Guiding to Springs of the Water of Life

[S] Revelation 7:7 --
for the Lamb in the center of the throne will be their shepherd, and will guide them to springs of the water of life; and God will wipe every tear from their eyes."

[O] Our Good Shepherd, Jesus, will always lead us to springs of the water of life despite the situations I find myself and He will wipe every tear from my eyes.  This is quite a comforting picture because my life here on earth will eventually run into situations I can only rely on His wiping away my tears waiting for His guiding me to the springs of the water of life.

[A] The girl many of us have been praying for went to be with the Lord.  While I still cannot grasp this reality, I am comforted by today's passage to know that she is in a better place to springs of the water of life where Jesus had led her to be.  She was a fighter and yet for unknown reasons (until meet Jesus to hear the answers later) she had to leave us very early.

[P] Dear Jesus, please wipe away every tear from her family members, especially her parents.  There really is nothing I can do but I know what You can do in their hearts.  Please do Your mighty works in them to reveal Your amazing love and grace as I pray in Your name.  Amen.

It's About Time for His Glory to Shine

[S] John 11:4 --
But when Jesus heard this, He said, "This sickness is not to end in death, but for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified by it."

[O] There is something more significant and important than life itself which is the glory of God.  I mean, we all try to live our lives as long as we can in order to fully enjoy it and we would feel robbed when it seems to end too early.  In light of today's scene of Lazarus it was a matter of life or death situation and Jesus took extra days before visiting where Lazarus was; and by the time He arrived, Lazarus already passed away a few days.  What was the purpose of the delay, or why didn't He command Lazarus to be healed "remotely"?  The answer is because revealing God's glory was more significant than healing Lazarus.

[A] Jesus' words of "This sickness is not to end in death, but for the glory of God" stuck to me because as some of us are praying for a girl for the miraculous healing from a terminal disease where doctors have nothing more to do for her, I am going to cry out to God to anoint her with this same message -- that His glory would be revealed by saving her.

[P] Dear Father, as Your words speak, please do not let her illness end in death but Your glory shine through so brightly that no one can deny Your presence in this society where we has lost sight of You for too long.  In Jesus' name.  Amen.

From Knowing to Honoring God

[S] Romans 1:21 --
For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened. 

[O] Knowing about God alone is not sufficient to sustain the true relationship God desires with us because we will only end up speculating Him rather than being faithful to His promises and honor Him with gratitude.  Without a proper attitude toward God with the deepest knowledge of Him our hearts will only be darkened with our futile efforts.

[A] I've known God for many years now but truths like this passage convicts my heart every time because I find myself coasting along with that knowledge of God rather than my honoring attitude toward Him which gets deeper each day to the point of His thoughts and ways consuming my mind completely during my waking hours.  This is a great moment for me to examine my heart for deepest honor and gratitude for God's grace and love for me.

[P] Dear Father, may my heart's deepest honor grow deeper and deeper each day and may that be the driving force behind my faith to gain more wisdom and knowledge of Your ways for my life.  In Jesus' name. Amen.

Instructions on Pleasing God

[S] 1 Thessalonians 4:1 --
Finally then, brethren, we request and exhort you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us instruction as to how you ought to walk and please God (just as you actually do walk), that you excel still more.

[O] We have instructions for everything and it's no surprise that God would have instructions for us to walk and please Him.  And our job is to learn it and excel still more doing that because it just does not come easy by simply wishing for it.

[A] I have not been diligent about doing this of learning His instructions to walk in His ways to please Him and to excel even more doing that. I need to dig in to His word more to find out these invaluable instructions and that's the bottom line application for me.

[P] Dear Father, thank You for giving me the instructions of how I can please You.  But that's only going to work if I start learning it and applying it to my life.  Please continue to send Your Holy Spirit into my heart so that I would be in tuned with Your instructions as I read Your word.  I want to please You the most in all aspects of my life.  In Jesus' name.  Amen.

Don't Run Out of Oil

[S] Matthew 25:9 (NIV) --
“ ‘No,’ they replied, ‘there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.’

[O] The ten wise virgins brought extra oil for the lamps and when the other ten requested to share the oil, they denied because there wasn't enough for all of them.  They were the wise ones because they prepared in advance but what impressed me more today was the fact that they were wise enough to gauge how much oil they had and refused to share.  It's not the un-sharing part but the wisdom to know how to live out their purpose to the max without any compromise.

[A] I only have a limited amount of resources to achieve God-given purpose for my life to the max.  I need to have the wisdom to know how much amount of resources I have and use it wisely without running out before my mission is accomplished here on earth.

[P] Dear Father, grant me the wisdom to use my energy and resources You have placed in my life for the soul purpose of carrying out Your mission for me here on earth.  May I know when to say "no" so that I won't run out of gas (oil) doing non-essential things.  In Jesus' name.  Amen.

Desperate Determination

[S] Matthew 15:25 --
But she came and began to bow down before Him, saying, "Lord, help me!" 

[O] The Syrophoenician woman's attitude of seeking after Jesus' help was not only with desperation but also with determination.  She believed Jesus can heal her daughter so even though she ran into a dead-end street she did not give up but continued to seek favor from Jesus -- even just the "crumb" of his favor was sufficient for her so she continued to "bow down" and asked for Jesus' help.

[A] May be I have it too easy and I take the favor of Jesus on my life for granted but as I reflect on my own desperation of hanging on to the power of Jesus in my life, I am way short of this woman's attitude and determination.  I need to bow down before Him and simply ask "Lord, help me!"

[P] Dear Jesus, as time dashes by in the midst of whirlwind of events, I have not come before you on my knees to ask for Your awesome help in my life.  Please forgive me for trying to "do it" on my own instead of seeking the touch of your miraculous power.  Please help me, Lord, so I may lean on You 100% in 100% of my life.  In Your name I ask.  Amen.

Color of Ink Written on My Tablet

[S] 2 Corinthians 3:3 --
being manifested that you are a letter of Christ, cared for by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.

[O] My life is a letter written by Christ with his flowing Spirit.  The color of this ink of Spirit is beautiful red, His own blood.  My life is simply the white (neutral) sheet of paper where by itself carries no special meaning but with His letter written on it, then I become the carrier of that love letter.

[A] While I do not have an iPad yet, I already possess a tablet of my heart where God can finger His message of love.  I've been so engulfed with overwhelming amount of "stuff" to do, I had been shadowing His wonderful letter written on my heart.  I need to chase away the overshadowing forces and unveil His love to reflect out of my life.  I need to humbly fall before His Name daily to lower myself and exalt His Name.

[P] Dear Jesus, please let the hot red ink of Your blood jump out of my heart as I first come to You daily to soak up Your message of love.  Please let Your light shine, especially during this time of Thanksgiving.  In Your name.  Amen.

Bring to Light the Things Hidden

[S] 1 Corinthians 4:5 --
Therefore do not go on passing judgment before the time, but wait until the Lord comes who will both bring to light the things hidden in the darkness and disclose the motives of men's hearts; and then each man's praise will come to him from God.

[O] The part about Jesus bringing to light the things hidden in the darkness has been on my mind a lot lately.  Many things are hidden in the darkness and I want them revealed so I don't have to wait and guess about them.  These include my future, issues I am struggling with, and just anything that is unclear to me.  Today's passage comforted me because God will bring those things to light (in His timing).  One of the key hidden area is the people's hearts and motives.  I just could never tell what others are thinking of and at times why they act in certain ways.  However, God will bring to light the motives of men's hearts also.  Then God will place the praises in our hearts toward Him.

[A] There is a very challenging situation at workplace and it deals with finding out what the motives behind someone's actions.  It has been weighing me down lately but God has given me a fresh wind from today's passage.  He will bring to light these hidden things to bring out praises from my heart.

[P] Dear Jesus, thank You for reminding me in various ways lately about how You desire to bring light in my life so I may see Your glory and to praise You from the bottom of my heart.  I can already praise You for lightening up my soul right now with Your promise of bringing forth the light in due time as I pray in Your Holy name.  Amen.

Disguised Process of Refinement

[S] "Behold, I go forward but He is not there,
And backward, but I cannot perceive Him; When He acts on the left, I cannot behold Him;
He turns on the right, I cannot see Him. "But He knows the way I take;
When He has tried me, I shall come forth as gold. (Job 23:8-10 NASB)

[O] As Job going through this trial has been seeking where God was in all that is going on in his life which is no different from what he has been doing all his life -- to walk with God I intimately. He has gone forward and backwards, left and right but could not find Him anywhere. However that did not alter his view and relationship with God. He was assured in his heart that God had not lost him in the shuffle but rather convicted that He knows exactly where he is and in fact, he is right in the middle of God's wonderful and perfect plan of refining him to be precious "gold".

[A] Storms of life come in various ways. Some big and some subtly. However just like the hurricane Sandy viciously hitting the East Coast states they all leave behind scars of impact. Times like these is when I must learn from my divine mentor Job about where to keep my focus -- God's sovereignty and His non-failing plan of keeping me right where I need to be in the process of refining my life for the purpose of molding me into what He desires of me. One thing clear is not to dwell on the "damages" from the life's storms.

[P] Dear God, please wrap me with Your Holy Spirit to strengthen me to turn the stormy situations into a time of re-affirming Your plans for my life. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Perception of the Enemy

[S] Acts 24:5 --
For we have found this man a real pest and a fellow who stirs up dissension among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes.

[O] If one man can stir up the whole world, that is actually pretty powerful if you think about it.  There are a few people in the past who's shaken the world -- some good and some bad ways -- but definitely not many are in this category.  Jesus was a God and yet as a full human being He was labeled by the Jewish leaders as the one who stir the whole world.  It is actually an honor to be known as such a person by the enemy because if they feel threatened that means God is on our side.

[A] As I read this comment by the Jewish leaders, I was meditating on how my life is currently viewed by the enemy.  Will they feel threatened by my vision and passion to live for God and to carry out His plans here on earth without being distracted by all sorts of things crowding my life?  Will my family treasure Jesus at the core like a rock that will not shake us apart?  Will my church be the "hurricane" poised to sweep through the local region and further?

[P] Dear Jesus, make me, my family, and my church be known like You in this passage by our enemy.  I ask that Your Spirit seal the focus and strength to carry on Your wonderful plans here and to keep our eyes on You at all time.  In Your name.  Amen.

Divide and Conquer

[S] Nehemiah 7:66-69 --
The whole assembly together was 42,360, besides their male and their female servants, of whom there were 7,337; and they had 245 male and female singers. Their horses were 736; their mules, 245; their camels, 435; their donkeys, 6,720.

[O] The immeasurable task of rebuilding the fallen wall of Jerusalem was not accomplished by a chosen few but by everyone taking ownership of their small portions to completion.  At end of the day, it was close to 50,000 people collaborating under the leadership of Nehemiah, rebuilt the wall.  Even the animals used were over 8,000.

[A] In both of my personal life (family, work) and my ministry involvement have run across mountains of load and burden and as I reflect on Nehemiah's journey of managing his own mountains lay ahead of him, I am strengthened and my soul replenished to move forward by divide-and-conquering instead of trying to take them all on by myself.  It is going to take deeper and intimate devotion with Jesus every day as well as taking the highest priority items and work on them one by one, at my current point it is my family's needs.  Some parts of the walls of my family have crumpled down and need to do some restoration works.  There's been simply too much going on and so I need a time out to re-assess, restore, and rebound (move forward).

[P] Dear Jesus, thank You for prompting me to take a time out now to re-balance my responsibilities in life and the calling You have for me.  I want to move my fulcrum toward my family and as I do that please shower down Your glorious grace while allowing my sensitivity to Your voice so I would clearly see, hear, and follow Your ways.  In Your precious name.  Amen.

Hear the Trumpet Sound

[S] Nehemiah 4:20 -- Wherever you hear the sound of the trumpet, join us there. Our God will fight for us!" (NIV)

[O] Something about this proclamation has power to bring a community of believers together. When that trumpet sounds in some ways for the people to recognize that it is time to unite to stand up for God's calling.

[A] Will I hear and recognize the trumpet sound? This depends on how much I am in sync with His Word and Spirit every day. I have been reading the Word daily but journaling was sparse which weakened my ability to dig deeper into God's heart for me.

[P] Dear God, please forgive my laziness and cover me under your grace to fill me with Your calling. I need more of Your abundant life in me so may not run dry as I minister to others while knowing that You are working in the midst of my life. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Angel's Strengthening Visit

[S] Luke 22:43 -- An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him. (NIV)

[O] God sent an angel to strengthen Jesus during His time of agony and challenge ofHis facing the road to Calvary. God will send angels to pull us up when we are down and under.

[A] Even Jesus had an angel minister to Him to strengthen up from the tough circumstance He was in. Two takeaways for me: 1) trust in God who will send His angel to lift me up of I need to be; 2) ask for His angel to make a visit to strengthen me.

[P] Dear God, You know where I am right now.  You know how much strength I need.  Would you please send Your angel to lift me up?  In Jesus' name.  Amen.

Surrendering My Boat

[S]  Luke 5:3,6 --

And He got into one of the boats, which was Simon's, and asked him to put out a little way from the land. And He sat down and began teaching the people from the boat.
When they had done this, they enclosed a great quantity of fish, and their nets began to break;


[O] The boat was Simon's valuable tool he uses in his workplace to catch fish but Jesus got in there to use it for teaching the people.  Not what it is mainly created for but whatever we use to make our living, Jesus can use it as a platform to teach His Ways He demonstrated here.  In verse 6, we can also see that when Jesus uses our tools (or workplaces) to teach His Ways, He will also bless it to multiply over and beyond our expectations revealing His power to my neighbors and co-workers also.

[A] I need to surrender my workplace and my tools of trade to Jesus so that He would channel His teachings through it.  I should also see His multiplication at my workplace as He uses it to spread His teachings.  If I lack these things I need to bring it to Him and ask for His clear guidance whether I need to change my place or to stay one.

[P] Dear Jesus, while I don't want to trivialize finding Your guidance for my life to a few signs but I do want to walk closely to You and look for ways Your ministry is expanded through my workplace.  So please speak to my heart directly and clearly as I surrender my "boat" to You. In Your name.  Amen

Voice from Banks of Ulai

[S] Daniel 8:16 --
16 And I heard the voice of a man between the banks of Ulai, and he called out and said, "Gabriel, give this man an understanding of the vision."

[O] God reveals His deeper plans to those who seek Him with all His might.  However, with that comes a price of carrying the load/burden of His ministry as well (see verse 27 -- Then I, Daniel, was exhausted and sick for days. Then I got up again and carried on the king's business; but I was astounded at the vision, and there was none to explain it.).

[A] There's so much going on in all aspects of life right now, I am very overwhelmed and in the midst of all this I desire to hear the "voice from the banks of Ulai" calling Gabriel to give Yoon an understanding His plans in light of everything that's going on so that I can have some clarity of charting my critical path.  Having said that the book of Daniel has been an inspiration for me to draw closer to Him despite the circumstance I am in.

[P] Dear Father, as Your wonderful plan for us here continue to proceed to reveal Your glory please use my meager life's contribution to expand that ministry here on earth.  Please continue to build up my family with You in the center while sending Your angels to protect each of the members.  In Jesus' name.  Amen.

Where To Go with the Spirit of God

[S] Ezekiel 37:1-2 --
1 The hand of the LORD was upon me, and He brought me out by the Spirit of the LORD and set me down in the middle of the valley; and it was full of bones.2 He caused me to pass among them round about, and behold, there were very many on the surface of the valley; and lo, they were very dry.

[O] At first I was thinking that if the hand of God was upon me, shouldn't He bring me to a fertile land for me to dwell in?  At least that's the outcome I'd expect from being in His presence.  But Ezekiel certainly did not experience that as he ended up in the middle of the valley where it was full of "dry" bones.  Not quite a rewarding place to be.  However as God tells Ezekiel in verse 14 --  I will put My Spirit within you and you will come to life, and I will place you on your own land. Then you will know that I, the LORD, have spoken and done it," declares the LORD. -- God's purpose was to use Ezekiel to bring life to that death valley.  In many ways, when God is with me, I should be in places where God is most needed, or where He lacks the most so that His life and light may be given out.

[A] I need to re-examine my heart so that I am not expecting God to put me in a "palace" when His Spirit is working in my life because on the contrary, He would send me to places where God is most needed which translates to places I prefer wouldn't want to be where He desires to pour out His life upon.  This is a scary proposition but the one that will mightily display His power and glory.

[P] Dear Father, as I ask Your wonderful plans to be unfolded in and through my life, I am also most scared because it would mean to be in the middle of the valley filled with dry bones so I ask You to give me eyes to see what is beyond as Your Spirit transports life there, using my life as a conduit, to overcome death into a living and breathing life.  In Jesus' name.  Amen.

Reset (not rest) in God Every Morning

[S] Lamentations 3:23-26 --
23 They are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.
24 I say to myself, "The Lord is my portion;
therefore I will wait for him."
25 The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him,
to the one who seeks him;
26 it is good to wait quietly
for the salvation of the Lord.

[O] Some key words from this passage just jumps out and comforts me and strengthens me:

• New every morning:  God's loving and gracious faithfulness is new every morning for me.
• My portion:  God is enough for me PERIOD.
• Will wait for Him:  Since He is enough for me, I can wait for Him without being anxious.
• Good to those whose hope is in Him:  Where I put my future is important.
• Wait quietly:  Waiting itself is based on trust and hope, so there is no reason to make noise (or grumble).

[A] My apps are:

1. Renew my love for Him every morning as I start the new day He's given me.
2. Be gratefully satisfied to know that God will be enough for me.
3. Wait on Him to reveal Himself throughout the day.
4. Do not lose any hope by aim at the wrong things.
5. Pray quietly for His ears only.

[P] Dear Father, as I read Jeremiah's testimony in this passage who, if anyone in this world, very well understands the true meaning of suffering physically and mentally I am so encouraged to take on the circumstances I face each day.  May I not unnecessarily pile up each day's burden and struggles soon to find out myself drowning in them but may I put my trust and hope in You who promises to rescue.  In Jesus name.  Amen.

Humbly Practice Hearing God

[S] Jeremiah 42:4,7 --
4 Then Jeremiah the prophet said to them, "I have heard you. Behold, I am going to pray to the LORD your God in accordance with your words; and I will tell you the whole message which the LORD will answer you. I will not keep back a word from you."
7 Now at the end of ten days the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah.

[O] When the people approached Jeremiah to inquire God about what they should do, he responded to them with confidence that he "will tell them the whole message."  This implies that he is very much used to inquiring God and hearing from Him the answers and that is something attained over time and intimate relationship with God.  Even then, as seen in verse 7, the process requires a significant amount of time.  As with any good things, seeking God's will is an involved process that requires perseverance.

[A] I need to increase my prayer time with God to "practice" more of hearing His voice.  In my excuse of being busy, I want instant prayer results and I need to repent from having such an arrogant attitude of demanding God to meet my needs under the umbrella of prayer.

[P] Dear Father, please grant me humble heart before You especially when I approach You with my circumstantial needs.  I want to keep practicing my ability to hear Your word and to obey them with humble heart.  In Jesus' name.  Amen.

Fear Before Wisdom

[S] Psalm 111:10 --
10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom;
A good understanding have all those who do His commandments;
His praise endures forever.

[O] I've been seeking wisdom in a couple of areas in my life but it really meant that I was searching for solutions to the issues I'm facing so I may move on with my life.  The psalmist reminded me through this passage, however, that I first have to place God at the throne where He belongs and only with such a heart God will grant wisdom in my life.  Because I've been trained all my life to seek solutions when faced with issues, this principle always catches me off guard as He doesn't want me to go looking for solutions but to seek Him first as my God and King, and once I follow His principles, then He will put praise in me forever which ultimately is where I want to be.

[A] Have I pushed out Jesus from the lordship of my life and have I taken over to find "my ways?"  I need to be careful whenever I am faced with challenges in my life not to shift into working things out on my own.  I need to fear God and commit myself to follow His principles.

[P] Dear Father, please sustain in me the praises toward You as I commit to follow Your ways and to seek Your wisdom before I take things into my own hands.  Please restore in my heart the rejoicing for who You are and what You have done and will do for me.

Send the Right Leader for this Nation

[S] Ezekiel 14:14 -- 14 even though these three men, Noah, Daniel and Job were in its midst, by their own righteousness they could only deliver themselves," declares the Lord GOD.

[O] Subsequent verses explains further about how these three righteous men would not even save their family in this land corrupted against God.  I thought Noah's days were bad enough and yet he saved his family members, so the landscape has worsened to the max by this time of Ezekiel.  This is more of a reflection but I wonder where our current landscape compares to it although it could not be an apples-to-apples comparison I won't be surprised if we're not far (or exceeding) from it.

[A] As the US Presidential election is coming up soon and we're hearing about a lot of promises from the candidates for the future of this nation, I am going to pray that despite their religious faith, God would move their hearts to do some housecleaning so this nation would draw closer to His ways of living.  I will also take more ownership of studying their values and visions to cast my carefully discerned vote in November.

[P] Dear Father, please save this nation from the ugliness depicted in this passage.  Please set the right leader who will carry the people of this great nation to do great things for You.  In Jesus' name.  Amen.

Clean the House Before Renewing

[S] Ezekiel 11:18-20 --
18 When they come there, they will remove all its detestable things and all its abominations from it.19 And I will give them one heart, and put a new spirit within them. And I will take the heart of stone out of their flesh and give them a heart of flesh, 20 that they may walk in My statutes and keep My ordinances and do them. Then they will be My people, and I shall be their God.

[O] When God restores the Israelites back to their land, the sequence of actions were: 1) cleansing of the land; 2) God gives a new heart & new spirit; 3) people walk His statutes; 4) keep His ordinances and do them.  Then the relation between God and His people will be restored completely.

[A] What areas in my life do I need to cleanse?  Before asking for a new heart, I must take time and effort to  do some housecleaning in and around my life.  Then ask God to renew my heart for Him.

[P] Dear Father, please grant me the wisdom and energy to cleanse my life to clean up all detestable things as the first step of renewing my relationship with You.  Please replace my heart of stone with Your heart of flesh.  In Jesus' name.  Amen.

Attributes of a Pillar

[S] Revelations 3:11-12 --
11 I am coming quickly; hold fast what you have, so that no one will take your crown.12 He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he will not go out from it anymore; and I will write on him the name of My God, and the name of the city of My God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God, and My new name.

[O] Con artists are those good at deceiving others to believe a lie as truth.  The message to the church of Philadelphia is to not fall for these con artists who tries to take away the crown of the church.  Those who sustains the truth and not lose it the lies will become the pillar in the temple of God and will bear His name.

[A] God sets me in positions of this world so instead of trying to vie for a better or higher positions of this world I need to first follow His principles and He will place me in the most appropriate place in His temple.  How I long to be the pillar of His temple but unless I have forged my spirit to be hardened up against the lies of this world, I cannot be used as a pillar.  So, continue to hold fast to His word daily so I would inch up in me the true principles of God.

[P] Dear Father, I commit to abide by Your principles so that I won't fall for the con artists of this world.  Please shower down Your Holy Spirit to counsel and guide me every day.  In Jesus' name.  Amen.

Both Transparent and Reflective

[S] Ezekiel 1:28 --
28 As the appearance of the rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day, so was the appearance of the surrounding radiance. Such was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. And when I saw it, I fell on my face and heard a voice speaking.

[O] Every time I see the rainbow on a rainy day in front of a gray backdrop, a rush of awesome sensation run through my mind because of its beauty as well as the precious moment I happened to witness (and they don't stay around too long).  This verse tells me that it's just a quick preview of how wonderful the glory of the Lord will be revealed when He returns.

[A] I am envisioning God's glory radiating out like the beautiful rainbow from our lives.  In fact, that is how my life should be led while on this earth.  I am not sure whether I need to be transparent or reflect His glory to bring for the rainbow-like glory but I guess it's a little bit of both just like how the water molecules -- both transparent and reflective of the sun light -- display the rainbow.

[P] Dear Father, make me part of Your beautiful rainbow for this world which is dark and gloomy.  May Your glory bring together the people so they would get to know the wonderful plans You have for them.  In Jesus' name.  Amen.

Answer Me Quickly

[S] Psalm 143:7-8 --
7 Answer me quickly, O LORD, my spirit fails;
Do not hide Your face from me,
Or I will become like those who go down to the pit.

8 Let me hear Your lovingkindness in the morning;
For I trust in You;
Teach me the way in which I should walk;
For to You I lift up my soul.

[O] Life is like a thirsty person looking for water to quench it, and until found the desperation is like the author of this psalm where unless he hears God answering his call his spirit will fail.  Every morning he desires to hear God's voice so he may build up his trust in God for the rest of the day.  With all that he desires to praise God through his soul.

[A] I am currently crying out to God for a specific direction in my life and I am in accord with this psalmist about praying to God to "answer me quickly" and do not hide Your face from me.  I want to continue to put my trust in Him who will answer in His timing.  I want to treasure each morning to hear His voice.

[P] Dear Father, I don't want my life to be deflating but inflating with Your hope and rejoicing despite a sense of being stuck.  I would like to be immersed in Your countenance each morning so that I will lift up my soul to You.  In Jesus' name.  Amen.

In the Hand of God

[S] Jeremiah 50:3 --
3 For a nation has come up against her out of the north; it will make her land an object of horror, and there will be no inhabitant in it. Both man and beast have wandered off, they have gone away!

[O] The invincible Babylon's days are marked according to God and as always He kept His promise on that.  God gives and He takes away.  No matter how much we like to believe that what we do can make a difference in this world, it is in the hand of God.

[A] Especially when my own accomplishments seem to do well, I must not let it go to my head but let my heart rejoice God's graceful provision for my life and give Him all the credit.

[P] Dear Father, You have blessed me so much and I would like to thank You for all that.  I also ask that what you will provide for me is already written in Your book and as I spend each in Your presence may my heart gain more trust in You so I would not turn to the ways of this world but to Your ways only.  In Jesus' name.  Amen.

Best to Avoid God's Freedom

[S] Jeremiah 34:17 (NIV) --
17 "Therefore this is what the Lord says: You have not obeyed me; you have not proclaimed freedom to your own people. So I now proclaim 'freedom' for you, declares the Lord—'freedom' to fall by the sword, plague and famine. I will make you abhorrent to all the kingdoms of the earth.

[O] Freedom is something we all desire.  No one likes to be constrained under some boundaries all the time.  However, freedom either has to be available equally to everyone or it will not work.  For example if only one of the two people exercise his freedom then it's really not freedom but an abuse such as the incident that took place this morning in Empire State Building in NYC where a gunman took the lives of many.  He exercised his "freedom" while others helplessly became his victims.  If we proclaim our own freedom, then let God exercise His own freedom to let us fall by our enemies (or be subject to our own sin).  The picture is pretty clear that we are the losers.  So, that's not a good option to take.

[A] The other "good" option is to be subjected to His covenant which is His law wrapped around His love and grace so that I will be protected from His "freedom" to zap me for who I am.  I am sensing that this is a message for someone I know but I no name comes to mind now so I need to pray for His guidance to deliver this message.  Additionally, I must daily approach His throne to be wrapped around this grace as I live each day.

[P] Dear Father, Your grace overwhelms me again today and may my heart be large enough to take it all in so that my life will blossom with Your amazing grace.  Please reveal in me whom I should share this message of hope and future.  In Jesus' name.  Amen.

Stuck in Baby-lon

[S] Jeremiah 29:10-11 (NIV) --
10 This is what the Lord says: "When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my good promise to bring you back to this place.11 For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

[O] God has a specific plan for my life and even though I may seem to be spending eternity in "Babylon" He will take me out of that place into prosperity, hope and future.  When I feel like I'm stuck in Babylon one of the first thing that goes out the door is hope of living for future but that's exactly what God promises here.

[A] I've been feeling like I'm stuck at my current job as my Babylon (nothing bad, just too busy to take up a lot of my time away from family and ministry).  I'm going to rid of my thinking like that but to trust in His plans for my life with prosperity, hope and future!

[P] Dear Father, Your plans are always higher than mine and please don't let me forget about that so my daily life will be founded in that firm foundation of trust in You.  In Jesus' name.  Amen.

Praising Before Harvesting

[S] Psalm 67:5-6 --
5 Let the peoples praise You, O God;
Let all the peoples praise You.
6 The earth has yielded its produce;
God, our God, blesses us.
(NIV) 6 The land yields its harvest;
God, our God, blesses us.

[O] I feel that I am conditioned to treat praising God as an activity of worship only but I was reminded from other passages how praising was used to lead God's victorious battles (almost like a cheering as God is fighting for us).  And in this passage the praising is even used as a conduit to channel His blessings.  Sure I want to receive His blessings but how my narrow mind was so stuck on finding out how I can receive that as if there is some 12-steps to receiving His blessings.

[A] One area of blessings I have been requesting was for my life to yield God's fruits and yet my life did not reflect much of praising God for what He is and will bless in my life.  I need to correct that and increase my faith by praising Him more and more, literally by singing songs while playing my guitar.

[P] Dear Father, may my life be a pleasing praise to You by lifting up Your wonderful name.  In Jesus' name.  Amen.

God of Furthermore Grace

[S] Jeremiah 26:24 (NIV) --
Furthermore, Ahikam son of Shaphan supported Jeremiah, and so he was not handed over to the people to be put to death.

[O] Jeremiah had a real tough time conveying the message of God as he ran into oppositions around every turn, many times risking his life.  However the "furthermore" God always seem to cover for him just like in this passage to look out for His spokesperson (Jer. 15:19).

[A] Whenever I am faced with difficult situations, I should be more concerned about how pure my motives are before God than trying to find a way out for myself because He will not leave me behind but to "furthermore" reach out to me to pull me into His bosom.  I must not forget this promise of God as life's challenges knock on my door.

[P] Dear Father, Your furthermore grace is where I need to anchor my faith and to draw strength from. My ways and strength alone is so limited and yet forgive me for leaning on them so proudly at many times.  Grant me the faith like Jeremiah to carry out Your purposes despite the very hostile circumstances he had to endure through.  In Jesus' name.  Amen.

Spiritual Housecleaning and Youth Revival

[S] 2 Chronicles 34:3 --
For in the eighth year of his reign while he was still a youth, he began to seek the God of his father David; and in the twelfth year he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem of the high places, the Asherim, the carved images and the molten images.

[O] At the age of sixteen, King Josiah began to practice his conviction toward God and essentially brought a spiritual revival in his land under his rule.  Removing the distractions of the enemy was the first step and after that as we read in subsequent verses, God sends him a clear message of His wrath toward His run-away people to which Josiah humbly repents and seeks for God grace.  God accepts and grants him peace.  I can see that Josiah's housecleaning was the right preparation for being right with God when he heard God's message.  This passage is also an inspiration for me as a high school Sunday School teacher because God can work His mighty plans through the youths He had entrusted me with.

[A] God is speaking to me all the time.  So it's not the question of whether God is speaking to me or not but whether I have eliminated the distractions in my life so I may clearly hear His message for me.  I need to start identifying the traps enemy has put in and around my life so that I can remove them in order to prepare myself of hearing God's message for me now.

[P] Dear Father, please identify in my life the areas I need to do some housecleaning in because just like Josiah, I want to hear Your message for me clearly in order to be accepted by You under Your grace.  In Jesus' name.  Amen.

Much More than Words

[S] John 5:39-40 --
39 You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; it is these that testify about Me; 40 and you are unwilling to come to Me so that you may have life.

[O] A fair warning against focusing on the wrong purpose when doing my devotions.  The words out of the Bible alone is not where I tap into the real source of strength and power of God.  These words are merely the pointers and guidance for me to navigate myself to the real source.  If I am unwilling to come to the source that these words reference, then I have totally missed the boat.

[A] I need to search for "God" in my time of devotion not just being satisfied with reading the words.

[P] Dear Father, please reveal in my heart who You are from the Scriptures I read.  I want to not just stop by reading the words alone but want to encounter You.  In Jesus' name.  Amen.

Don't Get Hooked

[S] 2 Chronicles 33:11 --
11 Therefore the LORD brought the commanders of the army of the king of Assyria against them, and they captured Manasseh with hooks, bound him with bronze chains and took him to Babylon.
(NIV)  So the lord brought against them the army commanders of the king of Assyria, who took Manasseh prisoner, put a hook in his nose, bound him with bronze shackles and took him to Babylon.

[O] When Manasseh rejected God's message, he was humiliated by putting a hook in his nose and led away to Babylon.  He later repents and God restores him back to Jerusalem.

[A] If I can only learn without experiencing consequences (of my bad decisions) I would enjoy my life more and spend more of my time to do God's will.  In order to do that, I must gain God's messages for me so I may obey them each time I discern them.

[P] Dear Father, more so than the fact that I don't want to be humiliated by not following God's will for me, I really want to please You by obeying Your words for my life.  Please reveal them deep in my heart so that I will walk the path You desire for me.  I am praying right now about what that path is for me at this juncture.  Please give me the discernment through Your word.  In Jesus' name.  Amen.

Love Based on Conviction, not Condition

[S] John 2:24-25 --
24 But Jesus, on His part, was not entrusting Himself to them, for He knew all men,25 and because He did not need anyone to testify concerning man, for He Himself knew what was in man.

[O] How Jesus knows our hearts so well and that's why He did not entrust Himself to men until He has accomplished God's will on earth by going to the Cross and be crucified.  He had to live out His purpose fully here without being dragged down by men's weakness.  What 's amazing is that even though He knew us so well (untrustworthy) He still went all the way to die for us.

[A] Love is a choice I make not dependent on circumstances or conditions just like how Jesus decided to come to this world to live a perfect life just to die for us fully knowing who we really are -- imperfect wretched beings.  My love for others should also be based on this same model of conviction rather than condition.

[P] Dear Jesus, may my heart be soaking up the principle of love from You.  I want to love others not based on condition but out of my conviction coming from Your role model.  In Jesus' name.  Amen.

Investment of Friendship

[S] John 1:11 --
He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him.

[O] What a bummer this would be when you come to your best friends (or even closer), they do not receive you.  It's like betrayal to the max isn't it?  So, from Jesus' end it's the betrayal (which He fully anticipated) but from the Israelites' perspective this was total ignorance and blindness.  The leaders who called themselves the most spiritual and wise were really blinded to recognize the true God Himself.

[A] Two takeaways: 1) Build intimate friendships so that we will always recognize and receive each other.  This takes a lot of time investments of building trust and intimacy.  So, I need to do better job of doing this with my close friends.  2) Continue to gain insights into God's heart by reading His word continuously and meditating on it for the Spirit to saturate my heart with His love and grace.

[P] Dear Father, I want to know You more and more so I will always recognize You and Your mighty workings around me.  Please let Your Spirit seal Your love in my heart always. In Jesus' name.  Amen.

Values that Won't Burn Up

[S]  2 Peter 3:10 --
But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up.

[O] As seen with what wild fire can do to the beautiful homes when Jesus returns all of our values will burn up and will have no meanings.

[A] I need to pick and choose where I need to our my values in life especially when it comes to leading my family because I tend to focus on urgent things rather than the ones that will have a lasting effect.

[P] Dear God, may Your Spirit convict my heart with the highest priority values that I must retain and pass on to my children so that I won't be "wasting" my energy on the things that just have a very immediate needs. Please give me the eternal perspective.  In Jesus' name.  Amen.

Don't Be a Blind Watchman

[S] Isaiah 56:10 --
His watchmen are blind, All of them know nothing. All of them are mute dogs unable to bark, Dreamers lying down, who love to slumber;

[O] By definition, the watchmen are supposed to have keen vision and and quickly notify.  However the sinful leaders disobedient to God will lose that very ability making them ineffective to lead their people.  It also describes that they dream but does nothing about it an slumbers instead.

[A] In my leadership roles, I need to take this to heart -- need to have a keen vision to watch what is coming ahead and notify those I am leading, and to have dreams (visions) that will lead what I do.

[P] Dear Father, I want to have an obedient heart so that I will be alerted to be a great watchmen for those whom you entrusted me to lead.  In Jesus' name.  Amen.

Rocky Water

[S] Isaiah 48:21 (NIV) --
They did not thirst when he led them through the deserts; he made water flow for them from the rock; he split the rock and water gushed out.

[O] The Rock who is Jesus Christ is the source for this eternal and living water to quench our drying souls to provide hope for the days we live here on earth.

[A] I can definitely sense my own soul drying up as years pass by and I need to remember again and again that my source of wellspring is my Jesus Christ who is my Rock.  He is the only one who will provide me the water that can hydrate my spirit.  Many times I disbelieve that water can gush out of a rock and try to find that oasis on my own but that is why I must go to the right Rock.

[P] Dear Jesus, may my life, especially as I grow older physically, never leave from You who is my Rock so that my spirit will be hydrated at all times by Your living water.  In Your name.  Amen.

Dig'em Now Cuz It's Coming

[S] 2 Kings 3:17
For thus says the Lord, 'You shall not see wind nor shall you see rain; yet that valley shall be filled with water, so that you shall drink, both you and your cattle and your beasts.

Isaiah 41:18
"I will open rivers on the bare heights
And springs in the midst of the valleys;
I will make the wilderness a pool of water
And the dry land fountains of water.

Isaiah 43:18-21
"Do not call to mind the former things,
Or ponder things of the past.
19 "Behold, I will do something new,
Now it will spring forth;
Will you not be aware of it?
I will even make a roadway in the wilderness,
Rivers in the desert.
20 "The beasts of the field will glorify Me,
The jackals and the ostriches,
Because I have given waters in the wilderness
And rivers in the desert,
To give drink to My chosen people.
21 "The people whom I formed for Myself
Will declare My praise.

Isaiah 44:3-4
3 'For I will pour out water on the thirsty land
And streams on the dry ground;
I will pour out My Spirit on your offspring
And My blessing on your descendants;
4 And they will spring up among the grass
Like poplars by streams of water.'

Isaiah 45:8
"Drip down, O heavens, from above, And let the clouds pour down righteousness; Let the earth open up and salvation bear fruit, And righteousness spring up with it. I, the Lord, have created it.

[O] These verses all came in a single day's reading (except 2 Kings 3:17 which was last Sunday's sermon) with the theme of how God is starting new works (Isaiah 43:18-19) and that He will quench the dryness in and around us with the miraculous springs of water that only He can provide.  In fact, His abundance will not only cover the people but the beasts will benefit also.  Sunday's sermon was about how we just need to keep digging the trenches (carrying out the mundane routines daily, such as my devotional time with God).

[A] I've been praying to seek how God was moving in our church lately, especially with respect to a couple of recent developments.  And He opened this flood gates of His word to me to let me know that He is starting something new which will go beyond any of our imaginations.  However this does mean that we need to work hard in digging the trenches so that when the springs of water gushes down, we will direct and distribute them to those in need (which is all of us).  For me, digging trenches means higher quality of prayer and devotional times.  I gotta prepare the way for His new and wondrous works.

[P] Dear Father, thank You for the providing me the vision and the blueprint to join what You're about to do in our midst.  I'm so excited to be the witness of that but I also request that my weaknesses that the enemy will try to lure me into laziness be plugged up by Your indwelling Spirit's workings as I desperately ask in Jesus' name.  Amen.

Not Playing at Their Levels

[S] 1 Peter 2:15 (NIV) -- For it is God's will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people.

[O] Natural way to fight against foolish people is to to ignore them or be just like one of them.  However God's way is to not give in to the others ways but to stay in paths of righteous.  Continuously doing good to those who are ignorant is not an easy act to follow but that's the way God desires for His followers to follow.

[A] Doing Good when things are tough can be a true test of my trust in God.  I must trust that doing good despite the circumstances is the path God teaches me to take. I realize that there are some difficult people in my life so this wisdom is something I need to treasure in my heart all the time.

[P] Dear Father, please continue to infuse in me these wonderful traits so that my heart will be overflowing with Your foundational principles.  In Jesus' name.  Amen.

The Wounded Healer

[S] 1 Peter 2:24 --
and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed.

[O] What comes packaged with my life is the need of healing whether it's a small cut on my finger to deep emotional hurts.  In some ways, the physical healing is very limited to the life we live here on earth but spiritual and emotional headings are more eternal.  In light of this, Jesus provided the greater healing for me.  He bore the wounds so that I may gain this eternal healing in my soul.  This does not mean physical condition is not important, but to me even these, Jesus' wounds will bring healing as well when we believe in His amazing life of giving all kinds of healing to the people who followed Him.

[A] As our family is still bearing through the crisis of a health condition, this verse ministered to me with a fresh wind as I picture the road Jesus took which to free us from the eternal bondage.  If He died for my spiritual soul, why would He not be able to heal us physically also within His plans.  So, I will not deter from pursuing anything else but His wounds He bore on the cross for me and my family.

[P] Dear Father, Your amazing love just won me over again today through this passage.  Please continue to fan the flame of Your love in me so I may live for You.  In Jesus' name.  Amen.

Preparing for Success

[S] 2 Chronicles 32:30 --
30 It was Hezekiah who blocked the upper outlet of the Gihon spring and channeled the water down to the west side of the City of David. He succeeded in everything he undertook.

[O] I'm jealous of being successful in everything he undertook.  What a feeling that must have been for Hezekiah to be in such a position and yet his pride got in the way.  I want to be successful in all that I do but more than that I need to desire humility in God and protect my heart not to be prideful because when God blesses me to be successful I sure don't want to be like Hezekiah.

[A] I need to surrender my grumbling heart of not having everything my way.  Even though I know God is in control and will provide best for me, when things don't go my ways I feel like a loser.  I need to make sure I understand that it's not whether I'm successful or not but whether I am working on my humility first.

[P] Dear Father, please make my heart humble so I would be prepared to received Your blessings in my life to be like Hezekiah who would be successful in everything that I undertake.  In Jesus' name.  Amen.

Fear Of or Having Fear

[S] Isaiah 33:6 --
6 And He will be the stability of your times,
A wealth of salvation, wisdom and knowledge;
The fear of the LORD is his treasure.

[O] Whatever comes to mind very first after waking up from sleep in the morning is most likely what I fear the most.  Why?  Because as I begin a new day, I want to overcome any obstacles getting in the way and so I would think about how I may plan my day around them.  How to schedule so many activities, manage so much tasks at work (knowing that I won't get through all of them), etc.  In light of this, if I turn my eyes toward God first, then I am actually turning to Him who is greater than any obstacles I will ever face and my fear of the Lord is actually positioned in the right priority.

[A] This fear of the Lord is not because I am scared of Him, but out of respect and honor that I fear Him before any other.  It is the awesomeness of His presence that just brings me to my knees to worship Him.  I want to worship Him just like that throughout the day.  And starting the day with a time with God will be essential in making that happen.

[P] Dear Father, instead of seeking my own ways of stability, may I first seek to fear You from the moment I open my eyes in the morning until I go to sleep at night.  I want to bring out You and You alone in my life throughout the day.  In Jesus' name.  Amen.

My Children to Reflect His Holiness

[S] Isaiah 29:23 --
But when he sees his children, the work of My hands, in his midst,
They will sanctify My name;
Indeed, they will sanctify the Holy One of Jacob
And will stand in awe of the God of Israel.

(NLT)  For when they see their many children
and all the blessings I have given them,
they will recognize the holiness of the Holy One of Israel.

[O] Receiving God's blessings for my own life and for my generation is definitely a good thing.  However as I get older each year, which means closing in on my last days on earth, the hope of this verse gets highlighted even more.  The NLT version put a clearer picture in my mind about how when I see God's blessings in my children I will recognize His holiness (setting them apart from this world for His purpose).

[A] I am in awe of how God has been blessing my children, especially with Ensay's health conditions.  Tomorrow is another blood count and as I'm praying for His continual healing, I am fully recognizing by lifting up my hands in awe for His setting my children to do His great and wonderful works even after I have left this world.

[P] Dear Father, more than simply asking for protection and healing in our lives, I am praying that You would sanctify our children and their future so they would be in the middle of Your holiness as I ask in Your name.  Amen.

Love the New Stuff

[S] Hebrews 8:13 --
13 When He said, "A new covenant, " He has made the first obsolete. But whatever is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to disappear.

[O] We like new things -- cars, gadgets, shoes, clothes, etc.  But when it comes to God's new covenant, we dearly hold on to the old thing of living by the sets of rules and regulations.  Let go of the old things and seek for the new covenant God provides for me right now in Jesus' victory.

[A] Every morning, pray for God's leadership in my life so the new covenant will be lived out and touch someone else with it also.

[P] Dear Father, I want that new covenant and not want to have any part of the old covenant.  I want to learn to live by the new covenant from Jesus and that my life will have the forward-moving momentum in Him.  In Jesus' name.  Amen.

Stop Re-Inventing the Wheel

[S] Romans 6:1 --
Therefore leaving the elementary teaching about the Christ, let us press on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God,

[O] Jesus had already done it all.  Why re-invent the wheel again?  Just accept His provision and live in His plans for us.

[A] Why is that I give my utmost best to grow and mature in everything else but when it comes to spiritually maturing in Christ, I take my time?  One of the insight from this passage is because I try to re-invent the path Jesus had already paved for me to attain that by accepting the fact that He had done it (and I don't have to re-do it again).  When I try to do it (again), I make it a chore and I tend to get lazy at doing them.  I need to meditate more on what it means for me to slip into all that Jesus had accomplished for my spiritual maturity.

[P] Dear Jesus, please come and fill this heart of mine so I will not try to re-do everything You already done.  Instead, teach me to enter into the presence of Your amazing and perfect works for me so that I may mature in You every day.  In Your name.  Amen.

Blossom Out of Shadow

[S] Hosea 14:7 --
Those who live in his shadow Will again raise grain, And they will blossom like the vine. His renown will be like the wine of Lebanon.

[O] I cannot avoid passing through the shadows of my life.  But God's promise of raising those in the shadow is very encouraging and refreshing.  Not only he will raise up but will produce much fruit out of such a shadow.

[A] Every time I feel like I'm in the dark, I want to turn to this verse to know that God will raise me up again.

[P] Dear Father, I want to grip that hope of salvation out of my dark moments.  Please continue to fill this heart with Your hope.  In Jesus' name.  Amen.

Blindness from Self Pity

[S] Hosea 7:14 --
14 They do not cry out to me from their hearts but wail on their beds.
They slash themselves, appealing to their gods for grain and new wine, but they turn away from me.

[O] When (not if) we fall short we are saddened and tend to bring some comfort through self pity as well as to find a greater authority to seek help (or grumble against).  What's done is done and life must move on but being too deeply engaged in self pity will blind my soul to just keep wailing and not cry out to our God of this universe subsequently turning to other idols of this world grasping for some comfort and hope.

[A] There is a significant difference between being remorseful and being repentant before God for my own failures and shortcomings.  The former will be like drinking sea water because it will only dry me up more while the latter where I'd be like drinking from a fresh wellspring of water to quench the dryness of my soul.  As I face many (more) mistakes of my life, I must cry out to God for His extension of grace as mentioned in  Hosea 6:6 (NIV).

[P] Dear God of this universe, I want to turn to You especially during the times of my failures.  May my heart be lifted up by Your saving grace every time I turn to You and may my cry turn into joy of Your great salvation.  In Jesus' name.  Amen.

My Contribution to this Society

[S] Hosea 4:14 --

14 I will not punish your daughters when they play the harlot
Or your brides when they commit adultery,
For the men themselves go apart with harlots
And offer sacrifices with temple prostitutes;
So the people without understanding are ruined.


[O] This is a very convicting verse because while I may be judgmental about the issues around me I may actually be indirectly condoning them.  According to this verse if the men kept their integrity and behaved appropriately then there won't be any harlots.

[A] If I keep myself devoted to following God's ways, then I will be helping to remove issues in my society by removing  one less influence factor of adding fuel to the fire.  My sinful nature can only help spread the poison.

[P] Dear God, please make my heart purified to pursue after Your own standards so that I would contribute to making this society a better one.  I want to understand more of Your wonderful heart to live out the life of wellspring touching others live with Your light.  In Jesus' name.  Amen.

A Personal Creator of this World

[S] Hebrews 1:2 --
2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe.

[O] Jesus made this world I live in and He is so personal that He wants to speak to me.  The scene of Jesus finding His disciple Peter after the resurrection to personally talk to him to affirm and re-affirm the love between them.  In many ways, His talking to me personally now is like that.  I've already messed up big time and still doing a fine job of doing that and yet Jesus pursues me personally to share with me the wisdom of living in this world.

[A] I need to tap into this wonderful resource that Jesus Himself offers to me to guide me how to live in this world.  I have to stop giving excuses about being too busy.

[P] Dear Jesus, please continue to shower me with Your wisdom to live this world as wise as I can putting total trust in You.  In your name I ask. Amen.

Chained Forever

[S] Philemon 1:10,23-24 (NIV) --
that I appeal to you for my son Onesimus, who became my son while I was in chains.
Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, sends you greetings. And so do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas and Luke, my fellow workers.


[O] These people listed here by Paul have one thing in common and that bonded them as intimate friends for life.  They were all chained (in prison) together for their faith in Christ Jesus.  The focus is not the imprisonment but that they were one in heart to face any difficulty in order to cling on to Jesus in their hearts.

[A] What is my pain threshold in life?  Am I willing to stand up for Jesus even to this level of "pain"?  My mind is so trained to avoid pain, my walk with Jesus can easily take on the mentality of smooth sailing.  I should not go looking to put myself through pain but I should partner up with others who are unafraid to stand up beyond our boundaries of comfort.  They will last forever.

[P] Dear Jesus, thank You for placing wonderful partners in Christ in my life.  I want to be like Paul where he had cultivated this and of brothers who were unafraid to go through the tough times just for the sake of Christ's name and what He lived & died for.  Please send a band of brothers/sisters who will lock arms together to have big dreams to live for while on this earth.  In Jesus' name.  Amen.

One With the Most Toys Stand Alone

[S] Isaiah 5:8,10 (NIV)  --
Woe to you who add house to house and join field to field till no space is left and you live alone in the land.
A ten-acre vineyard will produce only a bath of wine; a homer of seed will yield only an ephah of grain."

[O] What's sad about this picture is how rich these people are materially and yet so bankrupt and dry their souls are.  On the outside the spacious land filled with houses and grape vines seem so rich and abundant but under hood is nothing but emptiness (nothing).

[A] As you may have heard, God is in the business of making something out of nothing; yet I am so great at making nothing out of something.  So, I must keep my eyes on God's principles and follow it closely if I want my and my family members' lives to be fruitful spiritually.  I hear about so many "ways" and programs to achieve this but I must realize the only way is to follow His ways.  I sure don't want to be alone after pursuing all of these paths thinking that I would end up with much.

[P] Dear Father, I want to pursue Your ways in every aspects of my life in order that I would produce the fruits You intended for my life to bear -- abundantly.  Please continue to prune my life and nurture it with Your word daily so I would draw closer to You.  In Jesus' name.  Amen.

Do Not Seek Bethel and Gilgal

[S] Amos 5:3,5 --
3 This is what the Sovereign Lord says to Israel:
"Your city that marches out a thousand strong will have only a hundred left;
your town that marches out a hundred strong will have only ten left."
5 do not seek Bethel, do not go to Gilgal, do not journey to Beersheba.
For Gilgal will surely go into exile, and Bethel will be reduced to nothing."

[O] Bethel and Gilgal were the safe houses for the Israelites but God is warning them not to put their trust in those places but in Him because He is going to reduce them to nothing.  Just in last few days we had some natural disasters in US of flooding, excessive heat, and storms threatening lives and taking out power to millions of people.  Without power there isn't a whole lot we can do these days and these power outages can happen in a flash without any warnings.  That's how things can change from good or normal to disaster -- in a blink of an eye no matter how disaster-prepared we are.

[A] Examine my heart for my "Bethel and Gilgal" where I put my trust as a safety net.  There is nothing wrong with having safety nets to mitigate crisis as a measure of having margins around life's edge points, but I need to be careful not to trust in them more than I trust in God's provision and guidance for my life.

[P] Dear Father, through Your Holy Spirit please convict my heart of areas where I've built up my Bethels and Gilgals so that I won't lean on those that can become nothing in a flash.  Let my heart be trusting You alone 100%.  In Jesus' name.  Amen.

I Have Finished the Race

[S] 2 Timothy 4:6-7 --
6 For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time for my departure is near.7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.

[O] Paul's statement towards the end of his life is more than challenging.  How can one live a life such that s/he can confidently say "I have finished the race, I have kept the faith"?  Paul wasn't even part of the twelve disciples following Jesus during His ministry years; in fact, he persecuted Christians harshly.  So if you will, he caught up tremendously to come to this point in his life.

[A] I should not lose hope of drawing closer to God and to live a life that I can also confidently say I have finished the race by keeping my faith.  The enemy whispers into my ears at time that I am no good for God's ministry.  But I should push forward without stopping.

[P] Dear Father, do send Your Holy Spirit to guide me and to uphold my heart so that I will not lose my pace of following You and to run this race without giving up until my last breath on earth.  In Jesus' name.  Amen.

Scripture to Equip Myself

[S] 2 Timothy 3:16-17 --
16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,17 so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

[O] Our company is having a bake-off contest for employees to show off their baking skills.  As each of the contestants explain the process of preparing and making the desserts it is quite amazing at how much effort they put in to present (and to win) the goodies.  God's Scripture to us is like that where God put together an amazing package of principles and wisdom for us to follow in order to face all aspects of life and to produce good works in the midst of them all.

[A] The ultimate purpose of the Scripture is to equip me for every good work.  So as I read more of His Scripture, my life should produce more good works. If not, then I'm not soaking up His word correctly.

[P] Dear Father, thank You for the wonderful Scripture for me to be equipped to serve others and You to produce many good works.  May I have to right perspectives at all times to equip myself in doing just this on daily basis. In Jesus' name.  Amen.

Fan into Flame the Gift

[S] 2 Timothy 1:6-7 --
6 For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands.7 For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.

[O] The actuality of believing in the power of the Spirit of God in my life is the key here.  I could write about it and tell about it all the time but if I am not bold, loving, and sensible (from MSG version) then I'm in essence not living out the life God intended for me and I am actually living a hypocritical life.  So, as Paul wrote in verse 6, I need to learn how to fan into flame the gift (power) of God by laying on of hands for each other in our community of believers.

[A] I need to lay my hands on my children to fan into flame the gift of God in their live so they may fully realize and live out the wonderfully bold, loving, and sensible lives.

[P] Dear God, as I lay my hands on my children to anoint them please fan the flame in their hearts by the Holy Spirit's moving so their gifts from You will become real in their lives especially as they spend this summer wisely and sensibly.  In Jesus' name.  Amen.

Above the Law to Protect the Hearts

[S] 1 Timothy 5:14-15 (NIV) --
So I counsel younger widows to marry, to have children, to manage their homes and to give the enemy no opportunity for slander. Some have in fact already turned away to follow Satan.

[O] There is a fine line here but Paul's teaching here is how saving souls under God's grace and mercy is above the law.  If they are too rigid on not allowing young widows to marry then there is greater risk of them falling into the hands of Satan, so fully knowing their limitations Paul instructs how to protect these young widows from the snares of the enemy rather strictly focusing on the legalistic aspects of following the law.

[A] I need to be careful of not falling into the trap of just following the rules when I follow Christ because He is more interested in my well being to follow Him without being tempted by the enemy.  I must stay humble to follow Jesus without boasting on how well I am behaving as a follower of Him.

[P] Dear Father, please give me wisdom to understand when I should apply Your grace so that I won't fall into the temptations of the enemy.  Allow me to know when I step out of Your grace into using my own efforts to follow You.  I pray in Jesus' name.  Amen.

Getting Back Everything God's Way

[S] 2 Kings 8:6 (NIV) --
The king asked the woman about it, and she told him. Then he assigned an official to her case and said to him, "Give back everything that belonged to her, including all the income from her land from the day she left the country until now."

[O] The woman whose son Elisha had restored to life exiled to land of Philistines for seven years following the advice of Elisha.  And after seven years when she returned she was recognized by the king as the person who experienced Elisha's miracle and ordered his official to restore her house and everything belonged to her including the backlogged income.  This displays God's faithfulness keeping His promises (from when Elisha saved her son) despite the period of famine she had to weather through.  When following God's direction, He will take care of everything without any loss.

[A] Even though I know that I should surrender my financial income to God completely, it is still one of the challenging areas to do just that.  However, unless I trust His ways and guidance 100% I will forego the opportunity of receiving His faithfulness in my career and income just like this woman did.

[P] Dear God, grant me the heart of trust in Your financial provisions when I completely trust in Your way.  I want to bring out Your glory in my finances not because of my great efforts (although not be lazy) but because I am carrier of Your amazing works.  In Jesus' name.  Amen.

Go Borrow Vessels

[S] 2 Kings 4:3 --
3 Then he said, "Go, borrow vessels at large for yourself from all your neighbors, even empty vessels; do not get a few.

[O] The number of vessels this woman can borrow primarily depends on the number of neighbors who are willing to lend the vessels.  This is true with us, too, when we are in need because we will be lifted up by the number of our "neighbors" who are willing to lend us a hand to get us out of the hole.  Although this passage does not specify, it implies that she had borrowed enough vessels for God to work in her life back to restoration.

[A] Establishing intimate relationship and trust among many neighbors in the community at large is the wise investment because that will establish a very strong bond to withstand challenges of life.  I am so grateful for those who have been lending us their "vessels" during our challenging times. This is also a true reminder to lend a hand to those in need because even though what I can do may be limited, combined with many others giving at the same time can synergize the overall effect.

[P] Dear God, thank You for surrounding us with so many great neighbors who are so willing to lend us the vessels to fill up the gap during a very needy time in our family.  We are clearly experiencing the works of You through these helping hands just like this woman from the passage and we give You the glory.  In Jesus' name.  Amen.

Be Clearly Recognizable

[S] 2 Kings 1:8 --

8 They replied, "He had a garment of hair and had a leather belt around his waist."  The king said, "That was Elijah the Tishbite."


[O] Elijah was recognized by his unique appearance which clearly identified him to the king.  The king really did not like Elijah and yet he readily recognized him by his outer appearance as well as his authoritative position for God.

[A] I am wondering how I am recognized by others as a man after God's heart.  I want to be like Elijah where my stance for God is clearly set apart with God's finger prints all over.

[P] Dear Father, I want to be like Elijah where his way of life and how he displays himself to others so clearly identified him as the man of God.  I don't want to be just another ordinary person with an ordinary vision but I want to be an ordinary person with an extra-ordinary appearance that can only come from God. In Jesus' name.  Amen.

Watchful Prayer Life

[S]  Colossians 4:2 (NIV) --
Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.

[O] Prayer is a very familiar concept but being grouped together with watchful and thankful was a fresh concept for me as I read this passage because I have a tendency of just praying with a hoping-for-the-best attitude instead of having a clear trust and vision of expecting God's response to my prayer -- already being grateful for what He is about to do.

[A] As I face my family's crisis and lifting up my prayers to God, I need to change my attitude to be watchful of God's working in my family's life.

[P] Dear God, please reshape my heart so that my prayer life is not an end but a means to experiencing You tangibly in my life.  Grant me a watchful heart looking for Your wondrous works right in my day-to-day living.  I thank yon in advance as I pray in Jesus' name. Amen.

No Turning Back Faith

[S]  1 Kings 19:21 (NIV)  --

So Elisha left him and went back. He took his yoke of oxen and slaughtered them. He burned the plowing equipment to cook the meat and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he set out to follow Elijah and became his servant.


[O] Elisha's heart of commitment is displayed from his actions before following Elijah as his disciple.  Elisha surrendered his own career, stability of his future in order to follow Elijah.  He slaughtered the oxen and by using the plowing equipment to cook the meat to feed the people it was clear that he had committed to follow Elijah and there was no turning back.

[A] Finding God's calling for my life is important but what I do with it is more significant.  When He calls me into a path of His choosing for my life and whispers that into my heart, I can either ride the fence between that calling and what I've built up as my sound stability of my future, or I can surrender what I've built up to edify the people around me and completely follow God's calling.  I will do the latter for sure when I do recognize the calling clearly.

[P] Dear Father, I surrender my career and stability of leading my and my family's lives in order to follow what You desire for my life. Please reveal that to my heart and please allow my heart to clearly understand it.  In Jesus' name.  Amen.

Maker or Breaker of My Life

[S] 2 Chronicles 16:8-9 --
8 Were not the Ethiopians and the Lubim an immense army with very many chariots and horsemen? Yet because you relied on the LORD, He delivered them into your hand.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] God strongly support those whose heart is completely sold out to Him.  In fact, His search party is looking for these people throughout the earth.  With God's strong support, there is nothing that can get in the way and this is the message especially for those up against insurmountably huge obstacles in life (the immense army) when it is so easy to search for my own way out using my own plans.

[A] In many ways our family is facing an immense army right now and passages like these bring tremendous strength as they remind us how BIG our God is and how He is the maker or breaker of what happens in our lives.  I want to be found by His search party looking for those whose heart is completely His.

[P] Dear Father, I realize that I must go upstream against the currents of this world in order to be spotted by Your search party to be on Your team.  It is then and only then that You will deliver me from the obstacles I face not because of my skills or efforts but because I have been found by You to be on Your team.  May Your peace and strength continue to sustain our family as we go through this challenging period.  In Jesus' name.  Amen.

Know When and How to Use Your Living Skills

[S] Ecclesiates 9:18 --
18 Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but one sinner destroys much good.

[O] If weapons of war are equivalent to fighting skills and technology of this world, then wisdom equates to knowing how and where to use them.  So, this passage states that more so than the fighting skills how to apply them in a war is more effective.  Additionally, unity of the warriors to fight with one heart and mind is a key ingredient to the victory of war; it just takes a single outcast in this effort to destroy the efforts of the many.

[A] Not that I have this down myself, but I feel that one of my calling is to teach my children and others in subsequent generations the criticality of valuing the wisdom from God and not rely on the technicality of living skills which many can attain by giving their best efforts while the wisdom only comes from God.

[P] Dear Father, first please graciously grant Your wisdom upon this heart humbly bowing before You.  And please let me be a conduit to pass on that wisdom and how to attain such wonderful ingredient for my children and next generation to rely on as they build their community to reflect more of Your beauty.  In Jesus' name.  Amen.

Principle for Spiritual Fabric

[S] Ecclesiastes 4:9,10,12 --
9 Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor.10 For if either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion. But woe to the one who falls when there is not another to lift him up. 12 And if one can overpower him who is alone, two can resist him. A cord of three strands is not quickly torn apart.

[O] This passage is the cornerstone principle for building up a community that thrives on not just one super-star but a fabric of individuals coming together to strengthen each other.  Based on this our enemy tries its best to divide and conquer by creating islands of individuals.

[A] Teach my children about how important it is for them to stay connected just like the cord of three strands mentioned in v.12.  They need to very soon realize that God brought them into this world for a purpose of displaying His glory and baseline for reaching that goal is to stay strong against all sorts of currents slowing them down or trying to break them apart.

[P] Dear Father, please continue to shower Your grace on my children so that they will be "tied" together to reach the purpose You have for them as a community.  Please provide them the life partners who would share such vision and the extended family to be a strong spiritual fabric for Your glory.  In Jesus' name.  Amen.

Search Is On 24x7

[S] Psalm 33:14,18 (NIV)  --
from his dwelling place he watches all who live on earth—
But the eyes of the lord are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love,

[O] Can God see every one of us living here on earth?  The answer is a resounding yes even though it is a difficult concept to grasp in my limited way of thinking.  Not only he sees every one of us, but He does that with a clear purpose of identifying those who fear Him and have hope in His unfailing love -- that is to say, those who recognize His amazing love and accept it -- because that's what pleases Him.

[A] Not just because God is searching for those who fear Him, but I want to receive His unfailing love for me as is and to walk fearfully with Him every day.  I want to be found by God because I am sincerely in His presence at all time.

[P] Dear Father, may my heart be always aware of how Your eyes sweep through this world looking for those who had sincerely accepted Your wonderful love so that what I do and say will reflect Your character to those around me.  In Jesus' name.  Amen.

Snare of Fear to Freedom of Fear

[S] Proverbs 29:25 (NIV) --
25 Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe.

[O] The contrast between fear from trusting myself versus trusting in God is like walking in a mind field not knowing when to step on a mine versus running (or riding a horse, or just simply walking about enjoying the nature) in a green prairie open wide to the horizon without worrying about anything.  My own fear will swallow up myself but if I free myself from that and turn to trust in God, then His peace will overwhelm my heart.

[A] Right now, I CAN worry about a few things which can easily put a fear in my heart, but I refuse to go there  and let my heart lean on God all the way.

[P] Dear Father, in the midst of so many things going on, I can so easily lose track of how great having my trust in You all the time.  I want to take another step today of learning how not to feed the fear in me, but to invite Your hope and peace to populate my thoughts.  In Jesus' name.  Amen.

Check the Weather before Dressing

But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts. (Romans 13:14 NASB)
Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh. (Romans 13:14 NIV)

[O] Combining the two translations above I'm picturing getting dressed in the morning before leaving home. One of the key condition determining how I would dress is the weather and temperature outside. Checking the weather website or the page in the morning newspaper would provide this very necessary information.

[A] Spiritually speaking I need to follow the same procedure before leaving home every morning. This passage pretty much describes the spiritual "weather" to be flesh hungry so I need to wear Christ because without doing that it would be like walking out into snow storm in a pair of Speedo and a tank top. My flesh will be bombarded with the wrong desires I will be immobilized to do anything else.

[P] Dear Jesus, I want to make sure I put You on before I step out into the storms of flesh-desiring world. I still need to work on getting this down every morning so I ask for Your grace to cover the holes in my walk with Tiu. In Jesus' name. Amen.