The genealogy of Jesus at first look seemed boring. Its all about people's names and some of them are so hard to read, that its easy to give up. (Try say Amminadab or Jehoshaphat very quickly 10 times). But one thing God showed me through all these names of fathers and sons, and that is found in v23 "Behold, the virgin shall be with child and shall bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel, which translated means, God with us."
God is with us. But I realised the wonderful thing is, God is with us from the very beginning. From the very beginning of the genealogy, God was with us. From Abraham to Joseph, God was with us. He was there every step of the way.
When I look at my journal entries I realised how far I have drifted... 3 months. 3 long months without QT. But guess what, God was with me even when I was not conscious of it. Thats how much God loves me. He was with me all the way.
Father, Lord and Saviour, thank you for being with me. Sorry that I was sooo far away. Preoccupied with playing WOW. Pray Lord You will help me put my priority in YOU. In Christ name I pray, Amen.
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Sunday, January 4, 2009
Do you love me more than these?
2009
Monday, January 5
Yesterday while I was in church, the senior pastor was talking about revival and what is needed for revival. Humility, hunger and holiness.
At the same time, I felt God ask me the very famous question Jesus asked to Peter after His resurrection, "Do you love me more than these?"
At first I thought the question was simple, which it was, but the answer is difficult. Do I really love God with everything? More than anything, more than my wife, my children. More than my work, and more than myself?
We know Peter had a difficulty answering that question, because the "love" demanding by Christ is so much more than the "love" Peter was willing to give.
In Matthew 16:24-27, Jesus said,"If any of you wants to be my follower you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it. And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul? For the Son of Man will come with his angels in the glory of his Father and will judge all people according to their deeds.
There will always be love and judgement. Jesus love me and He will judge me as well. Lord help me love You will everything this new year.
Monday, January 5
Yesterday while I was in church, the senior pastor was talking about revival and what is needed for revival. Humility, hunger and holiness.
At the same time, I felt God ask me the very famous question Jesus asked to Peter after His resurrection, "Do you love me more than these?"
At first I thought the question was simple, which it was, but the answer is difficult. Do I really love God with everything? More than anything, more than my wife, my children. More than my work, and more than myself?
We know Peter had a difficulty answering that question, because the "love" demanding by Christ is so much more than the "love" Peter was willing to give.
In Matthew 16:24-27, Jesus said,"If any of you wants to be my follower you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it. And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul? For the Son of Man will come with his angels in the glory of his Father and will judge all people according to their deeds.
There will always be love and judgement. Jesus love me and He will judge me as well. Lord help me love You will everything this new year.
Thursday, January 1, 2009
Guard my heart
2009
Friday, January 2
Matthew 15:18-20
But the words you speak come from the heart - thats what defiles you. For from the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, all secual immorality, theft, lying and slander. There are what defile you. Eating with unwashed hands will never defile you.
Many times I had said things I regret, and other times I had said things I should regret. But the point is not to try to stop saying those things. Things about my friends, my church, even my family. Things about my bosses, about my colleagues. The point Jesus is teaching is to stop thinking those things, stop feeling it. To chase them away when I start thinking about them. To bless and not curse. Most important of all is to pray.
Friday, January 2
Matthew 15:18-20
But the words you speak come from the heart - thats what defiles you. For from the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, all secual immorality, theft, lying and slander. There are what defile you. Eating with unwashed hands will never defile you.
Many times I had said things I regret, and other times I had said things I should regret. But the point is not to try to stop saying those things. Things about my friends, my church, even my family. Things about my bosses, about my colleagues. The point Jesus is teaching is to stop thinking those things, stop feeling it. To chase them away when I start thinking about them. To bless and not curse. Most important of all is to pray.
Sunday, December 28, 2008
Matthew 13:12 - The importance of listening
2008
Monday, December 29
To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given, and they will have an abundance of knowledge. But for those who are not listening, even what little understanding they have will be taken away from them. Matt 13:12
Even though we cannot hear Jesus teaching from a boat or on a mountain top today in person, we can still hear Him speak through His Word, His creation and most importantly through His Holy Spirit.
It is so difficult these days to have a quiet moment. There are just so many distractions around us - things vying for our attention, our family, our friends, our work, our entertainment. But still God calls us to have a quiet time with Him, to listen to Him.
Father God, give me the discipline to set aside time everyday to listen to You. In Christ name I pray, Amen.
Monday, December 29
To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given, and they will have an abundance of knowledge. But for those who are not listening, even what little understanding they have will be taken away from them. Matt 13:12
Even though we cannot hear Jesus teaching from a boat or on a mountain top today in person, we can still hear Him speak through His Word, His creation and most importantly through His Holy Spirit.
It is so difficult these days to have a quiet moment. There are just so many distractions around us - things vying for our attention, our family, our friends, our work, our entertainment. But still God calls us to have a quiet time with Him, to listen to Him.
Father God, give me the discipline to set aside time everyday to listen to You. In Christ name I pray, Amen.
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Marathon
2008
Tuesday, December 23
Matthew 10:22
... but everyone who endures to the end will be saved.
10 days have gone by and I have not written a single entry. That's because I have not done my quiet time. Spent most of my time sick and coughing and worse of all, playing WOW. For those of you who don't know what WOW is that's good, stay that way.
I don't know about you but I really hate running. And that's mainly because I really suck at it. I can't run because I don't have the stamina and endurance to run. My legs start getting tired but the worse feeling is feeling out of breath. My lungs just can't seem to bring enough air to my muscles and body and it feels like its going to shut down.
That's why I seem to dislike the word "endure". Endure implies there will be suffering. Endure implies there will be pain.
Of course everyone knows if you train, these pains will go away. Some might even say that these pains enables our bodies to release endorphins: powerful hormones that act as pain-killers and also give you the "feel good" feeling.
But bottom line is the reason why I don't train is because I am lazy and don't really like to run.
The same can happen in our walk with God. If we are lazy and love other things around us (like WOW) more than God, then we will not endure.
Father God, remove other things around me that take away attention from you. Help me love You more and more each day so that enduring will be a delight to me.
Tuesday, December 23
Matthew 10:22
... but everyone who endures to the end will be saved.
10 days have gone by and I have not written a single entry. That's because I have not done my quiet time. Spent most of my time sick and coughing and worse of all, playing WOW. For those of you who don't know what WOW is that's good, stay that way.
I don't know about you but I really hate running. And that's mainly because I really suck at it. I can't run because I don't have the stamina and endurance to run. My legs start getting tired but the worse feeling is feeling out of breath. My lungs just can't seem to bring enough air to my muscles and body and it feels like its going to shut down.
That's why I seem to dislike the word "endure". Endure implies there will be suffering. Endure implies there will be pain.
Of course everyone knows if you train, these pains will go away. Some might even say that these pains enables our bodies to release endorphins: powerful hormones that act as pain-killers and also give you the "feel good" feeling.
But bottom line is the reason why I don't train is because I am lazy and don't really like to run.
The same can happen in our walk with God. If we are lazy and love other things around us (like WOW) more than God, then we will not endure.
Father God, remove other things around me that take away attention from you. Help me love You more and more each day so that enduring will be a delight to me.
Saturday, December 13, 2008
Matthew 4 - Scripture
Jesus had a conversation with the devil in the desert. When Jesus was the most vulnerable. (Imagine not eating and sleeping well for 1 day, or even 2. Jesus did it for 40 days and nights.)
What was amazing was not because He survived 40 days without food. What was amazing was how Jesus answered the devil in every circumstance. He did it with Scripture.
How good are we with our scriptures? Do we memorize it? Can we quote it? We should because we wouldn't know when we need it. (especially when dealing with the devil)
Father God, please help me be passionate about reading and memorizing scripture, just like Your Son and our Lord, Jesus Christ. In Christ name, Amen.
What was amazing was not because He survived 40 days without food. What was amazing was how Jesus answered the devil in every circumstance. He did it with Scripture.
How good are we with our scriptures? Do we memorize it? Can we quote it? We should because we wouldn't know when we need it. (especially when dealing with the devil)
Father God, please help me be passionate about reading and memorizing scripture, just like Your Son and our Lord, Jesus Christ. In Christ name, Amen.
Matthew 4 - Temptations
2008
Saturday, December 13
Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted there by the devil. For forty days and forty nights he fasted and became very hungry. Matt 4:1
It is good to know that Jesus was hungry. Many times we think because Jesus is God (which He is of course), He is above human weakness, like pain, hunger, thirst and so on and so forth. In actual fact, He feels it too. Jesus was not above human emotions and feelings. He knows what its like. That is why the passage in Hebrews says it so well
"For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin." Heb 4:15.
And so what if Jesus knows our feelings and failings? The next line says it so well
"Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need."
Jesus knows whats it like to be in need. And because He knows, He knows what we need to get over it. He is not a big eye in the sky watching over us (even though that is how God is being described in the bible), but He is close to us because He shared our experiences.
Father I thank you for giving Your Son Jesus Christ to live on earth so that He can experience what being human is like. This means I know He knows what I feel and how wretched I am. This gives me more confidence in You in times of need. In Christ name I pray Amen.
Saturday, December 13
Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted there by the devil. For forty days and forty nights he fasted and became very hungry. Matt 4:1
It is good to know that Jesus was hungry. Many times we think because Jesus is God (which He is of course), He is above human weakness, like pain, hunger, thirst and so on and so forth. In actual fact, He feels it too. Jesus was not above human emotions and feelings. He knows what its like. That is why the passage in Hebrews says it so well
"For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin." Heb 4:15.
And so what if Jesus knows our feelings and failings? The next line says it so well
"Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need."
Jesus knows whats it like to be in need. And because He knows, He knows what we need to get over it. He is not a big eye in the sky watching over us (even though that is how God is being described in the bible), but He is close to us because He shared our experiences.
Father I thank you for giving Your Son Jesus Christ to live on earth so that He can experience what being human is like. This means I know He knows what I feel and how wretched I am. This gives me more confidence in You in times of need. In Christ name I pray Amen.
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