The Son of God at Twelve Years Old

Today is the last entry for this year...

⁴¹ Every year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for the Festival of the Passover. ⁴² When he was twelve years old, they went up to the festival, according to the custom. ⁴³ After the festival was over, while his parents were returning home, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but they were unaware of it. ⁴⁴ Thinking he was in their company, they traveled on for a day. Then they began looking for him among their relatives and friends. ⁴⁵ When they did not find him, they went back to Jerusalem to look for him. ⁴⁶ After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. ⁴⁷ Everyone who heard him was amazed at his understanding and his answers. ⁴⁸ When his parents saw him, they were astonished. His mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you.”

⁴⁹ “Why were you searching for me?” he asked. “Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?” ⁵⁰ But they did not understand what he was saying to them.

⁵¹ Then he went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. But his mother treasured all these things in her heart. ⁵² And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.

There are two observation I'd like to make from today's passage. The first comes from verse 46 and 47. Jesus spent his time "in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. Everyone who heard him was amazed at his understanding and his answers." In these verses, it seems as if Jesus is learning, even though he is the son of God, he's sitting amongst the teachers of the law, listening to them and asking them questions. The thing that struck me the most was the teachers' reactions to a 12 year old Jesus in verse 47, "Everyone who heard him was amazed at his understanding and his answers." Even though, Jesus may be challenging them or their teachings, they marveled at his intelligence. A total opposite reaction to how they'd perceive him about twenty years later. It also seems like they just brushed him off as a bright, smart twelve old kid. He was no real threat to them.

The second observation came from verse 49. Mary is chastising Jesus for making her and Joseph worry over losing him. She said, “Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you.” Mary Mary says, "Your father and I have been searching for you...", but Jesus answered “Why were you searching for me? Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?” So in other words, Jesus has made it obvious to his parents that he knew who his real Father was and it clearly wasn't Joseph.

Ultimately, this incident points out that Jesus is indeed different from Man, and he made it very clear of his wisdom and divinity through his birthright, not the the general public like he did when he begins his ministry, but to the teachers of the law and to his parents, Mary and Joseph. It's subtle and they don't take great offense or quite understand what he's saying because Jesus is simply a child in their eyes. It's also strange because these would be the people who would have the most difficult time in accepting the true nature of who Jesus was and his mission for why he came down to this earth.

I hope you all have a happy New Year!!!

And the child grew...

the Bible doesn’t say anything about Jesus’ teen years or about what kind of a brother he was to his siblings… however, being “filled with wisdom, and the Grace of God upon him” we can be sure He was not like any child there ever was or will be

…but I struggled to understand why this was necessary… these 30 some years… I mean, did he really need to “grow up?” was there anything he could learn from Joseph about being a carpenter? He invented trees! He was there when Noah built the ark. Is there anything he didn’t already know that He needed to know to do what He came to do? was there some lesson from the Bible that he needed to get right before he started his ministry? He is the Word!

…to conclude, a quote from Esther (12/21 entry), “…rejoice in Jesus' humility that enabled God to display his amazing plan of redemption.”

…Jesus spent these years changing physiologically from dhild to man but it was a continuing act of humility, submission and obedience to the plan of the Father who sent Him.

…how great is His love for us.

Good morning ladies. I hope you had a restful night of sleep.
Today's passage on Luke 2: 36-38 and it tells of a woman who lived in the temple from the time she became a widow until she reached the age of 84.

To me, Anna seems to be the first nun in history as a woman who has devoted her life to a lifestyle of worship, fasting and praying. There were priests that lived in the temple but as a woman, it seems to me she was one of a kind.
I've always been intrigued by nuns and the kind of life they lead or I should say, the life they are lead to live. They sacrifice their whole lives to live in a habit. There's something pure and simple about them. They seem otherworldly and removed. There's also something so beautiful about their wholehearted and steadfast devotion. And, there's something about them I want to emulate but I see the deep contrast between what consumes our hearts and minds.
I think the greatest contrast I can relate to is that they have a lifestyle of worshiping and serving God whereas I have my lifestyle and I try to worship and serve God.
Anna was lead to live in the temple and as a prophet, she was able to discern the coming of the Christ. She faithfully proclaimed redemption-true redemption. We each have our calling and I realize that the focal point of our lives should and can be in worshiping, fasting and praying. I may not be a prophet and I don't have to become a nun and I don't have to live in a temple/convent. Jesus said in John 4:23 Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks.
No matter what we do and no matter where we live and work, let us live a life of worship, let us fast and pray to God our Father.

Luke 2:25-32

25 Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was on him. 26 It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. 27 Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, 28 Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying:

29 “Sovereign Lord, as you have promised,
you may now dismiss[a] your servant in peace.
30 For my eyes have seen your salvation,
31 which you have prepared in the sight of all nations:
32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles,
and the glory of your people Israel.”

[so sorry for the extremely late post!]

The Holy Spirit reveals to Simeon that he would not die before seeing the Lord. As promised, Simeon is holding Jesus in his very own arms and begins to praise the Lord.

This passage should give us great hope and confidence in our Lord. His promises are true and never failing. I know that I put my confidence and hope in people and things other than the Lord, believing that it will bring me the ultimate joy that I desire. Of course those people have failed and hurt me, and those things have given me temporary joy if even that. May we be able to come to Lord in full confidence that His promises hold true in our lives, as long as we live according to His will. May we not undermine our Lord.

Jesus presented in the Temple

²¹ On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise the child, he was named Jesus, the name the angel had given him before he was conceived.
²² When the time came for the purification rites required by the Law of Moses, Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord ²³ (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord”), ²⁴ and to offer a sacrifice in keeping with what is said in the Law of the Lord: “a pair of doves or two young pigeons.”

Joseph and Mary show complete obedience to God here in these verses. They adhere strictly to the Law of Moses by circumcising baby Jesus, presenting him to the Lord and to offer a sacrifice in accordance with the law. One of the commentaries I read mentioned that the two young pigeons was an offering of the poor because the law asked for a lamb and a dove or pigeons. However, if you were poor you could offer two doves or two pigeons.

I think we can learn a lot from the actions of Joseph and Mary here. They obeyed God's word, they did not make any excuses regarding their own personal situations or circumstances and obeyed. They offered all that they could to God.

Here we are at the eve of Christmas when we celebrate the birth of our Savior. Just as Joseph and Mary obeyed God's words and laws I pray that we would be able to hear God, know his word so that we could strive to live a life of obedience so that we may be used by God in a mighty way. Merry Christmas ladies!

new people in the old situation

"so they hurried off".

shepherds had a bad reputation in Israel; they were regarded as dishonest and unreliable. yet God chose to announce to ones “such as these” that the Savior of the world had been born. what was the response of the shepherds? the scriptures tell us that they “hurried off” to see the Christ. i learned 3 things from the response of the shepherds in our passage today.

1) we have more in common with the shepherds than we might suppose.

we are outwardly fairly respectable people, without the bad reputations that the shepherds had. but most of us have a good idea what we are inwardly. what if our past histories, all our secret thoughts, intentions, motives, and desires on any given day were broadcast for all the world to hear? i wonder how many of us would have such a great reputation then?

2) the shepherds show us the right way to respond.

when we are told in our own lives to "come and see the Christ", our response should be just like that of the shepherds: to “hurry” without delay. the problem is, we very often “delay”. the reasons why we do are as varied as the number of people reading this blog. laziness. pride. unwillingness to repent or to give up a certain sin or lifestyle. all of us have some idea what is holding us back. but we must not delay. to delay is fatal.  to delay is to miss the time of God's coming. we must “hurry off” right away when we hear His voice calling us to "come and see".

3) the shepherds were "new people" in the "old situation".

the shepherds returned to their lives as “new people in the old situation”. these same old disreputable shepherds shared the gospel, “spread[ing] the word concerning what they had seen and heard”. they were never the same again. they were inwardly changed. whoever is born of God goes back to their old lives, their jobs, their homes, but as new people.

this Christmas, when Christ is proclaimed as the newborn King, let us all “hurry off” and go to Him without delay, that we might worship Him, as the shepherds did. then we will behold the glory of the Son, as the shepherds did, "full of grace and truth". and may His Holy Spirit “guide us to His perfect and glorious light".

The Shepherds and the Angels

8And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. 12This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."

I had a poster when I was younger that we hung in the hallway of our home. It was a picture of this scene, shepherds taking care of their sheep and a bright star appears that is an angel of the Lord. This picture is always ideal for childrens bibles or for posters like the one I had where it bring the festive holiday mood. But we should constantly keep in our hearts and mind praise because this wasn't a bedtime story, this wasn't a fairy tale or a fable but there was a child. He is our Lord. From the beginning of time Jesus Christ was there and he came down to this earth for the one purpose to be the "great joy that will be for all people", our salvation.

Sisters lets study the word on our own further this holiday season and get to know our Lord more and what this night truly means.

Jesus' humble beginning

He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. Luke 2:5-7

King Jesus was born in such a humble setting. It reminds me of the previous chapter, Mary's Magnificat "...he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts. He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble. He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty." Christmas is so commercial - everything is bright and dazzling, expensive gifts and all, that we really miss seeing the desolate and poor condition in which Jesus was born. There was absolutely nothing glamorous about this birth yet God chose this as the setting to bring His beloved son into this world.

Let us celebrate the humble birth of Jesus this Christmas, and really rejoice in Jesus' humility that enabled God to display his amazing plan of redemption.

Merry Christmas ladies! Happy New Year 2011!

e

Zechariah’s Song

67 His father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied:
68 “Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel,
because he has come to his people and redeemed them.
69 He has raised up a horn of salvation for us
in the house of his servant David
70 (as he said through his holy prophets of long ago),
71 salvation from our enemies
and from the hand of all who hate us—
72 to show mercy to our ancestors
and to remember his holy covenant,
73 the oath he swore to our father Abraham:
74 to rescue us from the hand of our enemies,
and to enable us to serve him without fear
75 in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.

76 And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High;
for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him,
77 to give his people the knowledge of salvation
through the forgiveness of their sins,
78 because of the tender mercy of our God,
by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven
79 to shine on those living in darkness
and in the shadow of death,
to guide our feet into the path of peace.”

80 And the child grew and became strong in spirit; and he lived in the wilderness until he appeared publicly to Israel.

Zechariah was filled with the holy spirit and was praising God. God has provided so much for us, shown us mercy, and forgave us of our sins. Especially during the busy holiday season, we should set aside some time everyday to praise God and give thanks to God. This passage also reminds me that this holiday season, I should reach out to people to people who have wandered down their own paths, whether its through a simple phone call, an email, or taking time to write a letter to them.

Sorry for the late post!

The Birth of John the Baptist

I have read these verses many times, but this time vs. 58 and 65-66 stuck out to me.

58 "Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown her great mercy, and they shared her joy." 65 "The neighbors were all filled with awe, and throughout the hill country of Judea people were talking about all these things. 66Everyone who heard this wondered about it, asking, "What then is this child going to be?" For the Lord's hand was with him."

These verses emphasize how contagious God is! Not only did the news of John's birth spread like wild fire, but so did the joy. We, Christians are the opposite sometimes. We don't share or even show the joy or love of Christ to those around us. So to everyone else, we look like non-believers. That is soooooo sad!

When the neighbors saw and heard about Zechariah, theys were "filled with awe...and were talking about all these things". I don't think it was just because Zechariah started talking again but because he "..began to speak, praising God." as soon as his mouth was opened and tongue loosened (and goes on prophesying!)

Let's not be silent and spread His contagious, wonderful love this Christmas!

Luck 1:46-56

46 And Mary said: "My soul glorifies the Lord 47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, 48 for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, 49 for the Mighty One has done great things for me-- holy is his name. 50 His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation. 51 He has performed mighty deeds with his arm; he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts. 52 He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble. 53 He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty. 54 He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful 55 to Abraham and his descendants forever, even as he said to our fathers." 56 Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months and then returned home.


I think God loves who humbles oneself before him a lot. These days there are a lot of things going on here in Korea. Like the attacks and threats from North Korea. And I think there's nothing I could do for it but pray. As Mary has a strong belief that God would save her people and generations, I pray we all have that strong faith God will always be with us when we humble ourselves and fear him.

Mary Visits Elizabeth

³⁹ At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, ⁴⁰ where she entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth. ⁴¹ When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. ⁴² In a loud voice she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! ⁴³ But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? ⁴⁴ As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. ⁴⁵ Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!”

The only thing I really got from today's passage is the true nature of John the Baptist's zeal for Jesus Christ. Even as a un-born baby, John the Baptist immediately recognized his Lord and Savior within Mary's womb, and he dancing in praise for Him. After seeing this example, we have to ask ourselves whether we can recognize Christ immediately when he is near to us or calls to us just like John the Baptist did from inside his mother's womb.

The Birth of Jesus Foretold (Luke 1:26-38)

Some thoughts that came to mind as I read these verses:
• in verse 28 and in verse 30, Mary is told that she was “highly favored” and “found favor.” In other words, whe was called… not because she was perfect or met the qualifications for the task at hand… when God calls, it’s not about our abilities but how we respond.
• verse 29 says, “Mary was greatly troubled.” My translation… she was terrified! But she is comforted, (“Do not be afraid…”) and finds strength in what the angel says, “The Lord is with you.” That’s a promise that is repeated over and over throughout the Bible… it’s a promise we can bank on no matter the circumstances… Jesus is with us… Jesus is the Emanuel!
• in verse 34, Mary asks the angel “How will this be?” I don’t think it was about unbelief… she just couln’t see how it was all going to happen… we are limited creatures and just cannot fathom what the Almighty can do: “…no word from God will ever fail.”
• verse 38, Mary responds “I am the Lord’s servant,” and “May your word to me be fulfilled.” I am moved by her response… She can’t see it, but she chooses to believe!

My prayer for today is that we can step out in faith choosing to believe…

A sign unexpected...

16 Many of the people of Israel will he bring back to the Lord their God. 17 And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”

Zechariah was a devout servant of God and with his wife Elizabeth, was found to be "upright in the sight of God, observing all the Lord’s commandments and regulations blamelessly. "

How many of us can claim these attributes? Yet, they too had things that were wanting in their lives. Elizabeth could not conceive and she considered it a disgrace in her life. Zechariah was a man who belonged to a long lineage of priesthood but at the moment of encountering God's prophecy face to face, he was found doubting.

I think it's somewhat funny how the angel reacted when Zechariah asked: "How can I be sure of this?"
I for one can relate to how Zechariah may have felt. There are countless times when I faced a dilemma and could not be sure of God's promises. In those moments, I had wished for some kind of reassurance; perhaps a sign.
Gabriel was not amused by Zechariah's lack of confidence in his message to this old man. I wonder how many times God may have felt like what Gabriel may have felt and wanted to react to my doubts with something like, "Well, you want a sign? Here's a sign! "Be silent, be still, BEHAVE in that corner until all that I said will come true at their proper time!"
I'm so glad and thankful that God has been much more gracious to me than I deserve.

And in His proper timing, God has taken away Elizabeth's 'disgrace'. By no fault of her own, Elizabeth was childless all her life and by no means or ability of her own, she became pregnant in her old age. I'm sure each of us has a certain want, a lacking, a disgrace in our life. Let us be certain as was Elizabeth that it is by God's favor that all our needs are met, all our wants fulfilled, and our doubts rebuked.

The Purpose of Luke's Gospel

Today's passage was very short but it somewhat difficult to reflect upon. So I needed a help in understanding in more depth of what Luke tried to convey to his readers in the content. After searching on web, I found this commentary that helped me to understand the today's passage.

The Purpose of Luke’s Gospel

Luke 1:1-4


“Inasmuch as many have taken in hand to set in order a narrative of those things which have been fulfilled among us, just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word delivered them to us, it seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write to you an orderly account, most excellent Theophilus, that you may know the certainty of those things in which you were instructed.”

In this brief introduction to the Gospel of Luke, please notice three points of interest. There may be more, yet if we center our thoughts on these three, our understanding of the gospel and our study activity will become more focused.

First of all, Luke writes to us explaining that in the early days, many people took up the task of setting in order a narrative of the life of Jesus, the Son of God. It would seem by this statement that besides the inspired accounts of Matthew, Mark and John, there were also uninspired writers who “set in order” the events of Jesus’ life either for themselves or for the benefit of their family and friends. The very idea that many people would write about the life of one man indicates that His deeds were worth remembering.

Secondly, Luke indicates that it was good that he himself should write an account of Christ’s life. He makes this observation based upon certain qualifications that other writers did not have. For instance, he had been in the company of eyewitnesses who had accurately told him the details of the events and again another qualification which appears to go hand in hand with the first; Luke “had a perfect understanding of all these things from the very first” that is to say that Luke had accurately followed the events of Jesus’ life from the start. Following this line of reasoning, Luke declares that an “orderly account” should be written for “Theophilus” (one who loves God).

The final point I should declare from the opening words of Luke concern the reason behind the written gospel; “That you may know the certainty.” Luke understood that an accurate knowledge of the earthly life of Christ would strengthen the faith of Christians everywhere. When you become well acquainted with good people, you learn to trust them and you are apt to follow their instructions if you know they have your best interest at heart. Now see the application: The clear evidence of Christ’s life gives us reason to follow the instructions of the apostle’s doctrine. Why? Because their doctrine was based upon the facts of Jesus being the Son of God, His perfect fulfillment of God’s will, and His love for us.

Now, what should we learn from these facts declared? First and foremost we should learn to pray with thanksgiving that God inspired men such as Luke to accurately record for us a narrative of the life, death and resurrection of Christ. Secondly, if we are sincere in that prayer, then we owe it to ourselves to personally study the events of the gospel. Finally, having armed ourselves with godly knowledge, we are better prepared to serve God, others, and ourselves by living according to the things by which we have been instructed. Give yourself a test. Sit down one evening with pen and paper at a time and place where there are no distractions. Then set about to record the events of the life of Christ as best you know them. You may be surprised to realize the fullness or the scarcity of your own knowledge!

By Kenneth R. Peden

John 18:37-38

37 “You are a king, then!” said Pilate.
Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.”
38 “What is truth?” retorted Pilate. With this he went out again to the Jews gathered there and said, “I find no basis for a charge against him.

Jesus reveals himself and explains his purpose, to testify to the truth. He says that "Everyone on the side of truth listens to me." But then Pontius Pilate asks, "What is truth?" Pontius Pilate, like many others, questions what THE truth is. John 14:6 tells us what the truth is. Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. Until we know and believe that Jesus is the truth, we will be lost and confused just like Pontius Pilate. May we be confident in the Word that holds the very truth.

God dwelling among us

¹⁴ The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
 ¹⁵ (John testified concerning him. He cried out, saying, “This is the one I spoke about when I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’”) ¹⁶ Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given. ¹⁷ For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. ¹⁸ No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known.

In all of his glory God chose to become mere flesh like us and to live among us. This shows just how much he loves us and it sets the tone for the type of relationship God wants...an intimate one. He did not choose to rule over us like a mighty king from afar but he came down to us and became like us to pour out his grace and love to all. I am grateful for these words today to remind me of this truth and grace. I am thankful for a God that desires an intimate relationship with us and loves us so much. It is so comforting to know that we are so significant in the eyes of an Almighty God and that he is ALWAYS near.

the right to become the children of God

"yet to all who received Him, to those who believed in His Name, He gave the right to become children of God--children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God" (john 1:12-13).

the apostle john addresses three very great misconceptions as to how we become a christian. the first misconception is that if we were born and raised in a genuine, God-fearing christian home to godly parents that we are somehow christian "by default". certainly it is a great advantage to be born in such a home, but there are no guarantees whatsoever that we will become christian just because our parents are christian--"born NOT of natural descent".

the second misconception is that we ourselves decide at some point to become a christian. we pray "the sinner's prayer" at some retreat and, just like that, due to our act of praying, we "become" a christian.  this is also a false notion. certainly decision and action are part of the process, but the human will is powerless in itself to produce regeneration. born "not of human decision".

the third misconception is that by the will and desire of someone else, that we can attain a saving faith in Jesus Christ. the most earnest desire and prayer of the most godly person in the world cannot save us. certainly the prayers and petitions of godly people help, but they cannot cause us to be born again. we become the children of God, but "not of a husband's (or anyone else's) will".

we must be born from above. it is from beginning to end a divine act of God. if we decide and if we act to "receive Him and to believe in His Name", it is only because God stirred our hearts to do so first. this "new birth" is as radical and miraculous a change as any we can imagine--as radical and as miraculous as, well, the virgin birth of Jesus Christ. that is the parallel. if you've ever been amazed that Jesus could be born of a virgin, be equally amazed that you and I, sinners that we are, could ever be born of God.

to be 'born of God" is a life-changing transformation as radical as being raised from death to life. the more we grow in the understanding that salvation is of God alone, how much more precious His grace appears! there was nothing good in us or lovable about us that God should save us, but He did, giving us the right to become His precious children and giving up the life of His own Son to make it happen.

we have much to celebrate this Christmas season. 

The Word Became Flesh

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

The word becoming flesh is our Savior. It shows he was there with God since the beginning. Jesus says he is the only way to the father. He is to be our everything. It says specifically, "In him was life, and that life was the light of men." Jesus has been our light from the very beginning. There is a Starfield lyric that I was reminded of reading this passage. "You thought of us before the world began to breathe, You knew our names before we came to be" That's what I imagine it was like. Through the darkness Jesus saw us, saw the desperation for salvation and he was the light that had come to save us. I'm understanding more and more on how to leave "religion" behind and focus on having a living relationship with our Father and passages like this are so beautiful because the image is so clear and it's humbling to see that we were chosen to see the light.

13 Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise. 14 Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. 16 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.

17 Elijah was a man just like us. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops.

19 My brothers, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring him back, remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save him from death and cover over a multitude of sins.

We are instructed to pray in faith. I know I have to come to my knees every day to lay down the plans of the day to God and ask for his wisdom and grace over all matters. However, on most days, I am more inclined to tell myself that God already knows and so instead I have a short and fast one-way dialogue with God - no time to listen to God or to meditate. But I really desire to be a prayer warrior especially when I am content with life in general. [I know I have to be on guard at all times for satan's crafty ways.]

Let us continue to pray in faith, repenting and earnestly seeking God so that we do not have a chance to wander from the truth.

Christmas is almost here. Have a great weekend.

e

Patience in Suffering

 7 Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting for the autumn and spring rains. 8 You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near. 9 Don’t grumble against one another, brothers and sisters, or you will be judged. The Judge is standing at the door!
 10 Brothers and sisters, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.11 As you know, we count as blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.

 12 Above all, my brothers and sisters, do not swear—not by heaven or by earth or by anything else. All you need to say is a simple “Yes” or “No.” Otherwise you will be condemned.


Having patience is definitely one of the most difficult things to do. I think you could say that I am one of the most impatient people in the world, whether it is traffic, or waiting to be seated at a restaurant. It is a struggle that I always knew that I had, but have not really made an effort on improving. If I do not even have the patience to sit through traffic, then I have a long way to learn and grow because we need to be patient for the Lord's coming. There are many places in the world that are suffering, and in far worse condition, yet there are people in those countries who are patiently waiting for the day that the Lord is coming, and I need to learn to be patient in all circumstances. 

Warning to Rich Oppressors

"Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes...gold and silver corroded."

God reminds us that none of our earthly wealth or belongings are eternal. We see money, technology (computers, cell, etc.), cars, and etc. as necessities, but how easily they corrode! We are so blessed with riches, shelter, and food compared to those in developing countries, the homeless in the inner-cities. Let us not take any of these things for granted. We must not forget that our worth and riches is only found in the love of our Heavenly Father.

Can't believe its already December! As we prepare for this Christmas season lets give and share abundantly because we've received the best gift of all..Jesus :)

It's getting cold...stayyy warm!

James 4:13-17

13 Now listen, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money." 14 Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. 15 Instead, you ought to say, "If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that. 16 As it is, you boast and brag. All such boasting is evil. 17 Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins.


We know that we are sinners because we can't help commiting sins even when we don't feel guilty. We don't know what we're exactly doing in God's view. Anyway at least we know it's sin when we feel guilty before God, like doing something wrong. But today's passage says even when we don't do the good we ought to do, we are the sinners. Not only doing bad things is sin, but also not doing the good is sin. I often think like, "okay God, I know you want this, but please just wait a little bit more, I will do that someday..or later."

There must be the things we should put first before doing our business and making money. We should remind ourselves what we are living for every moment.

Slander Is A Bad Thing

¹¹ Brothers and sisters, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against a brother or sister or judges them speaks against the law and judges it. When you judge the law, you are not keeping it, but sitting in judgment on it. ¹² There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able to save and destroy. But you—who are you to judge your neighbor?

Today's passage is a simple command, yet it is one of the most difficult ones to follow because it is hard to control our tongues and very tempting to talk about other people. We make excuses or simply loss ourselves in idle gossip and talk because we find it entertaining and fun to focus on other people's faults and flaws. But in today's passage, James tells us not to slander for we are taking the place of a judge and making judgments when we have no right to do so. He's right when he says this because who are we to ridicule, gossip, or talk about someone's character and faults when we are incredibly flawed ourselves. We find it easier to find the faults and flaws in other people rather than looking inward in ourselves. James is right when he says that there is only one who is our Lawgiver and Judge, the most perfect being who has every right to save us or cut off us down. Our hearts need to be filled with love and compassion for those who stumble and sin because as fellow sinners, we should understand how difficult it is to resist our evil desire and sinful nature. So instead of cutting each other down with hurtful words of judgment and gossips, we should encourage one another and support each other with our words.

Pride vs Humility

Pride Promotes Strife
1 Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members? 2 You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask. 3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures. 4 Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. 5 Or do you think that the Scripture says in vain, “The Spirit who dwells in us yearns jealously”? 6 But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: “God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.”

Humility Cures Worldliness
7 Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.

These are very sobering words. I don't think I can add anything or make it any clearer than it already is. Luke 8:18 says: "Therefore consider carefully how you listen." So, please consider carefully what the Spirit is saying through these verses. May the kindness of our God pour out His Grace as you submit in humility.

James 3:17-18

17 But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. 18 Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Today's passage gave me a new, sober view on what godly wisdom is. To this day, I saw wisdom as a rare and powerful asset to those who possess it. I realized that viewing wisdom as an asset is more like viewing it as the means to gaining something rather letting it be the end in it of itself. A wise person gains respect, has the ability to gain more profit, has the ability to win arguments, overcome opponents/ enemies, even make better friends/"connections". It's true that wisdom can be a great personal tool for greater gains in life but in this way, it is used to only serve the SELF. I guess this is the worldly wisdom that serves one's own selfish ambition. Furthermore, I can see how this kind of wisdom produces envy. Seeing other people gain what you desire, how can it not? What a viscous spiral unto death this worldly wisdom creates! Would envy not only spur one's selfish ambition even more? And what a craft of selfish gain it can create!

In contrast, the spiritual wisdom James describes is more of the characteristics of a person rather than an one's ability to gain much from the world. At best, I thought spiritual wisdom would help me better serve God- which is true but still, this view is grounded on how wisdom can raise my level of performance.

I realized that spiritual wisdom is not dependent on my abilities or the lack thereof but it is that which keeps me dependent on God to be "pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.". Without God, I can be none of these things.

This brings me back to James1:5&6. In it James wrote that if anyone lacks wisdom, she should ask God who is generous and that it will be given. I feel challenged to not only let go of worldly wisdom and pursue wisdom that comes from heaven, but also to overcome doubt. I trust that this too is a work of God.

Two Kinds of Wisdom

According to the passage, we see clear distinction between earthly wisdom and spiritual wisdom (wisdom comes from heaven). Earthly wisdom has no purpose of producing the good rather it has a selfish and evil ambition producing disorder and evil practice. Notice that this wisdom from above that reflects itself in the conduct of God's children is first pure. It is uncontaminated by any of the myriad aspects of carnal, self-centered human nature.

Since we do not naturally have the wisdom from above—spiritual wisdom—then we must ask God for it in faith. We must be sure that our faith is in accordance with His will, and we must come to Him with the utmost confidence that He will grant it. When we go to God with a request, His answer, whether yes or no, will be for our ultimate good. Our faith is not believing that God will give us what we want regardless of our request, but that His answer will always be the wisest answer for our ultimate good.
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving everyone!!!!

Taming the tongue

James 3:1-12
Taming the Tongue

 1 Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. 2 We all stumble in many ways. Anyone who is never at fault in what they say is perfect, able to keep their whole body in check.
 3 When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. 4 Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. 5 Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. 6 The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.

 7 All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and sea creatures are being tamed and have been tamed by mankind, 8 but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.

 9 With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. 10 Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. 11 Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? 12 My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.



As small as our tongue is, it can cause a lot of hurt and damage to oneself and to others.  As mentioned in the passage above, "..no human being can tame the tongue.." and "It is restless evil, full of deadly poison."  I know that I've lacked control of my tongue in moments of my pride and anger.  I knew exactly what to say in order to really hurt the other person to their face or behind their back.  I also realized it wasn't just what I said to the person that hurt them, but how I said it.  We're capable of hurting someone just by the tone in our voice.  I remember I would always tell my students to "watch their tone" when they were speaking to me in a disrespectful manner.  Sometimes I ought to tell that to myself..   

"With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God's likeness."  I wonder how God can still accept my worship when I have cursed others with my tongue.  What kind of examples are we being to others when we claim we are Christians, yet can say such hateful things about God's very own creation?  May we be more mindful of what we think and say, not only for the sake of respecting others but respecting the Creator.   

Faith without works: part 2

20 You foolish person, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless? 21 Was not our father Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? 22 You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. 23 And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called God’s friend. 24 You see that a person is considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone.

 25 In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction? 26 As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.

James is really stressing the point that faith without works is dead. A dead faith cannot lead to salvation. Only a living, genuine faith will save. We stress so much that salvation is through grace and faith alone and not by our works. Though this is true I think it can easily be used as a crutch for a lazy Christian life. I think that this is a good way for us to evaluate our own faith. James uses Abraham and Rahab's lives as an example of genuine faith that showed through their actions. What would James write about our lives? If our life was studied, would the reader know of our faith by how we lived our lives?

faith without works

14 What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? 15 Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. 16 If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? 17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. 18 But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds. 19 You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.

if we have learned anything this year from our study of the new testament, it is that we have a great capacity to be deceived when it comes to our salvation. when our Lord Jesus says that "many will come to [Him] on that day . . . ", only to be cast out, He means "great multitudes" in the church who thought they were in a right relationship with Him. james states that the genuineness and substance of our faith are proven by our good works.  we are not saved by our good works, but our good works proves the genuineness of our faith. 

it is not enough, james argues, to have the mere sentiment of feeling bad when you see someone suffering, a momentary pang when you see a person going through a hard time.  "Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. 16 If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? sometimes i think that we are comforted and assured about our faith when we experience these fleeting instances of compassion, as if the "feeling bad" is some proof positive of genuine faith. this passage does not allow us that comfort. james clearly shows that "feeling bad" but not acting upon it in terms of actively helping or giving or caring, is to our condemnation--proof positive of a lack of saving faith.

james continues the same line of reasoning when he asks, what good is it if we merely believe, or give mere "intellectual assent" to the right doctrines if it doesn't translate into works of compassion, love, mercy, and giving? it is no good at all, says james--your faith is dead, non-existent. let us not deceive ourselves or turn to a blind eye to this truth. if our life is not evidenced by good works, our faith is useless. "can such a faith save [you]?", james asks. the obvious answer is no.  believing the "right things" is not enough to save you. even demons believe the right things--there is none more orthodox in his beliefs than satan.

Favoritism Forbidden

"12 Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, 13 because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment!"

Many times I feel it is human nature to see people not as our neighbors or children of God but what they can give us, what advantages their presence or friendship provides. We are drawn to aesthetic beauty when it is meaningless, we value people based on their likability and find it difficult to love the unlovable. That is the challenge shown in this text today.

He asks "Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him?"

We do not deserve any of God's mercy. However God goes out further than that and not only shows us mercy but lets us inherit his kingdom and become his children. That is mind boggling in it of itself.

Once we quit focusing on ourselves and shift our attention and thoughts to God and how amazing his love is to us, loving others in this world becomes much less difficult. Because He loved us first.

"If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless. Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world."

"Quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger" - this has been a motto of mine for awhile now. The tongue can destroy when we are not watchful of its will to act unwise and uncontrolled. We need to be constantly praying that the Lord sharpen our minds that we do not allow the tongue to be on the loose. It is definitely a battle for me but thank God, I am becoming more of a conqueror than a slave to it!

If we could constantly keep a tight rein on our tongue, and obey the Lord by humbling serving others, especially the orphans and widows - this would be pleasing to God and our "religion" would be priceless to the watchful eye of the world.

Much aloha!

e

James 1:22-25

22 Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you. 23 Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror 24 and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 25 But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it–he will be blessed in what he does.

I think that more often than not we look in the mirror and then forget what we do look like. We get wrapped up in worldly things and shove Gods word into a corner. People criticize Christians all the time that Christians are hypocrites because we haven't gotten rid of the moral filth.

We do need to make that conscious effort to remember what we look like. I do not think it is easy by any means, and sometimes its much easier to forget than to make an effort to remember Gods word. But keeping each other accountable is a way that we remember what Gods word says and to do what Gods word says...

Have an awesome Tuesday!!!

Listening and Doing

¹⁹ Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. ²⁰ Human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires. ²¹ So get rid of all the filth and evil in your lives, and humbly accept the word God has planted in your hearts, for it has the power to save your souls.

Oh man. Today's verse is something I am definitely struggling with. I know my calling to is serve and show compassion and God's love to the poor BUT after this summer I realized that my heart was SO filthy. It was because I had a very difficult time showing compassion towards my parents especially my father. I was doing the exact OPPOSITE of vs. 19 : Slow to listen, quick to speak, and quick to get angry. And God rebuked me saying that I need to learn how to love my family before loving strangers, poor, and etc.

Have a blessed week!! Stay warm :)

James 1:12-18

12 Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.

13 When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; 14 but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. 15 Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.

16 Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers and sisters. 17 Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. 18 He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.

Hello ODM ladies :) It's getting really cold in Korea.

When I read today's passage, I realize that tempting is from ourselves not from God. Our own evil desire sometimes wins against the desire to follow God's words. It sometimes wins against the desire to remember everythings God gave us. It sometimes wins against the desire to live in God. Yes, I think there is always temptation around us and in ourselves which gives birth to sin. That's why I can't even trust myself and can never be concieted. And that's why I have to pray every day and night. To stay under Father's wings..

Blessings in Disguises

Today's passage is pretty heavy...

Whenever we face tough, difficult trials and suffering because of all the temptations the world gives and from our destructive sinful nature, we tend to think that these hard times aren't good things but serve as some sort of punishment or curse to torment us. Well, James begs to differs. He starts off his letter with telling his fellow brothers and sisters that it is "pure joy to face trials of many kinds." However, anybody who has gone through any form of pain or difficulty would think that James was off his rocker because who in their right mind would enjoy pain, sadness, and sorrow. But then James points out that through the trials we face, it produces perseverance, which will help guide us to become more mature and grow in our faith. In twisted way, James has a very good point because how else are we going to grow more and stand firm in our faith against this trying world. Through trails and temptations, we are tested to our limits, and most of the time we break and fall, but God uses our failures and mistakes so that we can learn, cope, and change to become stronger in our determination to finish the race strong. It's like a blessing in disguise.

I guess James is trying to drill in our minds that we can't give up hope during our road to sanctification because if we do give up and doubt in God's goodness and will that He'll pull through for us in the end, then there would be no power behind our words and testimonies for the Gospel. That's why James is encouraging and reminding us that we don't draw strength and perseverance from the confidence and trust coming from our own abilities, but it all comes from God. He is our Rock and our source of strength that builds our endurance and makes us strive to take another step when we really want to collapse and throw in the towel.

The humble living part is almost as if James is telling us that our lives would be so much easier if we live within our means of what we need to survive and not out of a lap of luxury and comfort because as we all know the more one has, the greedier one's heart becomes for more. All that stuff becomes a distraction or a temptation that will lead to more trials, thus leading to more suffering. It's a vicious cycle. We don't need all that useless junk in our lives because it's fleeting and temporary.

So the main point is we shouldn't look at trials and temptations as something that will bring us down, but they are tools God uses to build us up. They truly are blessings in disguises.

Like I said before, it is very heavy stuff...Have a happy Veteran's Day!

Greetings & Benediction

...after thanking the Philippians, giving account of his circumstances, words of encouragment and caution... Paul concludes his letter with blessing and benediction to the saints

i never tire of receiving benedictions... when p. James concludes his sermons with raised hands over our congregation and with slightly elevated tone with authority gives the blessings... after having fed us with the words, he sends us out into the world with hope that is Jesus

in hopes that we are a little changed because of what was received from Paul through his letter and said in this blog to one another...

be blessed all you saints of the Lord!

A friend in need is a friend indeed...

"Yet it was good of you to share in my troubles."

From this verse I realized that good fellowship is not only about sharing good times with good company but that it can also be a good time of sharing your troubles. I love to hang out and have a good time of sharing good food, good jokes and stories with my friends. Yet, I also find it just as fulfilling if not more to lend a sympathetic ear for a couple hours out of my day for a close friend. And my friends in turn love to offer their perspective and advice to ease whatever is causing an ache in my heart. It truly is a blessing to know that you have a friend to turn to with your troubles or ailments and that you're more than good company but a source of comfort in their time of need.

Paul is thanking the Philippians for what seems like material or financial assistance. And though just a few verses ago, he testifies how he has learned to be content in every circumstance, he doesn't brush aside the gifts he received from them as something he could or could not have used. I can't remember all the countless gifts I didn't need to receive and for which the best I could offer in terms of gratitude was something in the line of "oh thanks,... I guess it's the thought that counts..." For us, that phrase is usually offered as a consolation to the giver but for Paul, it's the real meat in his thank you. It's not so much because of the gifts itself but Paul's heart swelled with gratitude and praise they were an out pouring of someone that was looking out for him through all his hardships. Somebody cared to think of his needs and did something to meet them. The love and care behind the gifts is what made them "...a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God."

Thanks for their gifts

As Paul concludes his letter to the Philippians he turns his attention to addressing a gift that the Philippian Church sent to him. As Paul expresses his gratitude for that gift he also teaches us some great truths.

I rejoice greatly in the Lord that at last you have renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you have been concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it. I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength. (Philippians 4:10-13)

On the one hand he wants the Philippians to know that he is very grateful for their gift and the love that was behind the gift. On the other hand Paul wants the church to know that he has not been anxious in waiting for people to send him money. Paul is grateful but he wants the church to know that he has learned how to be content in every circumstance. He wants them to understand that his sufficiency is in the Lord and not in their ability to provide.

Contentment is not something that comes naturally. Paul said that he had to "learn to be content". Naturally, we are prone to compare ourselves with others and to always want more than we have.

Our contentment should be anchored in relationship with Christ. Paul says, "I can do everything through Christ who gives me strength." I believe Paul is saying that he can face and know joy in any and every circumstance because of the strength he finds in Christ.
MOreover, no matter what the circumstance we know that we are getting better than we deserve. We deserve eternal punishment but are given eternal life in Christ. We deserve to be cast from God's presence but we are declared to be part of His family. There is nothing that compares in value to what we have been given by God's grace. We are the richest of people because of His mercy.

Life of Peace

Philippians 4:8-9

8 Finally, brothers and sisters, 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. 9 Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

This passage is very straight forward. It is easy to understand but difficult to put into practice. It's easy to think that we know what is true, noble, pure, etc., but according to whose standards? Do we determine something to be pure according to God's standards or our own? We must know God's standards in order to know the things that are excellent and praiseworthy. Without knowing His standards, we could fall into the danger or thinking something is right or pure when in reality it's the total opposite. Once we can truly live a life according to God's standards, God's peace will be with us. We have the capability of living a much more joyful and peaceful life if we could take what we receive from God and put it into practice.

Final Exhortations

 4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

As I read verses 4 and 5 I sensed the urgency in Paul's words to live as if Jesus was to return tomorrow. It made me reflect and repent on how little I do rejoice in the Lord daily and that my days do not reflect a sense of urgency as it should.

Verses 6 and 7 are some of my favorite verses in all of scripture. I have found them to be very true in my own life. I have really held God to the promise of these verses during my most difficult times and God has never failed to deliver that peace that transcends all understanding when I have given my worries to the Lord. Not that God has answered every prayer the way I wanted but the burden and the anxiety is almost immediately lifted as I lift it up to the Lord and trust that he is in control. It is a wonderful, wonderful feeling of peace.

citizenship in heaven

"their mind is on earthly things. but our citizenship is in heaven" (verses 19-20).

in this passage, paul describes those who "live as enemies of the cross of Christ" (v 18).  what is the definition of such an enemy? paul defines them as those whose "mind is on earthly things".

have we ever thought of it that way: that anyone whose mind is predominantly on "earthly things" is an "enemy of the cross of Christ?" we think of blasphemers, murderers, unbelievers as enemies of Christ, yes, but not those whose minds are on "earthly things". suddenly we are forced to adjust our mental picture of the "enemies of Christ" to a much wider scale, maybe even to include ourselves.

paul then makes a distinction between the "enemies of Christ", and those whose "citizenship is in heaven". if the distinguishing mark of the enemy of Christ is a mind set on earthly things, then one of the distinguishing marks of the elect is that they "eagerly await" the second coming of Jesus Christ.

is there a deep, genuine, heartfelt longing for the return of Jesus Christ and the establishment of His lordship in this world and in our lives? or are we indifferent, even perhaps fearful of the thought? if our citizenship is in heaven, and we truly understand this, then we will invest our lives for eternity. if our minds are "on earthly things" then we will invest our lives for the present world. paul's distinction does not allow us to have it both ways.

Pressing on Toward the Goal

I apologize for the late post. This is the first time I've been able to sit down in my dorm all day.

How humbling to see and think of how God has called us heavenward in Christ Jesus.

I feel we all meditate. Whether it be on our concerns, happy memories, on a certain person, there are time when our minds are on a constant loop. Paul is telling us in this passage to channel these lingerings of our minds to really take a different view on life as we look to God in order to attain what it is God has set aside for us. Forgetting what is behind is going to be a lifelong struggle, we all know that including Paul which is why he admits his own shortcomings in his encouragement to strain forward. The important part is that we are straining forward and moving toward a prize, the wonderful heavenly prize that God has set aside in Christ Jesus. I've been feeling very trapped lately and not really knowing where to turn and this is what I myself need to do.

We are "living up to what we have already attained." There should be no pressure of making a mistake or living in perpetual worry and headache because God has already set aside everything for us. The alpha and the omega is there for us guiding the way. All we have to do is strain forward. We are living in such freedom and we don't even realize it half the time. Let us all stretch forward toward Christ this week and be freed from the chains from behind.

No Confidence in the Flesh

In today's reading we read Paul's resume once again and it is still quite impressive. He has more reasons than anyone else to have full confidence in the flesh. But Paul knew that a stellar resume was not enough to grant him salvation, instead his noble lineage and accomplishments was a greater temptation to pride and self-confidence.

"Whatever was to my profit, I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ - the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith. I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead." (verses 7-11)

Paul freely chose Christ, considered all things that got in the way of knowing Christ as "rubbish" - this was Paul's passion in life.

Is that my passion in life? Is my passion the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I will lose all things? Do I consider all things rubbish that keep me from gaining Christ and to be found in Him?

Instead, don't I live having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, that which is through faith in myself? It is true. I believe in my own powers most of the time. Is it lack of faith that separates Paul's passion and my lukewarm attitude? Is it lack of perseverance at the feet of Jesus? What makes Paul's conviction so passionate and my life passionless for Christ? Why am I not fired up for Christ? Have I not forfeited "my profit" and have not considered all things rubbish?

Food for thought today.

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Timothy and Epaphroditus

21 For everyone looks out for his own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. 28 But you know that Timothy has proved himself, because as a son with his father he has served with me in the work of the gospel. 

Our world that we live in is selfish in nature. People are always looking out for themselves and are willing to go to great lengths, even murder, to get what they want. But, there are also people like Timothy who live for the Lord, and I think that brings optimism and hope into our lives. 

But this part of the passage speaks to me the most because I have been realizing more and more everyday the selfish life I live. I always put myself before others, especially God, and it is a slow and difficult process that I am learning through right now.

27 Indeed he was ill, and almost died. But God had mercy on him, and not on him only but also on me, to spare me sorrow upon sorrow. 

And even though we may not see miracles, such as healing, in our everyday lives, I think God has many small miracles he gives us everyday.  My miracle today was God bringing my dad home safe from Brazil.

Hope everyone has an awesome weekend!!

Lights in the World

"...work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure." (12-13)

"14. Do all things without grumbling or questioning, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast to the word of life...18. Likewise you also should be glad and rejoice with me."

I went to a revival this past Sunday and the speaker was saying that, as Christians, we died to ourselves and that God is the one living in us. We have to do this EVERYDAY. We live in a generation filled with sin and a lot of us have become used to it. Also, since it is our human nature to sin, we must repent everyday and let God work and live in us.

From the revival and this past Sunday, God spoke to me saying that my priorities weren't straight. So I repented and listened to what God wanted to tell me. It was Pslam 1.3 "...but his delight is in the law of the lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. he is like a tree planted by the streams of water...whatever he does prospers."

It says the same here, that we must hold fast onto the Word...that's the only way we have wisdom, discernment, and become lights in the world.

Philippians 2:1-11

1 If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2 then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. 4 Each of you should look not only t your own interests, but also to the interests of others.

5 Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, 7 but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death even death on a cross! 9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ in Lord, to the glory of God the Father.



About the second part, I see exactly how much we can be blessed by the same attitude as Christ Jesus. He was so humble to be like a human and obedient to death. Born in a barn, and died on a cross.

We can never be like Jesus who is perfect, but at least we can try to follow his attitude before God. We can't be in the highest place or get our names above every name for that, but at least God will know how much we deserve.

The truth is the more we humble, the more we get exalted by God.

Our Lives Speak Louder than Words

²⁷Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in one spirit, contending as one man for the faith of the gospel ²⁸without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you. This is a sign to them that they will be destroyed, but that you will be saved—and that by God. ²⁹For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for him, ³⁰since you are going through the same struggle you saw I had, and now hear that I still have.

After reading today's passage, the first thought that came to my mind was that our actions speak louder than our words. I feel like Paul is telling us that our faith is shown through our actions. That is if we truly live for Christ, then our lives should show it. It's like he's telling us that our lives must show that we aren't ashamed of the gospel, and we should live by it. I feel like he's also warning them or advising them that there will be suffering and struggles that come with living the Christian life. But I don't think that he's trying to discourage them by asking them to look at his life, but he wants them to see him as an example that even through Paul has struggled and had his fair share of hardship, he's still living strong for Christ and has not falter from his calling.
I feel like Paul is actually encouraging us to live righteously so that our lives reflect that of Christ. In which, when the world sees us, they cannot find fault or ridicule that would stumble themselves and others with the wrong idea. And even in our sufferings, which he guaranteed that we will have, he encourages us to not falter and go back to the way we were before we met Christ, wallowing in our sinful nature, but to stay strong and push through it because he went through the same ordeal and was still going through them when he wrote this letter.

Philippians 1:18b-26

Yes, and I will continue to rejoice, 19for I know that through your prayers and the help given by the Spirit of Jesus Christ, what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance.[d] 20I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. 21For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. 22If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! 23I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; 24but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body. 25Convinced of this, I know that I will remain, and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, 26so that through my being with you again your joy in Christ Jesus will overflow on account of me.

How can a person in chains speak so much about joy? I think it's because Paul has the "big-picture" and is able to "filter his circumstances through God instead of filtering God through his circumstances."

No matter where you are this day, I hope you can find your joy... which is our strength!

Philipians 1:12-18

12Now I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel.

This is where we see the light at the end of the tunnel! Though he is still in prison, Paul rejoices in the fact that him being there serves the purpose of advancing the gospel- his life's passion. Furthermore, he's glad that the gospel is being preached though it may be done with the intention of harming Paul (v17-18).

How wonderful it must be to know that the blood and tears you shed were not shed in vain. What greater satisfaction than to know that the treacherous journey you took was not just an random, inconvenient detour in your life but a necessary step to fulfill your life's calling.

This passage made me take another look at hardships and struggles in life in light of my ultimate goal in life. First of all, what is my ultimate goal/calling in Life? Is it from God or is it my own ambition? Am I willing to give everything I have for its fulfillment? And, are my struggles ever invested towards its fulfillment or is it more as a result of failing to stick to the ultimate plan God has for me? Paul was called to preach the Gospel, am I called to do the same and am I willing to shed blood and tears for it?

I wonder if any of you have asked the same questions but I realized that loving the Lord our God and having the willingness to lay down our lives for Him is our ultimate calling in life- no matter what we're called to 'do' for Him. Furthermore, if I have the heart to love God with all my heart, mind and strength, I would be willing and able to do whatever He calls me to do at whatever the cost.
Paul's life is an example of a man who fulfilled his calling from God because he loved the Lord with all his heart. The passion of Christ became his own and he rejoices in what the Lord rejoices in though the journey was indeed treacherous for Paul.

Thanksgiving and Prayer

V9-10: "And this s my prayer: that you are love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and and blameless until the day of Christ."

As we read and meditate upon the Word of God and we gain more knowledge of knowing who God is, it will cause us to love Him more. Real love is not a feeling that comes and goes, it requires growth and maturation. The only way to so that is that our love for God has to be rooted in knowledge and understanding.
As we begin our reading the book of Philippians, I pray that God will enrich us with the wisdom and knowledge of His word so that through His Word, we will grow and mature as Christians. Our faith will be strengthen and our knowledge of Him will be deepened. We will pursue to become what God desire us to be. There will be no greater joy of knowing our God and doing His Will until He calls us home.

Acts 28:17-31

Paul Preaches at Rome Under Guard [Acts 28:17-31]

What a powerful ending to this book!  Paul remained obedient to God, and God delivered in everything He had promised.  We really see how amazing our God is by the way he worked in Paul's life.  Paul never lost hope despite all the hardships he was put through, and what struck me the most about this passage were verses 26 & 27 when Paul made his final statement to the Jews:

26" 'Go to this people and say, 
   "You will be ever hearing but never understanding; 
      you will be ever seeing but never perceiving." 
 27For this people's heart has become calloused; 
      they hardly hear with their ears, 
      and they have closed their eyes. 
   Otherwise they might see with their eyes, 
      hear with their ears, 
      understand with their hearts 
   and turn, and I would heal them.' "

I'm sure we know people that are similar to those that opposed what Paul had preached.  What are we to do when we've tried everything but they still deny God?  Should we just move on, or keep trying to reach out to them?  These 

verses reminded me to continue to pray for those in our lives that do not know God or have a personal relationship with Him.  May we not lose hope but put our faith and hope in God that all things are possible through Him and Him 

alone.  

Arrival at Rome (Acts 28: 11-16)

The importance of the much needed support Paul received from his fellow Christian brothers and sisters as he was entering Rome is really highlighted in this passage. Entering a new place as a prisoner must have brought about anxiety and stress. Being met by fellow Christians and receiving such kindness and hospitality and welcome was exactly the support he needed. Paul found strength and encouragement through them and was ultimately able to thank God for this and keep moving forward.

I see this passage as a message to us to be on the lookout for those that need to be encouraged in their journey and to support them and provide that encouragement to keep them moving forward. I hope we are able to encourage one another in our walk and be a church that is welcoming to those that are sent our way as well. Have a BLESSED week ladies!

ashore on malta

"paul shook the snake off into the fire and suffered no ill effects" (acts 28:5)

the arrival of paul on malta had two effects on the people. in the first instance, a poisonous snake attached itself to paul's hand, whereby the people of the island concluded that paul was a murderer. when paul shook off the snake with no ill effect, the people then concluded that paul was a god. paul's appearance exposed the worldview of the island inhabitants--a worldview steeped in superstition and fatalism. simply put, the islanders believed that bad things happen to bad people and that good things happen to good people.

this worldview might seem primitive but is actually very modern. it is the worldview of fallen humanity from the beginning of time up until now. without the revelation of the existence of a God who is in control of all things, we too would feel ourselves to be at the mercy of inexplicable forces of nature or circumstance. to "earn" a good life we would do good works, and we would likewise expect punishment if we hadn't lived well.  stripped to its essentials, this worldview is a salvation by works. it was the worldview of the islanders; it was the worldview of the pharisees in Jesus's day; it is the worldview of hindus, muslims, and jews today; and it is most certainly yet erroneously the worldview of many christians who profess to believe in God's sovereignty but live in accordance to the above mindset. do we recognize this line of reasoning in our own lives?

what does the life of a person who believes and trusts in God's goodness and power look like practically? "paul shook the snake off into the fire and suffered no ill effects" (verse 5). when confronted by a potential threat or danger, paul "shook it off".  this event which caused the islanders to conclude almost in the same breath that paul was both a murderer and a god did not shake paul's faith in the least. this is not to say that christians are immune from tragic circumstances or the ravages of disease, but paul remained steadfast even when his life was threatened. 

we could learn a lot from paul--"staying the course", believing, trusting even when things go wrong. if we follow his example, our faith will suffer "no ill effects". unlike the islanders, we would not have our center of gravity shaken and swing wildly between two opposite conclusions trying to understand and make sense of our circumstances. may God help us to be so rooted and established in the faith that in the moment of trial and testing that our faith too would "suffer no ill effects".

The Shipwreck

In the passage before todays Paul declared confidently about the vision he was shown from the angel to the men. "Not one of you will be lost" he said. There were 276 men aboard. Even without the factor of the ship being nearly destroyed there were many other things that could have caused one of these men harm in the last fourteen days of the journey. However Paul stuck to his promise that not one of these 276 men will lose a single hair from his head. In fact they all ate and was able to be so full that they threw the rest of the grain overboard to lighten the ship.

One part that particularly stood out for me was how the centurion wanted to spare Paul's life and let the other prisoners swim over to the land. If any of the prisoners escaped it would be on his head and no one would blame him if he killed all the prisoners onboard, however this proves how when the Lord promises something, it will happen.

There were so many things that could have gone wrong in this passage. However God had a protective hand over all of it so His will could be done. Many times we feel our entire lives are on a boat such as this. We are not given a precise time or location when we will be be safety back in God's arms or when the dangers we face will be conquered. We can only go on the promises that God has given to us. Just as Paul blindly believed only because he was told, I want to live my life with the assurance that God's will will be done. One of the promises that I will cling to is that nothing, absolutely nothing will separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:38-39. For God is perfect, He is faithful and just as He delivered Paul He will deliver us.

I love this scene in Paul's journey. The people did everything to save themselves from the raging storm, eventually throwing everything overboard that could aid in their survival. "On the third day, they threw the ship's tackle overboard with their own hands. When neither sun nor stars appeared for many days and the storm continued raging, we finally gave up all hope of being saved." The people were in a grave situation, but our loving God in this case saved them, even when their stubbornness caused them not to listen to Paul's earlier advice.

This scene once again emphasizes our need to stand firm and to keep up our courage when situations in our lives are going astray. Often times it may be a result of sin or our stubbornness to really hear or be moved by God's leading. I know that personally, I often wondered why things were so difficult for me here on this paradise island. While I lived in a place that people call paradise, my heart was always in the desert. I knew it was sin, I knew it was my pride. God had a great sense of humor as He left me "shipwrecked" in a beautiful place, entirely alone, no where to run, cornered, desperate, hung out to dry - only then, I could turn my heart back to the Father. Here in my desert, I really believed with all the strength that I could muster, that God was scouring my heart, and that he would eventually lead me back to fit myself into His plans and purposes. "Nevertheless, we must run aground on some island." Isn't that the truth? - whatever our "island" might be that we are stranded on, we need to be patient, keep faith, keep courage, keep praying.

These passages are so clear that it is really God's Grace that saves us and that we should not be afraid. God said to Paul "... and God has graciouly given you the lives of all who sail with you." These passages are also very revealing in that God's purpose never gets thwarted although we may wander far from Him. Eventually He will get His way. Thank God for that. Thank God that Paul says "So keep up your courage, men, for I have faith in God that it will happen just as he told me."

Ok. Keep going! Have a great week.

Paul Sails for Rome

Paul's journey to Rome has become long, arduous and is now lost. I see myself lost in this journey just like Paul's ship. I know my destination. However, facing the problems/struggles that arise during the journey has made me lose track, and its been keeping me from serving and living wholeheartedly for Him.

Something I wanted to share yesterday..one thing I can't let go is my attitude of independence. Ever since I was young, I had to be the older one. Emotionally I couldn't really rely on anyone. So I held a lot of things in and tried to deal with it myself because I knew there wasn't anyone who could help. Something God has been teaching me throughout the years is that "You're not alone." When I get into the "independent" mode, I get more lost. Haha.

But it's amazing how God, even after ALL this time, speaks to me and wants me to come back EVERY TIME! This weekend has made me realize a lot of things...it's a work in progress :)

Have a blessing week ladies!!

Paul's defense before Agrippa

Sorry for missing my turn yesterday, I hope it's fine to do this today.


Yesterday's and today's passage is about Paul's defensing himself finally before Agrippa. The result was Agrippa's saying "This man is not doing anything that deserves death or improsonment."

He told them everything he's been through from persecuting people of God, meeting Jesus on the way to Damascus, and preaching to repent.

He's showing how he's become who he is. I think that's how we should convince people that we are not "insane" but just reasonable. Telling the full story of how we got here, being christian, might be little awkward to non-christian friends but I think they might want to know and be curious about it. That could be a good way to guide them to Jesus. Two days ago I met a friend who's having a hard time and trying to live her life better. She was very curious about being a christian and how that's possible. I told her several things about what we do or what we believe but I didn't tell her my story. I should've shown her my own story, which could be more convincing.