Dig Around and Fertilize

[S] Luke 13:8-9 --
8 And he answered and said to him, `Let it alone, sir, for this year too, until I dig around it and put in fertilizer;9 and if it bears fruit next year, fine; but if not, cut it down.'"

[O] The vineyard owner was fed up with not finding any fruit from this fig tree that's been barren for three years and wanted to cut down the tree.  But the vineyard-keeper persuaded the owner to let it grow for the rest of this year and to wait next year's harvest time and see if it'll bear fruits; if not, then he will cut it down.  The ultimatum still existed but he was willing to use the time he requested to nurture and fertilize through his caring in order for this tree to bear delicious and sweet figs the following year.  Our days are numbered in God's timeline and the judgment day is unavoidable, however God's grace if extended to the last minute for us to bear the spiritual fruits He designed for me to bear.

[A] I don't know what is but the vineyard-keeper's heart touched me as I read "until I dig around it and put in fertilizer" because that is not a simple task.  It may have been his commitment to care so that tree won't perish too soon. I gotta have the same mindset when it comes to participating in His ministry -- beyond and above our own limitations, having the "until I dig around it and put in fertilizer" mentality towards those He had entrusted under my care.

[P] Dear God, I'm just amazed how You chose to work through me who is so inadequate.  May my heart soak up this vineyard-keeper's heart which is the heart of Jesus Christ our Lord toward me.  In Jesus' name.  Amen.

Dressed for Readiness

[S] Luke 3:1 --
35 ``Be dressed in readiness, and keep your lamps lit.

[O] I get dressed every morning and at times I ponder long enough to decide on what to wear in accordance with my day's activities.  I sure wouldn't want to wear a formal attire when I'm about to go play some soccer.  Likewise, I need to spiritually plan and dress up accordingly to what I am about to face.  Well, every moment is going to be challenging because our opponents will not leave us alone but attack us relentlessly, so I must be dressed in readiness and keep my lamps lit to take action at all times.

[A] This starts with how alert my mind is.  I need to dress up my spiritual armor every morning before I start the day.

[P] Dear Father, may You dress me up every morning to be ready to respond to Your calling as well as to our enemy's attacks.  In Jesus' name.  Amen.

Accusers are Standing Very Close To You

[S] Zechariah 3:1 --
1 Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right hand to accuse him.

[O] No matter how much God's power is at work, Satan never rests to take cheap shots at us to discourage us.  Here we see how Satan standing next to Joshua accusing him of wearing the filthy clothes so he won't be available to receive God's grace of replacing that clothes with fine new clothes.  So many times, Satan reminds me of how unfit I am to do anything for God.  While that is a true statement, God is not going to leave me in that state but to renew me by His saving grace so that I may be more than worth to carry out His plans here on earth.

[A] Continue to dig into God's grace whenever I hear the voice of Satan accusing me of how unworthy I am.

[P] Dear Father, I'm so grateful for making me worthy to become Your son and to do your will here on earth.  May You always be praised through my life.  In Jesus' name.  Amen.

Live a Life with Full Authority Given

[S] Luke 10:19 --
19 Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing will injure you.

[O] I am given a powerful authority in this world to tread over the enemy's power and I will have 100% protection from God.  The key is not how much authority God gave me but how much of my life reflects such an authority in my daily living.

[A] Live a confident and powerful life with authority over all the enemy's power.  I need to remind myself how much authority God has given me to live in this world.  So, let's use it!

[P] Dear Father, thank You for empower me with such a great authority over the enemy.  Thank You also for protecting me.  I feel I'm getting beat up these days by the enemy but I will claim this word from You about not getting injured at all.  I am going to stand up for You and to shine Your light in this world.  In Jesus' name.  Amen.

Minimizing Myself to Maximize God's Power

[S] Luke 9:3, 6, 24 --
3 And He said to them, ``Take nothing for your journey, neither a staff, nor a bag, nor bread, nor money; and do not even have two tunics apiece. 6 Departing, they began going throughout the villages, preaching the gospel and healing everywhere. 24 For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake, he is the one who will save it.

[O] Dr. Luke recorded Jesus' teaching about minimizing what I have in order to maximize God's presence and power (v.6).  The statement: "Take nothing for your journey ... do not even have two tunics" challenges me who has so much stuff and gathers even more to feel secure about my future as well as doing God's ministry.  These disciples who "took nothing" in their missionary journey reached the surrounding areas bringing God's power of healing everywhere.

[A] The focus is not necessarily having less, but making room to fill more of myself in God's power through the filling of the Holy Spirit.  This passage convicts my heart to re-examine to see how reliant I am on God's sole providing power to carry out His ministry in and through my life vs. relying on my own provision because the former will let God produce amazing results while the latter will end up with most toys of my own but not much fruitful in God's eyes.

[P] Dear Jesus, even though very difficult, I want to "take nothing" on this journey of my life with You so Your power may transparently flow through touching others.  Please hear my prayers.  In Your name.  Amen.

One Loud Shout for God

[S] Ezra 3:13; Luke 8:39 --
13 so that the people could not distinguish the sound of the shout of joy from the sound of the weeping of the people, for the people shouted with a loud shout, and the sound was heard far away.
39 ``Return to your house and describe what great things God has done for you." So he went away, proclaiming throughout the whole city what great things Jesus had done for him. 

[O] The amazing sound described here is the people's response to setting the foundation of the temple in their efforts of rebuilding it.  They could not hide their excitement just after seeing the foundational work completed and signifies a time of realizing how great their God was and how He will keep His promise of restoring His people back to the temple of God.  In Luke, Jesus tells the man released from demon possession to go back and proclaim greatly what Jesus had done for him -- testify.

[A] When God moves in the midst of His people, there ought to be testimonies with a resounding sound.  If not, there is something missing there -- God Himself -- because all the noise will be about one human running into another.  I want my life to be full of His testimonies being shouted out so others will know that God is indeed alive in my life.

[P] Dear Jesus, please continue to work in my life.  Please continue to show Yourself in me.  And please forgive me for being so silent about what great things you are doing in and around my life.  I give You the glory and also the loud shout of thanksgiving in total excitement.  May You be lifted up tomorrow during our Sunday worship service.  In Jesus' name.  Amen.

Good Seed of Leadership

[S] Luke 6:12-13 --
12 It was at this time that He went off to the mountain to pray, and He spent the whole night in prayer to God.13 And when day came, He called His disciples to Him and chose twelve of them, whom He also named as apostles:

[O] Building up a leadership of people to lead others is one of the most critical factors in parking in His ministry abundantly because without these leaders the ministry will not scale up to reach the world.  There are many models on how to reach the world but they all start with a good seed of leadership.  No wonder Jesus went off to the mountain to pray all night talking with God before choosing the twelve of them.  These twelve at first look seemed unfit to carry out such a daunting task (and some failed miserably) but in the end we know that these chosen by and through prayer did just that of turning the world upside down.

[A] In a position to raise and train small group leadership, I am more than challenged to follow His footsteps.  Why is that I am not praying more in this area?  I need to cut out the distractions and get down to business.

[P] Dear Father, I come to You now as a wake-up call to seek Your direction and guidance in raising up small groups leaders in our church.  I do not want to rely on my own (or other people's) thoughts and feelings but to spend the quantity of time with You so my heart will be totally immersed in Your Spirit to be led by Him.  Thank You for choosing a prodigal like me to be used for ministry.  In Jesus' name.  Amen.

Often Slip Away

[S] Luke 5:16 --
16 But Jesus Himself would often slip away to the wilderness and pray.

[O] When people were overwhelming crowding Him in, Jesus would "often" slip away alone to pray.  I have to conclude that: 1) He needed some time alone to Himself; 2) He chose the wilderness an environment suited for being alone; 3) He recharged Himself through prayer.

[A] I feel I am being pulled from so many directions these days I also need to follow His example of slipping away alone to pray.

[P] Dear Jesus, I want to follow Your model to recharge my spiritual life and ministerial energy to serve others better.  Please give me insight to take this time away into the wilderness to spend the time with You. In Jesus' name.  Amen.

Returning in the Power of the Spirit

[S] Luke 4:13-15 --
13 When the devil had finished every temptation, he left Him until an opportune time. 14 And Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about Him spread through all the surrounding district.15 And He began teaching in their synagogues and was praised by all.

[O] This passage is loaded.  Jesus defeated the devil's temptation and returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit and we see the result of when we do God's ministry in the power of the Spirit -- spreads wider and wider (Acts 1:8).  And unlike the worldly popularity, Jesus went right back to teaching God's word in synagogues and doing that was praised by all.  In light of all this, the devil has only retreated until an opportune time to strike again and again.  I believe that opportune time is when we try to carry out His ministry in my own strength and power.

[A] As part of the church leadership, this fundamental way of carrying out God's ministry challenges me because when we're up against some tangible and difficult obstacles in ministry (i.e., the devil's temptation), it is very easy to be discouraged and get down to doing things "my way."  However, after Jesus deflected the devil's attacks, He returned in the power of the Spirit.  So, I need to make sure that I overcome these obstacles with the power of the Spirit and doing just that spreading wider, not how great my plans have been executed.  As we have a challenging situation in our hands now, I need to take this passage to heart.

[P] Dear Jesus, You know very well where we are now, in fact, You allowed us to be in this situation so that our faith in You will grow and to rely only in You and not our own strengths and wisdom.  Please continue to encourage us and to unite our hearts to move forward.  I pray for my pastor and his heart to be uplifted by the indwelling of Your Spirit.  In Jesus' name.  Amen.

God Wrote on My Wall

[S] Daniel 5:3 --
3 Then they brought the gold vessels that had been taken out of the temple, the house of God which was in Jerusalem; and the king and his nobles, his wives and his concubines drank from them

[O] This story reminds me of Aaron's sons Nadab and Abihu in Leviticus 10 -- who were consumed by fire when they offered strange incense in their firepans which God had not commanded because here Belshazzar used the utensils set aside to be used in God's holy temple to have his own enjoyment totally disrespecting God.  And He wasn't too happy about that and let him know by sending an email scribed on the wall.

[A] The key point here is when the my pride elevates myself above God, anything I do will be out of dishonor and that's the part God will dishonor Himself.  I need to take every act seriously when I am before God -- which by the way, is at all times.

[P] Dear Father, I praise You for being the God of holiness who require nothing but holiness in Your presence and my praise goes to You abundantly because even though I am far from fulfilling Your requirement to approach You, You accept me as I am because of Your Son's sacrifice in place of me.  Now, as long as I keep that in mine and align myself to such a humble attitude before You, I will be enjoying the presence of Your amazing grace and love.  In gratitude I pray in Jesus' name.  Amen.

Fruitfulness In and Out of Season

[S] Ezekiel 47:13 --
12 "By the river on its bank, on one side and on the other, will grow all kinds of trees for food. Their leaves will not wither and their fruit will not fail. They will bear every month because their water flows from the sanctuary, and their fruit will be for food and their leaves for healing."

[O] This description of this river is like the Spirit of God flowing through this world where on its river banks are abundance of life and fruit continuously (every month).  This spiritual fruit does not come in and out of season just like the fruits we enjoy eating but it's always available as long as that river of Spirit flows through from the sanctuary.  What a wonderful and beautiful picture this paints in my mind.

[A] I'd like to think that I bear the spiritual fruit in my life as I continue to strive to be planted by this river of Spirit however I tend to cut my season short because constantly trying to bear much fruit is a lot of work.  I realized from this passage that all I need to do is to plug into the river and be nourished by its abundant flow of the Spirit because then my life will have no other option but to be fruitful in and out of season.

[P] Dear Jesus, I long to be plugged into Your river of Spirit flowing out of Your sanctuary.  May my heart be pursuing after Your word so that my heart would drink up the refreshing Spirit directly from the river.  In Jesus' name.  Amen.

Faith Through But

[S] Luke 1:6-7 --
6 They were both righteous in the sight of God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and requirements of the Lord.7 But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both advanced in years.

[O] Zacharias and Elizabeth were an awesome couple, wholesomely devoted to God.  They were respected in the community as leaders and their hearts were set to serve God, BUT they had no child because Elizabeth was barren and by this time, they were beyond the age of naturally conceiving a child.  God grants them a child and he grows up to be the John the Baptist who changed the course of history.

[A] It seems that whenever we set our hearts to serve God wholeheartedly, we run into what seems to be an obstacle impossible to breakthrough -- that is on our own terms.  This is when we might get stuck at the "BUT" and can't move pass to experience the God factor of unleashing the power of His purpose in our lives.  I am going to list my obstacles I'm facing now and surrender them to God such that He would fulfill His purpose through these "BUTs" in my life.

[P] God of awesome wonder and power, I surrender my life and all of my obstacles to You not just so You may remove them but so that Your power and vision may come to fruition as I stay my course and let You reveal Your plans through my life.  In Jesus' name.  Amen.

Spirit, Inner Court, and Glory Filled

[S] Ezekiel 43:5 --
5 So the spirit took me up, and brought me into the inner court; and, behold, the glory of the Lord filled the house.

[O] The sequence of: spirit took me up => brought me into the inner court => glory of the Lord filled the house reminded me that when God takes a hold of me I am brought into His holy presence and as a result of that His glory is filled (revealed).  God's spirit will not be at work for other purposes.

[A] Seek to be filled with His Spirit and look for His glory revealed through me.  All other results means my pride got in the way.

[P] Dear Father, please filled me and use me for Your glory.  Take me into Your inner court so I may gain insight into Your heart and be used by You here on earth.  In Jesus' name.  Amen.

Fearful Fertilizer to Fruitfulness

[S] Psalm 128:3-4 --
3 Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine Within your house, Your children like olive plants Around your table.4 Behold, for thus shall the man be blessed Who fears the LORD.

[O] I don't know the exact symbolism of the vine and the olive plants, but what I gather from the context is the sense of fruitfulness when a family fears the LORD.  In many ways than not, my focus (or purpose) of living out my life gets fuzzy with so much going on that I actually forget about how critical it is for me to lead my family to bear fruits of life and in a figure of speech, how I need to make sure my family members' lives are fertilized, watered, and pruned for them to be fruitful in and out of season.  This passage gives me a picture of abundance overflowing and that's the prototype family I'd like to help lead into as a husband and father.

[A] Calibrate my purpose of living such that my family will be prepared and nurtured to be fruitful in God's eyes.  We must stay humble and fear God at all times.  I need to learn how to prune out non-essential items from my schedule so I can dedicate my time to the most essential items.

[P] Dear God, please teach me to fear You at all times as the forerunner in my family so the rest of my family may follow me; even though asking this could boost my ego, I want to stay humble and pure of following after Your heart.  In Jesus' name.  Amen.

No More Hiding Face

[S] Ezekiel 39:29 --
29 "I will not hide My face from them any longer, for I will have poured out My Spirit on the house of Israel," declares the Lord GOD.

[O] God declares to His people about how He will no longer hide His face from them.  Instead, He will pour out His Spirit on the house of Israel.  God's word never fails and He never makes mistakes so this statement is really a powerful one because since that point on God will never give up on His people.  That is why Jesus Christ came to be sacrificed in place of our wrongful attitudes against God.

[A] His Spirit is already poured out on His people (church) and as I am part of that body, I am the recipient of His covenant of grace and mercy.  There is no doubt in this.

[P] Dear God, Your declaration of how You will never hide Your face from me is a great inspiration for me to carry on with my life, ministry, and career.  I am also so thankful for Your covenant because this means whatever happens to me, You will never let me go.  I love You and in gratitude I pray in Jesus' name.  Amen.

Not Just Another Song

[S] Ezekiel 33:32 --
32 "Behold, you are to them like a sensual song by one who has a beautiful voice and plays well on an instrument; for they hear your words but they do not practice them.

[O] Even though Ezekiel spoke the words from God the people's hearts were skewed such that they interpreted to their own desires missing the whole point of God's heart.  Once again, it is not the lack of God's message, but the lack of people's hearts to receive them humbly.  This is especially true during singing worship songs where people can easily fall into just enjoying the music and not really focusing on the part about "worshiping" God.

[A] On our Back To Church Sunday this weekend, our church may enter into the true worship in spirit so that all who attend our services will not just take the whole worship as another "good" program.

[P] Dear Father, may Your name be lifted up this Sunday at our church as the members have been encouraged to invite visitors to come attend our services.  May there be no unclarity about Your message of love to all of us. In Jesus' name.  Amen.

Competition vs. Companionship

[S] Daniel 3:19 --
19 Then Nebuchadnezzar was filled with wrath, and his facial expression was altered toward Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego. He answered by giving orders to heat the furnace seven times more than it was usually heated.

[O] This passage brought back memories of the movie "Wolfman" where the person morphs from being a normal handsome man into the hairy wolfman.  Nebuchadnezzar must have gone through this significant alteration of his facial expression when he heard Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego upholding their position with their God of Heaven above him.  More so than the anger in him, I believe the ugly image of our enemy is what surfaced in him, and that's probably the case with me, also, when my pride escalates above God.

[A] Stay humble before God and look for what and how God is moving in other people's lives to rejoice with them rather than being jealous or competitive.  This is not a competition but a companionship with God for the rest of my life.

[P] Minimize me, Lord, and maximize Yourself in me so I will always reflect Your beautiful face and not have my facial expression be altered by the ugliness of my enemy.  In Jesus' name.  Amen.

Faithfulness Every Morning

[S] Lamentations 3:22-23 --
22 The LORD'S lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, For His compassions never fail.23 They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness

[O] Jeremiah's painful description of his condition is contrasted by God's unending lovingkindness and compassion.  Not only that but they are renewed every morning as He is faithful.

[A] Every morning should not be taken for granted as just another day to live (or struggle through) because despite my conditions God's love and compassion for me begins every morning for me, specifically for me.  I need to start the day with this thanksgiving and praise of His faithfulness for me and for my life to glorify His faithfulness no matter what happens throughout the day.

[P] Dear Father most awesome in Heaven.  May my heart be aligned with the amazing faithfulness You pour into my life everyday.  May each morning begin with my utmost praise to You. In Jesus' name.  Amen.

Look Around, Reach Out and Fill the Emptiness

[S] Lamentations 1:2 --
2 She weeps bitterly in the night And her tears are on her cheeks; She has none to comfort her Among all her lovers. All her friends have dealt treacherously with her; They have become her enemies.

[O] The description of the rebellious House of Israel is chilling.  Imagine having no friends; and worse yet, all of them becoming my enemies.  This type of isolation and loneliness is the outcome of God-less life and the insight God showed me here is how many people in this world (and those around me) must be like this deep inside their what-appears-to-be-fine lives.  Furthermore He is going to send many who are facing emptiness to our community so they may be pointed to God for them to be restored into a wholesome life in God.

[A] I need not get all caught up in the growing of ministry at church may it be the defining the small group structure or leadership nurturing because in the end it's all about embracing these souls running out of "wine" (John 2) so their relationships may be restored with God to live a full and abundant lives.

[P] Dear God, please continue to pour into my heart the love for the souls hurting from experiencing the emptiness mentioned in this passage.  As they are brought into our community, may I be good stewards to care and nurture them with the heart of Jesus.  In His name.  Amen.

Before Heading to Egypt

[S] Jeremiah 44:28 --
28 'Those who escape the sword will return out of the land of Egypt to the land of Judah few in number. Then all the remnant of Judah who have gone to the land of Egypt to reside there will know whose word will stand, Mine or theirs.

[O] For me, Egypt symbolizes a place where I want to run to for safety because its strength and protection.  This is fine and dandy but the issue is when I put these things above God's protection and strength for me.  I can easily fall into the mode of taking things into my own hands and calculating to find the most fortified place of rest while leaving God outside.  That's the picture from this passage for these people of God to take refuge in Egypt without understanding how she is nothing more than a nation under God's power and authority.

[A] At all times, I need to take a moment to reflect on my own decisions to see if God was indeed in the middle or not.  If not, no matter how good the solution may look it's only going to be an Egypt.

[P] Dear God, please guide me away from "Egypt" whenever I am up against challenges in my life.  May I trust in Your power and strength and protection at all times.  May Your story be revealed in my life at all times.  In Jesus' name.  Amen.

Using Faithfulness to Isulate My Faith

[S] 2 Chronicles 36:14 --
14 Furthermore, all the officials of the priests and the people were very unfaithful following all the abominations of the nations; and they defiled the house of the LORD which He had sanctified in Jerusalem.

[O] Leading up to this verse are the description of how everyone else rebelled against God, but "furthermore" highlights the fact that the priests and the people of God were very unfaithful to God as well.  My surroundings should never be an excuse for me to fall away from God however, I can also see how tricky it can be because when everyone else is doing it, I can deceive myself to think I can also hide in the crowd.  But God looks at my heart and that's one thing I need not forget because when I do, then I will defile the house of God which Jesus had built by going to the cross.

[A] It is my duty to uphold God's name despite my surroundings because if I don't then not only my life will suffer but my family, and in the end my Christian community.

[P] Dear God, I will continue to work on my faithfulness and not about doing something BIG because when I faithfully cling on to You it will eventually lead to something awesome and BIG.  In Jesus' name.  Amen.

Knowing the Truth Before Desolation Strikes

[S] Ezekiel 32:15 --
15 "When I make the land of Egypt a desolation, And the land is destitute of that which filled it, When I smite all those who live in it, Then they shall know that I am the LORD

[O] The fact that God is the Lord of this world is a constant that will not alter.  However, that unchanging fact will not make any impact in my life unless I accept it as truth.  And the moment I accept this will either be early enough to be under His grace or it will be too late and I will have to face the consequences of my unbelief.  In either case, in the end, I will know that He is the LORD.

[A] What the Bible states is going to stay true now and forever.  I need to believe it and claim it as my own truth now so that I will acknowledge Him as my Lord when His judgment is upon us.  I sure don't want to be like Egypt who rebelled God until He smote them before they acknowledged who God really was.

[P] Dear Father, awesome in power and how You give us multiple chances to get to know You as who You really are.  I accept You as my Lord daily because that is the truth which will not change.  In Jesus' name.  Amen.

Sweeping Through Like a Fire

[S] Ezekiel 20:47 --
47 and say to the forest of the Negev, 'Hear the word of the LORD: thus says the Lord GOD, "Behold, I am about to kindle a fire in you, and it will consume every green tree in you, as well as every dry tree; the blazing flame will not be quenched and the whole surface from south to north will be burned by it.

[O] While this fire may have been the consuming fire sweeping through, the power of God nevertheless is depicted here.  When His fire is kindled, there is nothing that's going to get in its way.  God actually gave me the picture of His fire of revival sweeping through our church as the Holy Spirit kindles our heart.  The flood gates are about to open up and God wants to move through our congregation.

[A] Continue to stay humble and keep focused on His cross of grace.  All the great things are nothing to do with our performance but His abounding grace poured into our congregation's hearts.

[P] Sweep through, Lord Jesus, in the midst of our congregation.  Give us the humble spirit to know that You are the head of our church and leading us into the wonderful presence of God.  May we praise and adore You!  In Jesus' name.  Amen.

Even Trees Know that He is God

[S] Ezekiel 17:24 --
24 "All the trees of the field will know that I am the LORD; I bring down the high tree, exalt the low tree, dry up the green tree and make the dry tree flourish. I am the LORD; I have spoken, and I will perform it. "

[O] Not only our lives and the nations we live in are under His full control, all the nature is also under His control which if you think about it makes a lot of sense because He created them all.  But I usually think about animate objects to be in under God's influence and not really consider (almost) inanimate objects such as trees will "know" that God is the LORD.  Additionally, while we should do our best to be good stewards of this earth we live in, we should also keep in mind that God is the ultimate source who will provide or take away the resources here and we should not fool ourselves of thinking we can determine its final outcome.

[A] If God can bring up or down trees in the mountains, I need to assure myself that He will also bring up or down what I pursue in life, what our church is pursuing, and what this world is (at least trying to figure out) what it is pursuing.  I need not try to play God in any of these areas but be the faithful follower of His movements.

[P] I praise You Father for being in full control of my surroundings, even to a tree.  To such a God, I surrender my life so that it will be raised up and be used to fulfill Your purposes here on earth.  In Jesus' name.  Amen.

Nevertheless Grace

[S] Ezekiel 16:60 --
60 "Nevertheless, I will remember My covenant with you in the days of your youth, and I will establish an everlasting covenant with you.

[O] God mentions all the disobedient and rebellious acts by His people and says this statement of "nevertheless, ...."  To me this word has a ton of meaning because God nevertheless loves me and shows His grace to me even though I totally do not deserve all that from Him. Even though I do my best to comply with His ways I am so far from being perfect; in fact I fail on so many things it's not even funny.  Nevertheless God says He will remember His covenant of accepting me into His Kingdom and will be with me always.

[A] My faith must be founded in His "nevertheless" grace because without it I am only going to rely on my own works and that leads to death.

[P] Dear Father, Your amazing grace overwhelms me as I meditate on this passage.  Please continue to pour that grace into my heart such that I would serve others and You with the overflowing grace out of my heart. In Jesus' name.  Amen.

There is No Group Charter Salvation

[S] Ezekiel 14:20 --
20 even though Noah, Daniel and Job were in its midst, as I live," declares the Lord GOD, "they could not deliver either their son or their daughter. They would deliver only themselves by their righteousness."

[O] Even these three spiritual giants were unable to deliver anyone else but themselves through their own righteousness.  Our faith is all about me and God -- one on one.  There is no group charter salvation.

[A] As much as I want to leave an inheritance for my children's salvation through my lifetime's actions, I cannot do that.  This means that I must do my best -- through prayers and admonition -- to implant the foundational value system of faith toward God in my children's hearts such that from such a seed their faith would sprout up and grow into their own fortress of faith anchored in God's grace and hope.

[P] Dear Father, I lift up my children to You now so that their lives will be drenched with Your grace and love and leadership even at their young ages now so that when they do go through some of the life's turbulent phases they would be anchored into the amazing grace of Your faithfulness.  Please guide them.  In Jesus' name.  Amen.