Word of Encouragement for Every New Day ~ 1 Apr 2008

Word of Encouragement for Every New Day ~ 1 Apr 2008

Today’s word of encouragement is a continuation of my series on, the importance of building strong roots. Once again I pray and hope that this series will teach us that “strong roots” takes time, effort, and constantly growing our relationship with God. As we picture any plant, any tree, and flower; the only way that it can grow strong is by patiently watering it everyday. Too much water and we kill it. Too little, it dies. In the same way we too need strong roots, but what do we water ourselves with? Our hidden and dark secrets are weeds to our souls. They cause our roots to weaken and shrivel up. What started as a small harmless sin will eventually grow like thorns. Weeds chock our roots and eventually the weeds will take over the former life. Weeds kill the good tree. I hope that today we would look at our sin patterns as weeds. No matter how much good clean water we may pour on the tree it is of no use. What we really need is to kill the weeds. If we kill the weeds we kill the sins. How do we remove the weeds? The answer is simple, die to yourself, seek forgiveness from God, and be accountable to someone. Being accountable is really a tremendous blessing, if you find the right person. Sometimes when we pick people who are flaky and inconsistent most likely we will fall to our sin patterns again. However, if we are accountable to people who want to take God seriously and are consistently working at their relationship with God most likely we will be able to kill all the weeds. I hope this verse would remind us what weeds do to the righteous; they hem us so justice is perverted. Habakkuk 1:4 “Therefore the law is paralyzed, and justice never prevails. The wicked HEM in the righteous, so that justice is perverted.” © Apr 2008 Shaun Lee. www.everynation.org.sg archive: www.shauntzen.blogspot.com

Word of Encouragement for Every New Day ~ 31 Mar 2008

Word of Encouragement for Every New Day ~ 31 Mar 2008

Micah 7:18 Who is a God like you, who pardons sin and forgives the transgression of the remnant of his inheritance? You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy. Today’s word of encouragement begins my series on, the importance of building strong roots. I pray and hope that this series will teach us that “strong roots” takes time, effort, and constantly growing our relationship with God. Picture any plant, any tree, and flower; the only way that it can grow strong is by patiently watering it everyday. Too much water and we kill it. Too little, it dies. In the same way we too need strong roots, but what do we water ourselves with? The end of Micah 7:18 says, “You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy.” Mercy is water to the soul. Without God’s mercy NO ONE WOULD HAVE ETERNAL LIFE. Yet, why is it so hard for us to show mercy towards others? Why do we still stay angry? Why do we still harbor ill feelings towards others? God never stays angry at us FOREVER, He delights to show mercy. Isn’t it time we let go of the anger? Our trees are looking a little dead, a little dry, a little brown, and I hope we aren’t fading away. It is time. God is challenging each of us to change, so that our roots may grow strong and firm. Why do we want strong roots? It isn’t because we can be better than others, but it is simply because we want a strong personal relationship with God. The gift of mercy cannot be forced. If we call ourselves sons and daughters of God, the gift of mercy has already been engrained in our hearts. It is a matter of us dying to ourselves and letting God lead our day to day lives. © Mar 2008 Shaun Lee. www.everynation.org.sg archive: www.shauntzen.blogspot.com

Word of Encouragement for Every New Day ~ 30 Mar 2008

Word of Encouragement for Every New Day ~ 30 Mar 2008

Jonah 1:1-3 The word of the LORD came to Jonah son of Amittai: "Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me." But Jonah ran away from the LORD and headed for Tarshish. He went down to Joppa, where he found a ship bound for that port. After paying the fare, he went aboard and sailed for Tarshish to flee from the LORD. Today’s word of encouragement is learning how to handle your fears, so that you don’t run away from God, but instead run towards God. It is interesting that despite Jonah’s disobedience, God still used Jonah to fulfill His purpose. Similar with Samson. Despite Samson’s weaknesses, God used him to fulfill His plans. Why do we run away from God? Isn’t it clear that God’s destiny for us is far greater than any other destiny? Let us realize that sometimes the enemy blinds our eyes, and clouds our vision, which is why we run away from God. Today, are you running away from your destiny? Are you running away from God? What will it take you to return to God? It took a storm and being stuck inside a big fish for Jonah to turn back to God. Maybe we too need a storm and a season of loneliness for us to give all we have to God? © Mar 2008 Shaun Lee. www.everynation.org.sg archive: www.shauntzen.blogspot.com

Word of Encouragement for Every New Day ~ 29 Mar 2008

Word of Encouragement for Every New Day ~ 29 Mar 2008

Today’s word of encouragement is about the importance of making decisions. People respond to making decisions in very different ways. Some face difficult decisions by going head first, with absolutely no fear. They don’t plan their steps ahead, and if they make mistakes they will correct them along the way. These people simply love the challenge of new experiences. Losing is the toughest part to accept for these types of people. Some simply avoid difficult decisions because they don’t like their life to be rocky, so they play safe! Just the thought of struggle, failure, and losing makes them want to think about something else. Others would sit there and analyze and analyze and analyze the choices before them. They take forever to make a choice, but when they do it is calculated, evidence to prove why this choice is the best decision. But sometimes they analyze and analyze to the point where they paralyze. Causing them to eventually never make the right decisions at the right time. We are all wired very differently, and how we handle making decisions is very different. At every key point in life, we will face crossroads. You see without making important decisions we would never really be hungry for God and hungry for the destiny He has for us. Whatever decision we have to make today or in the future, I hope that we wouldn’t be scared to move forward, we wouldn’t fear making mistakes, and I hope that we would be prepared for the struggles and trials. Our destiny awaits us, are you willing to make the choice to move forward? John 8:16 But if I do judge, my decisions are right, because I am not alone. I stand with the Father, who sent me. © Mar 2008 Shaun Lee. www.everynation.org.sg archive: www.shauntzen.blogspot.com

Word of Encouragement for Every New Day ~ 28 Mar 2008

Word of Encouragement for Every New Day ~ 28 Mar 2008

Today’s word of encouragement is simply keeping still so that the voice of God can lead you. The words from the Lord’s mouth is over the waters, His voice is powerful, it can break the cedars in to pieces, He can cause nations to skip like little calf’s and young wild ox’s. The voice of the Lord strikes like lighting, and can shake the desert (Psalm 29:3-9). How simple minded and foolish we are sometimes, we are fearful of the wrong things in life, when we can’t even fathom the power of God’s voice. Psalm 29:3-9 The Voice of the Lord 3 The voice of the LORD is over the waters; the God of glory thunders, the LORD thunders over the mighty waters. 4 The voice of the LORD is powerful; the voice of the LORD is majestic. 5 The voice of the LORD breaks the cedars; the LORD breaks in pieces the cedars of Lebanon. 6 He makes Lebanon skip like a calf, Sirion like a young wild ox. 7 The voice of the LORD strikes with flashes of lightning. 8 The voice of the LORD shakes the desert; the LORD shakes the Desert of Kadesh. 9 The voice of the LORD twists the oaks and strips the forests bare. And in his temple all cry, "Glory!" 10 The LORD sits enthroned over the flood; the LORD is enthroned as King forever. As powerful as our Lord may be, one thing is for sure and for certain. He loves us all! Even the sinner, even the odd ball, even the person we hate the most, God loves us all. I hope today we would be encouraged to listen to the voice of God, so that He can lead our lives. God wants to encourage us all, as His word says in Psalm 29:11 The LORD gives strength to his people; the LORD blesses his people with peace. © Mar 2008 Shaun Lee. www.everynation.org.sg archive: www.shauntzen.blogspot.com

Word of Encouragement for Every New Day ~ 27 Mar 2008

Word of Encouragement for Every New Day ~ 27 Mar 2008

Psalm 119:72 The law from your mouth is more precious to me than thousands of pieces of silver and gold. Our relationship with God, if there is anything that I have talked the most about it is this. Would it be foolish if we said to people, “The most important thing in my life is my relationship with God?” Some people would laugh at you, would mock you, but if we truly love God with all our hearts we would not care what people say. In Psalm 119:72, David says, “The law from Your mouth is more precious to me than thousands of pieces of silver and gold.” In the world we live in today, people are chasing after the biggest bucks, the jobs that pay the most, and here we have a king who boldly declares that the law from God is more precious to him than thousands of pieces of silver and gold. How much time do you spend with God? Would you be able to say, “The law from your mouth is more precious to me than thousands of pieces of silver and gold”? © Mar 2008 Shaun Lee. www.everynation.org.sg archive: www.shauntzen.blogspot.com

Word of Encouragement for Every New Day ~ 26 Mar 2008

Word of Encouragement for Every New Day ~ 26 Mar 2008

86,400. I hope we would remember this number everyday because 86,400 seconds equals the number of seconds we have in one day. As time moves forward we cannot relive those seconds again. Isn’t that amazing? Seconds have just passed you, from reading this paragraph and you can’t relive those seconds again. If we can’t relive those seconds again that have passed us, why do we still live in the past? And secondly, every second counts! How many seconds in our lifetime have we wasted away? Today’s word of encouragement is being aware that our GOD is the author of time. Why do we complicate things? Why do we complicate time? We only have 24 hours or 86,400 seconds in a day, NO LESS and NO MORE. Life itself is already adverse, and yet we make things even more complex. Let us remember these key points for today: · Firstly, we can’t relive past so stop living in the past. · Secondly, every second counts so start making your life count for something! (Find your destiny which God has given you) · And finally the most important thing let us never forget that God is the author of time. 1 Peter 1:18-20 For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, 19but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. 20He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake. © Mar 2008 Shaun Lee. www.everynation.org.sg archive: www.shauntzen.blogspot.com

Word of Encouragement for Every New Day ~ 25 Mar 2008

Word of Encouragement for Every New Day ~ 25 Mar 2008

Imagine being stranded in one of the hottest, driest, and life draining deserts in the world. You are trying to find the smallest and greatest treasure. You know it is there and you know if you found it, it would give you the greatest satisfaction. Today’s word of encouragement is this, 1) How persistent are you in finding and fulfilling your destiny? 2) Go for it, and don’t stop searching. How persistent are you? The picture of being in a desert trying to find a treasure is simply searching for your destiny. Would you seek and seek and seek till you found your destiny? You are getting tired, thirsty, and hungry; suddenly you find a huge gold coin worth billions, but it isn’t your destiny, would you stop searching and stick with the gold coin? Some of us would actually stop right there because the gold coin is worth billions, but in the end we would never be satisfied because that is not our destiny, and what we have been called to do. Are we in careers just because it pays well? You know, we will never be satisfied if we don’t find our destiny, because we will always feel emptiness and unsatisfied. Do you ever say this to yourself or pray this to God? I know that I was made to do something else. Go for it, and don’t stop searching. Imagine finding your treasure, and fulfilling the destiny God has for you. The feeling can’t even be described. Not even money can satisfy this feeling. The worst response anyone could give is this, “I’m too young! Or I’m too old! To fulfill my destiny.” A person at 15, 25, 30, 50, 60, 70, 80 it does not matter—your destiny is unique to you. If it takes you till you are 80 to find your destiny, great! When we find our destiny the years of living out that destiny is far greater than all the years of life not living that destiny out. I know that I was made to do something else, but I don’t know what it is. How hungry and thirsty are you to find what you have been made to do? I hope our response to God would be, “God, I will not STOP till I see Your name praised, glorified, and raised on high through Your purpose in my life.” Job 15:31 Let him not deceive himself by trusting what is worthless, for he will get nothing in return. © Mar 2008 Shaun Lee. www.everynation.org.sg archive: www.shauntzen.blogspot.com

Word of Encouragement for Every New Day ~ 24 Mar 2008

Word of Encouragement for Every New Day ~ 24 Mar 2008

Today’s word of encouragement is valuing the art of communication. High-tech phones, blackberry’s, and with a single touch we can connect to people anywhere in this world. These gadgets have become part of our daily lives that when we leave home without all our high-tech stuff we feel useless. It is amazing to see how many kids these days play with PSPs, portable electronic games, video games, etc; well, we are all a product of the MTV generation. The more we get caught up with our high-tech gadgets, phones, and portable video games, the more we will lose touch with physical communication. I hope we realize the value in face-to-face conversations, yet today children barely complete a sentence when their parents talk to them. Even as adults we are so caught up with our busy lives that we barely have a decent conversation with our husbands/wives. The Bible is filled with many great examples of men and women who were great communicators, as well as many who were not good at communicating. Joseph as a young boy was not good at communicating; sharing his visions that God had given him. This caused his brothers get jealous (Genesis 37). Nathan was a gifted communicator when he exposed King David’s sin it touched David’s heart that didn’t cause him to hate Nathan, but it caused David to turn to God and repent of his sins (2 Samuel 12). Today I hope that we would all be challenged to change the way we communicate with people. Proverbs 8:6 Listen, for I have worthy things to say; I open my lips to speak what is right. © Mar 2008 Shaun Lee. www.everynation.org.sg archive: www.shauntzen.blogspot.com

Word of Encouragement for Every New Day ~ 23 Mar 2008

Word of Encouragement for Every New Day ~ 23 Mar 2008

Daniel 3:24-25: Then King Nebuchadnezzar leaped to his feet in amazement and asked his advisers, "Weren't there three men that we tied up and threw into the fire?" They replied, "Certainly, O king." 25 He said, "Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods." Sometimes in fear of circumstances we choose the safe route in anticipation of the worst outcome. When we stand up for our faith, we will face torment, humiliation, and persecution. Three men stood for their faith and would not bow down and worship other God’s. These men were, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego. (Daniel 3:8-25) Today’s word of encouragement is about having a bold confidence in the name of Jesus. Will we choose the safe route or will we boldly walk in confidence because we know that God is with us? Tomorrow our faith could be tested, simply bow down and worship other gods and your life will be set free. Or, face death!! Daniel 3:24-25, clearly reveals the power of God. While Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego were thrown into the fiery furnace, King Nebuchadnezzar saw a fourth man inside the furnace. Jesus will always meet us at our great hour of desperation. He will always meet us in our needs, cry for plea, if only we fully realize the measure of our Father’s love. What is your battle? What route will you choose? Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego chose the bold and confident route because of their pure and honest relationship with God. The outcome was clear—God saved them, God used them to humble the wise, the rich, and opened the eyes of the persecutors. Again, what is your battle and what route will you choose? © Mar 2008 Shaun Lee. www.everynation.org.sg archive: www.shauntzen.blogspot.com

Word of Encouragement for Every New Day ~ 22 Mar 2008

Word of Encouragement for Every New Day ~ 22 Mar 2008

Easter is one of my favorite holidays because it makes me remember what Christ did for us on the cross. Today’s word of encouragement is simply taking the time to reflect and give thanks. I don’t like dwelling on the past, because if we dwell too much in the past we can’t move on and see the purpose God has for us ahead. But when we reflect and give thanks, it is a way for us to humble ourselves and realize what God has done in our lives. From our careers, to our marriages, to God blessing us with children, grand children, and having food on our tables daily without fail, there is so much to be thankful for. Some people don’t even have the opportunity to get clean water and food daily. I wonder how often we expect and demand that God would provide for us. Do we treat God merely as a supermarket? Expecting God to provide everything for us, and if we don’t get it, we question Him, “Don’t I deserve this God, what is taking so long?” God thank You for suffering on the cross for us, for our sins. Thank You Lord for everything, today we honor, praise, and worship Your name alone. Hebrews 12:28 Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe. © Mar 2008 Shaun Lee. www.everynation.org.sg archive: www.shauntzen.blogspot.com