Whenever we read the Bible or listen to a preaching, do we actually take it to heart? Do we take time to ponder, meditate and reflect on what we have learned when we get home? Do we actually take time during the week to check our hearts or align ourselves to the Word of God? Or are we just reading the Word or go to Sunday services so we can check our to-do list?

Following Jesus Faithfully requires more than just listening to His Word or reading or attending services – we need to receive God’s Word into our heart and take action as the Word directs us. Being receptive to God’s Word means allowing the Word to change us from the inside out. 

We must not allow the circumstances of this world to harden our hearts and become indifferent to the Word of God. Let us take time to listen to His Word, and let His Word penetrate the deepest parts of our hearts. We must believe that God is at work in us as He disciplines us, moulds us to become the person He has purposed for us to be. 

Following Jesus faithfully Is not easy but it is the key to bearing fruit in out lives. Let us take care of our faithfulness and God will take care of our fruitfulness. 

Sharing the good news is a specific command by Jesus Christ to his disciples. He instructed us to go and make disciples. The command can be found in Matthew 28:19-20: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in[a] the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Though we all know this, often times, it is a struggle for us to obey this command. We have various reasons for not sharing the good news of salvation – waiting for the perfect time, unsure of what to say, not equipped with the right words, afraid to say anything unbiblical, fear of being rejected or offending other people. The Lord knows our struggles and has assured us that we should take that step of faith as he will be with us always. There is nothing more comforting and reassuring than knowing Jesus goes before us and will be with us as we pray, speak and share the love of God to the people around us.

As we take that step of faith, we not only proclaim the good news but we also grow in our faith. We get to experience the goodness and the presence of the Holy Spirit within us. Truly, this is a wonderful opportunity for us to bless others and be blessed ourselves. Let us push forward, go and share the good news to someone today.

Each one, win one!

Every year, the kids and I sit down on the first few days of the year and look back at the year that was and write down our highlights, then we also write our goals for the following year.

This is Toby’s….

The end of 2018 took a slower turn as the year winded down, but throughout the year, there were so many regular activities, like  monthly Learn Group meetings, discipleship meetings, youth gatherings, growth groups and my tutorial work. I also had to undergo eye cataract removal. Thankful that we were able to go to a number of vacations too, like Taiwan, Singapore and the beach. As for personal growth, I was able to read more books and interact with more people.

As 2019  begins, I have listed down my goals:

Be creative.  Learn crochet, take chances in art, decorate the house.

Pursue writing. Take classes, write often in this blog, find mentors to help me, write devotionals.

Grow. Read the Bible consistently, journal, read books of different genre. Pray and believe.

Nurture others. Take care of plants, connect with people. Homeschooling.

Be courageous. Take trips. Try freelancing jobs Invest.

How about you? What are your goals for 2019?