Quiet Life

Yesterday, when I was doing my daily devotion, I saw this verse that attracts me.

"Make it your goal to live a quiet life, minding your own business and working with your hands, just as we instructed you before. Then people who are not Christians will respect the way you live, and you will not need to depend on others." - 1 Thessalonians 4 : 11 - 12

Let me share a story that also happen on that day. As I walk, I accidentally hit a lady. I apologize, but she scolded me, asking me to look where I am going. In fact I know that she's also looking somewhere else. But, I still apologize twice. Because I remembered this verse, telling me to live a quiet live.

This is not about who's right or wrong. It's about how we look at things in live. Would you rather blow up a small matter? Or just let it go?

Besides that, the verse continues telling us to mind our own business. Why didn't we have time for our own problems, but have way too much for other people problems? Think about it, and start solving your own problems. Gossip can also be a downfall! Look at how many times it is mentioned in Proverbs. Let us learn to hold back words that hurt others.
"A gossip betrays a confidence, but a trustworthy man keeps a secret" - Proverbs 11 - 13

Work with your own hands. Surely I don't need to explain much about it. Just remember this verse:
"Lazy people are soon poor; hard workers get rich." - Proverbs 10 : 4

~ Changes Start Today ~

True Giving

1 Chronicles 22 - David Prepares to Build the Temple
A lot of us might have come across this story. But how many of us have been changed by King David's act of giving? Are we giving like him?

If we are to build a Temple like this, how much do we need to give? Let's see how much King David has given.

"Indeed I have taken much trouble to prepare for the house of the LORD one hundred thousand talents of gold and one million talents of silver, and bronze and iron beyond measure, for it is so abundant. I have prepared timber and stone also, and you may add to them" - 1 Chr 22  : 14

If we calculate it, the gold and silver alone would be $56 billion in today world. King David alone gave $10.8 billion worth of gold and silver from his own treasury. WOW

But, do remember that it's not the amount that you give that counts. It's the cost that you bear from giving that amount. King David also said this: "... for I will not present burnt offerings to the Lord my God that have cost me nothing. ..." - 2 Sam 24 : 24

Now that is what we need to be. That's what I meant by giving like King David. Remember the story of a widow with 2 mites (Mk 12:41-44; Lk 21:1-4). By giving those 2 mites, she might not even be able to eat later, for it is her last. But why? Because she believes that God will provide.

King David isn't the one going to build the Temple of God, but why did he still gives so much? Because of his love for God. He knows that he's also helping his son Solomon in building the Temple of God, by preparing the material for him.

Let us learn to give without thinking "God, bless me bless me bless me."
But give with a thankful heart, thinking that it will bless others.

~ It is more blessed to give than to receive (Acts 20 : 35) ~

Increase Faith ~ by Ps. Stephen E Goh

I came across this short article by Ps. Stephen E Goh in Facebook. Well, I though such a good article should be shared. So, here goes.

The apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith!" - Luke 17:5

The apostles asked Jesus to increase their faith. And, as followers of Christ, this is something we should also be seeking. So let me share a little faith-building acrostic with you.

Just imagine yourself in a giant arena running the great race of life. You're surrounded by a great crowd of witnesses who are cheering for your success! And the way you increase your faith is to T-R-U-S-T!

T — Take away anything in your life that might slow you down or cause you to stumble. You mustn't let distractions get you off track or let sins trip you up. You're running to win!

R—Read and meditate upon Scripture. Scripture is a faith-building book, and the more of God's Word you have in your mind, the more strength you'll have in your heart and soul.

U—Use the faith you have. Faith is like a muscle; it needs to be exercised every day. You can't just show up at church now and then and expect to have great faith. Exercise your faith daily.

S—Strengthen your faith with prayer and fellowship. We weren't created to go it alone, but to have fellowship with other believers.

T—Turn your eyes upon Jesus. If you want to increase your faith, give Jesus your full attention. Jesus knows what it takes to run to win, and he is the author and the finisher of our faith!

THE WAY TO INCREASE YOUR FAITH IS TO T-R-U-S-T!

Moving On

"Then the LORD sent Nathan to David. And he came to him, and said to him: “There were two men in one city, one rich and the other poor. The rich man had exceedingly many flocks and herds. But the poor man had nothing, except one little ewe lamb which he had bought and nourished; and it grew up together with him and with his children. It ate of his own food and drank from his own cup and lay in his bosom; and it was like a daughter to him. And a traveler came to the rich man, who refused to take from his own flock and from his own herd to prepare one for the wayfaring man who had come to him; but he took the poor man’s lamb and prepared it for the man who had come to him.”
So David’s anger was greatly aroused against the man, and he said to Nathan, “As the LORD lives, the man who has done this shall surely die! And he shall restore fourfold for the lamb, because he did this thing and because he had no pity.”
Then Nathan said to David, “You are the man! ..." ~ 2 Samuel 12 : 1 - 7

This passage tells the story about how David killed Uriah, after he slept with Uriah's wife Bathsheba (2 Sam 11). A lot of time, don't we also behave like David. We've done wrong but we didn't even realize it. What we need to do?
1. Realize & Repent
As soon as David understand what Nathan have told him, he immediately repent before the Lord. The Lord forgave him, but he still need to pay for his sin. So God took away his son.
Every time we sin, God will always be there waiting for us to repent. Even though so, don't keep on sinning because you would be further away from God. And it will take longer for you to come back to God. Remember, that we could repent and come back to God because Jesus has paid the price on that cross. So don't keep on falling into sin, the mercy of God isn't cheap, in fact none of us could ever pay a price like that.
2. Believe & Move On
David's son was struck with illness the moment he was born. David did fast for his son, until his son breathe the last breath. He didn't just sit there and cry all day long. He immediately got up and eat. Then he went and conquer a city of Ammonites, because he still believes God will give him victory.
When we sin there will definitely a downfall in our life, because God would have struck us so that we could realize our mistake. If you are not repented yet, God's divine protection would be taken away from us. This gives the devil a chance to attack us, putting all the blame on God. Let's not fall into the trickery of the devil. Keep on believing God! Learn to realize what we have done wrong, repent and believe God. Only then we can move on.

~ Realize, Repent, Believe & Move On ~