THE FIRST

My mother got an accident several months ago. She felt when she tried to gathered our wash. She held her body with her right hand, and the bone shifted. She knew that we didn't have enough money to go to the hospital, that's why she prayed and wrapped it. It sounds silly, but she really did it. Several weeks later, she could work again with her bent hand. I don't know how she did it, but I believe that God loves her so much.

My mother is a hard worker. She nearly has no day off in her life. But, even though she's been 65 years old, she still loves to read Bible every day according to our church Bible reading guidance, and goes to the church services whenever she can.

Each time she is sick, she always pray to God first, then she'll take some medicines. But this is what I always notice, that she puts God in the first place of her every situation. When I saw her right hand, I thought she'll never be able to do anything with it. But, she made me change my mind. With the "blunder", she can do everything now.

When we put God in the first place of our situations, He'll will turn every difficult thing into easier thing, and impossible condition into possible one. Just never let any situation make us place God in another place but the first.

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START FROM OUR FAMILY

For a son dishonors his father, a daughter rises up against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law—a man's enemies are the members of his own household. (Mic. 7:6)

Reading the above verse it feels like it's hard to believe. A son versus his father, a daughter versus her mother, a daughter in law versus her mother in law... ended by a closing that someone's enemies are the members of his own household. Is it really happening? Is it true that the enemies are our own family? It might be difficult to believe, but it does happen, and ironically it happens among some Christian families.

"Christian family? Really???" Well, it might be arising another question, how come such thing like this happens in Christian family? Even though it is unbelievable, but we, Christians, especially we who experience a lot of fights in our family, should think of it: "Is it natural to have a family like this? When we learn about love and loving each other among God's body, why we even have fights among our own family members? Is it what God wants from us?"

We who have lived for years with our family, know exactly each member character, and sometimes, seeing their characters makes us hard to accept them. But as Christians, we are demanded to put love before any other feelings or perceptions or prejudices upon others. God knows that the closer the relationship, the bigger the challenge for every one in it to adjust himself to another. But He also promises that blessing is started from family. Once we know how to be a witness, how to love each other in our family, we will be able to love and bless more people outside our family. Pray and start a change in our family, now!

Dear God, thank you for every one You've given to me, thank you for my family, friends, and relatives. Grow Your love among us, God, a let us feel Your grace and mercy from our family first. Start a change, God, and Your name will be glorified in us and through us. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.

1 Pet. 4:8

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BE HIS WITNESS

Most of the time we are afraid of witnessing about Jesus. Even though we are Christians and we know exactly that witnessing about Christ is one of our main responsibilities, we are hesitant or afraid of doing so. We often think that witnessing about Jesus is a hard thing to do; we are not that fluent to speak in front other people, we feel that we haven't known enough about Jesus, we are afraid that we will be rejected or hated, we already think/make prejudice that witnessing to certain people will only useless. The truth is, we have too much consideration before witnessing.

Well, witnessing isn't all about producing perfect and convincing sentences, or making some miracles before men so that our message will be easier to receive. But, it also about telling God's goodness in our lives with our own way. Perhaps we can't talk, but we can still show it through deeds. Perhaps we can't practice it before people, but we speak a little about God's help in our lives. Perhaps we can't do both, but we can still show them our lives having been changed by God.

We also don't need to afraid about what will happen next. Whether it is questions, objections, or rejections, God will draw anyone who belongs to Him with His own way. Our business is to share, to witness. God's business is to draw and change those people heart to Him. Also, never think that our testimony will be useless, for we never know what will happen after witnessing. I think Jonah ever expected that people of Nineveh will turn their way to God. So, keep witnessing according to our calling as His children.

Dear God, thank you for Your goodness in my life. Forgive me if all this time I don't want to testify about You. Give me strength and Your Holy Spirit in order to do it, God, for I want to speak about what You've done to change my life. I believe that my testimony will bless people. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in[a] the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.

Mat. 28:19-20

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DEADLY FLATTERY

Boy: Love, you a singer at your church, right?
Girl: E..em, I am. But, how do you know that?
Boy: Because, you've sung love songs in my heart.

Boy: Honey, have you any idea why I'm so happy?
Girl: No. What makes you happy, then?
Boy: I'm happy because you are here.

Boy: Honey, you know what? I'm very, very, very grateful to God.
Girl: Really. Can you tell me what makes you grateful to God.
Boy: I thank Him because He has sent one of His angel next to me.

Boy: Dear, your father is a teacher, right?
Girl: Yes, he is. But, how do you know that?
Boy: Because, you have given me lessons of love.

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SLEEPY

Billy: "Rene, I have a riddle here. Can you guess?"

Rene: "Really. Okay... try me."

Billy: "Here it is. Which part of your body does support our head?"

Rene: "Hey, that's easy. 'Neck', of course."

Billy: "A a... wrong guess! Try again!"

Rene: "No way! 'Neck' is the right answer. Or maybe, neck bone?"

Billy: "No, no... the answer is 'EYES'."

Rene: "How come?"

Billy: "Well, you see the man in the picture? No matter how strong is your neck, if your EYES are sleepy, you won't be able to support your neck." (Xixixixixixixixixixi..................:P)

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TOGETHER MEANS STRONGER

I've read an article about togetherness. It said that being alone will not be considered a threat for someone else, especially for the enemy. When I think about it, I think the quote is very true. When we are alone, we will be easily destroyed, but if we are many, we will be difficult to defeat.

Bible also talks about friendlessness, that being alone will be weaken someone, and how poor that person is, for no one will able to help him. Sometimes some people live too independent, they do not have a good relationship with other people because they think it is not necessary. They are too independent and consider themselves able of doing everything alone. "Why should I ask for others' help if I can do it by myself?" Well, perhaps they can do things by themselves, but I believe that there are times when they do need someone else.

Bible says that someone with friend(s) will be able to rise because he has someone who'll help him when he falls. Bible says that someone who prays with partner(s), the prayer will be heard and granted. Bible also says that our couple will be our helper in life. So, why should we stand with a condition of being alone?

God creates us as individual and social creation. He does create us as thinking, meditating, dreaming, daydreaming person, but He also create us as loving, caring, helping, chatting, playing, working creature. For some reasons we can live by ourselves, but for some others we will not be able to survive without other people. Let's see they who are around us, our family, friends, best friends, they are people we can count on. When we fall, they can lift us. When we are sad, they will console us. God presents them around us so that we experience the beauty of togetherness. Don't live by yourself!

Dear God, thank you for my family and friends, and forgive me if I used to be selfish and arrogant, and think that I can do everything by myself. Help me to see why I am created and why people around me are created. For one more time, thank you for my family and friends. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves.

A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.
Ecc. 4:12

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HONORING OTHERS' RIGHT

We live in a quite dense area. We can almost always hear what our next door neighbors say. The benefit of living in such area is the good relationship between neighbors. You know your 400 meters-neighbors' names. People will give you help if you need one. But, the weakness is people will know what you do, what you've been through. They'll talk about you in "groups" chat. They'll think negatively if you are a more individual person and don't know how to adjust yourselves to them.

Another weakness of living in such area is that some people sometimes do not understand about privacy. They'll turn on radio or television very loud. They'll make noise with their vehicles around your house. The fact is other people almost have no time to live in "peacefulness". They know that they have right to do so, but they don't know that other people also have right to live in peacefulness.

We often speak about right. We demand it so bad, especially if we think that another person has taken it from us. We speak about freedom for every human. But, sometimes we forget that we live with limitation, that our freedom is still inside of a "room with walls around", that our right is limited by others' right.

Let us learn from Paul. He had the right to take advantage from his ministry, but he didn't do it. Let us learn from Jesus. He had the right not to take the cross, but He preferred to obey His Father and died for us. Let us learn from God. He has right to create us as His robots, but no, He prefers to create us with free will, even if we don't use it to choose Him.

Let us be a Christian who knows how to put ourselves among so many people. One way to bless they who don't know about Christ is to live by honoring their right. We might not be comfortable with that because we have to put others' interest before us, but don't worry, He loves those who love their neighbors. And, remember that one way to honor right is by understanding that our right is limited by others' right.

Dear Father in heaven, give me Your wisdom to live in the world, among they know know You, especially among they who haven't known You. Teach me to put others' interest before mine and help me to see the wage You've prepared for they who obey. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.

Php. 2:4

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FOCUS ON THE RELATIONSHIP

We're used to be confused about the difference between a ministry and a job. Some people might say, "I think it is not that difficult to differ them. It's very simple, anyway. When you work you get a salary, but in a ministry, you'll not get it." Well, this answer is one of the common replies, some people do differ them in the matter of salary. But the fact is, some churches also "pay" those (full timer and part timer) who work for the church, even though they're not pastors. Besides that, according to Luke 10:7 a worker has a right to receive his wages. It means that salary or wage for church ministers isn't a wrong thing. But still, the question had been in my head for years. "What is the difference, then?"

One day, my mentor answered it for me. He told me that a worker (an employee) works for experience, but a minister ministers only to please God. What is the meaning of his sentence?

A worker will focus on his job, do the best for his company. A great achievement will be appreciated through bonus, and greater achievement will be appreciated through bigger bonus. His experiences are how to adjust himself with the company, and how to show great performances in the "company". Once he gets his experience, he will resign and make his own or join another "company".

But, a minister will no longer focus on experience. He can be a leader for other ministers, he can occupy important position in the ministry, he can perform his excellence before thousands of people, but his main purpose is only to please God. When he doesn't get all conditions I've been mentioned, he'll stay humble and keep ministering.

It doesn't matter whether we are the workers or ministers of a church. As long as we still focus to serve God, even if we have no fans at church, even if we do not minister millions of people, even if we don't have a gift of healing, even if we are unskilled ministers, we're still His workers and ministers. Our mind no longer focuses on experiences (leading, massive ministry, miraculous deeds), but on our relationship with God. Remember this! Focus on the relationship.

Dear, God, thank you for choosing me as your worker and minister. Show me things that will please Your heart. I live only for You. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

My sons, do not be negligent now, for the LORD has chosen you to stand before him and serve him, to minister before him and to burn incense.

2 Cor. 29:11

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LEARN TO RUN IT

I have a very unique father. His friend bought him a cell phone (We're still only able to buy one cell phone and I have to bring it because I need it for work. I think I really have to say thanks to the nice uncle who had bought it for my father, for we do need it. My father doesn't need to look for me to all my friends' houses when I have to come home late. He could call me to make sure my position and my condition.)

Even though it is not one of those complicated cell phones, but my father did have difficulties in using it. I have taught him how to pick up a call and how to make a call. Yet still, my call was never answered. I often had to wait for almost several minutes for him to pick up my call. Yet still, he didn't pick it up. He told me that he would pick up the phone when it stopped ringing. Hearing his explanation, me and my mom almost couldn't stop laughing. But don't worry, he can do it now.

Do we ever have something highly sophisticated, a cell phone, a computer, an i-pad, or other sophisticated things? No matter how modern it is, if we can't run it, if we don't know how to use it, if we don't know how to maximize it, it is useless. It shows its full benefit to those who know how to use it.

The same principle is also applied in God's power. When we accept Him as God and Lord, He gives us a power to be His children. See? God's children! What do you think God's children can do? Many, of course, we can do many things, many great things. But, if we don't know how to manage the power, we will never be able to maximize it, for it is useless in our hands.

Becoming God's children is easy, but living as God's children needs process. We have to learn a lot about our rights and duties, and we have to work together with Holy Spirit who will show the way God's children live. We need His wisdom and faith so we can maximize the power He has given to us, a power that can change a life, a power that can influence surroundings. If we want to make it useful in our hands, ask God to help us.

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