Strong Faith Grows

[S] Acts 16:5 --
So the churches were being strengthened in the faith, and were increasing in number daily.

[O] This seems so simple and yet profound -- strong-faith churches grow (in numbers) consistently.

[A] I must prioritize to strengthen my faith first so that my life will consistently grow.  I could try to do many other things to grow, but unless my foundational faith is strong, they will just be scratching the surface only.

[P] Dear Father, please increase my faith daily so that my life will mature with power and strength to grow and to be edifying others along the way.  In Jesus' name.  Amen.

Nevertheless Faith

[S] 1 Kings 11:2 --
2 They were from nations about which the Lord had told the Israelites, "You must not intermarry with them, because they will surely turn your hearts after their gods." Nevertheless, Solomon held fast to them in love.

[O] The word "nevertheless" in faith can have two different effects -- nevertheless pursue or ignore God.  Daniel's friends Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego "nevertheless" the circumstance of being thrown into the fiery furnace they would not turn away from God.  But here Solomon "nevertheless" God warned him he could not let go of his desires to turn to God.

[A] If to believe in God or not is a 100m dash, then to "nevertheless" trust and turning to God despite all sorts of situations (Daniel's friends crisis was to choose death or trusting God while Solomon's crisis was his own indulgence in his own life) is like the marathon.  I may have to make some dashes but the whole journey of my faith in God is a marathon of not giving up in God's hope for my life and keep on pursuing after His heart.

[P] Dear Father, I want to run the marathon with and for You, not giving up but to seek after Your heart despite the bumps in my life.  I want to model after Daniel's three friends who nevertheless held on to You, not concerned with the outcome in their circumstance but totally trusting in Your love for them.  In Jesus' name.  Amen.

Two Way Street Love

[S] 1 Corinthians 13:13 --
13 But now faith, hope, love, abide these three; but the greatest of these is love.

[O] Faith, Hope, and Love are three ingredients necessary for anyone to follow after Christ; yet, Paul distinguishes love to be the greatest of these.  I can see that the same love of God is what sacrificed Jesus on the cross for us, and on the receiving end, it's that same love that transforms our hearts in order to believe in the Way Jesus paved for us.  Faith and hope naturally follows once the love has been registered in one's life.

[A] In trying to cope with the family crisis at hand, I've tried to hold on to hope of God through my faith.  I should continue to do that without giving up, however, God wants me to love Him more and to reflect on His love more especially meditating on the suffering, death, and resurrection in this season of Easter.  I must exercise the greatest attribute Paul wrote about here.

[P] Dear Father, I love You with all my heart.  May my love for You outweigh all of other attitudes especially during this time of Lent.  I give You my heart.  Take it, Lord, and mold it and use it for Your kingdom's glory.  In Jesus' name.  Amen.

Keep Your Clothes Until the End

[S] Revelations 16:15 --
15 ("Behold, I am coming like a thief. Blessed is the one who stays awake and keeps his clothes, so that he will not walk about naked and men will not see his shame.")

[O] The book of Revelations has many images and explanations difficult to grasp but one thing for sure is that Christ is returning and when He comes the world we live in will be in order according to His will.  We do not know when He is coming and yet we need to be alert and be prepared to receive Him when that time comes.  To me, the "clothes" in this passage means my faith and spiritual dignity which at times I feel like abandoning because they all seem unnecessary in my day-to-day living dealing with all sorts of factors (too many to handle it seems).

[A] Passages like these bring out the deepest aspects of being a follower of Christ because it requires endurance, patience, and hope to wait for that unknown moment of His returning to take us home.  I want to be ready at that moment and run this race strong and firm every day.

[P] Dear Jesus, I long for the moment of Your coming back and give me strength and reminders like these to hold on to the faith You desire for me to cling on to.  As this year ends and look forward to the upcoming new year, may my faith continue to grow through ups and downs of my life.  In Jesus' name.  Amen.

Faith that Rocked Jesus

[S] Matthew 8:10 --
10 Now when Jesus heard this, He marveled and said to those who were following, "Truly I say to you, I have not found such great faith with anyone in Israel.

[O] What a statement from Jesus!  This centurion's faith marveled Jesus not because of his knowledge of the Bible, or how much he gave to the poor, but because he was able to apply the simple truth of authority which he was familiar with.  He wasn't even a Jew (i.e., who knew a lot about God).  He converted his practice of authority to believing in Jesus as the one with the full authority.  He gave Jesus the blank check.

[A] First I felt jealous about the centurion's faith getting the praise from Jesus.  Then I realized how selfish my faith comes down to be.  I really need to learn how to empty my own agenda in order to fully recognize His authority over my life and all that's around me.

[P] Dear Jesus, my faith may not get get such a praise as this centurion but may my faith stay pure, sincerely seeking to bring out Your authority in my life as I ask in Your name.  Amen.

Architect and Builder is God

[S] Hebrews 11:9-10 --
9  By faith he lived as an alien in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, fellow heirs of the same promise;10  for he was looking for the city which has foundations, whose architect and builder is God.

[O] Abraham's foundation for his life was based on faith in God.  He was able to pioneer into uncharted territory not because he trusted in his own abilities and knowledge but rather because he trusted God's calling for his life to take part in His plans.  How Abraham searched for the city architected and built by God inspired me very much today because that should be my own perspective whenever I make plans for my life.  Finding God-architected city is not about the physical structure but the infrastructure of how the people's hearts are connected.

[A] I need to find God-architected and built: city I live in, schools my children attend, clubs I join, church I belong to, workplace I find, and investments I make so that I would venture into these areas based on faith in God rather than simply using my own education and experiences.

[P] Dear Father, make me a pioneer like Abraham, who ventures into uncharted territory solely based on faith in You alone.  In Jesus' name.  Amen.

Faith is Not Factual Observation

[S] Psalm 106:12-14 --
12 Then they believed His words;
They sang His praise.
13 They quickly forgot His works;
They did not wait for His counsel,
14 But craved intensely in the wilderness,
And tempted God in the desert.

[O] This passage refers to the Israelites after crossing the Red Sea. The people believed in God after witnessing the miraculous saving from the chasing Egyptians.  They were so excited and surprised that they sang praise songs in great celebration.  However, they quickly forgot and ignored God as if nothing had happened.  This displays the pitfall of faith based on events or miracles -- they are not long lasting.  In this world of "show me and I'll believe," we are so easily trapped by that same concept of show me in order to believe when believing in God is based on faith (of things unseen).

[A] I keep hearing myself saying, "God show Yourself in this and that area in such and such a way" so I may know that You're with me.  Instead, I must believe in His promises from the Word and in order to do that I must continue to abide in His word by reading, journaling, memorizing, and meditating.  Catch myself asking for signs instead of relying on my faith in Him.

[P] Dear Father, I want my faith to be faith, not factual observations.  Please allow my heart to grasp Your wonderful promises writtend in Your word and stay true to them.  In Jesus' name.  Amen.

Less Processing, More Practicing

[S] Mark 16:17-18 --
17  "These signs will accompany those who have believed: in My name they will cast out demons, they will speak with new tongues; 18  they will pick up serpents, and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover."

[O] As I read what Jesus said to His disciples prior to His ascending into Heaven, I thought of Paul who shook off the viper who bit his hand which amazed the local villagers and brought many to be healed by Paul.  (Acts 28:3-9)  I wonder if Paul remembered this commissioning of Jesus when he shook of that viper.  He probably did that and drew much strength from it I'm sure.  It's almost claiming what Jesus foretold of what was going go happen to those who believe in His name purely based on trust and complete faith.

[A] I feel I am processing too much information rather than believing simply what God promised in my life.  If He says I will not be hurt by deadly poison,and heal the sick by laying hands on them, then that's what I should be doing purely out of my faith letting God to take care of the outcome.

[P] Dear Father, increase my faith so I may take in Your words as is completely to move towards putting them into actions. I need to do less processing and more practicing so please prompt me to take more specific actions throughout my days.  In Jesus' name.  Amen.

Question of Invitation

[S] Genesis 18:14 --
 ¹⁴"Is anything too difficult for the LORD? At the appointed time I will return to you, at this time next year, and Sarah will have a son."

[O] This powerful question is an invitation to take part in the powerful works God is about to carry out.  Sarah laughed out of her disbelief of bearing a child at her golden age; practically, no one can argue against the physical limitations we live under in this world but once we lock our lives into those limitations we will never participate in the wondrous works God plans to invite us into.  God asks this question -- "Is anything too difficult for the LORD?" -- often not to criticize me for the initial disbelief but awaiting a positive answer to follow like: "No, nothing is too difficult for the Lord, and I want to experience that power."

[A] Whenever I'm against a task too big for my capacity, ask this question and shout it out, "Nothing's too difficult for my God!"  Then proceed to surrender my life to His services to experience His working through my life to do what I cannot do alone.

[P] Thank You for being my God who's able to stretch my life beyond my limitations for me to experience Your infinite power.  May I have the faith to accept Your invitations in times like these.  In Jesus' name.  Amen.

Crumbs of Thanksgiving

[S] Matthew 15:27 --
 ²⁷But she said, "Yes, Lord; but even the dogs feed on the crumbs which fall from their masters' table."

[O] This statement always warms my heart.  This mother's love and care for her daughter's well being as well as her belief on the feasibility of Jesus' healing allowed her to have a tremendous heart of gratitude for even an infinitesimally small amount of Jesus' grace and touch of love.  She had already surrendered everything else and all she needed was just a drop of God's touch which she was ready to receive with utmost thanksgiving.  There were no strings attached.  Her motives were pure.  And Jesus used that to bring forth God's glory.  Or stating differently, her fully surrendered self was prepared to display the amazing grace of God.

[A] How is my scale of "thanksgiving" especially during this time of Thanksgiving?  Am I still trying to reach a certain level before I can have a "thankful" heart?  Or am I going to be thankful even if just a drop of God's grace skims by my life?

[P] Dear Father, I want to have a heart like this woman to be thankful even for crumbs of Your love and grace dropping into my life. And through that may Your glory be revealed as I pray in Jesus' name.  Amen.

What Are My Signs?

[S] Mark 16:17-18 --
 ¹⁷"These signs will accompany those who have believed: in My name they will cast out demons, they will speak with new tongues;
 ¹⁸they will pick up serpents, and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover."

[O] These are awesome signs of miracles.  Why is it that my mind is so faithless when it comes to God's miraculous signs working through my life?  As I'm reading this passage I'm thinking that this is for someone else but me.  I seem to lack the faith of a mustard seed (small), in this department and I sense God desiring to expand my faith here such that my mind won't restrict what God can do through my life only if I totally surrender to His glory and power.  In fact, my life could use some miracle these days because it seems like I am being bombarded with tasks without having much margin in my life to enjoy some of the things God placed in my life.

[A] Praise God for His wonderful power.  Praise Him for who He is and what He can  do.  Praise Him that He's already integrated my life into His plans.

[P] Dear Father, I know You love me and want to include me in Your plans.  I want to totally throw my life at You and have You take care of it.  I want to have the message of the Cross written all over my life.  Please continue to uphold my faith and my children's faith such that through the life's journey we would grasp on to Your promises and hope, not of this world's.  In Jesus' name.  Amen.

Balancing Good Deeds and Faith

[S] Titus 3:5-6,9b --
 ⁵He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit,
 ⁶whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior,
 ^9bso that those who have believed God will be careful to engage in good deeds. These things are good and profitable for men. 

[O] In my journey with God, one of the toughest areas to balance is between my deeds (works) and my faith because it seems like there is a fine line separating these two in the context of following God.  For example, in order to follow God I must start with a right faith in God which is more of the believing aspect of my heart but following that are my good deeds (works) which is aligned with that original faith.  It's almost the "chicken and egg" problem -- intertwined and recursive and these two really cannot be thought of separately.  Paul writes about these two aspects in today's passage.  God's saving grace is not based on a list of actions I achieve/accomplish but by His mercy of regenerating our hearts.  But he continues in verse 9 about how the believers must engage in good deeds as they are good and profitable for others.  It appears that the order makes a critical difference where if I try to reach God's grace and mercy of renewing my heart by doing a bunch of checklist actions, then I'm headed down the wrong path.

[A] I must renew my heart and attitude toward God daily as I approach Him during my devotional times.  So the case in point is to make this happen daily!  I must do this out of my desperation of keeping my heart in line with His because without doing that I would veer away slowly from the path I should be on.  This concept also applies to my fatherhood for my children.  I could easily get into the mode of having them follow a bunch of checklist items and if they fulfill them all well, then they are good kids and if not they're in trouble with me.  On the outset this is not a wrong statement, but if they do it just to "please" me, then the whole thing is on a wrong foundation.  I must learn the wisdom to shepherd their hearts to first desire to establish a intimate and sound relationship with me and out of that they desire to carry out the "good deeds" and at this point wherever they need my coaching on how to improve on these good deeds, then I can step in to guide them further such that their actions will be profitable to others, especially to their parents!

[P] Dear God, I feel like I'm sandwiched between learning to be a good kid to You and learning to be a good father to my kids.  You know I cannot do both without Your wisdom.  Would you please not withhold any wisdom on how to shepherd my kids' hearts foremost so they would come to embrace Your saving grace and have the desire to pursue You?  There are so many things going on in their lives many times I get distracted in the midst of managing all of them and easily just become a taskmaster myself rather than the shepherd because there is almost a fear of losing control of these activities.  I want to surrender them all to You, really!  I want to see You working through their lives and want to not get in the way.  Would you continuously show me how I can do this better?  In Jesus' name.  Amen.

Prayer of Alarm Clock

[S] Matthew 21:22 --  ²²"And all things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive."

[O] Passages like these are very simple and yet quite challenging for me because it seems to say that if I believe anything and pray I will get my prayer answered.  But how would I know when I've truly prayed a prayer of complete believing?  Is the reason for not receiving what I ask for because of my unbelief or because God is not allowing it?  More I think about this more confusing I get so I just pass over these passages thinking it must be for someone else who can understand it, or who is spiritually more mature to apply this into their spiritual walk with God.

However, as I was meditating on this today, I heard a small voice asking me whether that may be an excuse I'm using to lift up my prayers selectively -- ones I feel good and confident about vs. the ones I'm unsure of.  What that voice convicted me today was I should not filter my prayers to God but just "dump" them all to Him because He can handle it and regardless of the outcome, I will learn to walk such a powerful and confident life in God which this passage refers to.

[A] As an application to this revelation, I want to lean on God to wake me up without an alarm clock.  This is one area I'm struggling to be consistent, and so I want to believe that God through the Holy Spirit will wake me up each morning at the most appropriate time.

[P] Dear God, even though what I'm going to apply this passage may seem trivial, I want to start with a baby step to reach a prayer life that is mature and powerful as Jesus said in this passage.  In Jesus' name.  Amen.

I Went Away and Washed

[S] John 9:11, 25 --
 ¹¹He answered, "The man who is called Jesus made clay, and anointed my eyes, and said to me, 'Go to Siloam and wash'; so I went away and washed, and I received sight."
 ²⁵He then answered, "Whether He is a sinner, I do not know; one thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see." 

[O] The phrase "I went" in verse 11 jumped out because that was the outcome of his obedience.  It was a specific action committed by him when Jesus gave him the command.  The significance is increased here because of his obedience based on faith.  Jesus had not provided much other than to do wash at Siloam.  I am searching my heat now to see how many times Jesus had given me a clear direction to act upon but I didn't because it didn't make sense to me.  How I should've acted like this blind person.  I don't know how many blessings I've foregone because of my unfaithful actions.  Then I wonder why I am not bold for God.  As I see in verse 25, this blind person's boldness came because of his experiencing of God through his obedient faith.  God does not need answers from me (He knows them all).  He just needs my obedience because I trust that He cares for me 100%.

[A] Be cautious about God's prompting next time and make that action of commitment.

[P] Dear God, help me to trust You more so I would act with obedience based on my faith in You.  In Jesus' name.  Amen.

Rock-Solid Faith to Become the Most Precious

[S] 1 Peter 1:7, 18-19, 23; 1 Peter 2:9 --
 ⁷so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ;
 ¹⁸knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers,
 ¹⁹but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ.
 ²³for you have been born again not of seed which is perishable but imperishable, that is, through the living and enduring word of God. 
 ⁹But you are A CHOSEN RACE, A royal PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, A PEOPLE FOR God's OWN POSSESSION, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;

[O] These verses combined had one message for me.  God wants me to have a rock-solid faith such that I can be the most precious person that He designed for me to become.  I'm more precious than gold.  I've been redeemed with eternal promise which is the precious blood of Christ.  I'm a chose race, a royal priesthood who may proclaim the excellencies of God.  After reading these verses, I feel so good because no matter what I may be facing now, God's design for me is to become the most precious.  The God of this universe desires that from my life.  This really made my day!

[A] Especially after coming back from trip to Korea my life seemed to have been just floating around.  Time seem to just pass rapidly and I feel like I'm totally behind in everything ... rushing, rushing.  As I examine myself, I am sure there is an aspect of sadness from losing my father and it's preoccupying my mind or something.  However, I'm not going to try and analyze it too deeply because these verses are guiding me to soak up the awesome plan God has for my life regardless of the circumstance I'm in now.  I am going to be joyful because of this awesome news I was reminded of.

[P] Dear God, Your word has lifted me up and I praise You for that.  Please continue to pour out your Spirit into my heart such that my heart will lead me into the spiritual journey which will lead me to the point of being the precious child that You intended for my life.   In Jesus' name.  Amen.

United By Faith

[S] Hebrews 4:2 --
²For indeed we have had good news preached to us, just as they also; but the word they heard did not profit them, because it was not united by faith in those who heard.

[O] The aspect of "faith" in our life is really a mystery because it seems the outcomes of what we do actually changes by how much faith is involved in the process. I can never tell for fact whether this is true or not because there is no way for me to compare doing the same act twice with and without faith as my life is not like a computer program. So, I only have one shot at what I do with or without faith. That was my view. Now, God's view on this is clear based on this verse. Even the same word of God will have differing results based on how it was received. If received with faith, then it will be the refreshing good news. If not, it will be no different that any other noise around us.

[A] Do I start my LIFE Journaling time united by faith knowing that what I'm about to receive is the living and breathing word of God custom tailored for my life for this day? If so, then it will most likely be that for my life. If not, it will most likely be that for my life.

[P] Dear God, thank You for providing me the DNA of "faith" in my life because through that my life has a chance of being united with Your wonderful design for my life. I want to pursue that with the whole heart and by believing that You desire that from me. I look forward to blossoming my life for Your sake by having such faith in all I do. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Hall of Faith: Approval by Men

[S] Hebrews 11:1-2 --
¹Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.

²For by it the men of old gained approval.

⁸By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed by going out to a place which he was to receive for an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing where he was going.

[O] This Hall of Faith chapter is a blessing every time I read through it. All these great forefathers are mentioned here because of their faithful walk with God. Everything they achieved were feasible due to their faith, not their might. And further in verse 2 these men gained approval because of their faith and not their achievements (which was the byproduct of their faith). Even in a non-Christian context, we all fall for those who's relied on their faith -- conviction of things not seen. Just to name a few from our generation, Michael Dell (dell.com), Walt Disney, and Susan Boyle. They all believed in something only they could envision and they stuck to it although through some valleys along the way resulting in how we know them today. There are many more who are walking with faith, pursuing the dreams in their hearts and my own desire is to be the one sticking to my faith reaching for the dream in my heart. Lately, my thoughts have been consumed with the new small group ministry establishment at my church as we initiate to implement a new structure to support the growing needs. This passage, even though I've read it several times before, spoke to me again about the criticality of my faith in God when doing His ministry. Verse 8 talks about how Abraham walked by faith each of the step without knowing where God was leading him toward. But in the end he became the Father of Nations. This is a very encouraging passage as I face some challenging tasks ahead.

[A] At this juncture of rounding up the new leadership for the small group ministry, it is the faith of the current core team that will gain the approval of the congregation. It is not going to be the plans, timelines, programs, or books that is going to motivate them to take part in this exciting journey God is opening up for us. So, instead of worrying about how to gather up the leaders, dig deeper into the faith in God's provision and powerful movement of the Spirit in the midst of us.

[P] Dear God, send Your Spirit in the midst of us and move our hearts. May we respond to You as a whole and not make it a man's effort of recruiting and building up the organization. We want to serve You through this ministry and we surrender all to You now and going forward. May You revela Your awesomness. We anticipate greatly! In Jesus' name. Amen.

Angels Rendering Service

[S] Hebrews 1:14 --
¹⁴Are they not all ministering spirits, sent out to render service for the sake of those who will inherit salvation?

[O] This chapter highlights the fact that Jesus Christ, God's Son is not just another angel but the true Son of God. Additionally, this verse revealed to me the significance of the angels -- they are to minister to the works of Jesus Christ. I never really considered angels to be the supporters of my participation of His ministry. I knew that they can be helpful and have requested them to assist me here and there but not as concrete as this verse is pointing it out for me. I feel a lot stronger just knowing this fact.

[A] I will be sure to remind myself that all the angels are to minister to the greater works of Christ which I am working in. It is as if when Elisha's servant looked up and saw the the horses and chaiots of fire all around them to fight for them against the enemies (2 Kings 6:16-18).

[P] Dear God, please increase my faith to see the mighty helpers around me who are working with me to achieve the greater purpose for You. In Jesus' name. Amen.

From Law to Faith to Law

[S] Romans 3:20, 31 (NLT) --

²⁰ For no one can ever be made right with God by doing what the law commands. The law simply shows us how sinful we are.

³¹ Well then, if we emphasize faith, does this mean that we can forget about the law? Of course not! In fact, only when we have faith do we truly fulfill the law.

[O] The concept of the Law vs. Faith is a delicate one because it is almost like two sides of the same coin. One cannot exist without the other. Verse 20 explains that one of the key functions of the law is to bring knowledge of sin in us and with such knowledge of realizing how sinful we are, we would need the faith to understand how we may be qualified to have fulfilled the law because this is the only way to be with God once again. In the world today, in US for example, we are bombarded with various perspectives on how to live our lives to the fullest; but how many of these are based on the realization of how sinful we are based on a plumb line God had set before us? My estimate is not many. In fact, most of them are based on our own subjective logic and ideology. This certainly creates a lot of confusion which brings us down further into the whirlwind of corruption and broken lives that are sweeping through this nation.

[A] Living by faith does not mean a lifestyle of "Wild, Wild West." We are all still subjected to the universal Law God integrated into the fabrics of our lives. But we must come to realize that our efforts alone is insufficient for us to fulfill it and thus need to come before God to consider us justified. I must regurgitate this truth in my life daily through my own devotion with God -- a personal appointment with Him.

[P] Dear Heaven Father, I lift up the close community my family interacts with on daily basis. For those who do not know the wonderful truth of Your freedom from our laborious efforts of living day to day trying to achieve the goals we set for ourselves, please use our family members to shed this light of freedom into their lives. I know You are still working each of our five family members and yet we want to be used by You to touch others around us. Humble us and use us mightly. In Jesus' name. Amen.