thank Him that He is your Prince of Peace, and that He will bring His peace into you and His calm into your chaotic world.
My friend, God sees and appreciates such times when, despite feeling so discouraged and depressed, you offer a freewill thanksgiving offering to Him. (Leviticus 7:16) In fact, your thanksgiving during such times is more highly prized by Him than your thanksgiving during those times you are feeling joyful because you have just been blessed.

Today, God is not judging us for our sins because He has found the righteousness of the one Man that would allow Him to spare us. So do not let anyone tell you that God judges you for your sins and punishes you with cancer, car accidents, business failures or brokenness. God would be unjust if He punished the same sins twice — in the body of Jesus as well as in your body.

HisStory

The following was extracted off a forum when i was doing a search on roman history and if it recorded the existence of Jesus. It was in reply to a question if history sources besides the Bible recorded the existence of Him.

in history we have two reliable sources that are classical references to JESUS, independently from what the Holy Bible says.
There were in fact two historians who mention Jesus as a historical personage.
They are the Jewish historian FLAVIUS JOSEPHUS(37 AD - circa 100 AD ) and the great Roman historian Tacitus (AD 55-c.AD 117).
So, the first century Jewish historian Josephus in his Antiquities of the Jews 18.3.3 says:
“Now there was about this time Jesus, a wise man, if it be lawful to call him a man; for he was a doer of wonderful works, a teacher of such men as receive the truth with pleasure. He drew over to him both many of the Jews and many of the Gentiles. He was [the] Christ. And when Pilate, at the suggestion of the principal men amongst us, had condemned him to the cross, those that loved him at the first did not forsake him; for he appeared to them alive again the third day; as the divine prophets had foretold these and ten thousand other wonderful things concerning him. And the tribe of Christians, so named from him, are not extinct at this day.”

Also, in the book 20, 1, of the same work he mentions “Jesus, who was called Christ”.

Similarly, the Roman historian, TACITUS, wrote in 109 AD of a Christ who “suffered the extreme penalty during the reign of Tiberius at the hands of one of our procurators, Pontius Pilatus”.
Here is the quote from 'Annals' 15.44, where Jesus and the Christians are mentioned in an account of how the Emperor Nero persecuted the Christians in order to draw attention away from himself after Rome's fire of 64 AD:

“But not all the relief that could come from man, not all the bounties that the prince could bestow, nor all the atonements which could be presented to the gods, availed to relieve Nero from the infamy of being believed to have ordered the conflagration, the fire of Rome. Hence to suppress the rumor, he falsely charged with the guilt, and punished Christians, who were hated for their enormities. CHRISTUS, the founder of the name, was put to death by Pontius Pilate, procurator of Judea in the reign of Tiberius: but the pernicious superstition, repressed for a time broke out again, not only through Judea, where the mischief originated, but through the city of Rome also, where all things hideous and shameful from every part of the world find their centre and become popular. Accordingly, an arrest was first made of all who pleaded guilty; then, upon their information, an immense multitude was convicted, not so much of the crime of firing the city, as of hatred against mankind“.

From this evidence it is clear that the Romans knew perfectly well Jesus has been executed by Pontius Pilate who was procurator of Judea from 26-36AD under the emperor Tiberius.
Further, a prominent historical detail in this extra-biblical source – the name of Pontius Pilate – is in full agreement with the gospel accounts.
So it seems quite improbable to argue that there was no historical Jesus; on the contrary we have a solid evidence for the existence of Jesus and for historical data about Jesus' life.

In fact both Josephus and Tacitus are reliable sources so that we can conclude that there is every reason to trust Josephus and overall Tacitus as reliable. Tacitus in fact is a writer whose reliability cannot be seriously questioned.

To conclude, what we know for certain about Jesus in history is that :
1- he was a wise man
2-he was crucified by order of Pontius Pilate ,Roman procurator of Judea, at the suggestion of the principal men of the jewish Sanhedrin.
3- he appeared to his apostles alive again the third day.
4- he gave his name-Christ- to the Christians.

Nothing else we can say from the historical point of view.

Hope this can be helpful to you.
Best regards
Maria
___________________________________
NOTA BENE
-"Antiquities of the Jews" is an account of Jewish history from its early beginnings to the revolt against Rome in AD 66, written in Greek in about AD 93 by Flavius Josephus, a general in the Jewish army who defected to Rome.

-"The Annals" are Tacitus' brilliant account of Roman imperial history from the death of Augustus (14 AD) to the death of Nero (68AD).

My God is good.

It's been such a long time since i have written.. partly cause i have had so little time, because of commitments, partly cos i have felt so much like i lack e things to write these days. I still feel quite wierd like there is so little to write after so long out.. so i figured i would write about my Lord. Since i am not doing much now being on this 24 hr standby duty.

See, we all go through history lessons. And at times, it seems easier to envision the existence of Hitler, Churchill, Raffles, the Roman empire and other historical characters and countries then it is to envision the existence of people like Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Paul, Peter and of course Jesus. Yet Jesus and the people of the Bible were not that far away. They are not some story book characters. The Bible IS a historical record of things past. Think about it. These people are and were as real as our ancestors, our grandparents, and the people we see everyday.

I was worshipping in service the other day when i asked God what was really worship. There are so many books and definitions of what worship is. But i got this very simple answer. Son, if you only believe in Me, I take it as worship. And then i realise how real God is. Sometimes we lose sight and reality of how real Jesus really is. I felt like the crucifixion He suffered on the cross was as real as jus yesterday.

Think about it. If one came to realise how real Jesus really is, then everything in the Bible comes to life. It comes to reality. Truths like He so loved us that He died on the cross. Things like His sacrifice was a one time sacrifice for all sins. That He loves mercy. That He wants to bless us super abudantly beyond all we can ask or think, to the thousandth fold, and that His heart is for us. And what about the truths that through the works of the cross, where the Son of God died for you and me, we have been reconciliated with our God in heaven through the acceptance of Jesus as our Saviour. Where accepting Him as saviour in the most basic meaning actually is jus saying that we believe that His sacrifice on the cross was for us and that we are willing to receive this free gift. If the world would hear and see.

Lord Jesus, You are as real to me right now as the things i touch, taste, smell, feel and see everyday. You said that the things that are not seen are eternal whilst the things that are seen are temporal. You said that i am a spirit being and that the Holy Spirit lives in me and has given me a new heart. Lord as i believe unto Your Reality more and more everyday, so too i believe Your Hand and blessings over my life will become manifested more and more everyday. Until people around me will look at my life and say.. Indeed you have been with Jesus. Your God is good.

Love.

Ever loved someone and seemingly not getting the return? I jus had quite a taste of that actually.. but then i realised.. Jesus loves me all the time.. and sometimes i jus don return the passion. And i realised how it must b for God to so love the world, a world that has so neglected Him, so ignored Him. Yet i must never be able to understand the fullness of it all..

So.. bottom line.. Jesus loves me, and loves me unconditionally. And i receive it. Lord make Yourself real in my life. Renew, restore and refresh me. Help me be secure with Your love. That no matter what happens, no matter the circumstances, i have such a revelation that everything is still beautiful, and be made beautiful in time.

Truths I wanna feed on..

Joshua 24:1313I have given you a land for which you did not labour, and cities which you did not build, and you dwell in them; you eat of the vineyards and olive groves which you did not plant.’

you are not going to be complete in Christ — you are already complete in Christ! And what remains for you is to walk daily in that completeness by believing that it is true and confessing that what you need right now, Jesus is to you. He is your complete forgiveness, complete righteousness, complete favour and complete protection.
So don’t focus on the lack you see in your life. Focus, instead, on how, in Christ, you are complete in everything at this moment! And instead of weaknesses, lack and imperfections, you will see His strength, wholeness, soundness and completeness showing up through you!

When you refuse to worry but choose to rest in the finished work of Christ, you will see the manifestation of your blessing. You will see your miracle.

When the devil says, “You are not righteous enough,” you say, “Look at Jesus. He is my righteousness!”
When the devil says, “You are not holy enough,” you say, “Look at Jesus. He is my sanctification!”
When the devil says, “You don’t deserve to be healed,” you say, “Look at Jesus. By His stripes, I am healed!”
When the devil says, “You don’t qualify for the blessing,” you say, “Look at Jesus. He is my qualification!”
Each time you point everything back to Jesus, the devil has nothing to say because Jesus qualifies you for all of God’s blessings. In and of yourself, you do not qualify. Without Christ, there is nothing good in you which can qualify you.

Ruth trusted in the favour of God, she not only became the wife of Bethlehem’s richest man when Boaz married her, she also became the great-grandmother of David and had her name included in the genealogy of Jesus Christ even though she was not a Jewess!

AB Simpson said that though he believed that Jesus had borne away his sickness, he saw many hindrances which stood between him and his healing. He started removing them one by one until he saw that what stood between him and his healing was actually his preoccupation with his faith! He believed that if only he had the “right” kind of faith, he would receive his healing instantly.
He eventually came to the realisation that he had to remove that last hindrance — his focusing on his faith — and just rest in the finished work of Christ. That revelation marked his complete recovery from his heart condition.

If you say, “My problem is that I am so weak.” God says, “That is not a problem. I am your strength.”
If you say, “Lord, my face is the problem. I am ugly.” God says, “My face will shine on yours. I am your glory.”
If you say, “Lord, I am the problem. I am a nobody.” God says, “I will make you a somebody.”
Unfortunately, many of us are still trying to help ourselves, thinking that for certain matters, we don’t really need God. But God says, “Without Me, you can do nothing.” (John 15:5) Do we really believe that? Or do we believe that without Him, we still can do some things to help ourselves?

Been a long time..

been some time since i wrote.. dnuno.. jus no mood to blog recently.. since i got to brunei i guess. haha..

been reading Pastor Prince's book on Right Place Right Time.. Realised that when you read your Pastor's books, it offers lotsa insights as to how he thinks, how and where he got his revelations from, and more details about some teachings that jus keeps you thinking until the truth is revealed..

3 more weeks.. i cant wait to get back.. i miss a lot of things back home..

Jesus Delights in your Drawing from Him

John 4:3232But He said to them, “I have food to eat of which you do not know.”

When people draw from you or keep depending on you, you may end up stressed, tired and irritable. But this is not the case with Jesus. When people draw from Him, He is strengthened and refreshed!
Jesus is, after all, God. And you honour God when you take your place as man and let God be God by drawing from Him. The One who said, “I did not come to be served, but to serve,” (Matthew 20:28) loves it when you allow Him to minister to you! The Bible tells us that when Jesus arrived at Sychar, He rested at a well, wearied from the journey. A sinful Samaritan woman then came to the well to draw water. Jesus ministered to her, and she left rejoicing with the promise of living water. The disciples, having returned with food for Jesus, found Him already strengthened and refreshed. When they wondered who had given Him food while they were away, He told them, “I have food to eat of which you do not know.” (John 4:1–42) When you draw from Jesus and let Him minister to you, it is “food” for Him that refreshes and strengthens Him.
But it takes humility for us to allow Jesus to minister to us. We take pride in doing things for the Lord. We want to build our businesses, families and ministries for Him. All that is good, but without Jesus, we are spiritually bankrupt! We really have nothing to give to the Lord and His work. What we need to do first is to receive from the Lord because when we freely receive from Him, we are able to freely give. (Matthew 10:8–9)
Today, Jesus wants to minister to you. Don’t try to minister to yourself. That is pride and self-righteousness. The Pharisees of Jesus’ day, who felt that they did not need Him and that they could provide for themselves, were the ones who could not receive from Him.
So allow God to minister to you. Bring to Him your needs and say, “Lord, I need You to give to me. Here are my needs. I present them to You. Minister to me and meet my needs. I cannot, but You can. Thank you, Lord.”

When I don understand...

When things dont go well... i can think, i can say, i can type or write.. but i really need to believe. And after i believe God's Word, i need the patience to remain in belief. Lord i believe, help my unbelief. Everything is in Your hands. Though i don understand at all sometimes, everything is in Your wonderful and gracious hands.

I believe and I trust You Jesus. You are always with me.

Leadership

Leadership. There are so many books about this. So many preachers teach about this. The world, teaches on this. And in today's world, there are so many definitions. I guess to me, leadership takes the form of the following...

Leadership is servanthood. Jesus came down from His throne in Heaven to lead, but most of all to serve. To serve a people that in all aspects did not deserve anything, that in all aspects could not live up to their part of the covenant. But He chose to love, to serve His people. That the Father would call Him His Servant.

Leadership is ponting people to Christ. Our lives as Christians have taken on a new meaning. Having been saved from condemnation and ourselves, with eternity in perspective, our real meaning in life has become that of the glorification of Jesus Christ. The telling of His power, the gospel. We don't always do a good job, but we never did before that. The Word defends itself. Everything points to the cross.

Leadership is humility. Pride exists in self. When we look at ourselves, whether in boast or in shyness, we are actually in pride. True humility is allowing God and saying God i cannot but You can. Humility is not being jealous or being high and mighty, thinking of oneself as better than others. But that when good things happen to the prodigal sons in our lives, we say to Him, "Lord i rejoice. Because You celebrate in finding that one lost sheep. Because Lord, whatever You have in Your kingdom, is mine. I have everything."

Leadership can be about keeping quiet. Its not always about havin a say. But sometimes jus staying quiet. Listening, and observing. In proverbs, there are so many verses that describe a fool. Quick to anger, quick to words. But that wise men are gracious in transgression and slow to anger. Nobody knows a fool when he keeps quiet.

Leadership is about making sounds. That good men who say or do nothing are really not worth anything. There's a time and chance for everything. When it comes down to the wire, do we have the courage to speak up? To speak the truth? Indeed, how many of us need to really know, that we should not be ashamed in the gospel of Christ?

Leadership is following. Holy Spirit, You have led me before. You are leading me now. And you will always be leading me from strength to strength in Christ. Let me never forsake Your leading Lord.

They fled in their pride.

In Isa 43:14, where God says He took down the men of Babylon in their ships, in the NLV, it actually says He caused them to flee in their ships in which were their pride.

All over the Bible, events and prophecies in the old testament keep on repeating in the new, and in times present. And they will continue to repeat like a mirror image of events past until the 2nd coming of the Lord Jesus. I mentioned this cos i know that in the Iraq war, when the US began Desert Storm, the Iraqis were so deperate to save their air force that they fled by flying bee lines to their former arch enemies, Iran.

To me, their combat aircrafts they fled in were the pride of their air force. Remem that in a sense, aircrafts are still ships. And if i was living in a time when airplanes were not present, i would describe planes in the future as ships too... so there...

Isa 43

Isa 43:1 But now so says Jehovah who created you, O Jacob, and He who formed you, O Israel; Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; you are Mine.
Isa 43:2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned; nor shall the flame kindle on you.
Isa 43:3 For I am Jehovah your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior; I gave Egypt for your ransom, Ethiopia and Seba for you.
Isa 43:4 Since you were precious in My sight, you have been honored, and I have loved you; therefore I will give men for you, and people for your life.
Isa 43:5 Fear not; for I am with you. I will bring your seed from the east, and gather you from the west.
Isa 43:6 I will say to the north, Give up; and to the south, Do not keep back; bring My sons from far and My daughters from the ends of the earth;
Isa 43:7 everyone who is called by My name; for I have created him for My glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him.
Isa 43:8 Bring out the blind people who have eyes, and the deaf who have ears.
Isa 43:9 Let all the nations be brought together, and let the people be gathered; who among them can declare this and make us hear former things? Let them bring out their witnesses, that they may be justified; or let them hear, and say, It is true.
Isa 43:10 You are My witnesses, says Jehovah, and My servant whom I have chosen; that you may know and believe Me, and understand that I am He. Before Me no God was formed, nor shall there be after Me.
Isa 43:11 I, I am Jehovah; and there is none to save besides Me.
Isa 43:12 I have declared, and have saved, and I have shown, when there was no strange god among you; therefore you are My witnesses, says Jehovah, that I am God.
Isa 43:13 Yea, before the day was, I am He; and no one delivers out of My hand; I will work, and who will reverse it?
Isa 43:14 So says Jehovah, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; For your sake I have sent to Babylon, and have brought down all of them as fugitives, and the Chaldeans, whose shout is in the ships.
Isa 43:15 I am Jehovah, your Holy One, the Creator of Israel, your King.
Isa 43:16 So says Jehovah, who makes a way in the sea and a path in the mighty waters;
Isa 43:17 who brings out the chariot and horse, the army and the power; they shall lie down together, they shall not rise; they are put out, they are snuffed out like a wick.
Isa 43:18 Do not remember the former things, nor consider the things of old.
Isa 43:19 Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall sprout; shall you not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, rivers in the desert.

Isa 42

Isa 42:1 Behold My Servant, whom I uphold; My Elect, in whom My soul delights. I have put My Spirit on Him; He shall bring out judgment to the nations.
Isa 42:2 He shall not cry, nor lift up, nor cause His voice to be heard in the street.
Isa 42:3 A bruised reed He shall not break, and a smoking wick He shall not quench; He shall bring out judgment to truth.
Isa 42:4 He shall not fail nor be discouraged until He has set judgment in the earth; and the coasts shall wait for His Law.
Isa 42:5 So says Jehovah God, He who created the heavens and stretched them out, spreading out the earth and its offspring; He who gives breath to the people on it and spirit to those who walk in it.
Isa 42:6 I Jehovah have called You in righteousness, and will hold Your hand, and will keep You, and give You for a covenant of the people, for a Light of the nations;
Isa 42:7 to open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, those who sit in darkness out of the prison house.
Isa 42:8 I am Jehovah; that is My name; and My glory I will not give to another, nor My praise to graven images.
Isa 42:9 Behold, the former things have come to pass, and new things I declare; before they happen, I cause you to hear.

Pictures from my grad ceremony

Pictures were from my grad ceremony.. click to enlarge.