A Refocus On Blessed Family Culture
Family is the dearest to us, yet as we spend longer hours than usual with our families during this circuit breaker, we may need to deal with more tensions. However, important lessons and new divine grace are also in store for us. Since God surely has His reasons to let us stay home with our families this season, let’s refocus on deepening the gospel culture in our families and restore the bliss and purpose God has for our families.
Fear Says “What If”, Faith Says “Even If”
“What if…?” is a question that always pops into our minds. Consequently, we will become highly anxious and fearful, if we fail to guard our hearts. Fear likes to ask, “What if”, but faith says, “Even if”. Certainly, our God can stop this pandemic, or grant us our wishes, if He wants, BUT even if He does not, let us still consider Him God and trust in Him. Though we may never reach a stage where we can be totally without fears, yet even as we still have fears, we can choose to follow God by faith. Instead of focusing on the “what-ifs” that we do not know, let us hope in the God whom we do know!
Not Designed To Control But To Trust
No matter how remarkable a person is, man cannot control his own destiny. Because there are at least two things which man cannot control: Time and Chance. Only when a person comes to terms with this reality, then he will not over-rely on his own intelligence, but will realise his need for God, for divine power outside of man himself.
Confronting Our Idols And Idleness
The COVID-19 pandemic tears down man’s idols. We trust in medical science, yet it offers no cure for the novel coronavirus; we worship wise human leaders and experts, yet they are helpless in the face of one very contagious virus; we run after money as if it is the treasure of our lives, yet one virus brings the global economy down. The pandemic is good reminder for us to turn from our idols and seek God earnestly. Yet, as the pandemic silences the empty promises of idols, it also brings the potential trap of idleness, as the world slows down because of COVID-19. As “an idle mind is the devil’s playground”, we must pray that we “never tire of doing what is good”.
Put Your Hope Not In The End Of The Pandemic, But In The Risen Lord!
Let us put our trust and hope in this risen Lord Jesus who conquered humans’ worst enemy – death, and He too can give His believers eternal life and sufficient grace to deal with every good or bad encounter on earth.
The Most Important Precaution
As we take the necessary precautions against the COVID-19 pandemic, there is one important precaution which Christians cannot neglect. The Bible reminds us that if we are afraid of what can kill our body, we should be even more afraid of what can kill our soul. If we lose strength in our spirit, even if COVID-19 does not harm us, we would have been crushed by our fears, killed by our worries, and died of spiritual hunger. Even if we have not lost our freedom to a locked quarantine room, we will already lose our freedom to be enslaved by the devil’s hints and human opinions. Just as the dangers of COVID-19 cannot be taken lightly, the consequences of a failing spiritual health cannot be overlooked too.
You Are Blessed By The Lord
“Blessed by God”, yet our circumstances do not seem to match this? What is the definition of “blessing”? How would a child of God be blessed?
Jacob and Esau: A Look into God’s Election and Human Folly
Which comes first in salvation? Did we first believe in Jesus thus we are saved? Or were we first elected by God thus we could be saved in the end? From the example of Jacob and Esau, it is clear that salvation first came from God rather than any human factor. But while God offers grace, let us not be foolish to miss out on His grace. Often, when we exaggerate our needs and feelings and pursue instant gratification, we fall into folly. But the word of God can make us wise for salvation. Thus, may we treasure the word of God and take it seriously, so that we can stay on the course of wisdom.
Discerning And Responding To God’s Will
Humans are always curious about God’s will, because no one likes to choose the wrong way and suffer loss as a result. But in fact, discerning God’s will is not difficult if we are clear about God’s word.
Life’s Hardest Test and God’s Provision
Sometimes life gets hard, even as we walk with the Lord. Yet, with greater tests and trials comes greater divine grace.
