The Christ Child

Scripture: And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger." (Luke 1:8-12)

And so began the humble beginnings of our Lord, Jesus Christ. It never ceases to amaze me how God chose to come into the world wrapped up in a tiny, defenseless baby Who would have to rely on His mother for all of his human needs for the first few years of His life. God. Who spoke life and light into existence, Who has no beginning and no end; omniscient, powerful, almighty God ... was once a tiny little baby who had to be cared for like any other infant. Wow!

It also gives me pause to wonder: was Jesus always aware of Who he was? At 6, did He know He had come into this world as Savior? Did this knowledge come to Him later? Did He ever feel the weight of the responsibility? Did Mary ever have to tell Him "no" when he tried to touch the cooking fire? Or did He already know it was hot? Was He a typical 2 year old Who said "no" and "mine" as He exerted His independence? But He was Jesus - did He bypass that stage?

Mary must have felt honored to raise Jesus; but did she ever worry about "messing up" as a mom? Can you imagine raising the Son of God, and Who you would be accountable to?

I realize these are rhetorical questions, and God had everything planned from the beginning from Who would raise to Jesus to how He would ultimately die and rise again. But in our human capacity, you have to admit, it is a fun brain twister to ponder the life of Christ, especially since nothing is spoken of His formative years.

I also marvel at the fact that shepherds and the magi were led to go see the Babe and pay Him homage, for they knew Who this baby was, and the prophecies He would fulfill. Again, I can't help but ponder ... can you imagine coming into the world and everyone knowing your destiny even before you were aware that you had one yourself?

Beyond all our musings and reflecting, there is only One Messiah, Christ, Savior. And I thank God the Father for limiting Himself in order to come into this world neatly packaged as a tiny little human baby to rescue us through His birth, death and resurrection. Oh how He loves us ...

Merry Christmas everyone. May you feel the warmth of His love and comfort as we all celebrate Jesus' birth; Christ the Savior.

Prayer: Father, we do thank You for showing us how much You love us through Your Son, Jesus, Who was fully God and fully man. And although we can never completely wrap our brains around that, it was because You loved us so much You sent down a Savior. Mere words cannot express our gratitude. May we all reflect upon the true meaning of Christmas as the world tries to pull us away from it's focus.

Prayer request: Lord, in all the hustle and bustle of the season, let us not forget why we are celebrating, and more importantly, WHO we are celebrating. Amen

The Changing Face of Christianity

Scripture: So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ. (Colossians 2:6-8)

So how did we lose "Christmas" and allow it to be turned into the generic word, "holiday"? How did the rainbow end up being the symbol for gay pride instead of a symbol of the promise that God would never destroy the earth by flood again?

We've been hijacked!! Christians are losing the symbols of our faith. Not that symbols are the central focus of our faith, but it's disturbing to see our Christian symbols disappear.

When my roommate excitedly told me how she was going to decorate for Christmas, I admit, I curled my nose at the idea. I'm not much for decorating. There's people who are creative with home projects and there are people that just simply aren't. If it wasn't for my friends, I would still be decorating any given room using cardboard boxes and milk crates as chairs and tables. My idea of "decorating" would probably still be the use of posters of rock bands on the walls. (Can girls have "Peter Pan" syndrome?)

I gave her a suggestion that she refused to consider. I told her we should test the "Big Bang Theory". You know how scientists believe that the earth, human-kind and the universe all happened to fall into place perfectly when, during some astronomical explosion a gazillion years ago, everything suddenly and spontaneously came into being? I told her to blow up the box that contained the Christmas decorations in the middle of the room to see if the cheery "shrapnel" would hang itself perfectly on the walls, the tree, and to see if the stockings would line up nicely ....

My roommate, you'll be happy to know, is the more sensible of the two of us. :)

It's tough to be Christian in the world, and much tougher during our holidays, when believers are being told their symbols are "offensive" to others, and yet, we are to be tolerant of everyone else's window displays, billboards, magazine covers and commercials and not to be so "uptight".

I believe times are changing, and it's time to change the way we spread the Word. The Gospel never changes, but the way the Word travels has evolved over time much the way the Bible is copied over and over again has changed - compared to the scribes of ancient times. It's time to "think outside the box" in order to reach the youth of today. There are so many ways I know we can use Myspace, Facebook, emails, texts and other forms of electronic data to our advantage. I have a friend who is ingeniously using Facebook to reach others and spread the gospel.

I think a sect of Christians should go "underground" like they do in other countries where it is illegal to BE a Christian, and have secret Bible studies. Kids love covert activities. Especially if they sound taboo.

Christians need to band together tighter than ever before and start brainstorming on how to reach Americans who's hearts are wounded, scarred and hardening towards all that is good. As darkness threatens to snuff out the light of the believers, our light needs to start shining brighter!

Prayer Request: Pray for the youth in America. Pray that God can heal them of the many emotional wounds we can't even begin to understand. Pray that the Lord can help us find ways to reach them.

Prayer: Lord, sometimes it feels like we, Your children, are as small as David, standing against Goliath, as we navigate through a world that is turning against You. Help us to be effective as we reach the youth and Americans in general, for Your kingdom.

Feeling Small?

Scriptures: “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small in the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.” (Micah 5:2)

One of my high-school friends was a very good basketball player. Even though he was only 5’ 3”, he was quick, agile and accurate. As a result, he was elected to play in our school’s basketball team.

One time, I saw him with his face down. So I asked him what went wrong. He shared with me the reason for his low spirit. He had a game that day with a pretty strong team and he was made one of the starting line and that made him very happy.

At one point in the game, he and his teammates were having troubles with their opponents’ defensive strategy. So he decided to dribble around, trying to break the opponents’ defense formation. Little did he know that the players on the other team were more than well trained and they moved much faster than he expected. So, while he was threading in and out, he found himself trapped by 3 “giants”, each of them more than 6’ tall.

I can still remember the way he described it, “It was like stepping into a forest with huge, giant trees all around you. I could not even see any light from above.” Then he went on to say, “I never felt this useless in my life, feeling so small.” At that time, I didn’t know what to say to him for I knew exactly what it felt like.

So often life comes with obstacles that prevent us from achieving our goals and make us feel small. The problem of feeling small is more than just the frustration over one thing. It often discourages us from moving on to other things in life and makes it difficult to be functional in life. Feeling small twisted the way we see ourselves and others. It deprives us of our sense of worth and meaning for life. It’s a terrible thing to have in life.

But thanks to God who does not see things the way we do. Our passage today is a well-known prophecy for the birth of Christ Jesus. Throughout the records of the birth of Jesus, we find something in common: the place He chose for Jesus to be born was a small town called Bethlehem, the parents He chose to raise Jesus was a materially poor couple, and the first witnesses to the birth of Jesus was a group of shepherds, people considered socially lowly then.

These are, in the eyes of man, insignificant places and people, small in the eyes of this world and, maybe, in their own eyes too. But, when used by the hand of God, they became great! No one knows where that manger used to hold baby Jesus is now; no one knows the names of those shepherds who visited baby Jesus in the manger, either. Yet, their roles in the redemption history cannot be over-stated.

As Christmas is quickly approaching and many of us may be feeling pretty small psychologically and financially, the blessings God has for us in this Christmas season are still great because what’s small in this world may be great in the Kingdom of God. This was true back then, when Jesus was born. It is still true today.

Through and beyond that manger, God had the greatest blessing for all mankind. Lowly as they were, that group of shepherds became the first missionaries that proclaimed the good news of the coming of Messiah. If a manger in an unknown inn in Bethlehem 2000 years ago was precious enough for His glorious purpose, aren’t we much more precious to Him?

So, this Christmas, let’s look beyond our feeling small and our circumstances and celebrate He who came and made all small things great for His glory. Remember, God is still in the business of doing extraordinary things through ordinary people, like you and me, in ordinary places, like the very places we are.


Prayer Requests:
For all Christmas celebrations

Prayer:

Our heavenly Father, thank You for blessing us with the best gift of all, our Lord Jesus, who brought light and meaning into our lives. As we are getting ready for the celebration of His birth, help us to invite Him into every celebration of His birthday and making Him the focus of this Christmas season for we pray in the precious name of our Lord Jesus Christ, Amen!

A Wonderful Way to Explain Death

A sick man turned to his doctor as he was preparing to leave the examination room and said, 'Doctor, I am afraid to die. Tell me what lies on the other side.'

Very quietly, the doctor said, 'I don't know...'

'You don't know? You're, a Christian man, and don't know what's on the other side?'

The doctor was holding the handle of the door. On the other side came a sound of scratching and whining, and as he opened the door, a dog sprang into the room and leaped on him with an eager show of gladness.

Turning to the patient, the doctor said, 'Did you notice my dog? He's never been in this room before. He didn't know what was inside. He knew nothing except that his master was here, and when the door opened, he sprang in without fear.

'I know little of what is on the other side of death, but I do know one thing.... I know my Master is there and that is enough.'


May today there be peace within you.

May you trust God that you are exactly where you are meant to be.

I believe that friends are quiet angels who lift us to our feet when our wings have trouble remembering how to fly.

Two Horses

Scripture: "My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me." (John 10:27)

My aunt sent me this inspirational forward.
I just had to share it, because I was so touched by it.
The author is unknown.

Just up the road from my home is a field, with two horses in it.

From a distance, each horse looks like any other horse. But if you stop your car, or are walking by, you will notice something quite amazing ...

Looking into the eyes of one horse will disclose that he is blind. His owner has chosen not to have him put down, but has made a good home for him.

This alone is amazing.

If you stand nearby and listen, you will hear the sound of a bell. Looking around for the source of the sound, you will see that it comes from the smaller horse in the field.

Attached to the horse's halter is a small bell. It lets the blind friend know where the other horse is, so he can follow.

As you stand and watch these two friends, you'll see that the horse with the bell is always checking on the blind horse, and that the blind horse will listen for the bell and then slowly walk to where the other horse is, trusting that he will not be led astray.

When the horse with the bell returns to the shelter of the barn each evening, it stops occasionally and looks back, making sure that the blind friend isn't too far behind to hear the bell.

Like the owners of these two horses, God does not throw us away just because we are not perfect or because we have problems or challenges.

He watches over us and even brings others into our lives to help us when we are in need.

Sometimes we are the blind horse being guided by the little ringing bell of those who God places in our lives.

Other times we are the guide horse, helping others to find their way.

Good friends are like that. You may not always see them, but you know they are always there.

Please listen for my bell and I'll listen for yours.

Prayer: Lord, like the horse with the bells on his harness, help us to hear Your voice, and obediently follow You. Guide our steps and lead us where You need us to go. Help us to not question or hesitate, but to follow Your beautiful voice. Amen.

Prayer request: For those of us who have become "hard of hearing", pray for open ears and open hearts to hear His voice more clearly and for us to follow more quickly.

The Strength of Your Faith

Scripture: “In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith – of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire – may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. “ I Peter 1:7

I watch the news frequently, admittedly, probably more than I should. Rather than play music while I sit at the computer and sign up for various temp agencies and posting my resume on one website or another, I listen to the news. I fully blame my mother. . She was a “news hound” if there ever was one, watching the news regularly. The older I get, the more I find myself being just like her. (I kind of like that!)

As unemployment rises, I hear statistics on how stressed out, bitter, angry and agitated the unemployed are. How many of those individuals polled, I wonder, consider themselves Christian? Not that I want to come off as judgmental. Nor do I think that as Christians, we should be joyous and happy and never feel any negative emotions. It is human, natural and expected to feel anything but elated when bad things happen.

But in life, we practice various disaster drills, depending on where we live. We have fire, earthquake, hurricane and tornado drills. Everyone practices drills in order to prepare for when the real thing happens. I believe this is a part of what faith is. We have faith in God to answer our prayer lists, our wish lists, to get us to our destinations safely, and we ask Him to bless the food we eat.

But when it comes to crunch time, and a crisis happens, does our faith strengthen – or weaken? Our faith should be a constant “practice drill” for God to come through for the big things in our lives, because all along, we should have been relying on Him for all the small things. Our faith is often tested through such “fire drills”. When I lose my truck keys and I am already 15 minutes late, when I get a prayer request for a friend of a friend’s troubled teen, when a friend asks for prayer for an audition to go well, I pray, and I pray for these “ little”, non-crisis events constantly. When a real crisis hits – I’m ready with a prayer and the belief that God is going to come through in His own special way in His own timing. My little prayers are, in essence, “practice drills” for the major things in life that come at me.

It is through such trials that we learn about ourselves, and the mettle of our faith. James 1:3-4 states, “..because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” Our faith is constantly being challenged as Christians. And just like working out with weights on a daily basis, hopefully these trials strengthen us as believers.

After moving through all the emotions of shock, despair, disappointment, anxiety, anger or whatever we feel at first, the idea is fall back on our faith, keeping in mind Who is REALLY in control. It is the hardest thing to do in our Christian walk. But absolutely necessary.

God provides, and we mustn’t lose sight of that. Luke 12:6-7 says, “Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.” What an awesome promise. God knows the number of hairs on our head, and cares more for each of us than any of us will ever know!!!

Rest in his strong, capable arms. He will carry you through your every trial and tribulation. Hang onto him, and however bleak your world seems, keep hanging on, because He will see you through.

Prayer: Lord, help us to rely more in you. Strengthen our faith. Help us each to surrender more and more to you each day, becoming a bigger reflection of Who You are. Amen

Prayer request: Pray for those who are in need of having their faith strengthened and the need to feel His presence in a big way.

Eating Too Much?

Scriptures: “Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed-not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence-continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to His good purpose.” (Philippians 2:12-13)

Last weekend, a group of brothers and sisters came to my house for fellowship. They were from several groups in my church, some from our English ministry, some our senior ministries, and others from young adult ministries. We got together to sing, praise, pray and share what God has been doing in our midst in the year past. The youngest one that night was 16 years old and the oldest one was probably older than 80. But age did not seem to matter, nor was the language barrier, because the joy and the love of God was there to bring everyone together as one.

As a matter of fact, the liveliness of the younger generations made everyone seemed younger, too. At one time, those young adults started singing with someone playing piano and guitar. The songs they sang were so inviting that everyone, old and young alike, joined them. They went back and forth singing songs in Taiwanese and in English, old hymns and contemporary praise and worship songs. Then some of them started to sing with sign languages and some started to dance to the songs and the uplifting spirit seemed to fill the entire room.

One of the most memorable parts of that evening was the dinner time, with the food they brought to share. Out of their love and generosity, the food they brought that night was amazing too, both qualitatively and quantitatively. At the end of that evening, we had to request that everyone bring some food home. Even then, there were still lots of leftovers. I think we were more stuffed than the turkey we had that night!

Now that the meeting was over, with all the wonderful food in us, we need workouts to get all extra weight we gained over the weekend off. I heard a brother commenting that, after Thanksgiving dinners, the readings of his height (in cm) and his weight (in lbs.) are the same now. As much as we are thankful for the abundance of blessings, it is also true that if we don’t work out, all these wonderful food we enjoyed so much then could become unneeded and unhealthy burdens for us later. Many health problems are results of over-eating and life-styles that do not have an element of regular workouts.

In many ways, I think our spiritual health works the same way. For a nominal church-goer, if faithfully attending Sunday services, he/she would have at least listened to 52 messages a year. I am sure every preacher would do their best to pack the messages that can both uplift the spirits of the congregation and train them for good works. Yet, how many of us actually put the messages from our pastors / preachers to practice in life regularly and conscientiously?

Worse than that, I found many people, having heard the messages time and again, became insensitive to the implications and challenges in the messages received. Their response to the message would usually be, “Yea, I’ve heard of that before. There’s nothing new!” I feel so bad for people responding that way. For the preacher, it’s like a parent teaching his/her children about something important. The parent would try every possible means to repeat the lesson / points, hoping that the points would be ingrained in the minds and hearts of the children. But, if the child responded with, “I know!” but did nothing about it, it would really break the heart of the parent. I would really love to hear people say that, “Yes, I’ve done that. So, what’s next?”

All spiritual blessings, including the messages from the pulpit and from the sharing of brothers and sisters, are meant to equip and empower us to do the good work God has called us to. We need to pray for wisdom and empowerment from God that we can put them into practice so others may be blessed by them, too, for this is the good will of God.

For our health, obesity is not a desirable thing to have. This is true both physically and spiritually. The need for physical fitness is much easier to see, the scale and a host of home-use medical equipments can help us identify the problem and take appropriate actions. But the spiritual fitness is much harder to see. So, at this Thanksgiving, let’s resolve to keep our ears open with humble hearts so we can hear God’s messages and directions through His Spirit, His Word and His people. Let’s resolve to train our hands and legs agile so we may be quick to live and practice what’s been taught us; some weight lifting, carrying others’ burdens and sorrows; some running, to and fro places of those in need of cares and prayers; and some hiking that will take people in need of shelter to high places and refuges that our Lord provides. Let’s resolve to take part in any training programs our church offers to keep us fit, physically and spiritually, and to take us where our Lord wants us to be!

Prayer Requests:
For those who love to be an audience, but not a servant in the church

Prayer:

Father God, You are the source of all blessings. Thank You for the provisions, the protections, and the guidance You have for us out of Your riches. As we learn to give thanks for all the amazing things You are working in our lives, help us to come humbly before You to ask for empowerment to help us to live and to share Your riches with others through words and through deeds. Help us to become faithful examples of Your love and Your grace so our Lord Jesus can be exalted in our lives for we pray in the wonderful name of our Lord Jesus, Amen!

Thankful

Scripture: Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.(I Thessalonians 5:16-18)

Tomorrow we gather together with family and friends on this special holiday to give thanks in remembrance of the Pilgrims who escaped to America from religious persecution in England. This day is also set aside to give thanks to God for all of His blessings throughout the year.

It's a special day that both believers and non-believers celebrate. But it has special meaning to Christians, as we also endure persecution in America for our beliefs. But fortunately for us, we don't face death for practicing our faith. But we do struggle as Christians in a world that continues to push values, morality and God away in every venue.

Despite the difficulties we encounter here on earth, we must remember all we do have to be thankful for on a daily basis. I have a Facebook account, and one of my cousins offered up a challenge to her friends: To write something we are thankful for every day leading up to Thanksgiving. So for the better part of 2 weeks, I have posted something I was thankful for. Most have been serious, being thankful for my friends, family and parents. A few have been silly ... being thankful for the existence of macaroni and cheese.

But the exercise brought to mind the fact that there is much to be thankful to God for on a daily basis. I used to wake up every morning, and immediately, I would thank God for my health, the air in my lungs, for the ability to get out of bed, for bringing me into the world. I don't know when I got out of that habit, but it seems like a great habit to get back into.

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you, my readers. May you be blessed this Thanksgiving with safe traveling mercies and the good company of friends and family. And may you find something to be thankful for every day beyond this special, national holiday.

Prayer: Father, we thank You for Your tender blessings upon each of us as we enter into the holiday season. Help us to remember Who the holiday celebrations are really about, and turn our eyes to You each waking moment. Enrich our relationship with You more and more as we recognize all that we are thankful for in our lives.

Prayer request: Pray for those outside of the United States who must practice Christianity in secret for fear of losing their lives if discovered. Pray for our missionaries abroad who risk their lives every day to spread the Gospel.

A Break for Thanksgiving!

Scriptures: “Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” (I Thessalonians 5:16-18)

Our church always celebrates Thanksgiving on the Sunday before the Thanksgiving holiday. This year is no exception. Early in the morning yesterday, before the service started, many brothers and sisters were already in the church, busy getting everything ready for the celebrations. The Worship Band was on the stage practicing, people were getting their food ready for the pot-luck and arranging tables and furniture in the fellowship areas.

One of the sisters was putting fruits and vegetables on the altar as a symbol of the harvest the Lord has blessed us and as a symbol of our offering in return to God, the source of all blessings. She was also making flower arrangements while the Worship Band was practicing. As soon as the Worship Band finished one song, with their beautiful voices and the music arrangements, this sister stopped and made a comment on how wonderful it was to be able to praise, worship and, at the same time, offer our thanksgiving to the Lord.

When I heard her saying that, I thought to myself, how true it is! Year in and year out, our schedules are always filled with things to do, family chores, children education issues, church meetings, career challenges and opportunities, and the list goes on. Seldom do we stop, like this sister, and ponder for a moment how blessed we are year in and year out.

Life is amazing. The very same thing that brought meaning to us can very well deprive us of all blessings God has in mind for us, too. Sometimes our dedication to the ministry becomes a burden, or even a bondage, to us, like what happened to Martha (Luke 10:40). We see the tasks at hand and lose sight of the reason why we started the ministry in the first place.

Sometimes, the troubles we had were just too much for us that we were all so wrapped up in finding the solutions that we actually missed the solutions and the blessings thereof. We forgot that the sufferings we had could have been His means to make us stronger and more faithful. We forgot that the things we lost could have actually given us new doors and opportunities that we would otherwise not be able to see. We forgot that, in all things, He continued to work to make sure we are lead into His riches one thing at a time. And, whenever we lose sight of Him in our lives, we lose the drive and the capability to give thanks to Him.

Moreover, some may think this is the season of thanksgiving. But, to Apostle Paul, this “season” is a year-round season for he said we need to “be joyful always; pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances, for this God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” (I Thessalonians 5:16-18) “In all circumstances” was the setting for giving thanks, not just in good circumstances. How do we do that?

I think the key is to stop every once in while and ponder on the goodness of God, like that sister in Christ did. Whenever we stop, let’s take a step back and pray to God for His presence and guidance so we can see what He has done in our lives, how He has brought us closer to His heart in the width, the depth, the length and the height of His grace, and the kind of character He is building in us so we “may be equipped for every good work.” (II Timothy 3:17)

So, this Thanksgiving, let’s take a moment to ponder who God is, how He has blessed us in every up and downs, and how He is the blessing for us in every situations. Praise and thank Him for He is good! Amen!

Prayer Requests:
For those labor in Christ

Prayer:
Father of all blessings, we thank You for the goodness You have shown us through Your giving and through Your taking away. We know that Your thoughts for us are thoughts of blessings. Help us to grow and live to be blessings You have in mind for all people around us because we pray in the precious name of our Lord and Redeemer, Jesus, Amen!

Unrecognized Love

Scripture: “Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.” (I John 4:7)

Love, I don’t need to tell you, is a pretty powerful emotion. Yet, I find it amazing that despite a diverse range of emotions where we feel “love”, our English language has only one word in our vocabulary that covers it all.

There’s our first crush as children, when we describe what we feel is “love”. There’s our first boyfriend or girlfriend love. Man and wife love. Love between close friends. Parent-child, brother-sister, extended family members, father figures, mother figures, even a love we have for our pets.

At some point in our lives, we often realize we have a love for someone and didn’t even realize it until a crisis happened.

This week, one of my cousins emailed me and let me know her dad (my uncle) had been injured in a tumble down the stairs at his home. He bumped his head, required stitches, and is in the hospital for observation. He’s in good spirits, and there doesn’t seem to be any permanent damage. But upon hearing this news, it occurred to me, as I emailed my cousin back, how much her father meant to me.

My father passed away when I was a little girl. I grew up with very few positive male figures in my life. Unfortunately, as a result of being born the last of five children, I did not grow up with my two older brothers. By the time I was 7 years old, both brothers had joined the Air Force.

But then there was this particular uncle. He has always brought me joy since I was a child, because there was a “private joke” between the two of us – and my parents. Every time we went to his house, he would always playfully stop me at the front door, stoop down to see my face, and with his thumbs, he would part my bangs and say something in Spanish that would make all the grownups laugh.

I never felt laughed at or teased, but rather – I was included in something endearing. I could tell they were laughing at whatever he was saying – all I knew is it had something to do with his parting my bangs. I was not brought up bilingual, so I wouldn’t know for years what he said.

As I relayed to my cousin how her dad has always held a special place in my heart, because I always kind of looked forward to that endearing exchange at the front door, I realized I hold a special kind of love for him I never realized I had. I was in so much pain as a child that no one knew about, and he was a light in that darkness. (I didn’t tell her that last part, by the way.)

Having realized this, I have decided to sit down today and write him a card – and let him know what those humorous exchanges as I entered his home meant to me. As far as I can remember, he is tone of few male figures in my life that stopped what he was doing, and paid special, positive attention to me. Even if it was for just a moment.

It also makes me think of one of my little cousins who is 3 years old and is being raised by a single mom. I know how hard being a single mom is – not from personal experience, but from knowing friends and family that have been single parents. It’s not an easy route. And sometimes I see the wear and tear on both mother and son.

I hope I can be to my baby cousin what my uncle was for me; an occasional respite from the storms in his life. I hope I can give my cousin that positive feeling that my uncle gave me when I most needed it.

So I ask you this question: Who has been a respite in your life at one time or another? Who has shined a light in the tunnel of emotions when you needed it most? I encourage you to think about this – and drop them a card or letter. Don’t wait for a crisis to happen – brighten someone’s day today - just because!

And by the way, I would later learn what my uncle was saying. But it loses its true meaning (and humor) in the translation from Spanish to English. Just something to do with “Who turned out the lights?” And when I visit my uncle to this day – he often still stops me at the door – parts my bangs with his thumbs – and says that same phrase. And it never gets old; especially to see the smile on his face and joy it brings to him, my aunt and me.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for the people You bring into our lives to shine light into our darkness. And more than that, Lord, I ask you to help each of us to BE that light for someone in need, especially as the holidays draw near. More than that, let our light shine far beyond the holidays. Use us to bring joy and peace to those who need it all year long. Amen

Prayer request: Pray for those who find the holidays difficult; who feel alone and distant from family and friends. Pray also for God to use you in the lives of others, to bring a ray a hope, a reprieve from emotions that dampen their joy.

Home Lost & Found

Scriptures: “For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. Now it is God who has made us for this very purpose and has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.” (II Corinthians 5:4-5)

Last night, there was a news on TV. It was the Sayre Fire Anniversary Commemoration for the Oakridge community in Sylmar. At the end of this event, the reporter interviewed a couple of residents there. One man said, “It was good to be back.” But another woman did not share his joy. When asked, she said she was happy to be back in the community. But she cried when she stepped into her new home.

“Why?” the reporter asked. She said, though it was a wonderful new house, she did not feel it was her home. “A home should be a place with a lot of memories in there. But I don’t have any memories in this new house. It’s just a house, not my home yet.”

How true is that! A home is more than just a house. It’s a place where we receive love, rest, comfort, and encouragements; it’s a place where we turn to for warmth and healing in life; it’s a place where we receive preparation, protection, and guidance for life; and it’s a place where we grow and mature in life, physically and spiritually. And, in going through them all, God blesses us with the memories of all these wonderful functions of an earthly home as reminders of what He has in store for us in His family.

Apostle Paul, in I Timothy 3:15, said, “…if I am delayed, you will know how people ought to conduct themselves in God’s household, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth.” (I Timothy 3:15) Yes, church is God’s household and we are all members of this household. That’s why we call each other brothers and sisters and call ourselves children of God because we all belong to the same family.

The tragic story of that interviewed lady also reminded me of how our earthly estates are not dependable. Natural disasters, economic downturns, and human carelessness can sweep them away right before our eyes. When we attach our memories to these short-lived earthly possessions, their existences are as good and as long as these possessions are there. Once they are gone, we feel like floating ships that find no place for anchor. But, if we attach our memories to something permanent, better yet, something eternal, then we don’t ever have to be concerned with losing these wonderful memories. Early men and women of God had recognized this, as the author of the book of Hebrew said, “All these people … were longing for a better country-a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them.” (Hebrews 11:13, 17)

To many of us, we think we have two homes, one earthly and one heavenly. But I wonder why we need to make such distinctions, if they both should mean the same to us. I wonder what crosses God’s mind when He hears us distinguishing our earthly home from His. Why not make the “two” homes one? What if our earthly home is also the heavenly home? What if we put in efforts to make our church as warm and loving as our earthly home? What if we build up our brothers and sisters in Christ the same way we would build up our children or siblings? What if we make sure all those in our church are prepped and guided and grow by the teachings of God? I am convinced the presence and impact of the Kingdom of God would be greatly expanded! Jesus told us that anything we store in heaven cannot be stolen, be rotten, and be taken away. Wouldn’t it make more sense to invest more in values that are eternal?

President Kennedy once said, “Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country.” I think the same is true for church, our heavenly family. Imagine what church would be like if we all treat her like our home, instead of a meeting place; if we all seek to serve and to build, instead of to take and to demand. How much easier it will be for others to seek, to find, and to be satisfied by the love of God through His loving family in us!

Prayer Requests:
For the victims of natural disasters

Prayer:

Father God, please help us to build up our homes the way You would build up Yours. May Your joy, love, hope and peace fill our homes that all who come in may be blessed with the salvation in Lord Jesus and with the empowerment from the Holy Spirit to explore Your riches as we pray in the wonderful name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus, Amen!

What We Think ....

Scripture: Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think about such things. (Philippians 4:8)

It's so easy to read straight through scripture, sometimes like a good novel. Like I & II Samuel in the bible. These two books contain the story of David as a boy, becoming king, developing into a warrior, a man of God, his struggles, journeys, battles, romance, intrigue and deceit. (Sounds like the trailer for a really good action movie, doesn't it?) Crack open your bible! You'll see I'm not making it up!

On the other hand, much of the bible should be "consumed" in smaller amounts. Not just frivolously sped through, but meditated upon. Savored. Like the scripture above. Consider the list: true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, praiseworthy. We are to "think about such things."

If this is our "assignment" - what IS true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable and praiseworthy in our world today? What exactly should we be thinking of? I looked up each word in the dictionary. See what I discovered.

True: "...being or reflecting the essential or genuine character of something ... conforming to or consistent with a standard, pattern, or the like;"

Noble: Have you ever wrapped your mind around something described as "noble"? "...of an exalted moral or mental character or excellence; lofty ... admirable in dignity of conception, manner of expression, execution, or composition."

Right: "In accordance with what is good, proper, or just ... a moral, ethical, or legal principle considered as an underlying cause of truth, justice, morality, or ethics."

Pure: "Free from anything of a different, inferior, or contaminating kind; free from extraneous matter", free from foreign or inappropriate elements", untainted with evil; innocent."

Lovely: "Having a beauty that appeals to the heart or mind as well as to the eye ... of a great moral or spiritual beauty."

Admirable: "worthy of admiration; inspiring approval, reverence, or affection".

Praiseworthy: "deserving of praise; commendable"

So there you have it. I wish I knew biblical Greek, because I would love to know what the Greek definition of each of these were - because the Greeks have far deeper meaning in their language. But the English language doesn't mess around.

In the definition of "true" I found it interesting to see "...reflecting the essential or genuine character of something". For us, that Something can only mean the true and genuine character of Christ. As we become more Christ-minded - we can only radiate His presence in us. Replace the word "something" in the definition above with "Christ". Replace "with 'a' standard" to "with Christ's standard" and you get an idea of what true things we should be thinking about.

Noble. Wow. It is only through our relationship with Christ that we could come anywhere near having "exalted moral or mental character"! Exalted: raised, elevated, lofty. It is not through our own power we could have such strong moral and mental character. Imagine arriving in such a state. Not impossible, but lofty, indeed. I could only hope to think so nobly.

As Christians, we all try to lead the "right" kind of life; good, just and moral. Often it's all about listening to our conscience. That still, small voice that we call the Holy Spirit that tells us to either do something - or not. The hardest part is not only hearing the voice - but obeying it.

I believe purity comes from actively filtering out what we listen to or choose to watch through the various media we are involved with. It's my personal belief that purity is either developed or lost through the eyes and ears, because what we see and listen to can lead our actions; be it for good or for evil. Water, silver, gold are all purified by removing impurities. What impurities in your lives need to be filtered out? I believe thinking of one's purity makes one want to make changes in their lives!

Lovely can apply to the heart, mind, and soul as well as to the visual. The word "lovely" seems like such a feminine word. But the last part of the definition says "... of a great moral or spiritual beauty." I can't put words to this only to say the closer relationship one develops with Christ, the more one can't help but transform into a creature of beauty with high moral character and spirit within that will radiate through one's actions and encounters with others.

The definition above seems a little self serving for "admirable." But I have known strong Christians that I DO admire because I desire to have their characteristics. The word Jesus flows off their lips with such love, every thing they do is for others in a genuine way, they encourage others wherever they are. Christ in them POURS out upon believers and non-believers alike. This is admirable. This is something to think on - and figure out a way to walk so close to God that others KNOW you are a Christian without a doubt. And isn't that the kind of representative we want to be?

Who or what is more praiseworthy than God? But we can also lift up our sisters and brothers in the Lord who are on the right track, walking right, striving to better their spiritual lives, touching others, giving of themselves. Not that we praise THEM - but Christ IN them, causing them to be transformed by Christ in all they do.

Think on such things indeed! That's a long list that should keep us all busy for quite some time. There is a saying I heard long ago, "So you think, so shall you be." I'm not sure of the origin of that saying, but how true it is. The mind is a powerful tool God has given us. We can use it for good or for evil. We can use it in wise endeavors or waste it away.

What will YOU think about today? :)

Prayer: Lord, with each blog we read, the scriptures we learn from, the direction we get from You, we ask You to help us to become more and more like You. Help us to focus on the seven things you listed above and not let the world around us dictate what we should think or even worry about. Conform us, mind, body and spirit to be like You. Amen.

Prayer request: Though the news is bleak in the world today, the economy is bad and there are wars overseas; though we all have our personal, financial and emotional struggles, one thing is constant: Christ; never changing, always faithful. Pray for those who are less fortunate than we are. Draw closer to God and further from the media. And never, ever forget Who is really in control.

Playing to One Conductor

Scripture:
"The eye cannot say to the hand, 'I don't need you!' And the head cannot say to the feet, 'I don't need you!' On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor" (1 Cor 12:21-23).

I watched as the conductor looked over to the violin section, then the percussion, then there was a seemingly insignificant lady standing way back in the corner waiting to play her one or two notes on a chime-looking instrument. "Who would even notice if she didn't play her instrument?" I wondered to myself. "The conductor would," said the still voice in my spirit.

An orchestra is a great picture of the way the Body of Christ should operate. It is made up of different people with different gifts, all being led by the one Great Conductor, telling us when to use our gift in the right time. I am sure the lady in the back of the room who only plays a few notes must think she doesn't measure up to the great violinist who sits right up close to the conductor.

However, imagine if you slowly removed each member of the orchestra, one at a time. At first you may not notice any difference without a trained ear. But as you remove each member of the orchestra, you will begin to miss the powerful and melodic sound of many instruments playing together. Finally, when all but a few of the instruments are removed, you notice a big difference in the sound and the void left from key instruments.

Imagine if these instruments tried to go out and play songs all by themselves. Imagine if the tuba tried to play a solo. Or the oboe did the same. You get the idea.

Every member of the Body of Christ matters. Every job matters to God and contributes to our great Conductor's grand plan to fulfill His purposes on the earth. Your contribution matters to God and has no hierarchy of importance.
Play your instrument to the glory of God in unison with the other instruments God has raised up for His purposes.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, thank you for the individual parts that we play in the orchestra of life. You are a good conductor and we glorify your name as we follow your leading. Amen

-Church Growth Institute, PO Box 7, Elkton, MD 21922-0007 USA

Clothing Choice

Scriptures: “Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.” (Colossians 3:12)

Last weekend, my church went to Cambria which is located on the Pacific Coast and has beautiful scenery. A lot of people were also there enjoying the beauty of God’s creation. Many of them were very old, some even went in their wheelchairs. It was morning when we got there. It was somewhat cloudy and the air was still a bit crisp, but luckily, it wasn’t windy.

As we were walking on the path, we saw an elderly man walking a couple of puppies. The puppies must have been excited by the walk along the ocean. They kept running around and around. This poor elderly man was trying to take control of these 2 excited puppies with one hand while trying to stay on his feet with a cane in the other hand.

Then, all of a sudden, for no apparent reason, the puppies started to run around and between his legs. It didn’t take long before these 2 puppies tied their leash around his legs, together with his cane. Though it was not a huge trouble, judging from the way he moved around, it was a predicament for this elderly man to even sit or bend down to untie them. I can still remember the way he stood still there, fearing that any move might push him off balance and make him fall. This elderly man first laughed and then, realizing his troubles, began to ask for help.

An elderly woman nearby immediately went up, bent down, and began to call the puppies. Apparently, she did not know these puppies. But she gently guided these puppies to untangle the leash and, in no time, this elderly man was freed.

That was a picture hard to forget. It wasn’t a big problem, but it needed kindness, gentleness and patience. That’s what that elderly lady demonstrated. The way she stooped and called the puppies to untie the old man was a living reminder of our verse today.

I don’t think, when she decided to go to Cambria, she had her mind set to take on this act of kindness. But, as the situation arose, she rose to the situation and naturally showed her kindness to this man in need. She did not blame it on the clumsiness of the old man to allow himself tangled up in the leash. She did not hesitate because she might lose some wonderful time enjoying the beautiful scenery. All she saw was a man in need and it was this need that she responded to. In my view, that was the most beautiful part of that ocean view that morning.

The Apostle Paul asked that we, as the chosen people of God, be clothed in “compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.” (Colossians 3:12) I think he made such a request because: 1) we are “God’s chosen people” (Colossians 3:12) and this identity demands the display of certain qualities of a life behind it, and 2) such qualities are to be displayed as they are natural products of the quality of life within. That’s why he asked that we be “clothed” in.

Like that elderly lady, the situation may present itself with or without our anticipation. When this happens, we always have a choice. We can choose to move on as if nothing happens. But we can also choose to stop and offer our help. Bible is very clear that, when we are clothed in these virtues Paul identified, we will do well to rise to any and all situations as the chosen people of God.

With the never-ending list of problems in life and the twisted moral standard, the needs of people for love, peace and kindness have never been greater. It really doesn’t take a lot of social resources or a project to deliver these badly needed comfort and support. With kindness in heart and the willingness to spend time with the needy, we can deliver the love, peace, freedom, and comfort needed one person at a time. More importantly, by doing so, people would recognize this “uniform” of God’s chosen people and give glory to Him!

Prayer Requests:
For the quality of life of seniors with mobility problems

Prayer:
Father, please help us to see and to serve the needs of all those around us with grateful hearts, especially those who are less mobile and more vulnerable. Help us to be open to Your love and grace always so we may share them in acts of kindness to those in need as we pray in the gracious name of our Lord Jesus Christ, Amen!

Unexpected Encounters with God

Scriptures:

Genesis 39:3-6 - Joseph, after being abandoned by his brothers, is made attendant to Potiphar and blessed by God.

Exodus 3:23 - Moses encounters God in a burning bush

Luke 1:31 - Mary becomes mother of Jesus

2 Corinthians 11:25-27 Paul – A servant of Christ: beaten, stoned, shipwrecked, deprived of sleep, food, and experienced cold and nakedness. Yet continued to spread the word of God.

I couldn’t think of one single scripture to begin my blog with. Instead I could think of several.

All the scriptures above have to do with being surprised by God. We pray for specific things, and God answers in surprising and unexpected ways. We are walking along, minding our own business and we have an encounter with someone that really needed to hear about our belief in God: right time, right place. We think we are in step with God when suddenly we find ourselves in a storm of uncertainty and doubt; everything seems to be “going wrong” for a season - until things "go right" again. Or we are finally fulfilling a dream when all at once it is taken from us, and we're left wondering why – only to have it handed back to us in time.

God is certainly an unpredictable God. Always good, patient, loving and faithful. However, we are frequently unable to predict just how He is going to work out His will in our lives - whether we are actively looking for it or not!

An example taken from my own life experience happened In 2000, when I finally decided to fulfill my lifelong desire to play drums. I bought an old set and began taking lessons. At the time, it didn't matter I had no prospects of joining a band, I just wanted to follow my hearts' desire, because I always enjoyed the sound of strong percussion in music.

In 2001, I was asked to begin training for the first all women band ("worship team") in our church. Many of us were beginners, and the director would take time with each of us to learn each song. It was an amazing time for me as my dream was coming to fruition. It was my passion to play drums, but naturally, my dream to become a part of a band some day.

We were beginning to really "gel" together, our sound improved with each practice, we began playing songs solidly, one after the other, and finally we debuted during a women's conference! Life was grand! I was so excited to be used by God to play music for Him!

And then the lead guitarist was called away from rehearsals and the team due to unforeseen circumstances - and we didn't have anyone to take her place. So only a few weeks after our debut - we disbanded.

For a while, some ex-band members and I got together and created our own band outside of church. We began rehearsing on our own, created some of our own worship music, even performed at a Relay for Life in our home town in front of hundreds of people. Again, it was a blessing to be used by God in such a way. During one of our originally written pieces at the Relay, we were told by some friends that a hush came over the stadium as we played this beautiful song about God. People stopped to listen.

For my 40th birthday, my best friend raised money through friends and family to help me get a set of electronic drums. Electronic drums are valuable when you live in an apartment! I can put on headphones, and while there is a concert going on in my head, the only noise the outside world hears is the hollow tap-tap-tapping of sticks on the drum heads, which sounds a bit like drum sticks hitting a phone book. I was able to practice at any time, day or night without disturbing the neighbors, small babies and dogs down the street!

Then our second lead singer had to leave the band. Again, the rest of us were at a loss. We once more disbanded.

It's been several years now. My drums have collected dust. My motivation faltered. I wanted to play drums - but it was more difficult to play along to CDs when I was used to having live interaction around me. I knew I needed to keep practicing so as not to lose what I learned. But I grew complacent, lazy, unmotivated.

Then I received another, unexpected calling. About two months ago, through the encouragement of my friend and ex-bandmember from the second band we were in, I was told that one of the worship teams desperately needed a drummer. The leader himself begged me to join, although my playing was rusty, I had forgotten much of what I had learned. I was still very much a beginner despite owning drums for 4 years.

And so now I find myself back on a worship team. But if only I had trusted God enough to open another door, I would not have allowed myself to become so apathetic regarding my playing. The flame of my passion had waned to nothing more than a smoldering ember. It was there - just barely visible underneath the surface. But I did nothing with it. However, only God knew it was still there.

So now I find myself on a worship team again, but instead of being up to par, I'm again having to learn from scratch. BUT NO MATTER. Because God has chosen to fan my little ember once more. I have renewed excitement about being behind my drums. I'm playing WORSHIP music! I'm playing, essentially, for GOD.

Sometimes we never really know if God has taken something from us for a season, or if life's circumstances pull us away. But if it's a passion you carry in your heart that can be used for God - my encouragement to you is to never let it go. Keep honing your gift, your skill. Feed such a passion - because you never know when you may be called by God to put it into action - and then you will be prepared!

Prayer: Lord, light the fire in our hearts to operate in the gifts You have bestowed upon us. For the passions we once held that have grown cold, breathe life into them once again. Prepare our hearts, minds and souls for whatever it is You have planned for each of our lives!

Prayer request: Pray for those who feel down trodden, beaten up by life, complacent or apathetic - that God will breathe life into them and renew their spirit.

B- Book Values

Scriptures: “…Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made Himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to death-even death on a cross!” (Philippians 2:5-8)

I have a mini-van which used to be driven by my son for 2 years when he was attending a local community college. Now that he is transferred to a University of California campus, this mini-van has been parked on my drive-way collecting dusts. Every once in a while I would check the car and drive it to work to make sure it’s in good condition.

One day, as my wife and I were on our drive-way, she saw the car and commented on the dusty look of the car and asked if we should sell it since we hardly use it. I thought about it and decided to check the blue book to see how much its worth is now. After specifying the make, year, and model, I discovered that this mini-van’s blue book value was only about a thousand dollars. “Should we see it?” I asked myself. I thought about the good condition of the engine. The seats are still very comfortable. It’s spacious enough to seat 7 and had been used to take family and church brothers and sisters to places. In some cases, it has been used to transport larger furniture items, too.

It seemed to me that, despite the declining value shown on the blue book, all the needs for this car are still there and this car is certainly capable of meeting these needs. So, should we sell it? Maybe, out there in the market, people would not want to pay more than what’s stated on the blue book for this car. But, here in my home, this car is a lot more valuable than that number.

This got me to think how we value things, or even ourselves. It seems to me that people nowadays assess the value of things based on the economic demand and supply rule. If the weather is bad or if the farmers suffered natural disasters like flood and frosty weather, the price of fruits and vegetables would go up. If the economy is doing well and a lot of people want to invest in real estate, the price of houses would rise. The values of these material possessions are determined by their circumstances.

But the application of this rule is not limited to the assessment of material things only. People have taken this rule and apply it to human beings, too. I can still remember what my friends used to tell me when they felt like they were being treated like a “doormat” in their humiliating experiences. They lost their dignities and felt that they were not worthy of anything at all.

Other than feeling sorry for them and with them, I began to wonder why people would feel like that and how God would see these humiliating experiences. Criticizing those who treat others unfairly and disrespectfully is one thing, but restoring the self-esteem and dignity of the victims is a totally different thing. The more I think about it, the more I am convinced that the problem came from their definition of their “worth.” If we allow the economic demand and supply rule to define our worth, then the inevitable conclusion of being pressed down and humiliated would be we are nothing. But, if we are not to apply this economic rule to how we define our worth, how should we define it? How would God define our worth?

As I thought about this question, I went back to bible and found that God has actually bestowed upon us 2 values: The first one is the intrinsic value which God gave us when He created us for He created us in His image. Our intrinsic value came from this divine image He created us in. That’s how valuable we are. Such value is built in and bolted down in us and is not something anyone else can take away. So, when someone hurts or humiliates us, we can feel the hurts and humiliation, but we should not feel like a doormat because this intrinsic value from God cannot be taken away from us by those people.

The second one is the instrumental value which God intends to realize in our lives. Bible is very clear that God has a purpose and a plan for each one of us through which His will is done and He is glorified. For this, He richly blesses us with gifts and opportunities in life to serve Him and all those in need of His love, mercy and grace. Our problem is we often do not know what God’s purpose and plan are for us. When we don’t know, we can easily feel useless and can become vulnerable when exposed to adverse circumstances. But, like the intrinsic value, this is also a God given value that no one can take away from us.

When we lose sight of these God given values, we become easy prey for adverse circumstances and our adversary, the Devil. God is keenly and painfully aware of our condition. That’s why He stepped down from His Throne and took on the Cross for us so we may be saved. His salvation not only saved us from the power of sin, saved us into His family as His children, but also allowed Him to restore us to the glorious image He bestowed upon each one of us for His glory!

So, whatever our circumstances may be, good or bad, let’s not forget that our values are not defined by blue books, but by the Word of God, the Bible. Let’s walk with our back straight and our heads up so people may see His image in us and let’s walk straight and stay on the path He called us to so His will can “…be done on earth as it is in heaven.” (Matthew 6:10)

Prayer Requests:
For those in sufferings, be it economically, relationally, or physically

Prayer:

Our Heavenly Father, as we go through lives and all that You have allowed to happen to us, we have come to the realization that, apart from You, there’s no hope and there’s no meaning in life. So, we come humbly before You to ask for the divine love, mercy and guidance we need to sustain and strengthen us so we may both understand and pursue the purpose and plan that give glory to You. Hear our prayer as we pray in the loving name of our Lord Jesus, Amen!

A Time and Season for Everything ...

Scripture: “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven: … a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance … “ (Ecclesiastes 3: 1 and 4)

It’s hard to see a friend or acquaintance in emotional pain or sorrow. It’s even harder to SIT with our friends while they work out whatever is going on.

Yet there is an extremist belief amongst some churches where negative emotions “are not of God”. Therefore, if someone is depressed, grieving, anxious, angry or anything other than happy and loving, they are made to believe they are “in sin”, “lack faith”, or worse, they have “demons” that need to be exorcised.

However, in the book of Ecclesiastes, it states that we all move through various seasons and emotions in life. It is all part of being human. For instance, in Ephesians, we are told not to sin in our anger. (Eph 4:6). But no where in the bible does it say Christians are not allowed to be angry (or sad, disappointed, nervous, etc.) For instance, there is a righteous anger that rises up in all of us for unjust acts perpetrated upon us and others, in which we should be angry. Emotions, even negative emotions are God given. It’s what we DO with our emotions that can be damaging.

We all move through “seasons” in life: During the “summers” of our lives, we hear from God and feel very close to Him. In the “winters” of life, we feel distant, and wonder why we aren’t hearing from God so much. The reasons are as numerous as grains of sand and God knows every single one Himself. But whatever the reason for our winters, springs, summers and falls, so long as we hang onto God as Savior and don’t turn away from Him, He will carry us through our difficult times.

The important thing to know is that when a friend is feeling lonely, depressed and hurt, the best thing we can do is “sit in the mud” with them. If they want to talk it out, let them, if they need a good cry, offer your shoulder. Sometimes even just sitting together in silence is good for the soul. For it is in the grieving that healing comes. It is the pouring out of one’s heart without judgment or “quick fix answers” that one can often climb out of the darkness. Without an outlet for “negative emotions”, a person is left to stew in their own misery, and it’s much more difficult to make it out

I speak from my own experience. Several years ago I had a friend who was going through a horrible time in her life. She was new to our church, and had been wounded in her past. She wanted healing more than anyone I had ever met. She knew in her heart of hearts God could heal her, and she sought His healing heartily, even though her past haunted her. The church she left, in their honest attempt to help her, “exorcised” her of “demons of depression” and “demons of fear”. Church members held her down, poured oil on her, made her recite scripture.

Other people, not quite sure how to handle such strong emotions, told her to simply “snap out of it”, “let it go”, or “God must be punishing you for some sin. Repent now!”

They meant well. But they went about it all wrong.

She knew she was not demonized or being punished. What she needed was a compassionate ear to hear her story, to validate her feelings, to acknowledge her past. And in that – her healing began. Over a few years, counseling, and the tender friendship from me and others, the Son broke through into her winter of distress. The shackles of her past fell off her body. The fear, anger and depression lifted. Summer came. Christ broke through! To see her today – you would never know from where she came or how far.

I share this story as a personal testimony. Everyone has their giftings in different areas. Some are called to teach, heal, be intercessors or prophesiers. Others have gifts of compassion or hospitality. There are numerous gifts listed in the bible.

Having the gift of compassion, I was able to “sit in the mud” with my friend. And God used our friendship to eventually bring about healing in her life.

My encouragement to you is: Are you using your gifts? Do you know what they are? If you don’t know, find out what they are and God will open a whole new world to you in which you can be used greatly even in the small stuff. It’s not always easy, whatever your gifting may be. But you will find it tremendously rewarding when you can look back and see how God used little ol’ you in His great big plan!

Prayer request: For those who are hurting, do not give up. God hears your cries, He is sending help! Until then, hang on – because He’s hanging onto YOU!

Prayer: Father we ask you to draw close to those who are hurting, Bring Your comfort and peace to those who are troubled and are in despair. Help us, Your church, to reach out with our gifts to those in need. Help us to find out what our gifts are, and then glorify You by using them to build up the body of believers. Amen

15 Challenges

Here is something a little different which challenged me.
A missionary in Spain posted it on his blog.

The Challenge

You are desperate to live in Personal Revival. You are like the fellow that goes to the attic and stands in the middle of the room, takes out a piece of chalk and draws a circle on the floor. He then steps into the circle and says, “God, send a revival, but start it first right here in this circle.”

So I read this verse today – Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.
Man! That is good.

This is the CHALLENGE page. It is my challenge for you to set all your excuses aside and put forth the effort. If you do, I can assure you Personal Revival will come to your life.

CHALLENGE 1 Read through the NT in a month

If you have several bibles, take one you don’t use much and mark it up as you read it. Use a highlighter or a pen, write in the margins the revies God gives you. Try not to rush through the 9 chapters “just to get it done.” It will take about an hour, so that means you will have to sacrifice something else in your day to do this. It is so worth it

CHALLENGE 2 Pray in the Spirit (tongues) for an hour a day

If there is one thing that will charge your spirit, ignite your spiritual fire, teach you how to pray and keep you in fellowship with God, it is by praying in the Spirit. Sure we find ourself praying in the Spirit all day long, but this is a time when you get into your closet, or go for a walk and focus solely on the Spirit praying through you. As you pray, many times you will have the urge to pray with the understanding. Do it. You can sing in the Spirit too. I’m telling you, if you join challenge one and two, revival will invade your life within days.

CHALLENGE 3 Go out into your town and evangelize once a week.

One of the greatest things for your spiritual life is to evangelize. If you want to feel the smile of God on your life, evangelize. If you want rid your life of religious boredom, evangelize. Go with someone, buy some tracts, go to the mall, to the park, downtown, to the bus station or where ever people hang out and talk to them about eternity. It tough at first and the flesh belly aches, but pay not attention to that whiner. There are tons of hungry people out there. The harvest is ripe.

CHALLENGE 4 Memorize the Sermon on the Mount

When I was in Bible College, I memorize Matthew 5-7 with a friend. That is ONLY 111 verses. The most quoted verses in the Bible. Live the Sermon and you will be perfect. If you only had three chapters you could keep from the Bible, these are the three. Memorize them in your favorite version.

CHALLENGE 5 Go on a date with God

Probably one of the things God likes most. To spend time with you! Go on a date with him. For real. Take a walk around the lake. Go out for coffee with your Bible and journal. Walk through the fields or through a park. You don’t even have to have an agenda. Just be with Him.

CHALLENGE 6 Fast

I have practiced fasting all my life. Short fasts and long fasts. The body is wimpy and fights against it, but your spirit will benefit. You probably won’t feel spiritual when you do it, but you are spiritual when you do it.

CHALLENGE 7 Take a spiritual retreat

This will be the highlight of your year. It can be a day or two weeks. I have done both. A retreat with just you and God in some alone place where you can just be together. Bring your Bible, a good book, a journal, some MP3 sermons or music or whatever you do to feed your spirit.

CHALLENGE 8 Get the worldliness out of your heart

That will leave more room for Jesus. You don’t need me to tell you what worldliness is. The Spirit of God is telling you all the time. But if you eliminate those things from your life, the Spirit of God will be quick to fill the void.

CHALLENGE 9 Take a missions trip

It changed my life. Two weeks in Spain back in 82′ and the rest is history. Not only will it open your eyes to something other than your world, but it will give you a heart for the lost. And when you have a heart for the lost, you are close to God’s heart.

CHALLENGE 10 Worship and Praise

When you do, it just brings the Spirit close. Put on the headphones and go for it. Sit at the piano or guitar and sing make a new song unto the Lord.

CHALLENGE 11 Be in community

Go to church. Go to a small group. Hang out with those of like mind as you. Iron sharpens iron. You need each other to be sharp. God will use them to form your character.

CHALLENGE 12 Be filled with good works

After all, you were created for them and God set them up for you to do before you were born. It will make you feel great, pleasing to God. When you stop living for yourself and live for others, that is when you start to live.

CHALLENGE 13 Consume the Word of God

Life proceeds from God and His Word. Want to be full of God? Be full of His Word. Want to be full of life? Be full of his Word.

CHALLENGE 14 Live in holiness

The pure in heart see God. So a holy life, holy thoughts, holy conversation will bring God close. You will sense His presence, you will feel his smile.

CHALLENGE 15 Walk in the Spirit

This is what the Christian life is. Walking, living, speaking and being led by the Spirit.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, help us be closer to you, to know your heart, be filled with your Spirit and reach the lost. Amen

http://jacobbock.wordpress.com/the-challenge/#comment-77

Putting Yourself Into Prayer

My very self You knew. My bones were not hidden from You when I was being made in secret, fashioned as in the depths of the earth (Ps. 139: 15)

As some of you know, I turned 50 at the end of September. One of the things I decided to do to kind of mark the occasion was to give myself the gift of fitness. It’s been years since I got any regular exercise (chasing down information in the office doesn’t count!), and my doctor has been pushing me to get some sort of regular exercise program going. A few days after my birthday, I had dinner with one of my nieces. I hadn’t seen her for some time and couldn’t help but notice how terrific she looked. So I asked her what she’s been doing. She told me that she had started working out at CardioBarre, a new fitness facility that opened in Eagle Rock a year or so ago. She told me she's been going there twice a week for about 4 months. That was all it took. I started going myself a few days later, and I can already feel a difference.

As often happens when people embark on an exercise program after an extended period of inactivity, you discover muscles you forgot you had, and you have to retrain parts of your body all over again. This particular program combines aerobics and ballet movements, working with hand weights (1-3 lbs each). The focus on grace, balance and strength really makes you appreciate the incredible creation that the human body is. As the Psalmist tells us, we are fearfully and wonderfully made (Ps. 139:14).

But I have also discovered that I have to maintain a balance about this “body stuff” lest I become fixated on myself. St. Paul reminds us that our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit who dwells within us. Our bodies are not our own to abuse and do with what we wish; we are to glorify God in our bodies (cf. 1Cor. 6:19-20). Last night while I was working out, I felt inspired to pray for people I know. (You have to do something to distract yourself when your muscles are burning :-) !) I prayed in particular for friends and family members who are facing serious illnesses and offered up my small pains that God would heal their sufferings. It might sound strange, but the prayer takes on a different level when you (quite literally) put your whole body into it.

I find it an amazing thing that even something as mundane as a workout can be turned into prayer. But our God is so lavishly generous. His abundant grace never fails to assist us in using everything in our lives as a means to come to Him.

Prayer Request: For those who are facing serious illnesses.

Prayer: O Lord, our God, thank You for the gift of our bodies. Forgive us for the times that we have abused them, or used them in ways that don't conform to Your plan. Help us to surrender ourselves completely to Your grace. Use us as You will to perform Your saving works for Your people in need. We make this prayer through Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Peace Beyond Understanding

Scripture: “As surely as the LORD your God lives,” she replied, I don’t have any bread – only a handful of flour in a jar and a little oil in a jug. I am gathering a few sticks to take home and make a meal for myself and my son, that we may eat it – and die. Elijah said to her, “Don’t be afraid. Go home ad do as you have said. …. For this is what the LORD, the God of Israel says: “The jar of flour will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day of the LORD gives rain on the land.”” She went away and did as Elijah had told her. So there was food every day for Elijah and for the woman and her family.” I Kings 17:12-15

I had an interesting conversation with my best friend just a few days ago. We have been roommates for several years and on Sunday, I mused, “It’s amazing how God has stretched our finances. We shouldn’t be surviving on what we make – and yet, He somehow makes every penny stretch.” By HIS miraculous provision, HE is pulling us through this tough economy. It made me think of the above scripture about Elijah and the widow. Our finances ARE like the oil and flour.

The next day, I received news that my employment with Avery was coming to and end in November.

After the initial shock wore off, I entered into a phase of alternate panic/worry and peace.

Today, however, I feel the Lord’s peace in a way that cannot be explained. A “peace beyond understanding.” (Philippians 4:7) By the world’s standards, I SHOULD be panicked and worried. And of course I am concerned. But through my awesome sisters and brothers in Christ, I have heard such encouragement – and confirmation that God is in this. He always turns the bad in my life to good. Always. I am a walking testament of God’s turning my lemons into lemonade. From losing family members, property, employment, a roof over my head .. He has NEVER left me destitute – and the blessings always seem to come forward despite the hurdles and hardships that are thrown in front of me.

I stand here today with the full confidence that no matter what happens – He will provide for me. It doesn’t matter what the worldly circumstances are in front of me, because I know ultimately God is in control. I am drenched in His beautiful Presence. I cannot describe it any better than that. And I know full well it is not my own strength or power that I feel this way – but His, because all I can do at times like these is spread my arms open wide and say to God, “Ok, Lord. Where are You taking us now?”

I can only figure He gives me such strength and peace in order to share my testimony to encourage others. I find it incredulous that I am in this unbelievable, almost ridiculous phase of my life of being content in this circumstance I find myself in (Philippians 4:11) despite how it looks or seems. I can’t explain it, but I have a joy and peace in my life at this very moment that can ONLY be provided by the Holy Spirit. Each step I take, I find myself blessed in one way or another.

That’s not to say hard times are not ahead of me. But it’s times like these I grip my Father’s hand all the more, because at this point, all I can do is look up at him with a smile on my face and say, “Where are we going?” But wherever I’m led, I’m glad he’s by my side.

Prayer: Lord, help all of our brothers and sisters being affected by the world and the economy. Hold them all through hard times, and help them to look up and see Your hand in their midst as you care for each and every one of us. Help us to hold onto Your hand as You guide us through the peaks and valleys of life. Amen

Prayer request: For not only us as believers to hold onto God all the more - but for non-believers to learn Who God is through this crisis of economy we are all facing. May non-believers come to realize they can't do it on their own, and they need a Savior. And may they grow into mature Christians through their experience, and not just Crisis Christians.