What is contentment?

What is contentment? Contentment means my happiness is not dependent upon circumstances. Most people get caught into "when" thinking: "When I get a certain job ... When I can retire ... When I get the house paid off ... When I get the bills paid off ... then I'll be happy!"

God says, "No, once you get there you'll always want something else." If you don't learn contentment, you'll never be happy. You'll always want more

Author: Rick Warren

"I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances"..........Philippians 4:11

Trust the Lord wholeheartedly

I received a call from a friend yesterday. Indeed, it was unexpected. All this while, I thought he may have left his job or doing something else.

Well, guess it boiled down to me that I did not trust the Lord enough. In Proverbs 3:5 - 'Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding' This verse has given me a knock on my head.

This call did make me excited as I did not expect it. I think if I would to expect the call and it did not happen, then I would feel disappointed. I thank God for this call and glad to know the caller is doing well.

Dear Father,
Thank you for everything You have done. Indeed, I have been praying and prayers answered in such a way. Lord, I praise You for You are omni-potent and onmi-presence. Lord, forgive me as I did not trust your enough, forgive me. Teach me to trust You wholeheartedly than to my own understandings........ Amen

Snowy wonderland

This week, I am spending some time to pack up my room. As I was packing a shelf this afternoon, I saw this photo album. They were the photos taken during a family holiday in Korea. End January, it was still winter. I remembered when I took this photo, it was snowing....

As I browsed through all the photos, I was similing and my heart was contented. They were beautiful - the sceneries, the people, the food, the winter gear we put on, the snow.... everything was beautiful.

I wish one day I will visit this place again with my children. They love to ski and I love the snowy wonderland.

Dear Father,
Thank you for giving me these beautiful pictures in my memory lane. Thank you Father that You have made this wonderful sceneries for me to enjoy. Indeed, you are such a wonderful creator, I praise You for all your creations..... Amen

Renewed by Jesus

耶稣能够叫一切都更新
耶稣能够体会你的心情
耶稣能够改变你的曾经
耶穌爱你 耶稣疼你
耶稣能造一个全新的你

I have been humming this chorus of a Chinese worship song for the past two days. It was a song that we sang during our church champ.

When I look at the lyrics, it was so beautifully written. Without doubt, Jesus is the only one who is able to understand, change and make all things anew for you and me.

And 2 Corinthians 5:17 says "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!" I give thanks and praise God again. Indeed, the verse affirmed me of my new self and my identity in Christ.

Dear Father,
I praise You again and again. I am so blessed to be Your child. Your great love and compassion never fail and they are new every morning for me....Lord, thank you for Your faithfulness... Amen

A mother's love

This morning, I will be going to the hospital to pick up some nursing skill. I hope I will be able to attend to my mum when she is out there and put up with me. A little fear inside me, but I have to be strong. I need to assure and prepare my children to cope with her in future too.

I am thankful to the Lord that she is very much better. Although she is still unable to walk, she is able to sit up all by herself - without any help. Praise the Lord!

Looking back at my younger days, I was the most disobedient and willful child in the family but she dotes me most. Recent events made her heart broke, yet she still forgives and cares for me. I know she loves me very much.

Dear Lord,
Thank you for everything that You have done in my life. I know I have wronged, yet You have forgiven me. Strengthen me these days Lord, physically and emotionally for I am really weak. Lord, I pray for my mum that she will be able to walk soon and be back home with me. Help me and my children to have more patience, love of Yours to attend to her needs. Lord, I commit all of us to you............. Amen

The Narrow Door

I visited the new place that the church proposed to move.
Although it was an old school, it was really spacious. It has a big field, I believe our children will like it.

But, what caught my eyes was the main entrance, the door was rather narrow. This brought me back to the Lord's words:-

"Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to."...... Luke 13:24

I think God already knew what is life on earth, what I am expected to go through. With on going struggles in all aspects - relationships, finances, career, temptations, trials... etc etc, I am so easily side track, discouraged and despair. To enter into His Kingdom, indeed, every effort is required to battle on.

And with His encouragements and His love written all over the Holy Bible, am I still half-cooked, lukewarm with Him? How much longing is there, to come to His sanctuary, to worship and praise him? Do I feel excited over events to do with our Lord or with the church? Is my heart getting cold for Him? I asked myself his morning......

Dear Lord,
Thank you for this moment, that I am able to search my heart, thank God, my heart is still beating. Lord, life is tough, but I want to hang on. I want to enter into Your Kingdom. Yes, the door is a narrow one, help me Lord, to put every effort - make each one to trust and believe You like little children. Help my eyes, ears and heart to be receptive in all Your works and words... Lord,let me draw Your strength to keep the fire going, like a wick burning on candle and I desire to be a everlasting candle for YOU..............Amen

Our Heavenly Father

"Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.".... James 1:27b

Dear Heavenly Father,
Again, thank you for these verses. They are so comforting and assuring. As the world's Father's day is around the corner and celebrating this day commercially, we choose to be with You in solitude. For You have seen us through the valley of Baca and bring forth hope in our lives. Father, we thank you for Your faithfulness and Your promises that You are the Father of the fatherless and a defender of the widows. Father, we thank you for Your unconditional love................ Amen

Seeking God for who He is

This week, we shared a interesting topic in our cell group: Seeking God for what He can do or seeking God for who He is?

Indeed, this question made me ponder many things.

In my early walk with the Lord, indeed, I could not deny I have so much needs, that I seek God for I knew He could do many things - asking Him to make things turn around for me.

However it did not happen the way I wanted. Instead, through the process of asking, praying and begging at times, He taught me many things - the ways of life, the ways to live and the ways to love. Indeed, He has widened my horizons.

In many occasions, although prayers were not answered the way I wanted, He has brought good out of unpleasant situations. In the storms, He calmed me with His presence. In the storms, I knew that He loves me so much.

The only way to respond to His love, is to seek Him for who He is - For the Lord our God is pleased and delighted to see me drawing near to Him. Yes, I have never ending needs, but He knows what is best for me. Seeking Him for who He is - the creator of all things - is all that I need, and He will put things right for me in His ways and in His time.

Dear Lord,
Thank you for your presence with me this morning. Thank you for your unfailing love.
I know the only way to respond to Your Love is to know you in depth through Your Words. For you have said, "If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you". Yes, Lord, I have many needs still - You already knew it.. But all You want from me is my heart, my mind and my soul - is me drawing near to You....
Lord, help me these days in Your words, to know you deeper, deeper into Your everlasting love....... Amen

His Everlasting Love

Tonight TAWG bring me these verses:

"so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge - that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God"........ Ephesians 3:17-19

I open my study bible to take a look at these words again, and it says...
God's love is total. It reaches every corner of our experience. It is wide - it covers the breadth of our own experience, and it reaches out to the whole world. God's love is high - it rises to the heights of our celebration and elation. His love is deep - it reaches to the depths of discouragement, despair, and even death. When you feel shut out or isolated, remember that you can never be lost to God's love...

By this time, my eyes are covered with tears. No matter how lousy I feel tonight, I just know that God knows what I am going through. He is there comforting me with His Love and wiping my tears away.... Indeed, I am comforted and healing take place once again...

Dear Lord,
Thank you for Your presence tonight, I know You love me with a everlasting Love that will never fail............ Amen

Found strength through His Words

"For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
2 Corinthians 4:17-19

As I was walking back home this evening, a old couple with their hands holding on each other, walked past me. Suddenly, I felt the strong sense of loneliness. As if I was walking down a long straight road alone, all by myself. For the moment, I asked God many questions.

Indeed, God gave me His answers through His words. While I was having time alone with God tonight, these verse came to me and have answered all my Whys.

Dear Lord,
Thank you for Your words tonight. Certainly, they have strengthened me.
Help me not to envy what others have, but be contented what You have given me. Help me to treat this life as a temporary assignment and serve You faithfully, for Your promise to me is Your eternal glory. Help me to trust you even more for You know what is best for me. Lord, teach me ways to convert the sense of loneliness into solitude in seeking You. For drawing near You is all that I need...............Amen.

In all things, give thanks to Jesus

"Be Joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." .... 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Dear Lord,
I thank you for your mighty intervention in my mum's condition. Lord, I continue to pray for her tonight, that Your Healing be upon her, ease her pain and make her feel better. Lord, may You also provide good health to all my caring sisters who are attending to her day and night. Lord, I ask for Your mercy and grace be upon my mum, Your strength be upon all my sisters and me - emotionally, spiritually and physically. Lord, may Your will be done, and not ours... Amen