parachuting peas
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
John 2
Main chunk: v 12-17Also: Luke 11, 13
Read about Jesus' angry, powerful and passionate personality. Was reminded that 'peace' in my everyday life isnt equal to amiable indifference. I thought of kc's ss lessons. Yea, I know that stuff. Then as I was walking off, I was wondering if I've been angry/upset/annoyed lately. Almost slipped my mind that I have been just really recently. Over perceptions of issues with friends, and in fact, just last night - over an email reply I got! Thank God for my sis who (unfortunately) met me on the way home when I was still mulling over it, for listening to me 'reason things out' during our super short walk home right till I reached the door of my study.
Something to remember when I get annoyed next time.
So give us clean hands, give us pure hearts,
Let us not give our souls to another.
Friday, January 22, 2010
Luke 18:1-8
This widow came repeatedly to the judge to plead for her case to be heard. She was seeking plain justice and a hearing. Because she was so poor, she had nothing to bribe the attendants of the court with. But due to her persistence, the judge heard her case.It is so good that this parable is not one that tells us how we have to beg and plead and pester God just so our prayers are heard. Though it is such good training for us to be persistent and faithful in prayer. But rather, it is a contrast between an unjust judge and God as the Judge. (Eph 6:18, Matt 7, esp v11)
It's so easy to lose heart from time to time because it's hard to see God's timing and purpose.
i'm..
thankful for the howling wind [my favourite], the pouring rain [second favourite] and the rolling thunder [least favourite]Wednesday, January 20, 2010
thanksgiving
today, i thank God for letting me study with IQ, and that i wasn't tempted to bother/distract her too much(: oh. and that i got a pair of pants. and we made it to church on time. k. THANK GOD!Tuesday, January 19, 2010
2 Cor 5:9
Being busy with 'good things' makes you feel better, particularly in a season where the perceived weight of other people's expectations feels too heavy. It certainly helped me to cope with the expectations that I had felt were on us. It also makes writing newsletters easier. When you're involved in 'good things', there is always something interesting to write about, omething that you feel will impress the audience, ssomething that sounds fruitful and seems to make good use of their support money. And by and large they are very good things. Of course they are .Serving in the hospital, researching leprosy, running literacy groups for women, helping out at the bible correspondence course. They are good things and they are things that ber fruit for the Kingdom.But our motives foil us at times. If my primary motive for being busy with good things is to please the supporters, then I may as well go home. "Learn to live for an audience of One". So often I was aware I was living for an audience of about 2000. But I wanted to live for an audience of One. I wanted to do my living for Him, my moments and my days, my comings and my goings. The desires of my heart were His but I was easily distracted by the larger audience.
Perhaps our motives are never pure. perhaps it is a lifelong battle to keep our eyes on Him, to keep the other audience at bay. I think it is a lifelong battle, but I think the battle intensifies during a season of expectations. During a season of expectations we can struggle even more to keep our eyes on Him. We can struggle even more to live for an audience o One. The other audience looms in, loud and insistent.
Naomi Reed - My Seventh Monsoon
Therefore we also have as our ambition, whether at home or absent, to be pleasing to Him. 2 Cor 5:9
In some ways, it re-examines why we take up certain things. But after hearing from the staff/st, I realise that this awareness (or caution) can't just result in us dropping all and running away. That too isn't wise. Rather, we can pray and ask for our hearts to be changed.
Monday, January 18, 2010
Psalm 19 [QT]
7 The law of the Lord is perfect,reviving the soul;
the testimony of the Lord is sure,
making wise the simple;
8 the precepts of the Lord are right,
rejoicing the heart;
the commandment of the Lord is pure,
enlightening the eyes;
12 Who can discern his errors?
Declare me innocent from hidden faults.
13 Keep back your servant also from presumptuous sins;
let them not have dominion over me!
Then I shall be blameless,
and innocent of great transgression.
14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
be acceptable in your sight,
O Lord, my rock and my redeemer
These verses spoke to me today because i've always complained of being spiritually "fatigued". v7 speaks of the renewing of the soul, by meditating on the Law of the Lord! This is a great reminder that we can find rest in God and His word(:. In v14, when David ends off the psalm, he does it in great humility, which reminds me that God is still God and ruler of all.
Anyway. in CASE there is anyone else reading parapeas [which i think most probably not.], parapeas is going in a new direction, hopefully helping maintain a consistent and proactive relationship with God. (:. okay that's it byebye.