devotion part 2- 10 mins with god

8/14/2019 Devotion Part 2- 10 Mins With God

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Devotion Part 2:

10

MinuteswithGod

TMC Youth Min


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Hello Everyone!

Firstly, well done on finishing Devotion: Part 1!We do hope you have learnt something new or affirmed your faith in God! We alsohope you are starting to get into the flow of doing devotion every night! 3 weeks on

from Encounter 09, and I pray that you are still encountering God every single dayof your life!

We have all indeed experienced God in our own special way, and there is a fireburning in our hearts now that we cant deny. It is my prayer that all of you willcontinue to seek the Lord each and everyday of your lives, and that He too willreveal Himself to you when you seek Him!

I look forward to embarking on this second leg of devotion with you. And docontinue to develop the spiritual habit of doing a devotion and quiet time with theLord every night! It will work wonders!

As mentioned in our earlier booklet, we will continue with the next 14 days of

devotion here. Each night, we have assigned a youth leader to share their reflectionon the days devotion on our Encounter blog. Do pop in every night if you are ableto, to read the reflections of our leaders. After all, you might see things in adifferent perspective! Videos and Songs that are related to the devotion will also beposted on the blog, so tune in there!

In case you have forgotten, our blog ishttp://encounter-09.blogspot.com.

Do try to leave a tag once in a while when you visit the site so we know its stillbeing looked at! And if youd like to share a testimony or share your reflection, youcan either email it in to [email protected] or make a comment on the blogitself.

Also, Id like to encourage everyone to go out and get a journal. And pen yourthoughts or your reflections down on that personal journal. Ive kept one myself forquite a while, and looking back at it from time to time, it affirms me to show howGod has continued to answer my prayers. I do hope you will start keeping one too!

So here we go!

In His Love,Hernshung

You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all yourheart.

Jeremiah 29:13

Before You Start Each Days Devotion
http://encounter-09.blogspot.com/mailto:[email protected]://encounter-09.blogspot.com/mailto:[email protected]


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1. Decide on a time and place to meet with God each day. Try to find a place with few distractionswhere you will be able to concentrate on reading the Bible and talking with God.

2. Switch off your phone or turn it to silent. And switch off your MSN, TV, Radio, iTunes etc. You dontwant any ringtone to interrupt God!

3. And yes, put aside that iPod/iPhone as well! Sometimes, His voice is so soft, you need to be quietand listen carefully, or you might miss it!

4. Bring only a bible, this booklet, a notebook and a pen with you. Get comfortable and prepare tolisten to God! Answer the questions of each day in the notebook, as well as journal down any thoughtsthat came to mind. Or any questions that came to mind.

5. On some days, we will ask you to check out a video online (either on the URL stated, or on theEncounter blog). Do check it out BEFORE you start devotion, and watch the WHOLE thing, notjust the beginning. (Sometimes the best part is the end!) Also refrain from going on Facebook, orchecking that other cool YouTube Link on the side!

6. Start some spiritual warm ups! (Huh?)

Spiritual breathing, no matter how ridiculous it might sound, is like warming up for an athlete. It will help youget in the right frame of mind to hear from God.

Try this exercise: Slowly breath out, releasing all air from your lungs. Now breathe in fresh air till your lungsare filled.

Spiritual exhaling is like breathing out and releasing all the sin in your life to God. Spiritual inhaling is likebreathing in Gods truth and His commands.

Exhale: Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there isany offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. Psalm 139: 23-24Ask God to check your heart and mind for anything that is impure. Then listen! If he brings anything tomind, agree with Him that it is sin, turn from it and thank Him for sending His Son to die for that sin.

Inhale: I have been crucified with Christ and it is no long I who live, but Jesus lives in me. Galatians2:20Ask God to help you live in a way that is pleasing to Him today.

7. Try to memorise 10 passages from the Bible by the end of the 30 days!I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you. Psalm 119:11

Day 1: Undignified


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2 Samuel 6:21-22It was before the Lord, who chose me rather than your father or anyone from his house whenhe appointed me ruler over the Lords people Israel I will celebrate before the Lord. I willbecome even more undignified than this, and I will be humiliated in my own eyes.

Listen to the song Undignified by Matt Redman

Have you ever been so happy and overjoyed, that you started dancing and singing about it, likea crazy person?We read of King David in the scripture verse today, about how we rejoiced in the Lord andcelebrated before the Lord by dancing in the streets. Before you say, That aint so bad,remember he was a King! And kings dont do that kind of stuff! But because He was so glad inthe Lord and so overjoyed, that he just could not contain Himself any longer. And he said that Iwill become even more undignified than this!

What does undignified mean? It means to be foolish and embarrassing. And to be undignifiedfor Jesus, it means to do what King David did. Not have a care in the world about what other

people thought, because He was willing to become foolish and embarrassed for Jesus! Imaginethat!So often, we are so careful about our image in church or in school. We are always wary ofwhether other people are looking at us, or judging us by our actions. We think, Man, if I do that,Ill be like the un-coolest kid in Singapore. But Romans 12: 2 says Do not conform any longerto the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. It talks about notcaring of what the world thinks of you, but only care of what God thinks of you. Because in theend, He is the only one whos opinion really matters.

This verse about being undignified also applies to our worship. So often we are distracted bywhat people would think of us in worship. Should I lift my hands up? But no one else is doingit. Everyone else is going on their knees; should I do the same? Often we ask ourselvesquestions like that because we care so much about what other people are thinking of us. But we

need to be ready to be undignified for God. Its not asking you to strip and dance in the streets,but more of just doing what you feel called to do as your act of worship to God. Because really,your relationship with God is personal, but never private. Next time you enter into a time ofworship, just be yourself. Let the spirit lead you into expressing your own act of worship to God.Because thats all that matters.

Todays Prayer:Lord, help me be undignified for you. Let me dance and sing and just to be glad because Youhave set me free. Set me free from caring about what others think about me, because in theend, what you think is the only thing that is important to me. Thank You Lord. Amen.

Day 2: Wasting Time with God


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Psalm 46:10Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in theearth.

How often do we take time out of our daily or even weekly schedule to just spend time in

silence? One thing Ive realised in the past few years is how important silence is and indeedhow golden it is.

With the new age of iPods, iTunes, and iPhones, we can now fill almost every living momentwith music and noise. And we do! I find myself not being able to sit down in my room in quietwithout having to turn on my iTunes, or to just sit in the train without plugging my ears with myiPod.

But so often, these noises may do more harm than good. Apart from the obvious damage itdoes to your ears if you turn it too loud, it also does damage to your soul if you turn it on for toolong!

And with the earphones in, we sometimes take the wonders of Gods creation for granted and

not appreciate it in its full glory. Sitting in the sanctuary during Encounter nights, I realised howimportant silence was in each and every one of our lives. Because it gave us time to just chatwith our souls and with God. It was way easier to reflect on my life and my walk with God in thesilence, than with any music on. And on Encounter Sunrise, I realised how awesome andrefreshing it was to just sit there and listen to the waves crashing on the beach, the birds in thesky, even listening to the thunder reminded me of Gods wonderful creations! It just assured methat I was fearfully and wonderfully made and one his most prized creations! Sometimes thenoise of our lives and the world drown out what God is saying to us. We just need to turn itdown sometimes to watch out for the voice of God speaking to us!

Its like the story of Mary and Martha, where Martha is so caught up working while Mary just sitsand listens. (Luke 10:38-42) We may have invited Jesus into our lives, but we end up missingout on His presence. Not because we intentionally reject Him or dont believe in Him, but

because we get overwhelmed by preparations for life.

I have a book at home that I loved since I was young called Wheres Waldo? In the book, itcontains a picture on every page filled with various characters in a scene, and our aim is to findthis character called Waldo among all the others. (I hope youve heard of it, cos if not, you bettergo out and get one! Its quite fun to do!) Our relationship with God is a lot like the WheresWaldo book. We know that God is there (like Waldo) and Hes not hiding (like Waldo). Its justwhether we choose to seek Him or not (like Waldo). Whether we choose to not be distracted bythe surroundings and the distractions around us, but focus on seeking God Himself. Then wewill find Him. Sometimes we get so distracted by the things happening around, that we forget tolook for God in our lives. And thats why we need to be still and know He is God and look forHim.

1. If you have the time, in fact MAKE THE TIME, to head down to your local park in themorning or night, or even come to church early on a Sunday Morning and sit at theplayground, and just spend some time in silence with God. As the passage says, letsbe still and know that He is God in our lives.

2. Write down in your journal what you felt God was speaking to you about. If you want,even draw out and colour out what you feel God is showing to you!

Todays PrayerLord, teach me to be still and know You are the Lord of my life and all. I know You are speakingto me everyday Lord, but I also know the noises of this world and my busy schedule isdrowning You out. Help me just spend some time with You in silence, so I know what Your willin my life is. Amen.


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Day 3: Priority #1

Matthew 6:33"He will give you all you need from day to day if you live for him and make the kingdom of Godyour primary concern." - Matthew 6:33

Stacie is back in school, which means back to Deven. Stacie and Deven have been datingfor about 3 years now, and they are really serious about each other. Over the summer Staciehated the time away from Deven. She called Deven every day at 2:00pm because she couldn'tsee him. Deven didn't mind because he loves her. That Wednesday Stacie goes to youthgroup mainly to see Deven. What Stacie doesn't know is that Deven has to work late and won'tmake it to youth. Their Youth Pastor starts his lesson on priorities. 'What comes first in youlife?' he questions. Stacie, who isn't paying attention, is daydreaming about the next time shewill get to see Deven.

What is priority #1? GodDuh! In everyday life we have so much going on that it's hard tokeep God priority #1. Once school starts it will be even harder. Between the big test on Fridayand cramming at the last minute. How could we possibly keep God at the forefront of ourminds? Every single aspect of life is screaming for our attention and wants out full focus onthem. So how do we continue to keep God at the front and as our priority in life?

Prayer and reading the Bible. Before cramming for that test or before going on that big date,pray. It doesn't have to be a big long prayer it can just be a whispered "thank you" or "helpme". Trust that the Lord will hear your prayer. Remember that as long as You have a great needfor Christ, You will have a great Christ for your need! Dont try to fit Jesus into Your life; Ratherfit your life around Jesus. Because You will never come second if you put God first in your life!

Todays Prayer

Lord, I want to put You as my priority in life. Help me continue to live a life that has You at theforefront and controlling it all. May I continue to live a life that is steered by You and a walk withyou every day of my life. Amen.

Day 4: Loving my Enemy


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Matthew 5:44But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute youIf you love those wholove you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that?

Forgiveness is a word we juggle around a lot as a Christian. We know were supposed to do it,but yet sometimes its just so hard to do it! But yet, its an important part of our Christian life andas our aim in being as Christ-like as possible.

Every one of us definitely has at least one person who we just cant get along with and is easilyirritated by. I used to really dislike a guy in my workplace, because he was just so sloppy in allhe did, and he used to say things that irked me for the entire day. Jesus teaches us to begraceful in all we do, but sometimes, I feel that I left my grace at home since I was in such arush. Anyway, it came to a point where I one day snapped back at him during lunch in front ofour colleagues after he made a comment. I thought I was in the right and didnt have a secondthought about it. Until that night. I read this verse in my devotion and realised that I needed toseek his forgiveness for the remark I made during the day. I struggled with it all morning as itwas so hard for me to do as I felt I was still in the right. But with the strength from God, I did just

that and he too apologised for making insensitive remarks and that he didnt know it wasaffecting me and the other colleagues until I told him so. It made me realise indeed the power offorgiveness. If we continue to judge others, we will have no time left to love them!

There is a P-E-A-C-E process to undertake to love our enemies.

P- Pray for ourselves and for them.E-Empathize with our enemy and see it from their perspectiveA-Act to extend compassion steps to them.C-ConfessE- Emulate and imitators of God. Basically, think What Would Jesus Do?

Through this process, it will be tough to do so. After all, as the song goes, Sorry seems to be

the hardest word sometime! But remember that the Lord says in 2 Corinthians 12:9 that mygrace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. So think of it this way.Its a team effort. You supply the weakness and God will supply you with the strength!

1. Take some time to think of someone over the past week who you are not on good termswith or whove you made an insensitive comment to.

2. Start the P-E-A-C-E process with them. Record the proceedings in your journal andkeep praying about it!

3. Dont just read this and say Ill think about it. Actually do it!

Todays PrayerLord, I know forgiving someone is so tough to do. But I also know that with the strength yougive me, I will be able to do it. Help me to start loving my enemy just as you have loved me. So

that I can continue to be a light shining in the dark places and on all my friends as well. Amen.


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Day 5: Forgiveness The Heart of theMatter

Luke 6:27-29But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless thosewho curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. If someone strikes you on one cheek, turn tohim the other also.

Mahatma Gandhi is someone who I respect a lot from a different religion. If you ever have thetime, do read about Mahatma Gandhis life as it really gives you a different perspective to life.

Anyway, Gandhi was an ambassador of peace. Instead using violence to fight violence, hechose to use peace to fight violence. He chose to teach on the powers of peace in the worldand tried his best to start a revolution that showed peace as a solution to problems. One quotehe said stuck with me in my head ever since I read it. He said,

You can take an eye for an eye, but soon the whole world will be blind.

One of the best things about Christianity, that what other religion finds so radical, is that Jesussaid if someone slaps you on one cheek, you turn the other cheek and let him slap the otherone. While other religions such as Buddhism teaches about Karma and you getting what youdeserve, Christianity teaches us about forgiveness.

Forgiveness is indeed a divine act that Jesus teaches us. Forgiving someone may be thetoughest thing to do, especially when someone has crossed your path quite badly. But if youdid, it would feel a lot better than getting your revenge on them! A grudge is a very heavy thingto carry. Its like trash in your house. Usually you would have to take the trash out everyday. Butwhat happens if you dont? It stinks up the place. Likewise, we should not store up any grudgesagainst anyone, as it will stink up your soul and mind, and more importantly, your walk withGod. As the sun rises each morning, each new day brings a new choice , do you want to be

Bitter or do you want to be Better?

Forgiveness is a choice. YOURS! If you are forgiven by God for your sins, then forgive othersfor theirs. Its what we recite in the Lords prayer every Sunday, that we forgive our trespassersas He has forgiven us!

In the end, remember this: Christians arent perfect, just forgiven!And you must be thechange you wish to see in this world!

1. Think of someone who you are holding a grudge against. Someone who has angeredyou and you cant seem to let this go.

2. Pray about it. Ask for the courage to forgive him/her. And once you do, seek to rebuiltthe friendship with them.

Todays PrayerLord, teach me to forgive others as you have forgiven me. I know it will be hard, but I pray thatwith the strength you provide to me, I will be able to. Because there is freedom in the name ofJesus! Amen.


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Day 6: Do not be anxious

Philippians 4:6

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving,present your requests to God. And the peace of God which surpasses all understanding, willguard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Check out the cool video on the Encounter Page before or after you start!

One of the most persistent problems for Christians is anxiety. Yet the bible tells us not to beanxious repeatedly. Why is God so concerned with our level of anxiety?

Its because an anxious heart weighs a man down. This is the opposite of the victorious lifeJesus meant for us. Worrying will stifle our spiritual life and prevent us from enjoying Godspresence and doing his will. If we are absorbed in the threat of difficult circumstances or difficult

people, we are not absorbed in God. God may have given us many responsibilities but Hedoesnt want us to be burdened by them. If we feel anxious or worried, it means we are notletting Jesus carry our burdens for us. We cannot witness His strength while bearing ourburdens with our own strength. We must choose one or the other. We must choose the burdenbearing God.

Submit your anxiety and burdens to Jesus in prayer by name. Let Him lift your burdens and setyour free to soar. Also pray for someone you know who is anxious or worried. Pray that they willexperience the peace of God.

Remember, if you worry, you didnt pray. If you prayed, dont worry! After all, the biblecontains 365 promises of Do Not Fear, one for every day of the year.

Todays PrayerLord, I present my anxieties to You. All my burdens and worries, wont You take it away.Because I know You will give me peace and will give me strength to see it through. Amen.

Beware of anxiety. Next to sin, there is nothing that so troubles the mind, strains theheart, distresses the soul, and confuses the judgment -William Ullathorne


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Day 7: Blessed Be Your Name

Job 1: 20-22Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and

worshipped. And said, Naked came I out of my mothers womb, and naked shall I return. The Lord gave,and the Lord has taken away; Blessed be the name of the Lord.

Take some time to listen to the song Blessed Be Your Name by Matt Redman

Im very sure weve all had days where we felt like everything that could go wrong, went wrong. It felt

like everyone was against you, the world was against you and sometimes even God was against you. And

what do we do when it happens? Do we curse God? Do we question God?

We need to learn to praise and bless His name no matter what happens. Look at Job. One moment he had

7 sons, 3 daughters, 7000 sheep, 3000 camels, 500 oxen, 500 donkeys and a large number of servants.Then, in the space of a couple of minutes, he finds out he has lost all of them. What would we do if we

were in His situation?

Wed probably curse God and question Him, God, Why Me?!!! But we need to learn from Job. No

matter what happens to us, we need to remember that He has given to us and He can take it away. But we

need to continue praising the Lord.

We need to fall to our knees and worship God and rejoice in Him. Its going to be hard to do. But

remember what we learnt in Encounter Sunrise?

No matter how cloudy, how stormy and how rainy our days may look, we know that the Lord, like the

sun, is always there, shining. We just need to let these obstacles blow over and well see Him clearly once

again. As we look at the stone we picked up from the ground that day, let is remind us that the Lord is

always there for us no matter what. When it looks like there is only 1 footprint in the sand during troubled

times, remember that were not walking alone, but its God who is carrying us on His shoulders during

this time. When in desperation, we frantically look for sources to find joy, and often forget that joyis found in the Lord.

People are like teabags- You have to put them into hot water to find out just how strong they are!

Seasons of doubts will bring moments of truth. Its easy to worship God when things are going well,

but its another thing when things go grey. What will you do?

Will you question the Lord, or will you continue to praise the Lord?

Todays prayer

Lord, help me to praise you and thank you even when times seem tough. Because I know You have

blessed me with many blessings, and You too can take it all away. But like the sun shines every morning, I

know You are there for me. And for this, I will continue praising Your name. Amen.

Dont blame God for creating the tiger. Thank Him for not giving it wings.

-An Ethiopian Proverb about being thankful for everything.


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Day 8: Giving Back To God

Psalm 116: 12- 13How can I repay the Lord for all His goodness to me? I will lift up the cup of salvation and call

upon the name of the Lord.

I used to, and still do, take my sister down to MacDonalds once in a while for lunch. Wheneverwe go to MacDonalds, she always gets a happy meal, while I sometimes sit and watch her eatbefore taking away some chicken rice from the coffee shop next door. There was one occasion,where I decided not to eat at MacDonalds but have my usual Chicken Rice later. So I orderedand paid for a happy meal for my sister and sat down to watch her eat it. My sister is possiblyone of the worst and slowest eaters ever. With the time she finishes her meal, I could haveeaten about 3 meals! So as I sat there waiting, I grew a bit hungry and asked her for a Frenchfry. Just one piece of French fry to munch on. And she says, No! and pulls away her fries frommy reach (I could have pretty easily reached over and grabbed one, but I decided to be nice.)I was shocked! I mean, come on, I paid for that meal and bought it for her! If I wanted, I could

have gone and gotten myself another meal! She offered me the pickles she took out of herburger, but I wouldnt settle for anything less than a French fry! In the end, after muchpersuasion, I got my piece of French fry from her.

Isnt this situation quite like what we are in? God provides us with everything in our life. But yet,we are hesitant to give him just even a small piece of our life back! Instead, we choose thepickles and the leftovers in our lives to give to Him. We give to God what we want to give, notwhat He has asked us to give. BUT God has called us to give back to Him everything in ourlives. And this means, He wants the whole meal back at Him! As we learnt from Job, the Lordgives, but the Lord can also take away.

How can we give back to God? We commit our lives to Him. We must yearn to live a life that isChrist-like and one that is pleasing to God. Secondly, we need to learn to serve Him. Everyone

plays a huge part in church, be it as a worship leader or as an usher. Just because you arenton stage doesnt mean you are doing a less important job. Because you may not beprominent, but you are definitely significant!You may feel that what you are doing is onlyjust a drop in the ocean. But the ocean would be less because of that missing drop!

So what can you give back to God for the things He has poured on you? How can you lift Godup in your life? Take some time to think it through and ask the Lord how you can live a lifepleasing to Him and serve Him in church.

Todays PrayerLord, I want to give you everything in my life. I no longer want to give you the leftovers, but Iwant you to get everything Lord. May you continue to be lifted high in my life. Amen.


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Day 9: The Theme Song of Your Life

Hebrews 2:18

Because He Himself suffered when He was tempted, He is able to help those who are beingtempted

Every one of us probably has a theme song of our life. A theme song that describes how yourlife is, or how you choose to live your life.What would yours sounds like?

If I could guess what Christs song is, the chorus would probably be Ive been there.

Ever feel as if you need to get away? So did Jesus. (Mark 1:35)Ever had so much work that you couldnt even stop for lunch? So did Jesus (Mark 6:31)Ever been in a misunderstanding with your family? So did Jesus (Mark 3:21)

Ever been falsely accused? So did Jesus! (Matthew 26:59)Ever felt your friends had let you down? So did Jesus! (Matthew 26:40)Ever felt that someones out to get you? So did Jesus!

But why, you ask?! Why all these similarities? Why did the Son of God go through all that, whenHe could have easily avoided it? Why endure it all?

So that Heis able to help those who are being tempted. (Hebrews 2:18) Whatever you arefacing, He knows how you feel! When you turn to Him for help, He will turn to you to help!

Christianity is for everyone!Jesus was the Light, so that electricians will understand Him.Jesus was the Door, so that carpenters will understand Him.

Jesus was the Way, so that traffic police will understand Him.Jesus was the Truth, so that lawyers will understand Him.Jesus was the Bread of Life, so that bakers will understand Him.Jesus was the good Shepherd, so that farmers will understand Him.Jesus was the True Vine, so that gardeners will understand Him.

If the world needed money, God would have sent us an economist.If the world needed entertainment, God would have sent us a comedian.If the world needed good food, God would have sent us a chef.But the world needed forgiveness and salvation, thats why God sent us a Saviour, JesusChrist, who came down to earth, suffered and died for us.

The next time you feel that no one understands you; remember that He does because Hes

gone through it all as well! And remember that Gods central promise in the bible is I will bewith You. After all, if God is with you, if He is for you and if He is in you, whom do you have tofear?!

Todays PrayerLord, I thank You for sending Your Son down to earth to suffer and die for us. I thank You forthe love you have poured out on me. Help me remember that the next time I feel alone, I knowYou are there with me. Amen.


13/22

Day 10: Dear God, I have a problem... Its me.

Titus 2:11-14For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, instructing us to deny

ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age,looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Saviour,Christ Jesus, who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify forHimself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds.

Imagine and think of your mind as a computer.Think of your strengths as software. People who can sing or play a musical instrument areprobably loaded with music programs. Others who are good in sports are probably loaded withEA sports games.Each of us are different in our own way. The smarter ones have a faster ram speed, while theslower ones, like me, have less ram speed.

However, because we have software, we too have viruses. These viruses represent our sins.Satan is like a spam email. When you open the email, it starts installing viruses into yoursystem. It injects these viruses that will start doing your system harm, until finally when yoursystem cannot take it anymore, you crash. There are viruses like the I Hate You virus (Anger),the Guilty virus, the Greed virus, the Shame virus, the Bitterness virus and even the ILove You virus (Lust) (which is a real name of a virus by the way!).

These viruses cause our system to not only slow down, but also starts causing our system todisintegrate. It causes your system to crash, and sometimes even invites other viruses to yoursystem to corrupt it.

But Jesus is the anti-virus (like Norton Anti-Virus). All you need to do is install Him into yoursystem (aka believe in Him!) and He will wipe out all the viruses and save your system from

crashing! Only with the Christ anti-virus software, can you truly be clean again and will yoursystem go back to full efficiency. Jesus has already paid the ultimate price for you, so that youdont have to pay anything.

Sin is indeed like a virus that corrupts your soul. It chains your soul and mind in, so that you areslowly corrupted and kept in by the weight of sin. And it will continue weighing you down andpulling you away from God. But the bible offers a solution to it. All you need to do is believe inthe Lord and His ability to take away all sin and break your chains of sin. And He will do it. Allyou need to do is believe. As Psalm 124 says, we are like birds in a cage with sin trapping us in.But God has come to set us free and open the cage door for us. All we have to do is believe inHim.

In the end, remember that if you live as if God doesnt exist, you better be right about it! The

forgiveness of sin has a catch; Its only for the guilty. Have you come before God yet andconfessed you have sinned and asked for forgiveness? More importantly, do you truly believe inGod and want to install Him into your heart? Then do so today! Heavens door has one key,and Jesus holds it.

Todays PrayerLord, I confess my sin to You today. I know only You can take away and break the chains of sin.I believe in You and I want to live a Godly life. Help me to live a life that is pleasing to You, anddeny any ungodly and worldly desires in me. Amen.


14/22

Day 11: Like Jesus

Romans 8:28-29

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been calledaccording to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of

his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.

Mahatma Gandhi, a well-respected man of peace from India, once said of Christianity, I like your

Christ. I dont like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.

This quote has been stuck in my head for quite a while, as it just shows that it is not Christ who is

unattractive to non-believers, but instead, its Christians who are. After all, God offered His Son to die on

the cross so we can all get eternal life, when all we have to do is believe in Him! (John 3:16) Gods love

is a magnet. But who are we attracting?

What are the components of being Christ-like? Rev. Dr Tan Soo Inn, a local preacher, has divided it into 4components- Knowledge, Character, Relationships and Service.

Knowledge is important as we learn more about Gods Word and Truth. And with this truth that we learn

from the Bible, we need to translate it into application in every sphere of our life. The Word of God must

become the framework of how we live our life!

We also need to develop a character that is more like Christ. In Galatians 5:22, the Bible list the fruit of

the Spirit as love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control.

Because since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit by practicing the fruit in our

everyday life!

The greatest commandment is to love your God and the second is to love your neighbour. Relationships

are important as it gives us an opportunity to practice to be Christ-like in our lives. We need a communityto bear the fruit of the Spirit (Colossians 3:12-17) and to learn to love each other.

The last component is our service to God. Philippians 2:4 says that Each of you should look not only to

your own interests, but also to the interest of others. The bible explains in the parable of the Good

Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37) that we need to continue to care for our neighbours and people in general in

whatever we do. So we can be more like Christ in our love for others.

In order for us to be more Christ-like, we need to also surrender to God our lives, become free of sin and

to grow spiritually. We need to live a life that is pleasing to God, that others will see us and know that we

are His disciples.

Todays Prayer

Lord, teach me to be more like You. Teach me to put Your word into application in every sphere of my lifeand to show love to everyone around me. So that when people see me, they see Christ in me and they see

a disciple of Yours. Amen.


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Day 12: Being Salty and Bright

Matthew 5:13-16

You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no

longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men. You are the light of the world. Acity on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it

on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men,that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.

Todays scripture passage is one which we are all familiar of. Even though its been used before in

devotion book 1, we probably would have heard it way before that. Its such an important (& catchy)

verse of the Bible that describes how we should live our life as Christians. We need to be the salt of the

earth and the light of the world.

But have you ever wondered why SALT and why LIGHT? Where in the world did that come from? Why

cant be sugar and be super sweet? Or why cant we be fire and be hot?

Jesus wants us to be the salt of the earth and light of the world for positive reasons.

Have you ever tried eating salt by itself? It causes you to be thirsty and drink more water. Salt is also used

in the kitchen as things that spice up your food and makes it more tasty (we put salt on our French fries!).

And salt is also used as preservatives in the olden days, when they didnt have the luxury of a fridge.

They would sprinkle salt on the food and it would keep the food from decaying for a while longer.

So when Jesus said we were to be salt of the earth, he wanted us to cause others to thirst for God! He

wanted us to share Gods love with them, so much so that people would thirst and hunger for more of it!

He also wanted us to spice up the world with love and make our world a better place to live in. And lastly,

He wanted us to be the salt of the earth that retards the moral decay of society. We live in a world with

very badly warped morals that is unpleasing to God. And He wants us to the salts that stops this moral

decay of society!

Jesus also says He wants us to be the light of the world. Why light?

Because He wants us to live the kind of life that illuminates His truth for people. He wants us to shine His

compassion into the dark places where there is so much hopelessness and despair. And He wants us to

shine so that we draw people closer toward Him, the light of life. Imagine you are in a dark room. But if

you have a lit candle, it will always illuminate the room. Because light always conquers darkness, and we

need to be that light that conquers darkness!

But we also need to take note that we learn not to be salt that stings (like it does to an open wound) or a

light that is glaring (and causes others to stumble!) He wants us to be salt and light in the positive way, so

that we can shine like stars in the universe! The next time you pick up a packet of salt or turn on your

light, remember this: You are called to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world. So that everyone

will see your good deeds and praise our Father in heaven. Will you choose to be salty and bright?

Todays Prayer

Lord, I want to be salty and a bright light for You, so that I can shine like the stars in the universe andspread Your light to places and people living in darkness. May You use me to cause others to thirst more

for You. Amen.


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Day 13: 3 months to live

Philippians 1:21For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.

Someone once showed me a website on the internet once. It tells you of the exact date youwould die. Obviously, it is in no way true or accurate and is just a hoax to amuse people. So youtype in your age, weight, height, your lifestyle and other information and it would project theexact date when you would die. (It said I would meet God in 3 months after I took the test, butobviously God didnt think my work on earth was done yet!)

But imagine knowing when you would die. You could remember not to make any appointmentsafter it. You could plan your days down to the minute on what you want to do before you leaveearth. In fact, you could even arrange your own funeral beforehand to how youd like it to be.But forget all that. After reflecting on this, I realised it may have been a site used to amuseothers, but it also opened my eyes and got me thinking about a question.

If you had 3 months to live, would you change the way you live your life?

Read the question again and just reflect on it. If you had 3 months to live, would you change theway you live your life?

Its about reflecting on how you have been living so far as a Christian. Have you been living lifeto the fullest in terms of your spiritual life?

Our journey in life is like a room with 2 doors. We enter the room through the first door at birth.As we walk and hang around the room, it represents our journey in life. Until death, where wewalk through the other door into eternity. And as we walk through that final door, we need to askourselves 3 questions:

1. What have I done with my life?2. What did I do with Jesus in my life?3. Am I ready for what happens next?

Personally, I use these to question myself and reflect on my life every month. I question whethermy walk with God has been good and what areas I will have to work on in the future in order forme to live my life to the fullest in Christ.

Take some time to ask yourself these questions and journal it down. Every month, come back tothese questions and ask yourself again. Find out in what way can you change how you live yourlife to make it more pleasing to Christ.

Live as though Christ died yesterday, rose from the grave today, and is coming back

tomorrow!

Todays PrayerLord, I pray that you will help me to live a life pleasing to You. May You give me the strength tolive a life that is Christ-like, and help me to live my life to the fullest, so that when You call meback to Your arms, I will leave with no regrets. Amen


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Day 14: Fire for the Journey

Scripture: Luke. 24:13-35

The ancient mythological figure Prometheus was said to have suffered the punishment of being tied to a

boulder with a vulture biting into his liver every day. His sin? He stole fire from heaven and brought it

down to earth to teach human beings how to use fire for warmth, light and cooking. In that myth, the lone

promethean figure paid the price for the enlightenment of human beings.

There is another lonely figure etched in our minds, more powerfully than the promethean one. This

Galilean (Jesus) hung on a cross. Unlike old Prometheus, he had no sin and he did not steal fire from

heaven. He himself was that fire. In coming down to earth from heaven. He hung on the cross, bereft of

all comfort. He died and it looked as if the fire had been snuffed out cruelly, like a candles flame bullied

by a fierce tornado. But like the flame of one of those special candles, the flame appeared again after

disappearing for a while. After his resurrection, Jesus appeared to his disciples and instructed them to

wait for God to act. On Pentecost Day, the disciples were filled with the Holy Spirit. Tongues of firelanded on them (Ac. 2:3). Fire had indeed come down from heaven. But what exactly is this fire? How do

we know that we have this fire in us?

The fire has to do with the heart. On the original Aldersgate Day (24May, 1738), John Wesley was

walking along Aldersgate Street in London. He was searching for the reality of God in his life. He visited

a prayer meeting and heard someone read Martin Luthers Preface to the Epistle to the Romans. It was

then that Wesley had a powerful experience, which he described as having his heart strangely warmed.

This was not a new phenomenon for, centuries ago; there were two disciples who were walking along the

road to Emmaus, after the death of Jesus. The risen Christ met them and talked with them, explaining the

scriptures to them. Later, they recollected the event and said, Were not our hearts burning within us?

(Lk. 34:32).

And so, whether it is Aldersgate Street or Emmaus Road, fire can come down from heaven to touch our

hearts. We need that fire for our journeys. We must note here that in both the instances above, fire in the

heart was experienced in the context of the study of scripture. This is something often forgotten or

neglected today. Any fire in the heart that has nothing to do with scripture is probably a strange or false

fire (cf. Lev. 10:1).

In our worship services, we can sometimes hear worship leaders saying that the congregation needs to

warm up. What they really mean is that the congregation needs to rev up its enthusiasm to create a

superficial sense of passion. This type of warming up may not have anything to do with scripture, but

may be the result of creating the right atmosphere for gushy, mushy feelings warmth. The fire from

heaven is the fire of truth understood and experienced. This was clearly the case in the experience of the

disciples on the road to Emmaus as well as that of John Wesley at Aldersgate Street.

It is possible that one can have zeal without knowledge, but as scripture teaches us, that is a dangerous

thing (Ro. 10:2). Spiritual fire that does not arise from the truth of God can be destructive. In these days

when how we feel is often manipulated through the psychological creation of the right atmosphere and

the pleasant comforts that technological wizardry can produce for the eye and the ear, it is possible to

whip up zeal without knowledge. We may end up celebrating our personal and organizational successes

rather than the truths about God. Our passion, and what we perceive as fire within, may have to do more

with personal and corporate ambition rather than the fire lit by truth from above. For a generation more

concerned about success rather than truth, there is always the danger of being burned by false and

destructive fires.

If true fire has to do with the truth, it also has to do with love. Many Christian spiritual writers have

written about the fire of love. The coldness in our hearts is removed by the flame of Gods love. This fire

then manifests itself as compassion, gentleness and kindness. If the truth is the basis of true spiritual fire,

then love is its evidence. Here again, there can be much confusion unfortunately, for often what goes in


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the disguise of love for others is in fact love for the self. It is not uncommon for Christians to gush all

over with what appears to be love. In reality such enthusiasm is often that of someone trying to sell a

product. It lasts until the sale is completed. It evaporates soon after that.

But there are many Christians who thankfully go beyond trying to sell the gospel. They truly attempt to

love the seekers who have become brothers and sisters in the Lord. However, the enthusiasm that seeks to

help and love others may come from ones own needs rather than from the others. There is always adanger of loving others for our own sake rather than for their sake. We have to realize that true love is

focused on the other rather than the self. That alone is the evidence that we carry heavens fire in our

hearts.

And how do we keep this fire burning? It is kept aflame by sacrifice. What is lit by truth and evidenced

by love must be maintained by sacrifice. We are challenged by the Lord to deny ourselves, carry our

crosses and follow him. The Christian passion and fire cannot be maintained conveniently simply with

the whipping up of emotions or with the latest fad in managing ourselves. The fuel for this fire is self-

sacrifice. This may not sound great in the ears of modern people but it is the truth.

Fire is needed for the journey. Whether we are on the road to Emmaus or on Aldersgate Street, the fire

from heaven must touch us and set our hearts aflame. We must carry this holy fire in our hearts as we

journey home, and on the way people will be blessed. But fire is dangerous. The bible describes hell alsoin terms of fire lake of fire (Rev. 20:14, 15). We must know the difference between the fire from heaven

and that from hell. The old warning must be heeded: do not play with fire. We need the fire but we

should not carelessly play with it.

1. How can one know the difference between personal ambition and true godly zeal?

2. How is spiritual fire related to truth and love? How this fire is kept burning in your heart?

Todays Prayer

Lord, I have encountered You and I know that You are so real in my life. I now have a fire in my heart thatis burning brightly for You. May it never be extinguish. Lord, please continue to fan the flame in my heart

that I will continue to burn for You. And that this fire for the journey will be one that will set othersablaze to yearn for You. I do not want to go back to living a lukewarm life. Instead Lord, May I be living

a life that is on fire for You! Amen.


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Day 15: The Why? Generation

The world is made up of places and every place has a history. And every places history is reflected in

what becomes its culture. And culture is ultimately defined through its people. And the people, well they

are the future!

And so if we can reverse this around, people, and ultimately, we are the ones creating history. So heres a

question for us to ponder on: If we are the future, how is it going to look?

If our generation is remembered for iPods, Facebook and Youtube, then I think weve missed it! If history

speaks of our generation as self indulgent pioneers of the digital age and reality television, then we have

failed in our writing of history. The world will change by itself, for better or for worse. It changes every

single day. But who will be the ones who shape it? And, how will it look?

Those who study history know that history is marked by revolutions. Be it social or political; some

represented freedom, victory and justice, while others represented despair, oppression and injustice. I

think its time for a revolution driven by a desire and passion for truth, love and justice.

Thomas Jefferson once said, Every generation needs a revolution. Our generation needs one to look,

sound, walk and breathe a lot like love. Its not a new concept, Its an eternal concept. Its basically the

reason why we are alive! Its a fundamental call of what it means to be a disciple of Christ.

Love God, Love People and Love life. Thats it. Its about the people in the places being the answer for

the places. And together, we can be the answer to the bigger problems. Its about your backyard and its

about my backyard.

The world has watered down love to slogans and t-shirts, lollipop songs and popcorn munching

excursions. But we throw the word love around without any meaning. We confuse its definition and we

diminish our understand of Gods command. Love is the quintessential human emotion. It is the desire of

every human being to experience and express love. God Himself is love. And He desires for us to love

Him and to love others. Thats His two greatest commandments!

He commands us to be on a mission to be a generation that expresses our worship, and expresses our

heart for worship in the action of love. Towards God, towards the world we live in and the people in it.

Its not just about highlighting the darkness, but becoming the light that diminishes the darkness. We need

to inspire our generation to BE that generation that makes a change. A generation that speaks for those

who cannot speak for themselves, defend the rights of all those who have nothing.

Im not implying that we can change the world, because we probably cant. But Im saying that when a

generation stands together arm in arm, we can change our worlds. It only takes one person to cause

change, only one to make a difference, one person to start a revolution and one person to make history. If

this is the case, imagine what ten, a hundred, a thousand or even a generation can do?!

Instead of being the Y generation as were often called, lets be the WHY generation, asking ourselvesWHY are we on earth, WHY do things happen and truly make a difference.

After all were not sent on earth to mark time, God sent us here to make a difference. You must be the

change you wish to see in this world. Being saved costs us nothing, but being a disciple will cost us

everything. Many Christians just live saved; But the bible calls us to live called! Rather than be a

generation that serves history, let us be a generation that makes history! How will you choose to live your

life today onwards?

Todays Prayer

Lord, I want to be living a life called to do Your will. Show me how I can make a difference to the peoplearound me and to the world at large. Help me to be a shining light for You! Amen.


20/22

The single cause of atheism in the world today is Christians who acknowledge Jesus with their

lives, then walk out the door and deny Him by their lifestyles. That is what an unbelievable world

simply finds unbelievable. A famous Atheist.

Hello again!

Well done on finishing this journey with us!

We hope you have learnt something along the way about this God we pray to, worshipto and seek! I hope your faith has been strengthened, your understanding of God hasimproved and that your walk with God is now well on the way.

As we carry on from here, I hope this will not be the end of your quiet times. I hope youwill continue and carry on doing quiet time and devotion every night. If you needresources, do feel free to approach your youth leader or email us [email protected] and we will direct you to some appropriate resources or youcan search for it yourself below.

On top of this, we hope you now have a yearning to know God more and to walk adeeper walk with the Lord now. Here are some steps on what you could do from hereon to continue to grow deeper and further in the Lord:

1. Join a small group- We have a few small groups already set up, but arealways looking to either add to the numbers or to even start one if we could! Sodo let us know if you are interested in being part of a small group and we canfind you one! Its really not as boring as you think! Ask those that are already inone!

2. Join an accountability group One of the best ways to keep up your walkwith God is to keep each other accountable. Find 2 other friends of the samespiritual level and start an accountability group with them. Meet with them on a

fortnightly basis and share how your walk with God is going, as well as anyburdens or struggles you are facing. If you do set one up, please inform a Tim,Terri or myself (Hernshung) so we can help the group through it as well!

3. Find yourself a mentor- A mentor is very important in each persons walk withthe Lord as the mentor will hold you accountable in your life and will be seekingto help you in any problems. Mentors tend to be quite a bit older than you andwill be trained in helping you grow in your walk with God. I highly advise eachand every person to get a mentor as from a personal experience, they will bevital in helping you with any obstacles faced in your walk with God. Doapproach Tim, Terri or myself if youd like a mentor and we will try our best tofind you an appropriate mentor that will walk with you in your Christian life.

4. Join a Baptism/Membership Course- If you are 16 and over and have yet tobe baptised, you may want to consider joining the next baptism class available.Please watch out for announcements on the main church bulletin.

We hope to hear from you soon! And we look forward to continuing to help youdevelop your faith and draw you into a deeper relationship with God. Rememberthat the YMMs are here to help you in your walk with God in any way we can. Allyou need to do is approach us!

Continue to be God-loving children of the Lord and shine His light on everyonearound you, so that they may see your good deeds and praise the Father in

heaven. The Lord bless you and keep you each and every day of your life.
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]


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In His Everlasting Love,Hernshung

More DevotionalResources

YOU WANT MORE?!

The Internet is an excellent resource of daily devotions aswell. You can check out some at:

Our Daily Bread: http://www.rbc.org/odb/odb.shtml

Heartlight: http://www.heartlight.org/

Our Daily Journey: http://www.ourdailyjourney.org/

OR IF YOU PREFER A BOOK ON HANDpop down to a Christian bookshop near you to hunt for a devotionyou are comfortable with. Here are two which we recommend:

SKS Books: http://www.sksbooks.com; 315 Outram Road, TanBoon Liat Building, #09-03

Tecman: http://www.tecman.com.sg/; 231 Bain St, BrasBasah Complex; #04-01

OR APPROACH US TODAY FORRECOMMENDATIONS!

This Devotional Booklet Brought to You by:
http://www.rbc.org/odb/odb.shtmlhttp://www.heartlight.org/http://www.ourdailyjourney.org/http://www.sksbooks.com/http://www.tecman.com.sg/http://www.rbc.org/odb/odb.shtmlhttp://www.heartlight.org/http://www.ourdailyjourney.org/http://www.sksbooks.com/http://www.tecman.com.sg/


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TMC youth ministryWebsite: http://tmcyouthmin.blogspot.comDevotional blog:http://encounter-09.blogspot.com

Email: [email protected]
http://tmcyouthmin.blogspot.com/http://encounter-09.blogspot.com/mailto:[email protected]://tmcyouthmin.blogspot.com/http://encounter-09.blogspot.com/mailto:[email protected]

devotion part 2- 10 mins with god

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