Dia Buka Jalan

"Allahku akan memenuhi segala keperluanmu menurut kekayaan dan kemuliaan-Nya dalam Kristus Yesus" (Filipi 4:19)

Suatu hari kakak saya menginformasikan bahwa ayah menabrak orang dengan mobilnya. Pikiran saya secara spontan membayangkan. Ayah harus menanggung pembiayaan orang yang ditabraknya. Saya tahu dengan pasti bahwa pengeluarannya cukup banyak. Sejujurnya saat itu saya tidak memiliki cukup uang untuk membantu pembiayaan. Lima orang kakak saya bahu membahu untuk iuran menutupi pengeluaran akibat kecelakaan tersebut. Akhirnya saya mengirim SMS kepada kakak. Saya menanyakan besarnya iuran. Lalu ia enyebutkan jumlahnya. Dari situlah akhirnya saya berbicara kepada tuhan, "Bapa, saya membutuhkan dana untuk membantu kecelakaan papi, buat mukjizat-Mu di minggu ini."

Saya ingat sekali di atas mobil, saya berdoa dan minta kepada Tuhan secara spesifik, "Saya akan memberikan sejumlah uang kepada kakak." Saya tidak mengerti dapat uang dari mana, tetapi di akhir minggu itu tiba-tiba ada telpon dari teman lama, ia bilang, "Tuhan menyuruh saya untuk memberkatimu." Saya benar-benar melonjak karena Dia benar-benar buka jalan. Akhirnya tuhan menyediakan dana untuk membantu kecelakaan papi kami.

Alkitab menceritakan bahwa suatu ketika Yesus dan Petrus diminta untuk membayar bea Bait Allah. Hal yang menarik adalah Dia menyuruh Petrus untuk memancing di danau, dan Dia berkata, "Ikan pertama yang terpancing bukalah mulutnya untuk menemukan uang di dalamnya." Dan mukjizat pun terjadi, ada uang di dalam mulut ikan!

HAl yang sama akan Dia kerjakan dalam hidup kita. Kerinduan-Nya sangatlah jelas, memberkati kita dan membuat mukjizat bagi kita! (bud)

SEBAB BAGI ALLAH TIDAK ADA YANG MUSTAHIL

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Pengucapan Syukur Yang Sejati

Ditrich Bonhoeffer, seorang pendeta Jerman telah dipenjarakan dalam tahun 1943 untuk oposisi politiknya dan sebagai seorang Kristen di jaman rezim Nazi. Hukumannya telah dilaksanakan dua tahun kemudian. Pada hari pelaksanaan hukumannya, ia memimpin sebuah kebaktian untuk orang-orang tawanan lainnya. Salah seorang dari tawanan itu, seorang opsir tentara kerajaan Inggris, menceritakan kisah ini :

“Bonhoeffer agaknya selalu menyebarkan suatu suasana kebahagiaan dan kesukacitaan akan peristiwa bahkan yang paling kecil sekalipun dan suatu rasa syukur yang dalam akan faktanya bahwa mereka masih hidup. Ia merupakan salah seorang sedikit yang pernah saya jumpai dan yang menganggap Allah itu begitu nyata dan senantiasa begitu dekat dengan dirinya.

Nah, pada hari Minggu, tanggal 8 April 1945, pendeta Bonhoeffer memimpin sebuah ibadah kecil dan ia telah berbicara kepada kami semua dengan cara yang menyentuh hati kami dengan amat mendalam. Ia dapat menemukan kata-kata yang tepat untuk mengutarakan jiwa dari keadaan kami sebagai tawanan.

Baru saja ia menyelesaikan doanya, ketika pintu terbuka dan dua orang dalam pakaian preman masuk. Mereka mengatakan, “Tawanan Bonhoeffer, ikutilah kami!” Bagi para tawanan tidak lain, ini berarti : Tiang Penggantungan! Kami semua menyatakan selamat berpisah kepadanya. Ia memanggil aku sendiri dan berkata, “Inilah akhir dari segala-galanya, namun bagiku, inilah permulaan dari kehidupan!” Esok harinya, ia digantung sampai mati di Flossenburg.

Keluar dari penderitaan lahirlah ekspresi terbesar dari pengucapan syukur dan kiranya dalam pasca ancaman serta serangan-serangan teroris, avian-flu dan antrax, keadaan ekonomi yang masih semrawut, kecelakaan pesawat terbang, kita bahkan mempunyai lebih banyak alasan lagi untuk bersyukur dan merayakan hari ucapan syukur.

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The Benefits of Being in God’s Family

Since you are his child, everything he has belongs to you - Galatians 4:7 (NLT)

The moment you were spiritually born into God’s family, you were given some astounding birthday gifts : the family name, the family likeness, family privileges, family intimate access, and the family inheritance!

The New Testament gives great emphasis to our rich “inheritance.” It tells us, “My God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19 NIV). As children of God we get to share in the family fortune. Here on earth we are given the riches of his grace, kindness, patience, glory, wisdom, power, and mercy.

But in eternity we will inherit even more.

Paul said, “I want you to realize what a rich and glorious inheritance he has given to his people” (Ephesians 1:18 NLT). What exactly does that inheritance include?

· First, we will get to be with God forever.

· Second, we will completely change to be like Christ.

· Third, we will be freed from all pain, death, and suffering.

· Fourth, we will be rewarded and reassigned positions of service.

· Fifth, we will get to share in Christ’s glory.

What an inheritance! You are far richer than you realize.

The Bible says, “God has reserved a priceless inheritance for his children. It is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay” (1 Peter 1:4 NLT).

This means that your eternal inheritance is priceless, pure, permanent, and protected. No one can take it from you; it can’t be destroyed by war, a poor economy, or a natural disaster.

This eternal inheritance, not retirement, is what you should be looking forward to and working for. Paul says, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward” (Colossians 3:23-24 NIV).

Rick Warren

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Traffic Ticket

Jack took a long look at his speedometer before slowing down : 73 in a 55 zone. Fourth time in as many months. How could a guy get caught so often? When his car had slowed to 10 miles an hour, Jack pulled over, but only partially. Let the cop worry about the potential traffic hazard. Maybe some other car will tweak his backside with a mirror. The cop was stepping out of his car, the big pad in hand.

Bob? Bob from church? Jack sunk farther into his trench coat. This was worse than the coming ticket. A Christian cop catching a guy from his own church. A guy who happened to be a little anxious to get home after a long day at the office. A guy he was about to play golf with tomorrow.

Jumping out of the car, he approached a man he saw every Sunday, a man he'd never seen in uniform. "Hi, Bob. Fancy meeting you like this."

"Hello, Jack." No smile.

"Guess you caught me red-handed in a rush to see my wife and kids."

"Yeah, I guess." Bob seemed uncertain. Good.

"I've seen some long days at the office lately. I'm afraid I bent the rules a bit-just this once." Jack toed at a pebble on the pavement. "Diane said something about roast beef and potatoes tonight. Know what I mean?"

"I know what you mean. I also know that you have a reputation in our precinct."

Ouch! This was not going in the right direction. Time to change tactics. "What'd you clock me at?"

"Seventy-one. Would you sit back in your car, please?"

"Now wait a minute here, Bob. I checked as soon as I saw you. I was barely nudging 65." The lie seemed to come easier with every ticket.

"Please, Jack, in the car."

Flustered, Jack hunched himself through the still-open door. Slamming it shut, he stared at the dashboard. He was in no rush to open the window. The minutes ticked by. Bob scribbled away on the pad. Why hadn't he asked for a driver's license? Whatever the reason, it would be a month of Sundays before Jack ever sat near this cop again.

A tap on the door jerked his head to the left. There was Bob, a folded paper in hand. Jack rolled down the window a mere two inches, just enough room for Bob to pass him the slip.

"Thanks." Jack could not quite keep the sneer out of his voice. Bob returned to his car without a word. Jack watched his retreat in the mirror. Jack unfolded the sheet of paper. How much was this one going to cost? Wait a minute. What was this? Some kind of joke? Certainly not a ticket.

Jack began to read: "Dear Jack, Once upon a time I had a daughter. She was six when killed by a car. You guessed it - a speeding driver. A fine and three months in jail, and the man was free. Free to hug his daughters. All three of them. I only had one, and I'm going to have to wait until heaven before I can ever hug her again. A thousand times I've tried to forgive that man. A thousand times I thought I had. Maybe I did, but I need to do it again. Even now. . . Pray for me. And be careful. My son is all I have left. Bob"

Jack twisted around in time to see Bob's car pull away and head down the road. Jack watched until it disappeared. A full 15 minutes later, he, too, pulled away and drove slowly home, praying for forgiveness and hugging a surprised wife and kids when he arrived. Life is precious. Handle with care.

Author Unknown

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A Little Faith

The temporary church-school teacher was struggling to open a combination lock on the supply cupboard. She thought that perhaps she'd forgotten the correct combination, so she went to the pastor's study and asked for help.

The minister came into the room and began to turn the dial. After the first two numbers he paused and stared blankly for a moment. Then he lifted his eyes upward and whispered something too faint to be heard. He finally turned back to the lock, entered the final number and opened it.

The teacher was amazed. "I'm in awe at your faith, Pastor," she said.

"It's really nothing," he answered. "The number is taped to the ceiling."

Of course, he still may have been a man of great faith. Or he may have been a man of little faith. Not that it matters, for even a little faith can move a mountain-sized obstacle. Often, if we just begin with a tiny bit of belief and fertilize it with desire, even some of the most impossible obstacles imaginable can be surmounted and some of the most outlandish aspirations can be realized. Just a little belief, firmly held, can accomplish a great thing.

Many Warsaw Jews died during the German occupation of their city during World War II. But some survived, and some were sustained by faith. During those dark years, an unknown hand wrote this graffiti on a Warsaw ghetto wall:

I believe in the sun, even if it does not shine.
I believe in love, even if I do not feel it.
I believe in God, even if I do not see Him.
Faith, little or great, can make a big difference.

Steve Goodier -- From *Prescription for Peace* by Steve Goodier

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Believe In Yourself

Please forward this to all our Friends.

Never believe what the lines of your hand predict about your future,
Bcoz people who don't have hands also have a future... Believe in yourself

BE HAPPY ALWAYS.

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Let Your Life Begin Again

Behold, now is the day of salvation. – 2 Corinthians 6:2

Did you know that Jesus has unlocked the prison doors of guilt that have kept you captive? It doesn't matter who you are or what you've been. I don't care if you've been a prostitute, a murderer, a thief, a drug dealer, or a churchgoer who's never made Jesus Christ Lord of your life. The Bible says that today is the day of salvation.

A new life is only a prayer away.

Gloria and I discovered that for ourselves more than 25 years ago. Actually, it was Gloria who took the first step. She found out that the Bible said that not even a sparrow falls without God's knowledge. "Well," she thought, "if God knows and cares when the sparrows fall, He must know what terrible shape my life is in right now. And if He cares, maybe He can do something with it."

Gloria didn't know anything about the Bible. She didn't even know for sure that God would let her start over. But when she told Him she wanted Him to take over her life, something supernatural happened on the inside of her. She was born again.

"But what about my past?" you may say. "I feel so guilty about it!"

When you've been born again and made a new creature in Christ--that past doesn't belong to you anymore. And it would be ridiculous to walk around feeling guilty about someone else's past, wouldn't it?

What would you think if I took a little baby on my lap, a pretty little thing just a few months old, and said, "Oh, isn't she precious? But just think about her past."

You'd think I was crazy! "What past?" you'd say. "She doesn't have any past!"

Well, it's the same way with you once you've been born again. You don't have any past. Your life begins again the day you make Jesus Lord of your life. Then, when Satan comes around trying to remind you of what a worm you were before, just tell him he's knocking on the wrong door.

You've been kicked around long enough. There's no need to wait any longer. The prison door is open. Walk through to Jesus and let your life begin again today.

Scripture Reading: Matthew 10:29-33:

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Tantangan dan Ketaatan

"Setelah Barnabas datang dan melihat kasih karunia Allah, bersukacitalah ia. Ia menasehati mereka, supaya mereka semua tetap setia kepada Tuhan" (Kisah Para Rasul 11:23)

Ada berbagai reaksi orang terhadap tantangan atau masalah yang ia hadapi. Reaksi itu digambarkan dengan 2F yaitu flight dan fight. Fight dalam pengertian seseorang berusaha untuk menghadapi persoalan atau tantangan itu dan berusaha menyelesaikannya. Sedangkan flight adalah menghindari persoalan alias tanpa penyelesaian memadai.

Setelah Stefanus dihukum mati, timbul reaksi dari para orang percaya. Mereka tetap setia memberitakan Injil dan tetap taat kepada Allah. Mereka tidak lari dari tantangan. Kematian Stefanus tidak mengendorkan semangat mereka untuk melaksanakan pemberitaan Injil, justru mereka semakin bersemangat melakukannya. Ketika Barnabas datang dan melihat situasi orang percaya itu, ia bersukacita dan menasehati mereka untuk tetap setia kepada Tuhan. Ketaatan dan kesetiaan mereka di tengah tantangan itu membuat syukur yang naik di hadapan Allah dari Barnabas. Kesetiaan itu membuat Barnabas memiliki semangat untuk memberitakan firman Tuhan. Sebagai sesama orang percaya, mereka saling mempengaruhi secara positif.

Firman Tuhan saat ini mengajak kita unutk tetap taat dan setia kepada Allah di tengah situasi dan tantangan yang kita hadapi. Janganlah iman dan ketaatan kita kendor saat tantangan itu datang. Jadikanlah tantangan itu suatu dorongan bagi kita untuk tetap taat dan setia pada-Nya. Allah menuntut kita untuk taat dan setia. Tidak akan sia-sia jerih payah orang yang taat kepada-Nya. Mari kita menghadapi tantangan dan masalah bersama Tuhan. Karena di dalam Dia tidak ada yang mustahil. Hari ini pasti akan meraih kemenangan! (hen)

TANTANGAN ADALAH DORONGAN UNTUK TAAT

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Sashimi

Orang Jepang paling suka makan ikan yang masih segar. Biasanya dikemas engan khas Jepang dengan sebutan sashimi. Mereka makan ikan segar sehingga perusahaan ikan di Jepang terus mengupayakan agar orang Jepang dapat menikmati ikan-ikan segar setiap harinya.

Namun masalahnya, negara Jepang merupakan suatu kepulauan dimana perairan sekitar tidak banyak menghasilkan ikan. Perusahaan ikan di Jepang berpikir sedemikian rupa agar mereka dapat menghasilkan ikan dalam jumlah yang banyak dan terjaga kesegarannya.

Cara pertama dilakukan, mereka membuat sebuah kapal yang besar sehingga mereka dapat memancing ikan yang banyak di tengah lautan. Karena jarak yang cukup jauh harus ditempuh, kepal itu kembali ke darat dalam waktu yang cukup lama. Ikan-ikan yang tadinya segar menjadi kurang kesegarannya bahkan tidak sedikit yang mati ketika sampai ke daratan. Cara pertama gagal.

Cara kedua pun ditemukan, mereka kembali menggunakan kapal yang besar, tapi kali ini mereka membuat lemari pembeku yang begitu besar juga, untuk menampung ikan yang banyak, dengan harapan ketika sampai di darat, ikan itu akan tetap segar. Namun tetap saja konsumen dapat membedakan rasa yang berbeda dari ikan yang benar-benar segar dengan ikan yang sudah dibekukan. Pemecahan kedua gagal.

Akhirnya ditemukan ide baru, mereka tetap menggunakan kapal yang sama, tapi kali ini mereka membawa tangki air besar yang diisi air laut. Ikan yang ditangkap langsung dimasukkan ke dalam tangki itu. Namun, karena jarak yang cukup jauh dan waktu yang lama, maka ikan di tangki itu ada yang mati dan ada yang "stress" karena berada di ruangan yang sempit, sehingga ide ini pun gagal.

Akhirnya mereka menemukan ide baru. Dengan kapal yang sama dan tangki yang sama juga, tapi kali ini tangki itu ditambah seekor hiu kecil di dalamnya. Tujuannya agar ikan-ikan yang dimasukkan akan terua aktif dan tidak berpikir kalau ia berada di ruangan yang sempit, karena fokusnya melarikan diri dan akan terus segar karena terus bergerak. Sampai di darat, walaupun ada beberapa ikan yang termakan oleh hiu, namun ikan yang "benar-benar" segar berhasil di dapatkan. Kegagalan membuat mereka menemukan ide yang lebih baik, bukannya menghentikan mereka atau menghambat mereka untuk maju.

Yakobus 5:11 - Sesungguhnya kami menyebut mereka berbahagia, yaitu mereka yang telah bertekun; kamu telah mendengar tentang ketekunan Ayub dan kamu telah tahu apa yang pada akhirnya disediakan Tuhan baginya, karena Tuhan Maha penyayang dan penuh belas kasihan.

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Watch and Pray

"Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak." – Matthew 26:41

Have you ever been frustrated with the weaknesses of your flesh? Have you ever resolved never more to yield to a particular sin, yet when the temptation came, you fell right back into it?

It's happened to all of us. Even the disciple Peter. He swore he would never deny Jesus...but he did it anyway, time and time and time again.

There is, however, something we can do to keep from falling prey to temptations like that. We can "watch and pray." That's what Jesus told Peter and the other disciples to do in the Garden of Gethsemane. He knew they were about to be tempted, and He knew that the weakness of their flesh would overcome them if they didn't strengthen their spirits through prayer.

That's true for you and me too. That's why in Jude 20 and 21, God tells us much the same thing that Jesus told the disciples that night. He says, "But you, beloved, build yourselves up [founded] on your most holy faith... praying in the Holy Spirit: Guard and keep yourselves in the love of God" (The Amplified Bible). God knows even better than we do that our flesh has been trained to flow with the world's stream. He knows that even though our born again spirits are reaching for God, our untrained flesh will always have a tendency to fall into sin.

So, He's given us the ability to pray in other tongues, to strengthen our spirit and build it up until it takes ascendancy over our flesh. As we pray in the Spirit, Romans 8:26 tells us, the "(Holy) Spirit comes to our aid and bears us up in our weakness; for we do not know what prayer to offer nor how to offer it worthily as we ought, but the Spirit Himself goes to meet our supplication and pleads in our behalf" (The Amplified Bible).

Is it any wonder the Apostle Paul said, "I thank my God, I speak with tongues more than ye all!" (1 Cor. 14:18). It is one of the most powerful tools God has given us.

So don't neglect to use it. Follow the instruction in Ephesians 6:18 and pray "always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit...watching thereunto with all perseverance."

Don't make the mistake that Peter made. When temptation comes to your door, don't let it catch you sleeping. Be prepared. Make sure your spirit is strong enough to rise above it.

Scripture Reading: Matthew 26:30-44

Kenneth Copeland Ministries

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Senjata Rohani

Nats : Bangunlah dan berdoalah, supaya kamu jangan jatuh ke dalam pencobaan (Lukas 22:46)

Bacaan : Keluaran 17:8-16

Dengan garang, si banteng menyerudukkain merah di tangan matador. Setelah berulang kali ia pun kelelahan, sebab tiap kali mendekati kain merah, si matador mengibaskannya. Ia tak sadar kain merah itu bukan lawan yang sebenarnya.

Peperangan Israel melawan Amalek bukan sekadar perang fisik antara dua kekuatan militer. Amalek hanya alat-semacam "kain merah" yang dikibaskan oleh kekuatan yang ingin menghambat rencana Allah bagi masa depan Israel. Itu sebabnya Musa sebagai pemimpin Israel perlu memimpin bangsanya menghadapi perang tersebut secara tepat. Caranya? Dengan "mengangkat tangan", yakni terus berdoa, seperti lazimnya umat Israel berdoa dengan menadahkan tangan (Ezra 9:5; 1 Timotius 2:8) sampai kemenangan mereka raih. Doa yang tak henti, karena tidak dilakukan sendiri, tetapi bersama-sama-sebagaimana Musa berdoa bersama Harun dan Hur-besar sekali kuasanya. Sebab Tuhan-lah yang berperang melawan "si musuh sejati".

Hidup kita serupa pertempuran. Banyak musuh menyerbu; desakan nafsu, situasi pelik, orang sulit di pekerjaan, pengusik ketenangan rumah tangga, penjegal karier, pesaing yang curang, pengacau, dan pemfitnah di gereja. Menghadapi hal-hal ini dengan kekuatan fisik hanya akan membuat kita lelah dan kalah. Apalagi jika kita pun terkecoh untuk membalas dengan cara serupa. Kita mesti sadar bahwa mereka hanya "kain merah", bukan "si matador" yang mengibarkannya. Jadi, hadapilah dengan doa. Angkatlah tangan, tetaplah berdoa! Jika Anda menjadi lelah, mintalah saudara seiman untuk turut menopang dan berdoa bersama kita. Andalkan kekuatan Allah dalam melawan "sang matador", si penguasa kegelapan -PAD

PEPERANGAN ROHANI HARUS DIHADAPI
DENGAN SENJATA ROHANI PULA

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