Dear Lord

Dear Lord..
I am sorry
For treating your temple with disrespect..
For ignoring your plan willfully..
For not considering your purposes with greater regard..

I am sorry
For the bad image I gave to your name
For all I did the past few days

Please Lord
Grant me
The strength to complete this race
The discernment to know your will
And the will to finish this

And..
Dear Lord
Be my Lord forever and ever

Thank you Lord
Amen

The Heart of a Shepherd (I)

"When you see the picture of the shepherd carrying his little lamb on his shoulders have you ever wondered why he is carrying it rather than walking along side it? The answer is very interesting. The sheep on the shoulders of his master is a wayward sheep. This is a sheep that not only wonders from the flock into dangerous territories; but, it wonders habitually. In Psalm 23, King David wrote analogously about the comfort the rod and staff brought him while walking through the valley of the shadow of death. The shepherd’s staff was hooked at the end to bring wondering sheep back into the fold. The rod was used as an incentive for those wondering sheep who were a bit more given to straying. In either case, peace and comfort was brought forth through the enforcement of boundaries set by the one in authority. This resulted in a sense of security for the wandering sheep.

However, there are some cases when the rod and staff are not enough incentive for a particularly strong-willed sheep--a sheep who continually chooses to leave the safety and security of the flock; and, who continually travels into areas where he can be destroyed by wolves or other ravenous beasts. It is at this time that the good shepherd realizes that he must exercise extraordinary measures to secure the safety of this one little sheep. So, out of his deepest measure of love, and for the ultimate well being of his precious little sheep, the good shepherd breaks the sheep’s leg so that it can not wonder into those dangerous territories.

This forces the sheep to abide in the vicinity of the good shepherd. He learns to hear and heed his master’s voice. He begins developing a relationship with his master--a relationship not likely developed in light of his former rebellious behaviors. He begins to obey his master, not because he fears him; but, because he has developed a loving relationship with him. He has realized, through this relationship, that when the master speaks he speaks love, wisdom, goodness, peace, safety, and security."

Taken from Shepherd Hill's Farm (http://www.shepherdshillfarm.org/shepherd.html)

Creep (Message to Christians in general)

Nope. It's not that someone has irritated me to the point of cursing.

"Creeping" is what I picture in my mind when I talk to people who begin to compromise on things. The thing about creeping is that it is slow, and barely noticeable (unless one looks at it intently, and for extended periods of time). Creeping is also creepy (pun intended), in more ways than one. Before you know it, it pounces on you.

Why am I suddenly talking about this? It's because I want to remind and encourage all of you, to never let the creeping start. Do you think that the enemy comes on you, with horns and pointy tail and pitchfork, tongues of flame and blazing eyes? No. He will come as one who is beautiful, and slowly change into the devil that he truly is. And so it is the same with his schemes and plans. They come masquerading as legitimate causes: school. examinations, studies; projects, CCAs, friends, social gatherings, etc etc.

Before you retort, let me do the honours. Are these things that ought to be done? Surely, they are. What kind of a testimony does one give if he cannot even fulfil his own vocational duties, be it work or studies? What kind of a Christian gets holed up at home or in church, without a SINGLE friend who needs salvation ("No life?")? However, it is always a matter of priority. Do we NEED to sacrifice Sundays (which, for some of you, are the only times you come into God's presence, if indeed you can) to study, to meet up with friends, to rest? Do you mean to say that during the whole week, you did not waste a single moment watching TV, playing games, sleeping in?

Don't get me wrong. I am not an extremist. Recreation IS important. But think about it. If you spent 2 hours more than usual in front of the TV instead of studying, and now need to skip church to do some last minute cramming (because the test is on the next day), what are your priorities like? Is it

1.) School>Church>TV;
2.) Church>School>TV; or
3.) School>TV>Church?

I understand anxieties, and if you chose 1, I do not agree but can understand it. But the truth of the matter is, your priorities are more like option 3 (feel free to swap TV with any other activity).

What, then, is left to say? Order your lives, and stop giving excuses. You CAN do without that bit of guilty leisure. Otherwise, before long, you will find yourself coming up with ever more colorful excuses, and eventually putting your own salvation at risk.

The creep is waiting.

Hebrews 10:25-27
"Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching. If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God."

Cyrus