Everyday Devotions by an Ordinary Christian

Everyday Devotions by an Ordinary Christian
Showing posts with label Peace. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Peace. Show all posts

Friday, 1 February 2013

peace given in the worst of times

Tomorrow, I'll be going to a funeral, for the death of the daughter of my piano teacher. She's the most precious thing, such a little princess. Only 6 months old. When I heard this news, I just balled. My piano teacher is the sweetest woman and she always has such peace and patience especially when I don't do my piano homework. But this was the last thing I would ever think could happen. I thought, "she doesn't deserve this", but we all deserve death but God gave us life because of his great mercy. And what God decided to do with this precious life after he gave her life, was to call her back home. Maybe he missed her too much. ;) ahaha but today, I went to the visitation at the funeral home and I saw her lying in her little casket and she looked like a doll, I couldn't help myself I started crying. I needed peace in my heart even though I wasn't the parent of this little soul. I couldn't look into my teacher's eyes or her husband's, I didn't want to cry even more in front of them. That was probably the last thing they wanted. But what took me by surprise was how calm they were. There seemed to be peace within their hearts. That's the amazing thing about our Lord. He offers peace when you most need it, when it seems nearly impossible to have. And the only thing my piano teacher said to me before I balled again was, "I wish you could've seen her more often." I had never got to see her once, and my family had. So she had promised me in the second week of January that she was going to bring her in for one of the lessons. But the day never came, and it never will. The thought just made me cry even more, I really needed strength. I felt silly because I felt like I was struggling more with keeping myself together and strong than they were. Then one of those awesome moments where God puts that random verse in your mind happened. (ps. I wanted to put that verse on their card, but it was too late)
Colossians 1:11
God will strengthen you with his own
great power so that you will 
not give up when troubles come,
but you will be patient.

My teacher and her husband sure had that verse down because they were very patient and seemed like they had strength provided by God so that they could keep strong. And I think I need some of what they have because I am just breaking down. The thing I love though, is how God designed us. He designed us with feelings for one another, we may not be close to a person, but when they're hurting, we hurt too. We don't have to be identical twins to feel each other. We know how depressing death is and how it could affect one's life. We know that many people's heart were dear to the dead's. Sometimes though, we might need help ourselves, and I'm not just talking about girls (my brother couldn't hold himself either and he's a strong person, we had to leave because he couldn't bear to see her lying there). We sometimes look for things to help us through our sadness like food or friends or music. But there isn't always assurance that it will keep you strong. One thing is sure though. That is the Bible. We could relate to it one way or another no matter what our problems are. In this situation, my teacher, her family and her husband and his family, can relate to David. His son was very ill and was going to die, so he grieved and prayed until the day came when his son was called home. Then David did something remarkable, he got up, cleaned himself and worshiped the Lord then ate for he fasted while the child was alive. Everyone was wondering why he wasn't grieving because of his son's death. He said that what was done is done, he can't do anything about it. But while his son was alive, there was still hope that he could become well. He also said that he will see him one day and will be reunited with him. Just like how all those dear to this precious girl will be reunited with her again one day. So all we could do now is clean ourselves and look towards that day when we shall see her again. My teacher and her family will be in my prayers and thoughts, and I am also motivated to work harder on my piano so I don't give her a hard time with it anymore. She has really encouraged me in the 5 years she's been working with me and she has set great goals for me and so far we have accomplished them and I want to continue to accomplish them for I don't want to let her down. This little girl will always be in my heart and she'll always remind me to stay strong and patient when trials come. I just pray for their peace to continue through the funeral ceremony. 




(click on the sentence above to get to it)


Tuesday, 1 May 2012

Friends

To me, I don't really care about popularity or if my friends aren't popular. I was thinking lately that the reason why I hang around my friends is because of the saying, "You are who you hang around" and I realized that every single person that I hang around has a personality or characteristic that I would like in myself. My best friend is very humble and she never says anything negative about anyone. She does not boast about anything, even if she is proud of what she had accomplished and she doesn't ask for favours from anyone. She agrees with everyone because she doesn't like to argue. I just find her personality overwhelming and I really need some of that myself. She may not realize this, but she is such an amazing example for me. I admit, I speak my mind often and if I don't agree with something someone says, I say my opinion up front and most of the time it results in arguments. Perhaps the reason why I want to be a lawyer is because I like to argue, but I also want to be humble and a peacemaker like my friend. I think that if I were to be friends with my best friend forever, I could end up to be the person I have always dreamed to be and who God wants me to be. Another good thing about hanging around the people that I do is that they are all Christians and encourage me in my daily walk of faith and we even discuss questions about who God wants us to be and what God wants us to do. They also come to me for answers and comfort when they're being troubled. Did you know that YOU have a HUGE impact on the people you hang around? Yeah, I know, scary stuff. So we must also be careful about how we act, because if we do not act the way God wants us to act or if we have made many wrong choices, your friends will soon make the same choices and do the wrong things that you have done. Therefore, the people on whom you rely on to create you, are actually not becoming the role models you have relied on before. When you make them something you did not want to be, you will be stuck in the position that you did not want to be in, unless you change yourself and be the huge impact on your friends. It is just this big circle. You must try to keep it consistent and not change the way it had been functioning before. (I mean when it functions the way God wants it to function).
What type of people do you hang around? Do they affect who you are, and how you act? How much impact do you have on your friends?

Thursday, 11 August 2011

Be Strong

Don't let the devil hinder you, instead stand up to him and show that you are strong and that the Lord's on your side. If there's someone that's hurting you or bullying you, to show them that you can't be easily bruised you have to show that you are strong. With the Lord on your side, strength, wisdom, happiness, and peace are also on your side. They may not stop hurting you, but there is someone greater than all your enemies that is watching over you and the next steps you take, and that's the Lord, he won't leave your side ever and he'll stop harm from coming your way. Just allow him to do the work and you'll always be safe. 

Tuesday, 9 August 2011

What Do You Do When You Feel Confused, Sad, Mad, or just about anything?

I love to sing and sometimes it just helps me calm down. Whenever I'm just so sorry about something that I did that would displease the Lord and my parents I try to find a song that would help me calm down and get rid of my guilt. The song that always works and is one of my favourites is called "Who Am I". It talks about how lucky we are that even though we're far from perfect, God still acknowledges us and cares for us.

 Who Am I
Who am I
 That the Lord of all the Earth
Would care to know my name
Would care to feel my hurt


Who am I 
That the bright and morning star
Would choose to light the way
For my ever wandering heart


Not because of who I am
But because of what You've done
Not because of what I've done
But because of who You are


chorus
I am a flower quickly fading
Here today and gone tomorrow 
Like a wave tossed in the ocean
A vapor in the winds
Still You'd hear me when I'm calling
Lord You'd catch me when I'm falling
And You've told me who I am


bridge 
I am Yours
I am Yours
I am Yours


Who am I
That the eyes that see my sin
Would look at me with love
And watch me rise again


Who am I
That the voice that calms the sea
Would call after the rain
And calm the storm in me


Not because of who I am
But because of what You've done
Not because of what I've done
But because of who You are


chorus
I am a flower quickly fading
Here today and gone tomorrow
Like a wave tossed in the ocean
A vapor in the winds
Still You'd hear me when I'm calling
Lord You'd catch me when I'm falling
And You've told me who I am


bridge
I am yours
I am yours
I am yours


Whom shall I fear
Whom shall I fear
Cause I am yours


Whom shall I fear
I am yours



Sunday, 7 August 2011

Troubles on the Road of Life

The road of life for a Christian will definitely be a challenge but those challenges will have outcome solutions and even the fulfillment of God's plan for us but the hardest thing to get through on the road of life aren't the potholes or the mammoth bumps, the hardest thing on the road of life is the way you react to those potholes or mammoth bumps. So if you have a positive reaction towards the problems and challenges you're being faced with each day in your life, then the road won't be that hard to get through. It will actually give you peace in your heart and joy always and people will be able to see that in you. It may not be easy to always react positively towards every situation you come across but if you try there will still be a difference.

Sunday, 17 July 2011

Amazing Love

I'm forgiven, because you were forsaken
I'm accepted, you were condemned
I'm alive and well, your spirit lives within me
Because you died and rose again


CHORUS
Amazing love, how can it be
That you my king, would die for me
Amazing love, I know it's true
It's my joy to honour you, in all I do, I honour you


BRIDGE
You are my King
You are my King
Jesus, You are my King


God's love is greater than any love that you will experience and it is the only love that will give you Joy, when you are sad, Peace, in troubling times, Confidence, in things you never knew you can do, and Courage, when you face the giants of the World.

Tuesday, 7 June 2011

WWJD? (What Would Jesus Do?)

A good tree does not produce bad fruit, nor does a bad tree produce good fruit. Each tree is known by its own fruit. People don't gather figs from thornbushes, and they don't get grapes from bushes. Good people bring good things out of the good they stored in their hearts. But evil people bring evil things out of the evil they stored in their hearts. People speak the things that are in their hearts.
Luke 6:43-45

We are like those trees, there are bad people and there are good people. The Christians in the world should produce good fruit for all to collect. We, as Christians should be like the good tree and only do things that are good, we want to tell and show everyone who see us that we are followers of Christ without telling them so. They should be able to walk by and identify that we are born again Christians. Sometimes though we tend to do the wrong things and end up in the wrong crowd that causes us to do the things that God would not like us to do. It all depends on what we are living around and what type of world is surrounding us. The movies we watch for instance, affect the way we think. If our friends use alot of inappropriate language then we might start using the same language as them which will eventually lead us away and farther from God. What we need to do in order to stop us from making the wrong decisions is use the famous saying WWJD. What Would Jesus Do? That way we would know for sure whether or not we are making the right choices. Praying to the God would also help in making the right decision. In conclusion, just imagine Jesus doing what you think you should do and if the picture doesn't fit then know it's the wrong thing to do.