As for man, his days are like grass, he flourishes like a flower of the field; Ps:103:15, NIV

I stopped by to get a bunch of orchids and fifty cents of jasmine from the Indian florist at the morning market today. The orchids are in the living room but as for the jasmine, I have had it strewn on my study table. It's not opened yet but sniffs of its fragrance has begun to permeate the room. There are some references of flowers in the Bible, In fact, Jesus Christ has been described as the Lily of the valley in a hymn.

Lord, when I look at the orchids
And see the various shades of purple
I marvel at your handiwork
The care you took in endowing it with its royal robe
When the fragrance of jasmine fills the room
I marvel at the power of such a tiny flower
For its fragrance soothes my frayed nerves
Lord, thank you for time to enjoy the flowers
Thank you for the eyes to appreciate your creation
Most of all thank you for the reminder that
Our lives are like the flower of the field
It flourishes but for a moment
Therefore, we need to make every moment count for eternity
Amen

For God so loved the world that he gave us his one and only Son….

God became man in the form of Jesus
What does that mean to me, Lord?
It means you, the Creator chose to become as vulnerable as man
While you were on earth -
A helpless baby needing mother’s milk
Consecrated on the eighth day
Your earthly parents could only offer a poor man’s sacrifice
You became a refugee baby to get away from
The bloody hands of King Herod
You subjected yourself to parental authority
Perhaps taunted due to your virgin birth
You needn’t have to suffer all these
For heaven with all its splendor is your throne
But you left it all for me –a sinner
That I may repent and accept you as my God and Savior
And have eternal life

At thirty, you launched your public ministry
Beginning with a forty day fast
After which the devil tempted you
But you overcame the devil not by sword or fist
But by the power of the Word of God
You went about teaching and healing
Often misunderstood and judged
When tired you slept
When thirsty, you asked for a drink
When lonely you sought the company of the inner circle
You needn’t have to suffer all these
For you are God and everything is at your command
But you did it for me – a sinner
That I may repent and accept you as my God and Savior
And have eternal life

Then you were betrayed for thirty pieces of silver
By one you regarded a close friend
Three times Peter denied knowing you
None of the apostles were found
When you hung on the cross
Except your beloved John and the faithful women

Satan thought he’d won when you were nailed on the Cross
Little did he know that you allowed yourself to be a living sacrifice
So that those who believe in your death, burial and resurrection
Can be restored in fellowship with the Father
Passing from death to life
Oh blessed Jesus!Thank you for the gift of Christmas

She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger...Luke2: 7b..NIV

Lord, you left the grandeur of your palace
To come to this cruel and wicked place
You could have come as a prince
Born into the home of a powerful ruler
But you chose to identify with the poorest of poor
When you were born in the dark and smelly manger
And you did it all for sinners like me
If not for your sacrifice on the cross
If not for your death and resurrection
We would still be men and women without purpose or hope
Thank you Lord Jesus for the priceless gift of Christmas
Because of your sacrifice, we who believe in You
Enjoy the privilege of a living relationship with our Creator

“If a man will not work, he shall not eat.” (2 Thess 3 :10b)

Idleness has its degrees. There are those who might consider performing a task that does not soil the hands. Between light and heavy work, they might choose the former. Then there are some who might consider contributing part of a workload. But the epitome of idleness is found in those who spend the whole day in empty talk and gossip, in imposing on people’s hospitality. Paul says “If a man will not work, he shall not eat.” (2 Thess 3 :10b) The message is plain and clear. One does not have to feel guilty for not helping such a person.

Paul points out that he and his co-workers work day and night for their food and for God’s work in order to be a visible example for the Thessalonian church to follow.

This reminds me of a foreign friend, GB. He is the reverse of the idleness. When he’s working, he forgets about food and fatigue. But the moment, he’s free, he thinks of nothing but sleep.

...…pray for us … ..(2 Thess 3:1 b)

I have been re-listening to Pastor Lamb's sermons to brush up on my Pudonghua and Cantonese. His Bible expositions as always are simple, direct but interesting to his congregation because of the local examples he uses to illustrate spiritual concepts. Although my Mandarin is elementary, but I'm always fascinated each time he uses the written script to illustrate a point.

The Chinese script is tonal ( five tones) and made up of different radicals, often in pictorial form. In this sermon, he gave several illustrations of the meaning of disciple (men (2) tu(2). At this point in writing, I am unable to relate what he said about the Chinese character of disciple.

Based on Verse 1 and 2, we find that Paul asked for prayer for himself and his co workers. Does it surprise us that even Paul and spiritual giants of his time - Timothy, Silas required prayer? No, it shouldn't because God's servants are easy targets for the enemy who will use all kinds of means to frustrate the spread of the gospel. But with prayer, the enemy's progress will surely be derailed.

Lord, may your presence be with your workers
May their message of your love spread far and wide
May lives be saved
May the bells of heaven ring every second
With each added soul
Saved by the preaching of thy servants
In Jesus Name
Amen

..well done, good and faithful servant! (Mt 25:23b)

Starbucks launched its Christmas TV ad two days back. When I saw it, I almost fell out of my seat. What! Christmas already! It’s a signal that another 365 days of 2007 will soon come to an end. How have I used the time? Did I put it to good use or did I waste it away? There are many things in life that we can reclaim, but time once lost is like rice turned into porridge. Once gone, there is no turning back to redeem the twenty four hours of each day of 2007.

This reminds me of the parable of the talents in which the master gave five talents to one, two talents to another and one talent to the last, all in proportion to their ‘talents’ or ‘abilities.’ The Bible tells us that the first two doubled their talents but the last one ‘buried’ his talent. The act of the last person, incurred the master’s wrath so much so that he punished him by taking away his talent and giving it to the one who already had ten talents.

Parables in the Bible are stories that carry life lessons. This one is no different. Gifts and talents and I’m using the terms interchangeably here need to be honed. We’ve heard the saying ‘practice makes perfect.’ The singer who exercises his vocal chords and practices on his song repertoire daily is likely to perform better than one who slacks in practice. The writer who keeps on writing and writing and writing will soon find it easier to work his craft than one who waits for inspiration to seize him. The student who works on his mathematical problems will soon figure out how to arrive at the solutions.

Often times, we hear someone say, “But I have no talent.” This is not true. We all have talents. God is fair. He gives us gifts according to our abilities. I know of a lady who served food in church and learnt enough to set up a home food catering business that financed her children’s education abroad.

Our gifts need not be in high profile. Acknowledging someone with a warm smile, greeting a senior citizen, giving directions to a tourist are acts that make the day for its recipients. Keep on serving with whatever talents we have at hand and see our gifts multiply with time.

Lord Jesus- You who are the Giver of good gifts
Show us how to appreciate our gifts
Help us to use them to spread your love and goodness
When weariness takes over, grant us the discipline to persevere
For your kingdom sake
Amen

I take in the cool air of the early morning

I take in the cool air of the early morning
I’m reminded of life’s preciousness
My spirit rises with expectation
Of what’s in store for the new day

For I remember a time
When waking up in the morning
Was such a loathsome task
My spirit was weighed down as I asked
Would I, could I make it through the day?

But now I sing of your goodness
For you kept me through those dark times
When friends had turned away and I was alone
It was your promises that kept me alive
Your word like honey gave me strength and comfort

How can I not thank you Lord?
How can I not love you, my God?
For you’re better than gold or silver
Better than all the good things of the world

Composed on 16 Oct 2007 by englishsinseh