Today's Verse
Mark 14:9 (NIV)
I tell you the truth, wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.
Read: Mark 14:1-10
Thoughts
Think about yourself being commended by a king because of an extraordinary thing that you did. How would it feel? In our story, we read that Jesus commended a woman who anointed Him with expensive perfume few days before His death. It must have been the greatest commendation of all for it came from the King of kings and Lord of lords – Jesus Christ. That woman was no other than Mary Magdalene. Mary was believed to be a prostitute, with seven demons whom Jesus casted out (Mark 16:9). She was from Bethany, and she was the sister of Martha and Lazarus – the guy whom Jesus raised from the dead. Apparently, Lazarus was the only guy who experienced physical death twice! Nonetheless, Lazarus never complained coming back to life even when he was stinking dead for four days (John 11:39) and was already enjoying heaven. Jesus explicitly called out his name, “Lazarus, come out” (John 11:43), otherwise all of the dead came out and it would have been the first Halloween.
There is nothing more important than giving our best to Jesus Christ, like Mary did. She broke the alabaster jar and poured out the very costly spikenard oil on the head of Jesus – as expression of anointing. The oil perfume was priced around three hundred dinarii or more than a year’s wage. More likely, it must have been her earnings being a prostitute. And she did not regret throwing it away for she had been freed from the bondage of sin and Satan – and anything about her past have been surrendered to Jesus. She cannot just express her gratefulness enough when Jesus delivered her from the seven demons, and gave her a fresh new start. Now she committed her very life to following Jesus all the way to the cross and beyond. So much so, that Jesus appeared first to Mary Magdalene on the resurrection day before anyone else (John 20:14).
True enough, every time the gospel is preached, the story of Mary Magdalene is also being told. To show us that no matter how broken and unacceptable we are, whatever our past was, Jesus died for all our sin and freed us from the bondage of Satan. All we need to do is give Him back our praise and worship, and tell the whole world about our freedom and new life in Jesus Christ. What have you been doing for Jesus lately? Was it worth commending?
Prayer
Lord God Heavenly Father, thank You for the example of Mary Magdalene, who lived a life that was totally committed to serving You. Oh Lord, bring us back to fellowship with You for we have been burdened and overwhelmed by the cares and problems on this earth. Help us to lay them all at the feet of Jesus – for You care about us. Thank You Lord Jesus. Amen.
Living and Active
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Glory in the Lord
Jeremiah 9:23 (NKJV)
Thus says the Lord:
"Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom,
Let not the mighty man glory in his might,
Nor let the rich man glory in his riches;
In this world we live in, people learn how to be wise, to be mighty and most importantly to be rich. From the beginning of civilization until now, these things have been the goal of men. People wanted to be independent, to be self-reliant, and self-sustaining. So much so that we started to keep glory in ourselves and forget about the Author of life and the Giver of our strength, ability, and might to accomplish the things we do.
In our economy, we elevate and promote people who are good and capable, and we admire them. Yet many times, it is not always the case, people who really are not good enough for the position are promoted and elevated. The lousy guys take the break! Simply because of relationship, friendship, or mere acquaintances. I had hard time accepting that kind of fact happening right before me. But when I turned on the Bible, it should be the case! In God’s economy, it is all about relationship and fellowship. No matter how lousy we are, God accepts and promotes us. And God hates people who rely and glory in themselves, and forget about God.
The Lord said that if we have to glory, we glory in knowing and understanding who God is – that He exercises lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth (v. 24). Why? Because people are just the opposite – we normally hate each other, we don’t apply and practice justice, and we are crooks who hate doing the right things. And without God, everything becomes chaotic. Find a nation or place where God is not acknowledged and honored, a place of atheists and anarchists, and see what is in there. If you find peace, harmony, and development, then forget about God.
Thus says the Lord:
"Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom,
Let not the mighty man glory in his might,
Nor let the rich man glory in his riches;
In this world we live in, people learn how to be wise, to be mighty and most importantly to be rich. From the beginning of civilization until now, these things have been the goal of men. People wanted to be independent, to be self-reliant, and self-sustaining. So much so that we started to keep glory in ourselves and forget about the Author of life and the Giver of our strength, ability, and might to accomplish the things we do.
In our economy, we elevate and promote people who are good and capable, and we admire them. Yet many times, it is not always the case, people who really are not good enough for the position are promoted and elevated. The lousy guys take the break! Simply because of relationship, friendship, or mere acquaintances. I had hard time accepting that kind of fact happening right before me. But when I turned on the Bible, it should be the case! In God’s economy, it is all about relationship and fellowship. No matter how lousy we are, God accepts and promotes us. And God hates people who rely and glory in themselves, and forget about God.
The Lord said that if we have to glory, we glory in knowing and understanding who God is – that He exercises lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth (v. 24). Why? Because people are just the opposite – we normally hate each other, we don’t apply and practice justice, and we are crooks who hate doing the right things. And without God, everything becomes chaotic. Find a nation or place where God is not acknowledged and honored, a place of atheists and anarchists, and see what is in there. If you find peace, harmony, and development, then forget about God.
The Peril of Guilt
Genesis 50:15 (NKJV)
When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, “Perhaps Joseph will hate us, and may actually repay us for all the evil which we did to him.
Joseph’s brothers have been harboring guilt in themselves for the past thirty-nine years! They did their sin against Joseph when he was seventeen, Joseph is now fifty six and being the prime minister of Egypt. Joseph sleeps, wakes up, and works peacefully in God’s presence without any thought of hate while his brothers are thinking the unthinkable!
Many times we too are victims of our own guilt. We still think about our pasts even when we know that Jesus Christ has forgiven us with all our sin when we accepted Him as our Savior and Lord. He made us new, and we become new creation in Christ, the old has gone – the new has come! (2 Cor 5:17). Yet our guilt still haunts us, we cannot forgive ourselves as much as Joseph’s brothers cannot forgive themselves on what they did. Much more, they are facing the one whom they sinned to.
The good news for us is, when Jesus forgave us, He called us his friends (John 15:15), we are co-heirs with Him in heaven. We will see Him face to face and have fellowship with Him. He will be our bridegroom and we are His bride, which speaks of uniting with Him in the future.
If you are a new creation in Christ, put out all the past guilt, Jesus has washed your sins away with His blood. Put out all your burden of unforgiveness that drags you down so heavy, for when you cannot forgive your fellow men or even yourself, how can the Father forgive you? You cannot pray, “Forgive us, as we forgive those who sinned against us”. Don’t be a fool like Joseph’s brothers, take out your guilt, forgive others, and live in peace with God and other people.
When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, “Perhaps Joseph will hate us, and may actually repay us for all the evil which we did to him.
Joseph’s brothers have been harboring guilt in themselves for the past thirty-nine years! They did their sin against Joseph when he was seventeen, Joseph is now fifty six and being the prime minister of Egypt. Joseph sleeps, wakes up, and works peacefully in God’s presence without any thought of hate while his brothers are thinking the unthinkable!
Many times we too are victims of our own guilt. We still think about our pasts even when we know that Jesus Christ has forgiven us with all our sin when we accepted Him as our Savior and Lord. He made us new, and we become new creation in Christ, the old has gone – the new has come! (2 Cor 5:17). Yet our guilt still haunts us, we cannot forgive ourselves as much as Joseph’s brothers cannot forgive themselves on what they did. Much more, they are facing the one whom they sinned to.
The good news for us is, when Jesus forgave us, He called us his friends (John 15:15), we are co-heirs with Him in heaven. We will see Him face to face and have fellowship with Him. He will be our bridegroom and we are His bride, which speaks of uniting with Him in the future.
If you are a new creation in Christ, put out all the past guilt, Jesus has washed your sins away with His blood. Put out all your burden of unforgiveness that drags you down so heavy, for when you cannot forgive your fellow men or even yourself, how can the Father forgive you? You cannot pray, “Forgive us, as we forgive those who sinned against us”. Don’t be a fool like Joseph’s brothers, take out your guilt, forgive others, and live in peace with God and other people.
Saturday, October 11, 2008
Prayer of Hope
Lord God Heavenly Father,
Creator of the heavens and the earth,
How long will we keep sinning against You?
How long will we drop down our guards
and enjoy the pleasures of this world?
We know that it is just for a moment but with
eternal consequences, yet we do it.
Forgive us Lord and cleanse us by the
blood of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior
Thank You that You have promised us with
Your grace like fountain of fresh water that never runs out.
Help us to obey You according to Your Word
Help us not to grieve the Holy Spirit of promise
Who sealed us until the Day of Redemption
Help us to be more like Jesus Christ that we may appear
with Him like as He is when that time comes.
Oh Lord, we are so unworthy even after being saved though Jesus Christ
Yet, we thank You that You don't see us as we are
But You see the perfect holiness of Jesus Christ covering us
We praise You for Your faithfulness
You are the God who never changes
There is no shifting shadow in You Lord
You are the same yesterday, today, and forever.
Who is like You, Oh Lord?
There is none, no one can fathom Your thoughts
They are always higher than our thoughts
Your ways are higher than our ways
You are the Sovereign Lord
And no one dictates what You do.
Even if we go through economic crisis and turmoil
You are always with us, for You promised
You will never leave us nor forsake us
Help us not to focus on problems surrounding us
But to focus on what You have in store for us in the heavens.
We cannot wait to see Your presence and glory
But help us to do Your will here on earth
This is not our residency, our residency is with You forever
Thank You for adopting us as Your sons and daughters
Only through the blood of Jesus alone.
Right now, help us to practice doing the things we'll do in heaven
Glorifying and worshipping Your Holy Name
For when we see those who never trusted You in the lake of fire
We cannot imagine how grateful we are that we are with You forever
Hallelujah to Your Name, Oh Jesus.
Creator of the heavens and the earth,
How long will we keep sinning against You?
How long will we drop down our guards
and enjoy the pleasures of this world?
We know that it is just for a moment but with
eternal consequences, yet we do it.
Forgive us Lord and cleanse us by the
blood of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior
Thank You that You have promised us with
Your grace like fountain of fresh water that never runs out.
Help us to obey You according to Your Word
Help us not to grieve the Holy Spirit of promise
Who sealed us until the Day of Redemption
Help us to be more like Jesus Christ that we may appear
with Him like as He is when that time comes.
Oh Lord, we are so unworthy even after being saved though Jesus Christ
Yet, we thank You that You don't see us as we are
But You see the perfect holiness of Jesus Christ covering us
We praise You for Your faithfulness
You are the God who never changes
There is no shifting shadow in You Lord
You are the same yesterday, today, and forever.
Who is like You, Oh Lord?
There is none, no one can fathom Your thoughts
They are always higher than our thoughts
Your ways are higher than our ways
You are the Sovereign Lord
And no one dictates what You do.
Even if we go through economic crisis and turmoil
You are always with us, for You promised
You will never leave us nor forsake us
Help us not to focus on problems surrounding us
But to focus on what You have in store for us in the heavens.
We cannot wait to see Your presence and glory
But help us to do Your will here on earth
This is not our residency, our residency is with You forever
Thank You for adopting us as Your sons and daughters
Only through the blood of Jesus alone.
Right now, help us to practice doing the things we'll do in heaven
Glorifying and worshipping Your Holy Name
For when we see those who never trusted You in the lake of fire
We cannot imagine how grateful we are that we are with You forever
Hallelujah to Your Name, Oh Jesus.
Monday, October 6, 2008
The Sin Of Doing Nothing
Numbers 32:23 (NKJV)
But if you do not do so, then take note, you have sinned against the LORD; and be sure your sin will find you out.
More often, Christians sin against the Lord by “omit-ment”. Doing nothing about the salvation Jesus Christ paid for us with His own blood on the wooden cross. Paul urged the Philippians to “work out your salvation with fear and trembling” (Phil. 2:12), and those same words are for us Christians of today. Much like taking care of your baby, or your pet, or whatever you value so much that you don’t want them to die or fade away. We must value our salvation knowing that it cost the blood of Jesus to pay for it.
Beware that we might be doing what the Reubenites, Gadites, and half of Manassehites planned to do when they were about to enter the Promised Land. They would rather want to stay and settle at the east side of Jordan river. God commanded them to cross over to the west side of the river and occupy the land of Canaan. They were in fact disobeying the Lord! Fortunately, our hero – Moses gave them some heavy sermon, and they decided to send their men to join the Canaan invasion, only then they can go back to their families on the east side of the Jordan river.
Yet it did not stop there, we know later that those who stayed behind on the east side – the 2 ½ tribes – who did not get into the Promised Land became indulged into all sorts of idolatry with the Gentiles. Raised hogs for business which is against the Jewish practice, and Jesus at one time sent the demons from the possessed guy to those hogs down the river.
What are you doing with the salvation you have in Jesus? Are you staying behind? Are you joining the invasion to take the world for Christ? Take heed Christian, doing nothing is the same sin as the 2 ½ tribes of old, and their sin have found them out. Don’t wait till Jesus will send your hogs down the river.
But if you do not do so, then take note, you have sinned against the LORD; and be sure your sin will find you out.
More often, Christians sin against the Lord by “omit-ment”. Doing nothing about the salvation Jesus Christ paid for us with His own blood on the wooden cross. Paul urged the Philippians to “work out your salvation with fear and trembling” (Phil. 2:12), and those same words are for us Christians of today. Much like taking care of your baby, or your pet, or whatever you value so much that you don’t want them to die or fade away. We must value our salvation knowing that it cost the blood of Jesus to pay for it.
Beware that we might be doing what the Reubenites, Gadites, and half of Manassehites planned to do when they were about to enter the Promised Land. They would rather want to stay and settle at the east side of Jordan river. God commanded them to cross over to the west side of the river and occupy the land of Canaan. They were in fact disobeying the Lord! Fortunately, our hero – Moses gave them some heavy sermon, and they decided to send their men to join the Canaan invasion, only then they can go back to their families on the east side of the Jordan river.
Yet it did not stop there, we know later that those who stayed behind on the east side – the 2 ½ tribes – who did not get into the Promised Land became indulged into all sorts of idolatry with the Gentiles. Raised hogs for business which is against the Jewish practice, and Jesus at one time sent the demons from the possessed guy to those hogs down the river.
What are you doing with the salvation you have in Jesus? Are you staying behind? Are you joining the invasion to take the world for Christ? Take heed Christian, doing nothing is the same sin as the 2 ½ tribes of old, and their sin have found them out. Don’t wait till Jesus will send your hogs down the river.
Friday, October 3, 2008
What The Devil Does Not Want You To Do
As I observed day by day my life on this earth, trying to live a life for Christ, there are few things that seemed to become patterns and I consider some of them as the Enemy's work trying to trip us off in moments we are most prone and off guard.
So, I call this blog - "What the Devil does not want you to do".
1. The Devil does not want you to sing, praise, or glorify the Name of Jesus. Your praise and worship in Jesus, is painful to his ears. He will do anything to distract you, or put you in a situation to turn your joy into sadness, worry, or even anger. He can ring your phone while you're praying, create commotion or any emergency while you're reading your Bible, and anything he can manipulate to wade you off from your fellowship with Jesus. And then your response will be, to stop singing for Jesus, stop praying, stop going to fellowships, or even stop going to church!
2. The Devil does not want you to trust God. He will keep you busy watching and reading all the bad news on the TV, on the newspapers, and other things - such that you will be filled with worry and anxiety. Instead of you, talking to God, thanking Him that He has given you yet another day to live, given you new mercies and grace every morning, given you health, given you air to breath, given you food and sustained you. Your response will be now to start scampering around trying to find solutions to secure yourself, your family, and your future. You will forget that God is the One who should be in control of your life.
3. The Devil does not want you to mature and grow in your Christian life. He will deceive you, that once you get your life and hell-fire insurance from Jesus, you can go back and live your stinking, old lifestyle. Instead of keeping yourself near to the watering hole of the Word of God, the Devil will keep you dry and lifeless, without nourishment, and never growing. He can also let you go to church, but still keeping your old, bad attitudes with you to stumble other Christians, instead of building them up and encouraging other believers.
4. The Devil does not want you to realize that Christian life is active, fun, and exciting. He will present you seemingly much more interesting things of the world. He will give you the notion that being a Christian is boring and lifeless, when in fact just the opposite of what he is offering you. He will get you deep down into the pit of worldly entertainment, get you addicted, get you stoned that it would be very heavy for you to lift and get out. Then, when you're hooked into it, he will take it out and find yourself in desperation, emptiness, and disillusioned. He will let you opt for any type of disorder you like, and much worse to become suicidal. That way, he can take your soul to the pit of hell.
So, I call this blog - "What the Devil does not want you to do".
1. The Devil does not want you to sing, praise, or glorify the Name of Jesus. Your praise and worship in Jesus, is painful to his ears. He will do anything to distract you, or put you in a situation to turn your joy into sadness, worry, or even anger. He can ring your phone while you're praying, create commotion or any emergency while you're reading your Bible, and anything he can manipulate to wade you off from your fellowship with Jesus. And then your response will be, to stop singing for Jesus, stop praying, stop going to fellowships, or even stop going to church!
2. The Devil does not want you to trust God. He will keep you busy watching and reading all the bad news on the TV, on the newspapers, and other things - such that you will be filled with worry and anxiety. Instead of you, talking to God, thanking Him that He has given you yet another day to live, given you new mercies and grace every morning, given you health, given you air to breath, given you food and sustained you. Your response will be now to start scampering around trying to find solutions to secure yourself, your family, and your future. You will forget that God is the One who should be in control of your life.
3. The Devil does not want you to mature and grow in your Christian life. He will deceive you, that once you get your life and hell-fire insurance from Jesus, you can go back and live your stinking, old lifestyle. Instead of keeping yourself near to the watering hole of the Word of God, the Devil will keep you dry and lifeless, without nourishment, and never growing. He can also let you go to church, but still keeping your old, bad attitudes with you to stumble other Christians, instead of building them up and encouraging other believers.
4. The Devil does not want you to realize that Christian life is active, fun, and exciting. He will present you seemingly much more interesting things of the world. He will give you the notion that being a Christian is boring and lifeless, when in fact just the opposite of what he is offering you. He will get you deep down into the pit of worldly entertainment, get you addicted, get you stoned that it would be very heavy for you to lift and get out. Then, when you're hooked into it, he will take it out and find yourself in desperation, emptiness, and disillusioned. He will let you opt for any type of disorder you like, and much worse to become suicidal. That way, he can take your soul to the pit of hell.
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