Love

Love

S: ⁹ Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. ¹⁰ Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. ¹¹ Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. ¹² Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. ¹³ Share with God’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.
¹⁴ Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. ¹⁵ Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. ¹⁶ Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position.^[c] Do not be conceited.
¹⁷ Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. ¹⁸ If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. ¹⁹ Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,”^[d] says the Lord. ²⁰ On the contrary:

“If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
    if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.
In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.”^[e]

²¹ Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Romans 12:9-21

O: I couldn't pick just one verse in today's life journal. I feel like there's so much the Spirit is pressing on my heart. What the spirit is telling me is.. I lack love.

Main Points:

1. Practice hospitality

2. Love your enemies - Do not repay evil with evil

A:  Reading verse 9-21 I just see how much I lack in loving others. It's easy to love the lovable, but to love on those you consider enemies (or annoying people) is the difficult to do. I have a tendency to cut people out of my life once they do me wrong. But God clearly states that if it is up to me, (v18) I should do all I can to live in peace. If I'm the first one to cut them out, am I really giving the situation a chance to live in peace or at least allow God to move?...

It just comes to show how much I lack when I evaluate myself...

How many times have I repaid (v17) evil for evil? 

How many times have I made excuses about practicing hospitality to strangers/enemies? 

*if i do.. i'm doing it with my teeth gritted* 

As the Spirit points out my faults, it just comes to show that I truly need to change my ways and make my best efforts to love my enemies. I need to bless those who persecute me. Of course I can't do this without the Spirit. I've once heard that the best way to love enemies is to pray for them. As you're praying for them your heart will change and you'll start caring for them. I must practice this.

P: Jesus forgive me for repaying evil with evil. Forgive me for unwilling to change because of my pride. Holy Spirit, enter my heart, so I would have compassion for my enemies. God I ask that you take away any bitterness that in my heart and you replace it a Christ like love. One that is sacrificial and unconditional. 

In Jesus name
Amen.

 

 

Abstain from Corrupt Talk

S: ²⁴ Put away perversity from your mouth;
    keep corrupt talk far from your lips.

Prov 4:24

O: Corrupt talk only breaks down community.

A: I have a tendency to talk bad about people even when I'm not aware of it. I need to make sure to withhold talking bad about people even if I sugar coat it, or say it in a joking manner. Slander is slander regardless of if you put a "but hes/she has a good heart". Even if its the truth I need to make sure not to spread those flaws, but always build up.

P: God help me to build up rather than tear down. Forgive me for talking bad about people. Help me not to gossip, but to always edify and build up as you have commanded.

In Jesus Name
Amen.

Begining of Knowledge

S: ⁷ The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge,
    but fools^[a] despise wisdom and discipline. 
Proverbs 1:7

O: Solomon was said to be the wisest man in the bible. The wisdom he received was from the Lord.The all mighty God despises the proud and shows grace to the humble. Lacking fear the essence of pride. Not having fear for God is bringing down God's status to my level.


A: Fearing God is the first wise thing I can do. Knowing that He is in control of my life and He can take away or give without reason is something I need to be constantly reminded about. I have such a narrow view on life that I forget that God is sovereign. Like Solomon stated, the first step to growth is to have fear for the Creator. I still don't know how to fully fear God properly. I feel like our generation has lost the ability of see the full characteristic of God. As not too recently, they tried to popularize Jesus by saying "Jesus is my homeboy". Yes Jesus is your friend, but he's also the disciplinarian when we do wrong. God is a God of wrath and love. I have to remember He has wiped clean civilizations because of his holy anger. We are insignificant in God' sight. To start, I feel like I need to pray on my knees more often as to show respect to God in a posture of humility.


P: God thank you for giving me grace for not having enough fear for You. You are a God who destroyed sinful men in an act to discipline and correct those you love. You show kindness, but you also show anger. Help me Spirit not to forget that and to always be humble. Help me God to throw away my pride and gain fruitful wisdom in which I can use in my life. Thank you for your grace and mercy.


In Jesus name
Amen

Slave to Christ

S: ¹³ Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to him as instruments of righteousness.



Romans 6:13


O: God calls me to be fully obedient. It is not enough to say that only apart of me is given to God and apart of me is given to sin. When I accepted Jesus it mean that the ownership of my life was forfeited from sin into righteous. Paul goes on saying that one person can not serve to masters.

A: The difficulty of living a Christian life is to exclude all sins. This is what drives lukewarmness in my life, which is the constant failing and falling into my sinful desires. I'm at times on fire for God and at times falling into temptation of sin. When I took Christ as my savior, I also made him Lord over my life. I forfeited my past master, sin, over to righteousness which is Christ. 

For instance when I'm struggling with lust and I'm falling into those temptations during the week, I should be upset for failing my master Christ. Nothing should be excusable just because I act "holy" during Wednesday CG and Sunday service. I need to constantly remind myself that God owns me completely. My desires, my ambitions and my thoughts. I need to refocus on giving myself up to Him.


P: Jesus thank you for your grace. As it is written in your Word, let not my sinful actions continue to increase the Grace that you give to me, but rather help me to walk away from sin, so that I may decrease the grace provided. Help me Spirit to walk in righteousness and give my whole self to you as my Lord. To claim you are my savior is the easiest thing, but I ask that you help me to also live out my life as you being the Lord over it.

In Jesus name
Amen.

Patience

S: ⁷ “My father David had it in his heart to build a temple for the Name of the Lord, the God of Israel. ⁸ But the Lord said to my father David, ‘Because it was in your heart to build a temple for my Name, you did well to have this in your heart. ⁹ Nevertheless, you are not the one to build the temple, but your son, who is your own flesh and blood—he is the one who will build the temple for my Name.’


2 Chronicles 6:7-9

  
O: David was a man after God's heart. He lived his life to glorify God in every way and knew what it meant to love God as humanly as possible. In return God blessed David and loved on him, and blessed the kingdom of Israel through the line of David. God also gave David the privileged of gathering all the materials needed to build a final resting place for the ark of the covenant. Unfortunately, David wasn't the one to complete the task as his hands were soaked in blood, as he was a conquering king. Verse 9 shows what it means to have patience like King David. David wanted so much to be able to build this finally resting place for the essence of God, but when God told him he wouldn't he didn't disobey and do it anyways. It must have been heart wrenching to know that God's temple would not be finished during David's time. It also shows how much self control David had when it came to accepting God's will. He didn't choose to take it upon himself to defy God, but obeyed. 


A: There are so many things I can learn from David's characteristic. First is controlling my impulsiveness. Self discipline in making decisions is hard for me, as I grew up in a house where things needed to get done right then and there. Waiting longer prolonged not only the outcome, but also increased the anger that my parents would have when it came to completing tasks. I'm all about ripping the bandaid off asap, rather than letting it heal. This also goes willing with God's convictions for me. At times, I do get ahead of what God wants me to do. He answers in ways of Yes, No, and Later... In those cases I don't feel like I really submit to his plans and just flat out do things according to my desires or what I think is right. In my heart, I know I want to glorify God, but in respect I need to learn how to let go when God tells me I'm not the one to "complete His temple". Maybe it'll come at a later time when I've matured in faith. In short, I need to learn to be patient and obedient to what God tells me.



P: Jesus forgive me for my lack of patience. I often times do without thinking of the consequences and end up in sin or causing sin. Help me to be more mature in my decisions and not justify my actions because of my right intentions. Just like David, I pray you'll allow me to be obedient and humble in all circumstance. Ultimately the temple will be built, and I need to trust that You'll do it regardless of who it maybe. Allow me to be less and you more. 


In Jesus Name
Amen.

Fear in God

S: There is no fear of God before their eyes.

~Romans 3:18

O: In verses 11-18, Luke is describing that there is no one righteous on this earth. We're all sinners, and all fail at living a righteous life. The law that God holds us accountable cannot be obtained by even the strictest sects of Jews priests. There should be punishment for those who live by this law, but by the grace that Christ gifted us, we're free from those bondage. Even then we are called to uphold the law and not run rampant as sinners as we are no longer masters of our own body, but forfeited our lives to Christ. In that... I still fail to realize that I must come to God with fear and trembling. The God of the universe, the God who created all things with infinite power is being taken for granted by me. I choose when to call upon God or find 10-15 mins during my day to do spend quality time with him. Where is my sacrifice in this? If it were the president that came to meet me, I would drop everything and schedule a time to meet this man of importance. Isn't God greater by unfathomable lengths? God forgive me for my impudence!

A: I take for granted God's leniency and His love for me to be ever patience. God is not only the God who loves, but equal the God who brings wraith. He is the one who brought the plagues, and destroyed the unjust even killing the innocent first borns. Who am I to declare God to be shoved into convenient time spots during my day? I need to prioritize meeting with God in which I can be reminded to live out his commands. 

P: Jesus forgive me for taking you for granted. Help me to remember that you are of great importance. Far greater than the greatest leaders or the most influential. Help me to realize that you God are the one who I must please in this life, not only because of love, but because of the fear I have for you. Help me to be humble in your sight. I ask Holy Spirit to discipline and allow me to grow deeper in faith.

In Jesus Name
Amen.

Persistence

S: ⁷ To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life. ⁸ But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger. 

Romans 2:7-8

O:  The author of Acts warns the early Christians the fallacies of failing to follow God according to scripture. He gives a contrasting view of how a disciple of Christ should live life. In these verses, I felt like the word "good works" seems ambiguous. The good works Luke speaks is those that are uplifting to building the kingdom. There is no self interest, but only that of glorifying God in a selfless manner. To sum it up, we serve in good works as a response to Christ's love for us. In verse 8 it talks about self-seeking. who reject the truth and follow evil. Basically non-believers are categorize in this verse. They will be judged by the law because they lived by the law. To reflect on my life... Am I self-seeking, do I reject the truth, Am I following evil? Yes.. At times I do. 


A: Clearly I know what I must do. I need to reject what is listed in verse 8 and follow what is in verse 7. Am I living for Christ and looking forward to the eternal? I can't say I constantly think about being immortal. Am I seeking glory? (a manifestation of God's presence?) I can't say I always am. Am I seeking God's honor? Not as always as well. It says to be PERSISTENCE in verse 7. Not sometimes.. but ALWAYS. It is God who sees all and sees the heart. I need to constantly examine my life and how I live it.


P: Jesus help me to seek after you. Help me to glorify and honor your name through my actions. Sure I might have the moments of seeking You, but as mentioned in verse 7, there is no persistence in my actions. I don't always do it, so in that I ask for forgiveness. I want to grow stronger in faith and I can't do it without you Spirit. Lead me closer to you.

In Jesus Name
Amen

A Sanctified Life

S: ⁶ and that in this matter no one should wrong his brother or take advantage of him. The Lord will punish men for all such sins, as we have already told you and warned you. ⁷ For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life

~1 Thessalonians 4-6

O:  Since Paul has only spent a few weeks in Thessalonica, he writes to the Thessalonians to courage them to pursue a sanctified life. The gentles of Thessalonica turned away from idols to worship the one true God. The Thessalonians are still considered an infant church in which Paul orders Timothy to travel and check up on them. Even when one turns from their secular ways, it is easy for those to fall into temptation. Paul addresses this by encouraging the people to do no wrong to brothers and not to take advantage of them. Even though I've been a Christian for a long time, I still feel like I always try to find a way to take advantage of the system. I justify it by the small loop holes that exist or telling myself that God won't see this underlining issue of sin that I've committed. It sickens me how I fail so easily whenever Satan makes his move.

A: I need to myself apart. As much as I say I'm a Christian, I don't feel the part whenever I sin. Today i took advantage of the system to returning a broken device to Fry's, telling myself that they'll handle the RMA with the vendor. Even though its true that they will, its still dishonest of me to go through extra lengths to forge the serial numbers that were provided. Man I feel so wretched. God forgive me! I need to concentrate and hold firm to the Holy Spirits convictions.

P: Jesus forgive me of my wretchedness. I'm always sinning and letting you down. Help me to sanctify myself in which I won't blantantly take advantage of anyone. Help me to go about my actions in an honest way, so that people who aren't Christians can see your power in me. Forgive me for failing and I pray that the damages I've done in people's eyes would be forgotten. I rely on you.

In Jesus Name
Amen

Humility Under Distress

S: ⁹ Then Abishai the son of Zeruiah said to the king, “Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Let me go over and take off his head.” ¹⁰ But the king said, “What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah? If he is cursing because the Lord has said to him, ‘Curse David,’ who then shall say, ‘Why have you done so?’” ¹¹ And David said to Abishai and to all his servants, “Behold, my own son seeks my life; how much more now may this Benjaminite! Leave him alone, and let him curse, for the Lord has told him to.

~2 Samuel 16:9-11

O: In my current situation (this feeling of being rejected), am I Shemei who curses the David or am I David who receives the curse knowing well that God has brought upon the act, as punishment for sins? Shemei must have had some balls to be able to curse David when his Mighty Men were also around. It's impressive to know that at any moment his life would have been taken away with a swift blow from one of David's men. In any other situation he would have lost his life, but David allows Shemei the freedom to curse the king because he knew it was apart of God's plan. God promised strife within the family for David's evil deeds, and he knew he needed to be disciplined even by this lowly servant. The saying you reap what we sow comes into mind as I also reflect on my life. The damage I have done forces me to lose what I wanted the most, yet I know this is apart of God's bigger plan. 


A: David knowing full well of his deeds knew that he needed to be humble under God's punishment. Whether it be someone with no value delivering this punishment or God himself, David submits and accepts what comes his way. I too know that God is disciplining me right now. I need to understand that when I am being punished I need to receive it with humility. Understand that its with a purpose to better my character and know that the sovereign God is just.


P: Father, help me to understand that my errors always have a lesson to be learned. Help me to see that you are in control and that there is a greater purpose for my life. This feeling of loneliness, sadness and guilt.. Take it away from me. You are God who heals. Help me to see the bigger picture. Thank you Jesus for the cross and how to walk bearing the burden daily.


In Jesus Name
Amen.

Mercy

Scripture:

 ¹⁰  Create in me a clean heart, O God,
    and renew a right^[b] spirit within me.
¹¹  Cast me not away from your presence,
    and take not your Holy Spirit from me.
¹² Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
    and uphold me with a willing spirit.

~Psalms 51:10-12


Observation:


Psalms 51 is David's outcry for forgiveness after being revealed by Nathan for committing adultery and murder. The incident is considered the greatest sin David commits, which comes to show that no man is immune to sin. David deserved death, as he also condemns himself inadvertently through Nathan's story of the poor man's lamb that was slaughtered. God is just to deliver rightful punishment for David's sin, rather He shows mercy instead. David unfortunately commits this sin, but in response what did he do right in the aftermath of his wickedness?  He turns to God. In response, God forgives David. God is like a father patiently waiting for us to come back to Him. David knew this as he was a man after God's heart.

Application:

How many times have I turned away from God and blatantly committed sin? How many times have I hurt brothers and sisters around me through my sinful actions? Countless. These days I feel like I'm constantly hurting those around me by what I say and the selfish way I act. I feel like I'm fighting this uphill battle of dousing the fires of sin I've started through my actions. I feel inadequate to do anything right. But through it all, scripture gives me hope that I can take the example of David cry out to God for mercy. He desperately seeks God to forgive and to reconnect the broken connection he has with the Almighty. God has anointed me as His child and calls me to beckon him even when I commit my horrendous sins. Jesus wants to be that person who dusts me off and accepts me into his embrace. How precious is he who takes me back after I've been covered in filth.

In short there is nothing I can do to repay Christ's grace and mercy. I deserve the just punishment of death. Like David I *MUST* seek Christ in repentance and not try to hide or ignore the issue.

Prayer:

Father, I deserve death. I deserve to be in hell. I deserve to be separated from you. Words cannot express how thankful I am to receive your salvation when all I deserve is death. You are a pure and righteous God , but you took upon the cross the filth of my actions. Thank you! Jesus help me to love like you. Help me to come to you in repentance whenever I sin and not try to hide it or run away from it. I desperately need you to restore my soul. Give me the Holy Spirit, so I may turn away from wickedness. Thank you Jesus for your cleansing blood.

In Jesus Name,
Amen

The lost

S: Matthew 18:12-13 ESV

What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go in search of the one that went astray?  And if he finds it, truly, I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that never went astray.

O: a good sheppard does not forget even the one missing sheep. does this mean that the sheppard carelessly walked away from the 99? I don't think jesus meantion that we should. A good sheppard makes sure the 99 is taken care of before he goes to search for that one lost one. I don't know to what extent. But I think in the context of ministry that's for the holy spirit to determine. it is clear that we must search for that one who is lost though.

A: I'm not perfect in this in anyway. I get tired even to reach out to that one sheep that keeps wandering off but it is clear that god wants me to keep reaching out no matter how far that sheep wanders off. Maybe its me at times too. I just imagine whenever that happens jesus carries me back to the flock. Likewise I need learn from christ and do the same.

P: jesus thank you for bring me back when I'm lost in my sinful ways. Help me not to give up on the lost sheeps that wander away in redeemed. I know jesus you gave me the heart for the broken.. hence I thank you for that. Help me not to see it as a burden. In jesus name amen.

Failing to Recognize Our Saviour

S: ¹⁰ And the disciples asked him, “Then why do the scribes say that first Elijah must come?” ¹¹ He answered, “Elijah does come, and he will restore all things. ¹² But I tell you that Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him, but did to him whatever they pleased. So also the Son of Man will certainly suffer at their hands.” ¹³  Then the disciples understood that he was speaking to them of John the Baptist.

Matthew 17:12

O: Verse 12 hits home for me, as I feel like I too know Christ, but lost the reverence of who He is. Moses and Elijah were considered the greatest prophets of the Old Testament. Constantly they were telling the Israelites to come back to God in repentance and obey his commands. And as much as God corrected them they still fell away. Now that Christ has come and past, I too falter at obey God's commands. As a result Christ is again crucified for my actions. 


A: How many times have I crucified Christ with my disobedience and pride in myself? Holy Spirit please let me overcome myself reliance and fall in surrender to God's will. I can't do it with my own strength, but only through the spirit can I lessen my personal desires and make greater God's will to shine through in this life. This includes a future spouse and career.. I'm at His mercy on this.. In short I need to surrender my thoughts and actions.


P: God help me to surrender to you. Help me to be reminded that this life is no longer mine, but flesh and bones borrowed from you. Help me to utilize my time on this earth in obedience of your will. Let your will be mine. Help me spirit to rid myself of pride, and selfish ambition. Thank you Jesus for dying for my sins. I truly am "filthy rags (used tampons)" in your eyes. Wash me clean in your precious blood.

In Jesus Name,

Amen