Father's Love

This past week I read the first chapters of Exodus. As we know, Moses was called to lead the Israelites go out from Egypt. It was hard to do. Even Moses asked The Lord to send someone else. However, if The Lord calls, nobody can escape. Moses could not run, we too. When God calls us to do something that He is concern to, we know exactly that it requires us to do a hard work. Often, we only have one choice: to obey Him.

Sejak zaman dahulu kala, manusia suka bertanya-tanya mengenai hari esok. Kita selalu ingin tahu apa yang kira-kira akan terjadi besok dan bagaimana kita akan menghadapinya. Kita selalu penasaran apakah keberhasilan dan kebahagiaan menunggu di hari esok? Seperti apakah keberhasilan dan kebahagiaan yang kelak kita peroleh?

Early this year, I got information that the lent season starts today, March 5, 2014. But as the time went by, I totally forgot it. Thanks God, my roommate said about Ash Wednesday. That's enough to remind me.

Putera-Nya sendiri Ia korbankan untuk kita. Apa lagi yang kurang? Kasih karunia-Nya cukup bagi setiap orang berdosa yang percaya kepada-Nya. Bapa di surga memberi dengan segala kelimpahan. Bukan kelimpahan yang kita, orang berdosa, bayangkan; melainkan kelimpahan yang pada akhirnya memuliakan Kristus.

I joined Foundations Class during this past month. Here are some notes that I put here so that I will always remember it and be able to read it anywhere, anytime. Hope you’ll be blessed!

In my time alone with God this morning, I meditated on Isaiah 51-55. Here are some highlights that the Holy Spirit emphasized for me. 1.      LISTEN to the LORD. Give your ears and LISTEN. --> this is the calling that I need! 2.     The Lord comforts you, don’t forget your Maker . God wants me to always remember Him. 3.     Jesus was pierced for our transgressions and he was crushed for our iniquities. Our punishment was upon Him, and by His wounds, we are healed. 4.     We are like sheep, have gone astray, have turned to our own way, and the LORD has laid on Jesus the iniquity of us all. 5.     It was the LORD’s will to crush Jesus and cause him to suffer. He bore the sin of many and made intercession for the transgressors. 6.     Novi, do not be afraid ; you will not suffer shame. Do not fear disgrace ; you will not be humiliated. You will forget the shame of your yo...

Few weeks ago, two sisters and I talked about a brother in our church. In our sights, he is so perfect. He is a godly man that every single-Christian-woman might dream about. I agree with them. Then one of the sisters said, “But, is he too perfect? Imagine, how can we marry someone like him? We are broken-hearted girls. Will he accept a girl like us to be his spouse someday?” I was kept silent. I did not know the answer until I shared our conversation to my accountability partner. “He is a sinner, Novi,” she said. “When you see him so perfect, it is not him that you see, but Christ, the perfect God, that lives in him.” That’s definitely true. “Then, if he is so perfect, just like Jesus, will it be possible that he accepts a broken-hearted girl like one of us? I mean, he is sooooooo godly.” “If he as perfect as our God, he must be merciful and able to forgive his future wife’s sins in the past.” “How if the sin is relate to a sexual relation? It is really serious. Will he fo...

This morning I read Isaiah 14-18 and found that God really rebuking me through Isaiah 17:10-11.   10 You have forgotten God your Savior;    you have not remembered the Rock, your fortress. Therefore, though you set out the finest plants    and plant imported vines, 11 though on the day you set them out, you make them grow,    and on the morning when you plant them, you bring them to bud, yet the harvest will be as nothing    in the day of disease and incurable pain. I would like to write (type) these verses with specific things that the Holy Spirit really spoke to me about my sin, especially the unseen one. Novi, you have forgotten God your Savior; you have not remembered the Rock, your fortress. Therefore, though you set out the Words of mine and plant imported Christian books and sermons in your heart, though on the day you set them out, you make them grow, and on the morning when you plant t...

Last Sunday I took an article titled "Observing the Lenten Season" from church. That's article really helps me to know what lenten is about, what is the history of it, why should we observe it. I want to share it here. Hope it'll help you too.

Today is the forth-day of lent and it's going hard for me. It is hard to keep my eyes focus on Jesus. It is getting harder to wake up at 5 AM in the morning to have time alone with God. A lot of things distracting my mind and heart. Now I'm experiencing what it means to be exposed. It's not good, it's painful. It's like someone tears down your clothes and let you be naked in public. And God really exposing my life, my ugliness, and who I am as a sinner.

We start the lenten season 2013 today. During these forty-days before Easter, we focus on His sufferings, death, and resurrection. We reflect on the cross. Therefore a commitment to do fast and feast on Jesus is really important. I commit to wake up earlier (at 5 AM) to have time alone with God. It is quite hard for me since I have been experiencing insomnia for this past week. It is hard for me to sleep earlier at night. It must be 1 or 2 AM before I asleep. Then I would be like in coma in the morning. Yesterday, I did not hear anything when my roommates tried to wake me up. Fortunately, Bora touched me so that I woke up. Thanks to God, this morning He woke me up at 5 AM! I read the last 5 chapters in the book of Psalm this morning and found a lot of  "Praise the LORD!". As for today, "Praise the LORD!" will be my "one thing". Why do we have to praise the LORD? There are so many reasons as answers but the only reason that unquestionable is because th...

There is an important event between Chinese New Year and Valentine: starting the lent season on Wednesday, February 13, 2013 . For me it will be the second time to join the lent season. Based on last year's experience, I really desire this lent season. I hope I can be more focus on the LORD as I prepare my heart for Good Friday and Easter. This year gonna be different since I lost my focus on the LORD for almost a half of year since I was in Batam. I already confessed my sins and in repentance right now, trying to looking more of Him. Thanks to God, I can understand more about His grace, mercy, and love. I have deeper understanding about what is mean to be saved by grace. I know exactly that I am unworthy for His love because now I am a greater sinner than before. But no sin is too big for His forgiveness. I hope you can also enjoy this lent season, be blessed, be rebuked, be humble before the King of kings, knowing His will and obey! God bless you!

Selama 9 bulan melayani sebagai Supervisor di dormitory, ada banyak hal yang aku pelajari. Minggu ini ada sebuah pelajaran berharga yang sepertinya tidak akan aku lupakan. Ketika kita melayani sebagai suatu tim, bukan lagi diri kita yang nampak. Terkadang itu menyenangkan (terutama saat kinerja kami dihargai), namun ada saatnya menyakitkan (ketika kinerja kami dicela).