By His Spirit

Today's Scripture

“Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the LORD Almighty” (Zechariah 4:6).

In this day and age, we are equipped with so many wonderful resources in the natural: technology, education, abilities. It’s easy to rely on our own natural strength for so many things. We have to remember that this natural world is only temporary, but the spiritual realm is eternal. We aren’t limited to the earth’s resources; we have unlimited spiritual resources by the Spirit of God. There are things in life that can’t happen by human thinking and reasoning. There are things that won’t be solved by natural power and might. But God is not limited by the resources of this world. When you open the door of faith in your heart, God will move through you in powerful ways by His Spirit. By His Spirit, you can overcome temptation. By His Spirit, you can receive healing. By His Spirit, you can fulfill every dream and desire in your heart. No matter what challenges or obstacles you may be facing today, know that you can live in complete victory by His Spirit!

A Prayer for Today

Father in heaven, thank You for giving me access to all Your spiritual blessings by Your Spirit today. I choose to rely on You and trust that You are working in my life. I praise and bless You, knowing that You are leading me in victory in every area of my life. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

Hope Comes from Him

Today's Scripture

“Find rest, o my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from Him” (Psalm 62:5).

God is constantly planting seeds of hope and victory in your life. He’s constantly trying to deposit His faith on the inside of you. Often times, when we’re anxious and worried, it’s difficult to hear His voice of hope and confidence. But when we stop and quiet ourselves, when we find rest in Him, we will recognize His voice of hope. You’ll hear Him saying to your heart, “Your best days are still in front of you, you are more than a conqueror, you’re the head and not the tail.” As you receive His hope, it creates a foundation for faith to rise inside your heart. The Bible says that faith gives substance to things hoped for. In other words, your hope gives your faith something to work toward. If the cares of this world have left you frustrated and empty today, make the decision right now to open your heart and allow the Lord to deposit His hope on the inside of you. It doesn’t matter what you are facing today or what’s happened in your past, God wants to give you hope today. He wants to pour out His blessing in every area of your life so that you will live the abundant life He has for you!

A Prayer for Today

Father in heaven, I ask for Your hope today. Thank You for lifting me up into heavenly places with You. Show me how to be a vessel of hope to those who are around me today. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

Repentance: The Believer's Tool -- Romans 10:9-11

As believers mature spiritually and gain wisdom from God's Word, they should recognize that faith, confession, and repentance are all necessary tools for maintaining an intimate relationship with the Lord. We need to believe that Jesus forgives our sin, which leads us to confess wrongs before Him and turn away from them so that we will not continue to grieve our Father. If one tool is ignored, the remaining two cannot complete the job of building a successful Christian life.

Faith means believing that God forgives our sins and meets our needs, but it doesn't imply that we should be passive. The life of faith takes work--we pray, obey, serve, and keep our heart clear of sin through confession and repentance. If our view of God is clouded by sin, we'll find it hard to trust Him.

When we trust God's power to forgive, we gain confidence to confess sin--this means agreeing with Him that our transgression is wrong and violates His will. We can't seek His forgiveness until we are willing to identify our sin and recognize how it negatively impacts our relationship with Him. Yet confession is incomplete unless we also repent. And sadly, true repentance--turning away from sin through the power of the Holy Spirit--is increasingly neglected as our society encourages tolerance and doing whatever feels right.

Realize that sin must be abandoned because it grieves God; otherwise, you will damage your fellowship with Him. To keep your heart pure before the Lord, use all the tools He has given: faith, confession, and repentance.

The Place of Faith

Should a Christian set aside MONEY for savings and insurance or does that mean he is not relying totally on GOD?

Many Christians think that the Christian life should be lived on the edge. Giving up our all and believing that everything will always be provided by GOD miraculously and on time is often seen to be the norm in Christian living. After all, does not Paul tell us:"We live by faith, not by sight"(2 Cor 5:7)? And what about Heb 11:1 - "Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see"? Is this really what Paul and the writer to Hebrew meant?

How does GOD Provide?
Christian are no different from the rest of the world when it comes to life's experiences. Emergencies crop up, we get sick, our children's education needs must be addressed and one day we will grow old. GOD's promise to us as Christians is that in the midst of the expected and unexpected, he is always with us, helping, protecting guiding and nurturing.

The Challenge to save and value of cash savings
Preparing and saving for the future for both expected and unexpected events is part and parcel of daily Christian living. We need cash to purchase items needed for daily living (food, clothing, transport, leisure and so on). The surplus is for savings which we can park or invest in various instruments depending on our goal and risk appetite. When considering cash savings, bear in mind that the value of money varies over time. This is the time-value or future value of money. Generally, the value of money is affected by :
A. Rate of return ( of your savings)
B. Rate of inflation

A is positive and builds up your savings while B is negative and erodes the value of your savings. In other words if the rate of inflation is higher than the rate of return, in x years from now your money will be worth less that is it has less purchasing power. In any savings plan a portion should be in cash. To meet unexpected obligations try to save at least 2 months salary in the form of cash.

Can Christians buy insurance?
Would it indicate a lack of faith in GOD? Scripture offer no support that this is so. On contrary we see that while GOD is indeed GOD of miracles he more often than not chooses to work through the normal affairs of mankind, accomplishing his purpose and will in the outworking of day-to-day events. Insurance can thus be a means of GOD's providence. In fact whether we like it or not, Christians are required to buy insurance coverage for our housing loans and motor vehicles. We know it helps to pay for monetary losses experienced at unexpected times like accidents or death. Not everyone has the luxury of extra cash after paying for the necessities of life at the end of the month. If this is your experience, perhaps it is time you reconsidered your lifestyle. This then would be your first challenge!

Practical steps to take

1. Plan and set aside a fixed amount to give to GOD every month-keep this commitment without fail
2. Then, purchase a Whole Life insurance policy with medical benefits. Start early-premiums soar with age. Try to buy a larger coverage(sum insured)-it is worth it although things may be a bit tough at first. If you bought policies years ago it is time to review them as to the current appropriateness of your coverage
3. Finally, set aside some cash monthly. Do not touch it except in emergencies-holidays, changing cars and upgrading the computer are not emergencies. The monthly amount need not be large-something is better than nothing. Put aside 10% of your monthly salary for savings if possible. The cumulative sum over years will surprise you.

In conclusion, in midst of all these considerations, remember to be grateful to GOD for all he has already provided. Trust HIM to continue to do so for he is our heavenly Father who cares deeply for us and supplies all our needs!

Reasons for SAVING

FOR A SPECIFIC PURPOSE OR GOAL
This can be short or long term. For example, saving for a holiday, a downpayment for a car or house, giving to GOD's work or financing your children's future education.

FOR EMERGENCIES
Emergency funds are needed for things like major car repairs, house repairs and prolonged illness.

FOR RETIREMENT
Retirement savings ensure that we can continue enjoy a decent and reasonable lifestyle after the income stream stops.

FOR SUDDEN DEATH
How will your loved ones cope with the financial hardships that may result from your death? What about your children's future? And your parents?

Your Life Goals - What are they?

Until you know what they are, there is almost no chance you will live a genuinely magnificent and significant life. So, let me help you make a start toward identifying your key life goals. We all harbour basic aspirations like retiring with enough money to fund a great lifestyle for our families and ourselves, setting aside sufficient resources to educate our children in the best manner possible and perhaps helping some people along our journey through life.
If we compare awesome lives of the calibre of Mother Teresa and Mahatma Gandhi with those of genocidal monster like Adolph Hitler and Idi Amin, we realise each such person had the same access to time that we do: Precisely 24 hours a day.
Some people choose to invest their lives in helping others, while others squanders theirs in an evil bid to accomplish some hellish purpose. While most of us will never accomplish as much pure benevolence as the first pair nor ever come close to committing as much utter malevolence as the second two, intuitively we know that what we choose to do with our time matters.
Our seconds, minutes, hours and days form the fabric of our one life on Earth. If we manage our time well, we will manage our life well; and I'm not talking about merely becoming more efficient! Our goal should be greater effectiveness.
Stephen Covey teaches the concept of ensuring your ladder is leaning against the correct wall before you begin a tiring climb to the top. I like to think of a troop of gungho boy scouts trekking through thick undergrowth for hours. Finally one enterprising young man, brighter and more agile than the rest, decide to clamber atop a tall tree. Imagine his companions' chagrin should he yell out "Guy! We've made great progress...but we're in the wrong forest."
Each of us has an unknown number of days. Most likely it will fall inside the range of 10,000 and 40,000 days. How many days we have exactly, only GOD knows; to the rest of us, it is the ultimate 'unknown quantity'. Thankfully, what is more important than how long we live is how well we live.
A life well lived is one that has extended its range and scope beyond the natural but selfish inward focus of an infant outward to the world at large. A balance needs to be attained between time spent on ourselves and time spent for others.
So, do yourself a favour by investing the appropriate quantum of time each day toiling, sleeping, playing, serving and loving. If you can achieve the correct personal balance between those five super-imperatives of life, you will live a satisfying, successful life. If you don't, you won't.
In determining the right balance for yourself, take time - no, make the time - to identify key life goals that matter to you. For each one, find and then define a cause bigger than yourself.
Live each day aiming to make some headway toward each of your important goals. This truth is reiterated in Brian Tracy's outstanding time management book Eat That Frog! He teaches a blueprint for accomplishing important goals that comprises 7 steps:

1. Decide exactly what you want
2. Write it down
3. Set a deadline on your goal
4. Make a list of everything that you can think of that you are going to have to do to achieve your goal
5. Organise the list into a plan
6. Take action on your plan immediately
7. Resolve to do something every single day that moves you toward your major goal

Rewrite the above 7 steps in your own handwriting. Then begin working through them-today. After all, as ancient Greek playwright Euripides once observed,"No one can confidently say that he will still be living tomorrow."
And, my friend, that's why I hope you'll let the rest of today - and all your remaining tomorrows - count!

...Counting on Humour -Venture Capitalist Statements to Entrepreneurs

(What They Say vs. What They Mean)

1. Submit your Business Plan. We'll look at it. (Our recycling profits are up 18% this year)
2. We'll get back to you. (We'll give it to our intern if he doesn't have anything else to do)
3. We think your company is overvalued. (In fact it's undervalued, but we'd never tell you that)
4. We'll need to make some small changes to your Business Plan. (Starting with your participation)
5. 51% is just a formality. You'll still have complete control. (I'm putting my nephew in as President)
6. We don't expect our people to burn out. You can have a life. (We'll put a cot in your office)
7. We never hesitate to fund a good idea. (And yours ain't it)
8. Don't worry about that soft quarter. We're still solidly behind you. (The executive search team is already looking for your replacement)
9. Your founder shares are guaranteed to vest. (Immediately after revocation)
10. We won't interfere with your IPO. (What IPO?)
11. Just think of us a passive partner. (We'll be sending you our required vendors list.)
12. We're very interested in your idea. (You're buying lunch.)
    

...Counting on Humour - Biggest Lies

• 3 Biggest Software Lies :

The programmes are fully tested and bug free.
We're working on the documentation.
Of course we can modify it.

• 3 Biggest Computer Room Lies :
  

As long as you remember to 'SAVE' your input, you'll never lose any files.
We run the stuff through as fast as it comes in the door.
The new machine's on order.

• 3 Biggest Large Company Lies :

We have an entrepreneurial spirit here.
People are our greatest resource.
We say 'let the market-place decide'.

• 3 Biggest Small Company Lies :

We have an entrepreneurial spirit here.
The boss is just one of the guys.
Staying small is a conscious decision .

• 3 Biggest Marketing Lies :

Immediate delivery?....No problem.
We treat every customer as if they were our most important.
We're going out to lunch to talk business.

• 3 Biggest Engineering Professor's Lies :

Some day this course will come in handy.
These test are more trouble for me than they are for you.
This is the way they do it in the industry.

• 3 Biggest Executive Lies :

Money...it's just a score card.
If it were up to me, there'd be no assigned parking spaces.
You have to twist my arm to get me to go on a business trip.

• 3 Biggest Hardware Lies :

We always design for testability.
It worked fine on the proto board.
That would be much easier to implement in software.

...Counting on Humour - How Government Works

Once upon a time the government had a vast scrap yard in the middle of a desert. Congress said "someone may steal from it at night." So they created a night watchman position and hired a person for the job.

Then Congress said,"How does the watchman do his job without instruction?" So they created a planning department and hired two people, one person to write the instructions, and one person to do time studies.

Then Congress said,"How will we know the night watchman is doing the task correctly?". So they created a Quality Control department and hired two people. One to do the studies and one to write the reports.

Then Congress said,"How are these people going to get paid?" So they created the following positions, a time keeper and a payroll officer, then hired two people.
Then Congress said,"Who will be accountable for all these people?" So they created an administrative section and hired three people, an Administrative Officer, Assistant Administrative Officer and a Legal Secretary.

Then Congress said,"We have had this command in operation for one year and we are $18,000 over budget, we must cutback overall cost."

So they laid off the night watchman.

Challenge of a 660 Perodua Kancil Car

Wow! What a challenge for 660 Perodua Kancil car. I went to Genting Highland on the 18 Mar 2007 to attend a mega conference. I drove my 660 Perodua Kancil all the way from KL. Prior to that I had been asking around a few of my friends to find out the road condition that leads to Genting. I was very happy to know from a few of my friends that the road to Genting has been widened and very well maintain but there are few high slopes which are dangerous and I need to be careful. However one of my friends, Dylan had been persuavesively asking me not to drive my Kancil up the hill. I was quite disturbed at his advice although he meant to care for me. He ask me to park my car at the parking lot outside Awana Hotel which everyone knows as the "Half Mountain" because he was not convinced that 660 Kancil can climb up to the top of Genting and he ask me not to try as it is very risky. I become worried upon hearing his adviceI was worried about the way up to Genting and also the safety of my car if I were to park it at the open space. On that day, despite this negative advice, me and my wife decided to drive our car straight up to the top of the hill. Yes, what Dylan said was right. Although the road to Genting has been widened but it was steep for my Kancil. I have to drive with low gear almost all the time until I reach to First World Hotel where I suppose to attend my conference. The riskiest part of my trip up to Genting was a 90 degree turning after the Awana which I did not notice as I was having a nice conversation with my wife. As I reach that corner which I was caught unnoticed, I tried my best to stop my car in a hurry and change my drive to 1st gear. With the 1st gear to encounter the 90 degree turning with a 30 dgeree steepness its really a great challenge for me and my car. As I drove up the slope I found that my car become more and more weak than ever until it nearly off my engine but I thank GOD! I did not totally panic at that particular point. If I totally panic I will hit the clutch which I will let my car reverse down the slope. Very thankful that day that I manage to let my car engine stayed alive and went up that slope. Never gonna forget this encounter! After 3 days, another type of challenge come to me and my Kancil - to go down from Genting. Hooh! This is a terrible experience for me as I was afraid of height, I did not really have a good sleep in Genting from the day I reach there as I was worried how to drove down safely. As I drove down using low gear, fear just fill me along the way. My friend has advice me not use my brake often as it will hurts my brake but fear leads me to use it. With a combination of low gear and brake I drove with fear and to my dismay I smell tyre burning smell as I hits the brake on my way down. I also feel some mechanical movement as I hit my brake. All this further deepen my fear of crashing. I was praying asking GOD to protect me. I was thankful that GOD heard my prayer and leads me down the hill all the way and now I'm safely at home. As I was writing this experience, my wife drop by and asked me what do I learn from this experience and what I would like to tell my reader and what can they learn after reading my story.....Lessons to learn :-
1. I will never drive my 660 Kancil up to Genting again.
2. Concentrate during driving and be watchful in front

Change...Changes... Changing...

As I grow older, I realised that "CHANGE" is a necessity in our live no matter who are you, what is your profession, how old are you, where are you living...blah,blah,blah... As for me I noticed changes took place in :-
1. Climate - not easily anticipated compared to 10 years or 20 years ago
2. Childhood - more equipped & hands-on with computer
3. Technology - new technology rises amazingly for example - blogging
4. Living standard - changing from slow pace to quick pace
5. Disease - changing from cancer, AIDS... to Depression
6. Morale - from caring to self-centered

Everything is changing and the pace of change is so quick until we are not able to cope with it. Some of us stop following the change. Some of are adapting to the change. Some of us looking forward for a change. Nevertheless, whether we agree to the change or not slowly and somehow we have to accept it. I would encourage everyone that we rather accept and adapt the change with a cheerful than a doubtful for there's a saying :- Your "ATTITUDE DETERMINES YOUR ALTITUDE". Hope you received it TODAY!.