Learning His Ways

Exodus 33:7-17; Psalm 103:7

"The LORD would speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks with his friend.... If you are pleased with me, teach me your ways...." (v. 11, 13)

"He made known his ways to Moses, his deeds to the people of Israel."

I remember in college during a philosophy class where we were discussion about sending a clock back to the early ages of man. If the time of history was when sundials were used, would man learn anything more about time if they stumbled across a 20th century clock? Would they learn anything about how a clocked worked?

Probably not. They would need to take time to look at it carefully, learn as much as possible, and then hopefully they will learn to open it without breaking it. Once opened and undamaged would they have a chance to learn about the clock. They will then need more time to learn how it worked.

Without acquiring any further knowledge, the clock would only be as useful as their sundial (other than the fact that it is portable if it was a small clock). In their eyes, it may simply be an ugly looking sundial.

Do we see God in these similar eyes as well? We are so eager to seek God when a particular action is required. Most of our prayers are about blessing us, our family, our homes, our work, our health, our food, and anything we seek or need. We tend to focus on the things that God had done in the past, the present, and hopes for the future. How about God Himself? How much time do we seek to know Him more? To know His thoughts and ideas? After all, God does provide, but He our Father to whom our image was created from. He seeks our fellowship... our relationship.

Let's decide to spend more time with Him. Especially during the Christmas season, let us remember how God indeed loved us so much that He sent His only Son. Let us focus on this love and spend time with Him.

Bodies as Living Sacrifices

Romans 12:1-8

"Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in a view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God - this is your spiritual act of worship." (v. 1)

I was given additional responsibilities at work that included an expansion of a new department. I was given the responsibility of developing and maintaining all college web sites and services. A major accomplishment we had completed was the implementation and enhancement of a content management system. In selling the concept, I had to explain the separation of duties: presentation, structure, and content. The whole idea was that individual departments were able to focus on the content and not worry about the other two.

While working on this, I came to realize that although it was true, there can never be a complete separation of the three elements. The text is primarily content, but if a different color, font, and size are chosen, it does affect the presentation. Although limited, it does affect how the website looks and feels.

Similarly, although there is a mind, body, and spirit, there can never be a clear and total separation as we live today. The mind cannot survive separated from the body. The body is but a shell if the mind is no longer. The spirit cannot exist elsewhere praising God while the body is sleeping. Although separate, they currently depend on one another.

Therefore, we must also keep our bodies in shape. If we are healthy and strong, then we can serve God, serve others, and give God the glory. When we are sick, we have difficulties doing these things. Let us therefore eat healthy, sleep well, and exercise our bodies so we can also praise God with our best.

Tombstone

2 Timothy 4:6-8

"For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time has come for my departure. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith." (v. 6-7)

Several years ago there was a comical commercial about a man's last wish in front of a firing squad. His answer to the question was "pepperoni and mushroom." As you may have guessed if you haven't seen this before is that the commercial is about a pizza named "Tombstone." Okay, it wasn't really that funny at all. However, the commercial did work in that it left a lasting impression with me.

I also recall learning about a famous person who stated that you can live eternally... through the memories of others. Although we know the truth of eternal life is with our acceptance of the gift through the death and resurrection of the Son of God. However, there is something to be considered with regards to what lasting impression is left with others.

In both instances, it is about you and what you have accomplished that is left in the memories of others. If done well, then it can be a joyous long-lasting memory. If not, then most would want to forget about it. We all have good intentions. However, it is those who follow through with those intentions that leaves a mark. Otherwise, there is very little to remember by. If we consider those people that has left an impression in our memories, we will find people who took personal risks to achieve a goal they had set out to do. We all want to help others, stand firm for our faith, and attempt to better the lives of others. However, it will all go unnoticed if actions are not taken. It is a race with the intent to finish, but left incomplete. Who knows how it would feel to finish the race? How well would we have finished? Without finishing these questions will be left unanswered.

Let us therefore be encouraged... let us inspire one another, and finish the race. Let us be remembered for the actions we had courage to follow through with.

Prayer (Part 2): Learning His Will

Matthew 6:5-15

"And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him." (v. 7-8)

Yesterday we learned that prayer is not about what we say, but to also listen to what the Lord has to say to us. It not only builds our relationship with the Lord, but it helps understand our Father's will. Prayer is not about attempting to convince God to do good things. It is not to plead to change His mind. It is to learn of HIs will for us.

It is not about just the listening part of prayer, but also about what we say or think. As we begin to pray, not only do we look at ourselves and our circumstance, but also about God. We must begin by having faith in Him, have some understanding, and then attempt to make our request in tune with His will.

It is true that we must ask in order to receive. However, it is ultimately for our benefit by drawing closer to Him and learning about His will for us. Therefore, if we seek to understand His will for us, then we must take time to pray to Him.

Prayer (Part 1): Joys of Listening

Matthew 6:5-15

"And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him." (v. 7-8)

Growing up, I have always been either confused or wrestled with this verse. If God is omniscience and knows all things, then he knows my needs and especially my heart. The Bible verse states that God even knows our request even before we ask Him. It's comforting to know that He knows us so well. In fact, He knows us better than we do ourselves. Then why do we need to pray? Why do some people spend countless hours praying about things that God already knows. He knows when things happened and what exactly the needs are. It's not like He has bad memories and need to be reminded. It's not like God needs to be convinced since He is love. So, why do we pray?

It is so we can be in tuned with God. It is to know His will and to follow. One of the first fundamental mistakes we make and think about prayer is that it is all about our speaking with the Lord. It is also about listening to the Lord. At first, most of us feel awkward about the silence. However, it is about "being still" before the Lord. Emptying our minds of all things faithfully knowing that our Father will help us. It is about "listening" to what God has to say to us, and fill us with His blessings. If we do not take the time to listen, then our Father is no more than a prayer request box. We just keep dumping requests to Him, and walk away in hopes that it may be answered.

Our Father seeks our fellowship with Him. As a father, I usually know what my children wants. However, it is so sweet and warming to the heart when they would come to me and say, "Daddy, could you...." And then to see how my children warms up when I am able to provide their request brings further joy.

Let's not lose precious time with our loving Father. Let us spend time praying by speaking with Him and listening to Him.

Accepting His Grace

Hebrews 4:14-16

"Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need." (v. 16)

My son is so different from my daughter. My daughter is usually very calm, shy and holds back her emotions. My son at first may appear shy in new situations, but later very outgoing and definitely very expressive of his emotions. When it was birthday, he would be so excited when receiving his gifts. He would tear into the wrapping paper, and quickly examine the gift. If he really likes one better than the other, he would levitate to it quickly. Sometimes he may be distracted over one gift that the excitement of opening other gifts begin to fade. Regardless, he did not leave one gift wrapped... he continued to tear through them and was somewhat disappointed that it ran out.

Similarly, our Heavenly Father has so much to give us. His greatest gift of all was the sacrifice of His Son Jesus Christ so that we may have new life as adopted sons and daughters. However, even after accepting this priceless gift, He continues to pour into us other gifts. He has made available so much, but we also need to accept these as well. He continues to provide us endless grace, especially in our time of need, if we approach Him and accept these with confidence. He freely gives us, but the key thing is that we accept.

Let us therefore build our faith, look to Him in all circumstances (both good and bad), and accept His precious gift of grace. Let us not leave gifts wrapped and unopened, but let us tear into these gifts with great joy and confidence.

Making Our Requests

Philippians 4:6-7

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

As my daughters continues to grow, I can see the maturing of her mind. She is able to learn what mom and dad approves and disapproves. More importantly, she is learning to discern what is right and what is wrong. Being shy, I can see time when she would want something or do something, but was unsure if dad would approve and therefore attempts hard to move on without even asking. I would encourage her to share with us if she has any desire. We want her to ask anything without hesitation. If possible, we would be happy to approve and assist. Without asking, she would never know whether it was possible. If it was not possible simply because she wasn't ready, then we could help her understand and help her be ready in the future. There may be times when she may be pleasantly be surprised that she can get something or do something.

As she has been asking, she has been growing to understand us more. If she is uncertain or believes the answer to be no, she would ask but we could see this through her hesitation. However, she does ask... most of the time. And she has been surprised on some occasions.

Similarly, God wants us to approach Him with everything. Our Father in heaven would always provide for our needs. He wants everything for our very best. As we spend more time with Him, we begin to understand Him more. We begin to discern better, and will find our prayers to change along with it. Our prayers will be more precise to be more in tune with the mind of our Lord. We should also find peace knowing that God will always give our best.

Preparation for Battle

Ephesians 6:10-20

"Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God." (v. 13-17)

I remember when I was younger I would always look forward to Saturday morning. Although it was exciting that there was no school that morning, the real excitement was the Saturday morning cartoons. The entire morning would be filled with cartoons. It was a child's heaven to be able to sit through hours of television. There are many good memories of most of the cartoons. As an adult looking back, I didn't realize how violent they were. However, this is for a different discussion.

One of the famous cartoons is Bugs Bunny. There were many similar episodes where Bugs was "dueling" with a different character such as Daffy. During the duel, each of the characters would run off the screen and return with a bigger weapon. Each time, the other would attempt to "outgun" the other.

In real life, if were in war, wouldn't we prefer to be behind the bigger guns than our enemy. The cartoons are funny, but in real life your life may be at stake. If we knew that war was imminent, then would we not "drop everything" and prepare for battle?

It is clear that we are constantly in battle - not physically, but spiritually. There is a constant struggle, and there are real enemies that want us to fail. Do we want to enter these battles unprepared? How "lucky" do you feel to run into a middle of battle without your helmet and a gun? Well, "it's not time yet." "It's not my responsibility, but the Sargent's." "I don't look good in green." "Let me sleep five more minutes, and I'll definitely do my best afterwards." "Let's compromise, I believe in peace." We may not receive physical wounds and feel any pain, but spiritual warfare does leave wounds and lead to bleeding to death if untreated. We are less effective when we become wounded, and struggle.

Therefore, let us not wait until we feel pain to prepare ourselves. Let us indeed put on the full armor of God everyday. Let us sharpen our swords and use it all times. Let us not just admire it, but exercise it to improve our skills. Let us be prepared and be victorious.

Becoming

2 Corinthians 5:11-21

"God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God." (v. 21)

I remember when I first accepted Christ. I was 10 years old, and it was during my first camp away from home. It was the first time I heard the story of Christ, and was compelled to walk up to the pulpit to accept this wonderful gift. At the time, there was nothing else in my mind but to do this. I was uncertain what this all meant, but nothing else mattered. It became a life changing experience. As young as I was, my journeys in walking with God was ever so strong. It didn't make much sense then, but I knew it was all about life.

As time had passed, my walk with the Lord became more important. However, there was a period of time when I felt as if I had not done enough. I was building an expectation that something miraculous should've happened to me by then and that I should be involved with miracles. Unfortunately, I felt that I had failed because of the continued sin in my life and the little change. As a "new creation" I still had many of the old habits and behaviors as the "old."

I then realized that accepting Christ is a miracle in itself. Accepting the gift does make me a "new creation" in that I have been adopted as His son. The change however is a process requiring time. In the Scripture it does not state that we might "be" the righteousness of God, but that we might "become."

I have watched my daughter not only grow physically, but spiritually. Her prayers have matured in time. However, I have also realized how much she has learned from the prayers she hears. As she prays, she also prays from what she has heard when I prayed. Similarly, when we spend time with our heavenly Father, we too begin to take on His character.

Let us therefore take every measure to spend time with Him, and become more like Him with each new moment.

Friend for Life

Psalm 142:3-4

"When my spirit grows faint within me, it is you who know my way. In the path where I walk men have hidden a snare for me. Look to my right and see; no one is concerned for me. I have no refuge; no one cares for my life."

There will be times in our life when our friends and family will not be able to save us from our circumstances. In some cases their circumstances outweigh our own. In some cases, they simply can't do anything. In other cases, they simply may fail us. Regardless, when those times come, we sometimes can feel abandoned and alone.

Fortunately, when we walk with God, He will never leave our side. We do not need to feel either abandoned or alone. He will always be on our side helping us and cheering for us if we choose to accept His company and love. Let us always look to Him, and place our lives in His hands... hands that will never leave us or fail us.

Survivor

2 Corinthians 4:16-18

"Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes no on what is seen, but what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal."

Reality shows have become very popular in the past few years. Most of them is a competition of survival to be the last sole survivor to claim the prize. It is amazing how much determination one has when they are fixed on one goal. Normally, they would not go though the agonizing sufferings both physically and mentally, but would to claim their prize.

As sons and daughters, we are in a similar position, but far greater. We have already been given the greatest gift of all (our prize) as we have been adopted into the family of God. Unfortunately, we will also live through sufferings and persecution as long as we are in this world. However, this is very temporary compared to eternal life. We will be given a new body and will live in the full presence of the Lord where there will be no suffering but only love. Let us therefore not be discouraged, but have hope and a goal much like the survivors knowing that we will be winners in the end to claim our next prize.

Everyday Blessings

James 1:17

"Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows."

I remember watching the evolution of family shows as I was growing up. They were somewhat the representation of the culture at that time. In many cases they were overly emphasized (for comedy sake), but they did reflect the times and ideas. Shows such as "I Love Lucy" and "Leave It to Beaver" to "The Brady Bunch" to "The Cosby Show", "Family Ties", and "Who's the Boss" to "Roseanne" and "Married with Children" were some of the popular ones.

With each new decade, each of the shows sometimes "pushed the envelope" on a touchy subject. Unfortunately, it promoted tolerance and acceptance of cultural changes. "Married with Children" demoralized not only each individual unit of the family, but the family as a whole. Unfortunately, it too was somewhat representative of a changing and accepting culture. One aspect is that the father was only good for his money. Father was always suspicious when his children was being kind and around him. The first question was how much money they wanted. They were never around when things were going well for them... only when they needed dad for money.

We have all somewhat fallen into this trap. How often do we run to our heavenly father when things go well? How often do we run to Him when we need help? Do we thank Him for the many small things that do go well for us? Most often we are either content when things go well and chalk it up to a job well done by ourselves or it was luck that brought us this fortune. We do give God credit when big things do come our way, especially after we have prayed for Him, but forget him when it comes to the daily good things that do happen.

All good things, including the everyday small ones, comes from our heavenly Father. He is always watching over us and providing for our needs. Let us always look to Him, and give our praise for all things.

"How great is your goodness, which you have stored up for those who fear you, which you bestow in the sight of men on those who take refuge in you." (Psalm 31:19)

Boldness

2 Corinthians 3:7-18

"Therefore, since we have such a hope, we are very bold." (v. 12)

I remember one day as I was rollerblading in a park. It was fairly new to me, and so I was still learning to use these. As I slowly picked up seed, I lost my confidence and ended on the grass. I was quickly embarrassed, and so I quickly looked around to see who may have seen me. No one. However, a girl and her mom caught my attention. It seems as if the girl was learning as well. After the mom gave a demonstration and some instructions, the girl was up and she was riding along. She was doing better than I.

It was amazing to think about how psychology affects our performance. I spent countless hours reading the internet and magazines on the techniques on how to rollerblade. I learned the correct posture, form, and motion. However, as I consciously remind myself of these things, my mind is also actively thinking of how badly I can fall. If I fall, I may break an arm. It would be painful, and I would need to go to the hospital and have a cast placed. A broken arm or hand would mean I couldn't work (since most of my work was on the computer). If I couldn't work could mean I lose my job. If I lose my job, I will lose my house. I couldn't let that happen... I couldn't have my family live on the streets. With that thought, I had stiffened... right unto the grass.

Now a child would most likely not be worried about these things. They couldn't care less about having the right technique. They were just having fun and had all the confidence in the world that they can do it. It is amazing what confidence can do.

With increased confidence, most of us are willing to risk a bit more. Daredevils do it all the time. After several successful tricks they complete, they build their confidence. As they build their confidence, they raise the bar further for a larger thrill.

Similarly, if we know that God is for us, who can be against us? If we are saved, and have eternal life, what is their to fear. Let us have confidence in the Lord, and go out and be who we are. Let us not hide behind who we are as sons and daughters. Let us speak the truth, and share the gift we had received with others.

I Can Only Imagine

Ezekiel 1:1-5, 22-28

"In the thirtieth year, in the fourth month on the fifth day, while I was among the exiles by the Kebar River, the heavens were opened and I saw visions of God. Like the appearance of a rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day, so was the radiance around him. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. When I saw it, I fell face down, and I heard the voice of one speaking." (v. 1, 28)

It's amazing to see how some teenagers (and adults) can go so wild when they meet their idol whether it be a musician or a movie star. Some would the unthinkable only because they are so star struck. Just to touch them or even be so close would just rattle their emotions; enough in some cases to cause them to faint. Some would do anything if they could take just a small part of them with them.

As sons and daughters of God, we would lift up our hands and/or bow while we worship. We are awed by the grace and love of God. In the NT, the word worship is found 54 times translated from the Greek word "proskunevw". In this word, it is defined as "to fall upon the knees and touch the ground with the forehead as an expression of profound reverence" and/or "kneeling or prostration to do homage."

When watching movies, you will witness how all the people would have their heads lowered and bow before kings and queens to show respect to their leader. Often it is done because it was a required tradition. However, with our King of kings, I believe it would be more like the teenagers who are awe struck. I cannot imagine what it would be to be at the feet of our Lord. Our heavenly Father is always with us, but to fully sense His presence is unimaginable. I believe like Ezekiel who only came close to His likeness of the Lord, I believe I would be prostrated as well in reverence. It would just be absolutely amazing to feel his radiance of love just showering us from His presence. Oh, how wonderful it would be when we meet Him in heaven!!!

When I'm Afraid

Psalm 56

"When I am afraid, I will trust in you. In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can mortal man do to me? In God, whose word I praise, in the LORD, whose word I praise - in God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me? I am under vows to you, O God; I will present my thank offerings to you. For you have delivered me from death and my feet from stumbling, that I may walk before God in the light of life." (v. 3-4, 10-13)

If we were to add up all the times we either worried or were afraid and the times we spent thinking of circumstances including times we spent preparing for it, I would believe we would find years of wasted time. Although there are some truth to what one CEO had stated that "only the paranoid survive," these are probably very few cases. We should always do our best in everything that we do including preparing for undesirable circumstances. A better statement is to "prepare for the worst, but always hope for the best." If we were to only do one part of this, then our lives would be miserable. Always hoping for the best and not preparing for the worst only invites disaster. To always prepare and have no hope leaves us with a constant gloomy outlook in life.

Fortunately, as sons and daughters of God, we have even greater confidence; "In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can mortal man do to me?" We must continue to do our best to be prepared. However, we not only have hope, but the confidence that our heavenly Father will deliver us. As long as we walk with Him and place our faith in Him, then we have nothing to be worried about... there should be no fears.

"What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or maine or nakedness or danger or sword? No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:31, 35, 37-39)

Perspectives

Psalm 8

"O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens. From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise.... When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him? You made him a little lower than the heavenly things and crowned him with glory and honor. You made him ruler over the works of your hands; you put everything under his feet." (v. 1-6)

I remembered the last movie my mom and I were on a date. The movie was called "The Dead Poet Society". It was a very inspiring movie. The main character was an English Professor who was very different from the other instructors. He not only taught english, but about life through english. His methods were uncommon and risque, but very effective. In one scene, he had the students form a line behind the instructor's desk at the front of the room. When it was the next student's turn, he wanted to stand on top of the desk and look around the classroom from a different perspective.

HIs point was to take time to evaluate each situation and circumstances through different perspectives. A mountain to an a fox from the ground looking up may seem enormous, almost endless, and may seem impossible to tackle, whereas an eagle flying above looking down may see the mountain as small, almost flat, and may have already been overcome.

As sons and daughters of God, let us also take on new perspectives of each situations and circumstances differently. If we truly believe and accept God's unending and unconditional love, then there should be no fears. We should be joyful to know that He has taken us in as His royal sons and daughters, and have put everything else under us. If we put our faith in Him, and relinquish these situations to Him, then He will provide us the best solution.

A Slow Death

Proverbs 25:26

"If the godly compromise with the wicked, it is like polluting a fountain or muddying a spring."

They say that the best way to cook a frog is to slowly raise the heat of the pot to boiling. If you were to place a frog into boiling water, it would jump out. However, if you placed the frog and slowly raised the temperature, the frog wouldn't know the difference. Unfortunately, compromises operate the same way. It slowly chips away at us that can lead us to major trouble. We will wake up one day and wonder how we got to where we are, and not realize the path we had taken in the past. It is uncommon (or almost impossible) for us to one day sin and fall away from God. We don't just simply find ourselves as a stranger to God. We had made small choices that slowly removed ourselves from the presence of God.

Our pastor reminded us one Sunday morning that we simply do not just stay still. We are either slowly building our faith and our walk with God, or we are slowly walking away from God. Every moment we are making these choices, and in time we will see the results. The challenge is whether we are working to build ourselves or allow our relationship with God falter. Take every moment to spend with God!

Gift of Grace

2 Corinthians 8:1-9

"And now, brothers, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. OUt of the most sever trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability.... For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich." (v. 1-3, 9)

I remember when I was younger how the Macy's parade was the parade of the year. It was spectacular. All the floats were amazing, and the balloons kept getting bigger and innovative every year. The parade was always fascinating, but the end always brought about the greatest joy. At the end of the parade was Santa's float. It was the sign of the start of the countdown to Christmas. In fact, Christmas music would begin to play over the radio stations. As a child it was so exciting to know that Christmas was near, and we also knew what that meant... gifts.

Christmas always brought excitement. Although I never believed in Santa Claus, I knew that my mom and dad had graciously spent their hard earned dollars to provide me some wonderful gifts. I became very good at figuring out what some, if not most of them were. I felt like a prince being showered with gifts and with love.

Unfortunately, not everyone can share in this experience. Some would be lucky to have shelter and food on Christmas. I know that we have been taught that is not about the receiving, but the giving that is important. However, most have translated this to your family or friends. There are those who have no family or friends who need the gift of giving. Let us enjoy our Christmas by also giving a helping hand to someone who needs some help. Just as Paul made it clear, it is not a commandment, but an encouragement. There are so many opportunities out there: (Samaritan's Purse) Christmas Shoebox for children around the world in third-world countries, Compassion International where you can sponsor a child, and Roof in the Inn who helps the homeless find shelter during the cold season. There are so many more, so please consider giving the gift to those who needs it this year.

Knight in Loving Armor

Ephesians 2:1-10

"But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions - it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God." (v. 4-9)

My daughter currently loves to play dress-up. Her favorite thing to do is to pretend that she is a princess. Is this one of all, if not most, of little girls' dreams; to be swept up by a handsome prince to be taken to their beautiful castle? I believe a similar desire is true for all adults, including men (but not as romantic). How many of us had dreamt of winning the lotto? The "what if" scenarios would swim into our heads. Oh the joy we would have it if it becomes true!

Oh, but it has. The dream of our lifetime has occurred. Jesus Christ gave everything away, including His life, so He could give us the gift of life. Eternal life as royalty with our Father in heaven. It may not be riches of gold and silver, but it is riches of life full of joy, happiness, and love. In the end, isn't that what we seek. We have been so drawn to the idea that money would buy us this. Luckily, there are some romantics that attempt to convince us that true love is what gives us happiness. Well, God's agape love is unconditional; it does not get any better.

So, let us keep reminded of this. Let us enjoy the gift that He gives, and live our lives as prince and princess. We should be filled with joy and happiness.

Living: Overcoming Death

1 Corinthians 15:12-26

"For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. And if Christ has not been raised, our faith is futile; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men." (v. 16-19)

If we cannot believe that the dead can be given new life, and especially doubt our own resurrection, then our faith is indeed futile. We are then considered hypocrites, since Christ too then could not have been risen from the dead. Christ could not be more than a prophet. In fact, the pharisees would more correct in that He was a false prophet.

However, Christ was indeed more than a prophet. He was and still is the Son of God. Christ was born as the Living Word, died, and rose from the dead on the third day. He was born as a man, so He can be the ultimate sacrifice for all our sins. If this is the truth that we believe, and accepted His gift of new life, then we should live as His sons and daughters. Let us not allow anything in this world tell us differently. More importantly, let us not allow anything else either steer us from the truth and also allow anything to take away our joy. We should always be cheerful; for if death cannot take us, then what can... other His love for us?

Prepared with the Truth

1 Peter 3: 13-17

"Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good? But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. 'Do not fear what they fear; do not be frightened.' But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. It is better, if it is God's will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil."

When I was younger, I used to believe that I knew very well what the Scripture said. Although I knew that I did not know everything, the things I did know were quite clear and that I knew how to live life according to things I did know. In my passion to help others, I started to share with them how to best live their lives. I also enjoyed debating with those who thought differently. It all seemed very logical.

Unfortunately, when it comes to people, it isn't always logical. People have emotions that plays heavily in their ideas and understanding. To ignore these is to ignore them as a person. The truth will always remain the truth. It will never change, and cannot change. However, how it is expressed can greatly affect how it is received. If the truth is shared in a peaceful, loving, and humble way, then it is more likely to be accepted, if not at least heard. However, if it is done as criticism or causes shame, then it can fall on deaf ears or sometimes cause rebellion against the truth.

We are to be prepared with the truth in all occasions. Such preparation is not just the logistical reasons, but preparation of our mind, spirit, and our emotions. Otherwise, we may be able to state the truth, but it can be clouded by the errors of our emotions.

Unknown Future

Romans 8:28-30

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified."

In the midst of trials and tribulations, we quickly turn to God for help. However, in many cases it is either done out of desperation, or just words seeking His intervention and not Himself. We do want our God to help fix our problems, but not be a part of it. In other times, we may be joyful and very content with our lives. We enjoy it, and we may give God credit, but again do not want God a part of our lives in fear it may cause us to do things that may ruin the good life. If we really think about our relationship with Him, there are probably many instances we treat him like we do our plumber. We may have our special plumber, and when the pipes are broken, we want them to immediately come to our house and fix it. As soon as it is fixed, we want them to leave so we can continue with our lives.

The problem is that life is never a constant. It is ever changing. Every action we take causes other events to occur leading us down a path. The world around is also changing and events are taking place that also affects the path we take. There is no magic formula that defines how we should live and by doing so will result in the exact events we desire. This can make it challenging. We sometimes hope that God would simply lay out exactly what we should do to live a better life. However, if this was done, then what freedom would we have? Therefore, the unknown of the future can be fearful.

However, we do not have to live in fear. We have something better. God wants us to have our freedom in life, so He gives us the promise to take care of us. To be taken care by someone requires a relationship. He promises us good things if we "love him." To love someone requires us to have a relationship with them. It means that we want them as a part of our lives. The plumber would not only be welcomed to our homes to fix our pipes, but to stay have dinner with the family. If the plumber is our wife, she would even stay at the home. Not only will our pipes be fixed whenever it is needed and without any fear, but more importantly we have a relationship.

God wants us to invite Him into our lives... to be a part of it. We can enjoy our walks together, and when issues arises we can have the confidence that it can be overcome because He will help us through it. When times are good, we can party with the Lord. My pastor recently said, "we should have no fears in the unknown future when we have a known God." To know our God is to have a relationship with Him. When He is a part of our life, what do we have to fear?

Our Comforter

Psalm 119:25-88

"I am laid low in the dust; preserve my life according to your word.... My soul is weary with sorrow; strengthen me according to your word.... May your unfailing love be my comfort, according to your promise to your servant. Let your compassion come to me that I may live, for your law is my delight." (v. 25, 28, 77-78)

9-11, Hurricane Katrina, and now Hurricane Rita... such devastations. I cannot imagine how difficult it would've been if I was in the middle of these catastrophes, or if I had lost a loved one to these. How devastating it must've been. All would seem lost leaving very little hope.

Although, immeasurable to these events, most of us reach a point in life where all seems to be lost. Our depression is a catastrophe in the making. Life seems to spin out of control, and little hope may be left. It may be life threatening such as cancer, or simply stresses and depressions in our lives.

Regardless of the storms we go through life, we can find a calm in the storm. There is only one place we can turn to without any fears and can always rely on. There is one person who is always the same yesterday, today, and forevermore. One person whose love for us is unchanging and without any conditions. He will always meet our needs if we turn to Him. He will pick us up when we are down and carry us if necessary. He is our Lord and our Saviour... He is our Father in heaven.

We can find shelter in Him, and will be comforted in our times of difficulties. We just simply need to turn to Him, release ourselves to Him, and let Him take care of us. Let us therefore fix our eyes on Him, and lean on Him.

Be still, My child, and know that I am God!

Wait thou patientlyI know the path you trod
So falter not, nor fear, nor think to run and hide,
For I, thy hope and strength, am waiting by thy side. -Hein

Heavenly Pursuit

Romans 8:9-14

"Therefore, brothers, we have an obligation - but it is not to the sinful nature, to live according to it. For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live, because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God." (v. 12-14)

Like most parents, my parents asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. When I was very young, my first response was a mailman, and my cousin, who was like a brother to me, answered that he wanted to be a truck driver. Our parents laughed at our response, but I guess both of us was fascinated by the fact that they were able to get around without any boundaries. As I grew older, my ambitions grew as well... sometimes maybe faster. Like most, I wanted to be famous and rich. Famous not like an actor, but in terms of developing something important or perhaps being the Director of the CIA. The short-lived TV show Doogie Howser was fascinating, because it was a young teenage boy who had an extraordinary intelligence who achieved his MD by high school and was practicing medicine. That was the level of ambition that grew... unfortunately, my IQ did not grow as quickly as my ambitions.

It is very easy to get caught up in our dreams, especially when the world advertise how important it is. Even at a young age, we are indirectly being "encouraged" of how important it is to be either a doctor, engineer, lawyer, or teacher (although the last two are now not as encouraged). We are constantly being filled with ideas of how important it is to be someone, have something, or be somewhere to live a good life. In some cases, these are good. However, how does this line up with our new self as a Christian? More importantly, how does it line up with God's vision for our lives?

As children's of our Heavenly Father, we have become a "new creature." Our sinful nature needs to die, and we must be led by the Spirit. Although this Scripture is focused on our nature which primarily translates to our being, it also describes our place value in our lives. Our pursuits in life should also be changed. How its value is measured should also change. Therefore, what we pursue, whether it be what we become, what we do, what we have, where we are, and how we do must be valued differently. Let us therefore focus on God and pursue heavenly things.

Constant Flow of His Love

1 John 4:16

"We know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him."

It is amazing and wonderful to know that our God loves us dearly. His love is unconditional and the same yesterday, today, and forevermore (Hebrews 13:8). He is love. If His love was any different, we would have great challenges. We may in fact question it. However, because His love for us is immense, without prejudice, and unchanging, we can rely on it. We should not have to worry about anything, since we know we have a safety net, His love, that will catch our falls. It is wonderful to know and have such confidence (faith) in Him.

However, this should not be kept as a secret. His love needs to be shared with others. We need to also encourage one another and remind one another of His love. In fact, if we truly embrace His love, then love should naturally flow from us. Let us therefore, open our hearts, minds, and hands to receive His love. Let us then open the floodgates, to let it continually flow through us and out of us... for His love is unending and will continue to flow.

Seek, Ask, and RECEIVE!!!

1 Timothy 6:6-19

"But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses." (v. 11-12)

Often times it is easy to offer a prayer to our Father seeking for help. We could ask others to pray for us regarding areas of needs. However, what do we do ourselves in order to help ourselves? It is easy to ask for help, but if we ourselves do not take the appropriate actions, then is heart in the right place? I was reminded by someone with a mutual friend who grew puzzled by the actions of our mutual friend. Our friend had admitted to having a drinking problem and sought our help in both prayer and encouragement. After several weeks had gone by, we had noticed that he would continue to stop by the bar on the way home from work. When confronted, he informed us that he wasn't dropping in to drink, but to just relax from a hard day's work. We encouraged him to seek other areas to do this. We even suggested the three of us meeting at any place he would be interested for this purpose. Unfortunately, instead of fleeing from such places where the temptations were the greatest, he continued to place himself in difficult situations. Although he seemed to be doing better after sharing with us his needs, he eventually succumbed to the temptation and was drawn further into his problem. It was not until he hit the bottom, before he began to climb out of his situation.

Seeking for help is the first step in the right direction leading to admittance to a need for help. However, if actions do not follow after the need has been realized, then it becomes very difficult to overcome it. It is easy for me to ask God to help me be a better father to my children. However, what am I doing to allow such change to occur? The action itself is not the critical element, but the attitude itself.

It is interesting how we do not want someone else including God to necessarily dictate how we should live our lives including controlling our lives. However, when it comes to a need, we expect to snap our fingers (effortlessly) and be instantaneously changed overnight.

We must indeed seek God first and ask. He will provide all our needs. However, if we ask, then we must also be prepared to receive. To receive we must open our hands and accept. Opening our hands is an action... it is the changing of our heart... our attitude. Let us therefore not ask with a close mind and hands, but ask with an open heart waiting to receive His blessings!

Peace Like a River

Isaiah 48:18

"If only you had paid attention to my commands, your peace would have been like a river, your righteousness like the waves of the sea."

I recently had to counsel a young man who recently had a divorce and have been struggling to put the pieces back together. The divorce was a complete surprise to him, and all else didn't seem to matter. His job suffered to almost being fired. He had internalized the entire situation and crawled deep into a deep whole in hopes that it never happened. He removed himself from the world, including his friends. He had considered suicide in hopes to quite any remaining thoughts.

Oh how tragic for a young man who had many talents, and had quite a bit of talent to offer to the world. He shared how he felt as if he was unworthy and had nothing to share. He felt as if everything he did always resulted in failure. This reminded me of how many of us react when faced with difficulties, and especially depression.

On the most part, when we are depressed we would replay the troubles in our minds over and over again. As we replay the problems in our minds our depression and/or frustration just grows. we wished it never happened, or we blame ourselves for the mistakes we had done. "If we had just done it differently," we will tell ourselves or, "we just do not deserve it." While relive the past, our stress simply just builds. This is like a dam in a river. As we replay the issues, it is like a dam is being built. As we internalize the issues, there are very little areas to release the problems. The waters have no place to run beyond the dam when there are no areas to release. The stress will only increase as more water is stopped. Eventually, the dam will break or the water will overflow only to leave devastation.

A natural river may have may have many twists, turns, and some turbulence, but it is always moving forward. It never turns back, nor does it retrace its steps. It may create new paths when it becomes necessary, but it is always moving forward. As I heard someone say, "you can never stand in the same river twice." This is the peace we find with the river. We need to continue moving forward, and not dwell in the past. We must learn from our past, but it is in the past. Following Him will also lessen our need to look back. We need to move forward and strive to reach our goals, especially with following the path back home to God.

Miracles Needed: Forgiveness of Sin

Luke 5:17-26

"Which is easier: to say, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Get up and walk'? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.... He said to the paralyzed man, 'I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.' Immediately he stood up in front of them, took what he had been lying on and went home praising God. Everyone was amazed and gave praise to God. They were filled with awe and said, 'We have seen remarkable things today.'"

Star Trek was always one of my favorite shows growing up. I remember how the show would push the envelope as to the future. It would be great to have such a thing as a teleporter. One of the greatest things about the future is about the new technologies in medicine. However, one key rule they abide in (the prime directive) is to not interfere with lesser developed civilization to prevent any possible changes in their development of their future. This is a great idea. It would be mystifying for those who has very little medicinal expertise to encounter such technologies... it would be considered a miracle. In fact, the Native Americans and many other past civilizations had medicine men who were considered the miracle men. If we were to take our advances in medicine today and take it back in time, they would consider it miracles.

Wouldn't it be fair to say that many miracles do happen, even in the hands of men? Advancements in medicine has improved the lives of many. Miraculous cures are found on a regular basis. People are living longer and more people are cured due to the advancements of medicine.

When Jesus asked the question as to which is easier to say, "Your sins are forgiven," or "Get up and walk," it left a thought to ponder on. It may be easier to say one's sins are forgiven, but the truth is to tell someone paralyzed to get up and walk is much more easily accomplishable. The Pharisees were indeed correct that only God can forgive sins. However, they were not able to reconcile the truth that Jesus Himself is God. Jesus understanding their difficulties healed the man to display His authority. People were also amazed and gave Him praise.

It is true that all of us needs miracles in our lives. We need to see His handiwork to recognize He is God at first. However, once we embrace Him as our God, we need to mature in our walk with Him as well. Unlike the Pharisees, we acknowledge Him as Lord and Savior. We therefore should seek Him, and not His handiwork. Are we spending time with Him and developing a relationship with Him? Or do we continue to spend most of our time seeking His miracles? Is our prayer life about Him helping us in our situation? Or is about being more like Him? It is no longer about doing, but about being. And as we become more like Him, than then actions will easily follow.

Hurricane Katrina has been devastating. It has ruined many lives. The tragedy is astounding and unimaginable. It is unfortunate to see the finger pointing, but it is also great to see the number of people mobilizing to help the victims. Unfortunately, the sins of men has been even more devastating. The death rate is incomparable, and the ruined lives are far greater. What mobilization is taking place due to this natural disaster? Let us not only pray for the miracles needed for the devastated lives due to the hurricane, but let us also focus on the lives that need saving from sin.

Beyond Just Hearing

Isaiah 50:4-5

"The Sovereign LORD has given me his words of wisdom, so that I know what to say to all these weary ones. Morning by morning he wakens me and opens my understanding to his will. The Sovereign LORD has spoken to me, and I have listened. I do not rebel or turn away."

How easy is it for us to quickly offer a prayer when we are in need? I remember when praying was one of the most difficult things to do. While attending College (a Christian College) whenever we had group prayer, the last person who had their thumbs up was "elected" as the person to pray. It was always difficult. I was glad when one of my friends eventually asked whether this was right. It should be a privilege to be one to pray, and not to be "stuck with it". Looking back, I wonder if most of us was more afraid of God in our prayers, or what we had to say in front of friends? Prayer is primarily for God.

As we mature we come to realize that prayer is an easy part of every day of life. It is simply our conversation with our loving Father, and it can be done anywhere and at any time. However, our relationship... our communication is not just about speaking to the Lord. We must also listen. We must also spend time to listen to what He has to say to us. After all, He is not a "suggestion box" where we just leave our suggestions and requests. A relationship requires us to listen and to follow. Ah... yes, we need to "follow" as well. I recall a teacher asking if there was a difference between "hearing" and "listening". Indeed there is. Hearing is defined as "to perceive (sound) by the ear." Whereas listening is defined as "to make an effort to hear something" or "to pay attention." Listening takes hearing a step further through an "effort" to understand. This is true with reading Scripture. It is easy to simply read the words. It is another to make the effort to understand and let it dwell in our hearts. We need to listen, understand, and let His words live in us and through us.

The Perfect Drink

John 4:9-14

"Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life." (v. 13-14)

Just yesterday I went down to the second floor of our building to get a drink from the vending machine. I typically take with me a bottle of water, but on this day I happened to be without. After a long day, and without drinking much at all, I was thirsty. It was quite frustrating to find that it was not working. Granted, I was not dying of thirst, but it just left an unsatisfying and somewhat a helpless feeling.

I have been fortunate enough to never had known what it felt to be dying of thirst, and therefore expending all energies to seek water. However, I have some sense of what it is to feel thirsty and seeking that "perfect" drink to quench it. And if it is not "perfect" and does not satisfy completely, our search continues. As it takes longer than desired and not easily found, our search becomes more desperate and sometimes "clumsy" through compromises.

How about our thirst in life? What do we seek after? We may not be "dying of thirst", but many of us have thirsts yearning to be quenched by that "perfect" drink. It is also with the smaller things that keeps us so busy. What takes up our time?

There is only one "perfect" drink that never runs dry. All we need to do is drink because it is easily given. God is the only one who can satisfy our desires... our heart... our lives. His love is without condition and without limits. What more should we ask for? Why attempt to expend our energies on seeking our own solution, when the best one has already been handed to us. Instead, let us enjoy our time with the Lord who more than quenches our thirst.

"My people have committed two sins: They have forsaken me, the spring of living water, and have dug their own cisterns, broken cisterns that cannot hold water." (Jeremiah 2:13)

Our Main Calling

Exodus 19:1-8

"You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles' wings and brought you to myself." (v. 4)

I remember accompanying a friend in a move from Boston to Cincinnati. We had a wonderful time sharing our ideas and thoughts. We always challenged each other spiritually. One of our major topics was whether it was important for churches to set visions and thereby create programs. We both knew the potential consequences when programs begin to dictate ministry instead of allowing the Spirit to lead it. Regardless whether it is a church or us as an individual, we can easily be caught up with the "work of the Lord" and allow it to drive us instead of God Himself.

However, I believe it is important that we understand God's will for us. I believe He guides us and therefore does provide us a vision and a goal. After all, He did command Moses to lead His people to first take them away out of captivity and into the Promise Land. The people were eager to leave captivity and seek the Promise Land. However, during the journey how often did they focused on the promise that they began to turn away from God Himself?

God Himself and instructed Moses to remind them how He took them away from captivity and brought them to Him. This is a reminder that our primary calling is to Him. His works then follow. Unfortunately, we all can easily be caught up in the works and lose sight that God first seeks our intimate relationship with Him first. God provides us visions and goals so we have a path to follow, but let us not lose sight of Him while walking this path. This path was set so we can enjoy our walks with Him, not to focus on the path itself. Therefore, let us always first seek Him, enjoy our fellowship with HIm, and then allow His works to follow.

Who Do You Worship?

1 Kings 18:21

"Elijah went before the people and said, 'How long will you waver between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him.'"

In the midst of terrorism... as immorality and darkness seems to overtake the world... while religion seems to drive faith out of churches... while it seems as if the world will only get worse... we must not fall into the trap that there is no hope and that matters will only get worse. It is easy to be distracted by what is wrong with this world and believe that there is no hope. It may not be in a grand scale as the corruption of this world. It may be about our country, our state, our neighborhood, or church, or even our family. Things may not seem as if it is going well, but where is our focus? Is it with the winds blowing or the waves of water that may be crashing down on us? Is it because of the miracle of walking on water seems to be unreal or impossible? Ah, where is our focus now?

Israel had many encounters of despair, but in many instances God raised a godly person, a prophet, to help lead them to hope... he lead them back to God. During the wicked times of Israel where wickedness and idol worship prevailed, God intervened. Elijah whose name means "The Lord is my God" was sent to deliver the message to Israel to put their faith in God. His question was simple: who do you worship? We need to decide who in our life will we put our faith on. We cannot waver back and forth, but must decide how we will mold our lives. Do we put faith in our money? Do we rely on our jobs? Is our faith on our pastor? Do we put faith in our own abilities? Or do we put faith on our Heavenly Father and lay our lives in His hands?

There is hope in all situations. We should recognize the events around us, but our focus should not be on it. After all, God is hope and therefore if we put our faith in Him then we will always have hope. Let us shape our thoughts... our being on Him and let us rejoice for He is good!!!

Spiritual Training

1 Timothy 4:1-11

"Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives' tales; rather, train yourself to be godly. For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come. This is a trustworthy singing that deserves full acceptance (and for this we labor and strive), that we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, and especially of those who believe." (v. 8-10)

It has been so hot and humid here in Charlotte during the past several weeks that it has been quite difficult (and lacking motivation) to continue my cycling regiment. My primary goal was to get back in shape and lose some weight. After two weeks of non-activity, I have already felt the impact. My weight was immediately back, my energy levels have dropped and my migraines have increased. Regular exercise not only reduced the number of illness, but it has made me feel better overall. Unfortunately, it also takes work. However, in time it becomes easier.

Our spiritual being also requires a regular regiment of exercise. We must train ourselves to be godly on a regular basis. It will not only reduce temptations in our lives and our chances of sin, but will also allows us to have pure joy and feel bette overall. We will be awarded ultimately in the end, but we are promised to be impacted currently ("holding promise for both the present life and the life to come" (v. 8b).

Therefore, let us train on a regular basis, have hope in the our loving Father, and receive His blessings in our lives starting today.

No Regrets

1 Peter 4:12-19

"Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler. However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name. For it is time for judgment to begin with the family of God; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God? And, 'If it is hard for the righteous to be saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?' So then, those who suffer according to God's will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good." (v. 12-19)

Oh what a joy it was when we first learned of the truth of the love of God and the gift of life He gives us. When we accepted His gift of His Son and became His son and daughter, we were absolutely embraced by His love. We were at first saddened when we recognized the sins we have committed, but were then lifted up in pure joy from His love.

As we matured as sons and daughters, we continued to face many trials and tribulations. It was difficult to strip away our old nature. It sometimes seemed easier to do the same things, especially when our friends made fun of us and/or didn't support us. It is even more difficult when it seems as if we can "cut corners" to be in a better place for ourselves, especially when it comes to our pride.

However, as sons and daughters we know the truth. The truth is that we have been set free from the bondage of sin through the blood of Jesus Christ. We have become sons and daughters of our Heavenly Father, and are inheritance of His kingdom. Even though we may suffer, we suffer for Him. Christ suffered the worst in our place: rejection by His own people, and rejection and separation from the Father as He bore our sins. Therefore, there is no regrets. Everything we do we do as His sons and daughters. We can find pure joy in His joy over us.

"I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day - and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing." (2 Timothy 4:7-8)

Peace in Life: Two Step Process

Psalm 119:33-48

"Do not snatch the word of truth from my mouth, for I have put my hope in your laws. I will always obey your law, forever and ever. I will walk about in freedom, for I have sought out your precepts. I will speak of your statutes before kings and will not be put to shame, for I delight in your commands because I love them. I lit up my hands to your commands, which I love, and I meditate on your decrees." (v. 43-48)

As humans we are always seeking to find peace in our lives. We desire a comfortable life with the freedom to do anything without any worries. We want to lead a joyful life with hope for all circumstances. Fortunately for us sons and daughters of our Heavenly Father this is possible. We will always find truth and hope in the Living Words that God has given us. However, the peace and freedom we seek does not come from just reading the Scripture. It comes from having faith and living accordingly. The Word is living because it should be living in us and through us. We cannot simply read the Scripture as a historical book. Prescriptions are provided. If we are to gain the health and benefits it provides, then we must have faith in it and actively partake in it. We are to "walk about in freedom" because we "have sought out His precepts (v. 45)."

A Winning Strategy

1 Corinthians 10:1-13

"So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall! No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it." (v. 12-13)

There are many differences that can be found between a man and a woman. It is said that the typical women would like to talk out their problems in hopes to find a solution. They would talk to others about their problems as they work through them. Men on the other hand prefers to keep it to themselves. They would ponder their problem and attempt to find a solution. It is only when they discovered the solution would they begin to discuss it with others. This is one of the reasons why a man would get into a trouble with a woman for not being open. It is why some of us men get into trouble for not stopping to get directions when we are lost.

Although this may be a general truth between men and women, I believe we all have some things in our lives where we are determined to solve the problem ourself and not be willing to ask for help. Unfortunately, these decisions all have consequences.

Temptations are areas in our lives where we can have severe consequences if we are not careful. Most of us fall into the temptation and sin usually for two reasons: 1) we were overconfident in ourselves; and/or 2) we we did not seek help.

Overconfidence can be dangerous because it usually leads to carelessness. We should indeed have faith that we can overcome, but it is only through the strength of the Lord. It is when we accept His Spirit in us and be strengthened when we can have the confidence of overcoming temptations. However, our faith in Him, also means that we need to be careful. There are times when it is best to flee from temptation to avoid sin.

In 1 Corinthians 10:12-13 we are given hope that God will never allow us to be tempted beyond what we can bear and that He will provide us a way out. We are reminded of us many times to give us hope. However, we often times forget the key point. We will not be tempted beyond what we cannot bear, not that we can solve it on our own. In fact, it is emphasized in the next sentence that He will provide us a way out. In other words, we must be dependent on Him. We need to pray to God, trust in Him, and be still to hear Him. It is through Him when we can overcome temptation.

Let us therefore fix our eyes on Him, and when the waves come not worry because our strength comes from the Lord and He will protect us and keep us from harms way.

Honesty and Kindness

Exodus 23:1-13

"Do not spread false reports. Do not help a wicked man by being a malicious witness. Do not follow the crowd in doing wrong. When you give testimony in a lawsuit, do not pervert justice by siding with the crowd, and do not show favoritism to a poor man in his lawsuit. If you come across your enemy's ox or donkey wandering off, be sure to take it back to him. If you see the donkey of someone who hates you fallen down under its load, do not leave it there; be sure you help him with it. Do not deny justice to your poor people in their lawsuits. Have nothing to do with a false charge and do not put an innocent or hones person to death, for I will not acquit the guilty. Do not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds those who see and twists the words of the righteous." (v. 1-8)

When I was younger I was very thin. My mother would worry and always insisted that I had more to eat. Some girls were envious because my waist were smaller than theirs. After I got married, and especially after children, I put on some weight. I now have the reverse problem, and working on losing it. However, as I returned to my "stomping grounds" when I was younger I met a friend who simply did not recognize me, and immediately blurted out "You're fat!!!" I could not deny the truth, but the two simple words were very sharp and very hurtful. They immediately recognized how unthoughtful it was, but it was already too late - the damage has been done.

Then I recall when a friend had recognized that I had my pants zipper open and part of my shirt showing through. After an hour or two of walking around in the city, we encountered another friend who simply asked if I were hot, kindly informing me of my open zipper. My first friend knew about the little issue, but was more concerned about my feelings and therefore could not sure the truth of the matter.

Most people do not want to befriend those are not truthful. We typically steer away from those who simply cannot be honest with us because we would always question their intent. On the other hand, we do not want to fellowship with those who are not honest, but are sharp with their words. Conveying honesty can be done in many ways. Although one without the other may be somewhat beneficial, but it can also be more harmful. In fact, one cannot operate appropriately without the other: if one is honest, but unkind, could it not sometimes lead us to question whether it is the truth; and if one is kind, but dishonest, would you not question their kindness? The combination of honesty with kindness completes the person who rely on and enjoy being around. It is in fact a law given to us as Christians. Let us therefore learn to walk in truth and kindness.

Strategic Retreat

Genesis 39

"She caught him by his cloak and said, 'Come to bed with me!' But he left his cloak in her hand and ran out of the house.'" (v. 12)

In war, there are many strategies that are taught in terms of the art of war. In fact, many famous statements are used when it also comes to life. For example: "we may have lost the battle, but we will win the war." Another one that has better relevance is "to run away today so we can fight another day." There is such things as a "strategic retreat." If we know that the odds are stacked against us, then it is best to pull away, regroup our thoughts, and then return to improve our odds. We especially do not head towards trouble if we know it may harm us. After all, a sailor does not head towards seas if his instruments indicate an oncoming storm.

Similarly, we need to sometimes strategically retreat when there is temptation we know that we cannot overcome. In fact, we should steer away from them when there are indications of them. Growth doesn't necessarily come from weathering through it. Often times it is best to immediately run away from it, so we can prepare for it so when we cannot avoid it we will be stronger. After all, there are some temptations where we can easily fall into sin and it can grow immensely immediately like lighting a spark in a very dry forest. Let us therefore learn to "run away from temptation today so we can fight another day."

Joy in the Lord

Genesis 41:46-57

"It is because God has made me fruitful in the land of my suffering." (v. 52b)

Too often we believe and act as if it is the end of the world when we are faced with trials and tribulations. When difficulties arise, we sulk in our misery. We sometimes enjoy surrounding ourselves with others who are suffering, and may even attempt to argue who has it worse.

Joseph on the other hand depended on God. He placed His faith in Him. He believed the earlier dreams he had received in God, and in times of trouble he continued to have faith in Him. In doing so, God provided opportunities he would probably not received otherwise. However, these opportunities only came after he was sold as a slave and then thrown into jail. Even through these adversities, Joseph placed his faith in God.

Similarly, we too should always seek His face. We should not let the sufferings depress us. If we hold on to the promise that God has given us (our eternal life with Him where we will have a new body in a new land and without any sufferings), then as Joseph we can overlook the current sufferings, especially if opportunities will be provided. Let the joy of the Lord be complete in us by putting our faith in Him and not let the tides of momentary events sway our emotions.

His Way

Matthew 26:36-46

"Then he said to them, 'My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.' Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, 'My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.'" (v.38-39)

Jesus knew the events to become and the time it will take place. How difficult it must've been to know that He was about to bear all the sins of men throughout time. He was to betrayed and rejected by His creators, only to be crucified not because of what He had done, but because of his betrayers. It was so burdensome that He Himself indicated His "sorrow to the point of death."

However, He did not run away. Even when His closest, His disciples, were asleep and was of no comfort in His sorrow, He remained. Although it was very difficult, His love for us was greater. And in the midst of His sorrow, He turned to the Father through prayer. He submitted to the Father allowing HIs will be done.

We too must submit to the Father, especially in the times of difficulties. Instead of burying our head into the sand, we should pray and have faith in Him. His love will prevail, so let us allow His will be complete in us and through us.

His Junior

2 Corinthians 3:1-6

"You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everybody. You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts." (v. 2-3)

In college, I had a roommate who had a very distinctive laugh. I could hear his laughter down the hall because it was so unique and carried for a distance. As we became good friends, I was later told that I was his junior. They claimed that my laughter has changed to become more like his. As time went on even after college, I had become aware how my laughter would change with those who are closest around me.

It is amazing how we all begin to "imitate" various behaviors of those closest to us. As we do, people take notice of the similarities. Isn't that what makes "best friends"?

Well, this is very true for us as sons and daughters of God. Have we become imitators of Christ, so that the world may see Him through us? Are we not the example of Christ Himself? Have we become His junior?

One Who Loves Us

Romans 8:28-39

"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: 'For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.' No, in all these things we are more than conquerers through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (v. 35-39)

Wow! What an amazing passage from the Bible. This Scripture is well known. However, how deep have we explored these words. Typically we can feel great about the love that is given to us. It is an amazing love. However, do we spend time to trace this love back to God. Is it just the love that we focus on, and not the One who is loving us? In fact, have we not heard that God IS love.

Unfortunately, we separate the two. Most of us find comfort in the love, but forgets who is loving us. The last verse is the key, "love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord". Through the sacrifice of the Son of God do we find agape (unconditional) love. It is through His death and resurrection that makes such love possible to be "untouched" by anything and made available to all. All that is left is to accept it and embrace it. It is then when we can truly experience the love of God.

Through His Strength

2 Chronicles 16:1-13

"...'Because you relied on the king of Aram and not on the LORD your God, the army of the king of Aram has escaped from your hand. Were not the Cushites and Libyans a mighty army with great numbers of chariots and horsemen? Yet when you relied on the LORD, he delivered them into your hand. For the eyes of the LORD range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him. You have done a foolish thing, and from now on you will be at war.'" (v. 7-9)

Whenever difficulties arise, it is so easy to attempt to resolve it ourselves. We will work on it through the sweat of our brows. We may be successful, but at what cost? We may also face down at the issue, and easily become angry or depressed over it. These are all problems either because it shifted our priorities, or we expended our energies on it to leave no strength for others, or we may in general have a wrong attitude about it. If any of these are true, then we are sinning against God.

The main problem with relying on our strength and not of the Lord is that this is a display of either (or both) hiding something or lacking faith in Him. In all circumstances, whether big or small, it should first be given to the Lord. As in a special relationship, we want the other to share everything with us, so to does our Lord. This is not to say that we should not work on the issue, especially when a simple solution is staring us in the face. It is primarily about first giving it to the Lord, and trusting Him. Sometimes those easy solutions may not be the correct action to take either. By putting our faith in Him, we will have His infinite strength. Therefore, let us rely on Him. In all circumstances, let us first give it to Him, rely on His strength, and find pure joy in it.

Living by the Spirit

Galatians 5:16-26

"So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not be gratify the desires of the sinful nature. For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law.... Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit." (v. 16-18, 24-25)

I remember when I was a child doing a science project where you filled half the bottle with windex and the other half with oil. One was deep blue, and the other black. One would've thought that it would've mixed together and changed colors. However, in this case they did not. One type of liquid stayed on top and the other on the bottom. If you turn the bottle upside down, the liquids would immediately move to their positions again. They would "push" on one another and force each other apart, especially to finds its place. Their difference in characteristics (density) keeps it apart.

This science project reminds me of us. We are like the bottle. We are filled with the Spirit or with the sinful nature. Their characteristics are very different, and the fruits of their labor are very different. One will always "please the heavens" and will be on top, and the other "drags us to hell" and will always be on the bottom. They will always "push" on one another, and will always be apart.

However, what would happen if we fill ourselves more with the Spirit? The bottle can only contain so much, and therefore there would be less of the sinful nature. Therefore, if we want to bear more fruits of the Spirit, then we must live and walk with the Spirit. We must focus on the Father and increase the Spirit thereby reducing the sinful nature.

A Prosperous Life

Psalm 107

"Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for men, for he satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things." (v. 8-9)

Our nation is so blessed. It has been a prosperous nation with great advances. Unfortunately, it seems as if we have ignored such advances and blessings, and continue to work towards further prosperity. Instead of enjoying what we have, we are already seeking the next advancement. For example, I have always stated that "technology is both a blessing and a curse." The mobile phone for instance has made it possible to be in communication whenever necessary. Instead of embracing such blessing, we have made it into a curse by now expecting communication 24x7. Our work has bled into our daily living through expectations of always being accessible. There is no longer a clear distinction of when work ends and home life begins. The work life has bled into home life because we choose to further prosperity instead of enjoying what has already been given to us.

This is one of the major problems in America. We are constantly reminded that "we should deserve our just reward", "we need to demand what we deserve", "we need to grab what we want", and especially that "life is about making the big bucks." We are continually never satisfied with what we have, and overwork to get more. We no longer "work to live," but "live to work."

Unfortunately, the primary issue stems from the initial idea; the idea that these things are ours. We believe that these are our just rewards, and therefore they belong to us. In truth, they all belong to God. It is our Heavenly Father, our Jehovah Jirah, who provides. He is not the provider of just the big things, but in all things including the small ones. He is the creator of all things, and therefore belongs to Him. It is God who blesses us. If we begin to live in this light, and thank Him for His provisions to our needs, then we can learn to become satisfied. It is then when we can live a peaceful and truly a prosperous life.

The Final Sacrifice

1 Peter 2:13-25

"To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. 'He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.' When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed. For you were like sheep going astray, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls." (v. 21-25)

We always attempt to keep our house in a acceptable state of cleanliness. However, with children running in the house, our acceptance level had declined. Regardless, we work hard in keeping it clean. However, when we have guests, our acceptance level returns to a very high level. We do our best to present a beautiful clean house. However, during the process if time is running out, we have a "special room" where we dump things into when we cannot appropriately clean them. It is a room where we sometimes tell our guest of two german shepherds as a watchdog behind the door. The house in general may be clean, but it would be disastrous if the guest walked into that room. Unfortunately, it's worse after our guests leaves. We are typically exhausted, and either the mess in the "special room" is forgotten and collects over time, or the mess just gets re-distributed back into the house.

Unfortunately, we as Christians treats our sins in the same manner. Many of accept the gift of eternal life of Christ, but continues to treat in a similar fashion. We now recognize its wrong, but we attempt to sweep it into a "special room." We treat Christ's sacrifice as if it was simply to cover our sins. Christ's sacrifice through His death and resurrection was not a sacrifice as in the Old Testament. It was not an atonement as translated in the Old Testament as "a covering" or "to cover over something." He sacrifice was to wash away our sins once and for all. To have our sins completed washed away is very different than covering it up. So to must our attitude be. When we sin against God and then receive His forgiveness, then we must take every attempt to prevent from sinning again. His forgiveness, is not about "rearranging the deck furniture on the Titanic." We do not just cover it up, only to have it appear elsewhere in our lives. Our acceptance of His forgiveness means the elimination of the event AND the attitude of the sin.

Let us therefore not diminish the power of the cross. His sacrifice was not like the sacrifices of animals in the Old Testament. It was done once and for all as Jesus spoke His last few words, "It is finished."