Who, what, how

Who were you before Christ entered your life?

What would you have become if He had not come into your heart and changed your life?

Think of what your character and personality would be like right now, if you had not chosen Him over the world.

Are you still that same person that you were 2 years ago?

Or 1 year ago?

What about last month?

Are you walking in mediocrity?
Or are you continuously being transformed by the renewing of your mind?

Who were you and
What are you going to be?

"Love is standing up and speaking the truth. Love isn't tolerance - thats not love. Love is not tolerance. People wanna teach you that, love is to tolerate, theres many ways to God, theres many other expressions, no no no no no. Love is loyalty to His heart, to His truth, love is humility.

What He is doing, He is the potter and you are the clay, is He is putting pressure on your life. I often get that picture, I'm that lump of clay, you know, I'm that big blob of clay and He is the potter, and I feel the hand of the potter, and sometimes its just pressure, do you know what I'm talking about? Like pressure? Its the pain in your life. Its the unfulfilled desire in your life, its the longings that you have, its the misunderstandings. I mean, being misunderstood by your peers, by your parents or your siblings, thats the pressure, you know what I'm saying? We all have a strategic path of pressure that the Lord Himself, as the potter, is taking us down. And He's molding us, and He's going, just yield to My hand, I'm forming you, and I'm fashioning you in the image of love.

You are caught up in something so much bigger, so much bigger! When I began at a very young age to sort of grasp these ideas, or at least try to knock on that door, small things begin to get very small, you know what I'm talking about? You know the things that preoccupy your mind, like, some of it is good, but it just preoccupies your mind. Like, do they really understand me - or, am I really ever gonna be known, or who's really ever gonna love me? These are real questions that are in our heart. Or am I beautiful, or am I gonna be great one day, all these longings that come up into our hearts. But whenever you start to get divine perspective, and you realise that you are caught up in something so. Much. Bigger. than these momentary light afflictions, that pressure of the potter, you see that its working for you an eternal weight of glory, because remember, you're in the womb of tomorrow. You haven't, you barely barely barely just begun.

This is your one chance to respond in love. You know the one thing that God doesn't have is your voluntary love. Your voluntary affection. Your voluntary love. The one thing that He doesn't have is your free will saying yes to Him. Not just at salvation, but every day, in every decision that you make. Do you know, that that is the one thing He wants?

You are not of this world. You are not of this world. You are not of this world. You are not of this world, so why are you caught up in the world? You are not of this world, so why are we so weighed down by the cares of this life?

He looks right through your exterior, right into the core reality of who you are, and He measures you by your heart - He measures you by your heart. You may say, you know, I'm not that talented, I'm not that beautiful, I may get overlooked all the time, I'm not that rich, I don't have a chance in life, I don't have a good family, I have hard circumstances, you don't understand, I can't be great - The Lord says you can be eternally great.

It doesn't matter how much success you attain in this life - Did you learn to love? Did you learn to love? Did you learn to love?"

Misty Edwards, The Search for Revelance

bitter waters

when moses went into desert shur, he met with
bitter waters
moses, what are we to drink?
but God led moses to cast the wood into
bitter waters were made sweet

jericho was a cursed land
the cost of laying its foundations, a firstborn son
jericho, the appearance of having it all but
its ground barren, and the water
oh, bitter waters
bitter waters
elisha, what shall we do?

a new bowl, said elisha, cast salt therein
went to the spring and poured it in
thus saith the Lord, these waters are healed
no more death, nor barren land
no more
bitter waters

the wood and the salt,
took away the bitterness,
but can these bitter waters be made sweet with salt or wood
if i myself am supposed to be
the salt and light of the world?

for of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh
these bitter waters
will be made streams
of living waters
bitter waters, no more

Exodus 15:22-25, Joshua 6:26, 2 Kings 2:19-22, Matthew 5:13-14, Luke 6:45, John 7:38

ISCF today, Ms. Ko mentioned that if a person has fresh waters in them, words that bring life would come out of them - but bitter waters, would bring bitterness. The phrase, 'bitter waters' caught my attention. Bitter waters. It is mentioned 2 times in the Bible, where unproductive waters (sometimes referred to as bitter waters) were made sweet. God made the bitter waters sweet.. Its like when a person comes to know Christ, his bitter waters are made sweet. I love that. I love seeing bitter waters made sweet. There is a difference between bitter waters and sweet waters flowing from within, I should know, more than most - Bitter waters poison the soul and, like the land of Jericho, brings death and barrenness. There is no life in bitter waters.

And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.

Revelations 22:17

went too far, too fast
left my sense in the abyss of
thinking the World would make more sense than the Word

the proverb said to guard your heart
but I let my wellspring of life lead to other channels
dug my own cisterns, did I not know that
broken cisterns cannot hold water?
but He knows the way that I take
and

I forget there is redemption in high places
a love as strong as death, a jealousy
as unyielding as the grave
burns like a blazing fire, this mighty flame

brings me to my knees at the reality of
what God did when
He took me into His banquet hall
put a banner over me, called out love

Peter was right to plead
"Save yourselves from this corrupt generation"

Proverbs 4:23, Jeremiah 3:13, Job 23:10, Song of Songs 8:6/2:4, Acts 2:40

My soul resonates.

Resurrection Sunday

Photo source// Gregory Rendell

"For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection."

(Romans 6:5)

The cross represents Death - Death to sin and the law.
The resurrection represents Life - a new life brought about by the abounding grace and love of the Son.

We are covered by His blood. Our old selves have died along with Christ on the cross, and as He resurrected, so have we.

"But now having been freed from sin and enslaved to God,
you derive your benefit, resulting in sanctification,
and the outcome, eternal life.

For the wages of sin is death,
but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."
(Romans 6:22-23)

For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.

For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die.

But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

(Romans 5:6-8)

God's love is written all over the Bible.

"Besides, trying to PROVE God is like defending a Lion - homey, it don't NEED your help."

Today I was just feeling SO STRESSED OUT. My exams are in about a week, and I have so many activities to attend, and there is still so much more for me to study. I was so overwhelmed with everything, that I just had to clear away everything, sit at my table, take out the Word and just Focus On God. Soak in His presence, tell Him how I feel, read His promises, be still and find my rest in Him.

One of the key things that David did when he defeated Goliath, was that he did not see the present situation - David didn't see the bigness of the giant, the overwhelming terror of Goliath, but HE SAW WHAT GOD COULD DO. He had utter faith in God, and God gave him such insight to see what He could do instead of focusing on the giant. And David defeated Goliath.

When life seemingly overwhelms us, its important for us to take a time-out and focus on what God can and will do, instead of looking at the present situation. After focusing on Jesus and spending some time with Him, I realised how SMALL my stress is compared to His glorious majesty and sovereign hand! I have nothing to worry about, all the burdens and anxieties are cast upon Him for He cares for me; His yoke is light.

I'm so thankful that I have a God who is in charge of my times and dates, laughter and sorrows, holding my hand throughout.

"Out of all the peoples of the earth, the LORD has chosen you to be His treasured possession!" {Deuteronomy 14:2}

1 John 5:20-21 [And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us an understanding that we might know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life. Little children, guard yourselves from idols.]

I've turned my back upon the world with all its idle pleasures, and set my heart on better things; on higher, holier treasures. No more its glitter and its glare, and vanity shall bind me. I've crossed the separating line, and left the world behind me.

Beneath the standing of the cross, the world henceforth shall find me; I've passed in Christ from death to life, and left the world behind me.

My soul shall never return again, back to its former station. For here alone is perfect peace and rest, from condemnation. I've made exchange of masters now, the vows of glory bind me. And once for all I've left the world, yes, left the world behind me.

My choice is made forevermore, I want no purer happiness than His sweet love and favour; my heart is fixed on Jesus Christ, no more the world shall bind.

//roxanne

Sometimes she saw raindrops, and she wondered at how peaceful they seemed to be - dripping down window panes, like

the trickle of crystal tears. Sometimes she saw flowers, and she pondered about how carefree they could be - waving their

stalks along; swayed by the wind, bent and drooping by the rain, dry and shrivelled by the sun. Sometimes she looked

at the mountains, and considered their small beginnings of rock and grass - now, so tall and majestic, towering over

plains and valleys.

She sat there and wondered at the beauty of all creation, and wondered at the expansive creativity of the One that

made it all. She wondered at the world, the earth and all that is in it, glistening seas & radiant skies, the incandescent moon

and the beaming sun. 7 bilion people in this world, each individually crafted, each with their own personalities and idiosyncrasies.

7 bilion people in this world, and she was one of them.

John 16:33, Amplified Bible;

"I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have [perfect] peace and confidence.

In the world you have tribulation and trials and distress and frustration; but be of good cheer [take courage; be confident, certain, undaunted]!

For I have overcome the world.
[I have deprived it of power to harm you and have conquered it for you.]"

God has a different plan for every person, no each person is exactly the same :) While at church, you might see some people getting slain, some people bowing on their knees, some crying, some laughing, some just sitting there resting in His presence, some calm and standing. God works differently in each person, because each person has a different road set out by God in their lives. He knows what medicine to give to each person's heart! I used to be discouraged when I saw other people getting touched by God in such an intense way and I was merely sitting there hardly feeling Him, but I've come to learn that God has His own miraculous and amazing way of working in each life and it all somehow just comes together in the end. He has a time, He has a season for everything. After all, we live this Christian life not led by feelings but on the knowledge that He is the faithful rock and firm foundation that never changes, who works all things out for the good of those who love Him :)

Just a thought, the prospect of prophetic anointing is terrifying and exciting, but God's will be done in every circumstance :) Song of Solomon 2:10-13

My beloved speaks and says to me: "Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away; for now the winter is past, the rain is over and gone. The flowers appear on the earth; the time of singing has come, and the voice of the turtledove is heard in our land. The fig tree puts forth its figs, and the vines are in blossom; they give forth fragrance. Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away!"

So blessed today, so very blessed, and hoping to be a blessing unto others too.

Chains be broken, lives be healed

"And the crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas. Then the officials tore the clothes off Paul and Silas and ordered them to be whipped. After a severe beating, they were thrown into jail, and the jailer was ordered to lock them up tight. Upon receiving this order, the jailer threw them into the inner cell and fastened their feet between heavy blocks of wood.

About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was a violent earthquake, which shook the prison to its foundations. At once all the doors opened, and the chains fell off all the prisoners.“
{Acts 16:22-26}

When you're in a situation where it feels like you're locked up and your spirit is so heavy, as like feet fastened to heavy blocks. And you can't go anywhere and you feel so stuck. Sing to the Lord a new song - praise Him in all His glory. And God can shake your situation. He can move the foundations of your prison. He can open up the doors that couldn't be opened.

At once all the prison doors flew open, and everyone’s chains came loose.

"The modern day translation of Job 1:8 reads, “Have you considered my servant, Job?” Now the original Hebrew translation of the same verse says, “Why have you set your heart upon my servant, Job?” Hmmm that changes somethings doesn’t it?"
{source}

Young’s Literal Translation
1:8 And Jehovah saith unto the Adversary, `Hast thou set thy heart against My servant Job because there is none like him in the land, a man perfect and upright, fearing God, and turning aside from evil?`”

-Michael Crozier

This morning I was reading a bit of the bible in class since I came early to school when suddenly Brandon popped up in front of me munching on some nuts. So I was like, "Breakfast?" and Brandon said, "Yeah - Hey look, I'm having a little bit of nuts for breakfast, and you're having a little bit of God!" I never thought of it that way, as some sort of 'spiritual breakfast' but thanks to Brandon, some food for thought? HEHE :)

I think one of Satan's greatest tools is discouragement. Other than pride, anger and lust which are one of his main ways of leading Christian's away from God's path, discouragement is also one of the underlooked tools that he uses to break us down. I mean, last night, I was just lying on my bed before I slept with random thoughts running through my head about the day, when suddenly I just had a lot of discouraging thoughts popping into my head. I didn't even realise it at first, until my heart suddenly felt so heavy and discouraged - oh man, what was I thinking, of course I can't do that. Why are we even trying? Is this even gonna amount to anything? I didn't realise that it could have been the work of Satan trying to discourage me, until thank God, He shone the light on it and said, Stop. This isn't what a child of Mine should be thinking.

Casting away every form of the Devil, in Jesus' name, I soon had peace of mind but it just left me thinking how important our thoughts are in our daily life. Like Proverbs 23:7 says, “For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he..” and whether we know it or not, our thinking mostly shapes who we become. If we allow the Devil to sow seeds of discouragement (or pride, envy, lust, anger, immorality) in our hearts, sooner or later we end up for the worse. So its important for us to guard our thoughts and pray for the ability to discern whether these thoughts that we think are encouraging to ourselves and loving towards others, or discouraging and hurtful.

I'm really big against discouragement and discouraging comments, be it aimed towards others or even towards yourselves. I mean, is there any point telling yourself you're stupid or ugly or..? Discouragement is bad bad bad! Stop discouraging yourselves and tell yourself that maybe you can't, but God can :) Every single lousy situation, every single worry, anxiety, hurt, every single thing the Devil tries to put against you, is always tiny peanuts next to the majesty of God! Look to Him and His strength, seek His face always (1 Chr 16:11) :)

"When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought joy to my soul."
(Psalms 94:19)

I was standing on the edge on a high rock, like part of a hill and He was next to me. Before me was an entire landscape of life. Trees, houses, mountains, roads, buildings, rivers, seas, stretching over the horizon. It was unending. There was a straight, narrow road in the middle of everything. Just a road, clean and straight, passing through the landscape. It was unending as well. And He was standing next to me, one hand on my shoulder, the other hand outstretched towards it all, as if it were mine. This was the road He would travel with me through, through every single situation and experience. It was narrow, but it was straight. This was the road for me.

With His hand outstretched, I had the feeling that this was my life. This is going to be my life, my future. It was a landscape I have never seen before, buildings I have never seen, scenery I have never seen. And that is the road that He and I are going to take together.

"I am for you," He said, "Seek me, and I will bring you to places unknown." Bringing me to places I could never have imagined. Bringing me to places I do not know of.. He's leading me.

I don't know if it was a vision, or a revelation, or anything intensely spiritual. All I know was that while worshiping, God spoke. For me, this is a confirmation that He already has a road set out for me. Albeit narrow, it is straight, and this is the road He has planned.

Ephesians 3:14-21

"When I think of all this, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit.

Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is.

May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.

Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.

Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen."

//Paul's prayer for spiritual growth

Things I picked up on the way of today

1) Hmm, I'm starting to look forward to PJ lessons at the end of every week :) Running around throwing metal balls is fun! I wonder what we are playing next week?

2) Taking time off to just rid myself of all distractions and spend time with Him was so rewarding, so fulfilling, so amazing. Time passes fast when you're enjoying something :) Time passes fast when you're sleeping too, don't you agree?

3) Bloghopping around, this was a good read. I wonder how it would be like if all of us had the heart of David? :)

4) Whenever I'm tired, people think I'm upset or angry.. I'm just tired, and I don't really want to talk. And besides, I don't think me being tired is equivalent to when I'm being angry..? :)

5) Sometimes I wonder why God allows something to be dangled in front of our faces, when it happens to be the wrong road to take? :) Maybe so that we will learn to focus on Him and His voice?

6) This was a really fast week! :) I wonder if the next week will be fast too?

"Christ is Everything. That means... I have everything."

When people tell me I still have my whole life in front of me, I shouldn't think so hard about my future and God's will for my life, it frustrates me. Yes, I know, I have my whole entire life in front of me. But, guess what? I could die tonight. I could die tomorrow. I could die next week. Next month. Next year. 5 years from now.Life is too short for me to be wasted by walking out of God's will.

What if, I die before the time that people expected me to die, before the time that I myself expected to die, and I am standing before God the Father, and the Book of Life is being read to see all the things I have done for the Glory of His Name in my life?

Could I bear to stand before Him knowing that there could have been so much more that I could have done for Him? Could I stand before Him with the knowledge that I could have sought His will for my life while I was still living, but did not? Could I bear looking at Him in all His glory, knowing that I have wasted precious moments of my life away on this earth?

In this life, the concept of death, to us who are young, seems like an idea so far away. Like a distant cloud on the horizon, but we are hardly aware that death can come at any time. Like a sweeping shadow, it can come and take a life just like that. We see news of deaths every single day, and yet we just cannot come to grasp the reality that We. Could. Die. This very next moment. The very next day. We acknowledge that there is death in this world happening to people all around us, but we don't acknowledge that death could happen to us.

I do not fear death. Death is just a step to finally be with my Father in Heaven. But. I cannot just spend my life away on this earth like it hardly means anything. And I cannot agree with the people that tell me I am still too young to be seeking His will for my life.

If I am not doing His will for my life, then who's will am I doing?

"Jesus didn't die halfway for you, why do you get to live halfway for Him?"

"I have come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly"

Thank You, Jesus, for the extremely unexpected good results in my monthly test! Thank You for the unexpected answered prayer, thank You for the unexpected help given by an unexpected friend in something I have been praying about, thank You for Your encouragement in unexpected ways! Thank You for Your unexpected joy in my heart, thank You for the unexpected hope in the midst of confusion. Thank You for being such an unpredictable, amazing, omnipresent God, that works in unexpected and wonderful ways!

Joy, unspeakable joy; an overflowing well, no tongue can tell - Joy, unspeakable joy; Rises in my soul, never lets me go..

Sometimes I, I just want to close my eyes and act like everyone's alright, when I know they're not. This world needs God, but it's easier to stand and watch; I could say a prayer and just move on like nothing's wrong - But I refuse.
'Cause I don't want to live like I don't care, I don't want to say another empty prayer. Oh, I refuse to sit around and wait for someone else to do what God has called me to do myself. Oh, I could choose not to move but I refuse.. I can hear the least of these crying out so desperately, And I know we are the hands and feet of You, oh God. So, if You say move, it's time for me to follow through and do what I was made to do -
Show them who You are.

'Cause I don't want to live like I don't care, I don't want to say another empty prayer.

I refuse to sit around and wait for someone else to do what God has called me to do myself.

To stand and watch the weary and lost cry out for help, I refuse to turn my back and try and act like all is well.

I just realised that its

I pray that this month will be a month of revelations and dreams, reveal more of Yourself to us, Lord. Open our eyes to see the glimpses of You in our everyday life, in the waking of each beautiful morning, to see your faithfulness just as the sun is faithful to set every evening; and when darkness envelops the sky, we will know You are still there with us. Lead us, heal us, guide us, hold us, shake us, break us, what are we but clay in the Potter's hand? - He knows best.

Seeking God's will in my life. There are certain things I know, and certain things just seem so far off and distant. God, You have the right, and my permission, to rearrange my life to achieve Your purposes.

I don't normally listen to or watch Gospel music videos, but this. This. Now tell me you didn't get chills.