Behind The Shield

"You are my refuge and my shield; Your Word is my source of hope." - Psalm 119 : 114

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A shield is a defensive equipment used to protect our body from any attack. Yet, even the best shield might not be able to take on every attack.

But today, I have a good news, this Shield that I'm talking about, it protects our spiritual body. And believe me, none of the attacks would have ever work.

A lot of times in life, we are being attacked by what is in the world; hatred, anger, disloyalty, betrayal, and many more. Don't we just wished that someone would stand in front of us and blocked all those attacks. That person would be our God. At times like these, I know there is only One I could count on.

But then again, keep on hiding behind the shield would not do any good. King David knew it, and so he said that God's Word is his source of hope. This Words that had been with King David are with us now. We can always fight back knowing that God is there for us. God is good to us. God would never lift the shield in front of us, for He will keep us safe.

For truly with God, nothing is impossible!

Into The Lions' Den

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The story of Daniel being thrown into the lions' den is of no stranger to many Christian. In Daniel 4, we could clearly see that how the administrators and officers are jealous of Daniel's promotion and how they devise to harm him. Finally resulting in him being thrown into the lions' den.

A group of lion are very dangerous. They could even take on any animal much larger than their size. Yet, they didn't even put a scratch on Daniel. All those because of God's grace, and of course Daniel is said to be a man of integrity and faith.

In our lives, aren't we always faced with adversities, problems, dangers. But be grateful that it wasn't because somebody else plot against us. Be grateful that we have friends who will and could help us. Unlike Daniel, put in a situation that not even his friends, the king or anybody else could save. But he chose to believe.

Moreover us, could we stay believed in the midst of danger?

Life is full of danger, and that's what worth living for!

Fruitful

"I am the true grapevine, and My Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn't produce fruit, and He prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more. You have already been pruned and purified by the message I have give you. Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in Me. "Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in Me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. - John 15 : 1 - 5

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What exactly is the fruit being spoken here? Growing as a Christian, I sure heard a lot about being fruitful, go and bear fruit. It's everywhere in the New Testament, and in sermons once a while. But somehow, there seems to be a lot of explanation to it.

Fruit in a Christian's life should be the changes in his / her characters. Changed in his / her life, living a Christ-centered life. The passage above says that "you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me." Yes, God wants our obedience.

When we are living a Christ-centered life, surely our character  won't be the same. We will produce fruits as a result. The fruits of the Spirit is what we called it. What are those? Love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Galatians 5 : 22 -23).

We as Christians, we need to show others that we are changed through Christ. Our lives, our actions need to have the essence of love, and all those characters of Christ.

If we are not fruitful, we will be cut off. What good is an unfruitful branch? Therefore, let us live a life that will be a blessing for others through our characters.

Faith Over Doubt

Faith and Doubt will always exist together. Believing is choosing faith over doubt! - Dr. Yonggi Cho

Faith or Doubt? They will always exist together. How much of trust are we putting in God? How willing are we to stretch our faith?

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Even though we can stretch our faith, it is nothing like a rubber band. Once you stretch a rubber band, it will get back to its original state. And once you over-stretched it, snap! It breaks.

But faith, once stretch it will not go back to its original state, and there will be no limits of how much you can stretch it.

But doubt is like a faith crusher. The more faith you got, the more doubt the devil will try to put in you. That's why they exist together. Can you stand firm and continue to believe?

There will be a time when your faith are being tested, putting doubt in front of you as a choice, as a mean of escape. Let me urge everyone reading this, stand firm! Don't ever let any of us choose to doubt, over the faith that we have. Instead, let us always choose faith over doubt.

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Diamond in the Making

When people found the so-called diamond, it was merely a rough stone with the quality of becoming a diamond. But they need to process the diamond, which is very difficult. It requires specialized knowledge, skill and equipment.

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Well, Christians are like diamonds. We are merely a rough stone when God found us. Let's just leave the "diamond cutting" to God.

Basically a diamond cutting process consists of planning, sawing, girdling, polishing and final inspection.

In the planning process, the manufacturer will need to analyze the final shape the diamond will take, taking into account the weight, the color and its value.
Same goes with us, imagine God when He first found you and say, "This is where I am going to put you. This is how I am going to used you."

In the sawing process, the diamond are being separated into pieces to be completed as separate gems.
As a Christian, growing in spiritual life is absolutely a must. That's when God began to take away pieces of us that aren't good.

In the girdling process, two diamonds are being set to grind each other to shape each of the diamond into a round shape.
Growing in Christ can't be done solo. We need to have fellowship with other Christian. This is so much needed because it's the way we could keep our spiritual life strong. Aren't man created not to be alone?

In the polishing process, facets are being cut onto the diamond and final polishing is performed.
As we go through difficulties in life, and we will, we must get stronger and stronger. It's a definite process that determines your worth.

Then there is a final inspection, where the diamonds are being cleaned and inspected for one last time.
Don't you want God to say, "Well done" when He inspected you?

You are the diamond in the making. Believe!

The Wedding Bell

Just got back to my normal life after helping friends on their wedding day. Now that reminds me of how beautiful a wedding can be.

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It's about love and commitment. It's when those two hands met on the aisle. When they walk down the aisle together. When oath being spoken. When rings are being put on each of their finger. And when their hearts joined together.

Only love and commitment to one another are being shown there.

Whenever a couple get married because of their love for one another, it's always a great achievement, worth celebrating about. As friends or relatives, we could always give support they needed.

For this relationship to go through much more in life, it must be build on a simple "trust". It's always easier to fall in love than to trust others. But if there is trust, the love won't fade. Staying committed is another thing. Even in our workplace; our boss, supervisor, colleagues require us to be committed. Moreover in a marriage, it will requires more commitment than any other.

To any couple getting married soon, may your love grows stronger.
To any married couple, may your love continues to be a blessing to others.

Do Everything With Love

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And do everything with love. - 1 Corinthians 16 : 14

A short and simple message, yet this is the one that has been ignored. Sometimes when we think "I did it because I loved", might not be true after all. It might just be what we really wanted.

When you wanted to do everything with love, you must start by giving your best while thinking about others.

It's about selflessness. It talks about sacrifice. When you do things with love, surely there will be a willingness. Willingness to sacrifice your time, your strength, your money, etc.

This love, also talked about our love for God. When we do all things to glorify His Name, that's love. When we obey His command, that's love. When we care for whom God loves (basically everyone), that's love.

To be a successful person, you got to put love in everything you do. Because by doing so, you won't get tired even after doing it for don't know how many times. Love will fuel Passion, and Passion will keep you going!

Never Changing Love

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For the mountain may move and the hills disappear, but even then My faithful love for you will remain. My covenant of blessing will never be broken," ... - Isaiah 54 : 10

Indeed, when we look around us, things are changing. Only God's love for us is never changing. Did God just said His covenant of blessing? Yes, He did. That's a "WOW" for us, because what has been promised by God, He won't deny. Some people might think, if so why aren't we always blessed? Let's take a deeper look into this covenant of blessing.

Covenant : a solemn agreement, an agreement held to be the basis of a relationship of commitment with God (Concise Oxford Dictionary).

First of all, we got to have a relationship of commitment. Let's put it simple: read the Word, do it. A covenant is an agreement, it requires both parties to keep their end of the agreement. Keep ours and God will definitely keep His, for sure.

Covenant of blessing is sometimes called Abrahamic Covenant. God promises so much for Abraham, because of one thing, that is his faith. So, number two requirement, have faith. Blessings do not fall from the skies! Sometimes we are just so engrossed in the blessing that we forget all about the Giver. God does not want that, Nah Nah.

So next time, if you want God to bless you, remember that He will but you need to keep your end of the agreement. BE COMMITTED & HAVE FAITH.