Do you search the scriptures?  Did you find Christ in them?  Are you willing to go to Him that you may have life?

The more life experiences we accumulate, the more things we know. But what are the things we truly need to know? And of all the things we do know, what is the most important? When the Samaritan woman met Jesus by the well and questioned His request for water, Jesus desired for her to know the gift of God — everlasting life through Him. “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.” (John 4:10) That day, she came to the well not knowing about Jesus or salvation, yet left with joy and knowledge of the Christ who revealed Himself to her. Jesus, being omniscient, knew everything about the woman, including her deepest secrets, and wanted her to know who He really was and what He could give her. John 4 also prompts us to consider what we ought to know, and what we should do after knowing. “ While the Samaritan woman came to the well to draw water, presumably to drink and quench her thirst, what Jesus saw was her spiritual thirst and wanted her to know of the living water which would never let her thirst again. Today, He has also given us this living water, His Holy Spirit, to abide in and with us that we may never thirst. Just as water is essential for our physical survival, the Holy Spirit ensures the survival of our spiritual lives as He renews us in our walk of faith and moulds us into the image of Christ. When the spirit of God fills us, we have the assurance that He is with us and we will never thirst again. If only we knew how important it is to be filled with this living water from God, how much more would we pray for the infilling of the Holy Spirit? “28 After the Samaritan woman’s encounter with Jesus, she went back to her city to share what happened and many Samaritans believed in Jesus because of her testimony. (John 4:39) On the Samaritan woman’s part, all she did was speak about her experience with Jesus, and many were led to Christ. This reminds me of Peter and John in Acts 4, who boldly testified for Jesus before the Sanhedrin, saying Sometimes, preaching can seem like a daunting task and we fear not being able to persuade another person to believe. But let’s not forget that simply sharing about what we have seen and heard, the grace we have received and our experiences with God can very well be a way to lead people to Christ! If only we knew how powerful our testimonies are, and how many people are waiting to receive to God, what would be our attitude towards preaching?

V5-8 5 These verses show us that although we must be born again by the Spirit of God, how this happens remains a mystery to us. We cannot really see wind and cannot predict everything about it. Similarly, the work of the Spirit is not something we can completely understand. We know that what the Spirit does works, and why, but the intricacies are beyond our comprehension. This reminds me of Ecclesiastes 3:11. Ecclesiastes 3:11 11 We do not know and cannot find out what will happen in our lives, yet we know that as long as we hold on to God, He has a purpose for us in all that we do and that it will all work out beautifully and for good. Romans 8:28 28 Since God knows what is best for us, we need to trust in Him, in His timing and wisdom, because His ways are higher than our ways and His thoughts higher than our thoughts. Always. Isaiah 55:9 9 Jeremiah 29:11 11

I am someone who doesn’t consistently put away my things. Unfortunately, little piles of mess can lie around for Clutter has insidious effects. A cluttered environment can breed bacteria, increase our stress hormone levels, and make the essentials—sleeping and focusing—difficult. What might be a LinkedIn study of shrewd foresight was, to Jesus, an ugly desecration of God’s home. Cluttered with unholy yet normalised practices, this clutter tainted God-centred worship. It made the spiritual essentials difficult. Having done their market research, these savvy businessmen of John 2 knew how to transform their consumers’ problems into profit: - selling animals for sacrifice would mean worshippers did not need to drag these animals from home; - changing foreign currency, even at a marked-up price, would assist foreign worshippers needing to offer the right currency. These greedy businessmen, like “thieves”, exploited people’s desire to worship as a way they could quickly benefit. They preyed on equally culpable believers, who succumbed to the ease of insincere worship. Angrily, Jesus flipped tables, poured out the changers’ money (He did not care about their profit!), and drove all the animals away. The animals could have been used for sacrifice, but He did not accept them. We can reflect on these questions in prayer with our Counsellor, the Holy Spirit, who knows us better than we do, and work with Him to cleanse ourselves. - What are 1-2 practices that affect my ability to worship God reverently—even if these practices seem “normal”? - As I worship God, serve, or have fellowship, are there ways I hope to gain personal benefits? - What can I do to cleanse my worship of this practice? We don’t want to spiral to a point so dire that Jesus must step into our church/home/heart and cause a great upheaval to wake us up. Before that point comes, let’s cleanse ourselves of spiritual clutter, becoming sanctified and useful for our Master (2 Tim 2:20-21). [1] [2]

What are some key themes in the Gospel of John? What can we learn?

The book of Hosea began with God disowning His people because of their spiritual adultery (1:2, 9). Now, it concludes with God promising to re-own His people with healing and love if they repent (14:1-4). The final chapter of Hosea strikingly mentions many plants while describing a repentant Israel – for example, the lily and the Lebanon tree. Verse 5 mentions that Israel will “grow like the lily”. Lilies are known for their beauty; even Jesus highlights this by saying that they’re far more beautiful than Solomon’s royal robes (Matthew 6:28-29)! The Bible also mentions of how lilies can grow in potentially harsh environments, such as valleys and thorns (Song of Solomon 2:1-2). In a spiritual sense, to grow like a lily means to grow increasingly beautiful in our spiritual character, despite spiritually harsh environments; and Christ is our model for spiritual beauty, i.e. perfection (Ephesians 2:13). Besides radiating the beautiful nature of Christ, may we, like lilies which are also fragrant, diffuse His fragrance to the people around us in all circumstances (2 Corinthians 2:14-16). Verses 5 to 7 mention that Israel shall “lengthen his roots” and emit a “fragrance (or scent) like Lebanon”. Lebanon trees are known for their height, which ranges between 30 to 50 metres tall. They can grow this tall because of their roots which are deep and extensive. Their roots can grow as deep as 3 metres into the soil, while spreading out as wide as 30 metres away from the tree’s trunk. Lebanon trees are also known for their aroma, not only in the wine they produce (verse 7) but also in their wood. In ancient times, Lebanon wood was prized for its quality and often used in the construction of magnificent buildings, such as Solomon’s temple (2 Chronicles 2:8-9). How can we be vessels of honour that are useful to our Master for every good work (2 Timothy 2:21)? By being deeply rooted in His words (Colossians 2:7): fully understanding, trusting, and obeying His words in every aspect of our lives. May we, like Lebanon trees, take root downward, so that we can bear good spiritual fruits upward (Isaiah 37:31). The green cypress tree is mentioned in verse 8. However, this time, it refers to God, as He tells Israel: “I am like a green cypress tree; your fruit is found in Me.” Here, God stresses His dependability. The idols and allies which Israel once relied on could not save them from trouble (Hosea 14:3a). God, on the other hand, is the source of Israel’s “fruit” – Israel’s successes and failures are all in His hand, and God dispenses these according to Israel’s obedience or rebellion (verse 9b). Furthermore, the green cypress tree is known for its longevity, surviving up to several centuries. In ancient times, the tree was often perceived as a symbol of immortality, especially in the Middle East and Mediterranean regions where Israel, Egypt and Assyria were located. Our immortal and self-existent God far outlives the green cypress tree, man-made idols, and human kingdoms. Therefore, He is the only One we should depend on when facing troubles. May we learn to be loyal to our one true God, loving and leaning only on Him. Amen.

Is God the only Lord and Saviour of your life?

"For the ways of man are before the eyes of the Lord, And He ponders all his paths. His own iniquities entrap the wicked man, And he is caught in the cords of his sin. He shall die for lack of instruction, And in the greatness of his folly he shall go astray." Aside from the loss of salvation, another of my greatest fears is memory loss. When I’ve forgotten something or seem to have misplaced something, regardless of the degree of significance, my entire being freezes up and quickly succumbs to panic and anxiety. In the midst of persuading myself to calm down, my mind naturally wanders off to God, seeking comfort and reassurance in the fact that God knows, never forgets, and is in control; He will allow me to recall thoughts and find things most necessary and in the timeliest manner. Similarly, we see God recounting through Hosea some of the earliest Israelite histories that the present-day Israelites (at the time of Hosea) should clearly commit to memory, learn and move forward from. These histories should not simply be left in the past and counterproductively repeated in the future. As modern-day followers of God, we learn not to follow in the Israelites’ footsteps. Yet, try as we might, do we not also find ourselves stuck in the same old sins? Do we not remember to change for a moment, then forget or overlook this commitment in the next? Sooner than any of us expects, we will have to stand before God, made fully accountable for our past and sin. While it is still called ‘Today’, should we not recount the error of our ways, turn away from them, lest it is too late, and God Himself turns away? “… I will put My laws in their mind and write them on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. None of them shall teach his neighbour, and none his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them. For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.” Just as nothing escapes the eyes and mind of our LORD, may each breath we take be a remembrance unto Him.