Psalm 9

1 I will praise you, O LORD, with all my heart;
I will tell of all your wonders.

2 I will be glad and rejoice in you;
I will sing praise to your name, O Most High.

3 My enemies turn back;
they stumble and perish before you.

4 For you have upheld my right and my cause;
you have sat on your throne, judging righteously.

5 You have rebuked the nations and destroyed the wicked;
you have blotted out their name for ever and ever.

6 Endless ruin has overtaken the enemy,
you have uprooted their cities;
even the memory of them has perished.

7 The LORD reigns forever;
he has established his throne for judgment.

8 He will judge the world in righteousness;
he will govern the peoples with justice.

9 The LORD is a refuge for the oppressed,
a stronghold in times of trouble.

10 Those who know your name will trust in you,
for you, LORD, have never forsaken those who seek you.

11 Sing praises to the LORD, enthroned in Zion;
proclaim among the nations what he has done.

12 For he who avenges blood remembers;
he does not ignore the cry of the afflicted.

13 O LORD, see how my enemies persecute me!
Have mercy and lift me up from the gates of death,

14 that I may declare your praises
in the gates of the Daughter of Zion
and there rejoice in your salvation.

15 The nations have fallen into the pit they have dug;
their feet are caught in the net they have hidden.

16 The LORD is known by his justice;
the wicked are ensnared by the work of their hands.
Higgaion. Selah

17 The wicked return to the grave,
all the nations that forget God.

18 But the needy will not always be forgotten,
nor the hope of the afflicted ever perish.

19 Arise, O LORD, let not man triumph;
let the nations be judged in your presence.

20 Strike them with terror, O LORD;
let the nations know they are but men.
Selah

Our God is righteous and just. From His throne, He rules over all of creation forever and ever, as stated in verse 7.

That means that He is in control. He is in control of every situation in our lives. He oversees all that we do and allow certain things to happen to us for His purposes.

Last year, there was a time that I asked God why He allowed my grandpa to be in ICU when I haven't had the chance to share Christ with Him yet. I could only come to the conclusion that He is control. In the end, miraculously, I managed to share Christ with my grandpa, and He's with the Lord now. Thanks be to God.


It's all about trusting God as the ultimate ruler. He is righteous and just.

1. He destroys the wicked (verse 5).
2. He is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble (verse 9).
3. He cares about the needy and the afflicted (verse 18).
4. He defends His people - those who love and trust Him (nearly the whole psalm!).


Things to ponder
1. Out of the 4 things mentioned above, which one do you need the most now?
2. What are some unfair situations that you see in your life right now? Give at least 2.
3. Pray to God about all these situations and trust Him that He will bring you through.


Dear Heavenly Father, I pray that I will always be reminded that You are the ultimate ruler and judge over all of creation. Lord, help me have the attitude of always trusting You, even when my world collapses and everything seems to go wrong. I know that You love me and that all things work out for the good of those who love You. I pray that this will always be in my heart. In Jesus' name I ask and pray. Amen!

Psalm 8

1 O LORD, our Lord,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!
You have set your glory
above the heavens.

2 From the lips of children and infants
you have ordained praise
because of your enemies,
to silence the foe and the avenger.

3 When I consider your heavens,
the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars,
which you have set in place,

4 what is man that you are mindful of him,
the son of man that you care for him?

5 You made him a little lower than the heavenly beings
and crowned him with glory and honor.

6 You made him ruler over the works of your hands;
you put everything under his feet:

7 all flocks and herds,
and the beasts of the field,

8 the birds of the air,
and the fish of the sea,
all that swim the paths of the seas.

9 O LORD, our Lord,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!

God loves us so much that He is concerned about each and every single one of us. Just like the psalmist, I sometimes find myself asking God why He, the creator of the heavens and the earth, would be mindful of me (verse 4)? After all, I have so many flaws.

The answer that I get from God is always the same. It's because of His grace. His grace that was given us and demonstrated when Jesus went to the cross to take upon all of our sins while we were still sinners (Romans 5:8). God loves us because He loves us.

And because of His love for us, He gave us authority over every living creature and allow us to rule over the earth (verse 5 - 8). This means He wants us to have victory over every storms in our lives, just like the eagle soaring high above the storm, as shown below.




One of the challenges for me in 2008 is to be able to enter God's rest in the midst of so many commitments - I have more roles and responsibilities to play in school, serving actively in TPE, running cell groups, being part of WM12, going through MPC and spending time with family. This is like a storm to me.

But I know that I want to be like the eagle and rise above the storms. To find rest in the Lord. To find intimacy with Him.


Things to ponder:
1. Is there a storm in your life right now? Or is there a storm you're expecting?
2. If you are able to rise above this storm, what would the outcome look like?
3. Present your requests before the Lord immediately. Don't wait.


Dear Lord Jesus, thank You for the cross. It is at the cross that You took upon all my sins. Because of that, I am able to experience victories in my life. Lord, I know that in 2008, I will be very busy. But I pray that I will rise above this storm (of busyness) and spend time with You consistently. Lord, I want to have intimacy with You and find rest in You. Thank You, Lord. I pray all this in Your name. Amen!

Psalm 7

1 O LORD my God, I take refuge in you;
save and deliver me from all who pursue me,

2 or they will tear me like a lion
and rip me to pieces with no one to rescue me.

3 O LORD my God, if I have done this
and there is guilt on my hands-

4 if I have done evil to him who is at peace with me
or without cause have robbed my foe-

5 then let my enemy pursue and overtake me;
let him trample my life to the ground
and make me sleep in the dust.
Selah

6 Arise, O LORD, in your anger;
rise up against the rage of my enemies.
Awake, my God; decree justice.

7 Let the assembled peoples gather around you.
Rule over them from on high;

8 let the LORD judge the peoples.
Judge me, O LORD, according to my righteousness,
according to my integrity, O Most High.

9 O righteous God,
who searches minds and hearts,
bring to an end the violence of the wicked
and make the righteous secure.

10 My shield is God Most High,
who saves the upright in heart.

11 God is a righteous judge,
God who expresses his wrath every day.

12 If he does not relent,
he will sharpen his sword;
he will bend and string his bow.

13 He has prepared his deadly weapons;
he makes ready his flaming arrows.

14 He who is pregnant with evil
and conceives trouble gives birth to disillusionment.

15 He who digs a hole and scoops it out
falls into the pit he has made.

16 The trouble he causes recoils on himself;
his violence comes down on his own head.

17 I will give thanks to the LORD because of his righteousness
and will sing praise to the name of the LORD Most High.

Just like many of his psalms, David started with telling God how much trouble he is in.

Notice that in this psalm, David was so certain that he is a righteous man in the eyes of God. Look at verse 8. He actually asked God to judge him according to his righteousness (in Chinese, it's called yi).

Well, if you know the life of David, he sinned against God big time when he murdered Uriah and made Bathsheba his wife.

How then can he be considered righteous?

Look at Genesis 15:6 "Abram believed the LORD, and he credited it to him as righteousness."

Righteousness in the kingdom of God doesn't mean that you totally have no sins (if so, there is no need for Jesus). But it means that you need to put your faith in the Lord.

I believe that David believes in God. He believes in whatever God said to him.

Do you believe in God? Do you believe in whatever God says in the Bible? That He will love and bless you to a thousand generations when you keep His commandments (Exodus 20:6)? How about the promise that He has a plan for you? A plan to prosper you and not to harm you (Jeremiah 29:11)? I know that there are times I didn't believe in them.


Things to ponder:
1. Out of a scale of 1 to 10, how righteous do you think you are? Give an honest self-evaluation.
2. Are there promises in the Bible that you thought they are NOT meant for you? List them out.
3. Pray about all these promises and believe God for them. If there're sins in your life that interferes with God's promises, confess & repent straight away!


Dear God, I really pray that today I will be reminded that when I put my faith in You, when I trust You and when I believe in You, You have already declared me righteous. By the blood of the Lamb, You've cleansed me of all my past, present and future sins. Thank You, God, for sending You son, Jesus to die for me. I pray all this in Jesus' name. Amen!

Psalm 6

1 O LORD, do not rebuke me in your anger
or discipline me in your wrath.

2 Be merciful to me, LORD, for I am faint;
O LORD, heal me, for my bones are in agony.

3 My soul is in anguish.
How long, O LORD, how long?

4 Turn, O LORD, and deliver me;
save me because of your unfailing love.

5 No one remembers you when he is dead.
Who praises you from the grave [b] ?

6 I am worn out from groaning;
all night long I flood my bed with weeping
and drench my couch with tears.

7 My eyes grow weak with sorrow;
they fail because of all my foes.

8 Away from me, all you who do evil,
for the LORD has heard my weeping.

9 The LORD has heard my cry for mercy;
the LORD accepts my prayer.

10 All my enemies will be ashamed and dismayed;
they will turn back in sudden disgrace.

As I read this psalm, I could almost feel the hopelessness that the psalmist felt at that point in time. How many times I myself have come to a point and tell God, "I cannot make it. I want to give up fighting!" Sometimes we just feel like the whole world is against us.

However, as I read the psalm again, I realised one thing. Despite the emotions, the psalmist still acknowledges that God's love for him is unfailing (verse 4) and He will accept his prayers (verse 9).

I need to be like the psalmist. To have that kind of faith in the Lord, despite the not-so-victorious situations, I need to remember the cross. It's only at the cross that we see how our Lord Jesus took upon Himself all our sins and died for us. That is an act of unfailing love.


Dear Lord Jesus, I know that You love me so much that You went to the cross for me. You took it upon Yourself all my sins even though You're perfect and without sins. Lord, thank You for loving me. I pray that I will always remember Your unfailing love, and that I will thank You and trust You even when I'm in challenging circumstances. Thank You, Lord. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen!

Psalm 5

1 Give ear to my words, O LORD,
consider my sighing.
2 Listen to my cry for help,
my King and my God,
for to you I pray.

3 In the morning, O LORD, you hear my voice;
in the morning I lay my requests before you
and wait in expectation.

4 You are not a God who takes pleasure in evil;
with you the wicked cannot dwell.

5 The arrogant cannot stand in your presence;
you hate all who do wrong.

6 You destroy those who tell lies;
bloodthirsty and deceitful men
the LORD abhors.

7 But I, by your great mercy,
will come into your house;
in reverence will I bow down
toward your holy temple.

8 Lead me, O LORD, in your righteousness
because of my enemies—
make straight your way before me.

9 Not a word from their mouth can be trusted;
their heart is filled with destruction.
Their throat is an open grave;
with their tongue they speak deceit.

10 Declare them guilty, O God!
Let their intrigues be their downfall.
Banish them for their many sins,
for they have rebelled against you.

11 But let all who take refuge in you be glad;
let them ever sing for joy.
Spread your protection over them,
that those who love your name may rejoice in you.

12 For surely, O LORD, you bless the righteous;
you surround them with your favor as with a shield.

After reading through Psalm 5, there is one conclusion that I gather:
God cares deeply about you and I.

When we're in need, or even when we're lamenting, the Lord's invitation to us is to lay down all requests before Him (verse 3). And then we just need to wait in expectation. At the right time, God will give us answers.

God did not say that when we trust in Him, we will not have enemies or tribulations. But in verse 8, He said that we can ask of Him to make straight our paths.

He also said that He will bless us with His joy, favour and protection when we recognize Him as our refuge.

As I think about the year just past - 2007, I discover that in almost every situation, God brought about a closure or answer to the things that happened.

Isn't it amazing grace? That He who created the heavens and the earth is actually interested in each of our lives?


Dear heavenly Father, today I just want to give thanks to You because I know You care deeply about me. Whenever I am in need, whenever I face tribulations, I know that I can ask of You. As I reflect on the past year, I realize that You have kept watch over me. You have blessed me tremendously. Thank You, Father. I pray that I will always have a heart of thanksgiving. I pray all this in Jesus' name. Amen!

Psalm 4

1 Answer me when I call to you,
O my righteous God.
Give me relief from my distress;
be merciful to me and hear my prayer.

2 How long, O men, will you turn my glory into shame?
How long will you love delusions and seek false gods?
Selah

3 Know that the LORD has set apart the godly for himself;
the LORD will hear when I call to him.

4 In your anger do not sin;
when you are on your beds,
search your hearts and be silent.
Selah

5 Offer right sacrifices
and trust in the LORD.

6 Many are asking, "Who can show us any good?"
Let the light of your face shine upon us, O LORD.

7 You have filled my heart with greater joy
than when their grain and new wine abound.

8 I will lie down and sleep in peace,
for you alone, O LORD,
make me dwell in safety.

In this psalm, the Lord promises us a few things:

1. The Lord will hear our prayers (verse 3).
2. The Lord will give us joy that is far deeper than what material things give (verse 7).
3. The Lord will grant us peace (verse 8).


I really desire the things that the psalmist has mentioned. But he also talked about something like a prequisite - that I need to offer the Lord the right sacrifices and trust Him. One of the best sacrifices that we can give to the Lord is TIME. We need to spend time with Him.

Everyday before food, a psalm a day.

For the past few days, I have been reading the book of Psalms. The amount of joy, wisdom and peace that I get out of it is amazing. I just sense the closeness of God.

And I want to continue this. My commitment is to blog daily about the things that God have spoken to me through the book of Psalms.


Dear Holy Spirit, I pray that everyday, I will put spending time with You as the top priority in my life. That each day, before I have my breakfast, I want to first have my spiritual food - the word of God. I do not want to rush in each day and do things without first consulting You. I offer this as a sacrifice before You. Holy Spirit, take complete control of my life. Sustain me each day, even if I am physically tired. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen!

Psalm 3

1 O LORD, how many are my foes!
How many rise up against me!
2 Many are saying of me,
"God will not deliver him."
Selah

3 But you are a shield around me, O LORD;
you bestow glory on me and lift up my head.

4 To the LORD I cry aloud,
and he answers me from his holy hill.
Selah

5 I lie down and sleep;
I wake again, because the LORD sustains me.

6 I will not fear the tens of thousands
drawn up against me on every side.

7 Arise, O LORD!
Deliver me, O my God!
Strike all my enemies on the jaw;
break the teeth of the wicked.

8 From the LORD comes deliverance.
May your blessing be on your people.
Selah

This psalm was written by David while he was fleeing away from his son, Absalom. I could imagine the depth of emotions that David had.

The fear. The despair. The helplessness. The sadness. The weariness.

2 things I felt God spoke to me as I read this psalm.
1. In verse 3, David acknowledged that God was His shield. He was well-protected.
2. In verse 5, David acknowledged that God was the one who sustained Him.

Firstly, there have been times in my life that I felt that some people were just unfriendly and against me. I felt like retaliating, to be honest. To treat them the same way as they did to me. An eye for an eye.

However, that wasn't what David did. He chose to trust in the Lord. He believed that God was His shield. God will bring him through whatever circumstances. God will protect him.

Jesus put it plainly in Luke 6:27-33. Love your enemies. Let God be the one who vindicates you.

Secondly, there are times that I personally felt burnt out. There were so many things that needed my attention, and I just felt like giving up, and not doing anything. But now, I know that my response should be like David.

Let God be the one that sustains me. I don't want to rely on my own strength.

In order for me to really recognize that God is my shield and He is the one who sustains me, I need to grown in INTIMACY with Him in the Year of Sabbath, 2008. Everyday before food, 1 psalm a day is a commitment that the church have made corporately.


Dear Father-in-heaven, help me remember that You are always my shield. When I am in difficult circumstances or when I faced broken relationships with people, You will protect me and vindicate me. Lord, I want to trust You in all things. And also, I pray that I will always allow You to sustain me, whether is it good times or bad times. Help me also grow in intimacy with You. In Jesus' name I ask and pray. Amen!

Psalm 2

1 Why do the nations conspire
and the peoples plot in vain?

2 The kings of the earth take their stand
and the rulers gather together
against the LORD
and against his Anointed One.

3 "Let us break their chains," they say,
"and throw off their fetters."

4 The One enthroned in heaven laughs;
the Lord scoffs at them.

5 Then he rebukes them in his anger
and terrifies them in his wrath, saying,

6 "I have installed my King
on Zion, my holy hill."

7 I will proclaim the decree of the LORD :
He said to me, "You are my Son ;
today I have become your Father.

8 Ask of me,
and I will make the nations your inheritance,
the ends of the earth your possession.

9 You will rule them with an iron scepter;
you will dash them to pieces like pottery."

10 Therefore, you kings, be wise;
be warned, you rulers of the earth.

11 Serve the LORD with fear
and rejoice with trembling.

12 Kiss the Son, lest he be angry
and you be destroyed in your way,
for his wrath can flare up in a moment.
Blessed are all who take refuge in him.

This psalm really speaks a lot to my heart. Often the negative influence of this fallen world is so strong. Many people choose to live according to their desires and selfish ambitions. Either they have heard of God, but they deny Him, or they simply don't believe in God.

In both cases, they are against God.

The Lord's word is clear. These people will not have victories. They will not be victors.

On the other hand, for those whom God has called His children, He will make nations their inheritance, and the ends of the earth their possessions (verse 8). God's promises to us is that He will make us the head, and not the tail; the top and not the bottom (Deu 28:13).

Do you have victories at your workplace or your school? Ask of Him (but don't do it out of selfish ambition because God hates it - Gal 5:19-21).



Dear Father-in-heaven, You're the One that has created ALL things. And I know that because I believed in Jesus, I am Your son, not Your slave. Today, I ask of You, that You will give me a greater foothold in my workplace, so that through my life, men can praise You. I ask all this in Jesus' name. Amen.

Psalm 1

1 Blessed is the man
who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked
or stand in the way of sinners
or sit in the seat of mockers.
2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD,
and on his law he meditates day and night.

3 He is like a tree planted by streams of water,
which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither.
Whatever he does prospers.

4 Not so the wicked!
They are like chaff
that the wind blows away.

5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.

6 For the LORD watches over the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked will perish.

In this psalm, God's promise to us is that we will be fruitful in every aspect of our lives, just like trees growing near streams. He wants to makes us successful. He wants to bless us.

But there're conditions attached to this promise.
1. We must not seek the counsel of the world or be part of it.
2. We need to meditate His word day and night.

Honestly, I don't know how many times I have given up reading God's word or spending time with Him and went on to do my own things. This psalm just awakens something in me. I need to know and meditate upon His word.


O'Lord, I confess to You the times that I walked away from Your word. I pray that this day, I make a fresh new commitment to You. I want to know Your word and apply it into my life. I want to be like a tree by Your streams of living water. Help me meditate upon Your word day and night. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Marina South Steamboat 14/10/07

Last Sunday, I went to Marina South for steamboat together with my cell group. Stephen's & Darren's cell & Weijie came along too. We had a really good time cooking all the crabs and prawns and other stuff. =)

Do You Have a Life?

About a week ago or two, my cell group brothers and I came together and played the "Game of Life". It's a rather interesting boardgame.

Features of the game:

1) You have to get a job.

2) You have to get married.

3) You have to buy a house.


Here are our photos..

How Far Will You Go to Bless Someone?

Last Saturday, I had this very interesting encounter. I was queueing up to pay my credit card bill at an AXS machine in Bukit Merah.

"Hello. Can you help me to the toilet? Very urgent." I heard someone asked me from behind.

I turned around and saw an uncle on a wheelchair. I recognized him. He always sell Sweepstake tickets in that area.

I was a bit flustered, to be honest. I didn't know how to respond initially. I half-wanted to just give some excuse and leave. But something stopped me. I almost forgot that I'm on this campaign to be a blessing to people around me. Now, it's the best chance for me to bless this uncle.

I put aside my credit card and plucked up my courage and started to push the uncle towards the toilet. Well.. it is then I realised that the only toilet that can accomodate the wheelchair lies on the other side of the road. I was a bit shocked because I had to wheel him across the road (there was a overheard bridge, but the lifts weren't working). Gosh.. This task kept getting harder.

Nonetheless, I pressed on. I slowly wheel the uncle cross the road. Thank God that there weren't that many vehicles at that time.

When I finally reached the toilet, I was half hoping that I can just push the uncle into the toilet and he can settle the rest himself.

Well, I was wrong of course. I went on to help him relieve himself. I'm not a nurse, I had never done it before and felt quite clumsy and embarrassed about it.

After that, I pushed the uncle all the way back to his original position, next to the AXS machine. Yes, I had to cross the road again. Thank God this time, a SBS bus captain helped me stopped part of the traffic so that I can wheel the uncle across.

Upon reflection, I felt that it's not just the uncle who is being blessed. Actually, I'm being blessed too. I realised that when I overcame my initial fears and discomforts and blessed him, my heart was kept soft.

Every time we see a need,and we ignore it, our hearts become hardened. I prefer to respond to the needs around me, as much as I can. I want to be tender-hearted always.

Elkan's Special Blessing

Today, God put in my heart to go back to the secondary school I taught in, to visit my mentor class, say hi to some colleagues (sell Teachers' Conference tickets also), follow-up on a 100K blessing student, and prayer walk the school.

I want to give thanks because though I didnt have a chance to do the 100k with the teachers, I managed to bless the key people I worked with, with encouragement notes and packets of M&Ms.

What was more divinely planned was this: In the whole tenure I was there, I NEVER saw the prinicipal ate in the canteen. She would usually packed food to eat in her office. But today I saw her eating with the VPs and some discipline masters, so I plucked up my courage to bless them with the notes & M&Ms.

I sense the spiritual climate change, as they (the teachers and my mentor class) were genuinely very surprised to see me back. I have a feeling there was no precedent before me.

I may not have done the 100k card with them, but in blessing them, I felt God telling me that I am breaking the spirit of disillusionment (many teachers dread to be posted to teach in neighbourhood schools) and spirit of individualism (with the heavy admin load, many of the teachers have lost the heart and passion to care, and just want to mind their own business).

Anyway God threw me a surprise. I got a 100k blessing filled up after all. The person I was following up with, brought along a friend, so I had the chance to share with her. It was amazing because she wanted ALL the blessings that her friend received. Maybe it's because as a N(T) student, nobody has cared or blessed her before.

I felt through this, God was teaching me a valuable lesson that the down and out has a special place in God's heart. In blessing them, I have blessed God's heart as well.


Elkan

David's 1st Blessing

My testimony dates back to the first person I blessed, and an example of how God answered my simple prayer of opening doors.

On that weekday, I had to go to Clementi Primary School to resolve outstanding costume issues for NDP. As I stepped into the train at Jurong Interchange, in trudged a crippled man with a deformed left foot. His left foot was bent toward the ground, to the point where, he'll walk on his toes instead of the sole of his foot. I simply told God that if I was going bless him if he get's off at Clementi with me.

He did get off at Clementi. I walked next to him, still hesitant on approaching him. That hesitation lasted all the way till I reached his house that was directly above Botak Jones, when I finally talked to him about the 100K. As we stopped and talked, I realized that he wasn't that mentally stable too, but, at least, he was willing to be blessed for healing.

I'll continue to pray for complete healing over his foot!


David