Psalm 23

1 The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.

2 He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,

3 he restores my soul.
He guides me in paths of righteousness
for his name's sake.

4 Even though I walk
through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.

5 You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.

6 Surely goodness and love will follow me
all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the LORD
forever.

If there's ever going to be a most popular psalm of the Bible award, I'm quite sure Psalm 23 will be a strong contender. Personally, I've read Psalm 23 when I was a young Christian, and even got to memorize it by heart.

It's really a beautiful psalm.

As I read Psalm 23,the thing that struck me most is how God will always meet the needs in us.

Verse 2 talks about physical needs like food & peace in our hearts.
Verse 3 talks about restoration of soul & direction in life.
Verse 4 talks about direction even in the most dangerous and difficult of situations & God will give us the comfort that we need.

The conclusion is that for a person who truly follow and love God, goodness and love will him all the days of his life. He will bring about blessings to everyone around him.

My own personal application is to commit my career to the Lord. Lately, it seems that there are many things happening in the school. And I have much more responsibilities than before. I really need God to guide me and give me direction.


Things to ponder
1. What is one need in your life that you want God to satisfy? You can choose from the list of needs shown above.
2. Out of a scale of 1 to 10 (10 being the best!), what would you rate yourself in terms of being a blessing to the friends around you? Why?
3. 2. Out of a scale of 1 to 10 (10 being the best!), what do you think your friends would rate you in terms of being a blessing? Why?
4. Pray and ask God to meet your real needs. And also pray & ask God that Psalm 23:6 comes true in your life.

Click here for Pastor YC's reflection on Psalm 23

Psalm 22

1 My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
Why are you so far from saving me,
so far from the words of my groaning?

2 O my God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer,
by night, and am not silent.

3 Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One;
you are the praise of Israel.

4 In you our fathers put their trust;
they trusted and you delivered them.

5 They cried to you and were saved;
in you they trusted and were not disappointed.

6 But I am a worm and not a man,
scorned by men and despised by the people.

7 All who see me mock me;
they hurl insults, shaking their heads:

8 "He trusts in the LORD;
let the LORD rescue him.
Let him deliver him,
since he delights in him."

9 Yet you brought me out of the womb;
you made me trust in you
even at my mother's breast.

10 From birth I was cast upon you;
from my mother's womb you have been my God.

11 Do not be far from me,
for trouble is near
and there is no one to help.

12 Many bulls surround me;
strong bulls of Bashan encircle me.

13 Roaring lions tearing their prey
open their mouths wide against me.

14 I am poured out like water,
and all my bones are out of joint.
My heart has turned to wax;
it has melted away within me.

15 My strength is dried up like a potsherd,
and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth;
you lay me in the dust of death.

16 Dogs have surrounded me;
a band of evil men has encircled me,
they have pierced my hands and my feet.

17 I can count all my bones;
people stare and gloat over me.

18 They divide my garments among them
and cast lots for my clothing.

19 But you, O LORD, be not far off;
O my Strength, come quickly to help me.

20 Deliver my life from the sword,
my precious life from the power of the dogs.

21 Rescue me from the mouth of the lions;
save me from the horns of the wild oxen.

22 I will declare your name to my brothers;
in the congregation I will praise you.

23 You who fear the LORD, praise him!
All you descendants of Jacob, honor him!
Revere him, all you descendants of Israel!

24 For he has not despised or disdained
the suffering of the afflicted one;
he has not hidden his face from him
but has listened to his cry for help.

25 From you comes the theme of my praise in the great assembly;
before those who fear you will I fulfill my vows.

26 The poor will eat and be satisfied;
they who seek the LORD will praise him—
may your hearts live forever!

27 All the ends of the earth
will remember and turn to the LORD,
and all the families of the nations
will bow down before him,

28 for dominion belongs to the LORD
and he rules over the nations.

29 All the rich of the earth will feast and worship;
all who go down to the dust will kneel before him—
those who cannot keep themselves alive.

30 Posterity will serve him;
future generations will be told about the Lord.

31 They will proclaim his righteousness
to a people yet unborn—
for he has done it.

From verses 1 to 18, we can tell that the psalmist, David was probably at his wit's end. He even felt that God has abandoned him.

Actually, the situation was very similiar when Jesus was hung on the cross. He said the same thing just before He died, as written in Matthew 27:45 "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?".

But as Psalm 22 continues, it is simply amazing. David declared that God's deliverance for him will surely come. And not just that. Everyone will bow down in worship before Him, and He will rule over the nations (verse 27).


Today, I just came back from a short cell retreat with my cell leader, Wai Mun and my cell brothers. One of the things that Wai Mun shared was that as we do the things that pleases God, He will not shortchange us. One of the things that always bothers me is my family salvation. I sometimes wonder if I should spend less time in ministry and more time at home.

God's answer to me was clearly no. I just need to trust Him and continue serving Him faithfully. Psalm 22:27 will happen. My family will be one of those that will worship God. They will be saved.


Things to ponder
1. Do you have any family members who are pre-believers? List them down here. If you don't have, you can list down the names of 3 pre-believer friends.
2. What is one thing you can do differently this year so that the people you have listed down will come to know Jesus?
3. Pray a prayer to claim the promise of Psalm 22:27 for them. That they too will be saved.

Click here for Pastor YC's reflection on Psalm 22

Psalm 21

1 O LORD, the king rejoices in your strength.
How great is his joy in the victories you give!

2 You have granted him the desire of his heart
and have not withheld the request of his lips.
Selah

3 You welcomed him with rich blessings
and placed a crown of pure gold on his head.

4 He asked you for life, and you gave it to him—
length of days, for ever and ever.

5 Through the victories you gave, his glory is great;
you have bestowed on him splendor and majesty.

6 Surely you have granted him eternal blessings
and made him glad with the joy of your presence.

7 For the king trusts in the LORD;
through the unfailing love of the Most High
he will not be shaken.

8 Your hand will lay hold on all your enemies;
your right hand will seize your foes.

9 At the time of your appearing
you will make them like a fiery furnace.
In his wrath the LORD will swallow them up,
and his fire will consume them.

10 You will destroy their descendants from the earth,
their posterity from mankind.

11 Though they plot evil against you
and devise wicked schemes, they cannot succeed;

12 for you will make them turn their backs
when you aim at them with drawn bow.

13 Be exalted, O LORD, in your strength;
we will sing and praise your might.

In verse 2, the psalmist, David talked about how God blessed him and granted him the desires of his heart. He really received a lot from the Lord, as we can see from the subsequent verses.

The question is: does that mean that God always answer our prayers immediately?
I really don't think so. There are at least 2 reasons.

Firstly, many of us pray for things to satisfy our self-centred desires. When we ask God of something, we did not ask with the right motives. James 4:3 says it all: "When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures."

Secondly, God wants to mold our characters as we pray. He wants us to learn to press on and persevere in prayers for the things deep in our hearts. As seen in Romans 5:3-4, sufferings produces perseverance, perseverance produces character and character hope.

I remember there was a time whereby I pray fervently and ask God to help me keep a particular relationship going. However, it seems that the more I pray, things just became worse. In the end, the relationship was gone. As I reflect on this, I realised that I prayed for the relationship because of my own selfish motives. Hence, God didn't answer my prayers.

To sum it up, we need to desire things that the Lord Himself desires. Let our desires coincide with His will.


Things to ponder
1. What are some things that you really desire and have been praying for it for some time?
2. Stop and ask the Holy Spirit why your prayers are not answered? Is it because of wrong motives? Or because God wants you to grow in perseverance.
3. Pray a prayer and ask God to give you a heart that coincides with His will.

Click here for Pastor YC's reflection on Psalm 21

Psalm 20

1 May the LORD answer you when you are in distress;
may the name of the God of Jacob protect you.

2 May he send you help from the sanctuary
and grant you support from Zion.

3 May he remember all your sacrifices
and accept your burnt offerings.
Selah

4 May he give you the desire of your heart
and make all your plans succeed.

5 We will shout for joy when you are victorious
and will lift up our banners in the name of our God.
May the LORD grant all your requests.

6 Now I know that the LORD saves his anointed;
he answers him from his holy heaven
with the saving power of his right hand.

7 Some trust in chariots and some in horses,
but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.

8 They are brought to their knees and fall,
but we rise up and stand firm.

9 O LORD, save the king!
Answer us when we call!

I think it was 2 years ago. I could still remember quite clearly. At the Sanctification Weekend, Pastor Hee Guan preached from Psalm 20. He focused on verse 7.

Some trust in chariots and some in horses,
but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.

I felt that the Holy Spirit spoke to me so much on that night. I was deeply ministered. Now as I read this verse again, I am as amazed as before, at the depth of its meaning.

At the time of the psalmist, chariots and horses represent military might. Obviously if you have many chariots at that time, you will feel powerful and in control. You will be able to defeat your enemies and conquer much land.

In the present day context, what do the horses and chariots represent?

I believe that they represent not just military might. They represent things that make you feel that you are in control.


For instance, to the working adults, horses and chariots can refer to their career or financial wealth. They put all their energy into climbing the corporate ladder and to accumulate money. When they achieve a reasonable level of success, they feel that they are in control, and they can have anything they want.

Another example, to the youths, horses and chariots can refer to the Internet. Whenever they are in the online world, they feel so much in control. Applications that can make them feel this way include MSN (they can choose the people they want to talk to), Maple Story or World of Warcraft (they can become super-high level characters), Friendster or Facebook (they can add all their friends), etc. Even the World Wide Web makes them feel like information is just so readily available. They can find anything, as and when they want.

I'm not saying that we should not aim high in our career (please do) nor am I saying that we should not use the Internet (this blog is on the Internet..). I'm saying that we must not put our complete trust in them. Because they are things that will not last. You may be retrenched. You may become bankrupt. Internet connection can be down. Who knows?

But we can trust in the name of the Lord, our God! He lasts. He was, He is and He is to come.

Personally, I know that I've been trusting God with more parts of my life now than in the past. One of the breakthroughs is my finances. I always give to the Lord faithfully and to others generously (usually). I just surrender all my finances to the Lord, and He always blessed me with more (like increasing my salary when I didn't expect it).

Trusting and surrendering always come together. One area I need to learn to trust God and surrender more is my family salvation.


Things to ponder
1. Out of 100%, how many percent of your life have you surrendered to the Lord?
2. Are there things in your life that you have placed too much trust in? Like studies, friends, computer games, etc. List them down here.
3. Are there areas in your life that you have difficulties surrendering? List them down too.
4. Pray and commit to walk the journey of trusting God and surrendering to Him every area of your life.


Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You are my Rock and Savior. You will always be there for me, no matter what happens. I pray that every day, I will learn to trust You more, and have the Holy Spirit to guide me every moment of my life. Lord, I know that I still struggle with commiting my family salvation into Your hands. Today, I make a decision of surrendering it into Your mighty hands and trust that You will give the breakthrough. I just need to be a good testimony in my own family. Thank You, God. In Jesus' name, I pray and put all my trust in You. Amen!

Click here for Pastor YC's reflection on Psalm 20

Psalm 19

1 The heavens declare the glory of God;
the skies proclaim the work of his hands.

2 Day after day they pour forth speech;
night after night they display knowledge.

3 There is no speech or language
where their voice is not heard.

4 Their voice goes out into all the earth,
their words to the ends of the world.
In the heavens he has pitched a tent for the sun,

5 which is like a bridegroom coming forth from his pavilion,
like a champion rejoicing to run his course.

6 It rises at one end of the heavens
and makes its circuit to the other;
nothing is hidden from its heat.

7 The law of the LORD is perfect,
reviving the soul.
The statutes of the LORD are trustworthy,
making wise the simple.

8 The precepts of the LORD are right,
giving joy to the heart.
The commands of the LORD are radiant,
giving light to the eyes.

9 The fear of the LORD is pure,
enduring forever.
The ordinances of the LORD are sure
and altogether righteous.

10 They are more precious than gold,
than much pure gold;
they are sweeter than honey,
than honey from the comb.

11 By them is your servant warned;
in keeping them there is great reward.

12 Who can discern his errors?
Forgive my hidden faults.

13 Keep your servant also from willful sins;
may they not rule over me.
Then will I be blameless,
innocent of great transgression.

14 May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
be pleasing in your sight,
O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.

If we want any evidence that our God is awesome, our God is omnipotent (all-powerful), we just need to look at the skies at night. The stars. The constellations. As the psalmist put it in verse 1, "The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands."


In order for us to enjoy the lives that He has blessed us with, God has given us certain boundaries. His laws, statutes, percepts, commands and ordinances are meant to protect us from our sinful nature. It is to benefit us, and not to harm us.

And the psalmist goes on to say that at times, we may unknowingly sin against God. That's why he asked God to forgive his hidden faults in verse 12. The other scenario is that we sin against God on purpose and willfully, to satisfy our sinful desires, mentioned in verse 13.

There were so many times that I struggle with my eyes. Whenever an attractive lady or a scantily-dressed lady walked past me, there's always this reaction to take a second look. It's really my old nature. When I'm alert spiritually, I would forcefully turn my head away. When I'm not, I would find myself commiting the sin of lust of the eyes.

Whether is it sinning on purpose or otherwise, it's still a sin. I have to come back to the cross. To confess, repent and seek forgiveness.


Things to Ponder
1. Have you been sinning against the Lord recently (doesn't matter is it purposely or not purposely)? List the sins down. If not, talk to your cell leader.
2. Pray and ask God to reveal to you your hidden sins right now. Confess and repent before Him.
3. Pray Psalm 19: 14, that the words of our mouths and the meditation of our hearts be pleasing in God's eyes.


Dear God, I thank You for all the laws, commandments and boundaries that You have placed around us. I know that they are meant to protect us and to bless us. I confess before You that there are times that I committed the lust of the eyes. Lord, please forgive me. Help me be strong spiritually, and that I will not fall into such sins again. Lord, let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be always pleasing before You. Thank You, Lord. Thank You for sending Jesus to die for my sins, so that I may be forgiven. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen!

Click here for Pastor YC's reflection on Psalm 19

Psalm 18

1 I love you, O LORD, my strength.

2 The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer;
my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge.
He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.

3 I call to the LORD, who is worthy of praise,
and I am saved from my enemies.

4 The cords of death entangled me;
the torrents of destruction overwhelmed me.

5 The cords of the grave coiled around me;
the snares of death confronted me.

6 In my distress I called to the LORD;
I cried to my God for help.
From his temple he heard my voice;
my cry came before him, into his ears.

7 The earth trembled and quaked,
and the foundations of the mountains shook;
they trembled because he was angry.

8 Smoke rose from his nostrils;
consuming fire came from his mouth,
burning coals blazed out of it.

9 He parted the heavens and came down;
dark clouds were under his feet.

10 He mounted the cherubim and flew;
he soared on the wings of the wind.

11 He made darkness his covering, his canopy around him—
the dark rain clouds of the sky.

12 Out of the brightness of his presence clouds advanced,
with hailstones and bolts of lightning.

13 The LORD thundered from heaven;
the voice of the Most High resounded.

14 He shot his arrows and scattered the enemies ,
great bolts of lightning and routed them.

15 The valleys of the sea were exposed
and the foundations of the earth laid bare
at your rebuke, O LORD,
at the blast of breath from your nostrils.

16 He reached down from on high and took hold of me;
he drew me out of deep waters.

17 He rescued me from my powerful enemy,
from my foes, who were too strong for me.

18 They confronted me in the day of my disaster,
but the LORD was my support.

19 He brought me out into a spacious place;
he rescued me because he delighted in me.

20 The LORD has dealt with me according to my righteousness;
according to the cleanness of my hands he has rewarded me.

21 For I have kept the ways of the LORD;
I have not done evil by turning from my God.

22 All his laws are before me;
I have not turned away from his decrees.

23 I have been blameless before him
and have kept myself from sin.

24 The LORD has rewarded me according to my righteousness,
according to the cleanness of my hands in his sight.

25 To the faithful you show yourself faithful,
to the blameless you show yourself blameless,

26 to the pure you show yourself pure,
but to the crooked you show yourself shrewd.

27 You save the humble
but bring low those whose eyes are haughty.

28 You, O LORD, keep my lamp burning;
my God turns my darkness into light.

29 With your help I can advance against a troop;
with my God I can scale a wall.

30 As for God, his way is perfect;
the word of the LORD is flawless.
He is a shield
for all who take refuge in him.

31 For who is God besides the LORD ?
And who is the Rock except our God?

32 It is God who arms me with strength
and makes my way perfect.

33 He makes my feet like the feet of a deer;
he enables me to stand on the heights.

34 He trains my hands for battle;
my arms can bend a bow of bronze.

35 You give me your shield of victory,
and your right hand sustains me;
you stoop down to make me great.

36 You broaden the path beneath me,
so that my ankles do not turn.

37 I pursued my enemies and overtook them;
I did not turn back till they were destroyed.

38 I crushed them so that they could not rise;
they fell beneath my feet.

39 You armed me with strength for battle;
you made my adversaries bow at my feet.

40 You made my enemies turn their backs in flight,
and I destroyed my foes.

41 They cried for help, but there was no one to save them—
to the LORD, but he did not answer.

42 I beat them as fine as dust borne on the wind;
I poured them out like mud in the streets.

43 You have delivered me from the attacks of the people;
you have made me the head of nations;
people I did not know are subject to me.

44 As soon as they hear me, they obey me;
foreigners cringe before me.

45 They all lose heart;
they come trembling from their strongholds.

46 The LORD lives! Praise be to my Rock!
Exalted be God my Savior!

47 He is the God who avenges me,
who subdues nations under me,

48 who saves me from my enemies.
You exalted me above my foes;
from violent men you rescued me.

49 Therefore I will praise you among the nations, O LORD;
I will sing praises to your name.

50 He gives his king great victories;
he shows unfailing kindness to his anointed,
to David and his descendants forever.

This psalm was written by David when the Lord delivered him from the hands of his enemies and Saul. Hence, it is a thanksgiving to God. David attributed his victory wholly to the Lord. All glory to God, and none to himself.

David has demonstrated what many of us nowdays lack - thankfulness.

Last year, one of FCBC's main focus was "Always be Thankful". This is indeed an attitude that we should carry with us all the days of our lives, and not just in 2007. Hence, I started having a thanksgiving list at the side of my personal blog.

But I realised that I had not maintained it well. I had not updated my thanksgivings recently. I'm going to update it once every 2 weeks in 2008. Please hold me accountable to my words.

Another thing about Psalm 18 was the different names that David used to address God. Among them are:
1. God is my rock.
2. God is my fortress.
3. God is my deliverer.
4. God is my shield.
5. God is the horn of my salvation.
6. God is my stronghold.
7. God is my support.
8. God is my Savior.


For myself, the name that meant to me the most is "God is my rock". I believe that this is also of significance because David mentioned it 4 times in Psalm 18. 4 times!

Why Rock? Because in bad times, I need a big and stable rock to give me support and strength. Even if I do fall down, I can stand up by holding on to the rock. When my grandpa was sick in 2007, God supported me like a rock.

Why Rock? Because in good times, I need a big and stable rock to lean on so that I can be steadfast in whatever I do. Rock always reminds me of steadfastness. Now things are generally stable, but hanging on to God as my rock gives me steadfastness in all that I do. Steady Bom Bi Bi! Bi Bi Bom Steady!!


Things to Ponder
1. Are there victories in your life that you've forgotten to thank God? List them out.
2. Which name that David used to address God in Psalm 18 speaks to you most? Why?
3. Pray a prayer of thanksgiving for a) the name that God speaks to you the most; b) the things that you've not thank God for yet.


Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for giving me victories in my life. I know that whatever that I possess today - family, friends, relationships, finances, career, are things that You've blessed me with, by Your grace. And I thank You that You truly are my rock, who always support me in times of need, and make me steadfast in times of prosperity. In Jesus' name, I give thanks to You. Amen!

Click here for Pastor YC's reflection on Psalm 18

Psalm 17

1 Hear, O LORD, my righteous plea;
listen to my cry.
Give ear to my prayer—
it does not rise from deceitful lips.

2 May my vindication come from you;
may your eyes see what is right.

3 Though you probe my heart and examine me at night,
though you test me, you will find nothing;
I have resolved that my mouth will not sin.

4 As for the deeds of men—
by the word of your lips
I have kept myself
from the ways of the violent.

5 My steps have held to your paths;
my feet have not slipped.

6 I call on you, O God, for you will answer me;
give ear to me and hear my prayer.

7 Show the wonder of your great love,
you who save by your right hand
those who take refuge in you from their foes.

8 Keep me as the apple of your eye;
hide me in the shadow of your wings

9 from the wicked who assail me,
from my mortal enemies who surround me.

10 They close up their callous hearts,
and their mouths speak with arrogance.

11 They have tracked me down, they now surround me,
with eyes alert, to throw me to the ground.

12 They are like a lion hungry for prey,
like a great lion crouching in cover.

13 Rise up, O LORD, confront them, bring them down;
rescue me from the wicked by your sword.

14 O LORD, by your hand save me from such men,
from men of this world whose reward is in this life.
You still the hunger of those you cherish;
their sons have plenty,
and they store up wealth for their children.

15 And I—in righteousness I will see your face;
when I awake, I will be satisfied with seeing your likeness.

Just like many of the psalms written by David, you could feel the sense of desperation in him. From verses 9 - 12, it's like David was surrounded by his enemies and there was no way out. They were ready to take his life.

David began to pray the words of Psalm 17. At the start of the psalm, David was confident that God would answer his prayer. He was confident that God will find him righteous (indeed he is known to be a man after God's heart).

But I felt that the Holy Spirit ask me to look upon verse 8 deeper, especially its first part.

"Keep me as the apple of your eye;
hide me in the shadow of your wings"


Apple of the eye generally means someone who is favoured.

He is reminding me that when I truly take God seriously, just like David did, God will favour me in every area of my life.

Is it true? Well, I should think so. Many wealthy people are Christians. I think material wealth is one way of God showing His favour on His people.

Of course, it doesn't mean that if you're not wealthy, then God doesn't favour you. I believe that God will favour those who love Him in many different ways - be it academic results, health, giftings, etc. The response should always be a thankful spirit.

For myself, I really thank God for His favour all this while. For instance, by His grace, I got my first-class honours in NUS. And now, I have good working relationships with my colleagues in school. God also blessed me materially - my salary increased quite a few times within the span of 1 year in 2007! Really thank God for His favour.


Things to ponder
1. Can you think of one or two situations in your life that God has shown you special favour?
2. Are there situations that you would wish that God's favour be upon you right now?
3. Remember that we must first learn to be like David, and be after God's heart. Decide to separate your mind from the world and Delight to saturate your spirit with God's Word. And His favour will surely go with you. Make this prayer now.


Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for showing me favour all this while. I know that one of the reasons is because I take You seriously, since the days in NUS. I pray that I will continue to take you seriously, and learn to take even more delight in spending time with You. I also pray that You will continue to show me favour in the school, by Your grace. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen!

Click here for Pastor YC's reflection on Psalm 17

Psalm 16

1 Keep me safe, O God,
for in you I take refuge.

2 I said to the LORD, "You are my Lord;
apart from you I have no good thing."

3 As for the saints who are in the land,
they are the glorious ones in whom is all my delight.

4 The sorrows of those will increase
who run after other gods.
I will not pour out their libations of blood
or take up their names on my lips.

5 LORD, you have assigned me my portion and my cup;
you have made my lot secure.

6 The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;
surely I have a delightful inheritance.

7 I will praise the LORD, who counsels me;
even at night my heart instructs me.

8 I have set the LORD always before me.
Because he is at my right hand,
I will not be shaken.

9 Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices;
my body also will rest secure,

10 because you will not abandon me to the grave,
nor will you let your Holy One see decay.

11 You have made known to me the path of life;
you will fill me with joy in your presence,
with eternal pleasures at your right hand.

In this time and age, how many of us can truly say to God "You are my Lord, apart from You I have no good thing." (verse 2)?

This seemingly simple statement encompasses really deep meanings. To me, the most important and obvious one is that to have a close personal relationship with God is far more crucial than any other thing that we could possibly have - including family, money, friends, life partner, etc.

I honestly do think that I can say this statement with 100% conviction. There were times that I struggle in terms of surrendering things dear to my heart to the Lord. But I do know that I'm walking towards it. Now, I have learnt to surrender more things to Him than in the past.

And when we come to terms with verse 2, tremendous blessings will flow into our lives, as mentioned by the psalmist from verse 5 - 11.

One of the things mentioned is "contentment". It's when we recognize that God is the giver of everything, and that whatever things we have is of the right amount and degree. (Yes, we can always ask God to bless us with more, but the key is to be satisfied even if God don't give) Then gladness of heart and joy will overflow in our lives.


Sadly, one of the reasons why there are so many wars is that there are people who are dissatisfied with what they already possess, especially in terms of geographical space. Nations invade nations to gain more land and resources. They are not satisfied with their portion, lot and boundary lines. They just want more.

Personally, I'm really thankful for the things that God has blessed me with, be it family, ministry, relationship, career and financial resources. I'm very contented at this point actually, except for one thing. I've been called up for reservist. That is an area whereby I need to learn to be contented about and thank God for it.


Things to ponder
1. How satisfied are you with the overall state of your life at the present moment? Give a rating from 1 to 10 (10 is very satisfied).
2. What are one or two areas of your life that you feel dissatisfied about?
3. Pray and thank God for what you already have. Pray and ask for more in the areas you feel dissatisfied about, but remember not to feel resentful if this prayer is not answered. God will surely have reasons if that happens.


Dear Heavenly Father, truly apart from You, I have no good thing. Every blessing in my life originated from You. Thank You for giving me so much. Lord, I pray that I would continue to desire to have intimacy with You every day of my life, more than any other thing. And Lord, I know that I am weak and can be easily distracted. Help me to always stay focused on You. Help me to be always thankful in every situation in my life - including my reservist call up. Thank You Father. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen!

Click here for Pastor YC's reflection on Psalm 16

Psalm 15

1 LORD, who may dwell in your sanctuary?
Who may live on your holy hill?

2 He whose walk is blameless
and who does what is righteous,
who speaks the truth from his heart

3 and has no slander on his tongue,
who does his neighbor no wrong
and casts no slur on his fellowman,

4 who despises a vile man
but honors those who fear the LORD,
who keeps his oath
even when it hurts,

5 who lends his money without usury
and does not accept a bribe against the innocent.
He who does these things
will never be shaken.

This psalm is really reminding us of the kind of person that God will draw close to and allow to dwell in His sanctuary (verse 1). If we want to have an intimate relationship with God, we must strive to do the following.

1. Speaks the truth from our hearts, no lies, no facade (verse 2).
2. Don't slander others with words (verse 3a).
3. Don't do wrong to the people around us (verse 3b).
4. Don't mix so much with people who are wicked or godless (verse 4a).
5. Honors those who love God (verse 4b).
6. Keeps our promises even if they hurt (verse 4c).
7. Lend our money to others generously with no strings attached (verse 5a).
8. Don't accept bribes from the powerful and conspire against the innocent (verse 5b).


Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that if we make a mistake in any of the above, then God will not forgive us. Because of His grace, He will always forgive us if we confess and repent.

What I'm saying is that we should try our best to do the things mentioned. God sees our hearts. If He knows that we've given our best, He will surely bless us with His presence. And because of that, God will be our rock, and we will never be shaken by the world!

If I were to give myself a rating of 1 to 10 (10 means really good) for each of the 8 things mentioned above, I will give myself the following ratings:
1. (7)
2. (6)
3. (8)
4. (8)
5. (8)
6. (7)
7. (9)
8. (9)


Things to ponder
1. Do the same thing as I did. Reflect your life and rate each of the 8 things mentioned 1 to 10.
2. Choose the one with the lowest score and elaborate why it's the lowest.
3. Pray a prayer of commitment of this weakness to the Lord and ask Him for help. Confess and repent if need to.


Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for Your grace which allows me to draw close to You and have a personal relationship with You. I know that I'm filled with many imperfections. The thing I struggle most with is speaking bad or gossiping about others. Lord, I repent of sins and ask for Your forgiveness. Help me to stand up against it. I really want to be in Your sanctuary and be someone who won't be shaken by circumstances. In Jesus' name I ask and pray. Amen!

Click here for Pastor YC's reflection on Psalm 15

Psalm 14

1 The fool says in his heart,
"There is no God."
They are corrupt, their deeds are vile;
there is no one who does good.

2 The LORD looks down from heaven
on the sons of men
to see if there are any who understand,
any who seek God.

3 All have turned aside,
they have together become corrupt;
there is no one who does good,
not even one.

4 Will evildoers never learn—
those who devour my people as men eat bread
and who do not call on the LORD ?

5 There they are, overwhelmed with dread,
for God is present in the company of the righteous.

6 You evildoers frustrate the plans of the poor,
but the LORD is their refuge.

7 Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion!
When the LORD restores the fortunes of his people,
let Jacob rejoice and Israel be glad!

As I read this psalm, I just felt reminded by the Holy Spirit that I can be 100% (not 99%) sure that God will always bring about His blessings upon me, just as what the psalmist felt in verse 7. God's faithfulness to us is as certain as the fact that the sun will rise up every morning.




There were many times that I asked God "Where are You? Why have You forsaken me?". Eventually, God always bring something good out of the worst situation. And that is how I know the certainty of His love.


Things to ponder
1. What are some negative circumstances that you've experienced before and you questioned God's love?
2. What eventually happened to those negative circumstances? Was there a closure? If not, pray and ask God to reveal.
3. Spend time praising God for who He is. And how certain of His love we can be.


Dear Father, I give thanks that Your love for me is absolute and certain. That You will never forsake or abandon me. Even when I'm in the pits of my life, You were there to lift me up. Lord, help me to always remember Your love. Thank You for bringing me through the difficult circumstances. In Jesus' name, I pray and give thanks. Amen!

Click here for Pastor YC's Reflection on Psalm 14

Psalm 13

1 How long, O LORD ? Will you forget me forever?
How long will you hide your face from me?

2 How long must I wrestle with my thoughts
and every day have sorrow in my heart?
How long will my enemy triumph over me?

3 Look on me and answer, O LORD my God.
Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death;

4 my enemy will say, "I have overcome him,"
and my foes will rejoice when I fall.

5 But I trust in your unfailing love;
my heart rejoices in your salvation.

6 I will sing to the LORD,
for he has been good to me.

As I read this psalm, I can really identify with the psalmist's feelings of despair, as mentioned in verses 1 to 4. That there are times I feel so distant from God. And my heart is so heavy that I think it can literally just drop onto the ground. Other times will be when my mind is filled with negative thoughts and the feelings of sorrow inside me is simply overwhelming.

To summarize, I don't know how to go on.

To be honest, even now, though it is the Year of Sabbath, I feel like I'm carrying so many bags of potatoes (as Pastor Julie put it). I'm weighed down by many different responsibilites. Sometimes, I don't even know where to start.

Yes, I'm desperate, just like David, who wrote Psalm 13.

Yet, God is gracious. Verses 5 and 6 hold the keys to lift me out of my despair. And these two verses summarize one of the key focus of FCBC this year:
Remembrance and Reliance on the Lord.

Remember the cross, whereby Jesus died for me so that I may have abundant life.
Remember the blessings that God has given me in the past.

Remembering the Lord in 2007
1. I completed NIE and became a full-fledge teacher.
2. I was posted to RI (as I asked for).
3. My grandfather received Christ before he passed away.
4. Dawn & I have started MPC.

Thank You, Lord!


Things to ponder
1. Out of a scale of 1 to 10 (10 means great!), how has 2008 started out for you? Why?
2. For the year 2007, what are 3 things that you can give thanks for? List them out.
3. Pray and praise God for the blessings He has given you in 2007. Always remember them, especially when you go through hardships in 2008.


Dear Lord Jesus, thank You for the cross. Upon the cross, You have given me salvation. Upon the cross, You have lifted me up from my despair. Upon the cross, You have given me blessings upon blessings. Today, Lord, I make a commitment before You. I nail every burden and responsibility to the cross. Take complete control. I thank You once again, in Your name I pray. Amen!

Pastor YC's Reflection on Psalm 13

Psalm 12

1 Help, LORD, for the godly are no more;
the faithful have vanished from among men.

2 Everyone lies to his neighbor;
their flattering lips speak with deception.

3 May the LORD cut off all flattering lips
and every boastful tongue

4 that says, "We will triumph with our tongues;
we own our lips — who is our master?"

5 "Because of the oppression of the weak
and the groaning of the needy,
I will now arise," says the LORD.
"I will protect them from those who malign them."

6 And the words of the LORD are flawless,
like silver refined in a furnace of clay,
purified seven times.

7 O LORD, you will keep us safe
and protect us from such people forever.

8 The wicked freely strut about
when what is vile is honored among men.

The first thing that I thought of as I read this psalm was how destructive our tongues can be.

According to the psalmist, the tongue can be used to
1. speak lies to people (verse 1a)
2. flatter people whom we want to please (verse 1b)
3. boast about ourselves (verse 2)

Some of us really abuse the usage of our tongues. We even deny the fact that whatever we said has to be acceptable before God. We insist our tongues are our own, they don't belong to God (verse 4). We can say whatever we want, whenever we want.

No wonder in James 3:8, it is said that "no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison."

As I think about my own behavior, even after I had become a Christian, there were so many times that my tongue wasn't used to build up others. Instead, sometimes, it became an instrument whereby I used it to vent my frustrations on others; sometimes, it became an instrument of gossip; sometimes, it became an instrument of boasting.

I know that God is dealing with me in this area. Of course, now I'm slightly better off than last time, but I still have a long way to go in terms of taming my tongue.



Another thought that came to mind as I meditate on Psalm 12 is that in life, we will surely face people who will bad-mouth us and speak lies about us. God's promise to us is that He will protect us from such people (verse 7).


Things to ponder
1. On a scale of 1 (means really bad) to 10 (means really good), how do you think God will rate you in terms of using your tongue (speaking words)? Why?
2. What is one thing (for example, speaking lies, flattering people so that you get what you want. boasting about yourself, gossiping) that you do with your tongue that displeases the Lord?
3. Confess and repent before the Lord in this area. Pray 1 Thessalonians 5:11 "Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing."


Dear Heavenly Father, I ask for Your forgiveness. There has been many times that I abused the gift of speaking which you had blessed me with. Lord, sometimes I had gossipped about my students; sometimes I had scolded others in anger; sometimes I had boasted about myself and not You. Father, I really want to change. I want to encourage and build others up with my words. Help me change, Father, for I know it is impossible to do it without You. I pray all this, in Jesus' name. Amen!

Click here for Pastor YC's Reflection on Psalm 12

Psalm 11

1 In the LORD I take refuge.
How then can you say to me:
“Flee like a bird to your mountain.

2 For look, the wicked bend their bows;
they set their arrows against the strings
to shoot from the shadows
at the upright in heart.

3 When the foundations are being destroyed,
what can the righteous do?”

4 The LORD is in his holy temple;
the LORD is on his heavenly throne.
He observes the sons of men;
his eyes examine them.

5 The LORD examines the righteous,
but the wicked and those who love violence
his soul hates.

6 On the wicked he will rain
fiery coals and burning sulfur;
a scorching wind will be their lot.

7 For the LORD is righteous,
he loves justice;
upright men will see his face.

If you have been a Christian long enough, and if you really obey the word of God, you will realize that there will be many situations in your life that you will stick out like a sore thumb.

For instance,
1. Refusing to speak any kind of vulgarities in school or NS.
2. Refusing to cheat during tests or exams when all your friends are doing it (rampant in NUS or NTU)
3. Refusing to smoke or watch porn when your friends think it's the cool thing to do.
4. Attending church and cell meetings regularly whereas your friends go out and have fun.
5. Committing your studies to God and continue to serve Him whereas your friends just mug and mug at home when exams near.


And because you are different, people around you may call you all kind of names, and they may even laugh at you. Just like verses 1 and 2 in Psalm 11. They may shoot arrows of accusations at you.

The psalmist didn't encouage us to strike back directly at these people. He wants us to know that God is in control, and He will judge those who judge us. We just need to take refuge in Him and trust Him. Our reward is to be able to see His face (verse 7) - to be able to enjoy a personal relationship with Him and have direct access to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Isn't that wonderful?


Things to ponder:
1. What are some situations in your life that you've learnt to be different from the rest of your friends when you obey God?
2. What are some situations that you've compromised your faith and joined your friends in doing things that doesn't please God?
3. Commit all the above situations to God and pray a prayer telling Him that you truly desire intimacy with Him.


Dear Heavenly Father, I know that when I truly obey You in all that I do, there will be times that people around me will make fun of me or even call me names. Father, my prayer is that I will stand firm to what I believe in and not be afraid or embarrassed, because I know You care about me, and it's Your opinions that truly matter. Father, I desire a personal relationship with You and see Your face. In Jesus' name I ask and pray. Amen!

Click here for Pastor YC's Reflection on Psalm 11

Psalm 10

1 Why, O LORD, do you stand far off?
Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?

2 In his arrogance the wicked man hunts down the weak,
who are caught in the schemes he devises.

3 He boasts of the cravings of his heart;
he blesses the greedy and reviles the LORD.

4 In his pride the wicked does not seek him;
in all his thoughts there is no room for God.

5 His ways are always prosperous;
he is haughty and your laws are far from him;
he sneers at all his enemies.

6 He says to himself, “Nothing will shake me;
I’ll always be happy and never have trouble.”

7 His mouth is full of curses and lies and threats;
trouble and evil are under his tongue.

8 He lies in wait near the villages;
from ambush he murders the innocent,
watching in secret for his victims.

9 He lies in wait like a lion in cover;
he lies in wait to catch the helpless;
he catches the helpless and drags them off in his net.

10 His victims are crushed, they collapse;
they fall under his strength.

11 He says to himself, “God has forgotten;
he covers his face and never sees.”

12 Arise, LORD! Lift up your hand, O God.
Do not forget the helpless.

13 Why does the wicked man revile God?
Why does he say to himself,
“He won’t call me to account”?

14 But you, O God, do see trouble and grief;
you consider it to take it in hand.
The victim commits himself to you;
you are the helper of the fatherless.

15 Break the arm of the wicked and evil man;
call him to account for his wickedness
that would not be found out.

As mentioned many times in the Bible (for example, Psalm 8), God has given us dominion over every living creature and the things on the earth. However, because of our sinful nature, we have abused our authority and used it to satisfy our sinful desires.

In psalm 10, it talks clearly about the wicked man who hunts down the weak. He cares nothing about God and is concerned only about making himself prosperous.

Though I don't think I'm as wicked as the man mentioned in the Bible, I do recognize that there are times in my life whereby I neglected my responsibilities as a cell leader and as a teacher. Or even worse, I even sometimes vent my frustrations on the people under me. As a result, my cell members and my students did not receive the things that they ought to receive. This can be considered ways of abusing the authority that God has given me.


A man of God should have the characteristics of God as mentioned in verses 14, 17 and 18: defend the fatherless and the oppressed, encourage the afflicted and listen to their cries, and prevent those who terrify others.

Things to ponder
1. What are some situations that you've abused the things that God has blessed you with?
2. Think about the earth whereby God has given you dominion over; in what ways have you abused the earth by wasting electricity or wasting other kinds of resources?
3. What are you going to do to change? Confess and repent before the Lord straight away.


Dear God, I confess that there are times whereby I've abused my authority as a cell leader and as a teacher. I ask for You forgiveness today and pray that from now on, I will take upon my roles even more seriously so that the people under me can be blessed. Lord, I know that I'm not perfect, but You are. Your grace is sufficient for me. I claim that in the name of Jesus. I want to defend the fatherless, encourage the afflicted and deny the wicked. I pray all this in Jesus' most mighty name. Amen!

Click here for Pastor YC's Reflection on Psalm 10