A Clean Heart

“Create in me a clean heart, O God.” Psalm 51:12

King David wrote this Psalm after realizing his sin against God. He lusted after Bathsheba, had her husband killed, then married her. In Psalm 51, David recognises his sin and his guilt before God. He asks forgiveness and asks to be cleansed. Then he promised to teach sinners the ways of God. 

There are many ways people realize their sin against God. One of the Youth for a Mission workers in the Middle East met an Isis fighter who converted to Christianity. This man had enjoyed violently killing many Christians already. Before murdering one man, his victim said, “I know you will kill me, but I give you my Bible.” He started reading the Bible and one night, he had a dream about a man dressed in white. “You are killing my people.” After that, his hard heart softened, and he began to feel guilty and sick to his stomach about the atrocities he committed. Jesus continued to appear to him. In one dream, Jesus invited him, “Follow me and be my disciple.” 

According to YWAM missionaries, many in the Arab world are quietly following Jesus. They watch services on TV and serve communion to each other. It can cost them their lives if they openly proclaim their allegiance to Christ! 

Jesus calls each of us to follow Him and be His disciple. It will not cost us our physical life if we say yes to Jesus, but it will definitely change the very essence and meaning of our existence!

Crazy Love

“But you were captivated by your own beauty, you used your renown to make yourself a harlot, and you lavished your harlotry on every passer-by, whose own you became.” Ezekiel 16:15

In Ezekiel chapter 16, God compares Jerusalem to an adulterous wife. It is very heartbreaking to read, that after God lavished her with love and care, and entered into a covenant with her, she prostituted herself and consorted with other men, and made idols that she dressed in the finery God gave. When I read it through, I realized this is how God feels for us, whom He claims as His own, and loves, when we do not return His love. 

Even if we are unfaithful, God is faithful. Even if God knew beforehand that we would be false-hearted and inconstant, He still rescues us and forgives us. In spite of our sins and unfaithfulness, God says to us, "Return to me, your sins have been your downfall. But only return and ask me to forgive your sins, and I will heal your waywardness and love you freely. I will turn away my wrath and be like dew to you. You will blossom and bear fruit." (Hosea 14:2-10)

Isn’t this what happens with God every time we fall short? Sin enslaves us and into this slave market, Jesus came to pay the full bid price for each of us. This is God saying He loves us, He loves us, He loves us!!! It's a crazy love, an unimaginable love! Imagine a billionaire saying he would exchange his magnificent mansion for your hovel, his unlimited bank account for your zero savings. The Great Exchange! And it has already been offered to us!

Jesus says to us, "I'll take your poverty and give you my riches. I'll take your sin and trade it for my righteousness. I came into your decaying world to give you eternity!"

By Your Cross and Resurrection

“Pass through the city, through Jerusalem, and mark a “Thau” on the foreheads of those who moan and groan over all the abominations that are practiced within it.” Ezekiel 9:4

What a very intriguing passage from the Old Testament! Obviously during this time Ezekiel was prophesying about, there was a lot of wickedness, specifically idolatry.  This mark on the forehead would mark those who were not worshipping other gods, as righteous and save them from destruction. What’s fascinating to me is that the prophecies of Ezekiel occurred from about 593–571 BCE. That mark is the Hebrew letter T (Tau or Thau or Tav) which at that time when the proto-Hebrew or paleo-Hebrew script was in use, was written as a cross!  

In his commentary on Ezekiel, Origen of Alexandria, interprets the meaning of the mark:

“The shape of the letter ‘Tau’ presented a resemblance to the figure of the Cross and that therein was contained a prophesy of the sign which is made by Christians upon their foreheads, for all the faithful make this sign in commencing any undertaking and especially at the beginning of prayer or of reading Holy Scripture. (Origen, 185—254 C.E., one of the most well known and influential Christian theologians) 

Even hundreds of years before Christ, God shows us through His prophet Ezekiel that the cross was a sign of salvation. How exciting! 

By Your cross and resurrection, Jesus, You have set us free!

Like a Little Child

And Jesus said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 18:3

Jesus told the disciples that we have to become like little children or we will not be able to enter heaven. What are the qualities of a child that Jesus wants us to have? 

The heart of a child is bold, unscathed, joyful, appreciative, confident. Yes, confident. 

A child brought up in a loving home knows without doubt that he is loved! NOT only by his family, but also by God. 

When my son Josh was a toddler, I asked him, "Why are you so cute?" and he answered within a heartbeat, “Because I am Jesus' friend!" 

How pleasing it would be to our Father if we could say, “I am blessed because I am your friend! I will look for ways to bless others because I am your friend! I will look up to You for guidance, I am teachable, I am humble, I am kind and forgiving

because I AM YOUR FRIEND!”

Yes, a child's heart is simple, not skeptical, not ironic. 

Pure unadulterated joy and gratitude!

Paying the Price

“Open its mouth and you will find a coin worth twice the temple tax. Give that to them for Me and for you.” Matthew 17:27

This story about Jesus and Peter does not appear anywhere else in the Bible, just in Matthew. When Jesus and His disciples reached Capernaum, the collectors of the temple tax approached Peter and asked, “Doesn’t your teacher pay the temple tax?” Peter quickly answered yes but I have a feeling he did not really know the answer, and just wanted to defend Jesus. The temple tax was collected from Jewish males over 20 years old, for the maintenance of the Temple. This started during the time of Moses when God told him to collect this tax in Exodus 30:13-16. 

When Peter went back to Jesus, Jesus already knew what was in Peter’s mind. He asked, “From whom do the kings of the earth take tolls or census tax? From their children or FOREIGNERS?” Peter answered, “Foreigners.” “So,” Jesus concluded, “the king’s children are exempt. But that we may not offend them, go to the sea, drop a hook, and take the first fish that comes up. Open its mouth and you will find a coin worth twice the temple tax. Give that to them for me and for you.” 

Jesus became man to pay the price for our redemption. Only He can pay the price because He is sinless. He can stand before His Father and pay for our transgressions. Today we, the king’s children, are NOT FOREIGNERS, and we are exempt from paying the price of our sin, eternal damnation, because Jesus paid for us on the cross.

Thank You Jesus for paying with Your body and blood so we may enter with You to our eternal home! 

Sow Bountifully

Today is the Feast day of St. Lawrence. This Saint was like the grain of wheat in the Gospel for today. “Unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat. But if it dies, it produces much fruit." (John 12:24)

Perhaps many would say, St. Lawrence lost his life in vain. But I believe the saints and the martyrs are like grains of wheat, seeds of faith planted in the soil of men and women whose hearts' desire is to follow God. St. Lawrence was not a meek man, he was a very interesting character! He was deacon of the Church under Pope Saint Sixtus II at the time Christianity was outlawed. When the Pope was executed, St. Lawrence was then the highest official of the Church. As such, he was tasked to bring the treasures of the Church to the Prefect of Rome, for the use of Emperor Valerian.

St. Lawrence sold the sacred vessels and gave the money to the poor. Then he gathered all the widows, the orphans, the maimed, the leprous, the sick and brought them to the Prefect. “Here are the treasures of the Church," he proclaimed.

The Prefect got furiously angry that he had St. Lawrence bound to a gridiron and ROASTED!!!! There is a legend going around that St. Lawrence quipped, "This side is done, turn me around!"

But what he really said was, “Sheltered under the name of Jesus Christ, I do not fear these pains, for they do not last long.” Tradition holds that after St. Lawrence’ death, many turned to Christ as a result of his faithfulness to God and love for the poor. Yes, truly he was a grain of wheat that died and bore much fruit. May we follow his example in the sacrifices we offer for God and for our brothers and sisters every day.

Show Me How

Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross and follow me.” Matthew 16:24

I like reading about saints. They were ordinary people who loved God extraordinarily. Because of their love for God, they were able to fear the Lord (which really means to be in awe of Him), love and serve Him. Today is the Feast Day of a Jewish woman who became a Discalced Carmelite nun. She was murdered in the gas chamber in Auschwitz-Birkenau along with her sister Rosa, who was also a Carmelite nun. 

St. Edith Stein, also known as St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, rejected her family’s Jewish piety and became an atheist at the age of 13. In 1917, a colleague, Professor Adolf Reinach, was killed in the war. When Edith met the late Professor’s wife Anna, she was deeply impressed with Anna’s strong Christian faith and convictions. “This was my first encounter with the Cross and the divine power it imparts…my unbelief collapsed.”

She started reading the autobiography of St. Teresa of Avila and became drawn to the Catholic faith. After finishing the book, she  declared, “This is the truth!” She was baptized on January 1, 1922. She was very intelligent and she continued studying and writing. She translated the writings of St. Thomas Aquinas into German. Soon she became a teacher and lecturer around Europe about the role of Catholic women. 

When it became difficult to teach because of Nazi restrictions, she entered the Carmelites as Sister Teresa Benedicta of the Cross. She devoted her life to holiness and self-offering even as the Nazis forced her to wear the Star of David over her habit. Survivors of the death camp testified she helped all others with her there with great love and compassion. 

St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross herself wrote, “I talked with the Savior and told Him that I knew that it was His cross that was now being placed on the Jewish people; that most of them did not understand this, but that those who did would have to take it up willingly in the name of all. I would do that. He should only show me how.”

Yes, Lord, show us how. Show us also how to be a “witness to God’s presence in a world where God is absent,” as Professor Jan Nota wrote of the Saint.

Who is Jesus?

I decided to make ATC Art Prompts for a morning of collage art with some friends. Alas! It’s not going to push through because of a bad cough! 😷 So sad! 

Another thing I’ve been doing is making a book with my little grandson who is crazy about Plants vs Zombies. He tells me what he wants to put in it, chooses colors, fonts, words, and moves stuff around using Procreate. 

He is only 4 years old and already knows how to use cut and paste, duplicate, how to choose colors and fonts, etc. Such a fun activity with my apo Elijah! 

“Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” Matthew 16:15

Many people insist that Jesus never claimed to be God, but He did. Jesus said, "I and the Father are one," and, "If you've seen me, you've seen the Father." He also said, “Before Abraham was, I AM.” When Moses encountered Yahweh in the burning bush in the 3rd chapter of Exodus, Moses asked what he was to answer the Israelites when they ask what God has sent him to them. We read in verse 14 this answer: And God said unto Moses, I AM That I AM: and He said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you. (KJV) 

The disciples may have been simple men, but they recognized the name, I AM. 

C.S. Lewis, who was once a professor at Cambridge University wrote: “I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him: ‘I’m ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don’t accept His claim to be God.’ That is the one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic — on a level with the man who says he is a poached egg — or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the son of God: or else a madman or something worse.” 

In other words, we were not given the choice by Jesus to say he was a good man, a great teacher or anything of that sort. He is either who He says He is, God, or He is crazy or a very evil man. 

Who is He to you? If He is a mad man or an evil person, we do not need to do anything more but resign him to the dust heap of history. But if He is God! If He is God, we have to go through the Bible with a fine tooth comb and find out all there is about Him that is important to our very existence, and to our life in the world to come!  And change the very fiber of our lives to live the way our Maker desires us to live! 

Hear our Prayer!

O woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish!” Matthew 15:28

The words we say to God are very important. In the Old Testament, the men who were sent to reconnoiter the land of Canaan came back with discouraging reports. They said the people in the land God promised them were fierce giants, too strong for them, for they felt like “grasshoppers”. The people grumbled and complained showing God they did not trust Him to give them what He promised. What did God do? He said they would never reach the land He promised them and they didn’t. 

In contrast, there was a Canaanite woman  who approached Jesus. We don’t know what she knew of God’s promises to His people but she knew enough of Jesus’ character to plead with Him for the life of her daughter. She asked Jesus to save her daughter from the torments of a demon. At first Jesus refused and said He came for the Jews, “the lost sheep of Israel”. “It is not right to take the food of the children and throw it to the dogs.” (I have it on good authority that the translation should be puppies, not dogs.)

She persisted, undeterred, “Please, Lord, even the puppies eat the scraps that fall from the table of their masters.” By her words, she showed Jesus she knew that there was more than enough power, kindness, graciousness, faithfulness, generosity, in Jesus, to spare for her. By her words, she confessed trust that Jesus would do well by her. He could and would answer her need. 

When we have persistent faith in God, when we stand on His promises, and don’t grumble and complain, He will meet us where we are. Our words to God are important. 

Listen to Him

"This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; LISTEN TO HIM." Matthew 17:5c

In a letter he wrote shortly before his death, Saint Peter reminisces about when he Himself witnessed the transfiguration of Jesus. He writes that, “we were not making up clever stories when we told you about the power of our Lord Jesus Christ. We have seen His majestic splendor with our own eyes. And He received honor and glory from God the Father when God’s glorious, majestic voice called down from heaven, ‘This is my beloved Son. I am fully pleased with Him.’ We ourselves heard the voice when we were there with Him on the holy mountain.” 

Saint Peter continues, “Because of that, we have even greater confidence in the message proclaimed by the prophets. Pay close attention to what they wrote, for their words are like a light shining in a dark place...” 

This awesome experience made an incredible impact on the lives of Peter, James and John.  They each saw a glimpse of the glory beyond the cross. It was INSIDER INFORMATION and Saint Peter is telling us that, “We were EYEWITNESSES of His majesty! WE OURSELVES HEARD this voice from heaven!!! You HAVE to be attentive to this message!"

How urgent can that be? The message was so compelling that Saint Peter wanted to spread the message far and wide until he was martyred in Rome in the year 64 AD. Saint Peter said “Pay attention to what the prophets wrote.” Why? Saint Augustine said, “The New Testament lies hidden in the Old and the Old Testament is unveiled in the New.” There is so much INSIDER INFORMATION not only in the New Testament, but also in the Old. 

Are we searching for it? Are we paying attention? Are we listening? 

Impossible Math

“We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish,” they answered. Matthew 14:17

This gospel story reminds me of an interview of Dallas Jenkins, the director of the multi-season series “The Chosen”. In 2017, Dallas made a film “The Resurrection of Gavin Stone”. It bombed. Dallas and his wife were devastated and at their lowest point. In prayer, his wife seemed to get two messages, the story of the multiplication of the loaves and fishes, and “I do impossible math”. They couldn’t figure out what it meant. 

That night, Dallas stayed up to write a ten page memo of what they did wrong and what they could have done instead. At 2 am, a message popped up on his screen: “Remember your job is not to feed the 5000 it’s only to provide the loaves of bread and fish.” The message shocked Dallas and he asked the sender why he sent it. “I don’t know. God just told me to send you that!” 

Dallas says his life can be divided by before that moment and after that moment because it was so pivotal for him. He realized it was not his job to produce the results, just to provide the bread! He then had the opportunity to direct a short film for his church after that called The Shepherd which was about the birth of Christ but told through the eyes of shepherds. 

After the success of The Shepherd, he and his partner Derral Eves used the film to raise money for the series, “The Chosen” through crowd funding. They were able to raise a total of more than $10 million from 19,000 people! It was enough to make the first season of the series. Dallas and his wife realized what God meant when He said, “I do impossible math.” 

God can do impossible math in our life as well if we give Him our loaves and fishes. What are our gifts and talents? What are the resources we have in our hands? Give it to God for Him to multiply! 

Wisdom and Mighty Deeds

“Where did this man get such wisdom and mighty deeds?” Matthew 13:54

Jesus visited his home town, Nazareth, after some time. The people who knew him were astonished when He taught in the synagogue. “Is he not the carpenter’s son?” they asked. “Where did he get such wisdom and mighty deeds?”

Jesus promised in John 14:12, “Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever believes in me shall also do the works that I do. And greater things than these shall he do, for I go to the Father.” I believe if we really believe this promise, we will be ever ready to pray for people and lay hands on them. Sometimes I forget, sometimes I am too shy to do this, sometimes I am afraid of rejection, and sometimes I am too tired. There are just so many concerns to pray for, it seems never ending! Really, I have to get over this and just keep praying over people and telling them of God’s love. 

In 1958, David Wilkerson was a young, skinny preacher. He read in Life magazine about the dangerous gang-infested ghettoes in New York. He was so bothered by it, that he left his pregnant wife to go into those dark places that even the police wouldn’t dare enter. 

There he encountered Nicky Cruz, the leader of the Mau Maus, a tough group of gangsters who enjoyed killing, drugs, alcohol and women. As Nicky tells it, the skinny preacher, was shaking when he entered the Mau Maus’ lair. David just kept repeating, “Jesus loves you, Nicky!” Nicky spat in David’s face and hit him, and  threatened to kill him, but David just kept at it, praying over Nicky, until Nicky and the other gang members cried like babies. 

Nicky Cruz’ life changed. He continues to tell his testimony around the world and how, “I will be in heaven with David because he was bold enough in the power of the Holy Spirit to tell a kid holding a switchblade in his face that Jesus loved me.” We can listen to his testimony and also watch the film, “The Cross and the Switchblade”, starring Pat Boone as Pastor Wilkerson on YouTube. 

Where did David Wilkerson get his wisdom, his boldness, and his mighty deeds? Nicky Cruz did not know it at the time, but previous to David’s visit, the preacher had been praying day and night for Nicky and his gang. David did not go alone. He was empowered by the Holy Spirit!

God is the Potter

 "Like CLAY in the hand of a POTTER, so are you in my HAND..." Jeremiah 18:6

In Ephesians 2:10 we read, “For we are His HANDIWORK, created in Christ Jesus for the good works prepared in advance..."

Not only does Jesus know what we go through, but because He knows, He is able to form us, mold us, prepare us for our mission. My friend Marion had a pottery making session and this is the precious gem she learned: 

"You can't do anything with the clay unless it is CENTERED. 

Only then can you make pots and wares. 

Otherwise, it is rendered useless and the potter cannot even make anything out of it! If not centered, it gets damaged and it sure wouldn't look much of a beauty!

For some of us, God needs extra time to mold us like the clay I did today, with so many ups and downs before it is ready to be created for something great. For some, it takes only awhile. But nonetheless, for all of us, until our lives are CENTERED on the Lord, we are all but useless shards 

and we count for nothing.

All of us are God's clay. He has made each one of us for His special purposes. Until we center our lives on Him, He cannot use us for His glory."

Psalm 139:14 states it well: “I praise you God for I am fearfully and wonderfully made!"

Thank you for being my Potter!

Fine Pearl

“The Kingdom of Heaven is like a merchant searching for fine pearls. When he finds a pearl of great price, he goes and sells all he has and buys it." Matthew 13:45-46.

Yes, the Kingdom of God is priceless. Even if we sell everything we have, we can't buy entrance into Heaven. But you know what? Jesus gave up all His glory and power to help us get into the presence of the Father, to be part of His family!

When we went on a boat cruise in Halong Bay, we took a tour to a pearl farm. The guide showed us that the pearls were hidden in ugly, mud encrusted shells. They had to dig into all that muck to find the pearl. 

We too were encased in sin and darkness when Jesus was willing to give His life to ransom us from that hopeless fate.

We are God's treasure, His pearl of great price, and He paid for us with the life of His Son! More often than not, we take Jesus' great sacrifice for granted. If we only realize HOW MUCH God loves us, it would change the way we think and overturn our lives!