Choose the Narrow Path
Enter through the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and spacious and broad is the way that leads away to destruction, and many are those who are entering through it. But the gate is narrow (contracted by pressure) and the way is straitened and compressed that leads away to life, and few are those who find it. Matthew 7:13-14
Even when we know the right thing to do, it can be difficult to do if we don't feel like it. We may feel like lying in bed much longer than we should, even when we aren't sleepy anymore. Sometimes we know we ought to keep our mouth shut, but we don't feel like it.
The way to victory is a narrow path that requires discipline regardless of our feelings. Sometimes it may look too narrow to even squeeze through. But victory comes by obeying God's Word to us, in spite of our feelings. Follow faith, not feelings, today.
**Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path**
Friday, July 31, 2009
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Day 30, July
Crucify Selfish Attitudes
All of you must keep awake (give strict attention, be cautious and active) and watch and pray, that you may not come into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. Matthew 26:41
To live in victory, we can't make decisions according to the way we feel, or by what we think we want. The Word teaches that we are born with appetites sensitive to our human nature. Our natural flesh is carnal and unspiritual. It will keep us slaves to sin, unless we crucify it and follow what the Spirit of God leads us to do.
Studying God's Word will build your faith and keep you on the right path: "The wise also will hear and increase in learning, and the person of understanding will acquire skill and attain to sound counsel (so that he may be able to steer his course rightly)" (Proverbs 1:5)
**Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path**
All of you must keep awake (give strict attention, be cautious and active) and watch and pray, that you may not come into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. Matthew 26:41
To live in victory, we can't make decisions according to the way we feel, or by what we think we want. The Word teaches that we are born with appetites sensitive to our human nature. Our natural flesh is carnal and unspiritual. It will keep us slaves to sin, unless we crucify it and follow what the Spirit of God leads us to do.
Studying God's Word will build your faith and keep you on the right path: "The wise also will hear and increase in learning, and the person of understanding will acquire skill and attain to sound counsel (so that he may be able to steer his course rightly)" (Proverbs 1:5)
**Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path**
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
5 Things To Thank God For
Rev Ricky Ho
Psalm 103:1-3
26th July
Introduction
*There are people who are thankful but some who are not.
*nomatter how terrible, God's help will always be that we can be thankful
*we have so many good reasons to be thankful
1. Blessing of forgiveness (v.3a) " He forgives all my sins"
*no mistake- offers forgiveness
*All that any person must only do is repent and forsake his sin
*God will forgive him and revoke plenty of sin
*Gratitude should then ascent to the throne of God
*GOD FORGIVES ALL
2. The Blessing of Redemption
*Not only redeemed souls from hell but redeem lives from clutches of devil
Psalm 40:2-3 He pulled me out of a dangerous pit, out of the deadly quicksand. He set me safely on a rock and made me secure. He taught me to sing a new song, a song of praise to our God. Many who see this will take warning and will put thier trust in the Lord.
3. Blessing of Healing (v.3b) "and heals all my diseases"
i) All healing is divine healing
ii) No disease or sickness lies beyond his healing power
iii) Psalmist is speaking to his sould
"Bless the Lord O My Soul"
diseases of the soul emanate from virus of sin
*HEALS ALL DISEASES
"For me to live is Christ, to die is gain"
4. The Blessing of Love & Compassion
*Loving kindness & tender mercies of the Lord accompany out lives every day
*Yet, there are some who find fault, grumble & complain
*Being ungrateful hinders the love of God
5. Blessing of Satisfaction & renew
Matthew 5:6 Happy are those whose greatese desire is to do what God requires; God will satisfy them fully!
"Satisfy to renew youth like an eagle"
Psalm 107:9 He satisfies those who are thirsty and fills the hungry with good things.
*Result of living fulfilled, satisfied, spiritual life
Ecclesiastes 5:1-3 Be careful about going to the Temple. It is better to go there to learn than to offer sacrifices as foolish people do, people who don't know right from wrong. Think before you speak, and don't make any rash promises to God. He is in heaven and you are on earth, so don't say any more than you have to. The more you worry, the more likely you are to have bad dreams, and the more you talk, the more likely you are to say something foolish.
*Constantly being renewed, refreshed, revived in my soul & God is doing it all.
**Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path**
Psalm 103:1-3
26th July
Introduction
*There are people who are thankful but some who are not.
*nomatter how terrible, God's help will always be that we can be thankful
*we have so many good reasons to be thankful
1. Blessing of forgiveness (v.3a) " He forgives all my sins"
*no mistake- offers forgiveness
*All that any person must only do is repent and forsake his sin
*God will forgive him and revoke plenty of sin
*Gratitude should then ascent to the throne of God
*GOD FORGIVES ALL
2. The Blessing of Redemption
*Not only redeemed souls from hell but redeem lives from clutches of devil
Psalm 40:2-3 He pulled me out of a dangerous pit, out of the deadly quicksand. He set me safely on a rock and made me secure. He taught me to sing a new song, a song of praise to our God. Many who see this will take warning and will put thier trust in the Lord.
3. Blessing of Healing (v.3b) "and heals all my diseases"
i) All healing is divine healing
ii) No disease or sickness lies beyond his healing power
iii) Psalmist is speaking to his sould
"Bless the Lord O My Soul"
diseases of the soul emanate from virus of sin
*HEALS ALL DISEASES
"For me to live is Christ, to die is gain"
4. The Blessing of Love & Compassion
*Loving kindness & tender mercies of the Lord accompany out lives every day
*Yet, there are some who find fault, grumble & complain
*Being ungrateful hinders the love of God
5. Blessing of Satisfaction & renew
Matthew 5:6 Happy are those whose greatese desire is to do what God requires; God will satisfy them fully!
"Satisfy to renew youth like an eagle"
Psalm 107:9 He satisfies those who are thirsty and fills the hungry with good things.
*Result of living fulfilled, satisfied, spiritual life
Ecclesiastes 5:1-3 Be careful about going to the Temple. It is better to go there to learn than to offer sacrifices as foolish people do, people who don't know right from wrong. Think before you speak, and don't make any rash promises to God. He is in heaven and you are on earth, so don't say any more than you have to. The more you worry, the more likely you are to have bad dreams, and the more you talk, the more likely you are to say something foolish.
*Constantly being renewed, refreshed, revived in my soul & God is doing it all.
**Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path**
Day 28 & 29, July
Make Time with God a Priority
Then Jesus, knowing that they meant to come and seize Him that they might make Him king, withdrew again to the hillside by Himself alone. John 6:15
If the devil can't convince you to be idle and passive, he will drive you to do too much. As soon as you are out of balance, he can devour you
1Peter 5:8 Be alert, be on the watch! Your enemy, the Devil, roams round like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.
The word disciple comes from the word discipline. To be a disciple of Jesus, you must discipline yourself to follow His ways.
Jesus spent a great deal of time going about doing good for people, but He balanced His time by getting alone to pray and commune with the Father. Time with God renews your strength to do good things that you want to do for others. Live a balanced life by spending time with Him.
Walk in Love
And walk in love, (esteeming and delighting in one another) as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us, a slain offering and sacrifice to God (for you, so that it became) a sweet fragrance. Ephesians 5:2
Jesus said, "If anyone intends to come after Me, let him deny himself (forget, ignore, disown, and lose sight of himself and his own interests) and take up his cross, and (joining Me as a disciple and siding with My party) follow with Me (continually, cleaving steadfastly to Me)
Mark 8:34, emphasis mine).
Living a disciplined life means laying aside personal feelings, deciphering which choice is most important in God's eyes, and then allowing that choice to take preeminence over the others. As Jesus laid down His life for you, He is asking you to lay down your interests for His greater cause.
**Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path**
Then Jesus, knowing that they meant to come and seize Him that they might make Him king, withdrew again to the hillside by Himself alone. John 6:15
If the devil can't convince you to be idle and passive, he will drive you to do too much. As soon as you are out of balance, he can devour you
1Peter 5:8 Be alert, be on the watch! Your enemy, the Devil, roams round like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.
The word disciple comes from the word discipline. To be a disciple of Jesus, you must discipline yourself to follow His ways.
Jesus spent a great deal of time going about doing good for people, but He balanced His time by getting alone to pray and commune with the Father. Time with God renews your strength to do good things that you want to do for others. Live a balanced life by spending time with Him.
Walk in Love
And walk in love, (esteeming and delighting in one another) as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us, a slain offering and sacrifice to God (for you, so that it became) a sweet fragrance. Ephesians 5:2
Jesus said, "If anyone intends to come after Me, let him deny himself (forget, ignore, disown, and lose sight of himself and his own interests) and take up his cross, and (joining Me as a disciple and siding with My party) follow with Me (continually, cleaving steadfastly to Me)
Mark 8:34, emphasis mine).
Living a disciplined life means laying aside personal feelings, deciphering which choice is most important in God's eyes, and then allowing that choice to take preeminence over the others. As Jesus laid down His life for you, He is asking you to lay down your interests for His greater cause.
**Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path**
Monday, July 27, 2009
Day 27, July
God Works While You Rest
Now to Him Who, by (in consequence of) the (action of His) power that is at work within us, is able to (carry out His purpose and) do superabundantly, far over and above all that we (dare) ask or think (infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, hopes, or dreams). Ephesians 3:20
Being well-balanced means that you don't do too much of one thing and not enough of another. If you go overboard to be disciplined, you can become legalistic, rigid, and boring! Learn to have fun too.
Don't spend the whole day working, but don't be lazy either. Ask God to help you balance hard work and rest. Stop working long enough to be thankful for all God gives you to celebrate throughout the day. As you rest in God, He will continue working in you to help you become all He plans for you to be.
**Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path**
Now to Him Who, by (in consequence of) the (action of His) power that is at work within us, is able to (carry out His purpose and) do superabundantly, far over and above all that we (dare) ask or think (infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, hopes, or dreams). Ephesians 3:20
Being well-balanced means that you don't do too much of one thing and not enough of another. If you go overboard to be disciplined, you can become legalistic, rigid, and boring! Learn to have fun too.
Don't spend the whole day working, but don't be lazy either. Ask God to help you balance hard work and rest. Stop working long enough to be thankful for all God gives you to celebrate throughout the day. As you rest in God, He will continue working in you to help you become all He plans for you to be.
**Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path**
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Day 26, July
Balance Life
Blessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied) is the man whom You discipline and instruct, O Lord, and teach out of your law, that You may give him power to keep himself calm in the days of adversity. Psalm 94:12-13
A person who is lazy and passive is not happy. A passive person is someone who wants something good to happen, but who just sits still and waits to see if it does. Successful people live disciplined lives.
First Peter 5:8 says, "Be well balanced (temperate, sober of mind), be vigilant and cautious at all times." The devil would like you to go overboard in some area, but stay steady and God "will Himself complete and make you what you ought to be, establish and ground you securely, and strengthn, and settle you" (v.10).
**Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path**
Blessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied) is the man whom You discipline and instruct, O Lord, and teach out of your law, that You may give him power to keep himself calm in the days of adversity. Psalm 94:12-13
A person who is lazy and passive is not happy. A passive person is someone who wants something good to happen, but who just sits still and waits to see if it does. Successful people live disciplined lives.
First Peter 5:8 says, "Be well balanced (temperate, sober of mind), be vigilant and cautious at all times." The devil would like you to go overboard in some area, but stay steady and God "will Himself complete and make you what you ought to be, establish and ground you securely, and strengthn, and settle you" (v.10).
**Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path**
Saturday, July 25, 2009
Day 25, July
Discipline Brings Success
But if from there you will seek (inquire for and require as necessity) the Lord your God, you will find Him if you (truly) seek Him with all your heart (and mind) and soul and life. Deuteronomy 4:29
Proverbs 5:23 says that a person "will die for lack of discipline and instruction, and in the greatness of his folly he will go astray and be lost." That doesn't necessarily mean that a person will die immediately, but a lack of discipline leads towards deathly situations.
In his book A Pursuit of God, A. W. Tozier said (paraphrased) that God puts a desire in us to seek Him. But we have to discipline ourselves to seek Him. We can become too passive waiting for God to initiate a relationship with us. If you want to have a successful life, discipline yourself to seek God every day.
**Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path**
But if from there you will seek (inquire for and require as necessity) the Lord your God, you will find Him if you (truly) seek Him with all your heart (and mind) and soul and life. Deuteronomy 4:29
Proverbs 5:23 says that a person "will die for lack of discipline and instruction, and in the greatness of his folly he will go astray and be lost." That doesn't necessarily mean that a person will die immediately, but a lack of discipline leads towards deathly situations.
In his book A Pursuit of God, A. W. Tozier said (paraphrased) that God puts a desire in us to seek Him. But we have to discipline ourselves to seek Him. We can become too passive waiting for God to initiate a relationship with us. If you want to have a successful life, discipline yourself to seek God every day.
**Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path**
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