He who finds a wife, finds a good "thing"?:)

"He who finds a wife, finds a good thing. And obtains favor from the Lord." Proverbs 18:22

Familiar?? Ever wonder before why we ladies are called a thing? haha~
I began finding out more about it after what my friend replied to me the other day. To me it's really a gem from heaven =) So I thought I would share it with you precious people =)
Actually, "he who finds a wife finds a good thing" - the word "thing" is actually not in the Hebrew. It's just "he who finds a wife finds good" - not a good object but good for all areas of his life. =) God would never call his precious daughters a "thing".
I looked into my e-sword and truly the word thing wasn't there. I moved on to browse through the net and found an interesting article. It open my eyes to truly know more about what the Lord wants for us in our life partner. How do we decide? What do we look out for? Read on =)
Proverbs 18:22, you've heard this verse before, "He who finds a wife finds a good thing, And obtains favor from the Lord." Now ladies, I know for years, you've hated this verse. You know, because it says, "Whoever finds a wife finds a good thing." And some of the modern translations have tried to soften that by dropping the word thing out, and it hasn't been all that successful. So, let's talk about what he's really talking about here.

The word "good", whoever finds a wife, finds something good, the Bible says. And the word "good" is the word tobe in Hebrew, and it means "pleasant", "agreeable"--not good as opposed to bad. When you find a wife, you're finding someone who agrees with you, who "fits with you." That's why God created male and female, because when you find a wife, you find someone who is agreeable, who fits with you. And the same thing is true of a husband, you find someone who is fit for you.

And then it says, "You find favor with the Lord." Now, that's an interesting thing. Not only do you find someone who is agreeable to you, when you find a wife, you also get God's favor when you find a wife or, when you find a husband, ladies, as the case may be. The word "favor" here means "acceptance." That does not imply, if you don't find a wife or a husband, you're not acceptable to God.

What it does say is this, "when you find a wife, or a husband, you not only benefit you, you please God."
"..God is pleased with marriage... it shows how close the family is to his heart. =) He wants people to be together in love."
And if you look into the full definition for pleasant and agreeable, you'll be even more amazed! =D
pleasant
1) Giving or affording pleasure or enjoyment; agreeable
2) Pleasing in manner, behavior, or appearance.
3) Fair and comfortable:
4) Merry; lively.

agreeable
1)To one's liking; pleasing
2)Suitable; conformable
3)Ready to consent or submit
Dun this sound like a whole package you ever wanted for a life partner but was unable to say it in sentence or describe it in words? haha~
Even good looks is in there! Praise Jesus =) He knew it before we even told him haha~ for us ladies, find someone whom you respect and is able to submit to cause marriage is for life!
Hope you have been blessed! =) He who finds a wife/husband finds GOOD =)

God's Rest = promised land

To have faith is to obey His Word

I was reading the book of Hebrews on my bed this morning as I woke up and this verse really confirms what the Lord has been speaking to me this season.

"Be like those who have faith and patience. They will receive what God has promised" Hebrews 6:12
Isn't it interesting that it's faith + patience = promises of God. Add or subtract something from a math equation and you'll never reach your answer.

And as I was walking outside just about to go into my room, I kept hearing inside me, "Unbelief is a sin".
The next moment, I took hold of the book by Reinhard Bonnke and the first chapter I flip to was the chapter on faith. I found something I never did realised but it confirms what the Lord showed me recently. That when we obey His voice, it seems that the answer we need comes speedily the moment we obey.

"Now we can learn from the two words faith and obedience. The Greek word for unbelief(apistia) and to be disobedient(apeitheo), belong to the same root. To obey God you need faith, but faith is given when you obey. Obedience is faith, and faith is doing what God says. Not being able to do it is no excuse, for we are able to do it, by faith."
Haha~ got side track while writing this and went to read my own blog and saw this verse written in large bold letters, "Obey His order and follow His plan" 1 John 3:24 =)

I think we deceive ourselves when we say we believe but we do not obey His Word or voice. Unbelief do not sound nice to the listening ear. No one would disagree or say that we do not belief His Word. It's easy sometimes to say, I can do ALL things through Christ who strengthens me but do we really believe when situation arises.

We pray for faith to believe first before we do the impossible. Just caught this. In fact faith comes as we go according to/obey His Word.If unbelief = disobedient, then am I right to say, belief = obey just like ac=ab can also mean c=b. =)

Just follow His Word and we are on victory ground because God cannot cannot lie or change the equation!

God's little *angel*

I was walking up stairs to my house just now when a little indian girl came from the opposite direction smiled & waved her hand at me...I grinned back in amusement =) where did that come from? Haha. She must be an angel from the Lord =)
After arrow, we were at the foodcourt looking for a seat. Relieved that we finally found one, I turned behind to see a little gal smiling and playing with her siblings.
The next day, as I was walking to the mrt, it started to rain heavily. I was just 100 metres away but it was too far away to not get myself drenched if i would to crossed over. I waited for a Samaritan to come along. Then came this mother carrying her child on her arms with an umbrella. I asked if I could tag along. So I helped her with the umbrella while she held on to her daughter. Along the way, I heard her daughter calling me aunty so many times. Heh. Asking her mum so many questions in mandarin which I knew not of.
And as I sat down(which i seldom do) to wait for the train and as I put a plaster on my blister, this little gal came and sat next to me =)
I see the Lord smiling at me through them.
The little gal I saw today, was something I'll never forget.

The similarity of the life of Hannah & Ruth

I was reading about the life of Hannah in 1 Samuel 1,2 that I found something interesting that thrilled me =) Something I never saw before.
A short summary about the life of Hannah. She was a barren woman married to Elkanah. And as a result, Peninah the other wife helped Elkanah to produce children. Everyday Hannah would be faced by the anguish of not having a child. Not only that, Peninah would provoke and irritate her. She would end up weeping & not eating.  One day, she prayed and made a vow to God. She told Him that if she would to bore a child, it would be given back to Him and he would serve him all his life. As she prayed, Eli saw her and thought she was drunk. It may be because she had been in that state for a long time for him to have overlooked her as praying.
1Sa 1:15, 16
As I was reading on the verses in e-sword, I was browsing on other verses where the word grace was mentioned in 1 Samuel 1:18. I was trying to find out what was the thing that took a turn in her life. The same word grace was also found in Ruth 2: 13. You’ll be amazed at the similarity of the events that toke place.And Hannah, answering him, said, No, my lord, I am a woman whose spirit is broken with sorrow: I have not taken wine or strong drink, but I have been opening my heart before the Lord. Do not take your servant to be a good-for-nothing woman: for my words have come from my stored-up sorrow and pain.

_____________________________________

Story of Hannah
1Sa 1:17 Then Eli said to her, Go in peace: and may the God of Israel give you an answer to the prayer you have made to him. v.181Sa 1:191Sa 1:20
Story of RuthRth 2:12Rth 2:13Rth 2:14Rth 2:15

_________________________________________

If you notice, Hannah was a woman just like any of us. Conscious of her very needs. Everyone around her knew it. It may be the child a mum so wanted, a job we are seeking, a loving family or the return of your loved one. We weep over our pains, get depress and sometimes go without food. That was the state of Hannah.
But when did her situation change? It was when she gave her needs to God. It was when she gave up her own desire.
As a result, we see that in both stories, Eli & Boaz, saw/heard and release the faith she has in her God.
Both Hannah & Ruth trusted & relied on the grace of God.
Both toke part in a feast after that. It may have been a long time since they had a feast. It may have been a need in their lives that have kept them from going. For Hannah, it was a child. For Ruth, a lost of her husband. Feast represents joy & celebration. I believe the feast here represents the breaking of bread and wine remembering Christ broken body and his shed blood through the Holy Communion.
Did they celebrate after they got their manifestation? No.
They both remembered the Lord’s grace & His death on the cross before the manifestation took place.
After Hannah ate, she was no longer sad. Hannah bore a child called Samuel. One used mightily for God. Ruth receive an overflow supply and married one of the riches man.
Did they just receive their request, a child and a husband?
They receive much more. God gave Hannah three sons and two daughters from not having one!
Ruth not only receive riches but honor. Her name was found in the genealogy of Jesus.
We see a similarity here in the New Testament, Act 2:46Act 2:47
In our testing/trials the Lord will make a way of escape. In your trial, is where your blessing is found.God will use a lady's barreness for a miracle He is about to show His people. The red sea & Egyptians that stood between the Israelites, their trouble, became a way of escape and a blessing! He IS able to make your problem and turn it around for your good...if only we allow ourselves to believe.When you put Jesus first place in your life, remembering His death on the cross and relying on His grace, and not at your problems, grace flows. When you have grace(favor), the Lord not only answer your needs but He answers you abundantly more than what you can ask!
Grace IS with us!
(After I wrote this...(a confirmation from the Lord =))
I went offline and to my room to read what I've wrote. I thought to myself then, if the Lord has showed me this powerful truth, shoudn't I be practising it. At the moment, I went to get the water and the biscuit. After I took it, I went to open up a sermon to listen to--070311 Judge God Faithful And Receive Your Miracle.
Without knowing what it was all about(a sermon I just got from brother when I was in Sarawak.So comical yea, I get the sermon from my bro when he should be getting from me haha~ cause he receive from my fren here in NCC) Pastor started of the sermon sharing about Holy Communion! "...when he sees you partake, you are blessed"
That was not only it, Pastor Lian read a testimony of a couple in Malaysia who after they partook the Holy Communion receive a miracle champion baby! Of all testimony...Holy Communion & miracle baby?? haha~ ...and Pastor Prince also mention later about Samuel & Eli? =) At that moment, I was just speechless...amazed at how real God is in our lives. The Lord is nearer to us than you ever know.
Thank you, Lord =)) praising God, and having favour with all the people; and the Lord added to the assembly daily those that were to be saved. And every day, being constantly in the temple with one accord, and breaking bread in the house, they received their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, And when she got ready to take up the grain, Boaz gave his young men orders, saying, Let her take it even from among the cut grain, and say nothing to her. And at meal-time Boaz said to her, Come here, and take some of the bread, and put your bit into the wine. And she took her seat among the grain-cutters: and he gave her dry grain, and she took it, and there was more than enough for her meal. Then she said, May I have grace in your eyes, my lord, for you have given me comfort, and you have said kind words to your servant, though I am not like one of your servants. (Boaz said)The Lord give you a reward for what you have done, and may a full reward be given to you by the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take cover. Now the time came when Hannah, being with child, gave birth to a son; and she gave him the name Samuel, Because, she said, I made a prayer to the Lord for him. And early in the morning they got up, and after worshipping before the Lord they went back to Ramah, to their house: and Elkanah had connection with his wife; and the Lord kept her in mind. And she said, May your servant have grace in your eyes. So the woman went away, and took part in the feast, and her face was no longer sad.

His-story

"History never looks like history when you're living through it. It always looks confusing and messy, and it always feels uncomfortable."    John Gardner

We have been there, standing in the midst of confusion and uncertainty at times. We have so many questions left unanswered.
Do you know at that split moment that the one who walked pass you was the one who provided the finances you needed. Will I know when I meet the one out of all the millions in the world. Or would I even remember the silent moments I had when joy takes away. What about the questions and doubts I had that lonely night. Did I know that tonight was the answer. Life is full of uncertainty.
But as I looked back...
Did it remind me of God's goodness and faithfulness?
Had it been a journey of faith, purity and selfless love?
Yes.
It was His finished work on the cross that paid it all for us. It was His-story after all.

Let us be easy people...

It was after dinner with Joan one day that the Lord taught me something so precious. Something we almost take for granted.
People. Lives. Souls.
We had planned to go dinner by ourselves that day after service. It was just one of those days in which you just dun feel like talking much or to be among a crowd. And as we were walking out of the audi, someone approached us. Someone we just got to know. She was alone with no one to go to dinner with. At that moment, I had to confess that we had no idea how to reply. It’s easy to say no to a group of frens but saying no to an individual could be painful. We decided to go to the ladies to discuss. Silly I know to discuss on such thing =)

We realized that we would never understand how it feels like to be the person who had no one to go to dinner with. We are so blessed with a company of frens that we overlooked the few that need us. We decided to love her and ask her along.
It was after dinner that the Lord corrected me. Had I been professional in the way I acted? Did I really involve her in the conversation and made her feel like she belonged? When I asked her questions, was I doing it so that she would not feel lonely.
The Lord dropped this to me in my heart as I was walking home and I msged this to Joan,
"Just caught this. Many times we want to get out something from someone when we are with them…like to make us happy but true love comes when we learn to enjoy the person."
If the Lord has given salvation & forgiveness of sin so freely, should we then make it so hard for people to feel accepted? How many times we choose who we want to associate with. Let us not treat lives as something we have the right over. You do not know how precious they are until you lose them. Love them. Treat them as you would to someone you care and not any lesser. I believe Jesus loved John as much as he loved Peter or the woman at the well. He makes no requirements to those who want to come to Him. Your shortcomings cannot stop Him from loving you.
Thank God for friends who allow me to be my best self(by being myself) and loving the (me) God calls me to be.
Everyone can be a joy to us regardless of their personality if we choose to just enjoy them. Let us make friendship as simple as how the Lord makes salvation to be. Let us make coming to church easy to those who find it difficult. Let us still choose to love even when our frens make a mistake or have said a hurtful comment. Because only in gathering of the beloved, we are free to be who we are.
I love what I read the next morning on my bed as I woke up.
2Corinthians 2:8, 16 "So I beg you to show him that you love him…to those who are saved, we are smell of life that brings life."