Remember

Today's Scripture: Ecclesiastes 12 (KJV)

Ecclesiastes 12 (KJV)
1 Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them;

2 While the sun, or the light, or the moon, or the stars, be not darkened, nor the clouds return after the rain:

3 In the day when the keepers of the house shall tremble, and the strong men shall bow themselves, and the grinders cease because they are few, and those that look out of the windows be darkened,

4 And the doors shall be shut in the streets, when the sound of the grinding is low, and he shall rise up at the voice of the bird, and all the daughters of musick shall be brought low;

5 Also when they shall be afraid of that which is high, and fears shall be in the way, and the almond tree shall flourish, and the grasshopper shall be a burden, and desire shall fail: because man goeth to his long home, and the mourners go about the streets:

6 Or ever the silver cord be loosed, or the golden bowl be broken, or the pitcher be broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern.

7 Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.

8 Vanity of vanities, saith the preacher; all is vanity.

9 And moreover, because the preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge; yea, he gave good heed, and sought out, and set in order many proverbs.

10 The preacher sought to find out acceptable words: and that which was written was upright, even words of truth.

11 The words of the wise are as goads, and as nails fastened by the masters of assemblies, which are given from one shepherd.

12 And further, by these, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh.

13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.

14 For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.


Scripture Meaning

(1-7) A description of the infirmities of age.
(8-14) All is vanity: also a warning of the judgment to come.

Verses 1-7
We should remember our sins against our Creator, repent, and seek forgiveness. We should remember our duties, and set about them, looking to him for grace and strength. This should be done early, while the body is strong, and the spirits active.

When a man has the pain of reviewing a misspent life, his not having given up sin and worldly vanities till he is forced to say, I have no pleasure in them, renders his sincerity very questionable. Then follows a figurative description of old age and its infirmities, which has some difficulties; but the meaning is plain, to show how uncomfortable, generally, the days of old age are. As the four verses 2-5, are a figurative description of the infirmities that usually accompany old age, verse 6 notices the circumstances which take place in the hour of death. If sin had not entered into the world, these infirmities would not have been known. Surely then the aged should reflect on the evil of sin.

Verses 8-14
Solomon repeats his text, VANITY OF VANITIES, ALL IS VANITY. These are the words of one that could speak by dear-bought experience of the vanity of the world, which can do nothing to ease men of the burden of sin. As he considered the worth of souls, he gave good heed to what he spake and wrote; words of truth will always be acceptable words.

The truths of God are as goads to such as are dull and draw back, and nails to such as are wandering and draw aside; means to establish the heart, that we may never sit loose to our duty, nor be taken from it. The Shepherd of Israel is the Giver of inspired wisdom. Teachers and guides all receive their communications from him.
The title is applied in Scripture to the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God. The prophets sought diligently, what, or what manner of time, the Spirit of Christ in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow. To write many books was not suited to the shortness of human life, and would be weariness to the writer, and to the reader; and then was much more so to both than it is now. All things would be vanity and vexation, except they led to this conclusion, That to fear God, and keep his commandments, is the whole of man.

The fear of God includes in it all the affections of the soul towards him, which are produced by the Holy Spirit. There may be terror where there is no love, nay, where there is hatred. But this is different from the gracious fear of God, as the feelings of an affectionate child. The fear of God, is often put for the whole of true religion in the heart, and includes its practical results in the life.
Let us attend to the one thing needful, and now come to him as a merciful Saviour, who will soon come as an almighty Judge, when he will bring to light the things of darkness, and manifest the counsels of all hearts.
Why does God record in his word, that ALL IS VANITY, but to keep us from deceiving ourselves to our ruin? He makes our duty to be our interest. May it be graven in all our hearts. Fear God, and keep his commandments, for this is all that concerns man.

Scripture Application

Each day we walk through the Bible chapter by chapter making an application of our text to help us grow in the Lord. Many applications can be made from each day's text. Today we continue in the Book of Ecclesiastes with Chapter 12.
In our text today we see the preacher advise us on how we are to remember our Creator about who we are and where we came from to remember where we are going as we obey His Word.

In making application we see that we too should remember where we have come from and how the Lord has delivered us from our sin. To remember too where we are going and who we are in Christ to live the Christian life. How about you? Do you see who you are in Christ Jesus? Let us learn from our text today to remember where we came from and our eternal home Heaven as we allow the Lord to live His life in and through us as believers in Him.




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Our Responsibility to Spread Hope

Day 37 (12 September 2018, Wednesday)

John 20:21 Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you.  As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.”

Where does hope spring from?  It sprouts from God because when there was no hope, he sent his Son to give life and to inaugurate his Kingdom.  Jesus’ momentary renunciation of his privilege position changed forever the dynamics between life and death, mercy and judgment, hope and hopelessness.

“who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.  And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death on a cross.”  (Philippians 2:6-8)

But it also changed the dynamics of our responsibilities.  No longer strangers but his children and co-heirs, the task of continuing his work has fallen on all who believe in him.

Today in our country, Christians may be a minority in the national population (making up about 10% of the population only) but we need to understand our calling as God’s people and play our appointed roles in His mission whether as vocational ministry workers, people in the marketplace, students, retirees, homemakers or any other category.  This way, hope will spread far afield and we will see communities and nations transformed.

Pray for the Land of Sarawak

Cleansed from the Ancestral Tribal Strives & Worship

Ezekiel 36:25 I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleanness, and from all your idols I will cleanse you.

Righteousness in Dealing with the Issues of Land

Nehemiah 5:11 Return to them this very day their fields, their vineyards, their olive orchards, and their houses, and the percentage of money, grain, wine, and oil that you have been exacting from them.


Bible Reading:        Philippian 1 – 4                         Nehemiah 1 – 6



SOURCES

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Self-denial for the Sake of Others!

Day 35 (10 September 2018, Monday)

Luke 9:23 And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.”

If one were to follow Christ, one has to deny himself/herself and be self-sacrificial.  What is self-denial?  Is it self-abandonment?  Is it self-sacrifice?  Is it without self-confidence?  Is it self-loathing?  Many times, legalistic Christians are over-rigid and they are concerned that self-confidence, self-respect, and even self-love violate the very demand of God for us to be self-denial.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a German theologian, described that Christ is “a man for others” when he concluded the life of Christ.  He discovered that Christ had lived his life fully and completely for others.  He gave up Himself in order for others to receive God’s blessings.  A sacrificial life that carries his or her own cross is on that is willing to pay the price, to not prioritize other’s needs.

Bonhoeffer thought of living for Christ as more than being a godly religious follower, and for us to imitate Christ, and to live for others.  Therefore, living for Christ is living for the needs of others.  When there is a group of selfless people who are willing to die to selves, they will definitely bring changes unto this world of apathy and indifference.

Pray for the Church of Sabah

A Church that is discipled by the Lord

John 8:31 -32 … If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.

Willing to Pay the Price of Following Jesus

Luke 9:23 – 24 And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.  For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.


Bible Reading:        Hebrews 12 – 13                        Daniel 1 – 8



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Dare to Hope in the Coming Kingdom

Day 36 (11 September 2018, Tuesday)

Jeremiah 20:8 – 9 “For whenever I speak, I cry out, I shout, “Violence and destruction!”  For the word of the LORD has become for me a reproach and derision all day long.  If I say, “I will not mention him, or speak any more in his name, “there is in my heart as it were a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I am weary with holding it in, and I cannot.”

Hope is often times a fragile and elusive commodity.  Just when one thinks relief has come, it can so easily be snuffed out by despair or oppression.  The prophet Jeremiah was a person in such a situation, caught between a rock (God) and a hard place (his hard-headed people).  It seemed an impossible position with little hope for anything positive to come out of this task to proclaim righteousness and justice in a wicked environment.

Still, he stayed the course because he felt overwhelming compelled by God’s calling for him to speak His Word to his people.  Jeremiah was sent for this task and there was no turning back.

Today in our country, there is ostensibly dwindling hope for righteous governance and a more just society; for a healthier climate and a sustainable environment.  Dare we hope in the coming Kingdom of God?

Pray for the Head & Government of Sarawak

Voice of Righteousness

Proverbs 31:8 – 9 Open your mouth for the mute, for the rights of all who are destitute.  Open your mouth, judge righteously, defend the rights of the poor and needy.

The Reign of God over those in Authority

Psalm 103:19 The LORD has established his throne in the heavens, and his kingdom rules over all.

Bible Reading:        Galatians 1 – 6            Daniel 9 – 12

SOURCES

Necf  Malaysia

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Men Who Faithfully Impart the Truth

Day 34 (9 September 2018, Sunday)

2 Timothy 2:2 And what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also.

Genuineness “become something very rare and precious in a market filled with counterfeits and fakes.  Likewise is our faith.

Is there a way for us to lead and assist others in becoming true disciples of Christ?  The key lies with us first becoming Christ’s disciples.  Regardless of the stage of life, we are in, the position we hold, the title we claim to be in church, and whether we are parents, instructors, mentors or bosses, etc., there is an inevitable fact we all have to face.  Only those throughout their lifetimes who are disciples of Christ are capable of influencing others to become disciples too.

Paul exhorted the Corinthians to imitate him as he imitated Christ.  His former statement will sound too arrogant if there were no subsequent facts to support it.  We end up with mere religious forms and outlooks and are not considered as His disciples the moment we stop following Jesus Christ, our Lord.

Only true disciples magnify their Lord and humble themselves by following Christ step by step, in order to live like Him and to reveal His love and fragrance.  People can see within them virtuous values they have been holding and defending as they live for Christ.  Only people with such values are able to bring forth excitement in others, and they will experience deeply in their hearts the reality of Christ’s life and confess that “You are my living testimony”!

Pray for the Families of Sabah

Parental Discipleship

Deuteronomy 6:6-9 And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart.  You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk to them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.
You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontless between your eyes.  You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

Breakthrough from Poverty Cycles

Psalm 121:1 – 2 I lift up my eyes to the hills.  From where does my help come?  My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth.


Bible Reading:        Hebrews 6 – 11                  Isaiah 63 - 66



SOURCES

Necf  Malaysia

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Follow Me!

Day 33 (8 September 2018, Saturday)

Matthew 4:19 And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.”

There is a scene in the recent Spanish Biblical movie of “Son of God”, which goes like this: Jesus asked Peter, who failed to catch any fish and returned empty-handed in the morning, by the seaside, “Do you need any help?”

Peter looked fatigue and frustrate, and said “You can’:t be of any help.”

Jesus went on board Peter’s boat bluntly.  Peter asked, “What are you doing?”

“Go fishing with you, “Jesus smiled and said.

“I already told you there is no fish to be caught, “Peter said as he intended to leave, but at last he rowed his boat into the deep water and cast down his net.  Finally, the net was almost broken and it was too heavy for him to pull it up.

Peter was exhausted in pulling the net, and he asked, “How could this happen?” while puffing away.

Jesus did not answer Peter.  He gazed at Peter and said, “Follow me!”

“What are we supposed to do?”

“Change the world.”

Neither flattery nor lofty speech was given to the audience, the interpretation of this movie was so straight-forward.

“Come! Follow me!”

“What are we supposed to do?”

“Change the world!”

Brothers and sisters, if there were a choice to be made in this life, will you be willing to follow Jesus and change the world?

Pray for the People of Sabah

Harmony in the midst of Diversity

Romans 12:16-18 Live in harmony with one another.  Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly.  Never be wise in your own sight.  Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honourable in the sight of all.  If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.

Divine Encounter with the Living God

John 1:9, 12-13 The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world…  But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but God.


Bible Reading:        Hebrews 1 – 5              Isaiah 58 - 62


SOURCES

Necf  Malaysia

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Teaching One Another

Day 30 (5 September 2018, Wednesday)

Colossians 3:16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.

While the Lord has established a teaching ministry in the church, and while we are thankful for faithful pastors, elders and teachers, Paul reminds us that we have a “teaching” responsibility towards one another.

While we should refrain from judging one another, and not be busybodies, we need to be our brothers’ and sisters’ keepers.  The church cannot be just a place where individual Christians come for one or two hours a week just to worship, sing, listen to a sermon and afterwards, say a few polite “hellos” to a few people and go back to our own lives.  We should not treat the church as a concert or lecture event; we don’t go to church the way people go to temples.

The church is a family and a community.  We are a body, Christ’s body, and we are members of the Body.  When one suffers, all suffer; when one rejoices, we all share in that joy.

Singing in church should be and is, a wonderful family and communal activity.  Our songs and hymns should not just be directed to God.  There should also be occasions of teaching and admonishing, which include encouraging and warning, for one another.  A more contemporary sitting arrangement in church that have worshippers seeing one another’s faces rather than the backs of their heads is worth considering.

Pray for the Church of Selangor & Federal Territories

Fear God & Know Him

Isaiah 33:5 - 6 The LORD is exalted, for he dwells on high; he will fill Zion with  justive and righteousness, and he will be the stability of your times, abundance of salvation, wisdom, and knowledge; the fear of the LORD is Zion’s treasure.

Love the Word and be Word-centred

2 Timothy 3:16- 17 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

Bible Reading:        2 Corinthians 1 - 5                   Isaiah 41 - 45

SOURCES

Necf  Malaysia

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Teaching or Instructing our Children

Day 29 (4 September 2018, Tuesday)

Psalm 78:5 He established a testimony in Jacob and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers to teach to their children.

Psalm 78 is an important and long psalm that merits prayerful meditation.  It is the will, command and even a law that fathers (and mothers) passed on their traditions of faith to the next generation.  We need to be reminded that the primary duty of teaching our children the things of God falls on the parents – not the Sunday school teacher, the Children Church’s pastor, the Youth leader or Senior Pastor.  It is rather, Father and Mother. 

We can’t expect to raise godly children when we send our children to a non-religious school five days a week, 5 hours a day and only once a week for one hour of godly instruction in church.  That instruction in church.  That is unreasonable.

Teaching or instructing our children in homes takes place all the time, whether you intend it or not.  How do you expect your children to pray if you don’t pray for yourself?  How you expect your children to read the Bible if you don’t read it yourself?  How do you expect your children, to be honest, to be kind to others, to be unselfish, etc., if you don’t teach them by words and example?

Parents, don’t outsource the primary responsibility that God has given you.  Your children do not belong to you.  They are God’s gifts to you and you have a responsibility to bring them up in the fear of the Lord.  What profits a parent if they gain the whole world but lose their son or daughter?

Pray for the Families of Selangor & Federal Territories

Positive Atmosphere in Family Communication

Isaiah 50:4 The Lord GOD has given me the tongue of those who are taught, that I may know how to sustain with a word him who is weary.  Morning by morning he awakens; he awakens my ear to hear as those who are taught.

Build their Houses/Homes with the Presence & Wisdom of God

Psalm 127:1 – 2 Unless the LORD builds the house, those who build it in labour in vain.  Unless the LORD watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain.  It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil; for he gives to his beloved sleep.


Bible Reading:        1 Corinthians 11 - 16       Isaiah 37 - 40


SOURCES

Necf  Malaysia

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Disciple with Love

Day 28 (3 September 2018, Monday)

Matthew 28:20 Teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

The Great Commission is not just about evangelism and making converts and making new believers.
It is about making disciples. Disciple-making involves not just leading a person to Christ. It involves
teaching them all the things that will make a good disciple.

It might surprise many that the word “Christian(s)” is found only three times in the New Testament:
Acts 11:26, 26:28; and 1 Peter 4:16. The most common word for Christians is “disciple.” It is used
261 times in the Gospels and Acts. Interestingly enough, it is not used elsewhere in the New
Testament. Literally, “disciple” means “learner”. Learners must have teachers, which is the gift that
Jesus gave to the church.

Just before Jesus returned to his Father, he instructed his disciples to make disciples and to teach
them to keep all his commandments – the primary commandment is that of love. Love God and
love people. Love one another.

It is important to remind ourselves of the theme of love in all our ministry, service and teaching. The
apostle Paul himself declared that it is the love of Christ that controlled him and his colleagues in their
ministry (2 Cor 5:14). To the Romans, he also wrote, “love is the fulfilling of the law” (Rom 13:10).
Love ought to be the motivation, spirit, content and goal of the Christian teaching ministry.

Pray for the People of Selangor and Federal Territories

 Minority People Group: Mah Meri

Psalm 68:4 – 6 Sing to God, sing praise to his name; lift up a song to him who rides through the deserts; his name is the LORD; exult before him! Father of the fatherless and protector of widows
is God in his holy habitation. God settles the solitary in a home; he leads out the prisoners to prosperity, but the rebellious dwell in a parched land.
(Mah Meri: An aboriginal tribe in Selangor. While some have improved their living standards, others remain trapped in a vicious cycle of poverty and social vices.)

 People with a Sense of Social Responsibility

Ephesians 4:28 Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labour, doing honest work with his
own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need.


Bible Reading: 1 Corinthians 6 - 10 Isaiah 32 - 36



SOURCES

Necf  Malaysia

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Jesus, Our Teacher And Example

Day 27 (2 September 2018, Sunday)

Luke 6:40 A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone, when he is fully trained, will be like his
teacher.

Some people see Jesus merely as a Teacher, or an Example to follow. This view of Jesus is sorely
inadequate. Jesus is the Saviour who gave his life to save us from our sins. He is the Lord and
Master, whom we pledge to obey. He is the Judge who will come one day to judge all peoples, all
nations and to right all wrongs. He is the Son of the Living God. That being said, Jesus is also our
Teacher and Example – an important truth to bear in mind.

This verse is part of a series of sayings about spiritual sight: “Can the blind lead the blind?” Jesus by
using humour, talked about a person trying to correct a minor fault of another while not seeing his own major fault.

Not everyone is a teacher in church but more often than not, we are tempted to teach others when we see something wrong in their lives. When we do that, we tend to be judgmental.

It is more important to have a humble teachable spirit than to have an arrogant, better-than-you, teaching attitude. The one who is fully trained will be like his teacher, Jesus, who is kind and compassionate, and who teaches to heal and not to hurt.

Pray for the Land of Selangor and Federal Territories

 Show Kindness and Hospitality to the Aliens

Leviticus 19:33 – 34 When a stranger sojourns with you in your land, you shall not do him wrong.
You shall treat the stranger who sojourns with you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself, for you, were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God.

 Declaring God’s Promises of Blessings Over the Land

Isaiah 55:10 – 11 For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bright forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.


Bible Reading: 1 Corinthians 1 - 5 Isaiah 27 - 31



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