John 1

The Word Became Flesh
1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2He was with God in the beginning.
3Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4In him was life, and that life was the light of men. 5The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood[a] it.

6There came a man who was sent from God; his name was John. 7He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all men might believe. 8He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light. 9The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world.[b]

10He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. 11He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. 12Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— 13children born not of natural descent,[c] nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God.

14The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only,[d] who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

15John testifies concerning him. He cries out, saying, "This was he of whom I said, 'He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.' " 16From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another. 17For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only,[e][f]who is at the Father's side, has made him known.

John the Baptist Denies Being the Christ
19Now this was John's testimony when the Jews of Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him who he was. 20He did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, "I am not the Christ.[g]"
21They asked him, "Then who are you? Are you Elijah?"
He said, "I am not."
"Are you the Prophet?"
He answered, "No."

22Finally they said, "Who are you? Give us an answer to take back to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?"

23John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet, "I am the voice of one calling in the desert, 'Make straight the way for the Lord.' "[h]

24Now some Pharisees who had been sent 25questioned him, "Why then do you baptize if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?"

26"I baptize with[i] water," John replied, "but among you stands one you do not know. 27He is the one who comes after me, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie."

28This all happened at Bethany on the other side of the Jordan, where John was baptizing.

Jesus the Lamb of God
29The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! 30This is the one I meant when I said, 'A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.' 31I myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to Israel."
32Then John gave this testimony: "I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him. 33I would not have known him, except that the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, 'The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is he who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.' 34I have seen and I testify that this is the Son of God."

Jesus' First Disciples
35The next day John was there again with two of his disciples. 36When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, "Look, the Lamb of God!"
37When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus. 38Turning around, Jesus saw them following and asked, "What do you want?"
They said, "Rabbi" (which means Teacher), "where are you staying?"

39"Come," he replied, "and you will see."
So they went and saw where he was staying, and spent that day with him. It was about the tenth hour.

40Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who had followed Jesus. 41The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, "We have found the Messiah" (that is, the Christ). 42And he brought him to Jesus.
Jesus looked at him and said, "You are Simon son of John. You will be called Cephas" (which, when translated, is Peter[j]).

Jesus Calls Philip and Nathanael
43The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. Finding Philip, he said to him, "Follow me."
44Philip, like Andrew and Peter, was from the town of Bethsaida. 45Philip found Nathanael and told him, "We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph."

46"Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?" Nathanael asked.
"Come and see," said Philip.

47When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said of him, "Here is a true Israelite, in whom there is nothing false."

48"How do you know me?" Nathanael asked.
Jesus answered, "I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you."

49Then Nathanael declared, "Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel."

50Jesus said, "You believe[k] because I told you I saw you under the fig tree. You shall see greater things than that." 51He then added, "I tell you[l] the truth, you[m] shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man."

Huijuan: And the word became flesh, this morning as i was playing my psp, i sense that God was telling me to allow His word grow deep in my heart. This season, i am also pondering how close am i to God?? I need to return back to the lovey-dovey(wrong speeling..i think.. haha) relationship with God.

Crow: Verse 12: Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.. Though this is a very simple truth, I claim it today, that I am a child of God... Born not from natural descent, or by human decision, but born of God.. Thank u Lord

Psalm 150 - we've completed psalms!!!! =)

1 Praise the LORD. [a]
Praise God in his sanctuary;
praise him in his mighty heavens.

2 Praise him for his acts of power;
praise him for his surpassing greatness.

3 Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet,
praise him with the harp and lyre,

4 praise him with tambourine and dancing,
praise him with the strings and flute,

5 praise him with the clash of cymbals,
praise him with resounding cymbals.

6 Let everything that has breath praise the LORD.
Praise the LORD.

Eunice: Wow! So may many ways to praise God with, so many reason to praise God for..no excuses not to praise Him now.. =P Lord, thank you for carrying me in yur safe hands.. Hallelujah...!

Huijuan: Praise God for everything, Praise God that i claim i can get good results, Praise God that i will have the favor of God in the new school, Praise God i can do well in practicum...hehe..Praise God !

Pam: A great way to end the reading of Psalm.... wif one fixed theme throut tis season = PRAISE! Yup, I wan to praise God that He is my healer who heals my back ache n I praise Him cos' He is my ever present help in times of need!!!

Chin Ling: The only way to end the psalms. The only way to begin life. The only way to begin each day. The only way to live through every step of the way! PRAISE THE LORD!

Crow: Dear dear Lord Jesus, I praise you!! Let everything that has breath Praise Him forever!

Psalm 149 - Wednesday

1 Praise the LORD. [a]
Sing to the LORD a new song,
his praise in the assembly of the saints.

2 Let Israel rejoice in their Maker;
let the people of Zion be glad in their King.

3 Let them praise his name with dancing
and make music to him with tambourine and harp.

4 For the LORD takes delight in his people;
he crowns the humble with salvation.

5 Let the saints rejoice in this honor
and sing for joy on their beds.

6 May the praise of God be in their mouths
and a double-edged sword in their hands,

7 to inflict vengeance on the nations
and punishment on the peoples,

8 to bind their kings with fetters,
their nobles with shackles of iron,

9 to carry out the sentence written against them.
This is the glory of all his saints.
Praise the LORD.

Chin Ling: OH YAY! Its great to be reminded that Praise is a weapon against the enemy! It is the glory of all his saints! PRAISE THE LORD!

Eunice: I am reminded now, that the joy of the Lord is my strength! Come on.... tiredness go away... I will try to sing a new song now to make myself feel better, and stronger...! God, I want u to take delight in me as much as I take delight in you... Jia You Jia You! The praise of God be on my mouth... Amen! Back to my joyous work!!!

Huijuan: Praise God for everythng! I am so happy!

Sara: Dunno what's wrong with me today but Ive been spotting mistakes after mistakes in my work today and it's so difficult to rectify them! But I am reminded of the last chapter of the Joel Osteen book ive been reading, which highlights that it is our choice to be and stay happy, and so, I still choose to praise the Lord for today and whatever comes my way!

Crow: When i read this psalm yesterday, the Lord asked me, "Do you believe I still delight in you?" I shamelessly claimed it, haha, and I know that it is true. The Lord will protect and bless us; such is the glory we will bask in... :)

Psalm 148

1 Praise the LORD. [a]
Praise the LORD from the heavens,
praise him in the heights above.

2 Praise him, all his angels,
praise him, all his heavenly hosts.

3 Praise him, sun and moon,
praise him, all you shining stars.

4 Praise him, you highest heavens
and you waters above the skies.

5 Let them praise the name of the LORD,
for he commanded and they were created.

6 He set them in place for ever and ever;
he gave a decree that will never pass away.

7 Praise the LORD from the earth,
you great sea creatures and all ocean depths,

8 lightning and hail, snow and clouds,
stormy winds that do his bidding,

9 you mountains and all hills,
fruit trees and all cedars,

10 wild animals and all cattle,
small creatures and flying birds,

11 kings of the earth and all nations,
you princes and all rulers on earth,

12 young men and maidens,
old men and children.

13 Let them praise the name of the LORD,
for his name alone is exalted;
his splendor is above the earth and the heavens.

14 He has raised up for his people a horn, [b]
the praise of all his saints,
of Israel, the people close to his heart.
Praise the LORD.

Chin Ling: I'm reminded of what Ps Seng Lee said. "It is enough" for everything that God has been, in the past, in the present, and what he will be in the future, it is enough for me to praise him. I'm not a circumstantial praiser, I want to be a "enough praiser". And for the above reason, it is enough for me to praise him!

Eunice: All sorts of different reasons, to praise the Lord... Even though I am v v tired, and my whole body is aching.. Praise the Lord! Every verse in this psalm, has the tiniest and biggest reason to praise the Lord. Lord, thank you for holding me so close to your heart. Praise Him in Everything! 加油吧！

Crow: Thank you Father. I will keep my promise made to you.

Sara: Even the trees, creatures, stormy winds and even water praise Him! And how beautiful the Lord has made his creations to be... there is indeed no reason NOT to praise Him! =)

Psalm 147- Monday

1 Praise the LORD. [a]
How good it is to sing praises to our God,
how pleasant and fitting to praise him!

2 The LORD builds up Jerusalem;
he gathers the exiles of Israel.

3 He heals the brokenhearted
and binds up their wounds.

4 He determines the number of the stars
and calls them each by name.

5 Great is our Lord and mighty in power;
his understanding has no limit.

6 The LORD sustains the humble
but casts the wicked to the ground.

7 Sing to the LORD with thanksgiving;
make music to our God on the harp.

8 He covers the sky with clouds;
he supplies the earth with rain
and makes grass grow on the hills.

9 He provides food for the cattle
and for the young ravens when they call.

10 His pleasure is not in the strength of the horse,
nor his delight in the legs of a man;

11 the LORD delights in those who fear him,
who put their hope in his unfailing love.

12 Extol the LORD, O Jerusalem;
praise your God, O Zion,

13 for he strengthens the bars of your gates
and blesses your people within you.

14 He grants peace to your borders
and satisfies you with the finest of wheat.

15 He sends his command to the earth;
his word runs swiftly.

16 He spreads the snow like wool
and scatters the frost like ashes.

17 He hurls down his hail like pebbles.
Who can withstand his icy blast?

18 He sends his word and melts them;
he stirs up his breezes, and the waters flow.

19 He has revealed his word to Jacob,
his laws and decrees to Israel.

20 He has done this for no other nation;
they do not know his laws.
Praise the LORD.

Chin Ling: I will praise you because it is enough! Whatever that is mentioned in this psalm is enough for me to praise you all my lifetime! Lord I claim them, and I praise you for them in thanksgiving for the past, the present and the future! THANK YOu!

Eunice: I realised tht singing with the harp has been repeating these few days.. since the beginning of the psalms when they keep appearing. Lord, am I singing not enough? Ytd Pastor Eugene shared many good quotes. One of which he ended his msg with [ If Christians praise God more, the world would doubt him less ] . With this two things together, this comes as a reminder, to sing more of God love, not only to ourselves, and as a self acknowledgement, but to SHOUT OUT His goodness and that he is faithful. Make a joyful noise, instead of complaining... PRaise Him Prasie Him Praise Him in everything.

Crow: Dear Lord, help me to put my hope in your unfailing love...

Pam: Woah! Wat a psalm to start the week! Haha.. wat a way to start mine esp. now I am officially unemployed... hahah.... God is one who remembers (v4) n one who is a provider... I love YOU!!!

DEllia: As I read the psalm, I can only ask of one thing....Lord, do You take delight in me? I want the Lord to take delight in me. As I go thru this month, there are many thoughts and emotions welling inside of me, but as I read this psalm, I'm reminded that I only have to please the Lord and Lord alone. That though all else fails, God will still be with me.

Psalm 146 - Sunday

1 Praise the LORD. [a]
Praise the LORD, O my soul.

2 I will praise the LORD all my life;
I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.

3 Do not put your trust in princes,
in mortal men, who cannot save.

4 When their spirit departs, they return to the ground;
on that very day their plans come to nothing.

5 Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob,
whose hope is in the LORD his God,

6 the Maker of heaven and earth,
the sea, and everything in them—
the LORD, who remains faithful forever.

7 He upholds the cause of the oppressed
and gives food to the hungry.
The LORD sets prisoners free,

8 the LORD gives sight to the blind,
the LORD lifts up those who are bowed down,
the LORD loves the righteous.

9 The LORD watches over the alien
and sustains the fatherless and the widow,
but he frustrates the ways of the wicked.

10 The LORD reigns forever,
your God, O Zion, for all generations.
Praise the LORD.

DEllia: Thank You Lord, for reminding me not to put my trust in men or things around...cos these things will fade away...but to put my trust in You, because You are the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. Lord, thank You because I know this psalm is just for me and that You are with me.

Crow: this is a lesson the lord has been teaching me for a long time now... to let me significance be independant of how others view me, and to simply base it on the fact that God loves me no matter what... haa, anyway, i was very encouraged after reading a poem one of my girls wrote today when i asked her to do quiet time...

The world is full of false prophets
those who cannot save
like princes and mortal man

melodies of lovely praises
float up to his ear
as i sing praise to him forever

put your hope and trust
in the lord your god
pleasing him in your ways

the lord upholds the just
loving the righteous
hating the wicked

he watches over the aliens
the widows and the fatherless
leaving not a wink of sleep

he saves the prisoners,
feeds the hungry and help the blind
lifting up those who are bowed down

the lord reigns forever
god of all generations
praise the lord for
he is good!

- by faith ng

Psalm 145 - Saturday! =)

A psalm of praise. Of David.

1 [a] I will exalt you, my God the King;
I will praise your name for ever and ever.
2 Every day I will praise you
and extol your name for ever and ever.

3 Great is the LORD and most worthy of praise;
his greatness no one can fathom.

4 One generation will commend your works to another;
they will tell of your mighty acts.

5 They will speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty,
and I will meditate on your wonderful works. [b]

6 They will tell of the power of your awesome works,
and I will proclaim your great deeds.

7 They will celebrate your abundant goodness
and joyfully sing of your righteousness.

8 The LORD is gracious and compassionate,
slow to anger and rich in love.

9 The LORD is good to all;
he has compassion on all he has made.

10 All you have made will praise you, O LORD;
your saints will extol you.

11 They will tell of the glory of your kingdom
and speak of your might,

12 so that all men may know of your mighty acts
and the glorious splendor of your kingdom.

13 Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
and your dominion endures through all generations.
The LORD is faithful to all his promises
and loving toward all he has made. [c]

14 The LORD upholds all those who fall
and lifts up all who are bowed down.

15 The eyes of all look to you,
and you give them their food at the proper time.

16 You open your hand
and satisfy the desires of every living thing.

17 The LORD is righteous in all his ways
and loving toward all he has made.

18 The LORD is near to all who call on him,
to all who call on him in truth.

19 He fulfills the desires of those who fear him;
he hears their cry and saves them.

20 The LORD watches over all who love him,
but all the wicked he will destroy.

21 My mouth will speak in praise of the LORD.
Let every creature praise his holy name
for ever and ever.

Chin Ling: All I want to do now, is to bless your name. Thank you, the lover of my heart.

Huijuan: The Lord is faithful in my life. Thank You God!

Dellia: I love You Lord. thank You for Your love and compassion. That though I'm unworthy, You still love and you are so patient with me. Lord, teach me and give me the same heart, that I will love with an unfailing and unconditional love.