For the Sake of the Ten

“For the sake of those ten, I will not destroy it.” Genesis 18:32

The story of Abraham bargaining with God about the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah is curiously revealing. God is about to destroy these cities filled with people doing wicked things. The Lord said, “The outcry from Sodom and Gomorrah has been multiplied, and their sin has become exceedingly grievous.” (Gen.18:20) Abraham asked, “Will You destroy the just with the impious? (Gen. 18:23)

There is so much evil in the world. Sex trafficking here in the Philippines is so unimaginable. My sister is a director in World Vision and after one of her meetings when they were given the big picture about this and many other problems the organization has to deal with, she got a headache. Pornography is rampant. Murder. Drug and alcohol addictions. Corruption. 

Are we like Abraham, that we continue to plead for our country? Are we like Abraham, that we try to live in righteousness, in God’s favor, so that God will save our country from destruction? Let us be the people who are called by His name, Christians. Let us be humble, pray, seek His face, and turn from our wicked ways, so that God will hear from heaven, forgive our sin, and heal our land. (2 Chronicles 7:14)

Who Do You Say That I Am?

“But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter said in reply, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Matthew 16:16

“Who do you say that I am?” Jesus asked Peter and Peter replied that He was the Christ, the Messiah. Would we be able to answer the same? And if Jesus asked, “And who are you?”, what would our answer be? 

If we have a personal, growing relationship with Jesus, we would be able to say, “You chose me among all to be Your beloved! To be the apple of Your eye!

Thank you for answering my prayers and for keeping Your promises to me!!!"

If we know who Jesus is, we should also know who we are in God’s world. Everything God did, from the beginning of creation, was so that He could have a close relationship with us. I marvel at His patience with man! What a mess we’ve made with our world, and yet He has not given up on us! 

“Who do you say that I am?” You are my redeemer, my friend, hope-giver, promise-keeper, enemy-slayer, healer, protector, fountain of truth, teacher, and Lord. Help me to  obey Your teachings always! 

Solid Ground

I decided to try drawing on shrink plastic and came up with this. 

Then my nieces and grandson wanted to play as well and came up with these-

So cute!

“Son, why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been looking for you with great anxiety.” Luke 2:48

I usually had no problem being obedient even if people would say my parents had some absurd rules. Like we always needed a chaperone when we went out with a guy.  Even when Peggy was a widow already, had a daughter and was back living with my parents, she needed a chaperone to go out with Charlie, who eventually became her husband. One time, my sisters did not want to go out with me, so I asked my dad to accompany me. I was invited by a neighbor to a rally of the preacher Greg Laurie, and I knew my dad listened to him. I didn’t really consider it a date, but my friend did not appreciate my chaperone. He asked when we went off to get some drinks, and left my dad guarding our seats, “Patsy, why did you do this to me?” I suppose I was quite heartless for I laughed in amusement. I got reminded of this when I read the gospel reading for today. 

What was in Jesus’ mind when He did not tell His parents where He was off to? Didn’t he know they would worry? Wouldn’t it have been a simple thing to just tell them he didn’t want to go home yet? I suppose He was just so focused on getting the truth out, so more and more people would have solid ground to stand on in terms of faith. We can surmise all we want, but we will never really know until we get to heaven and ask Jesus Himself. There are many questions we have about the Bible, and that is perfectly all right. We should not be afraid to ask questions about our faith, about Jesus and about the Bible. 

What is important is we get the fundamental basics right. For instance, some people refuse to believe that Jesus was a real person, even with all the proof, even when historians, Christian and non-Christian alike, agree that Jesus was a real person, He existed and He died on the cross.  There is more testimony for Jesus’ existence than Alexander the Great’s! A majority of scholars even agree that Jesus rose from the dead! Without the resurrection, there would be NO Christianity, it would fall like the Tower of Babel. So I listen to a lot of apologetics, the religious discipline of defending the the truth of the Christian faith through systematic argumentation and discourse. 

The talk of American historian and New Testament research scholar, Gary Habermas, entitled 'The Resurrection Evidence that Changed a Generation of Scholars', shows us the developments in historical scholarship which allow even a sceptic to conclude that Jesus rose from the dead.  I may not understand half of what he says, BUT I know that the resurrection of Jesus can bear scrutiny. My faith rests on solid ground. 

Lost Sheep

“Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep." Luke 15:6

In the 15th chapter of Luke, we have parables of the lost sheep, lost coin and a lost son. The sheep is wandering in the wilderness, in danger. The coin was misplaced, it's just in the home of a woman who searches high and low for it. The prodigal son actually chooses to be lost.

Whatever way we or someone we love is lost, Jesus shows us through these stories,  that even if we are lost in the wilderness, out of the church, or lost within the church, and even if we choose to rebel against God, He will turn on the lamp and search high and low for us. 

And like the father in the story of the prodigal son, He will wait for us longingly, eagerly. It's a crazy love God has for us. Even if others give up on us, God will not.  Even if we are filthy and heavy (with sin) like the sheep in the wilderness, Jesus will carry us. And every time, God celebrates when we come back to Himself!

Joy comes when we repent and turn back to God, our loving Father. “Every saint in Heaven knows that he or she was a lost sheep who has been found and brought home by Jesus the Good Shepherd. The joy in Heaven multiplies with the arrival of every new saint.” (The Anawim Way) 

Solid Rock

“Everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock.” Matthew 7: 24

I remember when we were building our house, my dad who is a civil engineer inspected the preliminary digging and pouring of the foundation. He said the foundation of our house was deep and he approved of it. My dad is very interested in how things are made. One time we were oohing and aaahing over the beauty of a merry go round, and he was looking at the screws and connections instead. 

In Japan, where my youngest sister lives, the contractors have to make sure all structures are as earthquake resistant as possible. Compared to other countries, the collapse ratio of buildings due to powerful earthquakes is rather low there. That is amazing considering Japan sustains over 2,000 earthquakes yearly. They have learned through the years and have made their Earthquake Resistance Standards even more stringent. 

How about us, have we learned that listening and reading God’s Word is so important? After all, He is the eternal rock we can and should build our life upon. I like this Christian hymn written by Pastor Edward Mote in 1834:

“My hope is built on nothing less 

Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness.

I dare not trust the sweetest frame,

but wholly lean on Jesus’ name.

On Christ the solid rock I stand,

all other ground is sinking sand.”

https://youtu.be/KK5T8BbdKvA?si=Nrae5jH5sirnLSg3

Fearfully and Wonderfully Made

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

John the Baptist 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!  

The Measure With Which We Measure

“Stop judging, that you may not be judged. For as you judge, so will you be judged and the measure with which you measure will be measured out to you.” Matthew 7:1-2

We have to realize that mankind, all of us, did something terrible to merit Jesus, God's son, dying on the cross for us. Sin is terrible, horrible to a Holy God. And that's why Jesus gave the gift of His life to each of us. We are all recipients of God's mercy and grace, not one is exempt. C.S. Lewis, when asked what made Christianity different from other religions, answered, "That's simple. Grace."

Victor Hugo's "Les Miserable" is a remarkably beautiful story about a man who made something of his life because he was the recipient of the unmerited favor of the Bishop of Digne. When the hero of the story, Jean Valjean, was released from prison on parole, he was given food to eat and a bed to sleep in by the good bishop. Valjean steals the silver and is arrested by the gendarmes and brought back to face the bishop. Jan Valjean was surprised when the Bishop says that he had given the silver to Valjean. “My friend, you left the best behind!" he exclaimed, and offered the massive silver candlesticks. These candlesticks were treasured by the Bishop because they were the last remnants of a formerly rich life, and presents from his great aunt.

In the musical, the Bishop sings to Valjean: 

"But remember this, my brother

See in this some higher plan

You must use this precious silver

To become an honest man

By the witness of the martyrs

By the Passion and the Blood

God has raised you out of darkness

I have bought your soul for God!"

Just as the Bishop recognizes that he was "bought" by God, ransomed to be reclaimed by God, we too should realize that Jesus' gifts of forgiveness, mercy and grace, should be passed on to others. Just as God gave us His Son as a free gift, we too should make our lives a gift to others. Let us not judge others with our critical eye, but see them through God’s loving eyes

Forever Promises

“This cup is the new covenant in my blood.” 1 Corinthians 11:25

There is a short book written by Messianic Jew Jamie Lash, which speaks about the “Cup of the Covenant”. It is very interesting that in the first century, when a young Jewish man was of marriageable age, his family would choose his wife for him. After a “bride price” was agreed upon by both families, the young man’s father would pour out a cup of wine and present it to his son. This “Cup of the Covenant” was part of the engagement ceremony. The son would turn to the young woman and offer her the wine cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which I offer to you.” He was in effect saying, “I love you, and I’ll give you my life. Will you marry me?” Then it will be the woman’s choice whether to accept him as her husband or not. 

In the same way, Jesus is offering the “Cup of the Covenant” to us, saying, “I love you and I give you My life.” He is actually, literally, proposing to us. Do we accept His love and His sacrifice? Do we give Him our life in response? Jesus is the only one who can promise forever!

Do Not Worry

“Look at the birds in the sky, they do not sow or reap, they gather nothing in the barns, yet your Heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not more important than they?" Matthew 6:26

“Do not worry," Jesus tells His disciples. I am reminded about Corrie Ten Boom's story.

When she was young and had witnessed a death of a baby, Corrie got very anxious that her father might die.

Her father got concerned and asked her, “When you and I go to Amsterdam--when do I give you your ticket?" She sniffed a few times before responding with, “Why, just before we get on the train". 

Her father then went on, “Exactly. And our wise Father in Heaven knows when we're going to need things, too. Don't run out ahead of Him, Corrie. When the time comes that some of us will have to die, you will look into your heart and find the strength you need--just in time".

When we do not worry, we show that we trust in God's promises, His provision, His love, His power and His providence.

Treasures in Heaven

Jesus said to his disciples: “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and decay destroy, and thieves break in and steal. But 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 6:19-21

One of the reasons people become staunch Christians is the witness of the saints and martyrs who willingly gave their lives in defense of the gospel. See what St. Paul suffered through: 

“…far more imprisonments, far worse beatings, and numerous brushes with death. Five times at the hands of the Jews I received forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, I passed a night and a day on the deep; on frequent journeys, in dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from my own race, dangers from Gentiles, dangers in the city, dangers in the wilderness, dangers at sea, dangers among false brothers; in toil and hardship, through many sleepless nights, through hunger and thirst, through frequent fastings, through cold and exposure.” 2 Corinthians 11:23-27

Why would any sane person continue preaching Jesus’ new way if he did not decisively believe it? So many of Jesus’ followers, unknown and known, willingly gave their lives instead of denouncing Him. There’s St. Stephen, the first martyr of the Church, who was stoned WHILE the still unconverted Saul looked on in approval! Then there’s James, son of Zebedee, one of Christ’s first disciples who was executed by the sword on orders of Herod Agrippa. Simon Peter, one of the first leaders of the early Church and founder of the Church of Antioch and Rome, was crucified in Rome under Emperor Nero. And the list of martyrs goes on and on, Andrew, Thomas, Jude, Barnabas and Mark the Evangelist were all martyrs of the faith. 

They did not store up treasures here on earth, but accumulated treasures in heaven. We need not be martyrs to store up treasures in heaven. We just need our heart to be in the right place, with Jesus, for where our treasure is, there our heart will be also.

Abba

I did not write this as this is written in pencil on my Bible. I don't know from where I copied it, except for the last part:

The “Our Father” was a secret prayer. The first Christians were taught this only after years of learning and baptism.

“OUR Father in heaven…” shows necessity for us to be missionaries, with the goal that God would be known to all. By saying “ABBA Father” Jesus shows that prayer is a disposition of the heart, not just a matter of the right words. Thus the Lord’s prayer is based upon an intimate relationship with God. Similar to the 18 benedictions and the Kaddish of synagogue liturgy, to which He added addressing God as Father. This suggested a childlike trust, intimacy and readiness of access. (The Eighteen Benedictions are praises and petitions directed to God that ask for wisdom, forgiveness of sins, help in times of trouble and so on. The Kaddish asks that God’s name be hallowed and glorified throughout the world, and that God may soon establish his Kingdom in its fullness.)

“Hallowed be thy Name..” May Your Name be known on this earth. Reveal the holiness of Your Name so it may be respected and revered by all. Make known Your greatness, that all praise Your majesty!

“May Your Kingdom come…” Let it come now Father! Let Your will be done in our lives. Show us Your will. Give us the zeal to accomplish it here on earth, as it is in Heaven. Father, free us from selfishness, fear, worry, and sorrow, and let the joy of Your Kingdom come into our hearts.

“Give us this day our daily bread…” Father, the storehouses of heaven are Yours. Open them to us, and pour out upon us the treasures of Your wisdom, knowledge, courage, and patience, self-control and love. We hunger and thirst for you- feed us with the Bread of Life, Your Son, Jesus. Fill us with His presence and power, His healing and compassion. Nourish and sustain Your life in us today.

“Forgive us our trespasses…” Forgive us our unbelief, our grumbling, and our fear. Cancel the debt we’ve amassed through our lack of discipline and restraint, and through our bitterness, resentment and disregard for others. Father, You make all things new: Make our hearts and minds new! Not just ours, but all on the face of the earth! Help us to forgive those who have hurt us as completely as we want You to forgive us.

‘Jesus gave us a prayer which in its simplicity contrasts sharply with many of the very fulsome formulations used in Jewish and Greco-Roman prayers of His day. Despite its brevity, Tertullan called the Lord’s Prayer “truly a summary of the whole Gospel”- the expression of our chief beliefs, as the first disciples had wanted. In it we ask, not only for all the things we can rightly desire, but also in the sequence that they should be desired.’ (Cathechism of the Catholic Church, n 2763, citing Thomas Aquinas)

Sow Bountifully

"Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully…God loves a cheerful giver. Moreover, God is able to make every grace abundant for you, so that in all things, always having all you need, you may have an abundance for every good work.” 2 Corinthians 9:6-8

I am sure most people would like to reap bountifully! What is the secret to reaping bountifully? Being GENEROUS!!!

God's economy is soooo different from the world's economy. His ways are the total opposite, I'd say! It's not just about money, it's also about time! We have to be generous with whatever we have- even our words! ESPECIALLY with those who cannot pay us back!

How can I start today, to plant seeds of love in the hearts of those I meet? May I be sensitive to the needs of others, and not withhold my time, my money, my prayers, my encouragement and praise, my service, my home....

Practice makes perfect and sometimes God puts us in situations where He stretches our heart. May He find us willing and able to partner with Him in calling us love as He loves.

We are Clay

“But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” Matthew 5:44

Sometimes our enemies live with us or are our relatives or friends. Think Cain and Abel, Luke Skywalker and his dad, or the countless stories of fathers abusing their wives and children. I remember back in college when I would tell my classmates that I was working in the family business, some would comment 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 capacity to wound us. 

How do we love our enemy, our mother, who deeply injures us when she compares us to our siblings? Our enemy, our dearest closest friend, who told our secrets to someone else? Our enemy, our brother, who abandoned us when we needed his protection? Our enemy, our uncle who kept the money given to him for safekeeping for himself? 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.

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, we need to be confident in God who loves us immeasurably, forgives us unconditionally, and will walk with us till the end. 

Strive Like Good Gardeners!

Today is Fathers Day and I want to greet the fathers in my family a wonderful day!

“What is man that you should be mindful of him, or the son of man that you should care for him?” Psalm 8:5

In the book “The Insanity of God: A True Story of Faith Resurrected”, Nik Ripken shares a lot of horror stories about the time he was in Somalia helping distribute food in a war torn country. One time his Somali chief of staff and right hand man, Omar Aziz, came into his office weeping. When he had calmed down enough to speak, he recounted that he was walking down a street when he noticed a malnourished woman sitting against a tree nursing a baby. He greeted her and she smiled back. When he returned the same way after finishing his errand, the woman and her baby were still there. This time the baby was squirming and whimpering, but the woman was not moving. In the brief time since he had passed, the young mother had died. 

He took the child, and was able to find some people who gave the woman a proper burial. It took him some time before he found a nursing mother whose child had just died to take care of the baby. But the experience was just too much for this man who had seen so much heartache already. “My poor country! What is going to become of us?”

So much death. So much pain. So much hunger. But the reality is, in God’s eyes, death is not a thing to be feared. A murderer, a virus, can only kill the body. It does not kill the forever part of us, our soul. That is why it is important to tend our souls. God is our partner in taking care of our souls. As St. Teresa of Avila wrote in the book about her life, “Beginners must realize that in order to give delight to the Lord they are starting to cultivate a garden on very barren soil, full of abominable weeds. His Majesty pulls up the weeds and plants good seed. Now let us keep in mind that all of this is already done by the time a soul is determined to practice prayer and has begun to make use of it. And with the help of God we must strive like good gardeners to get these plants to grow and take pains to water them so that they don’t wither but come to bud and flower and give forth a most pleasant fragrance to provide refreshment for this Lord of ours. Then He will often come to take delight in this garden and find His joy among these virtues.”

A New Creation

“…whoever is in Christ is a new creation: the old things have passed away; behold, new things have come.” 2 Corinthians 5:17

Whoever we are, a drug addict, a murderer, a woman who had an abortion, a criminal fleeing from justice, we can pray “Show me Your ways, Lord, teach me Your paths. Guide me in Your truth and teach me, for You are God my Savior.” (Psalm 25:4-5) We can depend on a loving God to move in our life. Verse 3 of the same Psalm reads: “No one who hopes in You will ever be put to shame.”

One of my favorite conversion stories that I never get tired of hearing or reading about is that of Brian Welch, better known as “Head”. He was the lead guitarist of the heavy metal band named KoRn that he formed with other guys in 1993. They became super successful with multi-platinum albums, several Grammys, and million dollar deals. He didn’t feel successful though. Instead he felt like the biggest loser because he was struggling with addictions to alcohol and Meth and Xanax. But what he was most afraid of was ruining the life of his perfect “Shirley Temple” daughter with the way he was screwing up his life. 

One day he found himself in church listening to a pastor in jeans. “Christ just wants to live inside of you. God is real. Speak with Him. All the bad stuff will fall away." It was exactly what Brian needed to hear. He got a Bible and started reading while he was high. He pleaded with God to help him, to free him from the pain, the addictions. "Please take these drugs from me!" He had been reading the Bible for a week, when he heard, "I love you." It was so real, it took over the high of the drugs. God convicted him of his sin and in 2 weeks, his addiction to drugs and alcohol was gone.

His band was just about to sign a 23 million dollar contract. Only his signature was needed when he walked out to pray. When he opened his Bible, he read, “Leave everything and follow me.” He told his band he wasn’t going to sign and walked out. That was 2005, and he left the band in obedience to God who was going to take him on a new road.

In 2013, he rejoined KoRn after God called him back. But this time, instead of getting high after a successful concert, Brian goes back stage to speak to people about God's love and forgiveness. He is able to reach people who would almost never listen to preachers and priests. He said in one of his interviews that he was put here on earth to have fellowship with God, to get to know Him. And that's what He strives to do every day. His Facebook page is filled with heavy metal lingo, but there are posts about ex-strippers telling their stories, and comments from fans like, "You guys have been one of the most important bands in my life for the last 20 years. And I shared a hard fought battle to Christ through my college years."

Yes indeed, Brian "Head" Welch, with his numerous tattoos, even one on his knuckles that reads "Jesus", is a new creation! He is an ambassador for Christ where he is. When Brian asked God for help, God showed him the way.