From Ordinary To Extraordinary

God had always choose ordinary people to do His extraordinary plan. In the Bible, there lies so many examples for us to learn.

Noah: A drunkard. Abraham: Too old. Isaac: A daydreamer. Jacob: A liar. Leah: ugly. Joseph: Abused by his brothers. Moses: Had stuttering problem. Gideon: Was afraid. Samson: A womanizer. Rahab: A prostitute. Jeremiah: Too young. David: An adulterer and a murderer. Elijah: Was suicidal. Isaiah: Preached naked. Jonah: Ran from God. Naomi: A widow. Job: Went bankrupt. John the Baptist: Ate bug. Peter: Denied Christ. The 12 Disciples: fell asleep while praying. Martha: worried about everything. Zaccheus: Was too small. Paul: Was too religious. Timothy: Had an ulcer. Lazarus: Was dead.

These people in the Bible was as ordinary and some as much as a sinner like anyone of us. But what man says about them are about to change, when God's plan in them start to take shape.


Noah: Build the ark. Abraham: Father of faith and many nations. Isaac: Obedience despite being sacrificed. Jacob: Wrestle with God and won. Leah: Mother to Judah. Joseph: Used by God to save his family from famine. Moses: Led Israelites out of Egypt.. Gideon: Free Israel from Midianites and Amalekites' oppression. Samson: Killed many Philistines and destroyed the temple of Dagon. Rahab: Acknowledge God of Israelites and saved her family. Jeremiah: Called to be prophet at young age. David: A man after God's own heart. Elijah: A prophet. Isaiah: An evangelist and a prophet. Jonah: Preached and saved the city of Nineveh. Naomi: Been given hope to carry on. Job: Kept his faith. John the Baptist: Baptized Jesus. Peter: Leader of the apostles. The 12 Disciples: Fervently preaching out the Good News. Martha: Loved by Jesus. Zaccheus: Hosted Jesus in his home. Paul: Sacrificed for Christ and His church. Timothy: An apostle, saint and martyr. Lazarus: Raised from the dead.

If all those people could experience something extraordinary, so could you and me. Nothing is ever impossible. In fact, God loves to use everyone of us, to do His extraordinary work, to bring honor to His name. This way, people will know, that it wasn't by their might, but by Christ who gives us strength (Philippians 4 : 13).

Are you feeling "you are nothing" today? Fear not! God will and probably is using you now. Always keep your heart open.

Life That Make Great Impact

Couple of days ago, I learned about Edwards Syndrome. I prayed to God more than I usually did. I saw more people touched by a story, a true story. I saw how people could show genuine concern, give encouragement for one another. This is what happen.

A couple, leaders in my church just gave birth to a baby with Edwards Syndrome, Destiny Zoe Oh. Despite doctor initial suggestion for an abortion, the parents didn't give up. So is the baby, having go through the full pregnancy period, she was born.

Been alive for 3 days, and she has touched many lives. Well, let's say she fulfilled her "destiny". Check out their eulogy.

You have lived well, Destiny Zoe Oh.

P.S. Read up and share her story. You could check out twitter trend as well #DestinyOh

To The Greatest Person We Called "Mother"

How great is a mother's love for her children? There got to be no limit to the greatness of her love. And it's definitely not exaggerated. I must say there is a verse that just fits perfectly for the role of a mother.

(Source: www.coconino.az.gov)

1 Corinthians 13 : 4 - 7

Love is patient and kind. Remember how she always patiently answer all our stupid questions and never did she get angry, despite our annoyance?

Love is not jealous. Never did she complain when we spend less time with her, and spending more time with our brand new video game. What she really worries about is that we never do our homework and didn't prepare for the test tomorrow.

Love is not boastful or proud. Have she ever tell you about how she work so hard to bring you up? Well, think again, that's not boasting. Parenting isn't as easy as it seems. Perhaps, we all should wait until we've become parent before we make that statement.

Love is not rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable. Constantly being nagged at doing things that you don't like? It happens to everyone of us. We all should try to just accommodate. There got to be a good reason for all those "It's for your own good" nagging. Don't ever feel resentful! Just do it, and you might just find what you are looking for. If not, at least you tried and you have honored her (most importantly).

Love keeps no record of being wronged. How many times have we blamed her for all the thing that went wrong in our lives? Shame on us! Because she never keeps all those wronging. She feels sad of course, but she will never bring up the matters ever.

Love does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Fairness is her middle name. Since small, she taught us about rewards & punishments. For whatever we do, there will be consequences. We've been taught about equality among our brothers & sisters. So that we could be a person with integrity, who could easily decide what's right or wrong.

Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful. She loses faith in her children? Never. No matter how people tell us, we are hopeless; she will never loses her faith in us. For us, she had never give up. She was always hopeful, believing that we could do so much more. And that empowered us to do more.

Love endures through every circumstances. No matter what situation we are in, how hard it is; she will be the one that taught us how to endure. Our endurance are being molded daily, until one day we are ready.

What more can I say; the greatest love, the greatest person, a mother.

Secret To Contentment

(Source: www.martindriscoll.com)

There was one a poor stone cutter who lived alone in a bamboo hut. One day as he worked on a huge stone with his hammer and chisel, he heard a crowd gathering to see the king as he passed by. Joining them, the stone cutter watched in awe as the king was greeted by his subjects. As he wished he had the power of the king, the stone cutter was suddenly transformed into a king. He found himself riding on a great horse, waving at the crowd.
As the summer progressed, the new king watched the effects of the heat on his people. Men and animals grew weary and plants withered under its ray. As he gazed at the sky, the king realized that the sun was more powerful than anything on earth. He wished he were the sun. Immediately, the wish was granted. As he sent his bright rays to earth, he watched people hide under trees; he even had power over the crops in the field.
Then one day a tiny cloud moved over the land, shielding the earth from the sun's bright rays. Seeing it had power even over the sun, he wished he were a cloud. Again his wish was granted. Now he blocked sun's ray and felt important.
He became a gigantic cloud, and began to pour down rain. Rivers formed, and water flooded the streets and farmland. Only the massive rocks were unswayed. There is nothing, he thought, as powerful as a rock. He wished he were a huge stone. His wish was granted. As a stone he remained motionless, unmoved by sun, wind or rain. Then one day a man approached who pulled out a chisel and a hammer and began to chip away at the rock. Realizing that the man with the tools was more powerful than any rock, he cried out, "Oh, I want to be a stone cutter!" Once again he lived in a bamboo hut and made his living with hammer and chisel. And he was content.

Story as taken from: My Quiet Time

How often do we get caught up in the circle of discontent? Don't worry, it happens almost all the time to all of us. We could still have the cure. Let's see what Paul said in Philippians 4 : 11 - 13:

Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.

The secret to contentment is none other than relying your life on Christ. Be thankful with what you have, that's the key.

Devils Aren't Afraid of Christians

Shocked? The fact that we go to church every Sunday, singing praise and worship, even pray will not scared the devil for one bit. Good news is; if all those are done not wholeheartedly, the devils won't back-off and they will just keep coming back. Now we know there is hope for us. Just as the Bible told us in Luke 10 : 27 and several other verses, we need to:

...'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind'...

It may sounds simple, but it requires the most of our attention.
Would you be able to worship Him with all your heart and soul in the midst of all your problems?
Would you remember to pray, even when everything go smoothly?
Are you still going to church out of your Christian-duty? Or because there is a desire to seek His face?

Answer all those questions, and you might just find the answer you need. The answer to why your life is stuck, and nothing seems to grow despite you going to church every week and praying every day.

Source: (www.wallpaper4god.com)

Just one word of advice:

Wholeheartedly