But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we also await a savior, the Lord Jesus Christ (Phil. 3:20).
I’ve started traveling on business again after about a 4-year hiatus of sorts. I traveled heavily between 2000 and 2002, and then was allowed to stay “on the ground” for a couple of years earning my MBA and working on projects that only called for travel by car to other Southern California Avery locations. Three weeks ago, I had an opportunity to make my 5th trip to Germany. Growing up, I loved to hear my paternal grandmother’s stories about her childhood in “the old country,” and whenever I go there, I feel an almost other-worldly sense of being home, though I’ve never lived there.
The thought of all the traveling I will be doing over the next six months or so has me thinking a lot about the idea of home. Maybe it’s because the big Five-O is looming. Part of it may be that my parents are getting older (my father is almost 85). I cherish the fact that I live only a mile from them and can spend time with them pretty much whenever I want. My son (the baby of the family), whom I am absolutely certain was only born yesterday, is now a college freshman. My granddaughter will be 4 years old in May, and whenever I receive a new picture of her, it seems she’s grown another inch. Whatever the reason, I have a much different concept of what home is all about than I did just a few years ago.
When I am not traveling, I enjoy watching home improvement shows with my husband – he proudly claims that he’s “trained me” after all these years – and doing little projects with him around the house. But there’s a whole other realm of “home improvement” that goes on - the inner spiritual work we all have to do. The Psalmist reminds us not to get too distracted or bogged down with our many plans and projects. Our priority in this life must be to grow in holiness so as to be fit for our true home in heaven because when [we] breathe our last, [we] return to the earth and all [our] planning comes to nothing (Ps. 146:4).
We are now celebrating the great Easter season of our redemption. Our journey through Lent to Easter is a type of homecoming. Without being fatalistic, Christ’s victory over sin and death should make us long even more deeply for our home in heaven. St. Augustine wrote in his Confessions, “Thou hast formed us for Thyself, and our hearts are restless till they find rest in Thee.” Let us continue to work out our salvation (cf. Phil. 2:12) and follow ever more closely in the Master’s footsteps, so that when the exile of our earthly life is complete, we will enter our heavenly homeland and hear the glorious words, Well done, good and faithful servant. Enter into the joy of your Master’s house (Mt. 25:23).
Prayer Request: For all those who are far away from home. For those who are estranged from their families.
Prayer: O Lord, our God, indeed You have made our hearts for Yourself. We thank you for the blessing of our homes and our families. Help us to cherish those whom You have given us to love and care for in this life. Bless those who are far away from their homes and those who are separated from their families by distance or strife. Let that restlessness in our hearts be a beacon that guides us in love back to our heavenly home. We make this prayer through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Monday, March 31, 2008
Friday, March 28, 2008
God Cares for Us
Scripture:
"Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you." (Luke 6:38)
Lately I have been preparing to go on vacation in Spain to do 2 weeks of evangelism in the villages of Andalucia. I have been saving and planning, in addition to praying and seeking God's will. Now this all probably seems both logical and correct, but even as I write this blog, my heart is unsettled. We are all very, very blessed by how God is using Avery Dennison to care for our needs and I know we all thank God often for our jobs. Yet, I have to look at my own life and ask, what about those that don't have. In particular I think about my two missionary friends who gave their lives to go to Spain to reach the lost. At the same time, the world economy is making it harder and harder for them financially and they tell me how they are always encouraged as they see God move in the lives the people they work with.
The Scriptures tell us that we were bought with a price and we are not our own (1 Corinthians 6:20) and it is so evident to me, that these missionaries who give their lives to serve our Lord in places that demonstrate how much they love Jesus and how much they have learned how to love the Lost. They don't trust in man, they trust in God. In Jeremiah it says that "cursed is the man who doth trust in man, And hath made flesh his arm, And from Jehovah whose heart turneth." (Jeremiah 17:5)
Right now, let the Holy Spirit of God move in your heart. Lift your hands right now, if you can, and ask God to fill you with the understanding that these missionaries have as they love the lost and are willing to say "Yes", to the call of God and sacrifice the very things that we enjoy and even take for granted. Receive what the Holy Spirit wants has for you, today.
Request:
Pray for Johannie and Patricia who are missionaries in the town of Ecija, Spain and for Luis and Lucy who serve he Lord in the town of Puente-Genil, Spain. Both of these missionary families live on about only $500 a month. (This is primarily because the US dollar is doing so badly in the worlds economy and they need at least twice that and they are both starting to do some "tent making" to care for their families.) I don't have an extra $1000 a month in my budget to help them though I do what I can. Please pray that God will meet their financial needs so that they can continue to preach the gospel to the thousands in their town and the thousands in the surrounding villages that do not know the living Savior that we know.
Prayer:
Thank you Jesus for caring for us and speak to us to help us understand the love that these missionaries have for the lost. Savior, send these missionaries more money to meet their financial needs. They have given up their lives to tell the lost, in southern Spain, about Jesus. Send them the money they need so that they can continue to preach the Word in their towns and not lose anytime "tent making". For your Glory Lord. Amen
"Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you." (Luke 6:38)
Lately I have been preparing to go on vacation in Spain to do 2 weeks of evangelism in the villages of Andalucia. I have been saving and planning, in addition to praying and seeking God's will. Now this all probably seems both logical and correct, but even as I write this blog, my heart is unsettled. We are all very, very blessed by how God is using Avery Dennison to care for our needs and I know we all thank God often for our jobs. Yet, I have to look at my own life and ask, what about those that don't have. In particular I think about my two missionary friends who gave their lives to go to Spain to reach the lost. At the same time, the world economy is making it harder and harder for them financially and they tell me how they are always encouraged as they see God move in the lives the people they work with.
The Scriptures tell us that we were bought with a price and we are not our own (1 Corinthians 6:20) and it is so evident to me, that these missionaries who give their lives to serve our Lord in places that demonstrate how much they love Jesus and how much they have learned how to love the Lost. They don't trust in man, they trust in God. In Jeremiah it says that "cursed is the man who doth trust in man, And hath made flesh his arm, And from Jehovah whose heart turneth." (Jeremiah 17:5)
Right now, let the Holy Spirit of God move in your heart. Lift your hands right now, if you can, and ask God to fill you with the understanding that these missionaries have as they love the lost and are willing to say "Yes", to the call of God and sacrifice the very things that we enjoy and even take for granted. Receive what the Holy Spirit wants has for you, today.
Request:
Pray for Johannie and Patricia who are missionaries in the town of Ecija, Spain and for Luis and Lucy who serve he Lord in the town of Puente-Genil, Spain. Both of these missionary families live on about only $500 a month. (This is primarily because the US dollar is doing so badly in the worlds economy and they need at least twice that and they are both starting to do some "tent making" to care for their families.) I don't have an extra $1000 a month in my budget to help them though I do what I can. Please pray that God will meet their financial needs so that they can continue to preach the gospel to the thousands in their town and the thousands in the surrounding villages that do not know the living Savior that we know.
Prayer:
Thank you Jesus for caring for us and speak to us to help us understand the love that these missionaries have for the lost. Savior, send these missionaries more money to meet their financial needs. They have given up their lives to tell the lost, in southern Spain, about Jesus. Send them the money they need so that they can continue to preach the Word in their towns and not lose anytime "tent making". For your Glory Lord. Amen
Thursday, March 27, 2008
The Harvester’s Prayer
Lord God Almighty, worthy of all praise and honor,
Holy is Your name,
Lord, I pray for spiritual growth and maturity today;
to be less like me, and more like You.
Lord, help me become a humble,
hard working servant, who bares Your fruit;
a disciple with great faith,
with a wise and encouraging tongue,
and one in whom You can trust.
Lord, I give You everything I have, & everything I am,
may my love for You only grow stronger.
Lord, encourage and motivate me,
so that I may continually serve you with a passion.
and please teach me to listen to the Holy Spirit,
so that I may always know Your will.
Lord, please help me overcome temptation,
and don’t let the devil have any foothold in me.
Lord, break every stronghold in me,
so that Your Holy Spirit may totally dominate my life.
Lord, judge me severely, correct me ruthlessly,
and when needed, rebuke me thoroughly,
so I can server you more perfectly,
being void of all hypocrisy
and being meek and lowly of heart.
Lord, please instill in me an intense
and awesome fear of the Lord,
Lord, help me become a great Harvester,
sowing Your seed and bringing many people to You.
Lord, here I am, use me.
I want to advance Your Kingdom and serve You everyday,
open many doors of opportunity
to shine the Light of Jesus through me,
and put several people in my path today,
so that I may bring them to You.
Lord, help me do something profound for You everyday,
and to have an impact on eternity.
Lord, I want to master Your Word. Please,
fill me with Your knowledge and truth,
bless me with wisdom so that I may be fruitful,
and remove any falsehoods in me.
Lord, help me become a prayer warrior,
one who can move mountains in Your name.
Lord, help me to effectively and faithfully
use all the gifts You have blessed me with.
Lord, teach me how to bring down all the principalities
and powers that work against Your Kingdom.
Lord, I pray for a long life of service to You,
with health and blessings for my family,
help me develop a disciplined mind, a crucified flesh,
and a loving compassionate heart, pure and obedient.
Lord, set my sights on the highest goal,
and have me do whatever is necessary to achieve the
greatest blessing of the good and faithful servant,
and to finish strong in the Lord.
Lord, help me fully experience the Christian life,
and to manifest Jesus in every aspect of my life.
Lord, help me become a true worshiper of You.
And please fill my cup with Your tears,
so that I may love people with Your Love.
Most Holy and Righteous God,
Thank You for everything You have done.
I surrender my life to You,
Please direct me and make me into Your image,
for I am nothing without You,
May my life bring glory and honor to You.
Please send out many workers into the harvest field,
in the name of Your son,
JESUS CHRIST - AMEN
http://spiritlessons.com/harvesters_prayer.htm
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Holy day or holiday?
Scriptures: Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant, nor maidservant, nor your animals, nor the aliens within your gates. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but He rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy. (Exodus 8:11)
This is a reflection on a message I heard yesterday from Rev. Alistair Begg in his Truth for Life ministry. Rev. Begg explained how the Lord’s Day is to be kept, not by mindless observation of tradition, nor by legalistic externalism, but by the conviction that the observance of the distinction between this day and the other six days in the week is relevant to our walk with the Lord.
God Himself gave us the reason for observing the Sabbath Day. The reason given was that God created all things in six days and rested on the seventh day. But the focus was really not on the work done, nor on the work not done. The focus really was on the Lord who created all things and the Lord who rested. The purpose for this commandment was two-fold: 1) by remembering the Sabbath that we may remember the Creator of Sabbath and, thereby, enhancing our relationship with our Creator and, 2) by resting on the Sabbath that we may be refreshed and rejuvenated.
This is fine. But, what does the observance of the Sabbath have to do with the Lord’s Day? I think the key lies in the work of God that we ought to remember. It was the work of the creation that was given as the reason for observing Sabbath. In the book of Genesis, in chapter one, it was recorded that God saw everything He created was good.
This wonderful created order was turned into chaos as a result of one man’s sins, as Paul indicated in book of Romans, “The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God.” (Romans 8:19-20)
As a result, to remember the work of creation by God, in a decaying world, is to place our focus on the original intended order of God and, thereby, to bring our hearts closer to the heart of our Creator for we shall see how things in life should be, instead of how things are.
The Lord’s Day, on the other hand, is actually the first day of the week and has been observed by Christians per Apostles’ teachings. So, what does it have to do with the Sabbath? I think Paul answered this question in the book of Colossians, “For God was pleased to have all fullness dwell in Him, and through Him to reconcile to Himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through His blood, shed on the cross.” (Colossians 1:19-20)
As such, the atoning sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ on the cross was meant to bring all things back to the original created order, including the relationship of the creation to its Creator, the one God saw as good. You see, the original intended blessings through the observance of Sabbath have become possible because of the work of Christ on the cross. As we celebrate the resurrection of our Lord Jesus on the first day of the week, we are actually celebrating the reconciliatory work He has completed on the cross. That is why Jesus said, “For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.” (Matthew 12:8)
But, there’s more. Just as the Sabbath was made for man, as Jesus said, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.” (Mark 2:27) so is the Lord’s Day. In the institution of the Sabbath as well as the Lord’s Day, we see the sensitivity and understanding of God to our needs and weaknesses. The Lord knows that we can be easily distracted and lose focus in life. Therefore, a day has been set aside, which was the original meaning of “made holy”, so we can keep our focus on remembering His intended goodness for us all. He does not desire that any of us should be so engulfed in our mundane responsibilities that we lose sight of His role and work in our lives. He knows we need earthly materials to support our physical needs and He gave six days just for that purpose. But, for this one day, we should stay focused on Him and Him alone, remembering Him, His intended order through creation, and His love through His salvation.
So, let us ask ourselves this question, “Is the Lord’s Day a holy day to me? Or, is it a holiday to me?” What occupies our minds and hearts, even on this day our Lord set apart? I am convinced that if we can have the conviction that the observance of the distinction between this day and the other six days in the week is relevant to our walk with the Lord, we will do well, in every deed and word we share with others, when we come before our Lord each day, especially on the Lord’s Day, to worship and praise Him!
(I thank God for His faithful servants like Rev. Begg and am grateful to Rev. Begg for his faithful sharing of inspiring messages like this one.)
Prayer Requests:
For those working hard to support our lives, families and work purposelessly
Prayer:
Almighty Creator, thank You for instituting the Sabbath and the Lord’s Day so we may refrain from mind wandering and from purposeless living. Help us to observe this day You have set apart, not just to comply with Your commandments, but to enjoy the closeness we receive from such enhanced relationship with You. Thank You for Jesus! Thank You for reconciling us to You in Your grace. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen!
This is a reflection on a message I heard yesterday from Rev. Alistair Begg in his Truth for Life ministry. Rev. Begg explained how the Lord’s Day is to be kept, not by mindless observation of tradition, nor by legalistic externalism, but by the conviction that the observance of the distinction between this day and the other six days in the week is relevant to our walk with the Lord.
God Himself gave us the reason for observing the Sabbath Day. The reason given was that God created all things in six days and rested on the seventh day. But the focus was really not on the work done, nor on the work not done. The focus really was on the Lord who created all things and the Lord who rested. The purpose for this commandment was two-fold: 1) by remembering the Sabbath that we may remember the Creator of Sabbath and, thereby, enhancing our relationship with our Creator and, 2) by resting on the Sabbath that we may be refreshed and rejuvenated.
This is fine. But, what does the observance of the Sabbath have to do with the Lord’s Day? I think the key lies in the work of God that we ought to remember. It was the work of the creation that was given as the reason for observing Sabbath. In the book of Genesis, in chapter one, it was recorded that God saw everything He created was good.
This wonderful created order was turned into chaos as a result of one man’s sins, as Paul indicated in book of Romans, “The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God.” (Romans 8:19-20)
As a result, to remember the work of creation by God, in a decaying world, is to place our focus on the original intended order of God and, thereby, to bring our hearts closer to the heart of our Creator for we shall see how things in life should be, instead of how things are.
The Lord’s Day, on the other hand, is actually the first day of the week and has been observed by Christians per Apostles’ teachings. So, what does it have to do with the Sabbath? I think Paul answered this question in the book of Colossians, “For God was pleased to have all fullness dwell in Him, and through Him to reconcile to Himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through His blood, shed on the cross.” (Colossians 1:19-20)
As such, the atoning sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ on the cross was meant to bring all things back to the original created order, including the relationship of the creation to its Creator, the one God saw as good. You see, the original intended blessings through the observance of Sabbath have become possible because of the work of Christ on the cross. As we celebrate the resurrection of our Lord Jesus on the first day of the week, we are actually celebrating the reconciliatory work He has completed on the cross. That is why Jesus said, “For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.” (Matthew 12:8)
But, there’s more. Just as the Sabbath was made for man, as Jesus said, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.” (Mark 2:27) so is the Lord’s Day. In the institution of the Sabbath as well as the Lord’s Day, we see the sensitivity and understanding of God to our needs and weaknesses. The Lord knows that we can be easily distracted and lose focus in life. Therefore, a day has been set aside, which was the original meaning of “made holy”, so we can keep our focus on remembering His intended goodness for us all. He does not desire that any of us should be so engulfed in our mundane responsibilities that we lose sight of His role and work in our lives. He knows we need earthly materials to support our physical needs and He gave six days just for that purpose. But, for this one day, we should stay focused on Him and Him alone, remembering Him, His intended order through creation, and His love through His salvation.
So, let us ask ourselves this question, “Is the Lord’s Day a holy day to me? Or, is it a holiday to me?” What occupies our minds and hearts, even on this day our Lord set apart? I am convinced that if we can have the conviction that the observance of the distinction between this day and the other six days in the week is relevant to our walk with the Lord, we will do well, in every deed and word we share with others, when we come before our Lord each day, especially on the Lord’s Day, to worship and praise Him!
(I thank God for His faithful servants like Rev. Begg and am grateful to Rev. Begg for his faithful sharing of inspiring messages like this one.)
Prayer Requests:
For those working hard to support our lives, families and work purposelessly
Prayer:
Almighty Creator, thank You for instituting the Sabbath and the Lord’s Day so we may refrain from mind wandering and from purposeless living. Help us to observe this day You have set apart, not just to comply with Your commandments, but to enjoy the closeness we receive from such enhanced relationship with You. Thank You for Jesus! Thank You for reconciling us to You in Your grace. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen!
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
"Linger"
Scripture:
"And I will very gladly spend and be spent for you, though the more abundantly I love you, the less I am loved." (2 Corinthians 12:15)
Last year a missionary friend of mine in Spain told us to pray for him while he was away on a camping trip. He told us that all he had was him was a sleeping bag, his Bible and some water and that he was going to stay in the woods for 10 day or until he had an encounter with God, whichever came first. I prayed for him, as did others who are his prayer partners, and when he came back he emailed us a report of the great things God spoke to him. One of those things was a single word, "linger". What God told him was to "linger" in His presence and not even read the Bible or pray, just "linger".
God since lead my friend to begin a few devotional moments which he has now put on YouTube and yesterday I listened to a couple of them and one of them spoke to my heart about "lingering".
This 6 minute video clip can be found here --> http://uk.youtube.com/user/bockspain
Request:
That God will bring us who are God's anointed here at Avery to linger more with our Savior.
Prayer:
Oh my Lord, you know how easy it is for us to be swept away by the things in our lives. Forgive us for letting these things get in way of time you and I spend together. And Holy Spirit of God please remind me when this happens. I love my Lord and I know he loves me.
"And I will very gladly spend and be spent for you, though the more abundantly I love you, the less I am loved." (2 Corinthians 12:15)
Last year a missionary friend of mine in Spain told us to pray for him while he was away on a camping trip. He told us that all he had was him was a sleeping bag, his Bible and some water and that he was going to stay in the woods for 10 day or until he had an encounter with God, whichever came first. I prayed for him, as did others who are his prayer partners, and when he came back he emailed us a report of the great things God spoke to him. One of those things was a single word, "linger". What God told him was to "linger" in His presence and not even read the Bible or pray, just "linger".
God since lead my friend to begin a few devotional moments which he has now put on YouTube and yesterday I listened to a couple of them and one of them spoke to my heart about "lingering".
This 6 minute video clip can be found here --> http://uk.youtube.com/user/bockspain
Request:
That God will bring us who are God's anointed here at Avery to linger more with our Savior.
Prayer:
Oh my Lord, you know how easy it is for us to be swept away by the things in our lives. Forgive us for letting these things get in way of time you and I spend together. And Holy Spirit of God please remind me when this happens. I love my Lord and I know he loves me.
Monday, March 24, 2008
Just Jewelry?
Scriptures: God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. (Galatians 6:14)
Some Christians make it a habit to wear a cross. It may be on a necklace or a lapel pin. It may be worn thoughtlessly as a decoration or prayerfully to let people know of the wearer’s personal faith.
In April 2006, a Methodist church in the city of Dudley, England, found out that it would have to pay a fee to put a cross on its new building. Yes, a fee was required because under British law the cross is an advertisement. It proclaims to the world, whether on a person or a building, that the blood-stained cross of Calvary is our only hope of forgiveness and salvation.
Our Bible reading today tells us of the cross – the instrument of execution used on our Savior (Matthew 27:22-26). The crowd in anger shouted, “Let him be crucified!” The cross is a sign of His death, and must not be taken lightly. This should cause us to examine what the cross means to us. Is it a witness to our eternal hope in the saving death of Jesus on the Calvary?
While wearing the cross may be a challenging mark of discipleship, far more challenging is our Lord’s command that we “take up [our] cross daily” and learn what it means to follow in His footsteps (Luke 9:23). And that includes a willingness to practice costly discipleship. – Vernon C. Grounds
“Take thy cross and follow me,”
I hear the blessed Savior call;
How can I make a lesser sacrifice
When Jesus gave His all? -- Ackley
(From Our Daily Bread On-line Daily Devotion, March 24, 2008 – Written by Vernon C. Grounds)
Prayer Requests:
For all of us struggling with taking up our cross daily
Prayer:
Our faithful Father, thank you for the atoning love and sacrifice in our Lord Jesus. Help us to learn from Him and give us the strength and commitment to take up our cross daily to follow Christ for we desire to be children of your delight. In the amazing name of our Lord Jesus we pray, Amen!
Friday, March 21, 2008
Reaching Your Own People
Scriptures:
"And pray for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the Gospel." (Ephesians 6:19)
Everyday, I look to the Lord in prayer and ask the Holy Spirit to lead me when I pray, for missionaries around the world. One of the missionary groups that continually move my heart are the Gospel for Asia missionaries in India. The national missionaries I pray for are all young men all in their 20's, a few of them have young wives, who minister by preaching the gospel in two particular states; Karnataka (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karnataka), which is a state in the southwest, and Bihar (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bihar_%28India%29), which is in the northeast.
As I pray for these national missionaries, I am almost always moved to tears by the Holy Spirit because of their commitment to our Lord to sacrificially persevere in obedience desiring only to see their own people be won to Christ.
The URL link that follows is a simple 3 minute testimony of a true man of God who desired only
to serve the Lord. http://www.gfa.org/video-joseph I am sure it will move your heart too.
Prayer:
Lord Jesus thank you for your servants that are sacrificing all of their life to preach the gospel to everyone they see. Holy Spirit empower us to be more then just "life-style" Christians but give us opportunities and lead us to be bold to verbally present the gospel so that our families, friends, neighbors and co-workers will hear and accept you as their Lord and Savior.
"And pray for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the Gospel." (Ephesians 6:19)
Everyday, I look to the Lord in prayer and ask the Holy Spirit to lead me when I pray, for missionaries around the world. One of the missionary groups that continually move my heart are the Gospel for Asia missionaries in India. The national missionaries I pray for are all young men all in their 20's, a few of them have young wives, who minister by preaching the gospel in two particular states; Karnataka (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karnataka), which is a state in the southwest, and Bihar (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bihar_%28India%29), which is in the northeast.
As I pray for these national missionaries, I am almost always moved to tears by the Holy Spirit because of their commitment to our Lord to sacrificially persevere in obedience desiring only to see their own people be won to Christ.
The URL link that follows is a simple 3 minute testimony of a true man of God who desired only
to serve the Lord. http://www.gfa.org/video-joseph I am sure it will move your heart too.
Prayer:
Lord Jesus thank you for your servants that are sacrificing all of their life to preach the gospel to everyone they see. Holy Spirit empower us to be more then just "life-style" Christians but give us opportunities and lead us to be bold to verbally present the gospel so that our families, friends, neighbors and co-workers will hear and accept you as their Lord and Savior.
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
It Was Finished
Scriptures: ’Later, knowing that all was now completed, and so the Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, ”I am thirsty.”…When He had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” ’ (Matthew 27:45-46)
Watching our son graduating from high school was both an exciting and an emotional experience. Starting from the preparation for his prom, what to wear, who’s the date, what flower to buy, to the attendance of his graduation ceremony, we all of a sudden realized that our son had grown into a young adult.
He’s not that little boy I could carry on my shoulder any more. He’s not that little boy demanding a bed time story any more. He’s not that little boy who relied on us to drive him everywhere any more. He had graduated from high school, a milestone in his life, and in ours as well. To him, the old boyhood and high school days had gone and a new chapter in life had begun.
As I meditate on the words Jesus spoke on the cross, I came to the part recorded in the bible where it says Jesus who, “knowing that all was now completed…” (Matthew 27:45) and later said, “It is finished.” (Matthew 27:46) I paused and asked myself, “What was finished?” Was it His suffering? Maybe. Was it His earthly ministries? Maybe.
But, the more I think about it, the more I am convinced that it was referred to His atoning sacrifice on the cross, the essential part of God’s salvation for all. He hung there on the cross, the place where we should be. He suffered there, the suffering meant to be for us. He did all these, just like all sacrifices given before Him, except that He did it only once and His work stays effective till eternity. The book of Hebrews tells us, “He sacrificed for their sins once for all when He offered Himself.” (Hebrews 7:27)
Jesus knew all was completed, right there and then. He went through utter darkness and became sin for us. He was separated from our heavenly Father with whom there had never been any separation for eternity. Yet, for us, they were temporarily separated. He bore our sins, the very thing contradictory to His nature of holiness. Yet, He did it anyway.
Why? Because He loves us. His love was so great that it compelled Him to come and share our pain and suffering in life. His love was so great that it moved Him to die and pay for the wages of our sins. His love was so great that, even in the midst of all these unimaginable sufferings, He still pleaded to the Father for us. Such was His love that I cannot fathom. But, I am thankful! I am moved! I am humbled!
Because of Him and His cross, “the old has gone, the new has come!” (II Corinthians 5:17) Henceforth, a new chapter in human history, and in my life, has begun. The power of sin has no grip on me. Like our son’s graduation from high school, except this has an eternal implication, I am truly free and am empowered to pursue the riches God has in place for me! It’s all because of Him, Jesus, our Lord and Redeemer!
It was finished for He had paid the ransom! It was finished for He had shed His blood to cleanse us from all unrighteousness! It was finished for our days in darkness were over! It was finished for the block that prevented us from approaching the Throne of Mercy Seat has been removed! IT WAS FINISHED! Praise the Lord!
Prayer Requests:
For spiritual renewal in all believers
Prayer:
Our loving Father, thank You for Jesus, the Lamb of God, who accomplished the atoning salvation on the cross for us. Help us to move beyond theological understanding of your Son’s sacrificial death on the cross and grow into a deeper unification with our Savior in every aspect of our lives so that this Good Friday and Easter will be another life transforming moments in our relationship with you and in our ministries to others in Your name! In the wonderful name of Jesus, our Lord and Redeemer, we pray, Amen!
Watching our son graduating from high school was both an exciting and an emotional experience. Starting from the preparation for his prom, what to wear, who’s the date, what flower to buy, to the attendance of his graduation ceremony, we all of a sudden realized that our son had grown into a young adult.
He’s not that little boy I could carry on my shoulder any more. He’s not that little boy demanding a bed time story any more. He’s not that little boy who relied on us to drive him everywhere any more. He had graduated from high school, a milestone in his life, and in ours as well. To him, the old boyhood and high school days had gone and a new chapter in life had begun.
As I meditate on the words Jesus spoke on the cross, I came to the part recorded in the bible where it says Jesus who, “knowing that all was now completed…” (Matthew 27:45) and later said, “It is finished.” (Matthew 27:46) I paused and asked myself, “What was finished?” Was it His suffering? Maybe. Was it His earthly ministries? Maybe.
But, the more I think about it, the more I am convinced that it was referred to His atoning sacrifice on the cross, the essential part of God’s salvation for all. He hung there on the cross, the place where we should be. He suffered there, the suffering meant to be for us. He did all these, just like all sacrifices given before Him, except that He did it only once and His work stays effective till eternity. The book of Hebrews tells us, “He sacrificed for their sins once for all when He offered Himself.” (Hebrews 7:27)
Jesus knew all was completed, right there and then. He went through utter darkness and became sin for us. He was separated from our heavenly Father with whom there had never been any separation for eternity. Yet, for us, they were temporarily separated. He bore our sins, the very thing contradictory to His nature of holiness. Yet, He did it anyway.
Why? Because He loves us. His love was so great that it compelled Him to come and share our pain and suffering in life. His love was so great that it moved Him to die and pay for the wages of our sins. His love was so great that, even in the midst of all these unimaginable sufferings, He still pleaded to the Father for us. Such was His love that I cannot fathom. But, I am thankful! I am moved! I am humbled!
Because of Him and His cross, “the old has gone, the new has come!” (II Corinthians 5:17) Henceforth, a new chapter in human history, and in my life, has begun. The power of sin has no grip on me. Like our son’s graduation from high school, except this has an eternal implication, I am truly free and am empowered to pursue the riches God has in place for me! It’s all because of Him, Jesus, our Lord and Redeemer!
It was finished for He had paid the ransom! It was finished for He had shed His blood to cleanse us from all unrighteousness! It was finished for our days in darkness were over! It was finished for the block that prevented us from approaching the Throne of Mercy Seat has been removed! IT WAS FINISHED! Praise the Lord!
Prayer Requests:
For spiritual renewal in all believers
Prayer:
Our loving Father, thank You for Jesus, the Lamb of God, who accomplished the atoning salvation on the cross for us. Help us to move beyond theological understanding of your Son’s sacrificial death on the cross and grow into a deeper unification with our Savior in every aspect of our lives so that this Good Friday and Easter will be another life transforming moments in our relationship with you and in our ministries to others in Your name! In the wonderful name of Jesus, our Lord and Redeemer, we pray, Amen!
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Two Types of People
Scripture:
"O LORD, by your hand save me from such men, from men of this world whose reward is in this life" (Ps 17:14).
There are two types of people in the world. There are those whose activities are designed to generate a reward in this lifetime. And there are those who live to generate a reward when they meet our Lord in Heaven.
Not every Christian models the latter. How does one judge whether they are living for the future reward versus the earthly reward? There are several key indicators.
Future reward people tend to be givers. They make their time and resources available to be channeled for Kingdom purposes. They realize their sowing will ultimately be rewarded at the Judgment Seat of Christ where what they have done on earth will be judged and rewarded by God (2 Corinthians 5:10).
Future reward people live a life based upon obedience-based decisions. They don't make decisions based on their perceived outcome. They realize a decision based on obedience alone may not result in an immediate outcome. Jesus was obedient to the cross, but the immediate outcome was His own death on the cross.
Future reward situations show up in daily life in a number of ways. Perhaps a person has wronged you and God calls you to forgive and even bless that person without expectation of their response. Perhaps God calls you to sow money into a ministry or another person's life without expectation of return from them. Perhaps you are called to serve another person without expectation of any earthly reward. The situations we might encounter are unlimited.
Are you living a life based on a future reward, or short term reward? Today, evaluate how you make decisions and how you allocate resources. This will reveal whether you are a future reward Christian.
(TGIF Today God Is First Volume 2, by Os Hillman03-18-2008)
Prayer:
Lord help us to focus on the things of heaven and not the things of this world. You care for everything we do and we surrender it all to you. In Jesus Name. Amen
"O LORD, by your hand save me from such men, from men of this world whose reward is in this life" (Ps 17:14).
There are two types of people in the world. There are those whose activities are designed to generate a reward in this lifetime. And there are those who live to generate a reward when they meet our Lord in Heaven.
Not every Christian models the latter. How does one judge whether they are living for the future reward versus the earthly reward? There are several key indicators.
Future reward people tend to be givers. They make their time and resources available to be channeled for Kingdom purposes. They realize their sowing will ultimately be rewarded at the Judgment Seat of Christ where what they have done on earth will be judged and rewarded by God (2 Corinthians 5:10).
Future reward people live a life based upon obedience-based decisions. They don't make decisions based on their perceived outcome. They realize a decision based on obedience alone may not result in an immediate outcome. Jesus was obedient to the cross, but the immediate outcome was His own death on the cross.
Future reward situations show up in daily life in a number of ways. Perhaps a person has wronged you and God calls you to forgive and even bless that person without expectation of their response. Perhaps God calls you to sow money into a ministry or another person's life without expectation of return from them. Perhaps you are called to serve another person without expectation of any earthly reward. The situations we might encounter are unlimited.
Are you living a life based on a future reward, or short term reward? Today, evaluate how you make decisions and how you allocate resources. This will reveal whether you are a future reward Christian.
(TGIF Today God Is First Volume 2, by Os Hillman03-18-2008)
Prayer:
Lord help us to focus on the things of heaven and not the things of this world. You care for everything we do and we surrender it all to you. In Jesus Name. Amen
Friday, March 14, 2008
Rookie of the Year
Scripture:
"But let all who take refuge in You be glad, Let them ever sing for joy; And may You shelter them, That those who love Your name may exult in You." (Psalm5:11)
A number of years ago I joined a barbershop singing group. I had never sung barbershop before and I learned a lot. Particularly because a new friend took me under wings and encouraged me. To this day I thank Stan for loving me and being my friend.
This morning my grandson Seth handed me a trophy I had gotten when I was in barbershop He had gotten it from a shelf in my room and he told me that he was going to clean it because it was all dusty. When I looked at it I noticed it was an award I got my first year with the group. The award read, "Rookie of the Year". It reminded me how much fun I had singing in that group but I also thought how time and the "dust" of life had caused that joy convert into only a memory.
This makes me think about how the joy of the Lord also converts into only a memory if we are not careful. When we first came to know Jesus, we were very much alive in Christ and filled with joy. As the years and scars of life take their toll on us, it seems that the joy fades, but it does not have to be that way.
Paul tells us to return to our first love (Rev. 2:4) and that the greatest gift is love (1 Cor. 13:13). We are able to love because He first loved us (1 John 4:9) and this love manifests itself into joy as "joy of the Lord becomes our strength." (Neh. 8:10)
Request:
That we continue to seek the heart of God remembering how much he loved us and that this love fill us with great joy.
Prayer:
Dear Father. You loved us so much that you sent you son to die on the Cross for us. Thank you Lord this sacrifice of love. In Jesus Name. Amen
"But let all who take refuge in You be glad, Let them ever sing for joy; And may You shelter them, That those who love Your name may exult in You." (Psalm5:11)
A number of years ago I joined a barbershop singing group. I had never sung barbershop before and I learned a lot. Particularly because a new friend took me under wings and encouraged me. To this day I thank Stan for loving me and being my friend.
This morning my grandson Seth handed me a trophy I had gotten when I was in barbershop He had gotten it from a shelf in my room and he told me that he was going to clean it because it was all dusty. When I looked at it I noticed it was an award I got my first year with the group. The award read, "Rookie of the Year". It reminded me how much fun I had singing in that group but I also thought how time and the "dust" of life had caused that joy convert into only a memory.
This makes me think about how the joy of the Lord also converts into only a memory if we are not careful. When we first came to know Jesus, we were very much alive in Christ and filled with joy. As the years and scars of life take their toll on us, it seems that the joy fades, but it does not have to be that way.
Paul tells us to return to our first love (Rev. 2:4) and that the greatest gift is love (1 Cor. 13:13). We are able to love because He first loved us (1 John 4:9) and this love manifests itself into joy as "joy of the Lord becomes our strength." (Neh. 8:10)
Request:
That we continue to seek the heart of God remembering how much he loved us and that this love fill us with great joy.
Prayer:
Dear Father. You loved us so much that you sent you son to die on the Cross for us. Thank you Lord this sacrifice of love. In Jesus Name. Amen
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Separation
Scriptures: ’From the sixth hour until the ninth hour darkness came over all the land. About the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, ”Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?” which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” ’ (Matthew 27:45-46)
Some time ago, when we were having dinner one night, all of a sudden, all the lights in the house went off. Everyone at the table sprang into action right away. Some stepped out of the house to see if our neighbors had power; some struggled through the house trying to find a candle; and I felt my way up the stairs to grab a flashlight.
After I found the flashlight, I also stepped out of the house to take a look at our community. Except some lights of the cars passing by on the streets, it was a pitch dark, including the traffic lights. Then, one after another, we started to see some candles lit up and you could hear people calling the power company and talking about whatever just happened.
Darkness is a scary thing. When power is out, you can’t see a thing; you don’t know what’s ahead of you and what you might be running into; and you don’t know what might come out to harm you. Darkness prevents people from seeing things clearly as they are and contributes to the promulgation of evil things.
As a result, in bible, darkness has always been associated with sin. For example, in John 3:19, the bible says, “This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed.” People under the power and authority of sin are described as “the people living in darkness.” (Matthew 4:16)
In today’s passage, Matthew said that there was darkness over all the land when Jesus was hung on the cross. This happened from noon time to about 3 o’clock in the afternoon, a time when it’s supposed to be bright. It would seem reasonable that, during this period of time, the holy Son of God carried the sins of all of us.
Paul said, “God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.” (II Corinthians 5:21) It was precisely at this point in time that our Lord Jesus took on all our sins and, as such, was forsaken by our heavenly Father.
The holy Father and the holy Son, who had always been one and never been separate, were separated for some time for our sins. I cannot even imagine the kind of pain He endured then. Yet, because God loves us, He took the initiative to pay the penalty of sin, i.e. separation from God, for us so that we will not be separated from God.
As we come close to the Good Friday, let’s ponder on the meaning and significance of the saving grace of God. The salvation of God is more than saving us out of the power of sin. It actually includes the redemption that brings us into the family of God and makes us children of our heavenly Father. We need to remember that, when it comes to redemption, a huge price was paid to redeem us on our behalf.
We did receive the salvation free. But that doesn’t mean that God paid no price for it. On the contrary, He did. So, since we were bought with great price, what must our life style be to deserve such a love and grace? The cross still stands to remind us of this undying love of God and of this amazing grace of our Lord Jesus. While so many around us are still in darkness, let’s not keep this good news to ourselves. As the psalmist said, “Sing to the Lord, praise His name; proclaim His salvation day after day.” (Psalm 96:2)
Prayer Requests:
For those fearful of what life may bring them.
Prayer:
Our loving God, thank You for Jesus, the Lamb of God, who endured the wrath of God for our sins. As we meditate on what our Lord accomplished on the cross on Calvary, help us be motivated to share this wonderful news with everyone that comes our way as an offering of thanksgiving to You. In the wonderful name of our Lord Jesus we pray, Amen!
Some time ago, when we were having dinner one night, all of a sudden, all the lights in the house went off. Everyone at the table sprang into action right away. Some stepped out of the house to see if our neighbors had power; some struggled through the house trying to find a candle; and I felt my way up the stairs to grab a flashlight.
After I found the flashlight, I also stepped out of the house to take a look at our community. Except some lights of the cars passing by on the streets, it was a pitch dark, including the traffic lights. Then, one after another, we started to see some candles lit up and you could hear people calling the power company and talking about whatever just happened.
Darkness is a scary thing. When power is out, you can’t see a thing; you don’t know what’s ahead of you and what you might be running into; and you don’t know what might come out to harm you. Darkness prevents people from seeing things clearly as they are and contributes to the promulgation of evil things.
As a result, in bible, darkness has always been associated with sin. For example, in John 3:19, the bible says, “This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed.” People under the power and authority of sin are described as “the people living in darkness.” (Matthew 4:16)
In today’s passage, Matthew said that there was darkness over all the land when Jesus was hung on the cross. This happened from noon time to about 3 o’clock in the afternoon, a time when it’s supposed to be bright. It would seem reasonable that, during this period of time, the holy Son of God carried the sins of all of us.
Paul said, “God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.” (II Corinthians 5:21) It was precisely at this point in time that our Lord Jesus took on all our sins and, as such, was forsaken by our heavenly Father.
The holy Father and the holy Son, who had always been one and never been separate, were separated for some time for our sins. I cannot even imagine the kind of pain He endured then. Yet, because God loves us, He took the initiative to pay the penalty of sin, i.e. separation from God, for us so that we will not be separated from God.
As we come close to the Good Friday, let’s ponder on the meaning and significance of the saving grace of God. The salvation of God is more than saving us out of the power of sin. It actually includes the redemption that brings us into the family of God and makes us children of our heavenly Father. We need to remember that, when it comes to redemption, a huge price was paid to redeem us on our behalf.
We did receive the salvation free. But that doesn’t mean that God paid no price for it. On the contrary, He did. So, since we were bought with great price, what must our life style be to deserve such a love and grace? The cross still stands to remind us of this undying love of God and of this amazing grace of our Lord Jesus. While so many around us are still in darkness, let’s not keep this good news to ourselves. As the psalmist said, “Sing to the Lord, praise His name; proclaim His salvation day after day.” (Psalm 96:2)
Prayer Requests:
For those fearful of what life may bring them.
Prayer:
Our loving God, thank You for Jesus, the Lamb of God, who endured the wrath of God for our sins. As we meditate on what our Lord accomplished on the cross on Calvary, help us be motivated to share this wonderful news with everyone that comes our way as an offering of thanksgiving to You. In the wonderful name of our Lord Jesus we pray, Amen!
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Obey Caesar
Scripture:
"Then Paul made his defense: "I have done nothing wrong against the law of the Jews or against the temple or against Caesar." (Acts 25:8)
Yesterday I took a vacation day to go fishing with some new friends. It had been a long time since I had done any fishing and I wanted to get to know them better. We left about 6 am and had a two hour trip to their favorite fishing place. During that time I found out that the place where we were going required a California fishing license and I do not have one. (I thought we were going to a pay-for-what-you-catch fishing place.) I was told that only one of my friends had a license but not to worry.
Now that did not make me feel very comfortable at all. So when the time came for me to borrow a fishing pole, I declined and told them I would just watch and enjoy the day.
The day went very well. I sat in the sun with the cool lake breeze for a while, then I went for a hike around the campsites that were near by. I took a short nap on one of the picnic tables and spent some time walking the shore and praying.
However, the day did not go so well for my fishermen friends. No, they did not get any tickets, but they did not catch any fish either. That's right. They told me that this was very strange and that this has never happened before. They told me normally they get at least 6 fish each but yesterday they did not even get any bites. It was like the fish had decided to swim to the other side of the lake yesterday.
Paul claimed that he did nothing wrong. What a powerful statement. Can we say that? Now don't think that I am boasting here. I am really not. Most of the readers of this blog would probably do the same thing as I did by obeying the laws. But, I do think that it is more than just a coincidence that nobody caught any fish.
ps. The fishing place where we went had an "honor" envelope to pay for fishing. They had not paid for the spot when we entered by they did when we left.
Request:
That we may continue to be a strong witness to the people God puts in our path.
Prayer:
Thank you Lord for using our lives to reach others.
"Then Paul made his defense: "I have done nothing wrong against the law of the Jews or against the temple or against Caesar." (Acts 25:8)
Yesterday I took a vacation day to go fishing with some new friends. It had been a long time since I had done any fishing and I wanted to get to know them better. We left about 6 am and had a two hour trip to their favorite fishing place. During that time I found out that the place where we were going required a California fishing license and I do not have one. (I thought we were going to a pay-for-what-you-catch fishing place.) I was told that only one of my friends had a license but not to worry.
Now that did not make me feel very comfortable at all. So when the time came for me to borrow a fishing pole, I declined and told them I would just watch and enjoy the day.
The day went very well. I sat in the sun with the cool lake breeze for a while, then I went for a hike around the campsites that were near by. I took a short nap on one of the picnic tables and spent some time walking the shore and praying.
However, the day did not go so well for my fishermen friends. No, they did not get any tickets, but they did not catch any fish either. That's right. They told me that this was very strange and that this has never happened before. They told me normally they get at least 6 fish each but yesterday they did not even get any bites. It was like the fish had decided to swim to the other side of the lake yesterday.
Paul claimed that he did nothing wrong. What a powerful statement. Can we say that? Now don't think that I am boasting here. I am really not. Most of the readers of this blog would probably do the same thing as I did by obeying the laws. But, I do think that it is more than just a coincidence that nobody caught any fish.
ps. The fishing place where we went had an "honor" envelope to pay for fishing. They had not paid for the spot when we entered by they did when we left.
Request:
That we may continue to be a strong witness to the people God puts in our path.
Prayer:
Thank you Lord for using our lives to reach others.
Monday, March 10, 2008
Do we know what we are doing?
Scriptures: ‘Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”’ (Luke 23:34)
The other day, I came across an article talking about an Englishman called John Newton. John started his sailing career when he was eleven. He went sailing with his father on a slave ship. That’s when he stepped into the slave trade and later became a captain of a slave ship himself.
He used to trade with African chiefs in a western African country called Sierra Leon. He would sell guns, jewelry, cloths, and many other things to them in exchange for slaves these chiefs caught in tribal wars. He would then ship these slaves to North America and then to England for huge profits. According to his diary, these slaves suffered extreme inhuman treatments. The living condition was even worse. Many of these slaves did not survive the voyage and were thrown overboard into the oceans.
One time, his ship ran into a sever storm and was severely damaged. The water kept coming in the ship. John thought for sure he was going to die. And, for the first time in life, he cried to God, “God, have mercy on us.” And, amazingly, the entire ship was saved and sailed to England safely.
John later recalled that he knew for certain that it was God’s grace that spared him. As a result, his life was completely changed and, later on, he left the slave trade altogether and became a faithful minister preaching the gospel of our Lord Jesus. Because of his background in slave trade, he knew the sinful nature of that trade.
Therefore, after he became a pastor, he also did everything he could to educate people of that time the dark and inhuman side of slave trading. His efforts inspired another Englishman by the name of William Wilberforce who later pushed for the abolition of slavery in England. An ex-slave-ship captain turned into an advocate of the abolition of slavery. What a dramatic change in life. Through his life, John Newton demonstrated the power of the gospel of Jesus.
More than the abolition of slavery, he also wrote a few hymns one of which is still well loved today, The Amazing Grace. In the first verse, he wrote, “Amazing grace, how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me, I once was lost, but now am found, was blind, but now I see.” He was deeply moved by the love and grace shown on the cross by our Lord Jesus. In the light of the salvation Jesus brought us, John saw the true state of himself, a wretched sinner.
He might have been in the wrong business and doing the terrible things to those innocent western African men and women. But that was because he did not know any better. Once he came face to face to his Savior, he knew what the right thing to do and he dedicated his life to the freedom of those enslaved.
Every time I read our passage today, I can’t help feeling that amazing and incomprehensible love of God. Even when Jesus was nailed and hung on the cross, He pleaded with our heavenly Father to forgive those people who put Him to death, and a death so horrible. We are those people. Yet, He interceded for us. He saw something in us, that is, under the power of sin, we don’t really know what we are doing, like John not knowing what he was doing when he was in slave trade.
But, thanks God for He has mercy on us and has redeemed us from sin so that we don’t have to go through our lives not knowing what we are doing. As the Good Friday and the Easter are coming, let’s meditate on the death and the resurrection of our Lord Jesus more. The passage today has been considered as the first thing Jesus said on the cross. As we stand before the cross once more, let’s ask for His help so we may truly understand what He has accomplished on that cross for us and so we may be transformed for His use and His glory!
Prayer Requests:
For those seeking treasure of this world and missing the ultimate goal and meaning God has for them.
Prayer:
Our heavenly Father, thank You for sending Your Son Jesus to set us free from the bondage of sin. We ask that Your Spirit help us to humble ourselves before Jesus, the Prince of Peace. As we stand before the cross, help us to look up to our Lord who hung there for us so we may see what You see, feel what You feel, and be willing to submit ourselves to You for Your glory! We pray in the precious name of Jesus, our Lord and Redeemer, Amen!
The other day, I came across an article talking about an Englishman called John Newton. John started his sailing career when he was eleven. He went sailing with his father on a slave ship. That’s when he stepped into the slave trade and later became a captain of a slave ship himself.
He used to trade with African chiefs in a western African country called Sierra Leon. He would sell guns, jewelry, cloths, and many other things to them in exchange for slaves these chiefs caught in tribal wars. He would then ship these slaves to North America and then to England for huge profits. According to his diary, these slaves suffered extreme inhuman treatments. The living condition was even worse. Many of these slaves did not survive the voyage and were thrown overboard into the oceans.
One time, his ship ran into a sever storm and was severely damaged. The water kept coming in the ship. John thought for sure he was going to die. And, for the first time in life, he cried to God, “God, have mercy on us.” And, amazingly, the entire ship was saved and sailed to England safely.
John later recalled that he knew for certain that it was God’s grace that spared him. As a result, his life was completely changed and, later on, he left the slave trade altogether and became a faithful minister preaching the gospel of our Lord Jesus. Because of his background in slave trade, he knew the sinful nature of that trade.
Therefore, after he became a pastor, he also did everything he could to educate people of that time the dark and inhuman side of slave trading. His efforts inspired another Englishman by the name of William Wilberforce who later pushed for the abolition of slavery in England. An ex-slave-ship captain turned into an advocate of the abolition of slavery. What a dramatic change in life. Through his life, John Newton demonstrated the power of the gospel of Jesus.
More than the abolition of slavery, he also wrote a few hymns one of which is still well loved today, The Amazing Grace. In the first verse, he wrote, “Amazing grace, how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me, I once was lost, but now am found, was blind, but now I see.” He was deeply moved by the love and grace shown on the cross by our Lord Jesus. In the light of the salvation Jesus brought us, John saw the true state of himself, a wretched sinner.
He might have been in the wrong business and doing the terrible things to those innocent western African men and women. But that was because he did not know any better. Once he came face to face to his Savior, he knew what the right thing to do and he dedicated his life to the freedom of those enslaved.
Every time I read our passage today, I can’t help feeling that amazing and incomprehensible love of God. Even when Jesus was nailed and hung on the cross, He pleaded with our heavenly Father to forgive those people who put Him to death, and a death so horrible. We are those people. Yet, He interceded for us. He saw something in us, that is, under the power of sin, we don’t really know what we are doing, like John not knowing what he was doing when he was in slave trade.
But, thanks God for He has mercy on us and has redeemed us from sin so that we don’t have to go through our lives not knowing what we are doing. As the Good Friday and the Easter are coming, let’s meditate on the death and the resurrection of our Lord Jesus more. The passage today has been considered as the first thing Jesus said on the cross. As we stand before the cross once more, let’s ask for His help so we may truly understand what He has accomplished on that cross for us and so we may be transformed for His use and His glory!
Prayer Requests:
For those seeking treasure of this world and missing the ultimate goal and meaning God has for them.
Prayer:
Our heavenly Father, thank You for sending Your Son Jesus to set us free from the bondage of sin. We ask that Your Spirit help us to humble ourselves before Jesus, the Prince of Peace. As we stand before the cross, help us to look up to our Lord who hung there for us so we may see what You see, feel what You feel, and be willing to submit ourselves to You for Your glory! We pray in the precious name of Jesus, our Lord and Redeemer, Amen!
Friday, March 7, 2008
Thank You Lord for America
Scripture:
But let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you. (Psalm 5:11)
Gloria sent me this email today. It is from a friend of hers.
Dear Friends,
We are home. I am home with this flu that is going around. Sure is a waste of time.
Our trip was physically very hard. I lost 10 pounds and got sick. I am glad I went, but would not go back to Egypt . It is a dirty, ungodly country. The smog in Cairo Egypt was terrible. There are 17 million people in that city and they just throw their trash in the streets. The Nile River is polluted. I don't know how such a people who built the pyramids regressed like they have. If the Arabs take over America , we will be a slum. And the noise pollution was terrible. They chant their Muslim prayers all day. Our tour guide was a Christian, and he was a fine young man, but the ungodliness of the population is everywhere. It was a real example of the difference of "light" vs "darkness." Jesus is truly the Light!
Israel was clean and wonderful. We could eat the food and drink the water. They were kind and loved us. They may not believe in Jesus but you can tell that God is in that land. It snowed in Jerusalem while we were there and it was cold, but we still toured. The Sea of Galilee was stormy and we went out on a boat a short distance, but came back to shore. The Bible is absolutely true about the fact that you cannot be out on the Sea of Galilee in a boat without the
danger of dying. We were amazed at the big waves and wind on that Sea or lake.
The weather cleared in Israel at the end of the week and we went to the Temple Mount on a beautiful morning. It was a time with the Lord. We stood at the Golden Gate where Jesus will return. It is sealed because the Muslims are concerned He will return! They even have one of their graveyards outside the gate thinking no King will come through a graveyard. But Jesus is coming! It shows the Muslim are concerned and may believe there is a possibility He will come. I stood and looked at that Gate, and was very moved to think I was standing at the very place where Jesus will enter Jerusalem again!
We did go into Bethlehem . We had to let our Jewish guide out of the bus, and our Arab bus driver drove us through the security gate. That high wall that you have been hearing about on TV is there, dividing Palestine and Israel . We then got a Christian guide when we got into Bethlehem . I was there twice before, once in l980 and again in l999 and there is a stark difference in Bethlehem since the Arabs have taken it over. There were hardly any tourists. We ate in a cafe on the square where I ate before which was packed with tourists, but today it was vacant except for us. They have killed their tourist trade. The Christians in Bethlehem asked us to pray for them, because they had no income now The Arab men on the 'manger square' glared at us. We did not feel safe and clung together. There were beggar boys everywhere. They hate Americans and Israel !!!!
There is so much I could say about this trip. It has changed my life in some ways. I look at the lostness of the Arabs and the darkness. I look at Israel ; that tiny country amidst such turmoil. If America does not continue to support, Israel I believe God will judge us severely as Americans. The Israelite soldiers were such fine young men and women. They are clean and disciplined and have great love for their land, which is something that is missing in America among some of our youth. I rode back to Lubbock from Dallas on airline with an American Air Force career soldier. He said the Israelite pilots were the best in the world. They can fly planes like no one else!
Lastly, we were asked everywhere about the Presidential race in America . There was great interest. The Jews came up to us and asked us many questions. They said they do not want the Clintons again. They warned us that Obama is a Muslim, not a Christian. In Egypt , the Arabs said the same thing to us; they said Obama is Muslim and they are amazed that Americans would consider electing a Muslim President of America !!
I came home loving America even more! Our country is a "light on a hill." Our streets are clean. There are no chants all day. People are kind and take their turn. People over there pushed into line and were rude. They have never heard of the Golden Rule. They will stomp all over you if they want to get in line. I can see now why Jesus' words of loving your neighbor and doing unto others, what you would have them do unto you, were strange words to the lost. The Koreans were the worse about walking all over us or trying to. We take our Christian heritage for granted here in my opinion. We have sanctity of human life. In Egypt , the Arabs don't have any hope so I can see why they would bomb people and commit suicide. They smoked cigarettes everywhere! I could not breathe in Egypt . The smog was so bad at the pyramids, I could tell I was getting sick. I would gag on the fumes.
We need to pray for America and this election every day.
God bless,
Prayer:
Thank you Lord for giving us the peace and freedom that we have here in the United States.
The world continues to need your salvation and your coming. We will serve you the best that we can until then and praise you forever. In Jesus Name
But let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you. (Psalm 5:11)
Gloria sent me this email today. It is from a friend of hers.
Dear Friends,
We are home. I am home with this flu that is going around. Sure is a waste of time.
Our trip was physically very hard. I lost 10 pounds and got sick. I am glad I went, but would not go back to Egypt . It is a dirty, ungodly country. The smog in Cairo Egypt was terrible. There are 17 million people in that city and they just throw their trash in the streets. The Nile River is polluted. I don't know how such a people who built the pyramids regressed like they have. If the Arabs take over America , we will be a slum. And the noise pollution was terrible. They chant their Muslim prayers all day. Our tour guide was a Christian, and he was a fine young man, but the ungodliness of the population is everywhere. It was a real example of the difference of "light" vs "darkness." Jesus is truly the Light!
Israel was clean and wonderful. We could eat the food and drink the water. They were kind and loved us. They may not believe in Jesus but you can tell that God is in that land. It snowed in Jerusalem while we were there and it was cold, but we still toured. The Sea of Galilee was stormy and we went out on a boat a short distance, but came back to shore. The Bible is absolutely true about the fact that you cannot be out on the Sea of Galilee in a boat without the
danger of dying. We were amazed at the big waves and wind on that Sea or lake.
The weather cleared in Israel at the end of the week and we went to the Temple Mount on a beautiful morning. It was a time with the Lord. We stood at the Golden Gate where Jesus will return. It is sealed because the Muslims are concerned He will return! They even have one of their graveyards outside the gate thinking no King will come through a graveyard. But Jesus is coming! It shows the Muslim are concerned and may believe there is a possibility He will come. I stood and looked at that Gate, and was very moved to think I was standing at the very place where Jesus will enter Jerusalem again!
We did go into Bethlehem . We had to let our Jewish guide out of the bus, and our Arab bus driver drove us through the security gate. That high wall that you have been hearing about on TV is there, dividing Palestine and Israel . We then got a Christian guide when we got into Bethlehem . I was there twice before, once in l980 and again in l999 and there is a stark difference in Bethlehem since the Arabs have taken it over. There were hardly any tourists. We ate in a cafe on the square where I ate before which was packed with tourists, but today it was vacant except for us. They have killed their tourist trade. The Christians in Bethlehem asked us to pray for them, because they had no income now The Arab men on the 'manger square' glared at us. We did not feel safe and clung together. There were beggar boys everywhere. They hate Americans and Israel !!!!
There is so much I could say about this trip. It has changed my life in some ways. I look at the lostness of the Arabs and the darkness. I look at Israel ; that tiny country amidst such turmoil. If America does not continue to support, Israel I believe God will judge us severely as Americans. The Israelite soldiers were such fine young men and women. They are clean and disciplined and have great love for their land, which is something that is missing in America among some of our youth. I rode back to Lubbock from Dallas on airline with an American Air Force career soldier. He said the Israelite pilots were the best in the world. They can fly planes like no one else!
Lastly, we were asked everywhere about the Presidential race in America . There was great interest. The Jews came up to us and asked us many questions. They said they do not want the Clintons again. They warned us that Obama is a Muslim, not a Christian. In Egypt , the Arabs said the same thing to us; they said Obama is Muslim and they are amazed that Americans would consider electing a Muslim President of America !!
I came home loving America even more! Our country is a "light on a hill." Our streets are clean. There are no chants all day. People are kind and take their turn. People over there pushed into line and were rude. They have never heard of the Golden Rule. They will stomp all over you if they want to get in line. I can see now why Jesus' words of loving your neighbor and doing unto others, what you would have them do unto you, were strange words to the lost. The Koreans were the worse about walking all over us or trying to. We take our Christian heritage for granted here in my opinion. We have sanctity of human life. In Egypt , the Arabs don't have any hope so I can see why they would bomb people and commit suicide. They smoked cigarettes everywhere! I could not breathe in Egypt . The smog was so bad at the pyramids, I could tell I was getting sick. I would gag on the fumes.
We need to pray for America and this election every day.
God bless,
Prayer:
Thank you Lord for giving us the peace and freedom that we have here in the United States.
The world continues to need your salvation and your coming. We will serve you the best that we can until then and praise you forever. In Jesus Name
Thursday, March 6, 2008
Life By Heart
But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” (1 Sam 16:7).
My husband Dave has a tremendous capacity for pegging a diamond in the rough. He has been involved in Scouting for years and has watched many young men develop from young, insecure boys into confident, successful adults. Many of these guys have stayed in touch over the years, sharing with us milestone events like college graduations, marriages and the birth of children.
There was one particular young man who came up through the troop years ago. I’ll call him John (not his real name). He had two brothers who had gone through Scouting with him, and while he is very brighty, he always seemed to end up on the short end of the stick in terms of accomplishments, and especially in his relationship with his family. He ended up homeless and drug-addicted, but every once in a while, he would make a concerted effort to clean up his act.
Dave always saw something in this young man and was always willing and eager to help him out. I have to admit that I wasn’t so sure, but I told my husband that I trusted him and would support whatever decisions he made with respect to John. Sometimes it meant giving John a bit of money to help him over a rough spot, providing food or clothing. Dave spent a lot of hours with this young man, teaching him skills to help him become a certified electrician. Although he would "fall off the wagon" every now and then, John always found the inner strength to get up and try again. Today he is drug-free and has a steady as an electrician in a friend’s general contract business. He is also a wonderful father to his own young son.
I am proud of my husband for sticking by John when no one else would. That fidelity reminds me of how God stands by us, even when we occasionally backslide in our life’s journey. I think that must be how the father in the Parable of the Prodigal Son saw things too. Even after the son squandered his inheritance by a life of perdition, his father never wrote him off. I can just imagine him walking out to the edge of his property every day, waiting to see if this was the day his son would return. Clearly, he saw the goodness in his son, and believed that would win out in the end.
As long as we are willing to get up and keep running the race, the Lord is there ready and willing to pick us up, dust us off, and give us what we need to continue the journey. So let’s pray for the grace to see with God’s eyes when we encounter difficulties with our children, with co-workers and others who we find troublesome. Jesus does not give up on them (or us). Because we are called to imitate Christ, neither should we.
Prayer Request: That we learn to look “into the heart” just as God does.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, we thank You and praise You for looking into our hearts and seeing our desire to love and serve Yu, even in those times when our actions don’t match our intentions. We pray that You purify our hearts so that what we do will more and more reflect our deepest desires and intentions. Help us to see one another as You see us, that we might grow in love of You and in love of our neighbor. We make this prayer through Christ our Lord. Amen.
My husband Dave has a tremendous capacity for pegging a diamond in the rough. He has been involved in Scouting for years and has watched many young men develop from young, insecure boys into confident, successful adults. Many of these guys have stayed in touch over the years, sharing with us milestone events like college graduations, marriages and the birth of children.
There was one particular young man who came up through the troop years ago. I’ll call him John (not his real name). He had two brothers who had gone through Scouting with him, and while he is very brighty, he always seemed to end up on the short end of the stick in terms of accomplishments, and especially in his relationship with his family. He ended up homeless and drug-addicted, but every once in a while, he would make a concerted effort to clean up his act.
Dave always saw something in this young man and was always willing and eager to help him out. I have to admit that I wasn’t so sure, but I told my husband that I trusted him and would support whatever decisions he made with respect to John. Sometimes it meant giving John a bit of money to help him over a rough spot, providing food or clothing. Dave spent a lot of hours with this young man, teaching him skills to help him become a certified electrician. Although he would "fall off the wagon" every now and then, John always found the inner strength to get up and try again. Today he is drug-free and has a steady as an electrician in a friend’s general contract business. He is also a wonderful father to his own young son.
I am proud of my husband for sticking by John when no one else would. That fidelity reminds me of how God stands by us, even when we occasionally backslide in our life’s journey. I think that must be how the father in the Parable of the Prodigal Son saw things too. Even after the son squandered his inheritance by a life of perdition, his father never wrote him off. I can just imagine him walking out to the edge of his property every day, waiting to see if this was the day his son would return. Clearly, he saw the goodness in his son, and believed that would win out in the end.
As long as we are willing to get up and keep running the race, the Lord is there ready and willing to pick us up, dust us off, and give us what we need to continue the journey. So let’s pray for the grace to see with God’s eyes when we encounter difficulties with our children, with co-workers and others who we find troublesome. Jesus does not give up on them (or us). Because we are called to imitate Christ, neither should we.
Prayer Request: That we learn to look “into the heart” just as God does.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, we thank You and praise You for looking into our hearts and seeing our desire to love and serve Yu, even in those times when our actions don’t match our intentions. We pray that You purify our hearts so that what we do will more and more reflect our deepest desires and intentions. Help us to see one another as You see us, that we might grow in love of You and in love of our neighbor. We make this prayer through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
Holding Hand
Scriptures: “So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate.” (Matthew 19:6)
Many years ago, my wife and I went to a wedding where we ran into an elderly couple. The gentleman was an elder in the church. They were very old then. The elder was either in his late 80’s or early 90’s. His wife was probably in her early to mid 80’s.
The elder was walking with a walking stick in one hand and with the other hand holding on to his wife. They walked slowly, but with great smiles on their faces, greeting everyone on the way. When we saw them, we were very happy because we went to the same church in Taiwan and also because it was really nice to see both of them still alert and in good spirit.
We went up to greet them and, in the conversation, we told them how good it was to see them alert and being able to attend the wedding. The elder replied, “All the things you just said were wonderful. But the hand I am holding onto is so much better than any of the things you just said.” I didn’t think much of it then, just admiring their love and closeness at such old age.
But, in the last few years, I have seen problems in a few marriages. Every time I was told of problems in marriages, the picture of this elderly couple appears in my mind. The way they walked together, holding hands and smiling at everyone that came their way seemed so warm, so hopeful, and so enviable. I am sure they had had their share of troubles and headaches in life. Yet, somehow, they found that the hand they were holding onto was better than even alertness and in good spirit.
I can’t help remembering what God said in the Bible when He first created man, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.” (Genesis 2:18) God knew it’s not good for us to be alone. There’re storms in life; there’re ups and downs in life; there’re high and down times in life. So, He sends along a couple of helping hands to support and comfort, another life to share and labor with.
God knows how weak and fragile we are, physically, emotionally and spiritually. Our spouse is the one He prepares for us. They are our partners in life. More than that, they are the supporting hands we need in life. He intends that we learn to love and cherish each other. He loves to teach us lessons of love and closeness in such a tangible way like marriage.
That elderly couple we met that day not only left a beautiful picture of what our marriage ought to be, they set an example of how a loving and lasting relationship should be. In deeds, not in words, they taught me great lessons about life, especially about marriage. I know I can apply the lessons here to my relationship with God.
In Taiwan, “Holding Hand” is another term for spouse. I suppose our ancestors have learned through experiences that these hands we hold onto work so much better than walking sticks. I pray and hope that we will all cherish the hands entrusted to us and learn to walk together in life with our “Holding Hand” in love and in closeness, as we should be with our Heavenly Father!
Prayer Requests:
For those losing focus in marriages to jobs, in-laws, children, health, etc.
Prayer:
Aba Father, thank You for sending those loving and supporting hands to us. Help us to see Your presence and anointing every time we are touched, comforted and encouraged by our “Holding Hands.” Help us love and cherish them more each day so we may grow mature and stronger in love and closeness to them and to You. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen!
Many years ago, my wife and I went to a wedding where we ran into an elderly couple. The gentleman was an elder in the church. They were very old then. The elder was either in his late 80’s or early 90’s. His wife was probably in her early to mid 80’s.
The elder was walking with a walking stick in one hand and with the other hand holding on to his wife. They walked slowly, but with great smiles on their faces, greeting everyone on the way. When we saw them, we were very happy because we went to the same church in Taiwan and also because it was really nice to see both of them still alert and in good spirit.
We went up to greet them and, in the conversation, we told them how good it was to see them alert and being able to attend the wedding. The elder replied, “All the things you just said were wonderful. But the hand I am holding onto is so much better than any of the things you just said.” I didn’t think much of it then, just admiring their love and closeness at such old age.
But, in the last few years, I have seen problems in a few marriages. Every time I was told of problems in marriages, the picture of this elderly couple appears in my mind. The way they walked together, holding hands and smiling at everyone that came their way seemed so warm, so hopeful, and so enviable. I am sure they had had their share of troubles and headaches in life. Yet, somehow, they found that the hand they were holding onto was better than even alertness and in good spirit.
I can’t help remembering what God said in the Bible when He first created man, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.” (Genesis 2:18) God knew it’s not good for us to be alone. There’re storms in life; there’re ups and downs in life; there’re high and down times in life. So, He sends along a couple of helping hands to support and comfort, another life to share and labor with.
God knows how weak and fragile we are, physically, emotionally and spiritually. Our spouse is the one He prepares for us. They are our partners in life. More than that, they are the supporting hands we need in life. He intends that we learn to love and cherish each other. He loves to teach us lessons of love and closeness in such a tangible way like marriage.
That elderly couple we met that day not only left a beautiful picture of what our marriage ought to be, they set an example of how a loving and lasting relationship should be. In deeds, not in words, they taught me great lessons about life, especially about marriage. I know I can apply the lessons here to my relationship with God.
In Taiwan, “Holding Hand” is another term for spouse. I suppose our ancestors have learned through experiences that these hands we hold onto work so much better than walking sticks. I pray and hope that we will all cherish the hands entrusted to us and learn to walk together in life with our “Holding Hand” in love and in closeness, as we should be with our Heavenly Father!
Prayer Requests:
For those losing focus in marriages to jobs, in-laws, children, health, etc.
Prayer:
Aba Father, thank You for sending those loving and supporting hands to us. Help us to see Your presence and anointing every time we are touched, comforted and encouraged by our “Holding Hands.” Help us love and cherish them more each day so we may grow mature and stronger in love and closeness to them and to You. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen!
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
Healing comes from Faith
Scripture:
A man with leprosy came and knelt before him and said, "Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean." Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. "I am willing," he said. "Be clean!" Immediately he was cured of his leprosy. (Matthew 8:2, 3)
For years I sat under a theology that believes that miracles do not happen today. However, over the last couple of months, believing that "faith comes from hearing the Word of God," I have been studying the scriptures asking God to anoint me with the power of the Holy Spirit so that my faith would grow and I would have divine understanding about miracles that would lead people to Christ. One of the first things I did was to record a number of scriptures about healing on to a CD so that I could listen to them in my car while I drive. This passage in Matthew was one of them. Now I have never seen what leprosy looks like so I researched the Internet a bit. It did not take too long to find many pictures of people suffering from this disease. http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&q=leprosy&btnG=Search+Images&gbv=2
One of the first ministry websites that I found was a ministry that built homes for lepers. http://www.indchurch.org/Leprosy-colony.html This is a wonderful ministry of compassion. Then I began looking for testimonies of lepers that were healed. I found lots of websites that "explained" this passage of scripture and many other websites about testimonies regarding all kinds of miracles. But I only found one place where it actually said that a leper was healed. http://www.breadsite.org/wpj96012.htm (There might be more I only looked quickly.)
There are two things I see in this passage: 1) The leper demonstrated his faith in Jesus' power to heal him by going to where Jesus was and 2) Jesus demonstrated his compassion for the leper by healing him instantly. The same seems to be true with the centurian who went to Jesus to ask that his servant be healed, but this time, the faith of the centurian was strong that Jesus did not even go and touch the servant and he was healed. (Matt. 8:5-10) It is obvious that faith is very important if we want to see miracles of healing. Jesus also said, "if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you." (Matt. 17:20) I can't move mountains, can you? Even if we look at this passage figuratively, which most theologians do, I still can't move mountains.
What does this lead me back to? To the Word of God and that the more I saturate my life with it the more my faith will grow, and the more my faith grows, the more I will have the power of God to accomplish the will of God. Jesus said,"You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it." (John 14:14) I know I want more faith to see God do great things in my life.
Request:
That God would grow our faith so that He can accomplish great things in, and through, our lives as we continue to spend time saturating ourselves in God's Word
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, we come to you as little children desiring to see our faith grow so that you can do miracles through us and lead many to know that you are the only Savior who can help them in this world and the only Savior who can get them to heaven. Help us to get rid of those insignificant things that consume so much time in our lives and fill us with your Word so that our faith grows. In Jesus' name. Amen
A man with leprosy came and knelt before him and said, "Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean." Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. "I am willing," he said. "Be clean!" Immediately he was cured of his leprosy. (Matthew 8:2, 3)
For years I sat under a theology that believes that miracles do not happen today. However, over the last couple of months, believing that "faith comes from hearing the Word of God," I have been studying the scriptures asking God to anoint me with the power of the Holy Spirit so that my faith would grow and I would have divine understanding about miracles that would lead people to Christ. One of the first things I did was to record a number of scriptures about healing on to a CD so that I could listen to them in my car while I drive. This passage in Matthew was one of them. Now I have never seen what leprosy looks like so I researched the Internet a bit. It did not take too long to find many pictures of people suffering from this disease. http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&q=leprosy&btnG=Search+Images&gbv=2
One of the first ministry websites that I found was a ministry that built homes for lepers. http://www.indchurch.org/Leprosy-colony.html This is a wonderful ministry of compassion. Then I began looking for testimonies of lepers that were healed. I found lots of websites that "explained" this passage of scripture and many other websites about testimonies regarding all kinds of miracles. But I only found one place where it actually said that a leper was healed. http://www.breadsite.org/wpj96012.htm (There might be more I only looked quickly.)
There are two things I see in this passage: 1) The leper demonstrated his faith in Jesus' power to heal him by going to where Jesus was and 2) Jesus demonstrated his compassion for the leper by healing him instantly. The same seems to be true with the centurian who went to Jesus to ask that his servant be healed, but this time, the faith of the centurian was strong that Jesus did not even go and touch the servant and he was healed. (Matt. 8:5-10) It is obvious that faith is very important if we want to see miracles of healing. Jesus also said, "if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you." (Matt. 17:20) I can't move mountains, can you? Even if we look at this passage figuratively, which most theologians do, I still can't move mountains.
What does this lead me back to? To the Word of God and that the more I saturate my life with it the more my faith will grow, and the more my faith grows, the more I will have the power of God to accomplish the will of God. Jesus said,"You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it." (John 14:14) I know I want more faith to see God do great things in my life.
Request:
That God would grow our faith so that He can accomplish great things in, and through, our lives as we continue to spend time saturating ourselves in God's Word
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, we come to you as little children desiring to see our faith grow so that you can do miracles through us and lead many to know that you are the only Savior who can help them in this world and the only Savior who can get them to heaven. Help us to get rid of those insignificant things that consume so much time in our lives and fill us with your Word so that our faith grows. In Jesus' name. Amen
Monday, March 3, 2008
Jesus Wept
Scriptures: “Jesus Wept.” (John 11:35)
In my life, I have been to many funerals, some for believers and some not. In general, I think I can argue that the funeral services for believers are peaceful and some are even praiseful. But, for the non-believers, the atmosphere is so heavy that, sometimes, I find it hard to breath there.
This is especially true when it comes to the burial service when the coffins were to be placed inside the tombs. The families of the deceased, for those non-believers, wailed so bad that you could sense the hopelessness in their hearts. To them, that was the point in time for an eternal separation. Death was such a horrifying destiny that it took away the life of the deceased and the hope of the living.
Therefore, whenever I read this passage, I can understand why the Jews wept when Lazarus died. But, at the same time, I can’t help ask myself this question: “What moved Jesus to tears?” It was apparent from the passage that He knew He was going to raise Lazarus to life. He even proclaimed that “I am the resurrection and the life.” (John 11:25) So, with the power to life in His hands, what caused Him to weep?
I think the answer is in the picture He saw then. That was a group of Jews, the chosen people of God, wailing over the death of Lazarus. It wasn’t that they did not know there’s life after death because Martha, in her response to the Lord’s comment, said, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.” (John 11:24)
But, the fact remained that they felt powerless and hopeless before death. They had once put hope in their Lord, hoping He could come earlier to prevent the death of Lazarus from happening. But, when it comes to death, they must have thought that “not even Jesus can do anything about it.” To them, death has the final say about anyone’s life, including those people of God.
I think that’s what moved Jesus to tears. It was human being’s inability to free themselves from the bondage of sin and the wage of sin and their fear-jammed faith that blocked their view of life-giving power and glory of the loving God that moved Him into tears. Although these are exactly the reasons why He came to us in the first place, this fear-filled life and the darkened view of God touched His heart deeply.
More than that, it was just about a week or two before the Passover and, by then, Jesus has performed so many miracles in their midst, including raising the daughter of Jairus and the young man at Nain. But they were still not able to see life the way God wanted them to see. They still lived under the shadow of death.
Today, as a New Testament era believer, let’s not be so quick in judging them. Having attended so many Good Friday and Easter services, let’s ask ourselves what our view of life and death is. It’s interesting to note that Jesus always proclaimed Himself to be the life, never the death. He said, “I am the way and the truth and the life.” (John 14:6) He also said, “I am the resurrection and the life.” (John 11:25) I think God is trying to tell us that, in Him, we receive life, not death, and that nothing can take it away from the people of God.
As the Easter of this year is coming close, I want to meditate on the very thing that moved Jesus to tears. He came to die so we may be delivered from death. Yet, if we care to look around, we are going to find so many people around us are still living under the curse, the power and the shadow of death. Will the very thing that moved our Lord to tears also move us to tears? Will the very thing that prompted Him to come and save us also move us to go and share this wonderful salvation from Him? Will we be the messengers who bring the glorious hope from Easter to them? May God help us!
Prayer Requests:
For those losing their loved ones
Prayer:
Our gracious Lord and Redeemer, help us to humble before You. Strengthen us so we may gain full confidence that You are the Lord of life and that we may be bold to proclaim the glory of Your resurrection and share this glorious hope You brought us with those around who have not yet enjoyed the power of the hope in You. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen!
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