Lunch at Danish Briyani House Chulia Street branch. We tried Chicken Seekh Kebab (RM25), 'Mutton Rara Gosht' (RM35), 'Garlin Naan (RM5) and Briyani (RM4 half portion)
Sunday, February 26, 2023
DANISH BRIYANI HOUSE @ CHULIA STREET
Lunch at Danish Briyani House Chulia Street branch. We tried Chicken Seekh Kebab (RM25), 'Mutton Rara Gosht' (RM35), 'Garlin Naan (RM5) and Briyani (RM4 half portion)
Sunday, January 15, 2023
GATES OF PRAISE
Psalm 100:4–5
Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise; give thanks to Him and praise His name. For the LORD is good and His love endures forever; His faithfulness continues through all generations.
How important it is for each of us to know the way into God’s presence. How do we enter in His gates? How do we come into His courts? There’s only one accepted way: We enter His gates with thanksgiving; we enter His courts with praise. It’s as we come to God with thanksgiving and with praise that we have access.
In the book of Isaiah we are told that salvation is like a city with walls and gates, and that every one of the gates is named “Praise.” In other words, there is no way into the presence of God, the place of salvation, except through the gate of praise. There’s no other way that we can have access to God. It’s so important that we realize this.
Sometimes we are tempted to say, “But what do I have to thank God for, what do I have to praise Him for?” The psalmist gives us three reasons.
The Lord is good.
His love endures forever.
His faithfulness continues through all generations.
There are three reasons why we should always praise and thank God. And notice that none of those reasons ever changes with our situation or our circumstance. No matter what the circumstance, those three reasons for praising and thanking God always hold good.
Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise; give thanks to Him and praise His name. For the LORD is good and His love endures forever; His faithfulness continues through all generations.
How important it is for each of us to know the way into God’s presence. How do we enter in His gates? How do we come into His courts? There’s only one accepted way: We enter His gates with thanksgiving; we enter His courts with praise. It’s as we come to God with thanksgiving and with praise that we have access.
In the book of Isaiah we are told that salvation is like a city with walls and gates, and that every one of the gates is named “Praise.” In other words, there is no way into the presence of God, the place of salvation, except through the gate of praise. There’s no other way that we can have access to God. It’s so important that we realize this.
Sometimes we are tempted to say, “But what do I have to thank God for, what do I have to praise Him for?” The psalmist gives us three reasons.
The Lord is good.
His love endures forever.
His faithfulness continues through all generations.
There are three reasons why we should always praise and thank God. And notice that none of those reasons ever changes with our situation or our circumstance. No matter what the circumstance, those three reasons for praising and thanking God always hold good.
[Devotional by Derek Prince]
Sunday, January 1, 2023
ISAIAH 61:1–2 "The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn"
Isaiah said it was the year of the Lord’s favor. Not next year. Not five years. Not in the Sweet By and By. This is the year God will shift things in your favor. He is lining it all up. What you could not make happen on your own, God will cause you to accomplish. It will be bigger than you thought. It will happen quicker than you imagined, and it will be more rewarding than you ever dreamed possible.
One touch of God’s favor can get you to where you’re supposed to be. The truth is, you are one shift from seeing a dream come to pass. One shift from paying your house off. One shift from seeing your health improve. One shift from meeting the right person.
[Excerpt From Daily Readings from Break Out!: 365 Devotions to Go Beyond Your Barriers and Live an Extraordinary Life by Joel Osteen]
Thursday, August 4, 2022
Richard Rivalee Nyonya Cuisine Restaurant
Have a good time at Richard Rivalee Restaurant. The delectable food with a taste of history couple with good companies make the dinner very satisfying.
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| Choo's & Ewe's Families |
Monday, April 11, 2022
JAWI HOUSE CAFE GALLERY
Jawi House was established by the Karim family of Punjabi-Jawi Peranakan ancestry, dating back six generations in George Town and four generations of women who created this incredible cuisine. Jawi Peranakan cuisine is known by the Malays as 'food for feasting' and they assure you that dining at Jawi House takes you back centuries of magical culinary history, along the early spice routes when Malay women lovingly domesticated the spices and herbs brought home by their Persian, Arab, Indian and Punjabi husbands and created a culinary experience which is simply unforgettable.
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| Jawi Laksa |
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| Briyani Beef |
Sunday, March 13, 2022
Your ways, O God, are holy
Your ways, O God, are holy. What god is so great as our God? You are the God who performs miracles; you display your power among the peoples. With your mighty arm you redeemed your people, the descendants of Jacob and Joseph. — Psalm 77:13–15
THE GREAT NEED OF THIS HOUR IS TO MAKE KNOWN THE PERSONALITY OF GOD.
The psalmist is crying to God in his time of trouble. We aren’t told what the nature of his trouble is, but we do see that he is so troubled that he refuses to be comforted and cannot speak. Clearly, he is under great duress!
Acknowledging God’s perfect holiness, the psalmist asks if there is a god like our God (v. 13). Not needing to answer that question, he begins to describe God as one who works wonders, who has made His might known among the peoples (v. 14). For the balance of the chapter, then, he recounts what God has faithfully done in the past for His people.
Today, in our times of sadness and despair, in order to renew our hope in God, we would do well to look back at what God has done. Unlike the psalmist, we have the single greatest event in all of redemptive history that we can look back upon—the cross! God’s might was most manifest in the power of Jesus Christ and His atoning death and resurrection. Jesus completed the culminating work in all of redemptive history and we have been given the privilege of living in a time when we can look back on that has already been done.
Therefore, like the psalmist before us, may we look to what our wonder-working God has done through Christ in saving a people for His glory and for their joy. May our hope and confidence in God be like that of Abraham, whose faith grew strong as he was convinced that God was able to do what He had promised (Romans 4:21).
As you focus on His heart toward you and encounter His passionate affection for you, then you will become more equipped to overcome temptation. Focus on four key elements of the gospel in your journey to understanding the fullness of God:
1. Who God is
2. What He has done
3. What you can receive
4. What you should do
We often place most of the emphasis on the last three: what God has done for us in Christ, the forgiveness and inheritance we receive as adopted children, and what we should do in our walk with God. The foundational element—who God is—is often tragically absent in our messages.
THE GREAT NEED OF THIS HOUR IS TO MAKE KNOWN THE PERSONALITY OF GOD.
Sunday, February 13, 2022
It is God who arms me with strength and keeps my way secure
2 Samuel 22:33 - It is God who arms me with strength and keeps my way secure.
2 Samuel 22 is a psalm of thanksgiving that King David composed after God delivered him from his enemies and established him as king over Israel. It is very similar to Psalm 18. The psalm celebrates God's faithfulness and power, and it reflects David's deep gratitude and awe for what God had done for him. David sings jubilant praises who has delivered him from all his enemies, including King Saul.
David's trust and dependence on God are evident in this song. David recognizes that without God, he would not have been able to achieve the victories he had experienced. In verse 33, David declares that it was God who gave him the strength to overcome his enemies and establish his kingdom. He acknowledges that he could not have achieved victory on his own and that it was only through God's help that he was able to succeed.
This verse is a powerful reminder that our strength and security come from God. It is a call to trust in God's power and provision, and to recognize that apart from Him, we are powerless and vulnerable. By acknowledging God's role in our lives and giving Him the glory, we can find strength and security in His love and care for us. May we rely on Him completely and trust in His guidance as we journey through life.
2 Samuel 22 is a psalm of thanksgiving that King David composed after God delivered him from his enemies and established him as king over Israel. It is very similar to Psalm 18. The psalm celebrates God's faithfulness and power, and it reflects David's deep gratitude and awe for what God had done for him. David sings jubilant praises who has delivered him from all his enemies, including King Saul.
David's trust and dependence on God are evident in this song. David recognizes that without God, he would not have been able to achieve the victories he had experienced. In verse 33, David declares that it was God who gave him the strength to overcome his enemies and establish his kingdom. He acknowledges that he could not have achieved victory on his own and that it was only through God's help that he was able to succeed.
This verse is a powerful reminder that our strength and security come from God. It is a call to trust in God's power and provision, and to recognize that apart from Him, we are powerless and vulnerable. By acknowledging God's role in our lives and giving Him the glory, we can find strength and security in His love and care for us. May we rely on Him completely and trust in His guidance as we journey through life.
Wednesday, January 12, 2022
Do not forget the Lord
Deuteronomy 8:18 - But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your ancestors, as it is today. [NIV]
Moses was speaking to the Israelites and preparing them to enter the promised land. He reminds them of all what God has miraculously done in bringing them out of Egyptian slavery and during their wilderness wanderings over the last forty years. Moses gave the people a warning to not forget God. There will come a day when they have success and wealth, and they are supposed to remember God on that day. They are not supposed to think that they have done it all on their own.
The Israelites who were once incapable of doing anything to sustain themselves would soon think that their own power and the strength of their hand and not the limitless power of the covenant keeping God had made them prosperous. For this reason, Moses reminded the people that every gift comes from God. He exhorted them to remember the Lord Almighty is the One who is giving the ability to make wealth. Israel’s wealth (wisdom, power, imagination, material resources, skills, and strength) was a direct blessing from God.
God gives us the ability to be a success story for Him when, in all that we do, we do it for Him. We need to continually remember and acknowledge that it is God who has given us the ability to create wealth and do everything that we have done and are doing. And not forgetting that it is God who brought us where we are today and given us everything that we have today. Let us remember the Lord our God today and always.
Moses was speaking to the Israelites and preparing them to enter the promised land. He reminds them of all what God has miraculously done in bringing them out of Egyptian slavery and during their wilderness wanderings over the last forty years. Moses gave the people a warning to not forget God. There will come a day when they have success and wealth, and they are supposed to remember God on that day. They are not supposed to think that they have done it all on their own.
The Israelites who were once incapable of doing anything to sustain themselves would soon think that their own power and the strength of their hand and not the limitless power of the covenant keeping God had made them prosperous. For this reason, Moses reminded the people that every gift comes from God. He exhorted them to remember the Lord Almighty is the One who is giving the ability to make wealth. Israel’s wealth (wisdom, power, imagination, material resources, skills, and strength) was a direct blessing from God.
God gives us the ability to be a success story for Him when, in all that we do, we do it for Him. We need to continually remember and acknowledge that it is God who has given us the ability to create wealth and do everything that we have done and are doing. And not forgetting that it is God who brought us where we are today and given us everything that we have today. Let us remember the Lord our God today and always.
Wednesday, January 5, 2022
Treasure of Wisdom
Proverbs 3:13-15 - Blessed are those who find wisdom, those who gain understanding, for she is more profitable than silver and yields better returns than gold. She is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire can compare with her. [NIV]
The book of Proverbs serves as a valuable resource for individuals seeking guidance and insight into living a wise, virtuous, and God-centered life. The teachings found in Proverbs remain relevant not only in biblical times but also in contemporary society, rendering it a timeless source of wisdom and inspiration for people of all ages. Proverbs 3 encourages us to trust in God, seek wisdom, and live in obedience to His ways.
In today's verses, King Solomon extols the value of wisdom and understanding, portraying them as highly desirable and invaluable qualities. The pursuit of wisdom is far from passive; it represents an intentional choice to seek understanding, knowledge, and discernment. Metaphors such as silver, gold, and rubies are employed to illustrate the immense value of wisdom. Just as silver, gold, and rubies are highly prized for their material wealth, wisdom is even more valuable. It cannot be quantified in monetary terms, but its benefits far exceed material wealth.
The pursuit of wisdom serves as an acknowledgment that the deepest longings of our hearts cannot be satisfied by the world's offerings. While we may chase after fame, pleasure, or material possessions, true contentment and fulfillment can solely be found in a heart that prioritizes wisdom above all else. It serves as the key that unlocks the door to a life of purpose, meaning, and lasting joy. May we treasure wisdom above all else, recognizing its eternal value and its capacity to lead us to a life that brings honor and glory to our Heavenly Father.
The book of Proverbs serves as a valuable resource for individuals seeking guidance and insight into living a wise, virtuous, and God-centered life. The teachings found in Proverbs remain relevant not only in biblical times but also in contemporary society, rendering it a timeless source of wisdom and inspiration for people of all ages. Proverbs 3 encourages us to trust in God, seek wisdom, and live in obedience to His ways.
In today's verses, King Solomon extols the value of wisdom and understanding, portraying them as highly desirable and invaluable qualities. The pursuit of wisdom is far from passive; it represents an intentional choice to seek understanding, knowledge, and discernment. Metaphors such as silver, gold, and rubies are employed to illustrate the immense value of wisdom. Just as silver, gold, and rubies are highly prized for their material wealth, wisdom is even more valuable. It cannot be quantified in monetary terms, but its benefits far exceed material wealth.
The pursuit of wisdom serves as an acknowledgment that the deepest longings of our hearts cannot be satisfied by the world's offerings. While we may chase after fame, pleasure, or material possessions, true contentment and fulfillment can solely be found in a heart that prioritizes wisdom above all else. It serves as the key that unlocks the door to a life of purpose, meaning, and lasting joy. May we treasure wisdom above all else, recognizing its eternal value and its capacity to lead us to a life that brings honor and glory to our Heavenly Father.
Sunday, December 26, 2021
Appraising Your Life
Remember him — before the silver cord is severed, and the golden bowl is broken; before the pitcher is shattered at the spring, and the wheel broken at the well, and the dust returns to the ground it came from, and the spirit returns to God who gave it. Ecclesiastes 12:6-7 (NIV)
IT’S BEEN A WHILE SINCE you took stock of where you are going, hasn’t it? And how about an evaluation of the kids? Or your marriage? Or your own future? You know what I mean: trimming off the fat of lazy thinking and taking a lean, hard look at your remaining years.
As I write, I’m now in my eighties. If Christ doesn’t return (and I don’t die in the meantime), I figure I’ll keep going until I’m at least one hundred! How old are you? How many years lie between now and when you turn sixty-five or seventy years of age? It’s about time you came to terms with your future, isn’t it?
If that doesn’t grab you, consider your family in the next decade. Cynthia and I feel it was only last week when our home resembled a cross between Grand Central Station, the Indianapolis 500, and the San Diego Zoo! That was long ago. We now find ourselves with ten grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. It’s amazing how quickly all that happened. As the old newsreel used to say, “Time marches on.”
Consider Solomon’s wise counsel:
Remember your Creator now while you are young, before the silver cord of life snaps and the golden bowl is broken. Don’t wait until the water jar is smashed at the spring and the pulley is broken at the well. For then the dust will return to the earth, and the spirit will return to God who gave it.
ECCLESIASTES 12:6-7
For what are you asking the Lord on behalf of your children and grandchildren? I challenge you to stop long enough to make an honest appraisal of your life. By the way, don’t just think about it . . . get alone and write down your thoughts, your dreams, your aspirations. Refuse to let tonight’s television programs or some insignificant activity interrupt this necessary discipline. If you put it off, you may lose the urgency you’re feeling right now.
IT’S BEEN A WHILE SINCE you took stock of where you are going, hasn’t it? And how about an evaluation of the kids? Or your marriage? Or your own future? You know what I mean: trimming off the fat of lazy thinking and taking a lean, hard look at your remaining years.
As I write, I’m now in my eighties. If Christ doesn’t return (and I don’t die in the meantime), I figure I’ll keep going until I’m at least one hundred! How old are you? How many years lie between now and when you turn sixty-five or seventy years of age? It’s about time you came to terms with your future, isn’t it?
If that doesn’t grab you, consider your family in the next decade. Cynthia and I feel it was only last week when our home resembled a cross between Grand Central Station, the Indianapolis 500, and the San Diego Zoo! That was long ago. We now find ourselves with ten grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. It’s amazing how quickly all that happened. As the old newsreel used to say, “Time marches on.”
Consider Solomon’s wise counsel:
Remember your Creator now while you are young, before the silver cord of life snaps and the golden bowl is broken. Don’t wait until the water jar is smashed at the spring and the pulley is broken at the well. For then the dust will return to the earth, and the spirit will return to God who gave it.
ECCLESIASTES 12:6-7
For what are you asking the Lord on behalf of your children and grandchildren? I challenge you to stop long enough to make an honest appraisal of your life. By the way, don’t just think about it . . . get alone and write down your thoughts, your dreams, your aspirations. Refuse to let tonight’s television programs or some insignificant activity interrupt this necessary discipline. If you put it off, you may lose the urgency you’re feeling right now.
{From Good Morning, Lord . . . Can We Talk? A Year of Scriptural Meditations by Charles Swindoll}
Sunday, December 12, 2021
To Worship God
Sing, O heavens; and be joyful, O earth; and break forth into singing, O mountains: for the Lord has comforted his people, and will have mercy upon his afflicted. ISAIAH 49:13
To worthily worship God as He desires to be worshiped, I must have absolute confidence in Him. I cannot sit down with any person and enjoy fellowship if I have reason to fear he is out to get me or trick me or deceive me or cheat me. My fellowship with Him must be based upon respect and confidence. I have to trust him before I can have fellowship with him; and so when I go to God, I have to raise my affections and confidence to God. In the presence of God, I must come without doubt and nervousness, without worry and fear that God will cheat me, deceive me or let me break down or do something wrong. I need to be so convinced about God to the point that I can go into the presence of God in absolute confidence and say, “Let God be true and every man a liar.”
“With confidence I now draw nigh,
With confidence I now draw nigh,
And, “Father, Abba, Father,” cry.
CHARLES WESLEY (1707–1788)
To worthily worship God as He desires to be worshiped, I must have absolute confidence in Him. I cannot sit down with any person and enjoy fellowship if I have reason to fear he is out to get me or trick me or deceive me or cheat me. My fellowship with Him must be based upon respect and confidence. I have to trust him before I can have fellowship with him; and so when I go to God, I have to raise my affections and confidence to God. In the presence of God, I must come without doubt and nervousness, without worry and fear that God will cheat me, deceive me or let me break down or do something wrong. I need to be so convinced about God to the point that I can go into the presence of God in absolute confidence and say, “Let God be true and every man a liar.”
“With confidence I now draw nigh,
With confidence I now draw nigh,
And, “Father, Abba, Father,” cry.
CHARLES WESLEY (1707–1788)
[From My Daily Pursuit: Devotions for Every Day By A. W. Tozer]
Sunday, November 14, 2021
Consequences of sin
Isaiah 59:6 - Their cobwebs are useless for clothing; they cannot cover themselves with what they make. Their deeds are evil deeds, and acts of violence are in their hands.
In Isaiah 59:6, the prophet paints a vivid picture of the consequences of sin and the futility of human attempts to find righteousness and peace. This verse serves as a part of a larger passage (Isaiah 59:1-15) where Isaiah highlights the people's separation from God due to their sins. He describes a people whose efforts to cover themselves and find security are as feeble as cobwebs. Despite their best intentions, their actions are tainted by evil deeds, and violence permeates their lives.
This verse serves as a reminder that all humanity, regardless of our best efforts, falls short of God's perfect standard. No matter how hard we try to construct a facade of righteousness or find fulfillment in worldly pursuits, our attempts will always fall short. Amid this bleak reality, there is hope. Isaiah 59:1 assures us that God's hand is not too short to save, nor His ear too dull to hear. Despite our sinful state, God extends His mercy and grace to us. He sees our desperate need and offers a solution that transcends our feeble attempts at self-justification.
The ultimate answer to our sinfulness and brokenness is found in Jesus Christ. Through His perfect life, sacrificial death on the cross, and victorious resurrection, He offers forgiveness, redemption, and a restored relationship with God. Jesus' sacrifice provides the covering we desperately need, far surpassing any cobwebs of self-righteousness or human effort. As we recognize the futility of our own works and the destructive nature of sin, we are invited to embrace the redemption and salvation offered through faith in Christ.
In Isaiah 59:6, the prophet paints a vivid picture of the consequences of sin and the futility of human attempts to find righteousness and peace. This verse serves as a part of a larger passage (Isaiah 59:1-15) where Isaiah highlights the people's separation from God due to their sins. He describes a people whose efforts to cover themselves and find security are as feeble as cobwebs. Despite their best intentions, their actions are tainted by evil deeds, and violence permeates their lives.
This verse serves as a reminder that all humanity, regardless of our best efforts, falls short of God's perfect standard. No matter how hard we try to construct a facade of righteousness or find fulfillment in worldly pursuits, our attempts will always fall short. Amid this bleak reality, there is hope. Isaiah 59:1 assures us that God's hand is not too short to save, nor His ear too dull to hear. Despite our sinful state, God extends His mercy and grace to us. He sees our desperate need and offers a solution that transcends our feeble attempts at self-justification.
The ultimate answer to our sinfulness and brokenness is found in Jesus Christ. Through His perfect life, sacrificial death on the cross, and victorious resurrection, He offers forgiveness, redemption, and a restored relationship with God. Jesus' sacrifice provides the covering we desperately need, far surpassing any cobwebs of self-righteousness or human effort. As we recognize the futility of our own works and the destructive nature of sin, we are invited to embrace the redemption and salvation offered through faith in Christ.
Thursday, October 28, 2021
Seow Bak (Roast Pork)
Crispy Pork Belly, just like you get from the Chinese BBQ meat shop!
1. Pricking lots of holes in the skin = puffy crackling with bubbles. This is what makes all the difference, yielding that beautiful bubbly crackling that is so unique to Chinese pork belly.
2. Roast covered in rock salt = crispy crackling. Salt draws moisture to the surface, helping to guarantee you’ll get crispy crackling every single time. And yes, it works whether you do the pricking or not.
The pork belly is first roasted with the salt crust, then the salt crust is removed. At this stage, the skin is rubbery and looks thoroughly unappetising.
All it takes to transform the ugly ducking into a crispy golden swan is to stick it under the grill/broiler for 25 minutes. Watch in amazement as it starts to puff and crackle and becomes so crispy!!!
Pork Belly Marinade
The pork flesh is infused with subtle flavour by marinating it in classic Chinese flavours – Chinese cooking wine (or dry sherry or even Mirin), five spice powder, salt and white pepper.
1. Pricking lots of holes in the skin = puffy crackling with bubbles. This is what makes all the difference, yielding that beautiful bubbly crackling that is so unique to Chinese pork belly.
2. Roast covered in rock salt = crispy crackling. Salt draws moisture to the surface, helping to guarantee you’ll get crispy crackling every single time. And yes, it works whether you do the pricking or not.
The pork belly is first roasted with the salt crust, then the salt crust is removed. At this stage, the skin is rubbery and looks thoroughly unappetising.
All it takes to transform the ugly ducking into a crispy golden swan is to stick it under the grill/broiler for 25 minutes. Watch in amazement as it starts to puff and crackle and becomes so crispy!!!
Pork Belly Marinade
The pork flesh is infused with subtle flavour by marinating it in classic Chinese flavours – Chinese cooking wine (or dry sherry or even Mirin), five spice powder, salt and white pepper.
Sunday, September 19, 2021
Loving God: Daily Reflections For Intimacy With God.
“And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him. —1 John 4:16
No one can come face-to-face with what God is like and ever be the same. Seeing the truth about His personality touches the depths of our emotions, which leads us to spiritual wholeness and maturity.
BEHOLDING THE GLORY OF WHO HE IS AND WHAT HE HAS DONE RENEWS OUR MINDS, STRENGTHENS US, AND TRANSFORMS US.
No one can come face-to-face with what God is like and ever be the same. Seeing the truth about His personality touches the depths of our emotions, which leads us to spiritual wholeness and maturity.
BEHOLDING THE GLORY OF WHO HE IS AND WHAT HE HAS DONE RENEWS OUR MINDS, STRENGTHENS US, AND TRANSFORMS US.
Sunday, August 29, 2021
God is a Person
It is of the LORD’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning; great is thy faithfulness. LAMENTATIONS 3:22–23
When I was a small boy, I thought of God as an old man with a long white beard. After all, hadn’t Michelangelo painted Him that way?
Later, as I read the Bible, and after I had accepted Christ as my Savior, I realized that God is a spirit, yet He has the attributes of a person: He thinks; He speaks; He communicates; He loves; He becomes angry; He grieves.
Because God is a person, He feels that which we feel. After all, we are made in His image, so it is to be expected that we would be able to communicate our deepest feelings and emotions to God.
God communicates with us in two ways. First, He communicates with us through His written Word, the Bible. It tells us who God is, who we are, and why we need a Savior so that we might have that relationship with God which sin has broken.
Second, God communicates with us through His Son. Jesus said that no man can come to the Father except through Him. We have that access to Jesus, and thus to God, through salvation.
God is the same yesterday, today and forever. He never changes.
Our Father and our God, sometimes I can’t express my deepest emotions. But I know that Jesus can express my very heart to You and that You understand. Thank You, Father, for Your great compassion and faithful love. In the name of Christ, amen.
When I was a small boy, I thought of God as an old man with a long white beard. After all, hadn’t Michelangelo painted Him that way?
Later, as I read the Bible, and after I had accepted Christ as my Savior, I realized that God is a spirit, yet He has the attributes of a person: He thinks; He speaks; He communicates; He loves; He becomes angry; He grieves.
Because God is a person, He feels that which we feel. After all, we are made in His image, so it is to be expected that we would be able to communicate our deepest feelings and emotions to God.
God communicates with us in two ways. First, He communicates with us through His written Word, the Bible. It tells us who God is, who we are, and why we need a Savior so that we might have that relationship with God which sin has broken.
Second, God communicates with us through His Son. Jesus said that no man can come to the Father except through Him. We have that access to Jesus, and thus to God, through salvation.
God is the same yesterday, today and forever. He never changes.
Our Father and our God, sometimes I can’t express my deepest emotions. But I know that Jesus can express my very heart to You and that You understand. Thank You, Father, for Your great compassion and faithful love. In the name of Christ, amen.
[From UNTO THE HILLS A Daily Devotional by BILLY GRAHAM]
Sunday, August 22, 2021
God's Goodness
Psalms 34:18 "The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”[NIV] The Good News: Though you may feel defeated, God is closer than you realize. He is always with you and can heal your heart.
The heart of a Psalmist is familiar with suffering and consistent in hope. This pattern emerges time and time again. The writer expresses an honest struggle, makes a request, and ends with a choice to trust in God. Some Psalms focus on lament, which means to grieve the loss of something or someone. Some focus on praise. But many combine the two, even when several verses reveal the pain of suffering.
The power of God’s love has a way of enhancing our ability to believe. When we experience a deeper connection to love, the tank of our ability to believe gets filled and empowered. On the other hand, our ability to believe can feel like it is getting shipwrecked with our hearts are struggling with disconnect to love.
When you see someone struggling to believe, you will often find someone who carries a broken heart and the absence of the power of love in their life. Disappointment has taken over. Weariness has gotten the upper hand. Life has a way of beating the belief out of you.
That is why the healing power of love is needed in our lives every day. We need it to heal and recover from all the experiences we are going through. When love has not been imbedded in someone’s heart, it can be so easily to lose hope and struggle to believe.
Many believers are trying to help their belief with a “I think I can” kind of approach. They try and try harder, but struggle to make progress, because there is a love issue missing in their heart.
When you love someone in a way that it impacts their heart, it can literally bring their belief system back to life. That’s what love does. It revives hope, renews your perspective, gives you meaning and purpose.
For many of us in our journey, we just need the experience of being loved back to life.
The heart of a Psalmist is familiar with suffering and consistent in hope. This pattern emerges time and time again. The writer expresses an honest struggle, makes a request, and ends with a choice to trust in God. Some Psalms focus on lament, which means to grieve the loss of something or someone. Some focus on praise. But many combine the two, even when several verses reveal the pain of suffering.
The power of God’s love has a way of enhancing our ability to believe. When we experience a deeper connection to love, the tank of our ability to believe gets filled and empowered. On the other hand, our ability to believe can feel like it is getting shipwrecked with our hearts are struggling with disconnect to love.
When you see someone struggling to believe, you will often find someone who carries a broken heart and the absence of the power of love in their life. Disappointment has taken over. Weariness has gotten the upper hand. Life has a way of beating the belief out of you.
That is why the healing power of love is needed in our lives every day. We need it to heal and recover from all the experiences we are going through. When love has not been imbedded in someone’s heart, it can be so easily to lose hope and struggle to believe.
Many believers are trying to help their belief with a “I think I can” kind of approach. They try and try harder, but struggle to make progress, because there is a love issue missing in their heart.
When you love someone in a way that it impacts their heart, it can literally bring their belief system back to life. That’s what love does. It revives hope, renews your perspective, gives you meaning and purpose.
For many of us in our journey, we just need the experience of being loved back to life.
Sunday, August 15, 2021
THE POWER OF INTERCESSION
THE POWER OF INTERCESSION
Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; Ephesians 6:18
I once received a message with the following words: “I will be requesting a doctor's report on the wear and tear of your knees any time soon. Hope you are still remembering me in your prayers.”
As I meditated on the words I realised how easy it is for our prayers to become selfish and how we approach the Lord all the time and it is all about us.
The Father wants to use us as instruments to reach out to others that are hurting, He wants us to learn the discipline of desiring the best for others before we have even received it ourselves.
The day you learn to reach out for others in prayer is the day you will learn the highest expression of love for others. You have to pray with all kinds of prayer and you have to persevere in your supplication for all the saints.
Your prayers have the potential of winning mighty victories for someone else. Someone at this moment needs someone to call on the Lord on his or her behalf. They need someone to cover their backs...
When last did you take someone as your prayer assignment and prayed consistently for them? What is the wear and tear of your knees like?
When Job prayed for his friends, the LORD restored his fortunes. In fact, the LORD gave him twice as much as before! Job 42 v 10 [NLT]
When Job obeyed this principle of interceding for others, the Lord restored his fortunes. Many people have battled to receive something from the Lord because all they have done is to selfishly pray for themselves.
Learn the discipline of standing in the gap for others, that alone can open doors of for you. It does not matter what the people you have to pray for are like!
They might have hurt you and they might not even be able to reward you for being there for them. Realize that your reward is with the Lord. Job prayed for his friends with no regard of how they had criticized him.
Someone is in need of your prayers today, doors for you when you learn to stand in the gap for others.
Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; Ephesians 6:18
I once received a message with the following words: “I will be requesting a doctor's report on the wear and tear of your knees any time soon. Hope you are still remembering me in your prayers.”
As I meditated on the words I realised how easy it is for our prayers to become selfish and how we approach the Lord all the time and it is all about us.
The Father wants to use us as instruments to reach out to others that are hurting, He wants us to learn the discipline of desiring the best for others before we have even received it ourselves.
The day you learn to reach out for others in prayer is the day you will learn the highest expression of love for others. You have to pray with all kinds of prayer and you have to persevere in your supplication for all the saints.
Your prayers have the potential of winning mighty victories for someone else. Someone at this moment needs someone to call on the Lord on his or her behalf. They need someone to cover their backs...
When last did you take someone as your prayer assignment and prayed consistently for them? What is the wear and tear of your knees like?
When Job prayed for his friends, the LORD restored his fortunes. In fact, the LORD gave him twice as much as before! Job 42 v 10 [NLT]
When Job obeyed this principle of interceding for others, the Lord restored his fortunes. Many people have battled to receive something from the Lord because all they have done is to selfishly pray for themselves.
Learn the discipline of standing in the gap for others, that alone can open doors of for you. It does not matter what the people you have to pray for are like!
They might have hurt you and they might not even be able to reward you for being there for them. Realize that your reward is with the Lord. Job prayed for his friends with no regard of how they had criticized him.
Someone is in need of your prayers today, doors for you when you learn to stand in the gap for others.
FROM THE SHEPHERD’S DESK DAILY DEVOTIONAL VOL 1 by Charles P. Magaiza
Thursday, July 15, 2021
Fresh Grace Every Day
Matthew 6:34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.
"I am concerned about the big business deal that I have to close tomorrow."
"I am worried about tomorrow's job interview."
"My medical test results will be out tomorrow. I am afraid it won't be good."
God does not want you to worry about tomorrow. He wants you to know that He gives you all the help you need for today, and when tomorrow comes, so will fresh help from Him.
This is God's principle even in the Old Testament. When the children of Israel were in the desert, God gave them fresh manna from heaven every morning. (Exodus 16:13-16, 31)
They did not have to worry about tomorrow because when tomorrow came, there was fresh manna again. He was their provision every day.
Today, God's manna is the grace He gives you every day. If you are worried about a situation tomorrow, know that there will be sufficient grace for that situation when it comes.
God wants you to simply rest in His ability to heal, deliver, protect and provide for you every day.
In the Old Testament, when the armies of Moab and Ammon came against King Jehoshaphat, God told the anxious king, "Do not be afraid nor dismayed... for the battle is not yours, but God's... You will not need to fight in this battle... stand still and see the salvation of the Lord..." (2 Chronicles 20:15-17)
When the next morning came, King Jehoshaphat saw how God caused such confusion to come upon his enemies' camp that it brought about their own slaughter.
Amid all that fighting in the enemy camp, God's people merely stood still and saw Him fight the battle for them just as He had promised.
My friend, when you see a problem looming in your tomorrow, don't be afraid or dismayed. Look to the Lord, and see His grace and salvation deliver you.
God wants you to live a stress-free life, not one filled with worries about tomorrow's problems. When tomorrow comes, His grace will be there for you as your help, protection, favor and enabling!
Thought For The Day: God gives you all the help you need for today. When tomorrow comes, so will fresh help from Him.
"I am concerned about the big business deal that I have to close tomorrow."
"I am worried about tomorrow's job interview."
"My medical test results will be out tomorrow. I am afraid it won't be good."
God does not want you to worry about tomorrow. He wants you to know that He gives you all the help you need for today, and when tomorrow comes, so will fresh help from Him.
This is God's principle even in the Old Testament. When the children of Israel were in the desert, God gave them fresh manna from heaven every morning. (Exodus 16:13-16, 31)
They did not have to worry about tomorrow because when tomorrow came, there was fresh manna again. He was their provision every day.
Today, God's manna is the grace He gives you every day. If you are worried about a situation tomorrow, know that there will be sufficient grace for that situation when it comes.
God wants you to simply rest in His ability to heal, deliver, protect and provide for you every day.
In the Old Testament, when the armies of Moab and Ammon came against King Jehoshaphat, God told the anxious king, "Do not be afraid nor dismayed... for the battle is not yours, but God's... You will not need to fight in this battle... stand still and see the salvation of the Lord..." (2 Chronicles 20:15-17)
When the next morning came, King Jehoshaphat saw how God caused such confusion to come upon his enemies' camp that it brought about their own slaughter.
Amid all that fighting in the enemy camp, God's people merely stood still and saw Him fight the battle for them just as He had promised.
My friend, when you see a problem looming in your tomorrow, don't be afraid or dismayed. Look to the Lord, and see His grace and salvation deliver you.
God wants you to live a stress-free life, not one filled with worries about tomorrow's problems. When tomorrow comes, His grace will be there for you as your help, protection, favor and enabling!
Thought For The Day: God gives you all the help you need for today. When tomorrow comes, so will fresh help from Him.
[Taken From : Destined to Reign by Joseph Prince]
Friday, July 9, 2021
USE YOUR AUTHORITY
Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you. (Luke 10:19 KJV)
Visualize a traffic control policeman, as he stands in the street; every motorist has to respect his authority. Even the strongest man driving an eighteen wheeler has to STOP when he is commanded to do so. What happens if someone thinks they are in a hurry and decide to run over the policeman? There are a number of problems with that; the policeman does not stand there depending on his own power and authority. There are structures and institutions that are designed as back up to this man’s authority, however tiny or huge, whatever his colour or gender. If you do not respect the authority that person represents, you are in serious trouble. Behind that single policeman, there is the whole police force, the army of the country, the cabinet, the president, the courts, the air force and many other structures that are in place.
This is the same with the authority that Christ gave to us as believers. We have been given POWER to tread on scorpions and over ALL the power of the enemy, nothing by shall any means hurt or harm us. The above scripture allows us to take hold of our destiny and know the rights that have been given to us. All this power is within us, surprising many believers go through life without a single clue of this power. They faint at a single blow from the enemy and do not take authority over the situation.
The above reference has some absolutes that are mentioned in it:
i) Over all the power of the enemy
ii) Nothing shall by any means hurt you.
The above points us to the fact that whatever strategy the enemy tries to use, it can be foiled by the power that we have received. From time immemorial, the enemy has been employing different strategies like bringing sickness and disease, discouraging us, attacking us with worry, attacking our businesses and even directly attacking us through other people. Before the knowledge of this truth, it is easy for the enemy to ride on our ignorance of this inheritance of authority the Lord Jesus gave us. He will throw everything on us and we will take it as if it was due to us. The above absolutes however do not leave any room for some of the enemy’s power to hinder us or hurt us. Nothing is permitted and nothing should be allowed room to even harm us.
Child of God, you can begin to exercise this power. The enemy knows that if he tries to oppose that authority, you are backed by all the angels of heaven, the Lord Jesus Himself and God the Father. The word of God is alive and powerful and you can begin right now to speak it into your situation. You have to exercise that authority over your sickness, your job and your destiny. That situation that you are facing that appears insurmountable can be subdued by that authority. Take charge of that situation and remind it of your inheritance in the Lord Jesus. Before the above verse, the disciples had witnessed that authority at work; demons were subject to them in the name of Jesus. There is power in that name saints, when it is mentioned every knee bows and every tongue confesses that Jesus is Lord (Phil 2:11).
Take authority over your overwhelming situations and over all the power of the enemy today. With this knowledge, begin to address every strategy that the enemy has been using to get to you and your loved ones.
(From the Shepherd’s Desk Devotional by Charles P. Magaiza)
Visualize a traffic control policeman, as he stands in the street; every motorist has to respect his authority. Even the strongest man driving an eighteen wheeler has to STOP when he is commanded to do so. What happens if someone thinks they are in a hurry and decide to run over the policeman? There are a number of problems with that; the policeman does not stand there depending on his own power and authority. There are structures and institutions that are designed as back up to this man’s authority, however tiny or huge, whatever his colour or gender. If you do not respect the authority that person represents, you are in serious trouble. Behind that single policeman, there is the whole police force, the army of the country, the cabinet, the president, the courts, the air force and many other structures that are in place.
This is the same with the authority that Christ gave to us as believers. We have been given POWER to tread on scorpions and over ALL the power of the enemy, nothing by shall any means hurt or harm us. The above scripture allows us to take hold of our destiny and know the rights that have been given to us. All this power is within us, surprising many believers go through life without a single clue of this power. They faint at a single blow from the enemy and do not take authority over the situation.
The above reference has some absolutes that are mentioned in it:
i) Over all the power of the enemy
ii) Nothing shall by any means hurt you.
The above points us to the fact that whatever strategy the enemy tries to use, it can be foiled by the power that we have received. From time immemorial, the enemy has been employing different strategies like bringing sickness and disease, discouraging us, attacking us with worry, attacking our businesses and even directly attacking us through other people. Before the knowledge of this truth, it is easy for the enemy to ride on our ignorance of this inheritance of authority the Lord Jesus gave us. He will throw everything on us and we will take it as if it was due to us. The above absolutes however do not leave any room for some of the enemy’s power to hinder us or hurt us. Nothing is permitted and nothing should be allowed room to even harm us.
Child of God, you can begin to exercise this power. The enemy knows that if he tries to oppose that authority, you are backed by all the angels of heaven, the Lord Jesus Himself and God the Father. The word of God is alive and powerful and you can begin right now to speak it into your situation. You have to exercise that authority over your sickness, your job and your destiny. That situation that you are facing that appears insurmountable can be subdued by that authority. Take charge of that situation and remind it of your inheritance in the Lord Jesus. Before the above verse, the disciples had witnessed that authority at work; demons were subject to them in the name of Jesus. There is power in that name saints, when it is mentioned every knee bows and every tongue confesses that Jesus is Lord (Phil 2:11).
Take authority over your overwhelming situations and over all the power of the enemy today. With this knowledge, begin to address every strategy that the enemy has been using to get to you and your loved ones.
(From the Shepherd’s Desk Devotional by Charles P. Magaiza)
Wednesday, June 30, 2021
“Come and rest with Me.”
I care deeply for you, My child. There is nothing that you feel or experience that I don’t also experience as I carry you through life. My hand is upon you, and nothing will take you away from My love. Quietly wait on Me, and you will feel my nearness. You will hear Me whisper into your soul, and My peace will descend upon you.
My little one, there is a hiding place you can find in Me. The shadow you see over you is the shadow of My wings. It is not a shadow of confusion, but a shadow of My hiding place where I will place you next to My heart. For I have taken you from troubled waters and brought you up on high to rest in My presence. No matter how dark the night and how fierce the trial, My kiss of mercy will keep and protect you.
No one says in My presence, “I am afraid.” It is never heard in My glory, “I am poor.” For I have given you all things that will strengthen your life and prepare you for eternity. In My presence all cry, “Glory.” Come into the shelter of My shadow, where all My lovers are washed, robed, crowned, and seated with Me. I care deeply for you and nothing can disturb you in the hiding place of My glory. Come and rest with Me.”
My little one, there is a hiding place you can find in Me. The shadow you see over you is the shadow of My wings. It is not a shadow of confusion, but a shadow of My hiding place where I will place you next to My heart. For I have taken you from troubled waters and brought you up on high to rest in My presence. No matter how dark the night and how fierce the trial, My kiss of mercy will keep and protect you.
No one says in My presence, “I am afraid.” It is never heard in My glory, “I am poor.” For I have given you all things that will strengthen your life and prepare you for eternity. In My presence all cry, “Glory.” Come into the shelter of My shadow, where all My lovers are washed, robed, crowned, and seated with Me. I care deeply for you and nothing can disturb you in the hiding place of My glory. Come and rest with Me.”
[Excerpt From I Hear His Whisper: 52 Devotions (The Passion Translation) by Brian Simmons]
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