Psalm 36

1 An oracle is within my heart
concerning the sinfulness of the wicked:
There is no fear of God
before his eyes.

2 For in his own eyes he flatters himself
too much to detect or hate his sin.

3 The words of his mouth are wicked and deceitful;
he has ceased to be wise and to do good.

4 Even on his bed he plots evil;
he commits himself to a sinful course
and does not reject what is wrong.

5 Your love, O LORD, reaches to the heavens,
your faithfulness to the skies.

6 Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains,
your justice like the great deep.
O LORD, you preserve both man and beast.

7 How priceless is your unfailing love!
Both high and low among men
find [b] refuge in the shadow of your wings.

8 They feast on the abundance of your house;
you give them drink from your river of delights.

9 For with you is the fountain of life;
in your light we see light.

10 Continue your love to those who know you,
your righteousness to the upright in heart.

11 May the foot of the proud not come against me,
nor the hand of the wicked drive me away.

12 See how the evildoers lie fallen—
thrown down, not able to rise!

Remember we talked about FotL (Fear of the Lord) in Psalm 34 two days ago?

This time, Psalm 36 starts by describing the kind of people who doesn't have FotL - wicked people. Just look at verses 1 to 4. Basically, without FotL, a man will sound like this:

1. He is full of himself, always thinking that he is right. He is so proud that he is unable to recognise and acknowledge his weaknesses and sins, no matter what others tell him. - verse 2

2. His words are wicked and deceitful. He uses them to tear people down. He has the gift of discouragement. - verse 3a

3. He refuses to commit to doing good things that bless others. Self-centeredness is the guiding principle behind his life. - verse 3b

4. He is always plotting and thinking about how to benefit himself, at the expense of others. - verse 4a

5. He accepts, and even participates in things that he actually knows are wrong. Moral values become relative, and not absolutes. - verse 4b


Personally, I struggle with (5). Sometimes, I engage in coarse jokes (not dirty jokes!) and conversations with my friends. I know that these things are wrong, yet I still participated in them. I pray for God to forgive me, and help me not fall in this aspect again.


Things to ponder
1. Out of the 5 things mentioned, which is the one you struggled with the most? Elaborate.
2. How much do you desire to change the thing you have highlighted? Rate 0% to 100%.
3. Pray and commit to the Lord that you want to change.

Click here for Pastor YC's reflection on Psalm 36

Psalm 35

1 Contend, O LORD, with those who contend with me;
fight against those who fight against me.

2 Take up shield and buckler;
arise and come to my aid.

3 Brandish spear and javelin
against those who pursue me.
Say to my soul,
"I am your salvation."

4 May those who seek my life
be disgraced and put to shame;
may those who plot my ruin
be turned back in dismay.

5 May they be like chaff before the wind,
with the angel of the LORD driving them away;

6 may their path be dark and slippery,
with the angel of the LORD pursuing them.

7 Since they hid their net for me without cause
and without cause dug a pit for me,

8 may ruin overtake them by surprise—
may the net they hid entangle them,
may they fall into the pit, to their ruin.

9 Then my soul will rejoice in the LORD
and delight in his salvation.

10 My whole being will exclaim,
"Who is like you, O LORD ?
You rescue the poor from those too strong for them,
the poor and needy from those who rob them."

11 Ruthless witnesses come forward;
they question me on things I know nothing about.

12 They repay me evil for good
and leave my soul forlorn.

13 Yet when they were ill, I put on sackcloth
and humbled myself with fasting.
When my prayers returned to me unanswered,

14 I went about mourning
as though for my friend or brother.
I bowed my head in grief
as though weeping for my mother.

15 But when I stumbled, they gathered in glee;
attackers gathered against me when I was unaware.
They slandered me without ceasing.

16 Like the ungodly they maliciously mocked;
they gnashed their teeth at me.

17 O Lord, how long will you look on?
Rescue my life from their ravages,
my precious life from these lions.

18 I will give you thanks in the great assembly;
among throngs of people I will praise you.

19 Let not those gloat over me
who are my enemies without cause;
let not those who hate me without reason
maliciously wink the eye.

20 They do not speak peaceably,
but devise false accusations
against those who live quietly in the land.

21 They gape at me and say, "Aha! Aha!
With our own eyes we have seen it."

22 O LORD, you have seen this; be not silent.
Do not be far from me, O Lord.

23 Awake, and rise to my defense!
Contend for me, my God and Lord.

24 Vindicate me in your righteousness, O LORD my God;
do not let them gloat over me.

25 Do not let them think, "Aha, just what we wanted!"
or say, "We have swallowed him up."

26 May all who gloat over my distress
be put to shame and confusion;
may all who exalt themselves over me
be clothed with shame and disgrace.

27 May those who delight in my vindication
shout for joy and gladness;
may they always say, "The LORD be exalted,
who delights in the well-being of his servant."

28 My tongue will speak of your righteousness
and of your praises all day long.

One of the most painful thing that can happen to a person is betrayal. Many youths will call it backstabbing. Think about what David wrote in this psalm, from verses 12 to 16.

The people that he prayed and had compassion for actually gathered against him. It was really a betrayal. David's response was to come before the Lord and pour out his troubles. He trusted and believed that God was His vindicator, not men. As a result, even in such circumstances, he chose to praise the Lord.

How many of us can do that? When someone close to us betrayed us, will we praise God?


As I think about it, there were quite a few times in my life that I felt let down by people close to me. Sometimes, I just blamed God for what happened and became grouchy. That's not the right response. I should learn from David, and learn to let God take control.


Things to ponder
1. Recently, has a friend or any one close to you did something that hurt you? Elaborate briefly.
2. And recently, have you abused the trust of someone close to you? Elaborate briefly.
3. Pray for God to bless the person that has hurt you, and pray for God to bless the person whom you have hurt.

Click here for Pastor YC's reflection on Psalm 35

Psalm 34

1 I will extol the LORD at all times;
his praise will always be on my lips.

2 My soul will boast in the LORD;
let the afflicted hear and rejoice.

3 Glorify the LORD with me;
let us exalt his name together.

4 I sought the LORD, and he answered me;
he delivered me from all my fears.

5 Those who look to him are radiant;
their faces are never covered with shame.

6 This poor man called, and the LORD heard him;
he saved him out of all his troubles.

7 The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him,
and he delivers them.

8 Taste and see that the LORD is good;
blessed is the man who takes refuge in him.

9 Fear the LORD, you his saints,
for those who fear him lack nothing.

10 The lions may grow weak and hungry,
but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing.

11 Come, my children, listen to me;
I will teach you the fear of the LORD.

12 Whoever of you loves life
and desires to see many good days,

13 keep your tongue from evil
and your lips from speaking lies.

14 Turn from evil and do good;
seek peace and pursue it.

15 The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous
and his ears are attentive to their cry;

16 the face of the LORD is against those who do evil,
to cut off the memory of them from the earth.

17 The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears them;
he delivers them from all their troubles.

18 The LORD is close to the brokenhearted
and saves those who are crushed in spirit.

19 A righteous man may have many troubles,
but the LORD delivers him from them all;

20 he protects all his bones,
not one of them will be broken.

21 Evil will slay the wicked;
the foes of the righteous will be condemned.

22 The LORD redeems his servants;
no one will be condemned who takes refuge in him.

As I meditate upon the psalm, one of the things that God spoke to me was regarding the fear of the Lord - FotL. Isn't it interesting? That the psalmist wrote this in verse 9: "Fear the LORD, you his saints, for those who fear him lack nothing."

What exactly is FotL? I really don't think that I'm qualified enough to do a teaching on this. But I just want to share my own understanding, and hope that it will encourage us.

For a start, FotL has been repeatedly mentioned in the Bible, both in the Old Testament and the New Testament. Hence, we really have to take FotL seriously.

I believe FotL can be taken to mean that we have a deep sense of reverence and love for God. So much so that we always want to please Him. Consequently, we will have this fear of displeasing Him, and avoid doing so at all cost. For instance, we know that God hates sins, and we avoid them so that we will not cause God to be displeased with us.


On top of that, I also think that FotL means we fear the Lord's discipline upon us. When we sinned against God, we will go through the dire consequences that God had set beforehand. Yes, we will be forgiven when we confess and repent, because of Jesus. But consequences are still there. This is important because we all have a sinful nature within us, and need some form of deterrence to prevent us from sinning repeatedly.

Futhermore, God absolutely hates sins. If there are no consequences when we sin, then it doesn't reflect God's standards and characteristics at all.


Sometimes, I really lack FotL. Especially when I'm so caught up with things at work or even at ministry. I may fear the world, fear man instead of fearing Him. I really need to pray that I will walk in the FotL evey single moment in my life, just like in Acts 9:31. God will provide me with everything I need. 100% guaranteed!!

I want to teach people FotL too - Psalm 34:11.


Things to ponder
1. How much do you fear the Lord? Rate yourself 1 to 10 (10 means fear Him a lot a lot).
2. What are two things that stop you from fearing God? Is it pride or other things? Elaborate.
3. Pray for FotL to be upon you all the days of your life.

Click here for Pastor YC's reflection on Psalm 34

Psalm 33

1 Sing joyfully to the LORD, you righteous;
it is fitting for the upright to praise him.

2 Praise the LORD with the harp;
make music to him on the ten-stringed lyre.

3 Sing to him a new song;
play skillfully, and shout for joy.

4 For the word of the LORD is right and true;
he is faithful in all he does.

5 The LORD loves righteousness and justice;
the earth is full of his unfailing love.

6 By the word of the LORD were the heavens made,
their starry host by the breath of his mouth.

7 He gathers the waters of the sea into jars;
he puts the deep into storehouses.

8 Let all the earth fear the LORD;
let all the people of the world revere him.

9 For he spoke, and it came to be;
he commanded, and it stood firm.

10 The LORD foils the plans of the nations;
he thwarts the purposes of the peoples.

11 But the plans of the LORD stand firm forever,
the purposes of his heart through all generations.

12 Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD,
the people he chose for his inheritance.

13 From heaven the LORD looks down
and sees all mankind;

14 from his dwelling place he watches
all who live on earth-

15 he who forms the hearts of all,
who considers everything they do.

16 No king is saved by the size of his army;
no warrior escapes by his great strength.

17 A horse is a vain hope for deliverance;
despite all its great strength it cannot save.

18 But the eyes of the LORD are on those who fear him,
on those whose hope is in his unfailing love,

19 to deliver them from death
and keep them alive in famine.

20 We wait in hope for the LORD;
he is our help and our shield.

21 In him our hearts rejoice,
for we trust in his holy name.

22 May your unfailing love rest upon us, O LORD,
even as we put our hope in you.

Some of us think that as long as we worship the Lord quietly in our hearts at the start of church service (during worship), He will be pleased with us. We believe that others are looking at us, and it's okay just to clap a bit here and there. No need to jump. That will be sufficient.

Is this train of thought aligned with what was written in the Bible? Let us examine.


Take for instance King David. In 2 Samuel 6:5, David and the whole house of Israel were celebrating with all their might before the Lord, with songs and with harps, lyres, tambourines, sistrums and cymbals.

In the same chapter, verse 16 recorded that Michal, daughter of Saul despised David in her heart because she saw Him leaping and dancing before the Lord. God punished her for it.

Check out Psalm 33:1 - 3. The verses mentioned that we, as His people, really need to sing joyfully, make music to Him using musical instruments and shout for joy.

If the people of God have such an expressive way of worshipping Him so many years ago, shouldn't we be even more expressive now? When we worship God, let's lay aside all our pride, all our self-awareness and just focus on Him and give it all.

Worship God wholeheartedly. Sing! Dance! Shout!


Personally, I know that I sometimes can feel quite physically tired when it comes to church worship. But I always tell myself that I want to give God my best. And the thing that I pray for the most is that during worship, I will focus my heart on Him and not think about other issues.


Things to ponder
1. Do you think that you have given your best during worship - to sing, dance and shout before the Lord? Rate yourself from 1 to 10.
2. What is two things that stop you from singing, dancing and shouting before the Lord?
3. Pray and make a commitment before the Lord that you will give God the best during worship!

Click here for Pastor YC's reflection on Psalm 33

Psalm 32

1 Blessed is he
whose transgressions are forgiven,
whose sins are covered.

2 Blessed is the man
whose sin the LORD does not count against him
and in whose spirit is no deceit.

3 When I kept silent,
my bones wasted away
through my groaning all day long.

4 For day and night
your hand was heavy upon me;
my strength was sapped
as in the heat of summer.
Selah

5 Then I acknowledged my sin to you
and did not cover up my iniquity.
I said, "I will confess
my transgressions to the LORD "—
and you forgave
the guilt of my sin.
Selah

6 Therefore let everyone who is godly pray to you
while you may be found;
surely when the mighty waters rise,
they will not reach him.

7 You are my hiding place;
you will protect me from trouble
and surround me with songs of deliverance.
Selah

8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;
I will counsel you and watch over you.

9 Do not be like the horse or the mule,
which have no understanding
but must be controlled by bit and bridle
or they will not come to you.

10 Many are the woes of the wicked,
but the LORD's unfailing love
surrounds the man who trusts in him.

11 Rejoice in the LORD and be glad, you righteous;
sing, all you who are upright in heart!

I'm pretty sure many of us understand what the pslamist mentioned in verses 3 to 4.

When we sin against the Lord, the first reaction is always like what Adam and Eve did. It's to hide away from God (as if God doesn't know...). I myself have done this so many times. I felt like I was too ashamed to face God, and chose to hide.

As a result, there weren't any peace in my heart. The feelings of guilt caused me to become depressed, exactly like what the psalmist described.

But our God knows that this is a fallen world and all of us have fallen short of His glory (Romans 3:23). His rescue plan for us was to send Jesus, His one and only son to pay for our sins. And hence, when we acknowledged and confessed our sins before God, He will forgive us. Isn't that what is written in Psalm 32:5?

Actually one of the things we can do to deter us from sinning is to get under cover. That means we account regularly to our spiritual leaders our sins and our lives. Then they can guide us. After all, our leaders are godly people that God placed over us and they represent God in a sense.

Personally, I account to my cell leader once a month. I try to be as transparent as possible, so that I can be under my leader's covering. I pray that I will continue to do it with a cheerful spirit, instead of viewing it just like a routine or task.


Things to ponder
1. Do you account to your cell leader regularly? Rate yourself from 1 to 10 (10 means the best!).
2. What are two things that prevent you from being transparent with your cell leader?
3. With regards to being more accountable, what is one thing you would do different in this year of Sabbath?
4. Pray and commit to the Lord. Have a desire to be under the cover of your leader.

Click here for Pastor YC's reflection on Psalm 32

Psalm 31

1 In you, O LORD, I have taken refuge;
let me never be put to shame;
deliver me in your righteousness.

2 Turn your ear to me,
come quickly to my rescue;
be my rock of refuge,
a strong fortress to save me.

3 Since you are my rock and my fortress,
for the sake of your name lead and guide me.

4 Free me from the trap that is set for me,
for you are my refuge.

5 Into your hands I commit my spirit;
redeem me, O LORD, the God of truth.

6 I hate those who cling to worthless idols;
I trust in the LORD.

7 I will be glad and rejoice in your love,
for you saw my affliction
and knew the anguish of my soul.

8 You have not handed me over to the enemy
but have set my feet in a spacious place.

9 Be merciful to me, O LORD, for I am in distress;
my eyes grow weak with sorrow,
my soul and my body with grief.

10 My life is consumed by anguish
and my years by groaning;
my strength fails because of my affliction,
and my bones grow weak.

11 Because of all my enemies,
I am the utter contempt of my neighbors;
I am a dread to my friends—
those who see me on the street flee from me.

12 I am forgotten by them as though I were dead;
I have become like broken pottery.

13 For I hear the slander of many;
there is terror on every side;
they conspire against me
and plot to take my life.

14 But I trust in you, O LORD;
I say, "You are my God."

15 My times are in your hands;
deliver me from my enemies
and from those who pursue me.

16 Let your face shine on your servant;
save me in your unfailing love.

17 Let me not be put to shame, O LORD,
for I have cried out to you;
but let the wicked be put to shame
and lie silent in the grave.

18 Let their lying lips be silenced,
for with pride and contempt
they speak arrogantly against the righteous.

19 How great is your goodness,
which you have stored up for those who fear you,
which you bestow in the sight of men
on those who take refuge in you.

20 In the shelter of your presence you hide them
from the intrigues of men;
in your dwelling you keep them safe
from accusing tongues.

21 Praise be to the LORD,
for he showed his wonderful love to me
when I was in a besieged city.

22 In my alarm I said,
"I am cut off from your sight!"
Yet you heard my cry for mercy
when I called to you for help.

23 Love the LORD, all his saints!
The LORD preserves the faithful,
but the proud he pays back in full.

24 Be strong and take heart,
all you who hope in the LORD.

From verses 7 to 13, the psalmist began to pour out his troubles and worries to the Lord. It really sounded quite depressive.

However, as we read on, the psalmist took a abrupt change at verse 14. He chose to trust God, despite all his negative circumstances. Verse 16a spoke to me the most.

"Let your face shine on your servant;"

What exactly did the psalmist mean by letting God's face shine upon him?

Personally, here's what I felt that the Lord is speaking to me. Letting God's face shine upon me means something like the goodness, blessings and favour of God overflows in my life tremendously. And people around me will have no choice, but to acknowledge that God is real.

I'm not there yet, but I believe I'm walking towards it. Today, one of my colleagues commented that I seemed to be able to handle students like a seasoned teacher (when I am actually just a beginning teacher). I know that it's God who's working in me and through me. I pray that I will continue to have more favour with God.


Things to ponder
1. Use one word to describe your present relationship with God.
2. Do people around you see Jesus in you? Give a rating of 1 to 10 (10 means the best!).
3. What is one thing that prevents you from having favour with God?
4. Pray and commit to the Lord right away.

Click here for Pastor YC's reflection on Psalm 31

Psalm 30

1 I will exalt you, O LORD,
for you lifted me out of the depths
and did not let my enemies gloat over me.

2 O LORD my God, I called to you for help
and you healed me.

3 O LORD, you brought me up from the grave;
you spared me from going down into the pit.

4 Sing to the LORD, you saints of his;
praise his holy name.

5 For his anger lasts only a moment,
but his favor lasts a lifetime;
weeping may remain for a night,
but rejoicing comes in the morning.

6 When I felt secure, I said,
"I will never be shaken."

7 O LORD, when you favored me,
you made my mountain stand firm;
but when you hid your face,
I was dismayed.

8 To you, O LORD, I called;
to the Lord I cried for mercy:

9 "What gain is there in my destruction,
in my going down into the pit?
Will the dust praise you?
Will it proclaim your faithfulness?

10 Hear, O LORD, and be merciful to me;
O LORD, be my help."

11 You turned my wailing into dancing;
you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy,

12 that my heart may sing to you and not be silent.
O LORD my God, I will give you thanks forever.

God's love for us is simply amazing. He loves us even before we love him. Throughout the psalm, I felt that the psalmist was reminding that God's love for us is everlasting. Even the worst of situations will eventually pass, and God's goodness will be revealed.

Just look at verses 11 to 12. God will turn our wailing to dancing; remove our sackcloth and cloth us with joy.

I used to think that God will change the negative circumstances in our lives, and then we will feel joyful about it.

But the Holy Spirit showed me how wrong I was when I heard about Nick Vujicic's testimony.

God may or may not change our negative circumstances. But if we believe in Him and trust Him, our perspectives of the same thing can be changed. And hence, our despair and wailing will be turn into joy. Joy in the Lord.

I recalled that at the age of 19, when I was unable to obtain any overseas scholarship (despite getting almost perfect score in my 'A' levels), I was a bitter man. I was emotionally down and I felt that it was unfair.

After I received Christ a few years later, I still didn't get any overseas scholarship. But my whole perspective changed. I began to understand that God had a plan for me. He wanted to break my pride so that I can accept Him into my life. God had turned my wailing into dancing. All glory to God!


Things to ponder
1. On a scale of 1 to 10, rate your joy level today.
2. What are some things that are robbing your joy away? Name two.
3. What are some new perspectives that God is showing you with regards to the two things mentioned?
4. Pray and thank God for all He has done.

Click here for Pastor YC's reflection on Psalm 30

Psalm 29

1 Ascribe to the LORD, O mighty ones,
ascribe to the LORD glory and strength.

2 Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name;
worship the LORD in the splendor of his holiness.

3 The voice of the LORD is over the waters;
the God of glory thunders,
the LORD thunders over the mighty waters.

4 The voice of the LORD is powerful;
the voice of the LORD is majestic.

5 The voice of the LORD breaks the cedars;
the LORD breaks in pieces the cedars of Lebanon.

6 He makes Lebanon skip like a calf,
Sirion like a young wild ox.

7 The voice of the LORD strikes
with flashes of lightning.

8 The voice of the LORD shakes the desert;
the LORD shakes the Desert of Kadesh.

9 The voice of the LORD twists the oaks
and strips the forests bare.
And in his temple all cry, "Glory!"

10 The LORD sits enthroned over the flood;
the LORD is enthroned as King forever.

11 The LORD gives strength to his people;
the LORD blesses his people with peace.

The psalmist started the psalm by reminding us that our God is almighty. He has power and authority over every people, every nation.

But not just that, our God is also in control over all the "floods" in our lives (verse 10b). God allows difficult circumstances in our lives so that our characters can be molded to be more like Him.

When we enthrone Him in our lives, He promises us strength & peace.

These few days, I had not enjoyed much peace. There were many things that happened, ranging from ministry, school work & family. My prayer today is the serenity prayer. Lord, I enthrone You.

God, grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference.

Things to ponder
1. On the average, how much peace do you experience in your daily life? Are you always flustered, agitated? Give a rating of 1 to 10 (10 means most peaceful!).
2. What are the things that causes you NOT to have peace? Give 2 specific examples.
3. Pray and ask commit these things to the Lord. Enthrone Jesus in your heart.

Click here for Pastor YC's reflection on Psalm 29

More on Psalm 27...

Today, the whole youth service came together and read Psalm 27 during church service.

Suddenly, I was overwhelmed with verses 13 and 14.

13 I am still confident of this:
I will see the goodness of the LORD
in the land of the living.

14 Wait for the LORD;
be strong and take heart
and wait for the LORD.

Just a day ago, I received news that one of my secondary school classmates, Eugene (not his real name) suffered a relapse. He was found to have cancer of the blood a few years. Thankfully, he was able to overcome the illness at that time.

Until now.

And so it happens that Eugene had a very good friend, Jason (not his real name again). I was in the same class as the two of them when I was Sec. 3 and Sec. 4.

Jason had passed away about 4 years ago. Cancer of the blood as well.

I really asked God "Why?". Eugene and Jason are both of the same age as me. Good academic results. Good people. Good characters.

My heart was really heavy today when I went for Youth Service. When I read Psalm 27, it gave me great comfort. Though I still don't have an answer as to why things had to happen to Eugene and Jason, I believed that I will eventually see the goodness of God in this fallen world, and not just tragedies. I just need to wait.

Life can be unpredictable. The only constant we have is God. Shouldn't we give all that we have to worship Him?


There's something practical you can do for Eugene. If you're between 17 - 50 years old and are reasonably healthy, do go down and register yourself as a Bone Marrow donor. You just need to give a small amount of blood to be checked and fill up a simple form. Find out more at this website: The Bone Marrow Donor Programme. You can save lives.

Psalm 28

1 To you I call, O LORD my Rock;
do not turn a deaf ear to me.
For if you remain silent,
I will be like those who have gone down to the pit.

2 Hear my cry for mercy
as I call to you for help,
as I lift up my hands
toward your Most Holy Place.

3 Do not drag me away with the wicked,
with those who do evil,
who speak cordially with their neighbors
but harbor malice in their hearts.

4 Repay them for their deeds
and for their evil work;
repay them for what their hands have done
and bring back upon them what they deserve.

5 Since they show no regard for the works of the LORD
and what his hands have done,
he will tear them down
and never build them up again.

6 Praise be to the LORD,
for he has heard my cry for mercy.

7 The LORD is my strength and my shield;
my heart trusts in him, and I am helped.
My heart leaps for joy
and I will give thanks to him in song.

8 The LORD is the strength of his people,
a fortress of salvation for his anointed one.

9 Save your people and bless your inheritance;
be their shepherd and carry them forever.

From the psalm, we are reminded of a category of people that God really dislikes - those "who speak cordially with their neighbors but harbor malice in their heart" (verse 3).

While we may appear to be speaking nicely and peacefully with the people around us, are there times that we harbor ill-intentions? Perhaps it can be a feeling that I want to out-do you. Or maybe feelings of jealousy and envy.

Do we put on masks when we talk to people? Are we sincere in our words? Are we truthful when we speak?



More importantly, are our conversations consistent with our Christian faith?

This year, one of the church's focus is INTEGRATION. Are our lives (including words) integrated with our faith? If we truly believe in Jesus, let our words be always truthful.

Proverbs 12:22 " The LORD detests lying lips, but he delights in men who are truthful."


I'm definitely guilty. There had been so many times that the words that I used to speak to people didn't agree with what my heart was feeling. Today, my prayer to God is that I will say what I mean and mean what I say.


Things to ponder
1. How truthful are you in terms of your conversations with others? Rate yourself on a scale of 1 to 10 (10 mean most truthful!).
2. Give one or two examples of situations whereby you weren't truthful in your conversations.
3. Pray and ask God for forgiveness. Pray also that you will change and say what you mean and mean what you say.

Click here for Pastor YC's reflection on Psalm 28

Psalm 27

NASB Version

1 The LORD is my light and my salvation;
Whom shall I fear?
The LORD is the defense of my life;
Whom shall I dread?

2 When evildoers came upon me to devour my flesh,
My adversaries and my enemies, they stumbled and fell.

3 Though a host encamp against me,
My heart will not fear;
Though war arise against me,
In spite of this I shall be confident.

4 One thing I have asked from the LORD, that I shall seek:
That I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life,
To behold the beauty of the LORD
And to meditate in His temple.

5 For in the day of trouble He will conceal me in His tabernacle;
In the secret place of His tent He will hide me;
He will lift me up on a rock.

6 And now my head will be lifted up above my enemies around me,
And I will offer in His tent sacrifices with shouts of joy;
I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the LORD.

7 Hear, O LORD, when I cry with my voice,
And be gracious to me and answer me.

8 When You said, "Seek My face," my heart said to You,
"Your face, O LORD, I shall seek."

9 Do not hide Your face from me,
Do not turn Your servant away in anger;
You have been my help;
Do not abandon me nor forsake me,
O God of my salvation!

10 For my father and my mother have forsaken me,
But the LORD will take me up.

11 Teach me Your way, O LORD,
And lead me in a level path
Because of my foes.

12 Do not deliver me over to the desire of my adversaries,
For false witnesses have risen against me,
And such as breathe out violence.

13 I would have despaired unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the LORD
In the land of the living.

14 Wait for the LORD;
Be strong and let your heart take courage;
Yes, wait for the LORD.

As we read the psalm, we can't help but conclude that the psalmist, David was really a man after God's own heart. How else could he make the statement in verse 4? "One thing I have asked from the LORD, that I shall seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD and to meditate in His temple."

The fallen world that we live in right now is filled with too many distractions. Career, financial wealth, the Internet, studies, MMOGs (Massively Multiplayer Online Games like Maple Story and World of Warcraft), etc.

Don't get me wrong. I'm not saying that all the above-mentioned things are no good. Some of the things are actually important - like studies. But what is the one main thing that we seek?

If we call ourselves Christians, then the one thing must be God. Any other answer would make us liars. Hypocrites.

So serious?

Yes. I'm sure of it. In Revelations 3:15-16, God said this to the church of Laodicea "I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth."

Personally, I think I've tried my best to live out my Christian faith. Yes, there were times that I was distracted (God, please forgive me). But I don't think that I'm a lukewarm Christian. I've served Him faithfully for the past 3 years. I've obeyed my spiritual leaders. Of course, there are still many areas for me to improve. I'm still WIP (Work in Progress).


Things to ponder
1. What are two things that often distract you from seeking God wholeheartedly?
2. With regards to the things mentioned in the previous question, what are you going to do differently this year so as to overcome these distractions?
3. Pray and commit to the Lord right now!

Click here for Pastor YC's reflection on Psalm 27

Psalm 26

1 Vindicate me, O LORD,
for I have led a blameless life;
I have trusted in the LORD
without wavering.

2 Test me, O LORD, and try me,
examine my heart and my mind;

3 for your love is ever before me,
and I walk continually in your truth.

4 I do not sit with deceitful men,
nor do I consort with hypocrites;

5 I abhor the assembly of evildoers
and refuse to sit with the wicked.

6 I wash my hands in innocence,
and go about your altar, O LORD,

7 proclaiming aloud your praise
and telling of all your wonderful deeds.

8 I love the house where you live, O LORD,
the place where your glory dwells.

9 Do not take away my soul along with sinners,
my life with bloodthirsty men,

10 in whose hands are wicked schemes,
whose right hands are full of bribes.

11 But I lead a blameless life;
redeem me and be merciful to me.

12 My feet stand on level ground;
in the great assembly I will praise the LORD.

David, the psalmist, started the psalm with such confidence. He actually asked God to check out and examine his life, his heart, his mind and his walk. He believed that God will be pleased with him. How many of us dare to be like David and asked God of the same thing?

Actually, to be honest, the more we read the Bible, the more we will find flaws in ourselves. The Bible is like a mirror. It reveals who we really are. And it reminds us of how far we are away from God's idea of perfection.

Hence, how could David claim that he was blameless? I think it's because of his close relationship with God. His heart's desire was to love God and glorify Him. Even though he might have committed sins, he knew that God's forgiveness was always there. He knew, without a doubt. He trusted and relied on God.

David put his whole weight onto the Lord.

It's been more than twenty days into the Year of Sabbath. I've been consistent in the reading of psalms daily. And as I read, I began to realise what a wretched and sinful man I am in this world. The character flaws that I have (for example, talking uncessarily, slandering, self-centeredness) have been revealed to me more and more.

I want to learn from David. I want to put all of my weight onto the Lord. All the sins. All the burdens. All the worries.

O'Lord, take it all.


Things to ponder
1. How faithful have you been in reading psalms since the start of the year? Rate yourself from 1 to 10 (10 being the best!).
2. Ask the Holy Spirit to show you some of your character flaws. Go for at least 2 and elaborate on each of them.
3. Pray and ask God to forgive you of your flaws. Pray also and ask God to help you overcome these flaws. Look to Him and rely on Him 100%!

Click here for Pastor YC's reflection on Psalm 26

Psalm 25

1 To you, O LORD, I lift up my soul;

2 in you I trust, O my God.
Do not let me be put to shame,
nor let my enemies triumph over me.

3 No one whose hope is in you
will ever be put to shame,
but they will be put to shame
who are treacherous without excuse.

4 Show me your ways, O LORD,
teach me your paths;

5 guide me in your truth and teach me,
for you are God my Savior,
and my hope is in you all day long.

6 Remember, O LORD, your great mercy and love,
for they are from of old.

7 Remember not the sins of my youth
and my rebellious ways;
according to your love remember me,
for you are good, O LORD.

8 Good and upright is the LORD;
therefore he instructs sinners in his ways.

9 He guides the humble in what is right
and teaches them his way.

10 All the ways of the LORD are loving and faithful
for those who keep the demands of his covenant.

11 For the sake of your name, O LORD,
forgive my iniquity, though it is great.

12 Who, then, is the man that fears the LORD ?
He will instruct him in the way chosen for him.

13 He will spend his days in prosperity,
and his descendants will inherit the land.

14 The LORD confides in those who fear him;
he makes his covenant known to them.

15 My eyes are ever on the LORD,
for only he will release my feet from the snare.

16 Turn to me and be gracious to me,
for I am lonely and afflicted.

17 The troubles of my heart have multiplied;
free me from my anguish.

18 Look upon my affliction and my distress
and take away all my sins.

19 See how my enemies have increased
and how fiercely they hate me!

20 Guard my life and rescue me;
let me not be put to shame,
for I take refuge in you.

21 May integrity and uprightness protect me,
because my hope is in you.

22 Redeem Israel, O God,
from all their troubles!

The verses that speak to me most are verses 6 to 7.

Verse 6 is like the plea of the psalmist to God to show him His love and mercy. And that this love and mercy had never changed since the whole of creation. We know that God's love for us is everlasting. He is always faithful, and we are the ones who can sometimes be faithless.

Verse 7 is like another plea. It's the psalmist's prayer to God to forgive him of his past sins and rebellious ways. He hoped that God would lessen his afflictions and sufferings. Perhaps he has sinned big-time against God.


Somehow, the Holy Spirit just reminded me that even while I wasn't a Christian, I can still sin against God. And it's really by God's grace that all these sins have been forgiven. At the cross, the price of every past sin, present sin and future sin has been paid for by the blood of Jesus.

Sins of my youth (before I receive Christ)
1. In my anger, I had used many many vulgarities at my recruits when I was a Basic Military Training (BMT) instructor. Often, I scolded them for no good reasons.

2. I took my family for granted and was often rude and impatient to them. I would lose my temper easily, and couldn't get along well with my sister and father.

3. I even watched pornographic stuff, ranging from R(A) to triple X. These images have been stuck with me for really quite some time, even though I have stopped sinning in this area many years ago.

Dear God, remember not the sins of my youth and my rebellious ways;
according to your love remember me, for you are good, O LORD.

Things to ponder
1. What are some sins that you have committed, before you believe in Jesus or before you were serious about God? Name 2 and elaborate a few sentences each (they can be sins that you are still struggling with even now).
2. Pray and ask God to forgive you of your past sins and rebellious ways. And pray a prayer receiving God's forgiveness because of what Jesus had done at the cross.

Click here for Pastor YC's reflection on Psalm 25

Psalm 24

1 The earth is the LORD's, and everything in it,
the world, and all who live in it;

2 for he founded it upon the seas
and established it upon the waters.

3 Who may ascend the hill of the LORD ?
Who may stand in his holy place?

4 He who has clean hands and a pure heart,
who does not lift up his soul to an idol
or swear by what is false.

5 He will receive blessing from the LORD
and vindication from God his Savior.

6 Such is the generation of those who seek him,
who seek your face, O God of Jacob.
Selah

7 Lift up your heads, O you gates;
be lifted up, you ancient doors,
that the King of glory may come in.

8 Who is this King of glory?
The LORD strong and mighty,
the LORD mighty in battle.

9 Lift up your heads, O you gates;
lift them up, you ancient doors,
that the King of glory may come in.

10 Who is he, this King of glory?
The LORD Almighty—
he is the King of glory.
Selah

The first verse of this psalm is really a humble statement. The psalmist acknowledges that everything belongs to God. Man like us cannot claim ownership to the things that we have.

When I come to the conclusion that God is the Giver and Provider of all, I stop striving to earn as much money as possible. I just do my best right where I am in school, and God will give me whatever I need. His blessings will come - as stated in verse 5.

But to receive the blessings, the psalmist also mentioned a few conditions in verse 4.

1. We need to have clean hands.
I think this is talking about deeds. Are we doing things that please God?

2. We need to have pure hearts.
In the Bible, hearts often refers to the mind, soul and spirit. I think having "pure hearts" means we're always thinking and contemplating about things that please God.

3. We should not put our faith in things that are false.
Are we putting our confidence in the things of the world - like career, studies, even ministry? Our confidence should be in the Lord. Always.

4. We should not make false promises.
Do we often promise before man or before God, and yet fail to deliver the promises?


Personally, I think I struggle the most with having a clean heart. Many times, whether I'm driving, teaching or doing other things, I sometimes find myself having negative emotions - like anger, jealousy, prideful spirit, etc. Today I pray that to the Lord that my heart will always be clean, just like what Apostle Paul says in Philippians 4:8.

"Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. "

There's this song called Give Us Clean Hands by Chris Tomlin. It totally talks about Psalm 24.




Things to ponder
1. Out of the 4 conditions mentioned, rate yourself from 1 to 10 (10 being the best!).
2. Which is the one with the lowest rating? Elaborate why you think it's the lowest.
3. Pray and ask God to give you the breakthrough that you need in the above-mentioned item.

Click here for Pastor YC's reflection