A Bouquet Of Praise

... that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. - 1 Peter 4:11

Corrie ten Boom (1892-1983) was a World War II concentration camp survivor and Christian who became popular speaker around the world. Thousands attended her meetings as she talked about how she had learned to forgive her captors just as Christ had forgiven her sins.

After each meeting, people surrounded her and heaped accolades on her for her godly qualities and thanked her for encouraging them in their walk with the Lord. Corrie said she would hen return to her hotel room, get down on her knees, and present those compliments in thanks to God. She called it giving God "a bouquet of praise."

The Lord has given each of us gifts to use to minister to one another (1 Peter 4:10) so that "in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever". We have nothing to offer others that we have not first received from the Lord, so the glory does belong to Him.

To learn humility, perhaps we could follow Corrie's example. If we receive a compliment for something we've said or done, let's privately give a bouquet of praise to God for the glory He alone deserves.

Immortal, invisible, God only wise,

In light inaccessible hid from our eyes,

Most blessed, most glorious, the Ancient of Days,

Almighty, victorious - Thy great name we praise. - Smith

Praise is the fairest blossom which springs from the soul.

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1 Peter 4:7-11

The end of all things is near. Therefore be alert and of sober mind so that you may pray. Above all, love each other deeply, because love cover a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling.

Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God's grace in its various forms.

If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God.

If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ.

To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.

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I watch Your wonders fill the sky... Over the mountains reaching high...

The same majesty floods my life... i stand in awe...

As long as i live, i'll praise You Lord...

Name above all, be lifted high...

All of my days, i worship You... i worship You...

Lovely, You are lovely...

There is no one, there is no one more worthy... You are worthy...

i try to find the words, there is no one lovelier...

~...Christ Tomlin...~

Praise the Lord... for giving me my Adam... the one that i had long awaited...

Thanks to the Lord... for helping us get through all the obstacles...

Worship Lord alone... for You are worthy and there is none like You...

after months, popping here and there... it's time to decide...

settled with shelter, study, living... and now, which actually should be the first, a church...

feel like, a man can't serves 2 masters... where to serve, is my question now...

going to a church which I don't feel like a home?

or another one which welcome me with warm smile?

I see the needs... but, I also wish to get a place that could feed my spiritual life...

both nothing wrong with teaching... again... i should choose a church based on feeling? or just stay with what i had committed?... which actually don't have much chances for me to choose at first...

Stay at the church and try to help them with what is given me?

knowing there is no such perfect church... cos we are the one who make it a better church...

but, just feel like going somewhere i feel comfortable with...

is it time to serve but not to be served?... anyway, let's skip this headache question first...

Paul... thank God for him... few times, that i thought i'm going to lose him...

when he is angry, unhappy, and frustrated... when i do mistakes, sick, and blur...

thank God that he could calm down eventually and be there still...

Daddy, I loves You... cos You loves me first... and now, let me use the love given, to love this man i chose @ given... he knew that only you can help him with his temper... from your servant i heard that, someone with bad temper is someone lack of love... is that apply to him? if so, please, use me as a way to deliver Your most precious love to him... i really hope that he can stay in beloved condition all the time... not only through me, but by God Yourself... let him feel Your presence and Your love all the time... with love, lots of sins can be covered, lots of problem could just be small little matter... or doesn't matter at all... Daddy, help him to stay in Your love whole day long, until the end of his day...

and also Your little daughter here... give me wisdom please... i can feel that his cousin is someone full of wisdom... bit of admire, little jealousy... knowing that everyone is unique and no way to compare... but still, i wish to have the wisdom she has... therefore i could do less mistake and less blur... by Your mighty, i can become a light for the rest too... please, give me wisdom, so that i can solve the problem well, serve other properly, build your church with wisdom too...

PS:- Paul, i know you may come to my blog and read this, here is my prayer, for you and for me... obstacles we face, not meant to be only one of us, but we both will need to face it together... let's pray that we could have enough strength from God to overcome all these... no one is perfect, sometime you can't control your anger, and i'm so blur for things... let's move forward with His strength, power, and blessing... we can learn to be someone glorify His name...

I think you must be very clear that we are surround by non-Christian... mostly... our relationship is a life testimony for them... they are observing us, as a Christian... they might become Christian, because we gave them good impression of a Christian... we do our part, let God do the rest...

Dear, try to love your family with action... try not to reject their requests... you might think those little things doesn't matter, but that's what counted after day and days... do some small little thing for them, and I'm sure they will appreciate it...

:) ... well, couldn't sleep tho after telling you i want go to bed... and this is something that I worked on from around 2am?? XP well, feel sleepy now... i think i can sleep now...

Fear And Love

What does the Lord your God require of you, but to fear [Him]... and to love Him.

Someone shared with me her observation about two bosses. One is loved but not feared by his subordinates. Because they love their boss but don't respect his authority, they don't follow his guidelines. They other boss is both feared and loved by those who serve under him, and their good behavior shows is.

The Lord desires that His people both fear and love Him too. Today's Bible passage, Deuteronomy 10, says that keeping God's guidelines involves both. In verse 12, we are told "to fear the Lord your God" and "to love Him."

To "fear" the Lord God is to give Him the highest respect. For the believer, it is not a matter of feeling intimidated by Him or His character. But out of respect for His person and authority, we walk in all His ways and keep His commandments. Out of "love," we serve Him with all our heart and with all our soul - rather than merely out of duty.

Love flows out of our deep gratitude for His love for us, rather than out of our likes and dislikes. "We love Him because He first loved us". Our fear and love for God enable us to walk willingly in obedience to God's law.

Lord, You are holy and Your thoughts are much higher than mine.

I bow before You. Thank You for salvation in Jesus.

I love You and want to obey You with all of my

heart, soul, mind, and strength. Amen.

If we fear and love God, we will obey Him.

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Deuteronomy 10:12-17

And now, Israel, what does the LORD your God ask of you but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in obedience to him, to love him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to observe the LORD's commands and decrees that I am giving you today for your own good?

To the LORD your God belong the heavens, even the highest heavens, the earth and everything in it. Yet the LORD set his affection on your ancestors and loved them, and he chose you, their descendants, above all the nations - as it is today. Circumcise your hearts, therefore, and do not be stiff-necked any longer. For the who shows no partially and accepts no bribes.

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somehow, I learn this lesson through someone...

I do love him, i think... should be no doubt for it... otherwise my heart won't feel pain or anything else... miss him all the time when he is not around...

at the same time, i started to afraid of him... because I love, I care, therefore I couldn't afford for any loss... can't imagine the day when he leave me alone...

Anyway, fear and love... realize i had done too much for him, causing him to feel ignorant... out of love but end with fear... some simple things that I thought somehow spark out the issue to challenge our relationship...

I do have no idea what a relationship suppose to be or either to love someone "properly"... but if lesson only can be gain through issues, that's hurt... How much faith I could have put onto him? no idea... but nothing else I can do other than trust him...

a wife said a prayer, wish not to idolize her husband... now i understand... not to means worship the husband, but when care for his opinion more than God's, there's a clash for the first position in my life...

nothing wrong to love him, but I feel like have to love him as he is a king... I need to give my best to support him, not being a burden for him... he can just simply go chase after something else without worries at the back...

that's sounds simple but is actually not easy at all when it come to action...

dear, i love you more than i can thought of... but i'm sorry that my stupidness had hurt you...

in no way i will lie to you about this... if you need a quiet period, just let me know... let us observe each other in a distance, and go through everything that we had in past few months...

any decision that you make, make sure it is the most ideal one for you... doesn't matter for your promise or anything... just make a decision that you will not regret in the future... dear, I do love you... therefore i had lose the chance to do that decision... because i'm so stubborn, unteachable, had give my all to you... there will be no U-turn for me... but I think you are rational enough to do the best decision for your life... don't let me affect the rest of you...

dear, nothing else to say, but i really love you... I had put away all my principle and lessons i had to go with you... no matter what the people say, i will find a way to convince them to accept you just as your family did... at least my mom had no objection... one of my god-mom do support us, and a sister in christ gave us the best wish...

I don't know how hard would it be for a loving couple (if you are), together hand in hand and get the blesses from people... but the future will only be decided by you... ever since i'm for you. be yours all the time...

The Eye That Never Sleeps

In my distress I cried to the Lord, and He heard me. - Psalm 120:1

Detective Allan Pinkerton became famous in the mid-1800s by solving a series of train robberies and foiling a plot to assassinate Abraham Lincoln as he traveled to his first inauguration. As one of the first agencies of its kind in the US, the Pinkerton National Detective Agency gained even more prominence because of its logo of a wide-open eye with the caption, "We Never Sleep."

There is no better feeling than knowing you are protected and secure. You feel peaceful when the doors are locked and all is quiet as you drift off to sleep at night. You feel safe. But many lie awake in their beds with fearful thoughts of the present or dread of the future. Some are afraid of commotion outside or of a spouse who has been violent. Some cannot rest because of worry over a rebellious child. Others are anxiously listening to make sure a seriously ill child is still breathing.

These are the times when our loving God encourages us to cry out to Him, to the One who will neither "slumber nor sleep". Psalm 34:15 reminds us that "the eye of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears are open to their cry."

Pinkerton may have been the original "private eye," but the One who really has the eye that never sleeps is listening to the cries of "the righteous".

Before you sleep, just gently lay

Every troubled thought away;

Drop your burden and your care

In the quiet arms of prayer. - Anon

We can sleep in peace when we remember that God is awake.

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Psalm 121

I life up my eyes to the mountains - where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.

He will not let your foot slip - he who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.

The LORD watches over you - the LORD is your shade at your right hand; the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night.

The LORD will keep you from all harm - he will watch over your life; the LORD will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.

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That's why I was being so relax almost all the time while others are nervous worry and wonder... I just continue my happy day... XP ...

Is that so hard to uphold everything to Him and just sit back and relax after doing your part? You do your best, God will do the rest... :) just smile and look at the sky outside the window, enjoy the fellowship while hanging around with friends... That is the most happy lifestyle I could find...

Truly Amazing

Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! - 1 John 3:1

I read these words on a young woman's personal Web site: "I just want to be loved - and he has to be amazing!"

Isn't that what we all want - to be loved, to feel cared for by someone? And so much the better if he or she is amazing!

The one who fits that description most fully is Jesus Christ. In a display of unprecedented love, He left His Father in heaven and came to earth as the baby we celebrate at Christmas. Then, after living a perfect life, He gave His life as an offering to God on the cross in our behalf. He took our place because we needed to be rescued from our sin and its death penalty. "While we were still sinners, Christ died for us". Then 3 days later, the Father raised Jesus to life again.

When we repent and receive Jesus' gift of amazing love, He becomes our Savior, Lord, Teacher, and Friend. "Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God!".

Looking for someone to love you? Jesus loves us so much more than anyone else possibly could. And He is truly amazing!

Amazing thought! that God in flesh

Would take my place and bear my sin;

That I, a guilty, death-doomed soul,

Eternal life might win! - Anon.

The wonder of it all - just to think that Jesus loves me.

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Romans 5:6-11

You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possible dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God's wrath through him! For if, while we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! Not only is this so, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

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There is no comparison between God's love with people's... what more can I ask for when i had the greatest lover in the world? Thank God that i'm being chosen to be one of His children...

I had experienced God's love not only in the youth camp but also through someone God had blessed so much... :) I thought "love" shouldn't be a burden, somehow, i'm willing to take it even if it is... simply because the feel of love that I will not get from anywhere else...

dear, you are my dearest in the world... right now, at this moment, and wish it could last till our's end of the day... darling... being my first, and let's pray that each other's last one... no more searching around... we have found ours someone in our life...

What more i can ask for... when i had the greatest love from heavenly Father and someone who care for me so much on earth... because of you, i'm willing to change... because of you, i'm preparing myself for our future... because of you, i'm here to whispering with my Daddy...

Lion Of Judah

Do not weep. Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has prevailed. - Revalation 5:5

The lounging lions in Kenya's Masai Mara game reserve looked harmless. They rolled on their backs in low-lying bushes. They rubbed their faces on branches as if trying to comb their magnificent manes. They drank leisurely from a stream. They strode slowly across dry, scrubby terrain as if they had all the time in the world. The only time I saw their teeth was when one of them yawned.

Their serene appearance is deceiving, however. The reason they can be so relaxed is that they have nothing to fear - no shortage of food and no natural predators. The lions look lazy and listless, but they are the strongest and fiercest of all. One roar sends all others animals running for their lives.

Sometimes it seems as if God is lounging. When we don't see Him at work, we conclude that He's not doing anything. We hear people mock God and deny His existence, and we anxiously wonder why he doesn't defend Himself. But God "will not be afraid of their voice nor be disturbed by their noise". He has nothing to fear. One roar from Him, and His detractors will scatter like rodents.

If you wonder why God isn't anxious when you are, it's because He has everything under control. He knows that Jesus, the Lion of Judah, will triumph.

When fear and worry test you faith

And anxious thoughts assail,

Remember God is in control

And He will never fail. - Sper

Because God is in control, we have nothing to fear.

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Isaiah 31:1-5

Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help, who rely on horses, who trust in the multitude of their chariots and in the great strength of their horsemen, but do not look to the Holy One of Israel, or seek help from the LORD.

Yet he too is wise and can bring disaster; he does not take back his words. He will rise up against that wicked nation, against those who help evildoers. But the Egyptians are mere mortals and not God; their horses are flesh and not spirit.

When the LORD stretches out his hand, those who help will stumble, those who are helped will fall; all will perish together.

This is what the LORD says to me: "As a lion growls, a great lion over its prey - and though a whole band of shepherds is called together against it, it is not frightened by their shouts or disturbed by their clamor - so the LORD Almighty will come down to do battle on Mount Zion and on its heights. Like birds hovering overhead, the LORD Almighty will shield Jerusalem; he will shield it and deliver it, he will 'pass over' it and will rescue it."

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He is in control of everything... let's just have no worries and be glad that we able to see the sunshine and cloudy rains... thank God that we're still alive to enjoy whatever is given to us...

:) Let's just play the swing, enjoy the wind blow on your face... let's just get an ice-cream, and smile when lick it... let's just laugh at the mistakes and remind yourself not to do it again...

Life can be so simple and easy yet happy... why not?

Life is so short but long enough for us to enjoy it...

Life has nothing else but to move on...

Life is just so meaningful and wonderful once you are born... XP

so, just SmILe... :)

A Lover Of God

You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. - Matthew 22:37

In a brief biography of St. Francis of Assis, G. K. Chesterton begins with a glimpse into the heart of this unique and compassionate man born in the 12th century. Chesterton writes: "As St. Francis did not love humanity but men, so he did not love Christianity but Christ... The reader cannot even begin to see the sense of a story that may well seem to him a very wild one, until he understands that to this great mystic his religion was not a thing like a theory but a thing like a love-affair."

When Jesus was asked to name the greatest command in the Law, He replied, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment". The questioner wanted to test Jesus, but the Lord answered him with the key element in pleasing God. First and foremost, our relationship with Him is a matter of the heart.

If we see God as a taskmaster and consider obedience to Him as a burden, then we have joined those of whom the Lord said, "I have this against you, that you have left your first love".

The way of joy is to love the Lord with all our heart, soul, and mind. - David C. McCasland

Oh, help me, Lord, to take by grace divine

Yet more and more of that great love of Thine;

That day by day my heart may give to Thee

A deeper love, and grow more constantly. - Mountain

Put Christ first and you'll find a joy that lasts.

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Matthew 22:34-40

But hearing that He had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees were gathered together. Then one of them, a lawyer, asked, tempting Him and saying, Master, which is the great commandment in the Law? Jesus said to him, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it, You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.

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A lover of God, a follower of God, a great fan of God... It seems to be so easy to me years ago... why it become something almost impossible for me now? not that not willing to, but with taking the consideration of time, faithfulness and son on... that's seriously not easy...

Anyway, God, I want to thank You that what had given to me... and with that, I want to do all my best to follow you as what I had promised to You... Father Lord, please help me... tho all these simply because of him, but still, I want it... and wish to be a blessing for him...

Inspiration To Perspiration

Be doers of the Word, and not hearers only. - James 1:22

My grandfathers were both gardeners and so are many of my friends. I love visiting beautiful garden - they inspire me. They make me want to create something equally beautiful in my own yard. But I have trouble moving from the inspiration to the perspiration part of gardening. My great ideas don't become reality because I don't spend the time and energy to make them happen.

This can be true in our spiritual lives as well. We can listen to the testimonies of other people and marvel at the work God is doing in their lives. We can hear uplifting music and great preaching and feel inspired to follow God more diligently. But soon after we walk out of church, we have trouble finding the time or making the effort to follow through.

James described such Christians as being like those who look in a mirror, see themselves, but do nothing to fix what is wrong. They hear the Word, but it doesn't lead to action. James says we need to do - not just hear.

When we move from the inspiration of simply "hearing" about the good being done by others to the perspiration of actually "doing" good works ourselves, the implanted Word of God will bloom into a beautiful garden of spiritual fruit.

I'd rather see a Christian

Than to one merely talk;

I'd rather see his actions

And behold his daily walk. - Herrell

Life works best when we do.

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Titus 3:1-8

Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and always to be gentle toward everyone.

At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ out Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.

This is a trustworthy saying. And I want you to stress these things, so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good. These things are excellent and profitable for everyone.

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Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,
That saved a wretch like me.
I once was lost but now am found,
Was blind, but now I see.

T'was Grace that taught my heart to fear.
And Grace, my fears relieved.
How precious did that Grace appear
The hour I first believed.

Through many dangers, toils and snares
I have already come;
'Tis Grace that brought me safe thus far
and Grace will lead me home.

The Lord has promised good to me.
His word my hope secures.
He will my shield and portion be,
As long as life endures.

Yea, when this flesh and heart shall fail,
And mortal life shall cease,
I shall possess within the veil,
A life of joy and peace.

When we've been here ten thousand years
Bright shining as the sun.
We've no less days to sing God's praise
Than when we've first begun.

Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,
That saved a wretch like me.
I once was lost but now am found,
Was blind, but now I see.

Amazing Grace - John Newton