all

I dislike being call a minister. I mean, as in ministering to the needs of people, especially friends.

I refuse to categorize the things that I do as ministering, no matter how much they appear to be so.

Perhaps because the term seems to indicate superiority.

Perhaps because the term seems to indicate one-sided benefit.

Do you know that as much as you avail yourself to tend to the needs of others, most of the time it actually caters to yours as well?

Do you know that everytime you make a decision to bless someone, while it is God's will that the person be blessed, it is also His will that you're blessed through the action?

Let's take tithing as an example.

I guess you've heard of prosperity gospel before? The one that says the more you give to God, the more you'll get? Actually, it's not totally incorrect, though it is inaccurate.
It actually does work. Why? Simply because they're doing the right thing, though for the wrong reason.

For now, it is my belief that the proper reason of why we tithe, is firstly, to accomplish God's plan and will, whether it's for a big project, or simply to bless someone who is in need financially.
It also serves as a test given by God, to see how faithful and obedient we are to Him in dealing with the resources that He has given us.

If we aren't even faithful in dealing with the very little that has been given to us, what guarantees that we'll be faithful in dealing with more than what we already have?
If it's hard for us to give out 10 when we're given 100, wouldn't it be harder to give out 10,000 when we're given 100,000?

Now, I'm not saying that you should tithe until you have nothing left to use. You're given wisdom, but if you lack, ask.
If you just give until you have nothing left, that fact does not shows that you're a faithful steward, but someone who uses your God-given resources recklessly.
You've been given wisdom. Use it. But if you lack, ask from Him who gives freely.

Coming back to the original topic, there's almost never a such thing as one-sided blessing. Everytime you bless someone, you would most probably be blessed also in return, whether you realise it or not.

When you "minister" to someone, chances are that you're being ministered to as well.
Everytime you give advices, chances are that those advices would benefit you as well.
When you choose to accompany someone who's lonely, chances are that the whole event is also meant to provide for your loneliness as well.

Now, I do not mean that you should give all your resources, time and cash, to people around you. You've been given wisdom. Use it. If you lack, ask from Him who gives freely.

There is a time for everything.
For resting,
To be alone with God,
For hanging out with friends,
To be with family,
Mourning,
Rejoicing,
Crying,
And smiling.

So, the next time you "minister" to someone, do not do it feeling superior; but also do not do it for the sake of to be blessed in return - that's selfishness and insincere.

Just be glad for a chance to give, and a chance to receive.

I am always in awe everytime I think about how we've come to this world, empty handed,
But God, out of His love gave us something, so that we can give a portion back as a thanksgiving,
and when we do so, He has a reason to give us even more than what He has already given us.

He gave us first, that we could give Him back, that He can give us more.

So Lord, this is my all, everything that You've given me, everything that You've added unto me;
It is Yours, so claim me for Thyself, with much jealousy, with much love, with much covetousness.

"If He who in Himself can lack nothing chooses to need us, it is because we need to be needed." - The Screwtape Letters, C.S. Lewis.

royalty

Let me seek more than humanly praises,
Let me seek Your will.

Let me seek more than a lady's affection,
Let me seek Your love.

Let me seek more than worldly achievements,
Let me seek Your approval.

Let me seek more than carnal pleasures,
Let me seek Your fulfillment.

Let me seek more than who I am,
Let me seek You.



I am so filthy that I would die, my mind, they're never pure.
They asked me seek goodness within myself, these I never found;
And I know that they're never there.

Woe is me to die in my sins,
For not even my good deeds can save me, and even these I have none!

Oh how haggardly trodden is the cross!
But oh, how beautiful is the land beyond it, where the light is never dim, view more beautiful than the most glorious sunset!

Woe is me for the land I can see but cannot go.

But happy am I, for He died, and He lived!
He died, and my sins died with Him, He suffered, He suffered, to my regrets, He suffered.
And He lived,
Carrying my hands, He braved everything,
He made sure my pair of filthy and disgusting feet stepped into the beautiful land,
He cleansed me, from my hair to the toe of both my foot,
He clothed me with princely robes, He adorned me with priceless jewels,
He treated me as His own,
He treated me like His own son,
The man who nailed Him to the cross.

I bow before You.
I am nothing without You.
These I know, but many times I ran away.

You accept me no matter what,
You forgave me, when no man can.
Again, and again, and again, and again, and again.

So, remind us Lord, always?
That we are nothing without you,
and our royalty, is but from You.

You accepted us as Your own,
Princes and Princesses You made us,
Heavenly royalties, we became,
Because of who You are.
Simply because of who You are.

I bow, and I confess, that "the Lord is my salvation, I am nothing without Him, He raised me up like the eagles;
He loved me, and even death cannot do us part."

when

When in doubt, rejoice, for you have the privilege to be.

When persecuted, whether physically, mentally, or spiritually, rejoice, for you're counted worthy to suffer for Him.

When weak, rejoice, for you shall be strengthened.

When feeling inadequate and lacking, rejoice, for you will be perfected.

And when feeling far from God, rejoice, for perhaps that is when He's nearest.

untitled

I've made it a point to never apologize for being who I am.

But can I ever apologize enough for all the hurts done during my process of becoming a better person, a better follower of Christ...?

favour

Ahhhhh..................

Can't I see a favour when I see one?

Was saving money on food, when the seller offered me extra dish for free (I assumed) since he wanted to close off already.

............And I said no.

Mehhhhh................

I regretted it as soon as I stepped out of the shop, and while I was walking back.

Was it from pride that I said no, or was it uncertainty?
What caused me to missed such a favour, and will I continue to miss such favours in the future?
Will my pride and nature cause me to miss more of such possible-God-given favours?

But then while I was contemplating the whole thing, I started to wonder with a different perspective.

Was such incidence a favour missed, or a favour gained?

While it looked like a favour, how if I was meant to reject it; how if it would've caused me illness instead?

I can cry a thousand tears at the thought of missed opportunities, but what if those "grave misfortunes" were never misfortunes afterall?

"You give and take away, You give and take away, my heart will choose to say, Lord, blessed be Your name."
"I believe that all things work together for the good of those who love God, for those those who are called, according to His purpose."
"My God is glorious and mighty, He has never failed me, and will never do; He is beyond my expectations. I shall not let my shortsightedness prevent me from daily giving Him thanks, even when things are not as I wanted them to be, or that they do not seem good at all in my sight."

- I'm still learning to really mean these words that I proclaim often.

How can I not trust that He'll always be here to complement me my mistakes, as He had promised me, when, as my best friend put it:

"I know my God is faithful, I've proven Himself oft before."