No regret for following Jesus with all our life.

May 31, 2013 - Luke 18:18-30

    ¹⁸ One day one of the local officials asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to deserve eternal life?”

   ^19-20 Jesus said, “Why are you calling me good? No one is good—only God. You know the commandments, don’t you? No illicit sex, no killing, no stealing, no lying, honor your father and mother.”

   ²¹ He said, “I’ve kept them all for as long as I can remember.”

   ²² When Jesus heard that, he said, “Then there’s only one thing left to do: Sell everything you own and give it away to the poor. You will have riches in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

   ²³ This was the last thing the official expected to hear. He was very rich and became terribly sad. He was holding on tight to a lot of things and not about to let them go.

   ^24-25 Seeing his reaction, Jesus said, “Do you have any idea how difficult it is for people who have it all to enter God’s kingdom? I’d say it’s easier to thread a camel through a needle’s eye than get a rich person into God’s kingdom.”

   ²⁶ “Then who has any chance at all?” the others asked.

   ²⁷ “No chance at all,” Jesus said, “if you think you can pull it off by yourself. Every chance in the world if you trust God to do it.”

   ²⁸ Peter tried to regain some initiative: “We left everything we owned and followed you, didn’t we?”

   ^29-30 “Yes,” said Jesus, “and you won’t regret it. No one who has sacrificed home, spouse, brothers and sisters, parents, children—whatever—will lose out. It will all come back multiplied many times over in your lifetime. And then the bonus of eternal life!”

Jesus reminds his disciples to let go of those things or persons we hold on tight in order to receive God's kingdom. Trusting in Jesus is the only way to let go and follow Him closely to fulfill His plan and our destiny without regret when we finish our life. Jesus promises to give the multiple rewards even in our life time and the security of our eternal life forever. 

My dear friend Jesus, I have no other target or wish in the rest of my life except that Your life will be exalted in my life. Following You and stepping out of my comfort zone by faith in order to fulfill your calling is the most desire I am going to act. In God everything is possible in me. Show me your way and presence as I am with you today and the days to come. 

Return back to have the humility and simplicity of a child.

May 30, 2013 - Luke 18:9-17

    ^9-12 He told his next story to some who were complacently pleased with themselves over their moral performance and looked down their noses at the common people: “Two men went up to the Temple to pray, one a Pharisee, the other a tax man. The Pharisee posed and prayed like this: ‘Oh, God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, crooks, adulterers, or, heaven forbid, like this tax man. I fast twice a week and tithe on all my income.’

   ¹³ “Meanwhile the tax man, slumped in the shadows, his face in his hands, not daring to look up, said, ‘God, give mercy. Forgive me, a sinner.’”

   ¹⁴ Jesus commented, “This tax man, not the other, went home made right with God. If you walk around with your nose in the air, you’re going to end up flat on your face, but if you’re content to be simply yourself, you will become more than yourself.”

   ^15-17 People brought babies to Jesus, hoping he might touch them. When the disciples saw it, they shooed them off. Jesus called them back. “Let these children alone. Don’t get between them and me. These children are the kingdom’s pride and joy. Mark this: Unless you accept God’s kingdom in the simplicity of a child, you’ll never get in.”

Jesus requires his disciples to return back to have the simplicity of a child, and the humility of the tax man that they can enter into God's Kingdom. God's Kingdom is a gift from God to people who know that they do not deserve but at the same time gladly receiving it like a child. 

My Master Jesus, I thank you from the bottom of my heart for your invitation to receive your Kingdom. Give me always a heart of gratitude to respond to your calling. I do not deserve it but now I receive a wonderful opportunity in my life to be your Kingdom's messenger. Kingdom's life becomes so precious to me that I should respond without hesitation. Humbly, gladly, and enthusiastically receive it. Keep my heart with purity like a child that every day to me is an adventure to explore and experience God's leading and shaping in my life. May your glory and abundance be manifested by how I live out your Kingdom's life you have endowed to me. 

Pray persistently for the manifestation of the justice of God!

May 29, 2013 - Luke 18:1-8

    ^1 1-3 Jesus told them a story showing that it was necessary for them to pray consistently and never quit. He said, “There was once a judge in some city who never gave God a thought and cared nothing for people. A widow in that city kept after him: ‘My rights are being violated. Protect me!’

   ^4-5 “He never gave her the time of day. But after this went on and on he said to himself, ‘I care nothing what God thinks, even less what people think. But because this widow won’t quit badgering me, I’d better do something and see that she gets justice—otherwise I’m going to end up beaten black-and-blue by her pounding.’”

   ^6-8 Then the Master said, “Do you hear what that judge, corrupt as he is, is saying? So what makes you think God won’t step in and work justice for his chosen people, who continue to cry out for help? Won’t he stick up for them? I assure you, he will. He will not drag his feet. But how much of that kind of persistent faith will the Son of Man find on the earth when he returns?”

Jesus encourages his disciples to pray consistently and persistently for seeking for the justice of God, using a parable that a corrupted judge would answer the prayer of a widow who prayed consistently for vindication. Prayer is the most basic spiritual discipline required of a disciple of Jesus. The world is declining in terms of justice and compassion. We disciples are facing trials and temptations in our lives. Injustice, sins, sufferings, and human's weaknesses seem persist and continue around us. Disciples are also tempted to lose our confidence in prayer. However, Jesus knew our little faith beforehand, and encourages us not to lose our faith in prayer because our God is just and righteous, and with compassion toward His people. He will answer our prayers in His way and in the best timing for us. 

My dear friend Jesus, draw me closer to the love of my heavenly Father as I consistently pray for the manifestation of God's kingdom in people around me. We want to see Your power and presence to be shown among us. People needs Your salvation and deliverance from the power of this world. My dear Lord Jesus, carry me through as I follow Your way in ministering and preaching Your Kingdom on earth in the days ahead of me. 

Jesus will come!

May 28, 2013 - Luke 17:20-37

    ^20-21 Jesus, grilled by the Pharisees on when the kingdom of God would come, answered, “The kingdom of God doesn’t come by counting the days on the calendar. Nor when someone says, ‘Look here!’ or, ‘There it is!’ And why? Because God’s kingdom is already among you.”

   ^22-24 He went on to say to his disciples, “The days are coming when you are going to be desperately homesick for just a glimpse of one of the days of the Son of Man, and you won’t see a thing. And they’ll say to you, ‘Look over there!’ or, ‘Look here!’ Don’t fall for any of that nonsense. The arrival of the Son of Man is not something you go out to see. He simply comes.

   ^24-25 “You know how the whole sky lights up from a single flash of lightning? That’s how it will be on the Day of the Son of Man. But first it’s necessary that he suffer many things and be turned down by the people of today.

   ^26-27 “The time of the Son of Man will be just like the time of Noah—everyone carrying on as usual, having a good time right up to the day Noah boarded the ship. They suspected nothing until the flood hit and swept everything away.

   ^28-30 “It was the same in the time of Lot—the people carrying on, having a good time, business as usual right up to the day Lot walked out of Sodom and a firestorm swept down and burned everything to a crisp. That’s how it will be—sudden, total—when the Son of Man is revealed.

   ^31-33 “When the Day arrives and you’re out working in the yard, don’t run into the house to get anything. And if you’re out in the field, don’t go back and get your coat. Remember what happened to Lot’s wife! If you grasp and cling to life on your terms, you’ll lose it, but if you let that life go, you’ll get life on God’s terms.

   ^34-35 “On that Day, two men will be in the same boat fishing—one taken, the other left. Two women will be working in the same kitchen—one taken, the other left.”

   ³⁷ Trying to take all this in, the disciples said, “Master, where?”

   He told them, “Watch for the circling of the vultures. They’ll spot the corpse first. The action will begin around my dead body.”

Jesus warned his disciples about the preparation for the coming of His Day. The world would run as usual, like the time of Noah and Lot that people are living as usual without any expectation of the return of Jesus. People just assume that the world will continue running without the end or intervention of God. But Jesus affirms that He will come and be revealed again. Jesus will come and separate His people from the others - even like separating people in the marketplace, in the home, in all other places where His people are located. Jesus' followers are like other people, living and working apparently in the similar manner but totally distinguishing themselves from the others as God's Kingdom is already among them. Followers of Jesus live differently in their purposes of life, in their relationship with the world, with the people, and most importantly with Jesus who will come and govern.

My dear friend Jesus, thanks for reminding me the final destiny of this world and also of my life. I will see you face to face, be received into Your full Presence and Love as I fulfill my role and finish my works you assign to me. You are the only One whom I will be accountable and please that I satisfy solely in Your love and grace in the days ahead. 

The Kernel of Faith Transforms Our Life.

Mat 27, 2013 - Luke 17:1-19

    ^1 1-2 He said to his disciples, “Hard trials and temptations are bound to come, but too bad for whoever brings them on! Better to wear a millstone necklace and take a swim in the deep blue sea than give even one of these dear little ones a hard time!

   ^3-4 “Be alert. If you see your friend going wrong, correct him. If he responds, forgive him. Even if it’s personal against you and repeated seven times through the day, and seven times he says, ‘I’m sorry, I won’t do it again,’ forgive him.”

   ⁵ The apostles came up and said to the Master, “Give us more faith.”

   ⁶ But the Master said, “You don’t need more faith. There is no ‘more’ or ‘less’ in faith. If you have a bare kernel of faith, say the size of a poppy seed, you could say to this sycamore tree, ‘Go jump in the lake,’ and it would do it.

   ^7-10 “Suppose one of you has a servant who comes in from plowing the field or tending the sheep. Would you take his coat, set the table, and say, ‘Sit down and eat’? Wouldn’t you be more likely to say, ‘Prepare dinner; change your clothes and wait table for me until I’ve finished my coffee; then go to the kitchen and have your supper’? Does the servant get special thanks for doing what’s expected of him? It’s the same with you. When you’ve done everything expected of you, be matter-of-fact and say, ‘The work is done. What we were told to do, we did.’”

   ^11-13 It happened that as he made his way toward Jerusalem, he crossed over the border between Samaria and Galilee. As he entered a village, ten men, all lepers, met him. They kept their distance but raised their voices, calling out, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!”

   ^14-16 Taking a good look at them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.”

   They went, and while still on their way, became clean. One of them, when he realized that he was healed, turned around and came back, shouting his gratitude, glorifying God. He kneeled at Jesus’ feet, so grateful. He couldn’t thank him enough—and he was a Samaritan.

   ^17-19 Jesus said, “Were not ten healed? Where are the nine? Can none be found to come back and give glory to God except this outsider?” Then he said to him, “Get up. On your way. Your faith has healed and saved you.”

Disciples asked Jesus to give them more faith but Jesus replied that faith is determined not by more or less but by the quality of faith - a sincere faith in Jesus, i.e., the kernel of faith. This sincere faith causes a disciple to faithfully and diligently follow the command of the master without questioning or other argument. This sincere faith caused a Samaritan leper to seek for Jesus' healing and to return back giving glory to God after recovery. This sincere faith completely heals the Samaritan leper from outside to inside - a holistic healing.

My dear friend Jesus, You are my best friend and also my Master that I follow. Yes, give me the kernel of faith, i.e. a sincere faith in Jesus. Forgive my sins and heal me from inside to outside that I become a wholly transformed person like You - having the righteousness toward the injustice, the compassion toward the needy, the passion toward God's Kingdom,  the hatred toward sins, and the intimate love toward heavenly Father, and the filling of the Holy Spirit in carrying out the works of God. 

Protect our hearts from apathy.

May 26, 2013 - Luke 16:19-31

    ^19-21 “There once was a rich man, expensively dressed in the latest fashions, wasting his days in conspicuous consumption. A poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, had been dumped on his doorstep. All he lived for was to get a meal from scraps off the rich man’s table. His best friends were the dogs who came and licked his sores.

   ^22-24 “Then he died, this poor man, and was taken up by the angels to the lap of Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried. In hell and in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham in the distance and Lazarus in his lap. He called out, ‘Father Abraham, mercy! Have mercy! Send Lazarus to dip his finger in water to cool my tongue. I’m in agony in this fire.’

   ^25-26 “But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that in your lifetime you got the good things and Lazarus the bad things. It’s not like that here. Here he’s consoled and you’re tormented. Besides, in all these matters there is a huge chasm set between us so that no one can go from us to you even if he wanted to, nor can anyone cross over from you to us.’

   ^27-28 “The rich man said, ‘Then let me ask you, Father: Send him to the house of my father where I have five brothers, so he can tell them the score and warn them so they won’t end up here in this place of torment.’

   ²⁹ “Abraham answered, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets to tell them the score. Let them listen to them.’

   ³⁰ “‘I know, Father Abraham,’ he said, ‘but they’re not listening. If someone came back to them from the dead, they would change their ways.’

   ³¹ “Abraham replied, ‘If they won’t listen to Moses and the Prophets, they’re not going to be convinced by someone who rises from the dead.’”

Jesus particularly used the name of Lazarus for describing a poor man who had been ignored by the rich man but receiving into the heaven with Abraham, while the rich man who had lost his sympathy for a poor man at his door step, and found his destiny in the hell and was tormented. Jesus used this parable to warn the rich men to have the obligation to look after the poor, and at the same time, to warn people, even those who claim to be religious but fails to really observe the words of God - practicing the righteousness and mercy of God in earthly life. Jesus warned the harden-ness of human's heart that life remains unchanged even though God's words are plain to them and Jesus had been resurrected from the dead. 

My dear friend Jesus, please protect my heart from harden-ness and apathy to people in need. Please use your words to be my lamp on the feet everyday, speaking to me in my inner soul and stirring up my passion for loving You and your people around me. I know that I cannot serve You without Your heart and mercy for loving people. Also give me the faith that I focus my eyes on Your Kingdom and my final destiny within Your salvation plan through your church. 

Go deeper in our life before going wider in the influence of our life.

May 25, 2013 - Luke 16:10-18

    ^10-13 Jesus went on to make these comments:

   If you’re honest in small things,
   you’ll be honest in big things;
If you’re a crook in small things,
   you’ll be a crook in big things.
If you’re not honest in small jobs,
   who will put you in charge of the store?
No worker can serve two bosses:
   He’ll either hate the first and love the second
Or adore the first and despise the second.
   You can’t serve both God and the Bank.

   ^14-18 When the Pharisees, a money-obsessed bunch, heard him say these things, they rolled their eyes, dismissing him as hopelessly out of touch. So Jesus spoke to them: “You are masters at making yourselves look good in front of others, but God knows what’s behind the appearance.

   What society sees and calls monumental,
   God sees through and calls monstrous.
God’s Law and the Prophets climaxed in John;
Now it’s all kingdom of God—the glad news
   and compelling invitation to every man and woman.
The sky will disintegrate and the earth dissolve
   before a single letter of God’s Law wears out.
Using the legalities of divorce
   as a cover for lust is adultery;
Using the legalities of marriage
   as a cover for lust is adultery.

Jesus exhorts his disciples to be honest and faithful in small things that God will also entrust them with great things when time comes. Disciples of Jesus must decide the primal important thing of life - serving God and not serving self-ego; even sacrificing the good in order to work for the best of life. God also sees through our life - looking at things that are behind the external appearance; disciples are required to go deeper and examine the most inner motivation and drive of our life - loving God and surrendering to Him in order to respond to His calling; going deeper in our life first in order to to go wider in the influence of our life. Life is a blessing each day and life is a concrete experience that we meet with our Lord Jesus daily. My dear friend Jesus, may I satisfy solely in your presence and love today; and may my thoughts, my words, and my deeds be united with yours - living together in the love of our heavenly Father by the Spirit.

Be a good steward of Jesus!

May 24, 2013 - Luke 16:1-9

^1 1-2 Jesus said to his disciples, “There was once a rich man who had a manager. He got reports that the manager had been taking advantage of his position by running up huge personal expenses. So he called him in and said, ‘What’s this I hear about you? You’re fired. And I want a complete audit of your books.’

   ^3-4 “The manager said to himself, ‘What am I going to do? I’ve lost my job as manager. I’m not strong enough for a laboring job, and I’m too proud to beg. . . . Ah, I’ve got a plan. Here’s what I’ll do . . . then when I’m turned out into the street, people will take me into their houses.’

   ⁵ “Then he went at it. One after another, he called in the people who were in debt to his master. He said to the first, ‘How much do you owe my master?’

   ⁶ “He replied, ‘A hundred jugs of olive oil.’

   “The manager said, ‘Here, take your bill, sit down here—quick now—write fifty.’

   ⁷ “To the next he said, ‘And you, what do you owe?’

   “He answered, ‘A hundred sacks of wheat.’

   “He said, ‘Take your bill, write in eighty.’

   ^8-9 “Now here’s a surprise: The master praised the crooked manager! And why? Because he knew how to look after himself. Streetwise people are smarter in this regard than law-abiding citizens. They are on constant alert, looking for angles, surviving by their wits. I want you to be smart in the same way—but for what is right—using every adversity to stimulate you to creative survival, to concentrate your attention on the bare essentials, so you’ll live, really live, and not complacently just get by on good behavior.”

Jesus uses a parable of a crooked steward to teach the disciples about the essential truth of looking for every opportunity to contribute to God's kingdom. We disciples are stewards of God, being entrusted with our abilities, positions, resources, and experiences to further God's kingdom. Jesus wants his disciples to be faithful, diligent, but also at the same time be smart in advancing Gospel's ministry. 

My dear friend Jesus, I am following your way daily in order to know how to be your good friend but also your faithful steward. I pray this prayer again - I give all I have been given from You back to You and I pray that I satisfy and enjoy solely in Your grace and presence. And I also pray that as I am fully embraced by your grace and love, I can step forward and out of my comfort zone with courage and clarity as led by You. 

My Heavenly Father, Your Love never fails me.

May 23, 2013 - Luke 15:11-32

    ^11-12 Then he said, “There was once a man who had two sons. The younger said to his father, ‘Father, I want right now what’s coming to me.’

   ^12-16 “So the father divided the property between them. It wasn’t long before the younger son packed his bags and left for a distant country. There, undisciplined and dissipated, he wasted everything he had. After he had gone through all his money, there was a bad famine all through that country and he began to hurt. He signed on with a citizen there who assigned him to his fields to slop the pigs. He was so hungry he would have eaten the corncobs in the pig slop, but no one would give him any.

   ^17-20 “That brought him to his senses. He said, ‘All those farmhands working for my father sit down to three meals a day, and here I am starving to death. I’m going back to my father. I’ll say to him, Father, I’ve sinned against God, I’ve sinned before you; I don’t deserve to be called your son. Take me on as a hired hand.’ He got right up and went home to his father.

   ^20-21 “When he was still a long way off, his father saw him. His heart pounding, he ran out, embraced him, and kissed him. The son started his speech: ‘Father, I’ve sinned against God, I’ve sinned before you; I don’t deserve to be called your son ever again.’

   ^22-24 “But the father wasn’t listening. He was calling to the servants, ‘Quick. Bring a clean set of clothes and dress him. Put the family ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Then get a grain-fed heifer and roast it. We’re going to feast! We’re going to have a wonderful time! My son is here—given up for dead and now alive! Given up for lost and now found!’ And they began to have a wonderful time.

   ^25-27 “All this time his older son was out in the field. When the day’s work was done he came in. As he approached the house, he heard the music and dancing. Calling over one of the houseboys, he asked what was going on. He told him, ‘Your brother came home. Your father has ordered a feast—barbecued beef!—because he has him home safe and sound.’

   ^28-30 “The older brother stalked off in an angry sulk and refused to join in. His father came out and tried to talk to him, but he wouldn’t listen. The son said, ‘Look how many years I’ve stayed here serving you, never giving you one moment of grief, but have you ever thrown a party for me and my friends? Then this son of yours who has thrown away your money on whores shows up and you go all out with a feast!’

   ^31-32 “His father said, ‘Son, you don’t understand. You’re with me all the time, and everything that is mine is yours—but this is a wonderful time, and we had to celebrate. This brother of yours was dead, and he’s alive! He was lost, and he’s found!’”

My Heavenly Father, I once was a lost son, distanced from your love and intimacy, far away from your home, trying to be independent from you, and relying on my own strength for pursuing the meaning of life. But life becomes vanity no matter how hard I tried or how much I can store for my life. I was awakened and knew that I put the wrong emphasis in my life. But You sought me, embraced and kissed me with your love. You restored my sonship and dressed me with your righteous clothes that I can enjoy your presence and fellowship again in your feast. But very often, I will return back to a servant and forget that I am your beloved son, focusing on serving you and trying to please you with a servant spirit, worrying that I may not be able to satisfy your standard. Nevertheless, my failure never disappointed you and You continue to speak kind words to me, affirming Your presence and blessings in my life. My heavenly Father, what should I say to you? I would like to say "I love you" and ask You to show abundantly Your face and Your love to me as I walk with You today. I give back all I have from You back to You and may I rejoice and satisfy in Your Presence and Love with me today. 

You are not too small to be loved by Jesus.

May 22, 2013 - Luke 15:8-10

    ^8-10 “Or imagine a woman who has ten coins and loses one. Won’t she light a lamp and scour the house, looking in every nook and cranny until she finds it? And when she finds it you can be sure she’ll call her friends and neighbors: ‘Celebrate with me! I found my lost coin!’ Count on it—that’s the kind of party God’s angels throw every time one lost soul turns to God.”

My Lord Jesus, You love me so much that though I was just one of the many coins you had, You came to seek and save me from sins, and to call me to be your friend and disciple. Today, I give back all I have received from God back to You. May I fully satisfy in Your presence and grace alone. I also pray for one of your lost sheep, who is away from home both physically and spiritually alone, that one day he will be found by you and enjoy your love and presence in his life. 

Enjoy all the most precious moment with Jesus.

May 21, 2013 - Luke 15:1-7

    ^1 1-3 By this time a lot of men and women of doubtful reputation were hanging around Jesus, listening intently. The Pharisees and religion scholars were not pleased, not at all pleased. They growled, “He takes in sinners and eats meals with them, treating them like old friends.” Their grumbling triggered this story.

   ^4-7 “Suppose one of you had a hundred sheep and lost one. Wouldn’t you leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the lost one until you found it? When found, you can be sure you would put it across your shoulders, rejoicing, and when you got home call in your friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Celebrate with me! I’ve found my lost sheep!’ Count on it—there’s more joy in heaven over one sinner’s rescued life than over ninety-nine good people in no need of rescue.

Jesus invites people to rejoice and celebrate for one lost sheep that is found. Gospel is about salvation, joy, celebration, rescuing, etc. Gospel is about good news to sinners, no more condemnation, but full acceptance and restoration of relationship with God. Legalistic religion is on the contrary - condemnation, discrimination, burden, extreme caution, fear, lack of joy, etc.

My dear friend, Jesus, I call you as my dearest friend on earth as I can always come to you without fear, without worry of disapproval or judgment, and also with joy. You love being with me, spending time with me without any sense of wastage, walking with me in various circumstances or stages of my life. Let me walk with you today, no matter on ground or in the air, being with you is the most precious moment I should enjoy each day.

Count the cost of letting go of our old self.

May 20, 2013 - Luke 14:25-34

    ^25-27 One day when large groups of people were walking along with him, Jesus turned and told them, “Anyone who comes to me but refuses to let go of father, mother, spouse, children, brothers, sisters—yes, even one’s own self!—can’t be my disciple. Anyone who won’t shoulder his own cross and follow behind me can’t be my disciple.

   ^28-30 “Is there anyone here who, planning to build a new house, doesn’t first sit down and figure the cost so you’ll know if you can complete it? If you only get the foundation laid and then run out of money, you’re going to look pretty foolish. Everyone passing by will poke fun at you: ‘He started something he couldn’t finish.’

   ^31-32 “Or can you imagine a king going into battle against another king without first deciding whether it is possible with his ten thousand troops to face the twenty thousand troops of the other? And if he decides he can’t, won’t he send an emissary and work out a truce?

   ³³ “Simply put, if you’re not willing to take what is dearest to you, whether plans or people, and kiss it good-bye, you can’t be my disciple.

   ³⁴ “Salt is excellent. But if the salt goes flat, it’s useless, good for nothing.

   “Are you listening to this? Really listening?”

Master Jesus, You ask me to listen to your words that I can follow you as your disciples. You instruct me to let go of people. to let go of myself, and to take up my cross daily to follow you. My Lord, I would like to let go of people who have hurt me before by asking God's forgiveness to forgive them; I would like to let go of people whom I always want to please that I can live freely in my life; I also have to let go of myself, knowing that I am loved and treasured by heavenly Father that my ego is dissolved in the love of God; I also take up my cross daily as I know that the Cross of Jesus is able to put to death of my old habit of sins, mindsets, reflective or default behavior. I have to count the cross of denying my old self that it may take time to struggle, having ups and downs, sometimes wins and sometimes fails, but knowing that this is a transition of my life that God promises that He will sanctify my life wholly as a masterpiece for Him. 

Jesus is Lord!

May 19, 2013 - Luke 14:15-24

    ¹⁵ That triggered a response from one of the guests: “How fortunate the one who gets to eat dinner in God’s kingdom!”

   ^16-17 Jesus followed up. “Yes. For there was once a man who threw a great dinner party and invited many. When it was time for dinner, he sent out his servant to the invited guests, saying, ‘Come on in; the food’s on the table.’

   ¹⁸ “Then they all began to beg off, one after another making excuses. The first said, ‘I bought a piece of property and need to look it over. Send my regrets.’

   ¹⁹ “Another said, ‘I just bought five teams of oxen, and I really need to check them out. Send my regrets.’

   ²⁰ “And yet another said, ‘I just got married and need to get home to my wife.’

   ²¹ “The servant went back and told the master what had happened. He was outraged and told the servant, ‘Quickly, get out into the city streets and alleys. Collect all who look like they need a square meal, all the misfits and homeless and wretched you can lay your hands on, and bring them here.’

   ²² “The servant reported back, ‘Master, I did what you commanded—and there’s still room.’

   ^23-24 “The master said, ‘Then go to the country roads. Whoever you find, drag them in. I want my house full! Let me tell you, not one of those originally invited is going to get so much as a bite at my dinner party.’”

Jesus uses a parable to demonstrate that how people especially the Jews rejected the invitation to join the Kingdom's banquet. People have various reasons to reject the invitation of Jesus, like the engagement the their own business or other personal affairs. But the irony is that people who are misfits, homeless, wretched and are considered unworthy finally will seat in the Kingdom's banquet. 

My Master Jesus, your Kingdom's invitation is such a grace and privilege for me. I am considered unworthy to join this kingdom banquet as I am a wretched and spiritually dead person before I know you. But I was still invited as you determine to love and save me. Thanks again for your love and invitation for me to become a people of your kingdom. Our life is no longer the same once we know that God's Kingdom is near and Jesus redefines the meaning and priority of our life. Jesus is Lord!

Live Out a Life of Humility and Sacrifice.

May 15, 2013 - Luke 14:7-14

    ^7-9 He went on to tell a story to the guests around the table. Noticing how each had tried to elbow into the place of honor, he said, “When someone invites you to dinner, don’t take the place of honor. Somebody more important than you might have been invited by the host. Then he’ll come and call out in front of everybody, ‘You’re in the wrong place. The place of honor belongs to this man.’ Red-faced, you’ll have to make your way to the very last table, the only place left.

   ^10-11 “When you’re invited to dinner, go and sit at the last place. Then when the host comes he may very well say, ‘Friend, come up to the front.’ That will give the dinner guests something to talk about! What I’m saying is, If you walk around with your nose in the air, you’re going to end up flat on your face. But if you’re content to be simply yourself, you will become more than yourself.”

   ^12-14 Then he turned to the host. “The next time you put on a dinner, don’t just invite your friends and family and rich neighbors, the kind of people who will return the favor. Invite some people who never get invited out, the misfits from the wrong side of the tracks. You’ll be—and experience—a blessing. They won’t be able to return the favor, but the favor will be returned—oh, how it will be returned!—at the resurrection of God’s people.”

Jesus exhorts his disciples to be content to be simply themselves - the acceptance of who they are and they will then become more than themselves.Jesus also mentions that the disciples can experience the blessings from God when they bless those who may not be capable to return the favor. God will reward for what they will do for God's name sake. Jesus warns his disciples that this is a generation of masquerading of somebody, pretending and showing up in order to elevate one's fame before the others. This is also a generation of wanting for a return of profitable reward or benefit from the others when one shows actions and deeds to others. Jesus calls his disciples to live out a Kingdom's life that serves and loves unconditionally as similar to what God behaves toward us, and demonstrates humility as the life of Jesus.

My master Jesus, You call me to live a life following your pattern, a life of humility and sacrifice for the well-being of people and God's glory. Draw me closer to Your divine life and Your Spirit that I can be empowered to follow Your model. 

Jesus heals - People are always the first in Jesus' eyes.

May 14, 2013 - Luke 14:1-6

 ^1 1-3 One time when Jesus went for a Sabbath meal with one of the top leaders of the Pharisees, all the guests had their eyes on him, watching his every move. Right before him there was a man hugely swollen in his joints. So Jesus asked the religion scholars and Pharisees present, “Is it permitted to heal on the Sabbath? Yes or no?”

   ^4-6 They were silent. So he took the man, healed him, and sent him on his way. Then he said, “Is there anyone here who, if a child or animal fell down a well, wouldn’t rush to pull him out immediately, not asking whether or not it was the Sabbath?” They were stumped. There was nothing they could say to that.

Jesus was constantly being watched by the Pharisees, trying to picking up any fault he would make. Jesus knew their intention in their hearts but still publicly healing a man with huge swollen joints. Jesus' heart was always moved as he saw people suffered from sins and diseases. He treated people first irrespective of the outside circumstances that might not be favorable in people's eyes. People are always the most valuable in God's eyes.

My Lord Jesus, as I pray before you everyday, asking you to show me the way You minister to people, praying, healing, and teaching God's message. I ask that You also transform my heart at the same time, infusing Your compassion in my heart, which melts the coolness and remoteness from people. Also imparting Your faith in my heart of unbelief for following exactly the way You serve people and demonstrate the power of God's kingdom on earth. 

The Great Reversal at the Lord's Day.

May 13, 2013 - Luke 13:23-35

^23-25 A bystander said, “Master, will only a few be saved?”

   He said, “Whether few or many is none of your business. Put your mind on your life with God. The way to life—to God!—is vigorous and requires your total attention. A lot of you are going to assume that you’ll sit down to God’s salvation banquet just because you’ve been hanging around the neighborhood all your lives. Well, one day you’re going to be banging on the door, wanting to get in, but you’ll find the door locked and the Master saying, ‘Sorry, you’re not on my guest list.’

   ^26-27 “You’ll protest, ‘But we’ve known you all our lives!’ only to be interrupted with his abrupt, ‘Your kind of knowing can hardly be called knowing. You don’t know the first thing about me.’

   ^28-30 “That’s when you’ll find yourselves out in the cold, strangers to grace. You’ll watch Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and all the prophets march into God’s kingdom. You’ll watch outsiders stream in from east, west, north, and south and sit down at the table of God’s kingdom. And all the time you’ll be outside looking in—and wondering what happened. This is the Great Reversal: the last in line put at the head of the line, and the so-called first ending up last.”

   ³¹ Just then some Pharisees came up and said, “Run for your life! Herod’s on the hunt. He’s out to kill you!”

   ^32-35 Jesus said, “Tell that fox that I’ve no time for him right now. Today and tomorrow I’m busy clearing out the demons and healing the sick; the third day I’m wrapping things up. Besides, it’s not proper for a prophet to come to a bad end outside Jerusalem.

   Jerusalem, Jerusalem, killer of prophets,
      abuser of the messengers of God!
How often I’ve longed to gather your children,
      gather your children like a hen,
Her brood safe under her wings—
      but you refused and turned away!
And now it’s too late: You won’t see me again
      until the day you say,
   ‘Blessed is he
   who comes in
   the name of God.’”

Jesus proclaims that there is a Great Reversal at the end of God's Day. The first will be the last and the last will be the first. Gentiles are streaming into God's kingdom from all the earth while those claim themselves to be righteous are excluded from God's kingdom. Jesus wept for the destruction of Jerusalem, which symbolizes people who or all kinds of religions that turn away from the grace of God while relying on own self-righteousness. Grace is alienated to them as they never taste any of it. 

My Lord Jesus, please also keep me from falling into any kind of self-righteous trap, boasting on all kinds of self-righteousness - no matter they are in terms of deeds, knowledge of faith, or ministry success over the others. Keep me in a pure faith and heartfelt gratitude toward God who saves me and shapes me by His own love and grace. Who can be saved? Only those who really experience that they are from inside to outside sinners, being saved and delivered by God daily. 

See God's Kingdom is in us.

May 12, 2013 - Luke 13:18-22

^18-19 Then he said, “How can I picture God’s kingdom for you? What kind of story can I use? It’s like a pine nut that a man plants in his front yard. It grows into a huge pine tree with thick branches, and eagles build nests in it.”

   ^20-21 He tried again. “How can I picture God’s kingdom? It’s like yeast that a woman works into enough dough for three loaves of bread—and waits while the dough rises.”

   ²² He went on teaching from town to village, village to town, but keeping on a steady course toward Jerusalem.

Jesus envisions God's kingdom is just like a small seed that grows into a big tree - similar to a pine nut that grows into a tall and huge pine tree in Canada. It is the tallest tree in Canada and it grows big and tall even in coldest weather. God's kingdom is also like yeast that works in dough for becoming loaves of bread. God's kingdom is working unnoticed by the world like the yeast but soon becoming the greatest kingdom on earth like the tallest and biggest tree on the earth. Jesus has only one purpose of his life - heading toward Jerusalem and achieving God's salvation for building up God's Kingdom for the eternity.

My Lord Master, thanks again for inviting me to enter into God's kingdom. People on earth are pursuing world's success and achievement without God's agenda. But I am invited to participate into Your Kingdom works on earth. Draw me to Your presence everyday and also to follow Jesus' example of aligning my life with Your purpose in me. By the Spirit, open my spiritual eyes to see how Your kingdom grows through my works with You. Amen.

Jesus frees us from bondage.

May 11, 2013 - Luke 13:10-17

    ^10-13 He was teaching in one of the meeting places on the Sabbath. There was a woman present, so twisted and bent over with arthritis that she couldn’t even look up. She had been afflicted with this for eighteen years. When Jesus saw her, he called her over. “Woman, you’re free!” He laid hands on her and suddenly she was standing straight and tall, giving glory to God.

   ¹⁴ The meeting-place president, furious because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, said to the congregation, “Six days have been defined as work days. Come on one of the six if you want to be healed, but not on the seventh, the Sabbath.”

   ^15-16 But Jesus shot back, “You frauds! Each Sabbath every one of you regularly unties your cow or donkey from its stall, leads it out for water, and thinks nothing of it. So why isn’t it all right for me to untie this daughter of Abraham and lead her from the stall where Satan has had her tied these eighteen years?”

   ¹⁷ When he put it that way, his critics were left looking quite silly and red-faced. The congregation was delighted and cheered him on.

Jesus healed a woman with serious arthritis for eighteen years during a Sabbath when he saw her bondage from Satan. Jesus received serious attack by the president of the meeting place while Jesus fought back by asserting that Sabbath is a day of rest and freedom for the children of God. 

My Master Jesus, You are not only having the power of healing people's diseases but You intend to come to liberate people from all kinds of bondage - addictions, all kinds of sins (generational, cultic, Satanic), emotional or even physical diseases, etc. You care people more than other forms or practices of religions. Grant us belief in Jesus for liberating people by the power of Spirit and the Gospel of God. 

Prepare ourselves to meet the Righteous King.

May 10, 2013 - Luke 13:1-9

    ^1 1-5 About that time some people came up and told him about the Galileans Pilate had killed while they were at worship, mixing their blood with the blood of the sacrifices on the altar. Jesus responded, “Do you think those murdered Galileans were worse sinners than all other Galileans? Not at all. Unless you turn to God, you, too, will die. And those eighteen in Jerusalem the other day, the ones crushed and killed when the Tower of Siloam collapsed and fell on them, do you think they were worse citizens than all other Jerusalemites? Not at all. Unless you turn to God, you, too, will die.”

   ^6-7 Then he told them a story: “A man had an apple tree planted in his front yard. He came to it expecting to find apples, but there weren’t any. He said to his gardener, ‘What’s going on here? For three years now I’ve come to this tree expecting apples and not one apple have I found. Chop it down! Why waste good ground with it any longer?’

   ^8-9 “The gardener said, ‘Let’s give it another year. I’ll dig around it and fertilize, and maybe it will produce next year; if it doesn’t, then chop it down.’”

People questioned Jesus about why some Galileans were killed by Pilate and some people died due to an accident. People came to challenge the reasons behind all these disasters. Jesus did not provide a logical or comforting answer to them but warned them that unless they turned to God, they too would die. Jesus bluntly declared that people would face death and judgment unless they turn to God. He followed up his argument by using a story of tree that did not bear fruit and the master continued to fertilize that tree but it would be chopped down if it would not bear fruit one year later. God is still gracious and giving people opportunity to repent but there will be a time for His return and judgment of human sins. 

My Lord Jesus, we face unrighteousness and injustice happened on this earth everyday. People cheated, robbed, exploited, and prosecuted others in all parts of the earth. But You are the righteous King and the One who will exercise Your righteous judgment on earth and all people's revealed and hidden sins. You call us to repent and enter into Your Kingdom, continuing Your Kingdom's work on earth. Continue to give me faith in Your Gospel and Kingdom's message, proclaiming it, teaching its message, and healing people's diseases by the power of Your Spirit. 

Discern God's Season - No Neutral Ground to Respond to Jesus.

May 9, 2013 - Luke 12:49-56

    ^49-53 “I’ve come to start a fire on this earth—how I wish it were blazing right now! I’ve come to change everything, turn everything rightside up—how I long for it to be finished! Do you think I came to smooth things over and make everything nice? Not so. I’ve come to disrupt and confront! From now on, when you find five in a house, it will be—

   Three against two,
   and two against three;
Father against son,
   and son against father;
Mother against daughter,
   and daughter against mother;
Mother-in-law against bride,
   and bride against mother-in-law.”

   ^54-56 Then he turned to the crowd: “When you see clouds coming in from the west, you say, ‘Storm’s coming’—and you’re right. And when the wind comes out of the south, you say, ‘This’ll be a hot one’—and you’re right. Frauds! You know how to tell a change in the weather, so don’t tell me you can’t tell a change in the season, the God-season we’re in right now.

   ^57-59 “You don’t have to be a genius to understand these things. Just use your common sense, the kind you’d use if, while being taken to court, you decided to settle up with your accuser on the way, knowing that if the case went to the judge you’d probably go to jail and pay every last penny of the fine. That’s the kind of decision I’m asking you to make.”

Jesus asked his disciples to learn how to discern God's season just like people who can discern the weather - the worldly things. Jesus asserts that as God's Kingdom comes on earth, people even the closest family members have to divide themselves according to how they react to the Kingdom or the Gospel's message. There is no neutral ground for people on earth - either they stand for or against the Kingdom's message. Disciples are not called to be enemies of our family members, instead we are called to love our family members but not according to human's standard but rather, loving them according to the message of Gospel, inviting them to turn away from the world and convert back to the Kingdom of God.

My Master Jesus, let me not relax in praying for my family members and brothers and sisters who are astray from God. That is the season of God and there is no neutral ground in response to Jesus. The Kingdom of God has come on earth and people must grasp the opportunity to repent and receive the salvation of Jesus. My dear Jesus, lead me by Your Spirit to reach out to the lost and pray for the astray of your people. 

Be a Good Steward of Jesus Daily.

May 8, 2013 - Luke 12:35-48

    ^35-38 “Keep your shirts on; keep the lights on! Be like house servants waiting for their master to come back from his honeymoon, awake and ready to open the door when he arrives and knocks. Lucky the servants whom the master finds on watch! He’ll put on an apron, sit them at the table, and serve them a meal, sharing his wedding feast with them. It doesn’t matter what time of the night he arrives; they’re awake—and so blessed!

   ^39-40 “You know that if the house owner had known what night the burglar was coming, he wouldn’t have stayed out late and left the place unlocked. So don’t you be slovenly and careless. Just when you don’t expect him, the Son of Man will show up.”

   ⁴¹ Peter said, “Master, are you telling this story just for us? Or is it for everybody?”

   ^42-46 The Master said, “Let me ask you: Who is the dependable manager, full of common sense, that the master puts in charge of his staff to feed them well and on time? He is a blessed man if when the master shows up he’s doing his job. But if he says to himself, ‘The master is certainly taking his time,’ begins maltreating the servants and maids, throws parties for his friends, and gets drunk, the master will walk in when he least expects it, give him the thrashing of his life, and put him back in the kitchen peeling potatoes.

   ^47-48 “The servant who knows what his master wants and ignores it, or insolently does whatever he pleases, will be thoroughly thrashed. But if he does a poor job through ignorance, he’ll get off with a slap on the hand. Great gifts mean great responsibilities; greater gifts, greater responsibilities!

Jesus warns His disciples to be on watch, always be ready and prepare for the Lord's return that will be unexpected. He asserts that, "Great gifts mean great responsibilities; greater gifts, greater responsibilities!" No body knows when the Lord will return or when will be the last day of one's life. Jesus plainly points out the fact that everyone must be accountable to the Lord as He is our Master who delegates us both the gifts and responsibility on earth. 

It's a great wisdom for a disciple of Jesus to treat each day as the last day on earth, preparing oneself to meet the Lord. Faithfully fulfilling the responsibility assigned by Jesus, loving wholeheartedly the people around us especially our family members, pursuing a loving relationship with Jesus, and diligently praying for people who need Jesus that when Jesus returns or we return to see the Lord, we will feel grateful for living a life that is worthy and memorable in the eyes of Jesus. 

Open Our Eyes to See God's Reality, God's Initiative, and God's Provisions.

May 7, 2013 - Luke 12:22-34

    ^22-24 He continued this subject with his disciples. “Don’t fuss about what’s on the table at mealtimes or if the clothes in your closet are in fashion. There is far more to your inner life than the food you put in your stomach, more to your outer appearance than the clothes you hang on your body. Look at the ravens, free and unfettered, not tied down to a job description, carefree in the care of God. And you count far more.

   ^25-28 “Has anyone by fussing before the mirror ever gotten taller by so much as an inch? If fussing can’t even do that, why fuss at all? Walk into the fields and look at the wildflowers. They don’t fuss with their appearance—but have you ever seen color and design quite like it? The ten best-dressed men and women in the country look shabby alongside them. If God gives such attention to the wildflowers, most of them never even seen, don’t you think he’ll attend to you, take pride in you, do his best for you?

   ^29-32 “What I’m trying to do here is get you to relax, not be so preoccupied with getting so you can respond to God’s giving. People who don’t know God and the way he works fuss over these things, but you know both God and how he works. Steep yourself in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. You’ll find all your everyday human concerns will be met. Don’t be afraid of missing out. You’re my dearest friends! The Father wants to give you the very kingdom itself.

   ^33-34 “Be generous. Give to the poor. Get yourselves a bank that can’t go bankrupt, a bank in heaven far from bankrobbers, safe from embezzlers, a bank you can bank on. It’s obvious, isn’t it? The place where your treasure is, is the place you will most want to be, and end up being.

Jesus points his disciples to see God's creation that they can relax and not to be preoccupied with getting that they can respond to God's kingdom by giving. It is not what they give first to God but God gives the kingdom to them. Disciples are to refocus their eyes to see first God's reality in their lives, God's initiative in calling them to enter into God's kingdom, and God's provisions for them in their daily needs. There is a bank in heaven where their treasure is - that is the place where disciples will be with Jesus forever and store their works for the kingdom. 

My Lord Jesus, please point me to see God's reality, God's works, and God's provisions in my life. Let me heart be transformed everyday as I am drawn closer so as to see God's kingdom is nearer - life is not defined by what I get but what I can contribute to God's kingdom. Open my eyes to see that God has given the best in my life - His beloved Son of Jesus and His kingdom to me. Learn relaxing and enjoying God's love and works in my life; learn living by faith so as to live a carefree life by the care of God, like the lilies in the field and the birds in the air; learn living generously like my heavenly Father - giving is more blessed than receiving. May Your kingdom come and may You come on earth. 

Life is not defined by what you have but with God.

May 6, 2013 - Luke 12:13-21

    ¹³ Someone out of the crowd said, “Teacher, order my brother to give me a fair share of the family inheritance.”

   ¹⁴ He replied, “Mister, what makes you think it’s any of my business to be a judge or mediator for you?”

   ¹⁵ Speaking to the people, he went on, “Take care! Protect yourself against the least bit of greed. Life is not defined by what you have, even when you have a lot.”

   ^16-19 Then he told them this story: “The farm of a certain rich man produced a terrific crop. He talked to himself: ‘What can I do? My barn isn’t big enough for this harvest.’ Then he said, ‘Here’s what I’ll do: I’ll tear down my barns and build bigger ones. Then I’ll gather in all my grain and goods, and I’ll say to myself, Self, you’ve done well! You’ve got it made and can now retire. Take it easy and have the time of your life!’

   ²⁰ “Just then God showed up and said, ‘Fool! Tonight you die. And your barnful of goods—who gets it?’

   ²¹ “That’s what happens when you fill your barn with Self and not with God.”

Jesus warns against his disciples for having a greedy heart of material belongings. Jesus uses a parable to tell the disciples the truth that when our heart is filled with self and not with God, no matter how one has a good planning in gathering, the possession one gathers cannot be brought to the eternity if it is not for God. Jesus leads the disciples to see what a life is really is or should be defined - to pursue a life that is filled with God and not with our self or other security. 

My Lord Jesus, we are living in a world whose security or success is defined by how much wealth we have. We disciples are also struggling with our daily incomes and expenditures, trying to earn and save as much as possible in order to provide us with security for our retired life. But Jesus defines life differently - You lead my eyes to look at God's creation and to see how my heavenly Father provides my needs and leads me to follow Your way in advancing the Kingdom that lasts forever and also gives new life to people. Everyday is a lesson for me to learn relying on your provision, re-focusing my eyes on Your Kingdom, and practicing my faith in earthly life. 

A Disciple of Jesus Can’t Hide Behind a Religious Mask.

May 5, 2013 - Luke 12:1-12

    ^1 1-3 By this time the crowd, unwieldy and stepping on each other’s toes, numbered into the thousands. But Jesus’ primary concern was his disciples. He said to them, “Watch yourselves carefully so you don’t get contaminated with Pharisee yeast, Pharisee phoniness. You can’t keep your true self hidden forever; before long you’ll be exposed. You can’t hide behind a religious mask forever; sooner or later the mask will slip and your true face will be known. You can’t whisper one thing in private and preach the opposite in public; the day’s coming when those whispers will be repeated all over town.

   ^4-5 “I’m speaking to you as dear friends. Don’t be bluffed into silence or insincerity by the threats of religious bullies. True, they can kill you, but then what can they do? There’s nothing they can do to your soul, your core being. Save your fear for God, who holds your entire life—body and soul—in his hands.

   ^6-7 “What’s the price of two or three pet canaries? Some loose change, right? But God never overlooks a single one. And he pays even greater attention to you, down to the last detail—even numbering the hairs on your head! So don’t be intimidated by all this bully talk. You’re worth more than a million canaries.

   ^8-9 “Stand up for me among the people you meet and the Son of Man will stand up for you before all God’s angels. But if you pretend you don’t know me, do you think I’ll defend you before God’s angels?

   ¹⁰ “If you bad-mouth the Son of Man out of misunderstanding or ignorance, that can be overlooked. But if you’re knowingly attacking God himself, taking aim at the Holy Spirit, that won’t be overlooked.

   ^11-12 “When they drag you into their meeting places, or into police courts and before judges, don’t worry about defending yourselves—what you’ll say or how you’ll say it. The right words will be there. The Holy Spirit will give you the right words when the time comes.”

Jesus concerns the well-being of his disciples.He wants his disciples to live an authentic life before God and before the people. He warns them not to wear the religious mask forever and live out the true self or core being before the public. Jesus knows that this is the only authentic way to grow oneself before God. At the same time, Jesus knows that the disciples must relate with God with intimate relation and with fear - that is also like the compass of a disciple's life, always pointing one to God without losing distraction or focus. Fearing God and loving God is the power to overcome all other kinds of fear that diminish a disciple's life with God. The Holy Spirit is also the counselor and protector of a disciple, dwelling in one's life and speaking God's words to us and on behalf of us. 

My Lord Jesus, draw me closer to You and save me from all kinds of religious temptations - wearing religious masks, pleasing people more than You, and subsequently losing my real inner self. Cleanse me with Your blood and crucify my old self with You on the Cross everyday that I know that I now live a resurrected and new life with Jesus. Being cleansed by Your blood, dying to my old self by the Cross daily, and living out my inner self with the power of the Holy Spirit is the way of a disciple life of Jesus.