The Bible.

A young man was getting ready to graduate from college. For many months he had admired a beautiful sports car in a dealer's showroom, and knowing his father could well afford it, he told him that was all he wanted.

As Graduation Day approached, the young man awaited signs that his father had purchased the car. Finally, on the morning of his graduation his father called him into his private study. His father told him how proud he was to have such a fine son, and told him how much he loved him. He handed his son a beautifully wrapped gift box. Curious, but somewhat disappointed the young man opened the box and found a lovely, leather-bound Bible.

Angrily, he raised his voice at his father and said, "With all your money, you give me a Bible?" and stormed out of the house, leaving the holy book.

Many years passed and the young man was very successful in business. He had a beautiful home and wonderful family, but realized his father was very old, and thought perhaps he should go to him.

He had not seen him since that graduation day. Before he could make arrangements, he received a telegram telling him his father had passed away, and willed all of his possessions to his son. He needed to come home immediately and take care of things. When he arrived at his father's house, sudden sadness and regret filled his heart. He began to search his father's important papers and saw the still new Bible, just as he had left it years ago. With tears, he opened the Bible, and began to turn the pages. As he read those words, a car key dropped from an envelope taped behind the Bible. It had a tag with the dealer's name, the same dealer who had the sports car he had desired. On the tag was the date of his graduation, and the words... PAID IN FULL.

How many times do we miss God's blessings because they are not packaged as we expected?

You of little faith, why did you doubt? Matthew 14:31

(Disclaimer: Story taken from Grace Ngu.)

*******

Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life - in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labour for nothing. 

Philippians 2:14-16

A Prayer.

Make Me A Channel of Your Peace.

Amen!

My God Listens.

(Dated 15 October 2011. Delay in publish due to technical problem.)

Things have not been easy and I have not been truly happy ever since I stepped on this land.

But He the I Am who is alive, through songs and scriptures, is constantly telling me that He cares and He is listening to my prayers, every single one of them.

Hope of All Hearts.

Everything is perishable, including all the trials I am facing and the grudges I am holding against the others at this very moment, but You will remain. 

Though my heart may fail, with hope and light, You will bring victory out of me.

In darkness, in trial, my soul shall sing of Your mercy and kindness.

For you have taught me to be the light that shines and to never lose my saltiness even in the midst of hopelessness and disappointments.

Never Stop.

Psalm 103

(NIV)

¹ Praise the LORD, my soul;
   all my inmost being, praise his holy name.
² Praise the LORD, my soul,
   and forget not all his benefits—
³ who forgives all your sins
   and heals all your diseases,
⁴ who redeems your life from the pit
   and crowns you with love and compassion,
⁵ who satisfies your desires with good things
   so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s. 

 ⁶ The LORD works righteousness
   and justice for all the oppressed. 

 ⁷ He made known his ways to Moses,
   his deeds to the people of Israel:
⁸ The LORD is compassionate and gracious,
   slow to anger, abounding in love.
⁹ He will not always accuse,
   nor will he harbor his anger forever;
¹⁰ he does not treat us as our sins deserve
   or repay us according to our iniquities.
¹¹ For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
   so great is his love for those who fear him;
¹² as far as the east is from the west,
   so far has he removed our transgressions from us. 

 ¹³ As a father has compassion on his children,
   so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him;
¹⁴ for he knows how we are formed,
   he remembers that we are dust.
¹⁵ The life of mortals is like grass,
   they flourish like a flower of the field;
¹⁶ the wind blows over it and it is gone,
   and its place remembers it no more.
¹⁷ But from everlasting to everlasting
   the LORD’s love is with those who fear him,
   and his righteousness with their children’s children—
¹⁸ with those who keep his covenant
   and remember to obey his precepts. 

 ¹⁹ The LORD has established his throne in heaven,
   and his kingdom rules over all. 

 ²⁰ Praise the LORD, you his angels,
   you mighty ones who do his bidding,
   who obey his word.
²¹ Praise the LORD, all his heavenly hosts,
   you his servants who do his will.
²² Praise the LORD, all his works
   everywhere in his dominion. 

   Praise the LORD, my soul. 

 

Enable me to show the same mercy and grace that You have shown me toward those who sin against me, and to hurl their sins into the deepest part of the sea of forgetfulness.

The journey of becoming more like Jesus will never stop.

Not until the day my spirit parts with my body.

Thank You, Lord,
for giving me reasons to believe and to forgive.

My Future is Yours.

Proverbs 19:20-21

Listen to advice and accept discipline, and at the end you will be counted among the wise. Many are the plans in a person's heart, but it is the Lord's purpose that prevails.

A gentle reminder to commit everything into God's hand. For many are the plans we have for ourselves but in the end, God is the one who decides whether or not to fulfill them. He has the last say.

If God is for us, who can be against us?

People Need The Lord.

***

A Reminder:

God doesn't give you the people you want, He gives you the people you need - 

to help you, to hurt you, to leave you, to love you and to make you the person you were meant to be.

October in Adelaide.