hope

Romans 5:1-8

5 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we^[a] have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, ² through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand.And we^[b] boast in the hope of the glory of God. ³ Not only so, but we^[c] also glory in our sufferings,because we know that suffering produces perseverance; ⁴ perseverance, character; and character, hope. ⁵ And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.

⁶ You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. ⁷ Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. ⁸ But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

because what i need now is the strength that He gives me to get through to the end of this journey of my life.

another chapter starts when this chapter ends.

His grace is sufficient for me.

notes

How is it that whenever it comes to this point, most of the times I tend to want to give up?

It is at the moment when I’m just inches away to my goal, when it hits me that the going is really tough and all I’m hanging by is just a piece of thread.

Barely there, but then if I give up, everything would be lost.

Whatever I had done, the sweat, tears and time I had put in, just gone in the instant that I give up.

I’m sure everyone else feels the same way, like giving up when we are almost there.

To me, I think the start of the journey always seems uncertain.

Too hazy, and we can’t find our path to get on. But after some mentoring from others, we finally get onto the path that we think are right.

Then on, the journey goes on, and everything seems to be going smoothly.

But soon, more hiccups come along the way and we stumble.

All of us fall, grabbing on to others for support.

Every man for himself, that’s what they say when you are out there in this crazy world.

But we can’t follow these words; these words cause us to divide even more.

Separating what is already in parallel worlds, not point of connection.

The need to hang in there, tightly onto the tiny piece of thread, the hope that it holds.

I can do all this through Him who gives me strength. – Philippians 4:13

relevant

Proverbs 16:19-24

19 
Better to be lowly in spirit along with the oppressed
    than to share plunder with the proud.
20 
Whoever gives heed to instruction prospers,^[a]
    and blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord.
21 
The wise in heart are called discerning,
    and gracious words promote instruction.^[b]
22 
Prudence is a fountain of life to the prudent,
    but folly brings punishment to fools.
23 
The hearts of the wise make their mouths prudent,
    and their lips promote instruction.^[c]
24 
Gracious words are a honeycomb,
    sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.

today's scripture from odb is so relevant to what i learnt today.

Be slow to anger.

Colossians 3

¹² Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. ¹³ Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. ¹⁴ And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

this is what the Christmas season is.

The reason for the season is God!

that's why every time there is joy, love, peace, hope.

All these things that are examples of true happiness.

the end of the world is not today.

nobody knows when it will end, except God.

but that is known as the second coming. (to most Christians)

at times like these

i really try my best to appreciate the finer things in life

those that give you the most purest form of happiness and has a certain kind of serenity to it.

humans often contradict themselves, but then once they give it a thought, they fall back on the words they say wishing they could take it back.

make sure to think before you speak or you will regret what you said.

the same things i have heard, repeated over and over.

it's a wonder how i can never get tired of it.

the lessons you learn in life will stay with you throughout, you can't say the same with the lessons inside the room. it may be able to grant you higher income and prosperity in the future...

but i ask myself: what is it that i really want for myself in the future?
peace or prosperity
love or kindness

to be able to give away all your belongings and run after the cross when everyone else will stand back and laugh at you, it is that courage and that strength that i wish to have.

in every trial and temptation, do you struggle and give up hope letting yourself be defeated by that unknown darkness? or do you pick yourself up everytime you fall and carry on fighting with the hope that He will see you through your days even in the darkest and bleakest moments?

not everyone is able to build their house on the rock, that way is seemiingly to difficult and painful. we let ourselves take the easy way, building our house on the sand. but when the waves come crashing down on us, our house will crumble to the ground like a pack of cards. however, the one who builds his house on the rock will remain firm even when the waves come.

Daily Bread
1 Corinthians 11:1

2 Now I praise you, brethren, that you remember me in all things and keep the traditions just as I delivered them to you. 3 But I want you to know that the head of every man is Christ, the head of woman is man, and the head of Christ is God. 4 Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonors his head. 5 But every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head, for that is one and the same as if her head were shaved. 6 For if a woman is not covered, let her also be shorn. But if it is shameful for a woman to be shorn or shaved, let her be covered. 7 For a man indeed ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of God; but woman is the glory of man. 8 For man is not from woman, but woman from man. 9 Nor was man created for the woman, but woman for the man. 10 For this reason the woman ought to have a symbol of authority on her head, because of the angels. 11 Nevertheless, neither is man independent of woman, nor woman independent of man, in the Lord. 12 For as woman came from man, even so man also comes through woman; but all things are from God.
13 Judge among yourselves. Is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered? 14 Does not even nature itself teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a dishonor to him? 15 But if a woman has long hair, it is a glory to her; for her hair is given to her for a covering. 16 But if anyone seems to be contentious, we have no such custom, nor do the churches of God.

Show me the way, Lord, let my light shine

As an example of good to mankind.
Help them to see the patterns of Thee,

Shining in beauty, lived out in me. —Neuer

let's say

a stranger came up to you and asked if he/she could borrow your mobile phone for a moment to call his/her friend while you are on the way to the bus stop to go to school. What would you do?

A. Ignore the person, don't make any eye contact and head on towards the bus stop
B. Don't stop walking but just say sorry I'm busy and get away
C. Think of an excuse and walk off
D. Confidently hand your phone over to the person

Which of these would you choose?



Ephesians
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast.


Accept the teaching of the world
And hopeless you will be,
But trust in God’s eternal plan
If you want life that’s free. —Branon

We are not saved by good works, but by God's work.

May the Lord's strength be with you.

Today is only the second day at IA but I'm starting to feel drained. My energy is like being sucked up by a vortex. I wonder how my other friends are doing in their own companies. I hope and pray that they will be doing great. It's only the first week! Must stay positive and gather more strength to get through the IA. :D As for my other friends, (PL) good luck in your new term! All the best in your tests, projects.. etc. :D

oh, did I say where I was working? I'm posted to Schenker logistics management department. The real deal, in an actual warehouse. I just help to do picking of the contact lenses. The items that the particular department I'm attached to is working for Bausch & Lomb. Yes, that Bausch & Lomb. :) And because it's in the medical section (sort of) so the warehouse is air-conditioned. :D

That is the only thing about IA so far that I'm happy about. :P
ooh.. the clock just went off.. I gotta go now.. have to get a good rest to start another day at work.. 

why only 14,000? lol.

today's daily bread:

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Corinthians+13

Now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love. —1 Corinthians 13:13 

Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn.

i would say that if i was gone with the wind, but unfortunately i'm not. so i have to give a damn. my mind's spacing out.. 1 more day till i start work.. eeks! thank god i have God. :)
today's daily bread is from
Joshua 1:1-9
Joshua 1:9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.

God is good all the time. He puts a song of praise in this heart of mine. God is good all the time. Through the darkest hour his light will shine. God is good, God is good all the time.

only until you have taken the time to enjoy the clouds go by, then have you experienced true happiness in nature.
i love the colour of the sky during sunset. i find happiness in that.



this video is so boomz.. :D hee..

ominous clouds

are filling up the sky with each passing minute. i don't like the look of it at all. it's scary. :(

but after reading one of the bible lessons yesterday, i will learn to fear only one thing. that is, the fear of the Lord.

"Fear of the Lord means piety. It is used to express our religious duty toward God. Fear is the thing that God requires from each one of us. It is a purpose of creation."

Things that we are NOT to fear

• Idols or other Gods


• Man


• Earthly calamities for they signify the near return of our Saviour

The fear of the Lord is NECESSARY

Worship
Service
Keep us from sin
Good government
Administration of justice
Perfecting of holiness in our Christian lives

So we preach Christ to everyone. With all possible wisdom we warn and teach them in order to bring each one into God's presence as a mature individual in union with Christ. To get this done I toil and struggle, using the Almighty strength which Christ suppiles and which is at work in me. - Colossians 1 :28-29

The Bread of Life

when i was young, i had the habit of mis-pronouncing the word psalm as "palm''..
haha.. :)

Psalm 51:1-12
¹ Have mercy on me, O God,
according to your unfailing love;
according to your great compassion
blot out my transgressions.

² Wash away all my iniquity
and cleanse me from my sin.

³ For I know my transgressions,
and my sin is always before me.

⁴ Against you, you only, have I sinned
and done what is evil in your sight,
so that you are proved right when you speak
and justified when you judge.

⁵ Surely I was sinful at birth,
sinful from the time my mother conceived me.

⁶ Surely you desire truth in the inner parts;
you teach me wisdom in the inmost place.

⁷ Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean;
wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.

⁸ Let me hear joy and gladness;
let the bones you have crushed rejoice.

⁹ Hide your face from my sins
and blot out all my iniquity.

¹⁰ Create in me a pure heart, O God,
and renew a steadfast spirit within me.

¹¹ Do not cast me from your presence
or take your Holy Spirit from me.

¹² Restore to me the joy of your salvation
and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.

Biblical plant usually translated into hyssop is Ezob. Ezov is the Hebrew name of a plant mentioned in the Bible, in the context of religious rituals. In some English-language Bibles, the word is transliterated as ezob.

i just did a quiz on what is my hebrew name.. there are 4 possible names, Ahada, Ahava, Ahuva, Davida.. lol.. i thought it would just be 1.. wonder which is nice.. i like Ahava.. :)

today's sermon..

One Way Jesus!

Romans 13:1-7

Submission to the Authorities

¹Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. ²Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves.
³For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and he will commend you.
⁴For he is God's servant to do you good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword for nothing. He is God's servant, an agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer.
⁵Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also because of conscience.
⁶This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God's servants, who give their full time to governing.
⁷Give everyone what you owe him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.