Winners vs Losers

Excerpts from Winners vs Losers:

"According to your faith be it unto you." - Matthew 9:29

A winner sees an opportunity in every risk while a loser sees a risk in every opportunity. Winners know that to risk nothing is to risk everything, that if
they are going to win they need to be willing to try, to take chances, and to risk failure. That is, they have to be willing to strike out if they are going to hit home runs.......

True winners make sure their goal is in harmony with God's will and, because of this, they know that with his help there is always a way to achieve their goal.
Furthermore, they believe in their cause. And they believe in themselves in a healthy way. Therefore they expect to win, believe they will, and do so.

They also know that if they tried and did their best, they have already won.

My Thoughts:

I used to be a "loser" in the past by the above definition. I was a very pessimistic person, or you may call me a 'worrier'. ;)

However, I have changed a lot over the years. As I began to know and trust God more each day, I have become a "winner" by the above definition again. The secret of my change is found in the second excerpt, where I make sure what I do is in harmony with God's will as much as possible.

How?

To know God's will, I need to read the Bible daily, go to church every Sunday, have fellowship with Christians who love Jesus, pray for guidance, and be sensitive to the Holy Spirit prompting in my heart.

Right, all of you can be a "winner" too if you do likewise. :D

God Answered My Prayers

Praise God that the Christian colleague I mentioned in my post earlier is more ready to take up the challenges of work now. Instead of his original plan to take 2.5 weeks unpaid leave to get over his work stress (i.e. starting this coming Monday), he canceled them and will be back for work on Monday. God has answered my prayers for him. He is learning to trust God more.

I noticed that all my prayers for others always come to pass very quickly. It shows that God will always hear my prayers if I pray with an unselfish heart for others. Another example is my daily prayers for my best friend. They bear fruits... he is now more committed to God and is able to move on in his spiritual journey on his own without me. Next, I pray that God will give him a good help-mate in His time.

Time like these strengthens my trust in God and makes me more outward looking. Not that I don't trust God, but it makes me feel important to God... that He loves and cares for me very much to even answer my prayers. Yes, life can be exciting as I learn to pray and wait in expectancy for God to act, even on my smallest requests.

My God is not too busy... He is always there for those who trust in Him. :D

Stormy Sea Of Life

My work has taken more than 50% of my time daily, and I am beginning to feel the strain. There are so much to do, so little time and so lacking in manpower. Tiredness set in as time goes by. All my energy has been drained.

Something unhappy happened two days ago and I really felt like quiting. I felt the injustice, but I don't wish to defend myself, for God knows. It's time like this I begin to think about what it is that God wants me to do.

I feel better today, even though there are more things that happened at my workplace that require my attention... more issues to resolve. I don't mind all these... I like challenges... they make my work interesting actually.

Thank God for tonight's devotion that reminds me that my God can calm my 'stormy sea' of life.

Dear Lord,

Thank You for calming the 'stormy sea' of my life.
Thank You for the many blessings in disguise.
Thank You for Your love that never die.
Thank You for always hearing my heart's cry.

-Your child, Bee

Work and Me

I am very accident prone to accident, said my best friend. True, I just got my finger cut by my office toilet roll holder last night. This is the 3rd time accident happened to me while at my new job. :(

Anyway, my job is quite challenging... keeping my mind busy, always thinking of creative and non-traditional ways to solve problems at work. At times, I felt frustrated by office politics, but I am learning how to get things done in spite of that. Thank God for giving me the strength to persevere on. I like the passage for tonight's devotion found in Isaiah 40:28-31:

28 Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
The LORD is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
and his understanding no one can fathom.

29 He gives strength to the weary
and increases the power of the weak.

30 Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men stumble and fall;

31 but those who hope in the LORD
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.

Btw, you may visit cssmania to spot the work of my best friend, and vote for him if you like. If you can spot his work, I shall give you a prize. :D

Lilies of the Field

Just like the lilies of the field
I have no cares nor worries
Just work and don't really feel
Except sleepy, thirsty and hungry

Just like the lilies of the field
I don't feel sad nor happy
Just live daily with strength renewed
Trusting God with spirit free

Just like the lilies of the field
God will take care of me
Much more than the lilies of the field
For He loves me, even me.

- Bee

When In Love

Busy and tired as I am, I will still do my devotion with God before sleeping without fail nightly . Isn't that the same devotion when a person is in love?

I won't dare to claim that I love God fully yet, but at least I have loved Him enough to discipline myself to spend that little time reading the Bible, blogging my reflections, and praying.

Similarly, I have been reading Eliza's blog everyday too. Her entries on her journey with God daily have captured my heart as she is just like me when I was at her age. Reading her blog is like rewinding my life. I wish I really could. But now looking back, I thank God for seeing me through in my growing up years.

All things said, when we love/like someone, we will be very excited to read about that person's thoughts or the things he/she has gone through. The opposite of love is indifference. So if someone says he loves/likes a gal, yet does not like to read or have no time to read about her, then I can only conclude that he doesn't know his own feeling, unless he is lying.

He Answered My Prayers

Wow! God answered my simple prayers today by today!

I read Eliza's blog entry yesterday on how God has answered her prayers last Sunday on the same day. This morning, I decided to make 2 very specific prayers to God too.

First request: I prayed that I could catch the bus earlier than usual this morning so I could reach my office earlier. Usually, I have to wait for about 20 min or longer for the bus to arrive. But today, the bus came within 5 min. Thank God!

Second request: I prayed that God would help me manage my 'political' bosses well and that my work won't get stuck because of them. This afternoon, while I was having lunch with one of my bosses, another two came to join us. We had a good talk and after that I felt quite relieved as they promised to give me their support so I could do my job well without delay. Praise God!

Isn't my God wonderful? :)

One lesson I learnt is that I can learn things from someone younger than me, both in physical and spiritual age. Another lesson I learnt is that my prayers must be specific so I could see specific results. I also must have child-like faith to believe that God will answer my prayers when I pray.

Thank God for these lessons.

Memories Still Stay

Eliza (15-year-old blogger) said she saw a transformation of her life now compared to her a year ago, as she read through her last year's blog entries. Her blog entries have been changed from those of herself and all her complaints to those of her reflections about God and all His blessings.

I felt inspired to read my old blogs again too. I also see a transformation in my life compared to me in 2003, the year I started blogging. Memories was my first poem. The last verse is still valid for the present:

I remember the people I met
Those who made me sad and those who made me glad
How should I feel or what shall I say
They have all played a part
In making what I am today

Yes, the people I met, especially the online ones, have played a great part in my life. I have surpassed the phase of looking for earthly love to that of staying in God's love. I no longer yearn for earthly love now, especially after my mum passed away. Perhaps her death has brought along with her my unspeakable distress, and therefore, my yearning for someone who could fully understand me too. Anyway, I have learnt that such a person never exist, even though at times he comes close to being one, yet he's like an illusion that just slips away. Only God can meet all my needs.

God is the most important person in my life now. Without Him, my life would have gone hay wired. I have learnt to make Him my first love.

Second is my work, which basically involves working with people. I like helping others improve and excel. Most importantly I hope that I will make a difference in their life, that they will come to believe in my God too.

Third would be my "best friend", who will forever be just my "best friend" and nothing more. My "best friend" is important to me because we have been through our spiritual journey together daily since last year Oct. We read the same bible passages together daily, share our daily encounters with each other whenever we have the time, and now we also pray together.

Thank God for my "best friend". I will treasure his friendship now while I can. For I know that there will come a day that someone else will replace me, in God's time. My blessing will go with him and his new "best friend" when that happens. Take care.

My Faith

Friend D wrote at his blog on 18/12/04 (Sat):

Thorns on roses or roses among thorns...
"Some people complain that God put thorns on roses, while others praise Him for putting roses among thorns."

I am a free-thinker... In my heart, soul and mind, there is no celestial being.
Was chatting with B yesterday. And we came to the topic of God, his existence...
I am a free-thinker there is no God in me, but for her, God exists, I am reluctant to comment.
I respect every individual for his/her beliefs. God exists.

I have no wish to offence anyone, therefore I chosen to see things as objective as possible.
God exists... as from words of christian, in all forms...

My "God", there is only one God. If I harm no one, do good, be good and righteous. I read biblical stories and learn and always follow God's path, God exists.
I am a free-thinker, I only want to be a better man. God exists for me because of B's Faith.

My comment:

Thanks for having regards for my faith.

I am a free-thinker too... ^_^ Ya, no one forces me or tell me how I should think, I am free to think even now. All my faith and belief are results of long time and consistent proof of what I heard, feel and see that becomes a conviction in me.

Without faith, nothing can be achieved actually...we all practise faith everyday without knowing it. But the important thing is where we place our faith, hope and trust in.

My Reflection

I seem to be hearing the word "faith" frequently for the last few days... at work, in church, when chatting with friends...

The Bible says, "And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him." Hebrews 11:6

Why is it that some people can 'see' God, some can't?
Why is it that some people's prayers are answered, some aren't?
Why is it that some people can achieve their dreams, some don't?
Why is it that some people can feel happy and contented, some feels sad and keeps worrying?

I guess the answers are found in the word "FAITH". If we don't have faith in God, how can we even expect God to do something for us or help us? When we have faith in Him, it pleases Him and He will surely 'reward' us according to our faith. That's my true experience.

If not for my faith in God, I will not be the Bee you know today. Thank God that by faith, I am what I am now... by faith, my life has touched many people through the years too.

Read more about why "Without Faith It Is Impossible to Please God"

FAITH - poem

Faith is the substance of things hoped for.
Faith brings you to the future you saw.
Faith sees your dreams come true.
Faith takes away all your blues.

Faith is the evidence of things not seen.
Faith removes your mountains within.
Faith takes actions not just talk.
Faith clears the path as you walk.

Faith is all that you would need
To be strong like a mustard seed,
That shall grow into a big tree
That could set your spirit free.

- Bee

posted Monday, 27 September 2004

I may be a fool in your eyes - poem

I may be a fool in your eyes
But I know that even if I die
I won’t have to cry

I may be a fool in your eyes
But I am happy and free
That's something I want to be

I may be a fool in your eyes
But I feel the inner strength and beauty
That only God can see

I may be a fool in your eyes
But I rather be a fool in men’s eyes
And in God’s eyes’ I'm wise.

- Bee

posted Thursday, 27 November 2003

Little roses - poem

Little roses never worry
When the rain begins to fall
For if it never, never rain
Then they will never, never grow

Lord, please help me learn the secret
That only little roses know
For if it never, never rain
Then I will never, never grow

So let it rain, let it rain, let it pour
Let the trials come knocking at my door
For if I learn the right from wrong
It will help to make me strong

Lord, I thank you for the secret
That little roses and I know.
For if it never, never rain,
Then we will never, never grow.

- Bee

posted Saturday, 22 November 2003