Calling at My Workplace

[S] Amos 7:14-15 –

14  Then Amos replied to Amaziah, "I am not a prophet, nor am I the son of a prophet; for I am a herdsman and a grower of sycamore figs.15  "But the Lord took me from following the flock and the Lord said to me, ‘Go prophesy to My people Israel.’

[O] This is a very humbling passage where Amos gives a brief background that God called him from a herdsman-status into a prophet.  He displays total obedience according to God.s calling rather than relying on own experiences or credentials.  God called him out of his everyday living of a normal life minding his own business . following the flock.  This affirms that God calls and uses those who make themselves available.  And as someone once said:  God doesn.t use those who are equipped but equips those who He calls (and responds).

[A] God will call me also from where I am doing my own business.  I need to constantly lean my ears toward Him so I won.t miss His calling; but more importantly, I must respond positively to His calling to full obedience because without it I will get lost when confronted by difficult situations.

[P] Dear God, what is my calling?  I want to follow Amos. footsteps to act upon Your calling to do Your will.  May my heart be filling with wisdom to carry it out with confidence and effectiveness?  In Jesus. name.  Amen.

Sign of Approval

[S] Psalm 86:17 --

17 Show me a sign for good, 
That those who hate me may see it and be ashamed, 
Because You, O Lord, have helped me and comforted me.

[O] David here is asking for a sign of approval from God to be on him because for him that's more important than trying to sort out the hatred toward him from others.  Having that "seal" from God is what he pursued and no wonder God called him the one who followed after His heart.

[A] What sign of approval am I seeking from God and from others around me?  Especially when I have oppositions, my tendency is to find ways to fight back rather than to enter into His presence first.  Every day I need to enter deeper into His presence so that I am just saturated in His love an power.

[P] Dear Father, lead me to enter deeper into Your presence. May my life be totally saturated with Your Spirit that it is no longer I who try to figure out how to bring You out of my life but for Your seal approval in my life to speak for itself.  In Jesus' name.  Amen.

Ministry is Hard Work

[S] 2 Timothy 4:5 --
5  But you, be sober in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.

[O] In contrast to those who are merely interested in listening to good words according to their own desires, Paul preaches to those followers of Christ to be sober, endure, work, and fulfill their ministries.  Following Christ's ways is not a walk in a park but demands a dedicated effort with proper goals to move forward.

[A] As we embark on the new level of our small group ministry, I am convicted by this passage that we have to endure some hardships, do the work of evangelists, in order to fulfill our ministry.  We just had the Upward, Inward, Outward, and Forward seminar where we were to draw out 4 month plans for each group.  I'd like to follow up and support each group to set some goals to follow through in the upcoming months for expanding our ministry.

[P] Dear Father, grant us the victory from the complacency into hard-working to pursue Your ministry that you entrusted to us.  May our small group ministry move onward through our dedicated hearts working together in Your name.  In Jesus' name.  Amen.

Persecution Required

[S] 2 Timothy 3:12 --
12  Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.

[O] This verse is really a shocker because verses like John 3:16 paints a much nicer picture of living a godly life in Christ but to read such a contrasting message here makes it uncomfortable for sure.  But just like if I jump into a swimming pool I will be soaking wet, if I desire to embrace godly living in Christ Jesus, I have no option but to be soaking in persecution.  This is a very scary concept and my instinct wants me to side step such a pathway.  However, God makes it 100% clear I cannot follow Him and avoid persecution so I'd better learn about what this really means to my life than to avoid it.

[A] Persecution isn't necessarily being diced by the world but more so understanding that the way I choose to live my life in this world is going to cause a lot of friction in my everyday life.  I just need to remind myself of that more and more and by doing so my mind can shift from being agitated to being at peace to truly worship God uninterrupted.

[P] Dear Father, I want to worship You genuinely and with passion, not being heavy with the continual wrestling with the persecutions coming from the enemy.  May Your name be lifted up because You deserve it.  In Your precious name.  Amen.

Love That Expects Nothing in Return

[S] 2 Chronicles 24:22 --
22 Thus Joash the king remembered not the kindness which Jehoiada his father had done to him, but slew his son. And when he died, he said, The Lord look upon it, and require it.

[O] When King Joash started his reign at age 7, Jehoiada the priest guided and shepherded Joash to lead the nation to follow after God's ways.  However when Jehoiada died the people seemed to have worshiped the king which eventually abandoned the house of the LORD, the God of their fathers, and served the Asherim and the idols. (v.18)  When Zechariah the son of Jehoiada preached to the people to turn back to God, Joash killed him not remembering the kindness of Jehoiada.  This picture is so much like our Heavenly Father and what Jesus did where we murdered Jesus not remembering the kindness of the Father who created us in His image.  Such is a sad picture, but this seem to happen all the time in circles of lives we live in.

[A] My takeaway from this passage is not to set high expectations from others who I serve, starting with my own children, others at church, and workplaces because many times I set my own expectations too high thinking what I "do for them" is going to change their hearts to like me forever (which really is my own pride getting in the way).  But the reality is God's care and love for me the only constant factor and no other person in this world is going to provide that, regardless of my actions toward them and this is a great reminder for me to anchor my life deeper into His love for me.

[P] Dear Father, Your un-ending love mentioned in John 13:1 ministered to me now as I reflected on this passage.  May I enter deeper into Your gracious love and out of that flow the same level of love for others in my life expecting nothing back from them.  In Jesus' name.  Amen.

Decision Making Priorities

[S] 1 Timothy 5:14 --
14  Therefore, I want younger widows to get married, bear children, keep house, and give the enemy no occasion for reproach;

[O] Making decision is always a difficult task because there are so many factors to consider to make the most sounds judgment.  However, I could go on and on weighing endless numbers of factors without making a timely decision which can actually be more damaging than making a "bad" decision.  In light of this the decision-making process gets tougher when ethics or legality is involved because it gets very confusing to know what is right from wrong.  In this verse, Paul addresses the situations of widows remarrying and after he lays out some conditions to follow, he concludes with this statement of the highest priority in our decision making -- give the enemy no occasion for reproach.  No matter what decision is made, the result should be to leave no room for the enemy to take advantage.

[A] I can apply this to many areas of my life now but want to focus on my parenting.  I can lay down the "house rules" to the max for my kids to adhere to, but I must teach them the most fundamental aspects of living a righteous life is to not let the enemy wedge himself into their lives slowly but surely by always making decisions not based on analytical knowledge but willingness to please God foremost.

[P] Dear Father, thank You for providing a simple view into my life's decisions.  I don't want to give any room for the enemy to influence my life but Your word.  In Jesus' name.  Amen.

Means of Sanctification

[S] 1 Timothy 4:4-5 --
4  For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with gratitude;5  for it is sanctified by means of the word of God and prayer.

[O] Just like how water is the base for mixing various elements together, gratitude is the base formula for seeing and receiving all that God created as He intended as good.  Based on this, all things are created for good but it is my tainted mind that limits me to selfish perspectives causing me to see many things God created less than their face values.  Verse 5 teaches me about the power and influence of God's word and my prayer because my integrating these two tightly into my life, I will be able to see all things as good as God intended and that includes my own life to be sanctified more and more towards the image God had intended for my life.

[A] Continue on devotion, and integrate more prayer there as well as during other times of my daily routine.

[P] Dear Father, thank You for revealing the secret of Your word and my prayer as the foundation of my faith and how it will set my perspectives straight as You had intended.  May my life be aligned more with Your design as I integrate more prayer into my daily routine.  In Jesus' name.  Amen.

Amazing Two Little Flocks of Goats

[S] 1 Kings 20:27-29 --
27  The sons of Israel were mustered and were provisioned and went to meet them; and the sons of Israel camped before them like two little flocks of goats, but the Arameans filled the country.28  Then a man of God came near and spoke to the king of Israel and said, "Thus says the Lord, ‘Because the Arameans have said, "The Lord is a god of the mountains, but He is not a god of the valleys," therefore I will give all this great multitude into your hand, and you shall know that I am the Lord.’"29  So they camped one over against the other seven days. And on the seventh day the battle was joined, and the sons of Israel killed of the Arameans 100,000 foot soldiers in one day. (highlights added)

[O] The immense discrepancy between two little flocks of goats versus the great masses of the Arameans stood out and yet God's strength countered what I would consider an impossible battle (not only a losing one).  And yet when God's name is at stake he would even raise the dead branches to ensure His name is lifted high above all attacks against His name.  So, He used even the "two little flovks of goats" to destroy 100,000 soldiers.  This is how God operates, in His terms with His instruments no matter how minuscule it may seem to me.

[A] I feel very small these days when I begin to evaluate and measure against all the factors in life I face daily whether it be the workplace's ever increasing amount of work load, being the "best" dad to my children, being the "best" husband to my wife, being the team player in my community, and even partaking in God's ministry at church.  It definitely feels like I'm just a "two little flocks of goats" against the great flood gushing at me.  God comforted me through this scene today because He does not care how prepared I am or how "strong" I am because He cares for my heart to be committed to lift up His name above all.  Then I will be in His grip to be used as His instruments to raise up His name and that is the most significant way of living my life.  I need to keep my focus on this.

[P] Dear Father, I surrender my "two little flocks of goats" into Your hands such that it will be used to lift up Your wonderful and powerful name in this world I live in.  Thank You for reminding me to keep my eyes on this.  In Jesus' name.  Amen.

The Searching Eyes of God

[S] 2 Chronicles 16:9 --
9  "For the eyes of the Lord move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His. You have acted foolishly in this. Indeed, from now on you will surely have wars."

[O] Whenever I read this verse, I visualize the eyes of God scanning the earth to look for those whose heart is completely His.  It's almost like a very powerful radar detecting every corner of this world.  It's not only intriguing to envision that but also very sad to think about how God has to comb through to find such people.  These words came to King Asa through the seer Hanani when Asa out of his fear relied on other nation to protect himself rather than committing to God wholeheartedly.  It is safe to say that in times of need, people will call upon the name of their strong friends when God is waiting for us to call on His strength and power.

[A] I am going through a time of feeling like my energy is just being drained left and right with lots of things going on in major parts of my life.  I do feel like Asa and my inclination is to find some ways out of here using my own methods but I want to throw myself at God and be found by Him as one whose heart is completely His.

[P] Dear Father, please mold me to be one whose heart is sold out for You always.  In Jesus' name.  Amen.

Hold On To the Progress

[S] Philippians 3:15 --
15  Let us therefore, as many as are perfect, have this attitude; and if in anything you have a different attitude, God will reveal that also to you;16  however, let us keep living by that same standard to which we have attained.
(NLT) 15 Let all who are spiritually mature agree on these things. If you disagree on some point, I believe God will make it plain to you. 16 But we must hold on to the progress we have already made.

[O] Even when believers gather to carry out God's ministry, we still face the challenges of different point of views and at times they lead to critical points of disagreements enough to disengage people away from the goal set in the beginning.  This passage acknowledges that and provides a very precious advice about how we should set aside our differences and lean on God to reveal understanding; however, my job is to keep living by the same standard for which Jesus died on the cross.  It is when I keep my basic posture to be in line with His grace, that God will reveal the secrets He desires for me to know.

[A] When working and dealing with many people at church for the sake of carrying out His ministry, I must remember to hold on to the progress He is making even in the midst of some disagreements and must hold on to it because God's grace is at the core of such a progress, not man's ways or plans.

[P] Dear Father, thank You for Your grace that permeates through my life as well as my ministry.  Your amazing progress in the midst of my shortcomings is what I must recognize and hold on to and let go over all the disagreements or distractions caused by many relationships with others.  May Your name be lifted up.  In Jesus' name.  Amen.

Passing on The Wisdom Baton

[S] 1 Kings 12:8 --
8  But he forsook the counsel of the elders which they had given him, and consulted with the young men who grew up with him and served him.

[O] The wisdom Solomon received from the Lord did not automatically pass on to his son Rehoboam because he certainly did not make a wise decision here.  Instead of seeking God's guidance, he went with his own "known quality" by choosing to listen to the young men who were loyal to him.  Even in practical sense he forgo the leaders who had gone through the thick and thin with his father for those he grew up with (i.e., they have equally shallow understanding of what happened during Solomon's days).

[A] Whatever little wisdom I will gain during my life time is not going to automatically so I must sow the seed of seeking wisdom in my children's hearts so they would seek after God's wisdom on their own.

[P] Dear Father, I pray that You would allow the hearts of my children to be willing to dig into Your word deeper during this Summer by consistently doing the Life Journaling with me.  Give me the alertness to wake up on time to spend this precious time with them.  In Jesus' name.  Amen

My Bad Circumstances are Not That Bad

[S] Philippians 1:12-14 --
12  Now I want you to know, brethren, that my circumstances have turned out for the greater progress of the gospel,13  so that my imprisonment in the cause of Christ has become well known throughout the whole praetorian guard and to everyone else,14  and that most of the brethren, trusting in the Lord because of my imprisonment, have far more courage to speak the word of God without fear.

[O] What a testimony it is to turn a major downturn in life for the cause for expansion of God's ministry.  His imprisonment was totally undeserved and yet he sees the purpose of God behind it rather than bitter about the whole situation.  His painful circumstance caused Christ to be well know throughout the whole praetorian guard -- whom by the way are the ones making sure he stays imprisoned -- and to everyone else.  What a purpose-driven life he led.  And he also brought more courage to the fellow brothers to speak the word of God without fear.

[A] There are so many circumstances where I deserve a break to be recognized as innocent, or set the records straight because others got it all wrong about me.  These are the painful situations in life where you feel so lost and/or lonely.  I will follow Paul's footsteps to not look at it sorrowfully having pity on me but to turn it around for the expansion of God's ministry.

[P] Dear Father, whenever I am put in these awkward and undeserved circumstances, may I turn to You and ask how it will/can be used to further Your ministry and see the situation with the right spiritual eyes.  In Jesus' name.  Amen.

How to Fight a Losing Battle

[S] Ephesians 6:12 --
12  For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.

[O] The categories listed here are awesomely powerful, and may be stating the obvious but much more powerful than what I can be or do.  Therefore there is no doubt my own strength is insufficient to win over these forces coming against me.  This is why I need on daily basis invite the power of Jesus into my life because He is above all and will definitely dominate all of these forces.  It is a foolish thought to even think I can handle it on my own.

[A] In light of how God's been blessing our church to grow and allowing us to unite hearts to prepare for a greater maturity I cannot help but to think that the above anti-forces are ramping up as well to take us out in every which way possible but most importantly by bringing disunity when for a moment we think we can "do" this church on our own efforts and experiences.  Based on this, I humbly bow before the Almighty God to allow His Spirit to guard, protect, energize me, my family, and my church community to bulldoze through the forces coming against us.

[P] Dear Father, may Your awesome armor of protection cover our church so we would stay humble before You and others.  May we continue to invite more and more people to understand the depth of Your heart so more of us would slip into the Spiritual armor You provide for us.  In Jesus' name.  Amen.

Much Efforts vs. Many Words

[S] Ecclesiastes 5:3 --
3  For the dream comes through much effort and the voice of a fool through many words.

[O] Having dreams to live for is just a beginning because living towards that requires much effort.  It's so easy to just talk about the dreams in life but to walk the talk, is totally a different story all together.  In fact this verse talks about how fools talk but not walk to talk just like someone once said:  When all things are said and done, more things are said than done.  The fruit of a wise person is actions that brings closer to one's own dreams which God placed in their hearts.  The fruit of a fool is being stationary with one's life while simply talking about a lot of things one can do.

[A] Don't be a fool by talking about it, but be the doer of my own words to pursue my dreams for God.

[P] Dear Father, may I be the one putting things into action for the dream You've put in my heart.  May I not be full of words without action.  In Jesus' name.  Amen.

Tongue is the Pen

[S] Psalm 45:1 --
1 My heart overflows with a good theme;
I address my verses to the King;
My tongue is the pen of a ready writer.
[NLT] Beautiful words stir my heart. 
I will recite a lovely poem about the king,
for my tongue is like the pen of a skillful poet.
[O] What I speak is portrayed as a pen of a skillful poet who can express wonderful and beautiful poems.  The problem is that the same "pen" can also write about ugliest things of this world.  The condition of my heart will dictate how my tongue is used and therefore it is so critical for me to pack into my heart with a good theme (or beautiful words) so beautiful expressions will roll off my tongue.

[A] Think of good things in my life.  Count my blessings, and praise God for planting them into my life.  Don't get sucked into nursing negative or discouraging thoughts.

[P] Dear Father, You are beautiful beyond everything I know and yet my mind still wants to lock You up in a tiny little container as if what I can fit into it all of Your beauty I can retain for myself.  Please forgive my narrow perspective and enlarge my territory so that I would have a God-sized heart to live for You.  In Jesus' name.  Amen

Spiritual Vision Test

[S] Ephesians 1:18 --
18  I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints,

[O] Did you know your heart had eyes also?  It allows you to see "hope of His calling" so just like how we correct our vision with glasses, we should frequently take the vision tests of the eyes of our hearts and put on the corrective lenses if the hope of His calling becomes fuzzy.

[A] My vision test should be done every morning to make sure I see my Hope of the day many times in the midst of all sorts of distractions.

[P] Dear Father, open the eyes of my heart so I may always clearly see the hope of Your calling for my life.  I want to stay on course.  In Your name.  Amen.

Greet with a Holy Kiss

[S] Romans 16:16 --
16  Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the churches of Christ greet you.

[O] This is the conclusion Paul shares after listing a whole bunch of people's names who co-labored for God's ministry with him.  Not only he had so many of them to work together but his sentiments are reflected in this statement displaying such an intimacy with them.  Not sure what holy kiss is but such an expression would be used for someone very close.

[A] I seem to be so busy doing God's ministry but I wonder whether I will also be going down the list of all of my close friends in ministry and how I wouldn't think twice about greeting one another with a holy kiss.

[P] Dear Father, may I stop to smell the roses as I'm taking part in Your ministry so that I am not just so busy running.  May I build the right relationships in my life with those sharing the vision You gave us so in the end we can all be so grateful for each other and to give thanks to You for bringing us together to work for Your glory.  In Jesus' name.  Amen.

Perseverance and Encouragement Brings Unity

[S] Romans 15:5-6 --
5  Now may the God who gives perseverance and encouragement grant you to be of the same mind with one another according to Christ Jesus,6  so that with one accord you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

[O] The two operatives perseverance and encouragement are the secret sauce of receiving likemindedness with others in service to God resulting in glorifying God.  Unity among a group of believers first begins by latching our hearts to perseverance and encouragement which come from God.  When two or more people gather there exists differences in opinion and from that can arise divisions.  Perseverance will prevent this because it allows waiting and eventually accepting others as they are moving into the territory of encouragement.  I know that when I coach teenagers soccer, I can see their eyes sparkle when I encourage them on specific thing they did well which results in their deeper interest in the game.

[A] So, as I am constantly asking the question of how to "CONNECT" people at my church, I will take these two operatives to heart and also emphasize to the small group leaders to take on the same heart.

[P] Dear Father, we have a small group seminar in a couple of weeks where we want to build a unity of spirit among the members of our church in order to lay a rock-solid foundation of small groups to carry us further into Your wonderful ministry of reaching out to the people around us so they may know You and Your beautiful plans for their lives.  Would you please send Your Spirit ahead of this event so our members will attend with the hearts of perseverance and encouragement?  In Your name.  Amen.