1 Corinthians 13 For Christmas

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 13

An interesting adaptation of 1 Corinthians 13 for Christmas. Enjoy.

If I speak in the tongues of Christmas materialism and greed
but have not love, I am only a tinny Christmas song or an out-of-tune choir.

If I have the gift of knowing what Aunt Agatha will give me this year and can even understand last year's present, and if I have the faith that I won't get yet more socks and ties this year but have not love, I am nothing.

If I clear out the house and give everything to charity and my credit cards are snapped in half but have not love, what can I possibly gain?

Love is patient when the fourth store you've tried doesn't have a bottle garden.

Love is kind and lets the couple with only a few items go in front of you and your bulging shopping cart.

Love does not envy your friend who gets mega-presents from everybody.

Love does not boast about the expensive bike, the PlayStation 3, the TV, VCR, and computer your dad gave you.

Love does not attempt to out-buy, out-wrap, and out-give the rest of the family just to impress.

Love doesn't cut Aunt Flo off your Christmas card list because she forgot you last year.

Love is not self-seeking and leaves a copy of your Christmas list in every room of the house.

Love is not easily angered when the young girl at the checkout takes forever because she is just temporary staff.

Love doesn't keep remembering how many times your mom forgets you don't like Brussels sprouts.

Love does not delight in the commercial bandwagon but rejoices with the truth of a baby born in the stable.

Love always protects the family from Christmas hype.

Love always trusts that the hiding places for presents will remain secret for another year.

Love always hopes that this year more neighbors will drop in to your open house coffee morning.

Love always perseveres until the cards are written, the presents all bought, the shopping done, and the Christmas cake iced.

Toys may break, socks wear thin, but love never fails.

Where there is the feeling of the presents to guess their contents, and Mom going on about being good so Father Christmas will come, and searching through the cupboards to find your hidden presents, they will all stop.

For we think we know what we are getting, and we hope we know what we are getting, but when Christmas Day arrives, all will be revealed.

When I was a child, I talked with big wide-open eyes about Christmas, I thought that Christmas was all about me, I reasoned that Jesus should have been born more often. When I became an adult, I forgot the joy, wonder, and excitement of this special time.

Now we just hear about the angels, shepherds, and wise men; then we shall see them all the time. Now I know as much as the Bible says about the first Christmas; then I shall know just how many wise men there were and where they came from.

Now three things remain to be done:

• To have faith that the baby born in a stable is the Son of
  God.
• To hope that the true message of Christmas will not get discarded with the wrapping paper and unwanted gifts.
• And the most important, to have a love for others like the one that God has for us.

Request:

That we all have a very Merry Christmas sharing the love of Christ as we celebrate His birth.

Prayer:

Dear Father, Thank you for sending your son to us to be born and sacrife himself for our sins. Help us to share the love of Christ that is in our hearts so that others will know your love too. In the name of Jesus our Lord, Amen

Submitted by Gloria Lewis

The "Little" Things

And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler, who is to shepherd my people Israel (Mt. 2:6).

A few weeks ago, the sports section ran a story about Kevin Everett, the Buffalo Bills football player who was injured during the season’s opening game against Denver. Doctors initially feared that he would never walk again following what they described as a life threatening injury suffered while making a tackle. Everett was paralyzed from the neck down when he arrived at the hospital, and spent the first few days on life support. He is now walking on his own, having made what can only be described as a miraculous recovery. He’s walking – a “little” thing that we barely think about and mostly take for granted.

Two weeks ago, I suffered a relapse of a virus I had caught the week before Thanksgiving, and got a secondary respiratory infection. After a week on antibiotics and asthma medication, I have in the last couple of days been able to finally take a full breath. Breathing – a “little” thing we so often take for granted until we can’t take a breath.

As I reflect back on my own spiritual journey, I realize that it has been made up of many little things. I had kind of “checked out” on God when I was a young adult, and as happens to many people, I struggled to find something to fill an empty space that never seemed to be satisfied. Jesus waited patiently for me to come around. He is, after all, a gentleman and never imposes Himself on anyone. His call inviting me back into His embrace was gentle and quiet – no Damascus experience here – but it was also consistent and unmistakable.

He showed Himself to me perhaps most profoundly in a group of people I met in Mexico about four years ago. The alumni association from my University has a program called "Alumni for Others." We had made a weekend trip to Tijuana to build houses for several poor families as part of an ongoing program that the University is involved in. The families who receive those homes have to perform many hours of community service in order to "qualify." The beautiful thing is that so many families who have already received houses come back and join the University crew to help build the next ones. Even the children help out. I will never forget a little boy of about 5 named Victor. He had a these bright piercing eyes and smile that could light up New York City. He clearly was an expert, and kept an eye out for whatever provisions were running low - sand, concrete mix, water, whatever you needed. The next thing you knew, there he was replenishing the supply. Everyone sang and chatted as they worked side by side. Many of the people in our group didn't speak a word of Spanish and most of the locals didn't speak English, but it didn't matter. Love and goodness need no translation. The joy and giving spirit of those people has never left me. I saw Christ in a concrete way in those simple, beautiful souls.

Just as God shows Himself to us in various ways, so too we are called to incarnate Him to a world that is lost and wounded. Some people are capable of heroic acts, but most of us are called to bring Him to others by "doing little things with great love," as Mother Teresa of Calcutta once said. Yes, those “little” things do make a difference.

And somewhere, somehow, we learn that maybe those little things aren't so little after all. Little things like the baby who was born that Christmas night in an obscure town called Bethlehem some 2000 years ago. That incredible night when the whole host of angels danced in the heavens singing Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace (Lk 2:13-14). That holiest of nights when the Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us, and we saw His glory, the glory of the Father’s only Son, full of grace and truth (Jn. 1:14). The night the world received the simple carpenter from Nazareth who was the greater one of whom John the Baptist had foretold would come after him, and who would baptize [us] in the Holy Spirit and with fire (Lk. 3:16).

He awaits us in the little things. Let us not miss Him when He comes again this Christmas.

Prayer Request: For those caught in the dead end of seeking after that which can never satisfy.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for coming to us simply, as a helpless baby and teaching us the joy of finding You in the little things. May we, in turn, give You as gift through our love and care for those You put in our path, by the grace of You who are Emmanuel, God with us. Amen.

He is GOOD!

Scriptures: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom His favor rests.” (Luke 2:14)

It’s that time of the year again. Every time the Christmas bells are ringing, Salvation Army representatives show up at the entrances to supermarkets, and the Christmas lighting and decorations start to appear on the front yards and along the edge of the roofs, Christmas is near. So is the end of the year.

As I looked back into this year, meditating on the things the angel said to the shepherds, I understood that was the purpose of the coming of our Lord Jesus and I asked myself, throughout this year, was I able to give “glory to God in the highest” (Luke 2:14)? Was I His instrument to bring “peace to men on whom His favor rests” (Luke 2:14)?

God has been good to me and my family! Both of my sons became freshmen this year, one for college and the other for high school. One started his teaching in Children Sunday School and the other started his services in the Worship Band. They are getting ready to be young adults. I am thankful!

My Dad has suffered for some time from diabetes and some unexplained pain in his legs. But God looked into these problems and has blessed him with a lot of improvements. Now he can go take a walk with my Mom everyday for an hour. My Mom has had some heart irregularities in the past which made it difficult for her to walk far, especially uphill. But she is doing better too. God is good!

For years, my Mother-in-law has not been doing well physically and has dreaded coming over the ocean to visit us. But He brought her over this year. That was quite an accomplishment for her. We had a blissful month together. He also helped make my wife a Chinese Teacher this year. Though it made her schedule tighter, she enjoyed her teaching, especially those children. God is good!

As for me, not only am I blessed with a family who loves and supports me, I am continually blessed with opportunities to serve Him in the church. I witnessed His work in stirring up the hearts of the youth to know Him more and better, in commissioning our brothers and sister in Christ to go into mission fields in His name, in guiding His own servant to come pastor our church, in moving people to seek His heart for directions in ministries, and in bringing congregations with different cultural and generational backgrounds together. God is good!

God has also opened other opportunities to share His love and goodness with others. This blog is a great example. As limited and incapable as we are, He is willing to give us this opportunity to share our lives and thoughts and, hopefully, to touch and rekindle the fire and light in each of us so we may come to know and love Him better. He is good!

As this year is coming to an end and the celebration of the birth of our Lord Jesus is just around the corner, I pray that “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom His favor rests” (Luke 2:14) will be my pledge for this upcoming year!

Prayer Requests:
For those struggling and searching for love and goodness in life

Prayer:

Aba Father, thank You for sending Jesus to bring us back into Your family! Thank You for the love and goodness You have shown us every step of our journey in life. We ask that, as we celebrate this Christmas, You help us to spread and share Your love and goodness with all those around us and may all glory be unto Your name! In the precious name of our Lord Jesus we pray, Amen!

Where do we encounter our Lord?

Scriptures: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:3)

In the book of Luke, he recorded the birth of our Lord Jesus in detail. He told us that Jesus was born in Bethlehem, the town of David, as a fulfillment of the promise of God. Then, Luke told us something even more shocking. This Son of God was born in a manger, because there was no room for Him in the inn? That’s unthinkable! Of all the places He could have chosen to be born, why did He choose the manger? Well, I suppose we can take this question even further. Of all the families He could have chosen, why did He choose a carpenter’s family?

As a believer in the New Testament era, we know that Jesus came to save us, as proclaimed by an angel, “…He will save His people from their sins.” (Matthew 1:21) Given His mission, I have been wondering why He was born in such a poor and lowly situation. Why did God choose such a situation as the point of His encounter with us?

Recently, we have been studying the Sermon of the Mount and the first blessing of the “Beatitude” touched me. Jesus said, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:3) The first trait of people of the kingdom of heaven is their poverty in spirit. Why? Because God is spirit, as Jesus told us in the book of John. Those who are poor in spirit are then referred to the people who recognize and acknowledge the reality that they don’t have anything in God. They have looked beyond their outward appearances, wealth and social status. They have discovered that the answer to their longing in life lies in the riches of God. As a result, they acknowledge their true spiritual condition, poverty before God, and look up to God for such divine providence for purpose and meaning.

This specification of Christian trait got me to think about the question I had earlier. Why did Jesus choose such a lowly place as His entry point into this world, a community of sinners? Because that’s our true spiritual condition, poor and lowly. He recognized our condition and chose to come and dwell in our midst so as to lead us out of this poverty and into His riches. That was the place He chose to meet with us.

As we plan and celebrate Christmas, many said that the spirit of Christmas is all about giving. Granted it is part of the grace of God, I am convinced that the first step to prepare for the celebration of Christmas is the preparation of our hearts. While giving is important, I don’t believe it was the first and foremost task our Lord Jesus wanted to accomplish. The first and foremost task of His mission was to help us face our true spiritual condition before God. That’s the point where we encountered Him.

Therefore, to have a true celebration of Christmas where Jesus is the focus of celebration, we need to come back to that starting point. Only when we once again acknowledge our true condition in life will we be able to go through the celebration with gratitude and with the divine spirit of giving, as Jesus showed us.

Christmas signifies the beginning of a new era and a new relationship possible man and God. This new relationship is spiritual in nature and is expressed through loving gifts. To call it a holiday is to reduce the significance of His birth to any other earthly purposes. To give it its proper place in life, we need to go back to that point when we encountered Him and refresh our memory of this new life He has brought us. After all, that’s why they call this period of time before Christmas Advent, right?

Prayer Requests:
Those who desire a true Christmas

Prayer:
Graciously Lord, thank You for leaving all Your heavenly riches and glory to join us who are spiritually poor and deprived. As we prepare for the celebration of your birthday, please help us to remember the true meaning of Your mission so that each celebration will bring us closer to Your heart and more motivated to carry out the commission You have entrusted to us. In Your name we pray, Amen!

Let the Children come to Me

Scripture:
Then Jesus called for the children and said to the disciples, "Let the children come to me. Don't stop them! For the Kingdom of God belongs to such as these. (Luke Luke 18:16)

A nurse on the pediatric ward, before listening to the little ones chests, would plug the stethoscope into their ears and let them listen to their own hearts. Their eyes would always light up with awe, but she never got a response equal to four-year old David's comment. Gently she tucked the stethoscope into his ears and placed the disk over his heart.

"Listen", she said,"What do you suppose that is?" He drew his eyebrows together in a puzzled line and looked up as if lost in the mystery of the strange tap - tap - tapping deep in his chest.

Then his face broke out in a wondrous grin and he asked, "Is that Jesus knocking?"

Request:
That we keep our hearts as simple and open as a child as we celebrate our Lord's birthday when he was born the Child.

Prayer:
Thank Jesus for being born into this world so you save us from our sins and give us to eternal life. Amen.

Submitted by Gloria Lewis

Whose Word Do You Believe?

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God (John 1:1).

Some years ago, Ford Motor Company ran a TV ad with a jingle that started out “Ford has a better idea.” It was up to consumers to decide if they believed it or not, and sales numbers bore out the success of the advertising campaign.

Fortunately for us, faith is not like a sales pitch. Our God does not consider us just statistics or, to borrow from current economic parlance, “buyer units.” Our Lord seeks us out individually with the loving concern of a Father, not a one-size-fits-all approach. If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go in search of the one that went astray? And if he finds it, truly, I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that never went astray. So it is not the will of my Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish (Mt. 18: 12-14).

Sometimes we can be our own worst enemy when it comes to words. Though we want to do what is right, sometimes it’s difficult or we just can’t seem to find the motivation. Sometimes we say something and it comes across in a way we didn't intend. We’re not alone. St. Paul wrote of this same frustrating experience when he said: I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate (Rom. 7:15). The Enemy of our souls loves to whisper in our ears to tell us that we can’t do something, or that it’s pointless to try, or it’s someone else’s fault or any other host of subtleties to get us off course in our spiritual journey. He wants us to believe that he has a better idea.

Words carry tremendous power within them. Words can hurt or they can heal. They can empower, or they can deceive and mislead. In the power of God’s Word, amazing things can happen. When all is said and done, God has the final word – the Word made flesh – Jesus, who came to redeem us and restore that which was lost in the fall. Alleluia! We can stand on His promise that those who listen to His voice will not be led astray. For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and return not thither but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall My word be that goes forth from my mouth; it shall not return to Me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and prosper in the thing for which I sent it (Is. 55:10-11).

Prayer Request: That our words will reflect the beauty and love of Jesus, the Word made flesh.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, we thank you for sending Your Son, the eternal Word, to be our savior and redeemer. Inhabit our words, so that all who hear us will know Your love and healing power. We make this prayer through our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.

The Word Became Flesh

Scriptures: “The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth….No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, who is at the Father’s side, has made Him known.” (John 1:14, 18)

One parent frustratingly said to the counselor, “How could I make my teenage boy understand what I am trying to tell him?” The counselor quietly replied, “Be a teenager.” “Why?” the parent asked. The counselor answered, “Because you need to feel his struggle and difficulties and to see his perspective. Then, and only then, will you be able to know how to communicate your messages to him.”

How true this is! So many times, when we “communicate,” we actually are just talking,, without listening. This is especially true and visible in our interaction with our children. Sometimes my sons would tell me, “Dad, it’s been too long since you were a boy.” You know what? They were right! I have been an adult too long to forget what it is like to be a boy or a teenager. I’ve forgotten all about the peer pressure I went through, the desire to be respected like an adult, the fear of growing up, the disgust of finding out the dirty side of grownup world, the complexity of life, the discomfort of being lectured, and the list goes on and on.

To this forgetfulness, I labeled it “Generation Gap” and comforted myself that, “One day, they will grow up and they will understand.” It almost seems as though the responsibility is on the younger generation to grow up and understand, to mature and be like us. But, is calling it a gap and asking ourselves to wait all we can do? I think not!

God set an example for us. He knew us and our inability so well that He prepared the salvation for us. And the salvation He has in place is through becoming a man Himself, not just to die for us so as to redeem us, more importantly, but also to reveal Himself to us so we may know Him. The Apostle John called this initiation on His part “The Word Become Flesh” and he went on to say, “No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, who is at the Father’s side, has made Him known.” (John 1:18) That’s how God bridged the gap between us and Him to help us know and understand Him.

We all recognize that the pace of culture change has been accelerating. The time it took to go from Baby Boomer generation to Generation X is longer than the time it took to go from Generation X to Generation Y, also known as Internet Generation. And, when the culture changes, everything in it goes too. And we struggle with these changes in every front it implies, family, workplace, church, you name it!

But, for Christians, I think we struggle because we forgot one important fact. That is, the gospel of Jesus is from the heavenly culture, a culture unlike any culture on earth. The fact that we are enjoying this blessed culture is a result of somebody else’ cross-culture efforts of which the first is that of our Lord Jesus who “being in very nature of God, did not consider quality with God something to be grasped, but made Himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself, and became obedient to death, even death on a cross.” (Philippians 2:6-8)

Yes, God took the initiative to reach out to us by becoming one of us, as John said, “…made His dwelling among us.” (John 1:14) He lived with us, talked with us, worked with us, cried with us, and served us. He was in every part of our lives in which He made Himself known to us and provided the only path for anyone to come to know God.

So, what should we do to bridge any interpersonal gap, generation and others? We need to learn from Him. Be it our teenage children at home, younger generation ministry in the church, colleagues from a totally different ethnicity background, or our neighbors who party all nights, we need to follow the foot steps of our Lord Jesus. Paul learned this lesson long ago and left a teaching for us, “…I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel that I may share in its blessings.” (I Corinthians 9:22-23)

Let’s remember, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God….The Word became Flesh and made His dwelling among us.” (John 1:1, 14)

Prayer Requests:
Those struggling with teenager at home or teenage ministries

Prayer:
Our Heavenly Father, thank You for revealing Yourself through the person and work of our Lord Jesus. As we struggle with the challenges in communication with our own children, colleagues, and neighbors, help us to learn from His example and be humble enough so You may work through us to touch and transform their lives for Your Kingdom. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen!

Deny Oneself

Scripture:
Matthew 16:24 - Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

Mark 8:34 - Show ContextAnd when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them,
Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

Luke 9:23 - And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.

Last week I was watching TBN and observed a preacher who appeared to be just sharing his thoughts on one of TBN's Guests Interview shows when I noticed that what he was sharing was more then just his words or this thoughts but they profound words of prophecy. Now by prophecy I do not mean the kind that talks about the future events, I am referring to a kind of preaching that is expounding on a the Word of God in a way that brings rich new depth and in a way that is anointed by the Holy Spirit of God. I laid up in bed captivated, hanging on to very word until my wife nudged me that it was getting late and she wanted to get to sleep.

The next day I could not wait to look up this preacher on the Internet and see where his ministry was. Part of me was hoping that it was close and that I could go and see him someplace in the area. While googling him, I found him on www.streamingfaith.com. This of course lead me to a couple of more of his messages from which one of them she shared today's scriptures, particularly Luke 9:23. For over an hour this pastor preached on this verse in a way that would grip the heart of any soul who truly wanted to be committed to Christ.

Very briefly he expounded on what it meant to: 1) Deny oneself, 2) Take up one's cross DAILY, and 3) Follow Christ.

I encourage you to look up Bishop Kenneth Ulmer of Faithful Central in Inglewood, california. You probably will not be able to stream the message because of Avery's online policies but here is the URL for your later review.

Note that this is a worship service and about the first 45 minutes or so is worship music, which is really great.

Request:
That we are truly committed to Christ in a way where we deny ourselves and willing to take up our Cross and follow Him.

Prayer:
Dear Lord, you have given us so much and we are so grateful. Help us to truly understand even more what you did for us and be willing to take up our Crosses and follow you.

Make Me A Servant

Scriptures: “Not so with you. Indeed, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servants, and whoever wants to be first must be your slaves, just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Matthew 20:26-28)

Ms. Gladys Aylward, a missionary from England to China in the first half of 20th century, was born of a working class family. Unlike many other Christian leaders, she did not have impressive scholastic background. As a matter of fact, she even failed the qualification examination of China Inland Mission and was denied the opportunity to be a missionary in China. Her financial situation was no help, either.

But, her commitment to respond to the calling of God to preach the good news of our Lord Jesus in China never wavered. When the door opened in 1932, with only her passport, bible, tickets and two pounds ninepence, she traveled across the continents of Europe and Asia, by way of Siberia, to go sharing the gospel in China. There she worked with Mrs. Lawson to share the gospel with the people. They noticed that Yangchen, the town they lived, was a stop where caravans stop for rest before moving further into their business trips. So, they repaired and refurnished the place they lived and made it an inn which they called “The Inn of Eight Happiness.”

It’s been told by many that they, more than providing really good quality inn facility for the travelers to eat and rest, they gathered their guests after dinner every night to tell the story about a man named Jesus. Many of the guests became Christians because of the story they heard. Many of them did not. But, whether or not they became Christians, they took the story and retold the story in all the places they went.

Later on, as China continued her modernization process, the traditional foot binding was finally officially forbidden. Gladys was summoned by the official to travel through villages in that region to ensure the enforcement of that law. This gave her great opportunities to deliver the good news of our Lord Jesus to the doors and hearts of many.

In a time of war and unrest, Gladys’ commitment to the calling she received never wavered. From an inn keeper to the “Foot Inspector”, from her involvement in resolving conflicts in prison riots to caring for orphans and wounded soldiers, this meek and virtuous woman of God not only walked into the community in that part of China, she also walked into their lives and hearts. Most importantly, she introduced Jesus to them. Somewhere during that process, Chinese people there, not known for their openness to foreigners, started to call her “Ai-Wei-Deh” which means “Virtuous One.”

After the Communist regime took over China, she went back to England to continue preaching the gospel. In 1958, she went to Taiwan and started an orphanage. She stayed there caring for and sharing the love in the good news of our Lord Jesus to those orphans until she died in 1970.

But her legacy did not die with her. Back in the 50’s, Hollywood decided to make a movie about her life called “The Inn of The Sixth Happiness” starred by Ingrid Bergman. Ingrid was deeply touched by Gladys’ life as she was going through the filming and desired to meet Gladys in person. But, Gladys did not want to because of the inaccuracies contained in the movie portraying her. It wasn’t until 1970 that the arrangement was finally made for Ingrid to meet Gladys. But, just days before Ingrid’s arrival in Taiwan, Gladys went home to be with the Lord. So, when Ingrid arrived at the orphanage, as Gladys co-worker in the orphanage introduced Ingrid to Gladys room, Ingrid was touched by the simplicity and power of Gladys life and broke in tears. Gladys co-worker seized the opportunity and shared the gospel of Jesus with Ingrid and she accepted Lord Jesus right there and then.

Years later, when Ingrid herself was struck with a cancer and facing death, she made a confession that her life before Christ, as glorious as it may seem to many, was a complete emptiness and that her life after meeting Christ was full and meaningful.
I heard Gladys’ story this weekend. It touched me deeply as I meditated on how God’s love and power can flow through someone who’s willing to humble before Him, willing to commit his / her life in its entirety to Him, and willing to serve Him and all His loved ones at all cost.

I often was given the opportunities to share the good news with non-believers. In many cases, the sharing often turned into debates and, even, arguments. As I reflect upon Gladys’ life and the way God has used her life for His own glory, I am beginning to realize that the power of the gospel lies primarily in the life of the teller of the good news. The story of the man named Jesus is simple. But the challenge to live the life of this man called Jesus is great. Yet, as great as the challenge, the key to overcome is a simple submission to His calling to live our lives His style, servant-like.

The song, “Make Me A Servant” has been one of my favorite songs. As I look at the beautiful example our Lord Jesus Himself has left, along with other many faithful servants of His, I pray that this song is my desire as well as yours:


Make Me A Servant

Make me a servant, humble and meek
Lord, let me lift up those who are weak
And may the prayer of my heart always be
Make me a servant, make me a servant
Make me a servant today!


Prayer Requests:
For more Gladys in our time and our communities, wherever they are.

Prayer:
Gracious Lord, thank You for coming to our midst so we may know You. Thank You for raising faithful servants like Gladys to share your story with people like us so we may come to be blessed with Your salvation. We pray that the Spirit that stirred and motivated Gladys also works in our hearts and lives and move us by Your leading so You may be exalted in our lives and that many may join us as children of our heavenly Father. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen!

Christmas Presence

He came to what was His own, but His own people did not accept Him. But to those who did accept Him He gave power to become children of God, to those who believe in His name, who were born not by natural generation nor by human choice nor by a man’s decision, but of God (Jn. 1:11-12).

Last Sunday after church, I took my mother to do some shopping at Costco. As expected, the place was packed with people doing Christmas shopping. As we passed the electronics aisle, Mom made a comment about how so many kids these days are addicted to their video games, iPods and other gadgets to the point that they rarely, if ever, sit down and just have a normal conversation, either amongst themselves or with their families. This is a sad but true statement. And it’s not just the kids. For all the means of communication at our disposal these days, people have become isolated and disconnected from one another.

In countless ways, we as a culture continue to deliberately isolate and disconnect ourselves from our Creator. One example is a case that will be argued in the next few weeks before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals seeking to remove the words “under God” from the Pledge of Allegiance, followed by another lawsuit whose goal is to eradicate the term “In God we trust” from our monetary instruments.

With the advancement of science and technology, the Lord has been increasingly relegated to the back burner. Science now “explains” that which has always been viewed as the hand of God reaching into human affairs, as if the ability to make great discoveries is of our own creation. As a result, God has become irrelevant to many people. Paradoxically, it is noteworthy that in the days immediately following 9/11, hundreds or even thousands who hadn’t darkened the doors of a church in years found themselves in the pews and on their knees. People found comfort in the presence of the God who is indeed relevant.

The voice of the prophet Isaiah cried out anew in those days: Fear not , I am with you; be not dismayed; I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you, and uphold you with my right hand of justice (Is. 41.10). We see this repeated to a greater or lesser extent whenever there is some sort of disaster. For all our technology and intellectual development, in the end, humility demands that we acknowledge our human need for Someone beyond ourselves and our own limited experience.

The American Heritage Dictionary defines presence as “immediate proximity in time or space.” Thankfully, He who is called Emmanuel, which means ‘God is with us,’ (Mt. 1:-23), is intimately close and ever-present to us, whether or not we acknowledge that presence. Our Lord gives Himself as gift to us in an unbreakable covenant. Even if we are unfaithful, He will remain faithful, for He cannot deny Himself (2 Tim. 2:13).

In this Advent season, we prepare anew to celebrate the birth of our Savior, both His coming in history, and the Parousia when He will come again at the end of time. We celebrate because we have read the last chapter and we know that He has already won the victory for all who have enthroned Him in their hearts. The Lord says: Behold, I am with you always, until the end of the world (Mt. 28:20) and He sends us out to show forth His love to the world. This Christmas, and indeed every day, let us give one another the perfect gift - His presence within each of us.

Prayer Request: For those to whom God has become "irrelevant."

Prayer: O Lord, our Creator, in whom everything has its source, we thank You for being always present to us. In this holy season, be born anew in each of us, that we may shine Your light for our darkened world. We make this prayer through Him who is, who was, and who is to come - our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Love Conquers All

Scriptures: “And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.” (I Corinthians 13:13)

In 1983, on my way to the United States, I had to take four different airplanes to come to Dallas, TX from Taipei. The first trip was from Taipei to Tokyo when I sat next to a Japanese and did not find any chance to practice English. The next trip was a long one, from Tokyo to Seattle, and I sat next to a missionary from New Jersey with whom I had some conversations and I really enjoyed it.

The third trip was from Seattle to Minneapolis when I sat next to an Air Force sergeant from Minnesota. He told me quite a bit about that beautiful but freezing state. Then, my last trip was from Minneapolis to Dallas where I sat next to a salesman from Boston who went on and on talking about what he did and sell. As much as I enjoyed the conversation with him, I don’t remember much of what we talked about.

Anyway, since it was the first time I ever been to any place out side of Taiwan, I was very pleased with my English proficiency. The day after my arrival, my friend took me to a bank in Dallas to open a new account so I can manage the financial side of my life here on this new land, my self-confidence in English dropped to the bottom. For more than two hours, I couldn’t make out most of the things she was talking about. I couldn’t understand what she was asking for. The problem was one-sided. She had no problem understanding me. But, it seemed like my ears had left me. Finally, we had to resort to writing in order for me to understand her.

Talking about culture shock! And this was just the beginning. There’s so much to learn about this place and the systems, the banking system, the educational system, the political system, and so much more. Subsequent to that, for a period of two months, I refused to take care of any business over the phone. I would rather take the time to go to whatever business and meet the person in charge face-to-face because it’s a lot easier for me to understand them when I could see their facial expression and body language. This was truly a humbling experience which taught me a lot about adapting into a new culture.

A couple of the few people that helped me adjust to the Lone-Star culture were my host parents. The two of them ran a very successful business in Dallas. I was told that their business supplied all the mirrors in the Texas Stadium. But, more than that, they were devout Christians. They took time to introduce American culture, even Texan culture, to me.

Over the three years I spent in Dallas, I can’t remember how many days and nights I spent in their home and other places, with their family, friends, business associates learning and sharing. I still remember, one night after the dinner, as we sat at the dinning table, my host mother took out her bible, which was filled with notes on the margin, and began sharing the love and grace of God in their lives. For a foreign student in a strange land, the love and work of God in their lives warmed and strengthened me.

Through their faith and lives, they introduced me the traditional aspect of the American culture, one often missed by Hollywood; they introduced me their friends and family through whom I came to know American people in such a real and personal way that made me feel at home! They were just like angels to me!

Now, 20 some years later, when I look back, yes, there was a culture shock; a huge gap between the culture I came from and the culture here. But the love of God that touched their hearts also moved them to open and share their lives with me. That love bridged the gap between cultures and brought us together as one, one family of God!

Prayer Requests:
For those having to move to a strange land for a new life

Prayer:
Our gracious Lord, you told us that we are “strangers in the world” (I Peter 1:1). Thank You for always been there for us when we find ourselves lost and afraid in this dark and strange land. We ask that, as we strive to live out the glorious image of our Lord Jesus here in this world, You help us to introduce your heavenly culture to them and help transform their lives to experience the riches of Jesus’ kingdom right here and right now. In the precious name of our Lord Jesus we pray, Amen!

Two Missionaries Attacked

Scripture:
"For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places." (Ephesians 6:12)

This morning I received an email from a missionary organization that has motivated me to pray more for the missionaries of the world.

Here is the email I read.

Bindiya Sisra, a Gospel for Asia missionary is hospitalized with serious head injuries after she was brutally attacked by anti-Christian extremists Nov. 13 in Haryana, India. Ittam Reja, a fellow missionary, was on his way to visit Bindiya in the hospital when he was also attacked by another group of extremists.

Bindiya remains hospitalized, suffering from blood clots in her brain. She is unable to breathe on her own and is incoherent.

"This is an unbelievable act in Indian culture," said GFA President K.P. Yohannan. "It indicates how desperate the anti-Christian forces are to stop people from knowing the love of Jesus Christ."

Bindiya has been a GFA missionary for four years. She and another missionary, Hemanti Jode, serve in an area where there is a high concentration of people who follow a traditional Asian religion. Bindiya grew up in a family that followed this religion before she chose to receive Jesus as her Savior.

During the past few years, the church Bindiya and Hemanti serve has grown, and now there are 60 people regularly attending worship services.

One of those who sometimes attends services is a young boy named Samar, whose family follows the traditional religion. Samar is friends with Pareel, Bindiya's 12-year-old son. Knowing the boy would be welcome in Bindiya's home, some anti-Christian extremists decided to use the boy to frame Bindiya.

The males who follow this traditional religion wear red turbans on their heads when they are in public. The turban has historical and religious significance, and men and boys are never supposed to take them off, or even loosen them in public.

The extremists deliberately loosened Samar's turban, and told the boy to go to Bindiya's house and ask her to pray for him. When she placed her hand on his head to pray, the turban unraveled and fell to the floor. As soon as the turban fell off the young man's head, about 15 extremists who had been watching grabbed Bindiya and began beating her. They grabbed her by the hair and bashed her head against a brick wall. Others pounded on her body with large sticks. The attacked lasted 20 minutes until someone broke it up and took her to the hospital.

A Comforter is Attacked

Ittam Reja is the principal of a Bible college in Haryana. When he heard about Bindiya, he immediately set out to go to the hospital. While riding a bus, he gave a Gospel tract to the person sitting next to him. He was unaware that the man was a member of a national anti-Christian extremist group that is known for perpetrating horrible violence against Christians.

The man accused Ittam of forcibly converting people and being unpatriotic by leading people away from the traditional Indian religions. Ittam continued talking to the man, but he would not listen. He phoned some of his friends and asked them to meet him at the stop where Ittam was planning to get off. Ittam, sensing the danger, got off the bus at an earlier stop, where he found his friend, Nalin, who helped defend him against the extremist.

But the radical man became angry, and soon 10 other people, including the bus conductor, had joined him. The extremists punched Ittam in the head several times and threatened to turn him over to the police. Knowing that the situation would only escalate, Ittam agreed to get back on the bus with the radicals.

As they were walking back to the bus, Ittam saw a police van and suggested that his captors simply turn him over to the police right then. To his surprise, they agreed, and the police put him in their vehicle and took him to the police station. That is when God had another surprise for him.

When the officer in charge learned that Ittam was arrested for sharing a Gospel tract, his demeanor changed. He brought Ittam a cup of tea and began to chat with him. The officer confided that his son had become a Christian while in Italy. After more pleasant conversation, the officer released Ittam.

"Please pray that the Lord will heal Bindiya," K.P. said. "And pray for Ittam and the situation in Haryana. Things are becoming much more difficult for the missionaries, and the persecution of Christians is sadly, becoming the routine."

"Also take time to pray for the extremists who attacked these missionaries, that they will come to know the Lord and receive his saving grace."

Request: That God will protect all those who actively serve Him in missionary endeavors and that the areas where they serve will come to know our Lord in both their hearts and minds as their Savior.

Prayer:
Precious Lord, my heart is gripped by the dedication and service of those who are missionaries around the world, who are doing everything they can to see that others come to know you as Savior and Lord. Protect them Lord and be their refuge and heal Bindiya of the physical and mental abuse that she has experienced and make her stronger to serve you as it is obvious she desires to do. In the name of Jesus. Amen

He Is Faithful!

Scriptures: “Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.” (Lamentations 3:22-23)

In 1993, because of a 5-year project, I moved the entire family from Southern California to Sacramento. We bought a house in Sacramento and rented out our condo here, thinking this was a wise financial arrangement that would ensure and enhance our financial well-being. At the time, I thought this was a blessing which would start a new chapter in life, both personally and professionally. Well, it was a blessing alright! It was a new chapter also. But, never would I realize how much the blessing was.

On January 17th, 1994, an earthquake hit Southern California and destroyed many houses, buildings, roads and bridges. One of the houses it destroyed was my condo. Immediately after the earthquake, my tenant moved out because the condo was so severely damaged that the structure was bent and twisted. The whole two-story condo looked like a “<” sign. Ours was not the only one damaged. More than half of the community was labeled with red tags. The remaining ones were yellow tagged. No exception.

The destruction was horrifying. But I was thankful that none of us was hurt, especially our two sons, one 3 years old and the other 9 months old. Then the impact really hit home when it came to the time to pay the mortgage. The bank would not give us any break. With only one income, our financial situation became tight very quickly. Some suggested that we drop the condo all together. But, after prayers and discussions with my wife, we decided that, as long as we were capable, we should continue to pay the mortgage because we made a commitment to the lender. We did not consider it a good testimony to skip any payment.

It wasn’t easy. But, we made some adjustments to our life style and found it manageable. Then, by mid-1994, the company I worked for decided that the contract we had with the client was not profitable enough. They wanted to re-scope the project, only to be rejected. The entire process was so ungodly that, as a project manager, I found it unacceptable to the Christian integrity I adhere to. So, I left the company and went independent. This, of course, did not help our situation at all.

After a month, the Lord found me a contract here in Southern California. So, we moved down here. Now, we had more than 2 house payments to make. We were still on one income. But, now, we really had to calculate every single purchase and payment. The demands for milk and formula, diaper and clothing, and everything else remained. What is essential? What is not? When should we pay for what? These are just a few questions we wrestled with all the time. It was a very, very difficult time, financially, for us! We calculated and calculated for we knew all it took was one bounced check to take us into bankruptcy.

But God was good. He was faithful to see us through it all. Not only was there no bounced check, it brought our family together and deepened our trust and dependence on Him. We came to learn “What it is to be in need” (Philippians 4:12) and experience His faithfulness as promised in the bible in the process. As the hymn says,


Great Is Thy Faithfulness

Great is thy faithfulness, O God my Father;
There is no shadow of turning with Thee.
Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not;
As Thou hast been Thou forever will be.

Great is Thy faithfulness! Great is Thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see;
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me.

Summer and winter and springtime and harvest,
Sun, moon and stars in their courses above
Join with all nature in manifold witness
To Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love.

Great is Thy faithfulness! Great is Thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see;
All I have needed thy hand hath provided
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me.

Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth,
Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide,
Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,
Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!

Great is Thy faithfulness! Great is Thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see;
All I have needed thy hand hath provided
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me.

Lyric by Thomas O. Chisholm
Music by Rev. William Runyan


Prayer Requests:
For those who find themselves trapped in financial crisis resulting from natural disasters like earthquake, wild fire and flood

Prayer:
Father, thank You for Your faithfulness. Not just for the blessing of knowing You through Our Lord Jesus, more than that, thank You for guiding us into Your riches in Jesus in good time and in bad time. Thank You for the strength today and for bright hope tomorrow. Help us to do exactly just as the hymn said, “Join with all nature in manifold witness to Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love.” In the name of our Lord Jesus we pray, Amen!

A God Sanctioned Murder

Warning: The following post is symbolic; please don't rush to your telephone to call the police informing them that you would like to report a murder!

Scriptures:
Galatians 5:22, "And those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires."

1 Corinthians 15:31, "I affirm, by the boasting in you which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily."

I have a confession, I killed a man today. It was not the first time, and it will not be the last. In fact yesterday, and the day before, and they day before that I killed the same man. The man was me, I hung him on a cross, and I nailed him to a tree.

With the dawning of each new day, I stand, hammer and nails in hand confronting the flesh that somehow manages to survive every time, and as per God's order, I crucify it. Each day is the same, yet different, every time I stand over the mirror image of myself, ready to strike, it pleads and attempts to beguile, the syrupy voice asking me to let him go, 'no one will know' he whispers, 'there is so much I can do for you, you don't know your potential, but I know it. It doesn't have to be this way, we can coexist.'

Before he can utter another word, I strike. My aim is true, I've had lots of practice, and practice makes perfect. He does not scream, in fact he doesn't make a sound, if not for the flash of anger in his eyes, like lighting across a clear blue sky, I would wonder if he even knew what was happening, or if he felt the sting of the nail in his palm.

The first strike is always the most difficult. The rest of the task has become habitual, and I go to work without delay. 'It's still not too late', he says, 'you can still let me go, I won't be mad.'

I turn and leave the flesh hanging there, nailed to the cross, knowing that tomorrow we will meet again, and once more he will attempt to beguile me, and I must be strong enough to resist.

Life is a daily struggle, and the mortification of the flesh is a constant in the life of every believer. Merciless as it may sound, knowing that the smallest of compromises will cause the flesh to overtake the spirit, we must not give in, make no concessions, and allow no negotiation.

The flesh is a liar, no matter what it promises, no matter how it attempts to deter you from your spiritual walk, always remember it is the flesh's job to attempt and deceive you, to drag you back to the mire from which you were plucked and cleansed by the blood of Christ.

Some days are easier than others, some days rather than spend an hour in prayer, it is necessary to spend three hours in supplication before the heavenly Father, until the fact that the flesh has been crucified for the day is a certainty, beyond doubt.

With love in Christ,

Michael Boldea Jr.

Request:
That we mortify the deeds of the flesh every day.

Prayer:
Heavenly Father, We still live in this flesh and until you give us our glorified bodies when you come, we do as the Apostle Paul told us he needed to do by putting to death the deeds of the flesh and surrender out whole self to you as a "living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to you." In the name of Jesus, Amen.

submitted by Gloria Lewis

Whose Are You?

If it does not please you to serve the Lord, decide today whom you will serve, the gods your fathers served beyond the River or the gods of the Amorites in whose country you are dwelling. As for me and my household, we will serve the Lord. (Jos. 24:15)

As the year begins to wind down, it is an apt time to examine our lives and ask ourselves, “How have I brought Christ to the world this year? How can I better bring Him to the world in the coming year?” A good starting place is examining the place of Christ in our lives. In the Gospel of Luke, the angel says to Mary – and to us - that the child to be born will be great and will be called Son of the Most High, and the Lord God shall give Him the throne of David His father, and He shall reign in the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end (Lk. 1:32). Is He the king of our house, with the place of primacy that implies? Do we reflect that primacy to the world around us, and remember that the kingdom to which we are called is not of this world (Lk. 18:36)?

The season of Advent that is soon upon us is particularly relevant and helpful to our reflections. The word “Advent” literally means “coming toward.” We climb the Lord’s mountain (Is. 2:3) in order to come toward, to draw near to Christ, that He may instruct us in His ways. One way to come toward Christ as our king is through our fellow human beings, for in serving them, we serve our king and Lord. In 1988, Pope John Paul II wrote, “Through charity towards one’s neighbor, the lay faithful exercise and manifest their participation in the kingship of Christ, that is, in the power of the Son of Man who came not to be served but to serve (Mk. 10:45). They live and manifest such a kingship in a most simple yet exalted manner, possible for everyone at all times because charity is the highest gift offered by the Spirit for building up the Church (cf. 1 Cor. 3:13) and for the good of humanity” (Christifideles Laici, #41).

The fruit of our charity is a world at peace, something sorely needed as we read of escalating violence in places like Iraq and Darfur, and on own city streets. True peace begins in hearts that are God’s own, in those who have chosen to serve Him. By placing ourselves under the banner of Christ’s kingship, we join in the song of the angels Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace (Lk. 2:14). And we know that our king will give us all that is necessary for the task, for He will fully supply whatever you need, in accord with His glorious riches in Christ Jesus (Phil. 4:19).

Prayer Request: That world leaders and others in positions of power will execute their duties from a spirit of concern for all people.

Prayer: Lord, our God, You are King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Grant us a spirit of humility to acknowledge our rightful place in creation, and to joyfully take up the task of bringing about Your Kingdom of peace that will have no end. We make this prayer through Him who is the Prince of Peace, Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen

Maximum Protection

Scriptures: “Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.” (I Timothy 4:16)

For a while, I wondered what happened to may laptop at home. It’s slow in doing just about anything, starting a service, opening a document, performing a search, and the list went on and on. I suspected that the computer might have been infected with virus. So, I scanned the computer with my anti-virus program. But the laptop still dragged its feet.

One day, some strange messages started to pop up on the screen with program names that I didn’t recognize. So I went online to look up these program names and found that they were viruses that publish information about my computer to the whole world. That’s no good news. I went back to my anti-virus program only to find that it was compromised too.

So, I decided that I needed a new anti-virus program. I checked out PC Magazine’s website to search for the best on the market and purchased it. After the installation, I scanned my laptop and it found 69 viruses. No wonder my laptop was performing so poorly. Now that the computer has been cleansed with this new anti-virus software, it’s clean for now. I learned a lesson and made an “executive decision” that the first thing to do, after logging into the computer, is to update all virus definition files so that the computer can be under maximum protection at all time.

In many ways, our spiritual life is just like the way we work on our computers too. We jump into all kinds of things high on our priority list without wearing gears that can protect us spiritually. As a result, we give our adversary a foothold and opportunities to attack us.

Someone once asked, “Which musician would go on to the stage to perform without tuning his instruments first?” For, if the instruments are not tuned, the music played will not harmonize. We treasure harmony in life. But, do we tune ourselves with God before we start each day? Shouldn’t we be tuned by our master first before being taken up to the stage for performance?

Paul was keenly aware of this. In his instructions to the young preacher, Timothy, he said, “Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them….you will save both yourself and your hearers.” (I Timothy 4:16) Two things Paul mentioned here, watch and persevere. Paul wanted Timothy to be alert and to examine carefully his life and the doctrine by which he lived, served, and shared. In doing so, Timothy would know for certain he was walking in life the way our Lord intended it to be. But, the premise was Timothy knew what the right life and doctrine were, as Paul pointed out in preceding passage, “…you…brought up in the truth of the faith and of the good teaching that you have followed.” (I Timothy 4:6)

To persevere means that, as well as his intention were, there would be times when things get rough and difficult in life, especially in ministries. People might not listen to Timothy; they might oppose him because he was young; they might challenge him because there was a new philosophy in town. Whatever it might have been, Paul knew that doing God’s work inevitably run into challenges and even persecution because the truth and gospel of our Lord Jesus demand that people submit their lives to God so as to receive transformation in life. But the knowledge of this does not make it easier to overcome. That is why Paul told Timothy to persevere.

Bible tells us that we are engaged in spiritual warfare at all time. We are supposed to be fighting to win the lost souls for our Lord. But, if we are not careful, even our very own spiritual life can be in danger. Let’s heed to Paul’s instructions to watch and examine our life and doctrine so we may have maximum protection and so we will not go astray. More importantly, let’s stay close to our Lord and Redeemer constantly so His power may overshadow and protect us. And, let’s commit ourselves to His cause so that, through our perseverance, we may join His triumph!

This is the promise of our Lord, “…you will save both yourself and your hearers.” (I Timothy 4:16)

Prayer Requests:
Those suffering from computer virus infection

Prayer:
Father, thank You for Your Spirit working in our lives to help and strengthen us. We ask that You awaken our spirits so we may know our needs of and our dependence upon You for everything in life, even the very breaths we take. Help us to approach Your mercy seat every morning and be tuned to Your teaching and glory so we may testify to this needy generation the love and grace of our Lord Jesus. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen!

Sowing the Seed in our Life

Scripture:
Mark 4:3-9 - “Listen! Behold, a sower went out to sow. And it happened, as he sowed, that some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds of the air came and devoured it. Some fell on stony ground, where it did not have much earth; and immediately it sprang up because it had no depth of earth. But when the sun was up it was scorched, and because it had no root it withered away. And some seed fell among thorns; and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no crop. But other seed fell on good ground and yielded a crop that sprang up, increased and produced: some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred. And He said to them, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”

For many years I have understood, talked about and preached on this passage of scripture. To me it was very clear that this parabole about the sower was talking about what happens when we evangelize the world, that some seeds gets burnt up, other seed gets eaten up, other seed gets choked and some see actually grows up. Now all of this seemed to make sense until last night.

Jesus tells us very clearly that “the farmer sows the word” (verse 14). From this we understand that the Word of God is the seed, that the world scorches and chokes the seed that falls in good soil produces fruit. However, having been a missionary, I always looked at this passage as a description of what happens when you evangelize, it did not dawn on me that the result of whether the seed bore fruit or not was dependent on the seed being planted on “good” soil, which is our hearts. Now of course it is all about the seed, the Word of God, but it is also about our hearts, if it is prepared for the seed.

I want my heart prepared to receive the seed of the Word of God and the more seed I plant in my heart the more fruit that seed will produce in my life. But at the same time, I want my heart to be ready to receive the seed of the Word of God which in turn will grow and bear the fruit in that good soil.

Since “faith comes from hearing, and hearing from the Word of God” (Romans10:17) then I need to be very careful about, what and how, I hear from the Word of God. Mark 4:24 says, “Take heed what you hear” and Luke 8:18 says, “Therefore take heed how you hear”. “For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, The just shall live by faith.” (Romans 1:17) We should all desire that our “faith grows excedingly” (2 Thesalonians 1:3) and we should not be “unskilled in the Word of righteousness”. (Hebrews 5:13)

So we need to spend time in God’s Word so that the seed of righteous bring forth the fruit of good soil so that it will be better soils for more seed from the Word of God.

Request:
That we find that time, an hour or two, every day to plant the seed in our life so that it bares the fruit of righteousness.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, Thank you for your Word and making it increase in our life. Please help us to keep our soul’s soil clean and ready to receive your Word, so that you can bring to us its increase. In Jesus Name, Amen

Earn This

Scriptures: “As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.” (Ephesians 4:1)

In 1998, the world famous director, Steven Spielberg, directed an award winning film called “Saving Private Ryan.” This story took place in WWII, right after the D-Day, when the War Department discovered that, out of the four sons in the Ryan family, three had died for their country in the war. They decided that it was too much for a family to have lost 3 children all in one day with the remaining one still on the battlefield risking his life for his country. So, they decided to send the fourth son, James Francis Ryan, home.

But, after further investigation, they discovered that James belonged to the 506 Parachute Infantry Regiment and was missing in action somewhere in France. So, the order was to find James and to bring him home. A search and rescue team of 9 was formed for this mission. They went through all kinds of difficulties, under enemy fires many times, and were deep into enemy territory. Finally, they found James and his battalion holding up a small town with a bridge of great strategic value.

Most people would be thrilled to hear that they can go home and be relived of their combat duties. But, James was different. He refused to leave his “brothers” in the battalion behind and went home alone. He demanded that he stay with his men. Finally, the leader of the search and rescue team, Captain Miller, reluctantly reached an agreement with James that, if the search and rescue team successfully help defend the town and the bridge, James would have to go home with them.

It was a brutal and costly battle for the Americans for they were outnumbered and inferior in equipments and weaponry. But the battle was won, with the heavy price of many lives, including those of the 9 sent to rescue James, one of the very few survivors. Before Captain Miller died, in whisper, he uttered these words to James, “Earn this!”

To this, James was more than grateful. He was almost fearful that he would not live up to the price paid to save his life. In a scene when he visited the grave of Captain Miller, he repeatedly asked his wife for confirmation that he had indeed lived a good life. Somehow, he hoped to receive a confirmation that the sacrifices of the search and rescue team were not in vain because of his life.

In a way, we are just like James for the bible says, “You were bought at a price.” (I Corinthians 6:20) If so, are we living a life worthy of the price paid to save us? In a time of thanksgiving, I can’t help wondering what we are thankful for. More importantly, to whom are we giving thanks? I heard many people sharing their thanksgiving thoughts. They were thankful for many people and many things. But never had they mentioned the recipient of their thanks. Without a recipient, all these thanksgiving words and thoughts become mumblings, just some utterance of meaningless sound.

This movie, dramatic as it is, reminds me of what God has paid for me, the dear and precious life of His only begotten Son. Because of Him, I am not only reconciled to God, but also given the right to become His son and to be entitled to all heavenly blessings.

He alone deserves our thanksgiving. He is the first and foremost reason for our thanksgiving!

Prayer Requests:
All those who celebrate Thanksgiving holiday

Prayer:
Our gracious Lord, who are we that You should be mindful of us, even to the extent of dying for us on the cross? Please help us to remember always that we were bought at a great price, that we need to be thankful in all things, and that we ought to live a life worthy of your calling. Thank You and praise You in Jesus’ name, Amen!

Thanks for Everything

I will bless the Lord at all times; praise shall always be in my mouth. My soul will glory in the Lord that the poor may hear and be glad. Magnify the Lord with me; let us exalt His name together (Ps. 34:1-4).

I find myself giving my home a deeper level of cleaning than usual these days, so as to prepare for the arrival of family and friends as the holiday season gears up. Sometimes I come across things that I forgot about or otherwise pushed off into a corner or closet that now need to be tended to or items that have escaped my attention and now must be cleaned up or cleared out. Once I do that, I find there is more room and feel a sense of wellbeing that my home is more organized. Tomorrow, we will be gathering around the Thanksgiving table with family and friends. There will be an abundance of food and drink, perhaps a football game or two. It is a time to reconnect, to make hearth and home once again the focal point of our attention, and to give thanks for all the blessings of the past year.

While the blessings have been numerous, I find myself now taking inventory of the seemingly negative things that have happened as well, and looking at them with a fresh set of eyes. This is, in part, due to a question posed to me a while back. I was asked, “Do you trust God for your trials?” Not “with” but “for.” It seemed a curious question at the time. But in all honesty, I’m one of those people who like to get things all arranged “just so” and then leave it there with no changes. A popular quip says that “God comforts the afflicted and afflicts the comfortable,” and I have no doubt I’m one of those to whom it is aimed. I’ve learned – sometimes reluctantly - that it is precisely through the difficulties and spiritual dust bunnies that God prods me to grow beyond my comfort zone, to move ever closer to that end for which I was created.

While we are doing the sweeping, cleaning, shopping, cooking and all those other activities that come with the holidays, let’s thank God for those difficulties and challenges in our lives that incite us into getting our spiritual house in order. Let us ask God to give us eyes to see Him bringing about good from these seemingly negative events, and for a spirit of gratitude for even these, for in all these things we conquer overwhelmingly through Him who loved us (Rom. 8:37).

Prayer Request: That the holidays will bring families closer together.

Prayer: Lord, our God, we give You thanks for all the blessings You have bestowed on us in this past year. We thank You also for the challenges that have been placed before us because we know that You can use them to draw us closer to Yourself. Help us to persevere through the difficulties that we might grow in virtue, and thus come to more closely imitate You who are our Life. We pray in the Holy Name of Jesus. Amen.

Never Stop Praying

Scripture:
"Never stop praying" 1 Thessalonians 5:17

As I have mentioned in earlier blogs, on Wednesday nights my wife and I attend two different churches. Not because we believe different things but because she works in Anaheim and we live in Rosemead, and she would never make it home in time for us to go together to a mid-week service. In addition, my grandson Seth goes to a Christian School in Anaheim so they both go to a Four Square church down there. That evening is also when the children have their Royal Ranger meetings. (Royal Rangers is like a Christian version of the Boy Scouts.)

Seth really likes going to the Christian School to Royal Rangers. He is learning so much in these places that he is always amazing us with the new songs and Bible verses he is learning. We are very thankful for this opportunity he has to learn so much about the Lord.

My wife began brining home "assignments" that Seth had to do for Royal Rangers. One assignment particularly sticks out in my mind happened about 3 months ago. Basically they were sheets of paper with either drawing or making crafts intermingled with teaching a Bible verse or Christian principle. Every couple of weeks he brings something else for us to do together. This particular assignment was to memorize 1 Thessalonians 5:17. In the King James Version it says, "pray without ceasing". However in the children's version he brought home it says, "never stop praying." He has really learned this verse and a couple of other verses and anytime I ask him what does 1 Thessalonians 5:17 say, he immediately repeats, "never stop praying."

It makes me think that in order to "never stop praying" we need to first start praying. But it seems that sometimes our lives get so busy, the only place I can pray is during the 15 minutes I have in the car driving to and from work. However, a couple of months ago I wanted to "motivate" me a little more so I purchased a prayer shawl over the Internet. It came with a zippered pouch to store it and I researched the Internet about how to properly use it.

It sits on the kitchen table on top of my Bible now, and every night, just before I go to bed, it reminds me to spend more time praying and a couple of times a week I put it on and pray as I either walk, in the back yard, or in the living room.

Now I don't think the prayer shawl makes me any more spiritual, but I do think it reminds me of my commitment to spend more time with my Lord in prayer.

Request:
That we spend more time comuning with our Lord in prayer.

Prayer:
Dear Lord. We love you, and you know how noisy our lives are. Yet, you wait patiently to commune with us and to listen to our us. Thank you for sending us your Holy Spirit to teach us. Amen

Hindrance in Life

Scriptures: “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.” (Hebrew 4:16)

A few weeks ago, due to a disastrous accident that involved 31 trucks and 1 car, the tunnel on the truck route on Interstate Highway 5 at Newhall pass was closed. Ever since then, a 30 minute delay minimum has been added to each trip of my commute to work.

Then, one Friday morning, on my way to work, I found the traffic eased up. I no longer had to spend at least an hour and half just to go to work. I could get to the office in less than an hour. The commute was no longer such a dreadful thing to look forward to. It was a great feeling.

This experience reminded me of our communication with our Lord God. As much as we know and understand that prayer is just like a phone call to God, we have to admit that, many times, we pray as though we are talking to air and our prayers seem to bounce right back from the ceiling above us. We long to meet God and ask Him for help, but cannot. Why? What happened?

In Matthew chapter 5, Jesus said, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.” (Matthew 5:8) One of the reasons why our prayers don’t seem to matter, I am convinced, is the lack of purity in our hearts. Someone used to define the purity of heart as “the absolute sincerity and openness before God and men.” When our hearts are filled with worldly desires and worries, even if God speaks to us, we cannot hear Him because, as much as we may be earnest in our pleads, we are not sincere in His ways; as much as we may long for the results we desire, we are not open to His leading; and, as much as we long to hear from Him, we are looking for replies to our prayers in all the wrong places.

Sometimes it’s not the desires, nor worries, but rather, tasks and responsibilities and, yes, even ministries that occupy our hearts. We already know what we want and are simply seeking His endorsements. We are so busy doing things and expecting results that our minds and hearts are no longer with God. It’s just like that tunnel where trucks piled up and burned so bad that the fire went on for 16 hours before anyone could even go in to check and assess the damages. When our hearts are stuffed, nothing can go through.

What should we do then? Like those cleanup crews, I think the first thing to do is to ask the Spirit to help us clean all the wreckage, garbage, burdens and whatever else in our hearts. Then we need to ask the Spirit to examine and restore our hearts so they may be pure and ready to commune and communicate with God. Psalmist knew this all too well for he pleaded for exactly a pure heart, “Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me….Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me. Then I will teach the transgressors your ways, and sinners will turn back to you.” (Psalm 51:10-13)

When all hindrances are removed in our hearts, we can 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.” (Hebrew 4:16) More then getting help for our needs, the Lord’s promise of enjoying His presence and communion will be true in our lives too! He is faithful! So, let us do our part and enjoy the smooth drive through life with His companionship.

Prayer Requests:
For long-distance commuters

Prayer:
Father God, thank You for making Your Throne of Grace available and accessible to us through our Lord Jesus. Help us to keep our communication channel with you clear at all time so Your blessings can flow to and through us without hindrances and so our ride with You through life can be a glorious witness that help turn sinners back to You. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen!

He Never Slumbers

Scripture: Psalm 121

1 I lift up my eyes to the hills—
where does my help come from?
2 My help comes from the LORD,
the Maker of heaven and earth.
3 He will not let your foot slip—
he who watches over you will not slumber;
4 indeed, he who watches over Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep.
5 The LORD watches over you—
the LORD is your shade at your right hand;
6 the sun will not harm you by day,
nor the moon by night.
7 The LORD will keep you from all harm—
he will watch over your life;
8 the LORD will watch over your coming and going
both now and forevermore.

On Tuesday evenings I usually go to quartet practice for the quartet I am in. (www.jerichoquartet.com) Our practice is in Chino Hills and this past Tuesday there seemed to be a lot of traffic on the 10 freeway so I got off and was heading for the 60. To do so I needed to go down a side street to head south.

At the same time I had a CD playing in the car. It was a CD I made to help me memorize scripture. Basically it repeats small sections of the passage I am learning multiple times with pauses between each section.

All of a sudden I looked up and there was a red car zipping in front of me. My first thought was I am going to hit him, then I slammed on the brakes. It was the first time I had ever had to use some antilock mechanism in my brakes. The car made some kind of a vibrating noise and stopped, but there was no CRASH.

I watched as the car continued on and I was stunned that I did not hit him. I sat there for a few seconds, thanked God and then realized that God had just fullfilled the promises He gave us in Psalm 121. Then I was doing more then just thanking God, I began to Praise HIM out loud. Hallelujah. Another "proof" to strengthen my faith that God watches over us.

ps. If you are interested in memorizing larger portions of scripture like Psalm 121. Let me know what passage you want to learn and I can help you by creating a CD you can listen to in the car while on your way to and from work. I have an excellent method that I have used for years.

Request:
That we would be able to help other brothers and sisters in Christ to have the faith that our Lord does take care of us.

Prayer:
Thank you Lord for watching over us every second of our lives and thank you again for preventing what could have been a very serious accident this past Tuesday.

A Dangerous Prayer - Part 4

In this reflection on the Lord’s Prayer, let us consider the final verse: And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

What are these temptations and evil from which we pray to be delivered? The question strikes at the heart of the age old problem of why bad things happen to good people, and how a God whom we profess to be loving and merciful would allow evil to exist in the world.

We must remember that nothing that happens to us is beyond the Lord’s control. Romans 8:28 says that all things work together for good for those who love God, even the bad stuff. There is grace to be gleaned from life’s trials and tribulations. Our God is, above all else, a loving Father, and He never withdraws His mercy from us. Although He disciplines us with misfortunes, He does not abandon His own people (2 Mc. 6:16).

Still, it is tempting to cling to the notion of abundance being a sign of God’s favor and misfortune a sign of being accursed. We must pray to be delivered from that temptation. We must hold fast to the perspective of faith that lets us see the grace flowing forth from troubled times, faith like that of Job: Naked I came forth from my mother’s womb, and naked I shall return. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord. We accept good things from God; and should we not accept evil?” (Jb. 1:21, 2:9-10).

Both the Scriptures and Jewish wisdom literature present numerous examples of people, like Job, who triumphed, and of others who fell prey to temptation. Our Lord Jesus knows well the temptations we face. Satan tempted Him with all the same allurements with which he attempts to entice us off the path to eternal life (see Mt. 4-1:11). The worst evil from which we must beg deliverance is temptation to the sin of apostasy.

A Maccabean account tells the story of a mother and her seven sons who were arrested and tortured to force them into abandoning the laws of Yahweh. They all resolutely accept death rather than transgress the covenant. One of the sons, holding fast to his faith, tells his tormentors, “It is my choice to die at the hands of men with the hope God gives of being raised up by Him” (2 Mc 7:14). Nothing was more important than remaining faithful to the covenant relationship with the Creator.

Our Lord tells us plainly that His followers will pay a price for their faith. Remember the word I spoke to you, ‘No slave is greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you (Jn. 15:20). He warns us repeatedly to pray that we not be tested.

Lest we think we are above succumbing to such temptation, let us remember the plight of Peter, who valiantly and proudly declared to the Lord, “I will lay down my life for You!” (Jn.13:37). Jesus warned Peter, James and John in the Garden of Gethsemane, saying, “Why are you sleeping? Get up and pray that you may not be put to the test.” (Lk. 22:46). And what happened to Peter a short while later when he was confronted in the courtyard of the high priest’s house? Just as Jesus had foretold, he denied [Him] saying, Woman, I do not know Him. (Lk. 22:57). And this from a man who literally walked with the Lord for three years! What chance do we possibly have?

As we pray the Lord’s Prayer, it is helpful to ask ourselves, “Are we sleeping, that is, spiritually sleeping?” We must do our part and avoid putting ourselves into tempting circumstances. Ultimately it is up to God whether or not we are tested. In this final verse, we fervently ask to be spared such a trial. But if the Lord allows us to be tested, we cannot hope to triumph unless we have nurtured our relationship with Him on a daily basis by reading His Word, through personal prayer and in communal worship with our fellow believers.

We must desire with all our heart, mind and soul that the Lord would become so intimately a part of us that there is no question of where our loyalties lie, no matter the situation. The life-giving water of grace to fight the good fight is given to us in abundance. The Spirit and the bride say, “Come.” Let the hearer say, “Come.” Let the one who thirsts come forward, and the one who wants it receive the gift of life-giving water” (Rv. 22:17).

As a friend of mine likes to say, “It all comes down to knowing who you are and Whose you are.” Amen! Come, Lord Jesus, come with Your grace!

Prayer Request: That we may never presume that our faith is strong enough.

Prayer:
Lord, we thank you for sending us the Holy Spirit to strengthen us in our weakness. Keep us close to You, never let us be parted from You, for without You, we can do nothing. We pray in the mighty Name of our Lord Jesus. Amen.

What a Friend We Have in Jesus!

Scriptures: “I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business .Instead, I have called you friends, for everything I have learned from my Father I have made known to you.” (John 15:15)

Years ago, because of my job, we moved to Sacramento. It was a completely new place to us. Except the people in the office, we didn’t know anyone there. One day, in a family reunion, we ran into a relative who’s also a pastor. He knew a sister in the Lord in Sacramento and gave us her phone number. That phone number lead us to know the sister, her church and a group of loving brothers and sisters in the Lord.

I still remember how more than a dozen brothers came to help us move. They were so organized as though they were some kind of professional movers. Their love and sensitivity to the newcomers made us feel right at home in a strange land. More than that, the sisters there often came to help us, especially when our kids were still very young and required a lot of attention and caring. They invited my wife to their weekly and, almost daily, fellowship. Their love and dedication to the Lord not only warmed our hearts, but also brought us closer to our Lord Jesus and to each other.

In this day and age when people believe that the true interpretation of “A friend in need is a friend indeed” means friends are for the purpose of satisfying needs only, their testimonies reminded me of what Jesus said about His relationship with us. He said He no longer called us servants, but friends because He has made known things He learned from the Father to us.

Friends are more than acquaintances, nor are they merely companions. They are the people with whom we share our joy, our hurts, our hopes, and our supports. They are the people with whom we love to spend time, to discuss ideas, and to seek advices and counsels. They are the people who help us grow mature in every way and to grow closer to God. They are the ones to share our lives. Jesus did just that!

Through our friends in Sacramento, I have come to know our Lord Jesus as a friend in a much deeper sense. He is not only our friend, He sends people to our lives to be our friends also. What a friend we have in Jesus! Remember this hymn?

What a friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and grief to bear!
What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer!
O what peace we have forfeit, O what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry everything to God in prayer.

Have we trials and temptations? Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged; take it to the Lord in prayer.
Can we find a friend so faithful who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness; take it to the Lord in prayer.

Are we weak and heavy laden, cumbered with a load of care?
Precious Savior, still our refuge, take it to the Lord in prayer.
Do your friends despise, forsake you? Take it to the Lord in prayer.
In His arms He will take and shield you; you will find a solace there.

Blessed Savior, Thou has promised Thou wilt all our burdens bear.
May we ever, Lord, be bringing all to Thee in earnest prayer.
Soon in glory bright unclouded there will be no need for prayer.
Rapture, praise and endless worship will be our sweet portion there.

By Joseph Scriven, 1855


Prayer Requests:
Friends we’ve had and friends to have

Prayer:
Dear Lord, thank You for taking and shielding us and for keeping us company where we may be. Who are we that You would consider us as Your friends! Help us to share such friendship with all those suffering in the hurting and lonely generation. In Your name, Amen!

The Kingdom of God

Scripture:
"To these He also presented Himself alive after His suffering, by many convincing proofs, appearing to them over a period of forty days and speaking of the things concerning the kingdom of God" (Acts 1:3)

Last Wednesday I had the opportunity of doing something I have not done in a long, long time. I taught a Bible Study class in Spanish. It was really cool. We have been going to a Spanish speaking Four Square church which is only a couple of blocks away from our house and they have an English service at 9:30 am on Sunday. My wife only speaks English so she had been going to church on Wednesdays near where she works in Anaheim and on Wednesday I go to the Spanish Bible study and prayer meeting.

Recently began membership classes and one day the Pastor asked me if I wanted to teach a class. I of course said yes and the Lord revealed to me what he wanted presented last week. Since it has been so long since I have taught in Spanish I must admit I was a little nervous but I was confident that God would speak even through some of my Spanish grammar errors.

For two weeks I prayed and prepared and it went very well, but now I feel, depleted and weak. While preparing I was constantly talking to God and searching for God's will, now I just feel, blah. In my heart I know what I need to do, start praying continually again and waiting on the Lord. "Be still and know that I am God," (Psalm 46:10) comes to my mind right now. And I will. It just seems strange. I want so much to be used by the Lord that when he is using me I feel great, but when He "pauses" for me to consider what He actually has done, I am kind of like a little kid wanting more. Does this all make sense?

I love my Lord so much for what He has done for me. Part of me wishes I had never had any "falls" in my life so that would feel His Glory more, but another part of me knows that if I had not had the experiences I have had, then I would never had really appreciated what our Lord has done for me.

My focus needs to always be, "seek ye first the kingdom of God". (Matthew 6:33) When we are told to consider the birds of the air and the flowers of the fields (Luke 12:22-31) we are also told that we have "so little faith". And I don't think we should feel guilty for the little faith that we have, but I think we should be focusing more on the Kingdom of God a whole lot more then we do for "where our treasures is, that's where our heart is." (Luke 12:34) Don't you?

Request:
The we as members of His church focus more on His Kingdom and less about the things of this world.

Prayer:
Thank you Jesus for dying on the Cross for us and giving us the Holy Spirit to teach us and remind us of what you taught us about the Kingdom of God. We cherish every thought we have about being with you in eternity and desire only that everything that we do be worthy of your soon coming. Amen

Unknown Ways

Scriptures: “My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways, says the Lord.” (Isaiah 55:8)

AFTER my father's death, my mother became seriously ill. She had dialysis treatments three times a week. Over time, other serious diseases appeared and her health became very bad. Five years later, after a long struggle, my mother died because of cancer.

During that time I wondered what the source of her power was. She didn't seem to accept my Christian witness, and I did not see her as a person of faith. However, a month before her death, she allowed me to pray with her and accepted Jesus as her own savior. I did not know what was in her mind and heart before this time, but I was grateful to witness her response to God's grace in the very last moment of her life.

Later I discovered in her things these words written on a piece of paper: It's hard and very scary to take the last way alone. I will fall and rise. I will be lost and revive again. But always with You - Thank you, Lord!
Then I realized that God had already prepared her for the last and most important fight in her life, even though it had not been apparent to me. Once again I was convinced that God's ways are often unknown to us indeed.

(From Upper Room Daily Devotion, Nov. 2, 2007 – by Daniel Topalski, Pleven, Bulgaria)

Prayer Requests:
The people I love

Prayer:
Loving God, help us to share our faith with those we meet. Help us to realize that you work in many ways beyond our witness to draw others to you. We entrust to you those we love. Amen.

A Dangerous Prayer – Part 3

The next verse of the Lord’s Prayer - Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors - is another one meriting an entire blog entry. I'll reflect on that verse in this week’s sharing, and finish up these reflections next week.

As we forgive others. What we receive hinges on what we are willing to give. The choice is entirely ours. The other night, I was flipping through channels on the TV, and happened to come across a showing of Gone with the Wind. I hadn’t seen that movie in its entirety since my first encounter with it at the age of 11, although I had seen occasional clips and heard bits from the musical score. Watching it again, I homed in on the character of Melanie Hamilton Wilkes. I was particularly struck by how she repeatedly defended Scarlett O’Hara to her many critics, and particularly in light of the many veiled (and some not-so-veiled) accusations of infidelity between Scarlett and Melanie’s husband, Ashley. Melanie steadfastly refused to listen to the gossip or to think ill of Scarlett, no matter the preponderance of evidence against her. Her attitude was one of being quick to forgive, always giving the other person the benefit of the doubt, and seeing the good that is there.

In the Gospels, when Peter wants to know how far he has to go in extending forgiveness, the Lord tells him he must forgive not seven times, but seventy times seven times (Mt. 18-22). But the Lord desires that we grow beyond such a legalistic view of forgiveness. It’s not about keeping score, or if someone “deserves” to be forgiven. The Lord’s Prayer contains no caveats or quid pro quos. We must be conformed to an attitude that is more like Christ – one of unconditional love.

We see a shining example of this in the parable of the Prodigal Son (Lk. 15:11-32). Although the son acknowledges the error of his ways (Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you) and recognizes the breach he has caused in his relationships with both his earthly and heavenly fathers, there is no “I told you so” or “Don’t you ever do that again” or anything of the sort. Interestingly, the word “forgiveness” isn’t even used in the parable. I imagine that the son never got a chance to finish his well-rehearsed speech when he met up with his father. In that moment, the father’s joy trumped justice. Love overshadowed duty. The matter of forgiveness, in the father’s mind, was completely rhetorical.

This kind of unconditional, forgiving love is what the ancient Greeks called agape. It is the love with which our heavenly Father loves us, and with which we in turn are called to love one another. Agape love and forgiveness are inseparable. One implies the other. True, agape love does not brood over injury, but rather bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things (1 Cor. 13:5, 7). As we pray these words of the Lord’s Prayer, let us strive to pray them with the heart of Jesus.

Prayer Request: For those wounded by division. For those who refuse to forgive, or to ask for forgiveness.

Prayer:
Lord, our God, at the Last Supper, Your Son prayed that we might be one as You and He are one. We want to grow in that kind of unity with You and with one another. Help us to be slow to anger, unwilling to hold grudges, and always quick to forgive, that we may love each other as You love us. We make this prayer through Christ, Our Lord. Amen.