Salted With Grace

Colossians 4:6 NKJV

Lord, just like how salt brings out the taste in food, may what I say to others bring out Your grace.

Fruit of My Mouth

Proverbs 18:20 NKJV

Lord, please fill my soul as I learn to speak words of edification to those around me.

Refresher of My Spirit and Yours

[S] 1 Corinthians 16:17-18 --
17  I rejoice over the coming of Stephanas and Fortunatus and Achaicus, because they have supplied what was lacking on your part. 18  For they have refreshed my spirit and yours. Therefore acknowledge such men.


[O] What a refreshing picture of the brotherly love and communion in the Holy Spirit.  Being able to refresh one another's spirit is truly a blessing.  In this world, so many people are out to do the exact opposite -- cut throat so they can get ahead of others.  But these three brothers presence alone edified the people and they infused the energy that wasn't there before.

[A] I would like to be such a person wherever I go I can fulfill the needs as well as refresh people's spirit.  One way of doing this is to use my words wisely when speaking to others.

[P] Dear God, please grant me the depth of Your love and joy in my heart so I may share that with others that I come in touch with.  May Your Spirit overflow out of my life to others.  In Jesus' name.  Amen.

Shipwrecked Lately?

[S] Acts 29: 8-11 --

⁸And it happened that the father of Publius was lying in bed afflicted with recurrent fever and dysentery; and Paul went in to see him and after he had prayed, he laid his hands on him and healed him.

⁹After this had happened, the rest of the people on the island who had diseases were coming to him and getting cured.

¹⁰They also honored us with many marks of respect; and when we were setting sail, they supplied us with all we needed.

¹¹At the end of three months we set sail on an Alexandrian ship which had wintered at the island, and which had the Twin Brothers for its figurehead.

[O] God's working through Paul's life touched many people in this overall scene of the shipwreck to landing on this island and then to be ministering to the whole community. The result was that due to his edification of the people, they reciprocated the blessings back to him and the crew in order that they may continue on with their journey. Through his obedience and ministry, God's promise of none of the people on the ship getting hurt was fulfilled also. In the end it's about releasing God's promises through my services to others just like what Paul did even when his circumstance was quite bleak at first running into trouble at sea. What troubles am I going through now which may blind me from seeing what God's promise is in the midst of that which needs to be fulfilled through my services?

[A] Look around those near my family and see how God's promise is waiting to be fulfilled by my services to/in their lives. I'm thinking particularly about a family in need right now. God's placed them close to our family and even though we're not too familiar with them we want to obey to His calling for our services to them.

[P] Dear God, may we not lose sight of Your wonderful plans to be fulfilled in this family's life right now. May we continue to be faithful to Your calling. We are expecting wonderful fulfillment of Your joy in this family. Thank You for giving us the opportunity to take part in Your great plan. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Lawfully Profitable and Edyfying

[S] 1 Corinthians 10:23 --
²³All things are lawful, but not all things are profitable All things are lawful, but not all things edify.

[O] This passage reminds me of limitations fo the law.  While it certainly provides protection, order, fairness, etc. it does not automatically means the end results are profitable or edifying.  The Old Testament defined the Law of God and how we are to obey it down to the details but the Israelites lived lives that were not always profitable or edifying.  So, just to focus abiding the law will not lead me to a life desired by God.  I must intentionally make efforts to make my life and those around me to be profitable or edifying.

[A] At my workplace, think about how I may be a source of blessing to them.  That is to say how my faith may play out at work such that those around me will be edifying.

[P] Dear God, at the same time I pursue to follow Your commands from the Bible, may I not forget to be edifying those around me.  May I be the one people enjoy having around them because Your blessings will be showered upon them through my life.  In Jesus' name.  Amen.