Hebrews 10:22

22Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.

I’d like you to imagine this scenario: You borrow a huge sum of money from a friend and promise to pay him back in six months’ time. When the time comes, you feel really bad because you cannot repay him as you don’t have the money. A year rolls by without you repaying your friend. Now, you feel extremely guilty. You try to avoid your friend because you are too embarrassed and ashamed to see him.

Let’s say your best friend hears about your plight. Of his own free will, he goes to your creditor and says, “Look, I understand that my best friend owes you money.”

“Yes, $50,000.”

“Here is $100,000. I’m paying you on his behalf.”

The creditor protests, “No, no, no! He owes me only $50,000.”

Your best friend says, “I know that he owes you that amount. But take the $100,000 so that you can never say that he still owes you that debt.”

Now, your debt has already been paid. But if you don’t believe that it has been paid, that debt will still be on your conscience. You will still be afraid to see your creditor. And you will try to avoid him all the time because each time you see him, he reminds you of your debt.

In the same manner, Jesus was an over-payment when He offered Himself as your sin offering because of the quality and worth of the Man Himself. He actually overpaid for your sins when He became your sacrifice on the cross.

Now, if you don’t believe that the payment has been made, you’ll suffer because your unbelief will rob you of assurance, joy and peace. You will still have debt on your conscience. Even though the Lord doesn’t impute sin to you (Romans 4:8), sin is still on your conscience.

And as long as sin is on your conscience, you won’t dare to draw near to God. But the truth of the matter is that your sins have been paid for! And Jesus is an over-payment! Today, my friend, draw near to God with no sin on your conscience!

Hebrews 4:9
9There remains therefore a rest for the people of God.

In the healing of the paralysed man at the pool of Bethesda (John 5:1–16), Jesus knew that for 38 years, the man had been flat on his back, unable to do anything for himself or others, no matter how hard he struggled.

In the case of the woman oppressed with a spirit of infirmity (Luke 13:10–13), Jesus knew that the woman had been bowed over for 18 years. And in that condition, she saw very little that was beautiful in life, only dusty grounds, dirty sandals and bruised feet.

What about the man with a withered hand? (Luke 6:6–10) Jesus knew from His carpenter days how a useless hand could have easily given the man a very poor sense of self-worth.

I believe that all three of them must have struggled for so long to get back on their feet, to try to lift themselves up, to attempt to do something about their situations, only to be disappointed each time they failed. In fact, they got so frustrated with striving to get better that by the time they met Jesus, they were no longer doing anything about their situations.

It was then that Jesus extended His offer to turn their situations around. And when they embraced His offer, they received the miracles that they had sought for so long.

You too may have been struggling to get back on your two feet, or lift yourself up from the burdens and problems that have sorely weighed you down. You have attempted to do whatever you could, hoping that it would amount to something, but you have been frustrated time and again. My friend, God wants you to cease from all your struggling and accept the offer He extends — turn your situations around.

It is no coincidence that all three of them received their miracles on the Sabbath, the day of rest in the Jewish calendar. God’s Word says, “There remains therefore a rest for the people of God.” The day you cease from your own labouring and striving, and rest in the finished work of Christ, is the day you receive your miracle.

Jesus has done all the work. Whatever you need has been provided for at the cross. So just rest and receive your miracle!

Psalm 103:4
4who [the Lord] redeems your life from destruction, who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies…

Four women are mentioned in the genealogy of Jesus. (Matthew 1:1–16) Interestingly, they are not Sarah, Rebekah, Leah or Rachel, wives of the patriarchs of the Old Testament. Instead, they are Tamar, Rahab, Ruth and Bathsheba, women who had morally questionable backgrounds.

Tamar resorted to deception and prostitution to produce children through her father-in-law. Yet, it was from her line, the tribe of Judah, that the Messiah came. (Genesis 38)

Rahab was a Gentile and a prostitute in Jericho, who became a believer in the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. (Joshua 2:1–21) She also became the mother of Boaz, who married Ruth. (Ruth 4:13)

Ruth was a morally upright woman. But as a Moabitess, she was a Gentile and therefore considered unclean. Yet, this Gentile woman became the grandmother of David (Ruth 4:13–17), whom the Jews regard as their greatest king.

Bathsheba committed adultery with David. (2 Samuel 11:4) Later, she gave birth to King Solomon (2 Samuel 12:24), from whose royal line Jesus is descended.

So what is God saying to us here?

He is saying that He is greater than our sins — where sin abounds, His grace abounds much more. (Romans 5:20) Grace is greater than our sins, so that even when the world disqualifies us, God can qualify us to receive His blessings!

God is also saying that He is a God of many chances. These women’s stories show us that even when our troubles are the result of our own making, they are neither final nor fatal. For when we turn to Him, He can turn our situations around until we see His glory upon us!

Finally, God is saying that He is a God of supernatural positioning. Even when all our earthly connections are gone, the moment we turn to Him, He will find ways to turn our captivity into blessings. As shown in Ruth’s life, He can put us at the right place at the right time for that door of blessings to be opened to us!

My friend, don’t look at your natural background or circumstances and be discouraged. Trust the One “who redeems your life from destruction, who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies”!

StompAIDS week in school. It means they are gonna sell my fav ice cream yogurt! Ehh.. we kinda spotted this HOT pink condom ad!! It's seriously pink!!

Into the reading mood again.. I tried looking for more of Leo Tolstoy's short stories after what Pastor Kenny shared last week. Wow, indeed it's a marvelous read =)

How Much Land Does a Man Need? (Russian: Много ли человеку земли нужно?, Mnogo li cheloveku zemli nuzhno) is an 1886 short story by Leo Tolstoy about a man who, in his lust for land, forfeits everything, including his own life. Late in life, James Joyce called it the greatest short story ever written.

After slowly accumulating more and more property, a greedy Russian named Pahom hears that the Bashkirs, a minority race in Russia, are practically giving their land away. He decides to visit them and they offer him as much land as he wants, provided he can walk its perimeter in one day. Pahom agrees and goes out on his trek, but when the sun starts to set, he finds he has walked too far. Running back, Pahom collapses at the starting point just as the sun disappears behind the horizon. The Bashkirs try to congratulate him, only to find him dead. In answer to the question posed in the title, the Bashkirs bury him in a hole six feet long by two feet wide.

Anton Chekhov, one of Tolstoy's greatest admirers, retorted: "It is a common saying that a man needs only six feet of earth. But six feet is what a corpse needs, not a man... Man needs not six feet of earth, not a farm, but the whole globe, all of nature, where unhindered he can display all the capacities and peculiarities of his free spirit."

Under the clear blue sky, Little Miss Giggles went out to play. Not exactly play but surely she has an eye feast today. You bet she is giggling! =)

Magnificient skyscrapers compliment the beautiful blue sky and TONNES of hunks that infested Boat Quay. =)

Heeee.. I think he looks like Brat Pitt. The SPG kinda realised that i was taking his picture and couldn't stop staring at me.. Hmm c'mon chill it man =)

While waiting eargerly for SIM to compete in the race, i had a mini feast =) (haiyo, like that how to lose weight???)

Was that a moment of silent meditation before the race? I don't quite understand that..

Team NUS

SIM Dragon

Click on the picture to see who's posing =) Caught on camera, Lawrence! Apparently, i shouted his name so loud that he turned and looked =) Oops.. thank goodness the race hasn't started =)

Roll on..

A totally exciting adrenaline-gushed-to-the-max day! Just feel so proud of my school dragonboaters =) They did pretty well and their efforts are commendable =) Rock on dudes!!

Aggie dearie, you are like the sweetest sister around. Probably also the one who has spoken the most into my life. Thanks for sharing today. Benefited so much as usual. You bet the next time we meet there will some surprise installed for you k =) *hugs*

We only live this once. Once to leave the impression, once to make that impact, once to share the love of Christ. One Life, Live It.