Don't Forget to Pray

Message from Daily Encounter:

"The men of Israel sampled their provisions but did not inquire of the Lord." - Joshua 9:14 (NIV).

After the days of Moses when the armies of Israel, led by Joshua, were conquering the Promised Land marked out for them by God, the surrounding kings and nations were understandably terrified. This was because God was with the Israelites giving them great victories wherever they went.

However, the men of Gibeon, a nearby country, resorted to trickery and outsmarted Joshua. They sent a
delegation to Joshua with the appearance of having come from a distant land so they could deceive Joshua
into making a treaty with them. Their donkeys carried worn-out sacks and old wineskins that were cracked and
had been mended. They wore old clothes, and worn and patched sandals, and the bread they carried with them
was dry and moldy.

Their ruse worked. Joshua signed a treaty with them and only afterwards discovered they were a neighboring
people among those countries God had told Joshua to destroy because of their wickedness. They had to live
with the consequences as a result.

Joshua's mistake was that he made this treaty without praying and inquiring of the Lord! An extremely
valuable lesson for all of us to learn!



Reflection of B:

After stopping my habit of doing quiet time with my best friend last year, I found it difficult to keep a consistent quiet time regiment on my own. I guest it is the same with my best friend too. I feel so guilty that other things have taken precedence to my time with God. :(

The above passage came into my mailbox yesterday to remind me that I need to pray and seek God's direction for my life and career. I have been busy with planning to start my own business and to resume my postgraduate study, but I have not seriously consulted God. It's time I go back to basic, to seeking God's will for my life.


Dear Father,
Sorry that I have put you in my closet and forgotten about seeking Your perfect will in the things I do. Forgive me, Lord. Please give me the strength to continue this spiritual journey with You daily. I want to commit all my plans into Your hands now. Help me be clear of the name of my startup, selection of my partners, and my decision to further my study.
In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Surprise Me!

Ephesians 3:14-21
“My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord. —Isaiah 55:8

Reflection of B:

I have been busy doing my own internet research on the things I want to do and how to go about doing them. Through it, I realized that there are still many things that I don't understand and that I need to embark on a course of study again. I was contemplating between a MBA or a DBA, since the cost of both are about the same.

However, when I read tonight's devotion quoted verse, “My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,” it seems God is telling me that I need to seek Him. I should ask Him what He wants me to do instead of just doing things base on my own impulse.


Dear Lord,
Forgive me for forgetting You in the course of planning for my life. Thank You for reminding me through Your word to seek Your way and Your thought on the things I should do instead.I humbly commit my desires, my thoughts, my ways to You tonight. Change my heart and mind to be like Yours. Teach me to do what pleases You.
Amen.

Reframing The Picture

Deuteronomy 32:7-12

As an eagle stirs up its nest, hovers over its young, spreading out its wings, . . . so the Lord alone led [Jacob]. —Deuteronomy 32:11-12

Reflection of B:

"Moses used eagle imagery to describe God. As eagles carry their young, God carries His people (Deut. 32:11-12). Despite how it may seem, the Lord “is not far from each one of us” (Acts 17:27). This is true even when we feel abandoned."

Reading today's devotion with the above verses caused me to be overwhelmed with emotion and tears. For a while, I felt so alone and "abandoned", yet I knew that God has been watching me and protecting me all the time from afar, perhaps. My recent job resignation has brought new lease of life for me...I felt so peaceful and relieved when I finally handed in my letter As I looked back in all my previous employments, I begin to analyze what it means to be a good leader (be it spiritual or corporate).

Someone shared recently that it's more difficult to lead a church of 3000 members, than to lead a corporation of 3000 staff, He explained that church members are volunteers with no benefits yet have to pay or contribute to the church, while staff of a corporation are being paid for their jobs.

I beg to differ! I feel that the same principle of motivation applies in leading these 2 different groups of people. For the church members to stay in the church without tangible benefits, their self-motivation (through their faith in God or in the bond of fellowship they have with their members) are even more lasting than the tangible benefits employees will have. Therefore, the leader of the church must be someone who knows how to motivate its congregation to remain and serve through intangible means (the spiritual, the emotional, the social).

One best example of a great leader is Jesus Christ. He called the outcasts, the fishermen, the tax collectors, etc, to follow Him and He changed them into great leaders.

So what now for me? Each time I wanted to start on my own business, some job offers would come to entice me away from that idea. But now, I have decided to be self-employed, something which I have been postponing for the last few years. All my work experiences have more or less prepared me for this day, though I know it will not be easy. I need God's grace and guidance, and I hope to have more time and chances to impact people's lives through it all.