Our Eyes on the Lord

“As the eyes of a maid are on the hands of her mistress, So are our eyes on the Lord, our God, till He have pity on us.” Psalm 123:2

God is moving, and if we are to be unbeaten, undefeated by the unfolding circumstances in the world, we have to keep our eyes on Him, just like a maid keeps her eyes on the hands of her mistress. I have a helper in my house named Lucy. She has been with me for more than twenty-five years, before my son was born. She anticipates what I need. If I move towards the electric fan, she is there before me to turn it on. At ten o’clock, and three o’clock, she appears with merienda. Without me having to instruct her, she takes care of me and makes sure I am comfortable. I appreciate her so much! 

The picture of a maid and her mistress in Psalm 123, shows us how we are to be discerning of God’s will and pleasure. As servants of God we are fully reliant on Him. During these times of trouble and uncertainty, we should fix our gaze on Him so we can find our peace and stability. Only He can get us through this. Not our intelligence, our wealth, our power, our fame, our resources if we have them. Could we ever have conceived of a worldwide pandemic that could overturn the whole world? The world is broken, bleeding, and is in need of more than bandages and soothing words. We need a Savior, and we need Him now. The first day Jesus began His ministry, He started out by reading from the Book of Isaiah “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to preach good news to the poor.” (Is. 61:1) 

What good news was Jesus talking about back then? Is it anything to do with us? It has everything to do with us! He was talking about His mission, why He came to earth, to free us, to free our hearts, to free us from the shackles of our enemy! He came to ransom and save us, and turn our devastated lives into victorious, praise- filled lives. All we have to do is focus our eyes on Him, not to attend to all the messed-up cacophony happening in the world. He will get us through all the noise. That is what He promised, and He is a promise-keeping God! “But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Corinthians 15:57)

Believing is Seeing

 "Do not persist in your unbelief, but believe." 

John 20:27

Never was a man more disparaged for his doubt than Thomas!  He will forever be known as "doubting Thomas"! But Thomas did not merely have doubts, he plainly, adamantly, did not believe. "I will NEVER believe," he insisted, "without probing the nail prints in His hands, without putting my finger in the nail marks and my hand into His side." If you think about it, all the disciples would have been the same. It's just that they were there when Jesus appeared to them, even if they had locked the door.  They saw for themselves that He was risen from the dead.  He showed them His hands and His side.

In John 20:29, Jesus urges us to make a leap of faith. "Blessed are they who have not seen and have believed."  There are times I think, "Why do I believe?" To a non-believer, the Bible can be a bunch of made up, absurd stories! I decided a long time ago that yes, Jesus, You are God, and I will follow You.  Because of that leap of faith, I have been blessed. Now I know without a shadow of a doubt, like Thomas, like the other disciples, like Paul who tried to destroy the followers of Jesus, that He is alive, He is God, and He holds the key. Instead of “seeing is believing”, I know that “believing is seeing”! 

Follow Me

"Follow me." Matthew 9:9

Jesus saw Matthew the tax collector sitting at the customs post and He said, "Follow me."

Tax collectors were the most despised people in Jesus' day. They collaborated with the Romans and were considered traitors. Today, here in the Philippines, the Bureau of Internal Revenue is considered one of the most corrupt departments in government. We had a problem with the BIR and one of the agents told our accountant, “It's so easy for your problem to go away!" insinuating that if we gave him bribe money, he would help us!

Wasn’t it amazing that Jesus chose Matthew! He knew without a doubt that this man was a sinner! And it was in spite of that that Jesus picked him out of the crowd and made him part of the chosen Twelve! God’s ways are certainly different from ours. Jesus told the protesting Pharisees, “Those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do." The Pharisees did not realize that they were 'sick' too! All they wanted to do was observe Jesus, criticize Him, and catch Him doing wrong.

Lord, may I not be like the Pharisees. May I realize that I need You! Thank You that in Your extraordinary mercy and grace, You allow me to be part of Your team, the Chosen ones! You know I am a sinner, yet You picked me, just like You picked Matthew. May I follow You and learn from You!

God Himself Will Provide

“God Himself will provide the sheep for the burnt offering.” Genesis 22:8

The story of Abraham and his willingness to sacrifice Isaac has many levels of meaning. It foreshadows God’s generosity to sacrifice His only Son on the cross that we might be saved. 

Today, my take on this focuses on obedience, our willingness to follow God’s laws and His teachings. We have to follow even if we do not understand, even if we do not know the future, even if there does not seem to be anything in it for us. 

One time my husband got together with a group of his classmates because a friend from the US arrived, a guy who works in the biggest car dealership there. He was asked, “Who was the most famous person you sold a car to?” Then he told the story that one day a man arrived at their showroom. He described him looking like a “taong grasa”, a beggar, unkempt, and all the other salesmen kept to their seats. He was the only one who chose to approach and entertain the man while he looked at the cars. Then the man asked for a particular model, and though it was on hold, my husband’s  classmate did the paperwork to free it so it could be sold. They then took the car out for a test run. While they were on the road, Luigi’s classmate asked, “What do you do?” The man said he was a director of movies. When they got back to the showroom, the man said he would buy the car and he paid cash, not installment. All the other salesmen were astonished! It turned out that that man was the director of the smash hit, SpiderMan! 

God teaches us many things. One of them is that we should respect and love people the way He does. We should not pick and choose and discriminate. We should not play favorites. After all, He died for each one of us, the wicked, the righteous, the rich, the “taong grasa”, the meek, the one who runs rough shod over our feelings, the stupid, the blind, the one who spreads fake news, even the murderer. God Himself will provide the sacrifice that needs to be offered for all our sin.

Believe and Receive

“…for the son of the slave woman, I will make a great nation of him also, since he too is your offspring.” Genesis 21:13

There are many treasures in the Bible, and many keys to unlock those treasures. God promised to give the whole earth to Abraham and his descendants from both Isaac and Ishmael, the son of the slave Hagar. According to verse 13 of Romans chapter 4, it’s not based on obedience to the law but through the righteousness of faith. “For the promise to Abraham, and to his posterity, that he would inherit the world, was not through the law, but through the justice of faith.”

Abraham is our example as a believer, and Abraham is still alive today in the more than 3 billion people, Christians, Muslims and Jews, who venerate him. He is our spiritual father, our patriarch. Studying Abraham and his relationship with God can help us in our journey of faith. “Come close to God [with a contrite heart] and He will come close to you,” we read in the book of James 4:8.

In verse 16-17 of the 4th chapter of Romans, Saint Paul writes that faith is the key! God’s promise is given to us as a free gift if we have faith like our father Abraham. Abraham believed in a God who brings the dead to life, and who calls into being what does not exist. That is the secret to faith. If God says it, we believe it and we can receive it.  The key is finding a verse in the Bible we can claim, believe and receive. We, like Abraham, should be absolutely convinced that God is able to do anything He promised! (v. 21)

I Kept the Faith

“I have finished the race; I have kept the faith. From now on the crown of righteousness awaits me…” 2 Timothy 4:7-8

When we read this verse written by St. Paul, we can also remember Eric Liddell, the Scottish Olympic gold medallist winner. He is also the main character in the 1981 Oscar winning film, Chariots of Fire. 

During the Olympics, Eric, a devout Christian, refused to run for the hundred meter dash because it was held on a Sunday even if it was his best event. Instead he ran the 400 meter and won a gold medal. Eric Liddell said that he did his best in running the first half of the race, and then depended on God for the second half. In spite of an amazing career as a runner, Eric Liddel chose to leave all the fame and glory and go to China as a missionary like his father before him. He believed that is what God called him to do. When asked if he regretted his decision, he answered, “It's natural for a chap to think over all that sometimes, but I'm glad I'm at the work I'm engaged in now. A fellow's life counts for far more at this than the other.”

When he got to China, he became a teacher at an Anglo-Chinese college for privileged Chinese students. He was also in charge of Sunday school. In 1941 when the foreigners in China were advised to leave because of the danger from the Japanese invaders, Eric opted to stay behind while his wife and daughters went back home to Canada. Eric served the poor in a rural mission station in Xiaozhang, where he was always overworked and exhausted by the stream of Chinese needing medical treatment. 

In 1943, he was imprisoned in the Weihsien Interment Camp. While there, for two years until his death, he served others unselfishly, helping the elderly, leading bible study. One man who was interned with him wrote a book about his experience and mentioned that Eric Liddel was "the finest Christian gentleman it has been my pleasure to meet.” 

Another survivor of the camp, Langdon Gilkey, said of Eric: “He was overflowing with good humor and love for life, and with enthusiasm and charm. It is rare indeed that a person has the good fortune to meet a saint, but he came as close to it as anyone I have ever known."

Wherever we are Lord, whatever our station in life or our job, may we serve You in whatever way we can, and be a light in the darkness. May we finish the race with honor and keep the faith. 

Follow Me

“Follow me..” Matthew 8:22

Jesus was emphasizing that we should know our priorities, our purpose, our mission. Then and only then will our schedules, our plans, our responsibilities fall into the right places.

“Follow me," Jesus said to Levi the tax collector in Luke 5:27. He was sitting at the customs post, where he usually sits. He collects taxes, and like most publicans, perhaps even all, he was reviled by the Jews for his collaboration with the Roman oppressors. A tax collector during Jesus' time could stop Jews on the road and tax them for the baggage they were carrying! Jesus calls out, "Follow me," and Levi left all the money bags on the table, and walked with Jesus.

Like Levi, Jesus calls us where we are, whatever we are doing. We may not be occupied with sinful things like Levi, who would have been greedy and kept part of the collected taxes for himself. But even while we are washing dishes, teaching, playing golf, looking though friends' posts on Facebook, Jesus calls us. When He calls, and we decide to follow, we have to leave certain things behind. We have to avoid sin. If we knew what sin does to us spiritually, we would stay far away from it just as we stay away from the Ebola virus. The Ebola virus is scarier than Covid. It makes people bleed internally and externally, and it kills up to 90% of those infected.

How about sin? We can't see what it does to our soul, and our soul is the one that lasts forever. Our bodies will just be consigned to the crematorium or left in a hole in the ground. I am sure that sin does worse things to our souls than the Ebola virus!! If we are able to stay away from sin, we can celebrate and Jesus will celebrate with us, much like Levi rejoiced in his new found freedom!

If You Have Faith

“Daughter, your faith has made you well.” 

Mark 5:34

In the 5th chapter of Mark, there are two very powerful stories about faith and healing. Jairus, a synagogue official, approached Jesus because his daughter was on the point of death. Then there is an unnamed woman who had been bleeding for twelve years. She managed to get close enough to touch Jesus’ clothes and her flow of blood dried up. “Daughter, your faith has saved you,” Jesus told the woman. 

When people from Jairus’ home arrived to tell him that his daughter died, Jesus told Jairus, “Do not be afraid, just have faith”. They continued on their journey, and Jesus did not allow the crowd to accompany Him inside the house, except for Peter, James and John. He told everyone in the house who ridiculed Him to leave. Then He brought Peter, James, John, Jairus and the mother into the sick child’s room. “Little girl, I say to you, arise!” He commanded, holding her by the hand. The 12-year old stood up immediately and walked around. 

I believe faith is like a muscle. We need to practice it all the time, use it, by praying at all times, and confessing the Word of God. We need to claim God’s promises, searching the Bible for this treasure God left us, so our faith will grow. But as the story of Jairus shows, we also need to surround ourselves with people of faith. Even Jesus could not work miracles in His hometown because people there scoffed and did not have faith. Faith is an amazing gift that God wants to give each one of us. We just need to walk closely with Jesus, read His Word, give it a chance to come alive in our life. 

When I was praying about this, I felt God assuring me, “If you have faith, you will not be afraid of the future, of the past, of people who have the power to harm you. You need not fear for your family, your business. If you have faith, you will know that all is in My hands. If you follow Me, listen to Me, even when you make mistakes, I can turn it into good. Trust in Me, live in My Word, and dwell in my peace.”

Is Anything Too Marvelous?

“Is anything too marvelous for the Lord to do?” Genesis 18:14

Is there anything too difficult for the Lord? Sometimes when we face a challenge, we think we have to find the solution ourselves. We turn to the Lord as a last resort.

There was an American marine who got separated from his squad while they were reconnoitering on a Pacific island during World War II. When he heard the enemy soldiers approaching, he clambered over to where he saw several small caves and crawled inside one. As he crouched in the dark, he prayed, “ Lord, if it is Your will, please protect me. Whatever Your will, I love and trust You. Amen.”

He could hear the enemy getting closer and he began to get discouraged. Surely he thought he would be found soon. Meanwhile a spider began to build a web over the front of the cave he was hiding in. As the spider layered the strands, the soldier thought that he needed a brick wall, but God sent a spider! What a sense of humor God has, he brooded desperately!

The enemy soldiers searched each cave methodically, but when they came to the opening of his cave, they just moved on. He realized that the spider web covering the entrance made it appear as if no one had entered the cave in a long time. “Lord, forgive me,” repented the marine. “I had forgotten that in Your hands, a spider web can be stronger than a brick wall!”

We must never lose hope for nothing is impossible with God! In Romans 10:11, St. Paul writes that we will never be disappointed if we put our trust in the Lord. 

God Will Come Through

“Lord, if you wish, you can make me clean.” Matthew 8:2

Sometimes during great and terrible trials it can seem as if God is hiding His face, indifferent to our pain. The Gospel reading today is about a leper who approached Jesus, pleading, “If you do wish, you can make me clean." And Jesus moved with pity, touched him and said, “I do will it. Be made clean." Is Jesus not the same yesterday, today and forever? 

Yes He is! Today, just because it seems He is not answering my prayers quickly for healing my lungs, He is no different. I trust Him. I am also praying for an end to this pandemic, and for our economy to improve. I am praying for a long list of people who are sick, and people who need livelihood. It is taking too long, Lord! How are all these people coping? Some cannot even pay their rent or electric bills. 

We need to build up our faith all the time so that we can be strong when trials come. In 1855, some builders wanted to hang a suspension bridge over Niagara Falls but they could not figure out how to get the heavy cables across. Finally, Theodore G. Hulett said they would hold a kite flying competition. Whoever could send a kite across the 800 ft. wide river would win $5.00, a princely sum. 16-year-old Homan Walsh beat several other contenders. His kite string was tied across the gap, and was used as a pilot line to pull a stronger rope across from Canada. Several exchanges later, and a cable was finally brought across which became the foundation for the first ever suspension bridge. 

Our faith is like that, it starts out very weak and feeble. Over time, reading the Bible and feeding on God’s word daily, trusting Him, our faith gets built up. We know God will come through for us in His perfect time!

Fearfully and Wonderfully Made

 "I wonder what this child will turn out to be?" Luke 1:66

Today we celebrate the birth of St. John the Baptist. He was born amidst amazing circumstances. His parents Zechariah and Elizabeth were very old, and they had no children because Elizabeth was barren.  One day, Zechariah, a Jewish priest was on duty inside the sanctuary in the Temple, burning incense.  An angel appeared, and Zechariah was overwhelmed with fear. Who wouldn't be? But the angel told him not to be afraid. "God has heard your prayer, and your wife, Elizabeth will bear you a son!"  Angel Gabriel then proceeded to list the awesome qualities of his son, and instructed him to name him John. "He will be great in the sight of God."

"How can this be?" Zechariah asked incredulously, "We are both so old!"  The angel reprimanded him saying, "God was the one who instructed me to tell you this.  Since you did not believe, you won't be able to speak until the child is born."  True enough, Elizabeth became pregnant, and she gave birth to a baby boy. When Zechariah wrote that the baby was to be named John, he instantly began to speak. Everyone was so amazed and the news of what happened spread throughout the Judean hills.  

 When we were born, God knew us too. No angel came to announce our arrival, but He formed us just as "fearfully and wonderfully" as He formed John the Baptist. We too have a purpose in our life.  We were not just dumped on earth without rhyme or reason.  When we were born, I do believe all the angels and saints rejoiced in heaven.  If an angel came to deliver the news, the angel would have listed our awesome qualities too!  

 In Philemon 1:6, Paul prays that Philemon would recognize and acknowledge all the good things he has in Christ.  WE have so many good qualities! We just have to recognize them and bring them out.  Each one of us can be just as important as John the Baptist, if we obey God, and follow Jesus.  "Truly I tell you, among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet whoever is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he," Jesus tells the crowd in Matthew 11:11. We may not aspire to be greater than John the Baptist, but I think it would be exciting to work with God who wants to bring out the best in us, and use us. That is how we will find meaning and purpose in our life!  

Good Fruit

“Every good tree bears good fruit, and a rotten tree bears bad fruit.” Matthew 7:17

These days there’s a lot of temptation to judge people and even wish they get thrown into the fire for all eternity. We know a lot of our taxes gets waylaid into deep pockets of bribery and corruption, extortion and kick backs. The pandemic has driven news of drug killings out of social media but when you listen to the radio, it is still as rampant as ever. We get horrified by men in uniform who act like hoodlums. It is tempting to conclude these evil men will end up in hell, but we should not issue final judgments. “Whatever measure you use in judging others, it will be used to measure how you are judged.” (Matthew 7:3) We can however judge a tree by its fruit: “by their fruits, you will know them.” 

The first “tree” we should examine is ourself. What kind of fruit is on our branches? In Galatians 5:22, we can find a checklist of the fruit we must bear: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. When people get to know us, do they see these ‘fruits’ in us?

One time a supplier for our business found out I was a Christian, and he asked: “You were not a Christian last year when I came here, were you?” How painful for him to point out that I was unusually impatient that day! 

It is said that the Christian is the world’s Bible. We are ambassadors for Christ. We are His hands and feet here on earth. Lord, please enable us to exhibit the fruit of Your Holy Spirit. 

Narrow Gate

“Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the road broad that leads to destruction, and those who enter through it are many. How narrow the gate and constricted the road that leads to life. And those who find it are few.” Matthew 7:13-14

Many, many years ago, before Korea was divided into North and South, a theological professor from Yale visited a country church in a rural Korean village. He had an interpreter with him. But when he began by saying, “All thought is divided into two categories, the concrete and the abstract,” the interpreter made a quick decision. 

The small congregation was composed of barefoot schoolboys and toothless grandmothers all eager to hear what this man from far away had to say. The interpreter began his own sermon, “Dear friends,” he said, “I have come all the way from America to tell you about the Lord Jesus Christ.” From that point on, the sermon was firmly in the interpreter’s hands (Samuel Moffet, Christianity Today [11/14/94], p. 55).

I am sure the Koreans profited more from the simple sharing of the interpreter rather than if the interpreter used the high falutin’ words of the esteemed theology professor from Yale. God is not distant and Jesus used stories that his listeners would be very familiar with, shepherds and sheep, vineyards, masters and workers, etc. In the gospel of St. Matthew, Jesus speaks of a narrow gate and another gate which is wide. We should choose to go through the narrow gate, not the gate which leads to destruction. The meaning is fairly simple. Fewer people will choose the narrow gate which is the way of Jesus, the way of the humble, generous servant full of faith who seeks not his advantage but for others’ good. More people would rather live their life their own way, choosing worldly pleasures, putting their personal interests first, and relegating God on the side. 

Stop Judging

“Stop judging..." Matthew 7:1

God knows I find this very difficult to obey! I'm a person who has a tendency to look at other people's lives and think why in the world do they do the wrong thing repeatedly? They are just digging their own hole! At heart I am a busybody, though it pains me to admit it!!! When I see something that needs to be corrected, I will go and talk to the person if possible, even if he is a priest or someone with standing. And then I go to confession and repent for being judgmental and self-righteous!

The best way I know to combat this deplorable propensity of mine is to be always conscious that the person I am judging is someone God loves very much-- To see that person through God's eyes, with His compassion, His mercy, His understanding. The same way Jesus looked at the adulterous woman in John Chapter 8. Jesus did not go preaching to her about sin. He loved her. He saw the person she COULD be, and eventually became! 

There is so much pain in everyone's life, and I pray I will always be the one to offer encouragement instead of criticism. I hope I will remember to be the one to offer words of life, of healing, instead of throwing the first stone to destroy someone's self esteem, or confidence. 

God HATES the sins of the tongue. There is much in the Bible about this! But we should always speak good for our own future. 1 Peter 3:10 says, "Whoever wants to embrace life and see his days fill up with good,..say nothing evil or hurtful, cultivate good, run after peace..." (The Message) 

Yes, we reap what we sow!

Does It Matter to God?

"Doesn't it matter to you that we are going to drown?" Mark 4:38

A few years ago I read a news story that sent shivers down my spine. It was about a Filipina and an Australian man who would entice little girls with a good life, coerce them into doing awful things, torture them, and videotape all this to sell on the internet. These are the stories that make men into atheists. They ask the same question the disciples asked when they were on a boat with Jesus and a bad storm broke out. Apparently it was a really bad storm as these were experienced fishermen, as brawny as they come, and Jesus was asleep. "Teacher, doesn't it matter to you, don't you care that we are going to drown?" Jesus woke up, rebuked the wind, and spoke to the sea. "Be quiet! Be still!" Yes, God can make the wind, the sea, fire, volcanoes, earthquakes, tornadoes, explosive sun storms all obey Him, but He gave us, man, free will. He said He stands at the door and knocks! 

It boggles my mind that God would "sleep" while horrors are going on in the world, in my country, perhaps even in my neighborhood. But another mind boggling thing is God created man to have a relationship with Him. You can't have a genuine, intimate relationship with a robot. I can't have a kinship, a connection with my computer. That's why God gave man free will, the freedom to choose to have a close bond with Him or to reject Him. God gave man a choice to choose evil. 

But the whole Bible is a love story. It is His story of how God loved us even before we knew Him, even while we are sinners. It is a story of a God who is committed to us, who is willing to die for us. Yes, Jesus died for that awful woman and that pervert of a man who are now, thank God, in the hands of authorities. 

The devil tries to make bulwarks of evil all around the world. It's easier now with the internet that can spread lies, pornography, anger, discontent just with a click of a finger. But we should never make the mistake of thinking God does not care. He is busy too, making bulwarks where we can be protected, and where we can venture out to "save" others in the clutches of darkness. Those bulwarks are the communities, prayer groups, churches, and congregations preaching and teaching the authentic word of God. 

"And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of His return is drawing near." That is what is said in Hebrews 10:25. God knows we need to be encouraged and inspired, and we need to be taught to obey the written word of God. It is very important that we belong in one of God's bulwarks. Because it matters very much to God that we do not drown in the sea of evil. 

Look at the Birds

"Look at the birds in the sky; they do not sow or reap, they gather nothing into barns yet your heavenly Father feeds them." Matthew 6:26

There are millions and millions of things our heavenly Father does for us, provides for us, that we take for granted!

If He took care that we have a philtrum so that we could express ourselves with a wider range with our lips, what more did He think about for our good? Have we thought of how many joints and hinges are in our skeleton? How is it lubricated? There’s a jelly like substance produced at just the right amount at the right place it is needed! I call my husband and son my sweathearts. Their cooling system is so efficient, they perspire a lot when it is very hot. Our bodies have an automatic thermostat that keeps us at the right temperature. The human body is so wonderful and awesome. Just examine our brains, our eyes, our hands, our heart! No way is the design of our body not an expression of love by our Creator! 

Jesus is the limitless wellspring of all we need...fed by the river that flows from the very throne of God. (from the Word Among Us)

If we sit still and ponder all what God has done for our good, our hearts will well up in gratitude! 

Where Your Heart Is

“…store up treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor decay destroys, nor thieves break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be.” Matthew 6:20-21

Jesus told a man in the crowd in Matthew 12:15, 21, “One's life does not consist of possessions...Be rich in what matters to God." 

God placed eternity in our hearts. That is why sometimes we have a yearning for something more. We belong in heaven, and we are here to prepare to be citizens in heaven. The easiest way to learn is to go to the Master and read His words in the Bible. He tells us that we should not accumulate earthly riches because we can't take this with us where we are going. We should invest in treasures in heaven. We can exchange our pesos, dollars, euros, yens, not by going to the foreign exchange but by giving to God's work. Tithes, donations during calamities, having a birthday party in the prison, buying soap and books and cookies for orphans, helping widows, helping to build a home for the aged, etc. Heaven's treasures are PEOPLE! That's why Jesus paid the ultimate price for us- His very life!

It is not easy to stockpile heavenly treasures AT FIRST. Just as it was not easy for me to pray and read scripture for 5 minutes when I was young! It seemed as if 5 minutes was an eternity! But now an hour flies by so fast. It is the same with money. Give a little at first, partner with God, and He will train us if we tell Him that we want to invest in treasures in heaven!

We should try to listen to God's financial advice and try to put our money where there is no risk!

I Choose to Forgive

"If you forgive others their transgressions, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you do not forgive others, neither will your Father forgive your transgressions.” Matthew 6:14-15

In February 1993, the only son of Mary Johnson was fatally shot by 16 year old Oshea Israel. 20 year old Laramiun Byrd was shot in the head after an altercation at a party. Israel had been involved in drugs and gangs, and was tried as an adult. He served prison time for 17 years.

Mary Johnson was just consumed by hatred. She called it a "tsunami" of hatred. I think most of us would just plain understand this. I can't imagine not hating someone who shoots my only son!!! But Mary Johnson stayed in church and it would be 10 long years before she would be able to look at her heart and choose to forgive. Her Pastor asked her to teach a lesson on forgiveness and she heard Jesus say to her, "Mary, pray for him like you are praying for yourself." And she did. Then she heard, "Every time his name comes up, say, 'I choose to forgive." She repented and forgave him with a true forgiveness. She did not know that as she prayed for Oshea, he changed too.

She went to visit him, and they talked. To love your enemy means you have to feel their pain. You have to get to know their story. You have to understand their history. And the more Mary and Oshea talked, the more they got closer. When Oshea was released from prison, Mary threw him a homecoming party. Her friends were there to support him too. Today, they live next door to each other, and share a porch. They go around sharing about the power of forgiveness.

There are many stories about how people are able to rise above their "humanness" and become superhuman. Loving is the only super power that we need. It is creative. It is transforming. It is redemptive. It is freeing. It is healing.

Cheerful Giver

“…whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully…God loves a cheerful giver.” 2 Corinthians 9:6-7

Tithing is an Old Testament concept found in Leviticus 27:30; Numbers 18:26; Deuteronomy 14:24; 2 Chronicles 31:5, etc. The Jews were supposed to give 10% of their produce to the Lord. In the New Covenant, nowhere does it mention 10%, but Paul said in 2 Corinthians 9:7, that  man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 

To me, tithing or giving has a lot to do with partnering with the Lord in His work. It’s like investing some capital in the Lord’s business. Whether we give or not, His Kingdom will grow, just like the tiny mustard seed would grow into a tree in Matthew 13. We would like to be a part of that for surely there is much gain involved, eternal profit!

If we happened to invest $10,000 on Apple’s IPO back in Dec. 12, 1980, today our stock would be worth more than $7 million dollars. In God’s “stock exchange”, it’s a very different ballgame as God’s measuring stick is not the same as the world’s. If two people invest the same amount on God’s stock, the value in God’s eyes would be dependent on how much we had left in the bank!!!! 

In Luke 21, we see how Jesus thinks. He sees many rich people putting their offerings into the Temple treasury. But of all the people, some of them giving huge sums of money, He pointed out the poor widow putting in two copper coins. “I assure  you, this poor widow has put in more than all the rest. They make contributions out of their surplus, but she from her want has given what she could not afford- every penny she had to live on.” When the poor widow gets to heaven, she will find that the value of her stock generated dividends and a tremendous return of investment! Let us remember the words of Samuel in 1 Samuel 16:7: “The Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.” What does the Lord see in our heart? 

Lord, help me to sow bountifully and cheerfully. I want treasures in heaven! 

Love Your Enemies

“Love your enemies…” Matthew 5:43

Sometimes our enemies live with us. Think Cain and Abel, Luke Skywalker and his dad, or the countless stories of fathers and sons trying to kill each other because one is a Taliban warrior and the other in the militia. I remember back in college when I would tell my classmates that I was working in the family business. Some would then respond adamantly, "I'd never work for my parents!!! We would just quarrel every day!" Most of the time our enemies are those who are close to us. After all, how can anyone hurt us if we do not care about them? It is those we love who have the most power to wound us. 

How do we love our enemy, our mother, who deeply injures us when she compares us to others? Our enemy, our dearest closest friend, who told our secrets to someone else? Our enemy, our father, who abandoned us when we needed his protection? People always disappoint. That's what people do. People are made of clay, easily broken, in need of redemption. WE are made of clay, we disappoint. We usually cannot give what others expect of us, most of the time, or some of the time. 

What we need is God's love shining through our brokenness, our cracks. After all, we can only love because He first loved us (1 John 4:9). We cannot give what we do not have. To love our enemies, or our friends, or our family, we need to be confident in God who loves us immeasurably, forgives us unconditionally, and will walk with us till the end.