Reflections of a lost sheep

  30 Sep 25 Today's devotional: taken from YouVersion , Life Application Study Bible Devotion In remembrance of Him Jesus said, "Do this to remember me as often as you drink it.'' How do we remember Christ in the Lord's Supper ? By thinking about what he did and why he did it. If the Lord's Supper becomes just a ritual or a pious habit, it no longer remembers Christ, and it loses its significance. “In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.”” 1 Corinthians ‬ ‭11‬:‭25‬ ‭NIV‬‬ ————————— Reflections I heard our pastor announced before the start of the Holy Communion to be in a posture of prayer after we return to our seats after the Holy Communion ( HC ). What this devotional is saying is very true. The HC has somewhat become a ritual and people are becoming legalistic? There are people who only came for the HC and left straight after. Is coming to chur...

  29 Sep 25 Today's devotional: taken from YouVersion , Life Application Study Bible Devotion Remembering the lessons Today's pressures make it easy to ignore or forget the lessons of the past. But Paul cautions us to remember the lessons the Israelites learned about God so we can avoid repeating their errors. The key to remembering is to study the Bible regularly so that these lessons remind us of how God wants us to live. We need not repeat their mistakes! “These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the culmination of the ages has come.” ‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭10‬:‭11‬ ‭NIV‬‬ ——————— Reflections I think for us all who read the bible bit by bit, day after day, we may not even memorise the whole bible. However as we read, we do remember how the word speaks to us and how it makes us felt. The Lord works in mysterious and miraculous ways that goes way out of the box. Whenever we hit a dead-end, He will remind us or point us on where ...

  28 Sep 25 Today's devotional: taken from YouVersion, Life Application Study Bible Devotion Live for Christ Apparently the Corinthians were ready to make wholesale changes without thinking through the ramifications. Paul was writing to say that people should be Christians where they are. You can do God's work and demonstrate your faith anywhere. If you became a Christian after marriage, and your spouse is not a believer, remember that you don't have to be married to a Christian to live for Christ. Don't assume that you are in the wrong place, or stuck with the wrong person. You may be just where God wants you. “Nevertheless, each person should live as a believer in whatever situation the Lord has assigned to them, just as God has called them. This is the rule I lay down in all the churches.”1 Corinthians‬ ‭7‬:‭17‬ ‭NIV‬‬ ————————- Reflections In our culture, we kind of inherit whatever religion our husband is after we get married. So there is this tendency to maybe ...

  27 Sep 25 Today's devotional: taken from YouVersion, Life Application Study Bible Devotion Honouring God with our bodies What did Paul mean when he said that our bodies belong to God? Many people say they have the right to do whatever they want with their own bodies. Although they think that this is freedom, they are really enslaved to their own desires. When we become Christians, the Holy Spirit fills and lives in us. Therefore, we no longer own our bodies. " Bought . . . with a high price '' refers to slaves purchased at auction. Christ's death freed us from sin, but also obligates us to his service. If you live in a building owned by someone else, you try not to violate the building's rules. Because your body belongs to God, you must not violate his standards for living. “Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God wit...

  26 Sep 25 Today's devotional: taken from YouVersion , Life Application Study Bible Devotion Unified in God Paul wanted the Corinthians to understand that they were a unified assembly. They were not to see themselves as a collection of competing interests or independent individuals. Paul was emphasizing the intent of Jesus' prayer in John 17:21-23 that believers be unified in God. What actions can you take this week to strengthen your ties to fellow Christians in the church of Jesus Christ ? “Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy that person; for God’s temple is sacred, and you together are that temple.”1 Corinthians‬ ‭3‬:‭16‬-‭17‬ ‭NIV‬‬ ————————- Reflections Probably for Paul to make that statement was because he knew that the community was a total mess. They may even be Christians but they probably don’t look or behave very Christ-like.  When we read the bible, w...

  25 Sep 25 Today's devotional: taken from YouVersion, Life Application Study Bible Devotion Guided by the Holy Spirit Everyone wants to be wise. Yet Paul taught the Corinthians that true wisdom or discernment requires the believer to be guided by the Holy Spirit. Because Satan's greatest impact on us occurs when he deceives us, we need the Holy Spirit's help. Spiritual discernment enables us to draw conclusions based on God's perspective , make wise decisions in difficult circumstances, recognize the activities of God's Spirit, distinguish the correct and incorrect use of Scripture , and identify and expose false teachers . Ask God to give you his discernment as you serve him. Let that discernment guide you in your daily walk. “This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words.” 1 Corinthians ‬ ‭2‬:‭13‬ ‭NIV‬‬ ————————— Reflections Discernment is really important ...

  24 Sep 25 Today's devotional: taken from YouVersion, Life Application Study Bible Devotion Begin with thanksgiving In this letter, Paul wrote some strong words to the Corinthians , but he began on a positive note of thanksgiving. He affirmed their privilege of belonging to the Lord and receiving his grace, the power God gave them to speak out for him and understand his truth, and the reality of their spiritual gifts. When we must correct others, it helps to begin by affirming what God has already accomplished in them. “I always thank my God for you because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus . For in him you have been enriched in every way—with all kinds of speech and with all knowledge— God thus confirming our testimony about Christ among you.” ‭‭ 1 Corinthians ‬ ‭1‬:‭4‬-‭6‬ ‭NIV‬‬ ———————- Reflections Words of encouragement are always welcome. However in the Asian context , somehow those things are just lacking. Many times people talk about the not so good things and anythi...

  23 Sep 25 Today's devotional: taken from YouVersion , Life Application Study Bible Devotion The weapon against the enemy Too often we view prayer as a time for comfort, reflection, or making our requests known to God. But here Paul urges believers to join in his struggle by means of prayer. Prayer is also a weapon in all believers' armor as we intercede for others who join in the fight against Satan. Do your prayers reflect that urgency? “I urge you, brothers and sisters, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to join me in my struggle by praying to God for me.” ‭‭Romans‬ ‭15‬:‭30‬ ‭NIV‬‬ ——————— Reflections Prayers are like our bread and butter. Prayers are our daily bread. We need prayers like we need to eat everyday. Similarly, we need to pray everyday because it is supposed to be a package already. Our daily prayers is our daily communion with God. That not only brings us closer to Him, it allows us to be anchored in Him. It is our means of staying near...

  22 Sep 25 Today's devotional: taken from YouVersion, Life Application Study Bible Devotion Be careful so we do not stumble anyone Both strong and weak Christians can cause their brothers and sisters to stumble. The strong but insensitive Christian may flaunt his or her freedom and intentionally offend others' consciences. The scrupulous but weak Christian may try to fence others in with petty rules and regulations, thus causing dissension. Paul wants his readers to be both strong in the faith and sensitive to others' needs. Because we are all strong in some areas and weak in others, we need constantly to monitor the effects of our behavior on others. “Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in the way of a brother or sister.”Romans‬ ‭14‬:‭13‬ ‭NIV‬‬ ———————— Reflections I think no matter how, whether we do or not do anything, we will affect the people around us, especially those that a...

  21 Sep 25 Today's devotional: taken from YouVersion, Life Application Study Bible Devotion Practice hospitality Christian hospitality differs from social entertaining . Entertaining focuses on the host: The home must be spotless; the food must be well prepared and abundant; the host must appear relaxed and good-natured. Hospitality, by contrast, focuses on the guests. Their needs-whether for a place to stay, nourishing food, a listening ear, or acceptance-are the primary concern. Hospitality can happen in a messy home. It can happen around a dinner table where the main dish is canned soup. It can even happen while the host and the guest are doing chores together. Don't hesitate to offer hospitality just because you are too tired, too busy, or not wealthy enough to entertain. “Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.”Romans‬ ‭12‬:‭13‬ ‭NIV‬‬ ———————— Reflections What does hospitality mean to you? I think in a way it’s quite likely if you have a hous...