Set Apart

  It’s true that all good gifts come from God, and we should thank God for the material blessings and earthly relationships we enjoy. (James 1:17) But true and lasting joy comes from those gifts that are eternal and will never be taken away. Our greatest blessing is God Himself. We rejoice in Him: who He is and what He has done. So even though bad things might happen, like my family taken away from me due to illness or accident, I lose my ability to teach or work or my children grows wayward or rebellious, yet I will rejoice in the Lord because my salvation in secured in Jesus Christ.

 How long will God let this go on? This is the cry of Habakkuk when he saw that "the law is paralyzed, and justice never goes forth. For the wicked surround the righteous; so justice goes forth perverted.". Today's world is very much similar to the times in which Habakkuk was living in. People in many parts of the world are living in fear because law is paralyzed and the wicked surround the righteous. Even in "civilized" world, the wicked surround the righteous, often hiding in the shadows of the internet and social media. How should we respond then? David reminds us in Psalm 37:1-7 on how we should respond in these moments of fear and frustration. Fret not yourself because of evildoers;  be not envious of wrongdoers! For they will soon fade like the grass and wither like the green herb. Trust in the Lord, and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness. Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the...

 Today marks the end of my Quarantine "staycation". But as I celebrate my "freedom" and thank God for keeping me and my family safe. Those in Afghanistan are slowly finding their freedom taken away as the Taliban takes over control of the country. Heart wrenching news showed Afgan people trying their best to escape from their home land for fear of being held captive.  How do we reconcile with the fact that God is sovereign over all? Just like how Habakkuk lived during a tumultuous time in Judah and in the world where competing ancient empires created chaos and fear for God’s people. The people in Afghanistan must be feeling a tremendous amount of fear, especially Christians.  As we continue to read or hear about disturbing news coming out of Afghanistan we must remember that this world isn't out home. As British minister Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones wrote:  “What really matters in the world is God’s kingdom. From the very beginning, since the fall of man, God has been...

 Life is a dream, realise it ~ Mother Teresa This quote from Mother Teresa stood out to me today. Indeed, how we choose to live our life will determine the happiness we get out of it. If we choose to live our lives chasing after emptiness, our happiness will be empty. Life is temporal, but God is eternal.   To whoever is reading this, I urge you to look beyond what is temporal and live for what is eternal. I leave you with this quote from Rick Warren, At most you will live a hundred years on earth, but you will spend forever in eternity. 

How did the cross of Christ demonstrate both God’s justice and His mercy? Today's devotion reminds me of the purpose of the cross. Why did Jesus have to die on the cross? Psalm 89:14 tells us that "Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne; steadfast love and faithfulness go before you.". God is a god of righteousness and justice because in Him there is no evil! This is so important especially in today's world where lawlessness and injustice reigns supreme everywhere. People are suffering because of the lawlessness and injustice of the world we live in today. Just like Habakkuk, we cry out,  "Why do you make me see iniquity,     and why do you idly look at wrong? Destruction and violence are before me;     strife and contention arise. So the law is paralyzed,     and justice never goes forth. For the wicked surround the righteous;     so justice goes forth perverted." Habakkuk 1:3-4 Make no mistake my friends, God is a god o...

 What's the meaning of life? Often many people wonder about that? Is there a meaning and purpose in life? The answer is, yes, there is a meaning and purpose in life if you know where to look for it. We need to understand that often we have a stagnant spirit due to a secularized spirituality or even no spirituality at all. This causes us to run after emptiness. Trying our best to make the best of our lives by earning a lot of money, seeking affirmation in people, seeking love in human relationships. All these will eventually lead us to emptiness because it doesn't fill what is most important, our soul.  We need to recognize that our physical body and the world we live in is temporal. What happens when life ends? Our lives can end in just a blink of an eye. So then, what do we pursue?  Pursue what is eternal, something that cannot be taken away from us. Jesus Christ, our Lord and saviour is eternal.  Jesus Christ, our Lord and saviour is eternal " and He is before all ...