This chapter paints a clear and practical picture of how a Christian should live:

As imitators of God, that is, living with love – even sacrificial love – the giving of ourselves for those of eternal value. To be dispensers of grace, pointing to the One who is the source of grace. Concerned about the eternal soul of man more than temporal things of this world.

To be pure, in body as well as in the mind. Covetousness – stemming from ungratefulness and lack of trust in God – is something that easily surfaces from our sinful human nature. There should be none of this for God’s children. I am guilty of this many times. The counter for this is closely walking with God, being grateful for all the many ways God has provided. There are so many. And to trust that He is Good! That He loves us. That He is able, and wants to bless us.

Therefore we must live with integrity:
To walk in the light and not in darkness.
To be wise and not unwise.
To make the best use of our time.
To consider of the effects of our actions.
To live with joy, to be an encouragement.
And to be thankful at all times.

Once again, God has shown to me that He speaks to us through his Word. Sometimes God calms the storm, but He always calms his child.

I don’t think I’ll ever understand how it feels to be in King Hezekiah’s situation. Famine, war, death and destruction looming – an entire nation’s fate in your hands. Another nation – whose beliefs goes against yours – offering help. The nation attacking – who has conquered many other nations before yours – claiming to be sent by God. You have to make a choice. What would you do?

What did he do? He humbled himself and approached God.

Once again, my God reminds me about the bigger picture. That I should not be so worried about what man can do to me. Instead, I should live in faith as a testimony of what God can do.

In a word God created everything. He commands the winds and the waves. He causes rocks to produce water. He sends 1 angel to effortlessly destroy 185 thousand.

This great and awesome power is still available today. God is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. Do not be dismayed. God loves you and cares for you. Trust in Him.

I have no idea what this chapter means… Even after reading 3 to 5 times, in different versions. Let’s try again.

Something about the value of people or things that are dedicated to God. You can “borrow” what you dedicated, but you have to pay the valuation (+20% in some cases). “Borrow” because once you receive it, you cannot give it or resell it because it already belongs to God.

I still don’t understand… maybe someday…

Today’s chapter was short, but very very timely.

In my distress I called to the Lord, and he answered me. Deliver me, O Lord, from lying lips, from a deceitful tongue. (Psalm 120:1, 2 ESV)

I have always been a person who believes that people are generally good. It’s natural for me to trust people. This is why these verses spoke to me. I may not know it, but people might already be deceiving me.

I do not want to change my view of people, I do not and cannot live a life that is always guarded. So this is what I do: I will trust God that when there are people who wish to do me and my family harm, He will deliver me from them.

At one point in my life, this was me:

They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart. They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity. (Ephesians 4:18, 19 ESV)

It didn’t seem like it then of course. And there were many times after I had become a Christian that I would revert to this lifestyle. For me these verses have two reminders. (1) That I should be careful, (2) more importantly, it’s never too late or impossible for anyone. No matter how hard the heart, how callous or how dark the life – God’s love is strong enough to break through.

Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need. (Ephesians 4:28 ESV)

God created all men, Jesus died for all men, and the Holy Spirit is given to all men who have been redeemed by the blood of Jesus. In God’s standard of Holiness, we all fall short. We must understand the heart of God.

Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. (Ephesians 4:29 ESV)

Same goes for texts, chat messages, blogs, tweets and status updates.