The Story of Job

The book of Job tells the story of a good man overwhelmed by troubles. He is stripped of his wealth, his family, his health. He does not know why God has done this to him. Only the reader knows that God is trying to prove to the Devil that Job's faith is genuine. Three friends come to console him in his misery, and the four engage in a long discussion. The friends try to explainwhat has happened by connecting Job's sufferings with his sins. Job rejects their theory. Instead of accepting their advice to repent and so make peace with God, Job insists on his own innocence and questions the justice of God's treatment.

at this point a new character, elihu, appears and makes four speaches which he thinks will solve the problem; but this does not seem to make any difference. eventually the Lord Himself addresses Job. These speaches change Job's attitude, for he responds with contrite submission. In the end God declares Job to be in the right and restores his prosperity and happiness.

Upon this simple plot an unknown writer of superlative genius has erected a monumental work. The most persistent questions of the relationship of men to God have been given powerful theological treatment in verse whose majesty and emotion are unsurpassed in any literature, ancient, or modern.

The practice of silence

Remove from thee a froward mouth, let detracting lips be far from thee. (Proverbs 4:24)

It is the part of man to prepare the soul: and of the Lord to govern the tongue. (Proverbs 16:1)

Some Johan Jaaffar (zulu.jj AT Gmail dot com) said that

"Bookshops reflect the mental health of a nation. Books are mirror to society. Perhaps it is true about the permancence of books in an impermanent world. Perhaps it is even true that the era of the printed books is at a crossroads. ...

No furniture was so charming as books, someone famously said. People simply buy more books than they can read. In the same breath,humankind writes more than it can read.

I wonder, too , how long bookshops will last with the advent of online marketing, eBay and books on the Net. Perhaps book lovers are a romantic lot, harbouring the belief that book browsing is a fruitful pastime forever."

I am too like the writer above. Buy more I can read and loves book browsing in a bookshiop for hours...

Jesus Predicts Peter's denial

Mark 14:27

27. "You will all fall away, "Jesus told them , "for it is written:

"I will strike the shepherd,

and the sheep will be scattered.

28.But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee."

29. Peter declared, "Even if all fall away, I will not."

30. "Truly I tell you, " Jesus answered, "today - yes, tonight - before the rooster crows twice you yourslef will disown me thre times".

Isa 1:4 Woe to the sinful nation, a people whose guit is great , a brood of evildoers, children given to corruption! They have forsaken the LORD; they have spurned the Holy One of Israel and turned their backs on him.

Contrary to poplular opninon, emotion is not a four-letter word.

Many of us are raised to believe that real men keep their feelings in check. We are taught (verbally or nonverbally) that anger is okay to express, but other "sensitive" emotions like sadness, fear, and shame are for people of the opposite gender.

The apostle Peter would beg to differ.

When he finally felt the weight of his betrayal of Jesus, he didn't try to bury his feelings. He didn't put up a macho front. He poured his heart out. He demonstrated to God (and anyone else who was watching) how sorry he was. And in do doing, he took the first step in his healing process.

I am ashamed of myself at times, when I turning unto to God, I betrayed Jesus 's love and trust for me.

Sometimes, I looked back and found nothing in my doing is glorifying God.

Reflections is a way to keep adjusting my vision to be aligned with God.

Am I just plain wilful or stubborn so much so that I can't seem to turn back to God.

No, the perspective of God is away from me is wrong.

God is always there.

But because of my sins, I am not able to reconcile with Him, and because of this He looks far far away from me.

I have learnt from the above passage that I must be "true" and uphold the truth...

I am a sinner, and I am ashamed that everytime I sinned, I put Jesus Christ on the cross again and again..

as I seek His blood for atonement.

How long more shall I continue to give in to sin and corruption?

How long more shall I be able to stand firm in faith of Christ?

In Luke 5:32, Jesus said he had came to call the sinners to repentence.

And the first step to repentence is to pour our heart to show we are really sorry.

So God, I want to cry out to you to tell you "I am sorry, I have not done Your will, I have not glorify Your name, I am not strong in my convictions, and often thrown away Jesus' love for me for some selfish gain... How foolish am I ?

Dear God, may You grant me Your grace that I will take time to repent and not discipline me harshly. I am sorry for all the wrongs I have done. May Your wisdom and Your people surround me, so that I am encouraged to persevere even when faced with fear and tempation.

May Your peace be with me Always.

May You used me and blessed me to be a blessing for others.

I earnestly pray in the name of our precious LORD and Saviour, Jesus Christ.

Amen!"