Word for Today

He said...

2012-02-15T10:22:00.000-05:00

Matthew 12:36-37

"But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”

Last Sunday, Pastor Sung reminded us about the importance of what you say. For even God did not think the world into being, but rather, He spoke it into being. (Gen 1:3). He spoke it into being… hmmm….

We may think that we don't the power to create an entire world through our speech, but we are made in the image of God, and our speech does in fact create worlds that we had no intention of ever creating. How does this happen? Our words are idle. What are idle words? If you look up idle in any thesaurus, the words "lazy", "inactive", "slack", "unemployed", "empty", "vain", "ineffective", "inoperative", and "groundless" are just a few words used to describe it. I am always amazed at how many times my husband and I will get into an argument about something he said or something I said. But when we examine the situation further, it is usually over something that we had never said to each other directly, but to other people; be it though our conversations, or by overhearing. Those are the times when the truth usually comes out, and where feelings truly get hurt. For Jesus said: "For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things". (Matt 12:34-35)

How is your speech? One way to find out is to examine your world. If it is filled with encouraging friends, a loving family, a wonderful church, and a powerful God, then your speech has served you well. If not, then I would examine the source… and don't be surprised when the trail leads back to your own idle words.

But do not dismay. There is hope! We can create that day of rest too. The Lord does not do anything for nothing. And if we have a clue, may we learn to create that day of rest today through our speech. We can choose to grumble that it is but the middle of the week, and face each day with an attitude of suffering as the Israelites did in the dessert, or as a wise friend recently shared with me, we can change our day and our destiny by simply saying: "This is the day which the LORD has made; Let us rejoice and be glad in it". (Psalm 118:24).

The difference is comparing what we say to what He said… and when they do not line up, then we are not making good use of our words…"for He Himself has said, “I WILL NEVER DESERT YOU, NOR WILL I EVER FORSAKE YOU,” so that we confidently say, “THE LORD IS MY HELPER, I WILL NOT BE AFRAID. WHAT WILL MAN DO TO ME?” (Heb 13:5-6)

This is not a secret. But it does take faith to believe this to be true for whatever situation you may be facing today. "For it is not an idle word for you; indeed it is your life.” (Deut 32:47) Your life. Your speech. Your world. All of these can change when you consider His life. His speech. His world (and His kingdom come). May we take the focus off of ourselves and redirect it to the Lord this day. May we quit pretending that He is not listening to what we say and put our words to good use. May it bring honour and glory to Him forever.

tam : )

Colossians 3:23

2012-02-13T12:06:00.001-05:00

And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men

He thinks Linsanity is a name that should be changed to something more team related. Just a few short weeks ago, every time he entered Madison Square Garden, he was asked if he was a trainer. Very few of us had ever heard of Jeremy Lin before Feb 4, the day he first played extended minutes for the New York Knicks. Today, less than 2 weeks later, his jersey is the number one selling jersey in the NBA. The Knicks' jerseys are the number one team jersey in the NBA. MSG stock has surged 12% since Feb 3. After market ticket prices are up almost 30%. Jeremy Lin is the first player in NBA history to record at least 20 points and 7 assists in each of his 4 starts. For his first 3 starts, he holds the NBA scoring record--he scored more in those 3 starts than any other player in history. Yes, that includes Jordan, Bird, Shaq, LeBron, Iverson, Kobe, Kareem and Big Country. He's exciting. And, like Tim Tebow a few weeks ago, he has crystallized a nation (or two). What makes him different? Its not just his skill. Its not just his colour. Nor is it just what he says. More than all of those, it is what he does and who he is both on and off the court. In his own words, "I'm not working hard and practicing day in and day out so that I can please other people. My audience is God." Knowing that, his decisions and his desires revolve around pleasing God, not man. That is just the priority we need in our lives too. And we see it here today in the NBA on an international stage played out by a 23 year old asian kid from California. Beautiful.

John

Promise ~ cuous

2012-02-08T10:03:00.000-05:00

Romans 9:25

"I will call …her beloved, that was not beloved."

For centuries, the story of the Prodigal Son was THE story that was used to remind us of how unloveable we truly are, and how truly loving the Lord is (Luke 15:11-32). However, there is another story that seems to be more relevant in today's day and age also describing just how much the Lord loves us. That story is the one found in today's verse, referencing Hosea 2:23 and describes the bad marriage between Hosea and Gomer.

In fact, the Lord was so emphatic about making a point that He tells Hosea, a prophet, in the very first chapter; “Go, take to yourself a wife of harlotry and have children of harlotry; for the land commits flagrant harlotry, forsaking the LORD.” (Hosea 1:2).

Why is it that a "bad marriage" is worse than having a "bad son"? Well, as we all know, a marriage is a promise. Also, the love used to describe a relationship is very different from the love you experience towards your parents. The kind of love that spurs a man to buy a woman flowers, or write silly poems or love songs is the kind of love that also causes him to be jealous, angry, hurt, and frustrated. Who can't relate?

However, the Lord promises us that even though we may fall short of His love, His mercies are new every morning. He still loves us. His faithfulness IS great. So no matter how many mistakes you have made, or how unloveable you may feel, may we heed the wise words of Hosea and understand the point that the Lord is trying to make this day: "Come, let us return to the LORD"….

“So let us know, let us press on to know the LORD.

His going forth is as certain as the dawn;

And He will come to us like the rain,

Like the spring rain watering the earth.”

(Hosea 6:1,3)

Lord, thank you for your promise to love us even though we are unfaithful. May we not take our promises lightly, or your love for granted; But may we turn to you always.

Following The Leader

2012-02-01T10:49:00.002-05:00

Psalm 23:3

"He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake".

After the Lord restores us, He always does one other thing: He leads. Restoration is not so that we can get back on our own two feet and keep doing what we were doing before (John 7:53-8:11). When the Lord restores us, it is so that when we do get up, we acknowledge that it is His strength that helps us to stand, His strength that restores our soul, His strength that will help us overcome our fears. Put simply, the Lord restores us so that we will follow Him and seek His righteousness alone. Who would know this better, than a shepherd, namely David. "I will go in the strength of the Lord GOD; I will make mention of Your righteousness, of Yours only" (Psalm 71:16). But even kings who were once shepherds make mistakes…. yet His forgiveness covers all our sin, making us white as snow.

If you are in need of restoration today, I pray that the Lord will restore you. But do not go back to your old ways. Just the other day the Lord led me to this verse from Ezekiel 46:9 where the children of Israel were instructed to exit the temple from the opposite gate from which they entered; It was the Lord underscoring the point that when the Lord restores us and fills us, He leads us in an opposite direction from whence we came. I think the problem is that we may overanalyze His truths, discount them as true convictions, or even pick and choose what we want to obey, thereby leaving the same way we came… our own way. We mull it over and choose not to get well (John 5:6). This is what the Lord says to those who want to listen…

"Then the LORD answered me and said, “Record the vision And inscribe it on tablets, That the one who reads it may run". (Habakkuk 2:2). So whether the Lord leads you into green pastures, or even through the valley of the shadow of death, may we fear no evil. For He is with us.

May you 'run' with this Truth today.

tam : )

Boundless Beauty

2012-01-25T11:02:00.000-05:00

Psalm 119:96

"To all perfection I see a limit; but your commands are boundless".

Last Sunday we sang one of my favorite worship songs originally written by King David, taken from Psalm 27:4:

"One thing I have desired of the LORD,

That will I seek:

That I may dwell in the house of the LORD

All the days of my life,

To behold the beauty of the LORD,

And to inquire in His temple."

What is that one thing that you seek? Do you bring your inquiries to the Lord?

Last week I had the chance to get to know one of the moms at my daughter's school, and it turns out that she is also a Christian. Somehow the topic of that one thing came up as we were talking about our children, and she had mentioned that she would like to have more wisdom. I have been finding the Lord urging me to pursue righteousness, and so I let these ideas hang in the recesses of my mind, pondering which is better: To seek wisdom, or righteousness? However, if you read Ecclesiastes, it doesn't take long for you to realize that even the wisest person who ever lived - who allowed himself every desire under the sun - was left wanting and unsatisfied, calling it all vanity. Also Paul, who had followed the Law ever since birth and loved righteousness, was also left wanting, confirming the words of Isaiah 64:6, that our righteous deeds are like a filthy rag… Hmmm… Thankfully, the Holy Spirit brought Matthew 6:33 to light:

"But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you".

So as I woke up this morning, I told the Lord that I was going to seek Him and Him only. And you know what? I found Him and all of my inquiries right where He said they would be - In His Word though Bagster/Lotz's "Daily Light":

"Christ Jesus… became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption”. (1 Cor 1:30).

Not only did the Lord answer my question about wisdom and righteousness, but He answered the question regarding sanctification and redemption with the name… Christ Jesus. For "by His doing you are in Christ Jesus" (1 Cor 1:30). The answer… Is Jesus.

Even before David had penned the words to that Psalm, God knew that the only thing that can satisfy the aching abyss of the human heart was His presence. So He gave us Himself. He gave us Jesus and the Holy Spirit - wisdom and righteousness now dwelling within us! So as much as you think that you are the one seeking the Lord, believe it or not, He is seeking you too. "Draw near to God, and He will draw near to You…" (James 4:8) So are we to seek wisdom? Yes. And are we to be holy since our bodies are the temple of Christ? Yes. But if you want to seek all of the above, simply seek Jesus. For His ways are not bound by anything besides Truth; and Truth does not bind us, but it sets us free!

May you meditate on and behold the beauty of the Lord in today's verse and know His commandments. For …"The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes"…"The unfolding of your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple". (Psalm 19:8; Psalm 119:130)

Beautiful.

tam : )

Blessed Pain & Suffering

2012-01-24T08:28:00.001-05:00

Dear Word For Today friends, I just pulled below from a post from my blog in case you have not been following. My wife was diagnosed with Stage IV lymphoma cancer 2 weeks ago. If you are inclined to pray for us please read updates and prayer requests at www.seeingjesusineverything.blospot.com. Thank you and Lord bless!

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It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting, for this is the end of all mankind, and the living will lay it to heart. -Ecclesiastes 7:2

We need to be constantly reminded that a season of mourning on earth does not compare to an eternity of joy in heaven, and see it as a blessing because God uses it to draw us ever nearer to Him. And in our brokenness and in His nearness, we can hear His voice and see His face in ways never heard or seen before (Acts 22:14). It is in this nadir that we come face to face with the profound brevity of this life, and we are forced to redirect our thoughts and our lives towards that which is of eternal value. God Himself.

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. -Romans 8:18

We are told that the life to come is so much greater than the here and now, that it is not even comparable. Conversely, a lifetime of plenty on earth is meaningless if you end up forfeiting your very soul.

What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? -Mark 8:36

As Randy Alcorn says, "You will never see a U-Haul on the back of a hearse."

My pastor friend Sung used to always say:

"If you know Jesus, this world is as close to hell as you will ever get, so rejoice; if you don't know Jesus, this world is as close to heaven as you will ever get, so suck it like a lemon and try to enjoy it for all it's worth."

Those are some sobering thoughts...

Coming into this I would not have wished cancer on my worst enemy. In just 2 short weeks I have witnessed the great pain and suffering it brings. But I am not God nor do I possess His eternal wisdom, and to be honest, I am beginning to see small glimpses of how He can transform man's greatest curse, into His greatest blessing and I am overwhelmed.

I can't say I have figure it all out but in two short weeks I have realized I can be thankful for cancer in this....
- Cancer has given me a renewed sense of God's presence in my life.
- Cancer has refocused my priorities to the things which matter (e.g. faith, family, friends, etc.)
- Cancer has forced me to my knees in daily dependence upon His grace and provision.
- Cancer has humbled me, and revealed that I control little to nothing in my life.
- Cancer has revealed within me a glimpse of Jesus by just tasting the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings.
- Cancer has given me a heart of love and compassion towards others (in a way I didn't think possible)
- Cancer has helped me to see that God is neither ignorant of our suffering, nor is He uncaring of our pain.
- Cancer has demonstrated the great love of Christ through the Body of Christ (the Church)
- Cancer has awakened me to the brevity of this life, and fostered a greater hope in the life to come.
- Cancer has helped me to appreciate each new day as an unequivocal gift from God.
- Cancer has not made me more bitter towards God, but more awed by His wonder.
- Cancer has helped me to see Jesus in everything....yes, even in cancer.

I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, -Philippians 3:10

So many of us (including me) have asked God for "the power of the resurrection" in our lives, but we want nothing to do with the "fellowship of sharing in his sufferings". We want to be lifted up, without being brought down. But that is not the Lord's design nor His order. Before there is a resurrection, there must first be a death (Gal 2:20). Before there is ultimate joy, there must be painful sorrow (Psalm 126:5). Before He can build up, He must first tear down (Hosea 6:1). Before we can lift our hands and be exalted, we must fall on our knees and be humbled. This is the glory of the gospel and the very pattern we see in the life of Jesus Christ. His first coming was defined by brokenness, sacrifice and humility. His second coming will be defined by victory, triumph and glory (Philippians 2:5-11).

But take heart and know that in the midst of your brokenness - He is nearer than He has ever been (Psalm 34:18). And don't fret if you are walking through the fire of an unspeakable trial. Trust His heart - when you cannot trace His hand (Rom 8:28-29). God loves you more than you can possibly know, and He is more powerful than you can possibly fathom. He is holding you in the palm of his hand (Isa 49:16) and He is setting in motion His unique purpose for your life. A perfectly designed plan which may bring sorrow for a season, but will produce joy for an eternity - if you place your faith in Him.

Awed by Grace,

Peter & Kim

Word for Today

2012-01-20T13:35:00.001-05:00

John 18:33-34

Therefore Pilate entered again into the Praetorium, and summoned Jesus and said to Him, “Are You the King of the Jews?” Jesus answered, “Are you saying this on your own initiative, or did others tell you about Me?”

Have you ever met someone for the first time after hearing a lot of things about them? When the things you hear are edifying and true it can get you to be more open and welcoming. But when the things you hear are gossip and slander it can automatically make you judgmental and closed minded. And in those times when the slander is taken out of context or just plain untrue, you can have a lot of regrets as to how you approached that relationship. What I've come to love about Jesus is that He sees all those things about me, ignores what Satan would say to condemn me, yet loves me all the same. To reach that understanding, I've had to start relying less on what other say about Jesus and start building my own relationship with Christ so that I can say on my own initiative - Jesus you are King!

-Albert

Perplexed?

2012-01-18T10:36:00.003-05:00

Job 1:21

"Blessed be the name of the LORD."

Has life got you completely baffled or puzzled? This week a dear friend in the faith, a true sister in Christ sent me the following verse from 2 Corinthians 4:8-11,16: "We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that his life may also be revealed in our mortal body… Therefore we do not lose heart".

What are you perplexed by? Your troubles? Your situation? Or by His grace.

Another dear friend reminded me of Job this week. And as I watched other dear friends in the faith worship and sing the song: "Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus" while in the hospital battling cancer, the words of Job in today's verse struck me. Not because I heard them before, but because as I get older, I am more and more aware of the hardships that life can bring. However, because of His faithfulness, the Lord was showing me this week that a tougher-than-nails faith - a faith that has been tried, tested, and true - will always results in worship. And not in a continual state of being perplexed.

"Keeping away from strife is an honor for a man, But any fool will quarrel." (Prov 20:3) Job had friends too. Friends that tried to reason with him and make sense of things that perplexed him. They obviously didn't help because they didn't have the right view of God.

So if you are perplexed, may it be to His glory. "For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal". (2 Cor 4:17-18) Although those nails must have been painful, they could not keep Jesus on that cross. They were temporary. And cannot compare to the eternal things that He is preparing for those that love Him.

Blessed be the name of the LORD.

tam : )

Exercise Your Faith

2012-01-11T10:07:00.007-05:00

1 Corinthians 2:5

"so that your faith would not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God.."

What is faith? For some reason, we "religious folk" tend to separate the idea of faith into the Christian and the non-Christian categories. For example, some believers have no idea how to grow our faith because we think of it as a supernatural thing that defies all logic or common sense. We think it dwells within the realm of the mystical, outer reaches of our understanding. Non-believers, think faith is bunk.

However, everyone exercises faith in something from the moment we're born. We breathe air for the first time, we learn to ride a bike, we plug in our electronics, we buy wireless computers and printers, and how do we know these things will work? Because we have seen others do it. We read recent updates and we search forums and opinions from the experience of others.

Over the holidays we took the kids skiing. I am by no means an expert, but still a beginner at the sport. So are my daughters. As I was leading them down the hills, I was, for some reason, gripped with fear many times. Even though I had gone down the same hills before, a gazillion other factors came into my mind to make me doubt that I could do it again… "what if we tumble over that cliff"… "what if we hit that tree?" "what if someone falls into us?"… crazy thoughts… And eventually, I did fall. However, I noticed that my daughter Taylor, who is fearless and was following me at the time, started looking fearful too. I realized that my fear was so great that it was starting to affect her. When I shared my fears with my husband, he made me laugh, because he noted that at the rate that I was going down the hills, I couldn't hurt myself even if I tried. Touche.

You know the saying; "it's hard to teach an old dog new tricks?" Well I think it's because we become afraid. We learn to lean on our own understanding and experiences, and our faith dwindles…. not only in God, but in others, in things, in circumstances, which leads to chronic grumpiness and a joyless life.

I know the Lord wants all of us to experience the riches of His wisdom (Prov 22:4), His joy in our hearts (Ps 119:11), and the peace which surpasses all understanding (Philippians 4:7) everyday! But faith is not a feeling. Rather, it is a doing. A living. A moment-by-moment, step-by-step daily abiding. True joy and true faith comes when we take those steps towards Jesus and in the work that He did. All we have to do is know who we are following… conventional wisdom, or the wisdom found in Christ Jesus, who is our example.

May our faith rest in God and His limitless power, and not in the limited and narrow wisdom of men. May we exercise our faith and share the wonders of His goodness and faithfulness with others. May He stretch and strengthen you this day.

Lord bless,

tam : )

Resolve to Surrender

2012-01-04T09:12:00.002-05:00

Galatians 2:20
"I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me."

Every new year, millions of people write down their New Years Resolutions and try to make commitments towards better health, time management, and balance. It is no coincidence that fitness centres have their highest turnouts in the new year, and people also become tighter with their wallets once January rolls around. Resolutions are funny…. We make them, we do them, we try to keep them…. Trying to make and do and keep juggling all of these new resolutions while life keeps moving forward is not easy. In fact, many of them are short-lived, and some may make you feel like an utter failure.

Every year I have made resolutions as well; and every year, I have experienced defeat. This year, however, the Lord was showing me that there is a difference between making a commitment and trying to keep it, as opposed to simply surrendering to Jesus, everyday. For when we surrender, we have the power of Christ working in us and through us. When we make resolutions with ourselves, however, we tend to do things in our own strength and in our own power. We dim the light of Jesus inside of us because we forget that He is our strength, which leads to discouragement, tiredness, and feelings of being overly-commited. We should definitely honour our commitments, but this new year, may we take today's verse to heart; because the Lord wants to replace our own resolutions with faith, trust, and obedience in Him. He wants us to surrender. All.

What are you unwilling to crucify? The only way you can gain new life is by losing it. (Matt 16:25) I wonder if the time spent praying that the Lord give us more power, more strength, more patience, more of everything could be better served by us simply surrendering to do His will and not our own.

So this year I have made no new resolutions. But one thing I do…. I have resolved to surrender to Jesus every day. May Christ richly dwell within you this year (Col 3:16), and may you lead others to the saving grace of the wondrous cross.

Happy New Year!
tam : )

Heaven and Nature Sing

2011-12-21T10:54:00.000-05:00

Isaiah 44:23

"Sing for joy, O heavens, for the LORD has done this; shout aloud, O earth beneath. Burst into song, you mountains, you forests and all your trees, for the Lord has redeemed Jacob, He displays His glory in Israel".

One thing we love to do as a family in preparation of the holidays is to decorate our Christmas tree. As the days get darker in the winter, it is so nice to see Christmas trees light up the night sky and neighbourhoods.

We know the focus is not the tree, or the lights and decorations, or the gifts under them either, for that matter. But to me, our tree represents redemption, which can only be found through Christ our Saviour... "you shall name Him Jesus" (Luke 1:31)(Is 9:6). He was born into this world because He loves sinners; And we are all sinners because of another tree that was in a beautiful garden, that probably proclaimed the glory of God in every inch of lush greenery and vegetation it occupied. God was in that garden too. He created it. And He left it to be born in a stable; Into an imperfect world governed by darkness, yet held together by His loving hands. Because we had a choice.

"Yours is the day, Yours also is the night;

You have prepared the light and the sun.

You have established all the boundaries of the earth;

You have made summer and winter". (Psalm 74:16-17)

Heaven and nature sing because they know God. They praise Him because He is their creator. How about you? One day there will be no seasons or night, but everything will be perfect. The earth will be renewed, there will be nor more sickness, and no more tears. We will dine with the King in His palace. We will be home. If I were a tree, or a mountain, or even a grain of sand in the dessert, that would give me something to shout about and look forward to. May we repeat the sounding joy not only during the Christmas season, but everyday because He is here. The choice is up to you.

O Praise Him,

tam : )

Word for Today

2011-12-16T17:31:00.004-05:00

^{Genesis 32:24-25}

²⁴ Then Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him until daybreak. ²⁵ When he saw that he had not prevailed against him, he touched the socket of his thigh; so the socket of Jacob’s thigh was dislocated while he wrestled with him.

I used to think how noble and courageous it was for Jacob to wrestle with God. As I've come to learn more about what submission is, my view changed to thinking how futile it is to wrestle with God. We can't wrestle with God and if we do, we can only hurt ourselves. Now as I'm learning more about God's love and His desire for us I've come to understand that we wrestle with the wrong things. We need to wrestle in favour of God and not against Him. When we understand that it is the world that we must wrestle with and we have Christ in us we can empower ourselves with His strength and know that we can have His victory.

-Albert

He is our Hope

2011-12-14T11:01:00.002-05:00

Psalm 33:22

"Let Your lovingkindness, O LORD, be upon us, According as we have hoped in You."

What are you hoping for this Christmas? Is it the latest gadget, a new car, or like my girls keep requesting, a puppy? As I volunteered in Taylor's classroom this week, I asked her new kindergarten teacher what she was looking forward to this Christmas. Her response was so sad... She told me she hated Christmas, adding hesitantly, that it wasn't the season she hated, because she likes going to church and all, but that Christmas is meant to be shared with family and the ones you love. At Christmas, her daughter goes to spend time with her dad. Every year. Every Christmas. So she spends Christmas alone.

Christmas is not only a festive holiday, but can also be a very sad one for many hurting people out there. The Lord was showing me like an open wound, the sadness that is all around when we hope in things other than the Lord. I know it is a time where we celebrate Christ's birth, but I pray that it also be a time when we see others the way Christ would see them... How He sees us. He loved us so much that He would come down from Heaven to be with us. His name is Immanuel... "which translated means, “GOD WITH US.” (Matthew 1:23). He is with us even today, because of HIS lovingkindness. May we hope in Him and Him alone this Christmas and always, knowing that He is preparing a place for us to be with Him in eternity.

"And now, Lord, for what do I wait? My hope is in You." (Psalm 39:7)

tam : )

The Three Gifts

2011-12-13T10:26:00.001-05:00

"...then opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold, frankincense and myrrh." -Matthew 2:11

The other day I asked my kids to name the three gifts the wise men presented to Jesus. Their response? "Gold, frankenstein, and murder."

Pray for us.

If you've grown up in the church then I'm sure the answer came easier for you: gold, frankincense and myrrh. But were these random gifts chosen at a roadside thrift shop during their long journey or is there greater significance to them?

Gold was (and still is) a precious metal that represented his royalty and deity. This acknowledged the baby Jesus as the king of kings.

Frankincense, as the name implies, was an incense used in the temple offered by the priest for the sins of the people. This acknowledged he would be the mediator between God and man - the great high priest. (Heb 4:14-16)

Myrrh was the strangest of all. It was an ointment used to embalm the dead. Why offer this to a child? It prophesied of his coming death - a perfect sacrifice for the world. (Exodus 30:22-33, Jn 19:39)

In these gifts we see a prophetic picture of Jesus' three offices: prophet, priest and king. Strangely, in Revelation 5, when we are ushered into the future throne room of heaven the Lamb of God is presented with gold and incense (Rev 5:8), but myrrh is conspicuously absent. It's absence tells us that his death has already been fulfilled (Rom 6:10) as prophesied and we can rest in this accomplished work.

This Christmas, don't just remember it as a season of gifts - but remember the meaning of the gifts and ascribe worship to the only One who is worthy of all our gifts.

Merry Christmas!

Peter

Word for Today

2011-12-09T11:31:00.000-05:00

Romans 12:9

Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil; cling to what is good.

It's easy to love conditionally. When people respond positively to your love and kindness, it is easy to keep that type of zeal and flame going. Loving unconditionally, even when people respond negatively and reject you is more difficult and sometimes impossible. This is the love that Christ has for us. Yet when rejected, He continues to love. The other side of this is that He loves us too much to allow us to destroy ourselves. Sometimes, loving someone also means correcting them if they are headed in the wrong direction. We shouldn't confuse love with compromise. To 'cling' to what is good is to have the understanding of what the Lord wants but also to have the zeal to put it into action in yourself and in those you love.

-Albert

Unity = U and I Need To Yield

2011-12-07T11:19:00.000-05:00

Psalm 133:1

"Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!"

One of the schemes of the devil is to always try and keep us apart. Christmas is a time where we celebrate and honour the birth of Christ; "For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given...and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace." (Isaiah 9:6)

Last night my in-laws dropped by and shared how they have been praying for us every morning. They mentioned the usual; good health, growth, protection, but they also mentioned that they hoped our girls would be Godly peacemakers. I thought about that all night, and it somewhat concerned me; because peacemakers often find themselves in sticky situations, facing unpleasant people, and they have to deal with those who are unrepentant in their hearts. This really convicted me because I kept telling myself that it is not our job to "fix" people, and that it is the work of the Holy Spirit in their lives, but the Lord is constantly looking for those who are wiling to stand in the gaps. To be peacemakers. For "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God." (Matt 5:9).

This Christmas a child was born. The son of God, and Prince of Peace. As we gather with family, and friends, and neighbours, and as a church, may we yield to whatever it is the Spirit is telling us, and not try to "fix" people, but dwell together with them, in unity.

"and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed." (1 Peter 2:24)

tam : )

Circle of Life

2011-12-06T11:08:00.003-05:00

And the LORD said to Moses in Midian, “Go back to Egypt, for all the men who were seeking your life are dead.” So Moses took his wife and his sons and had them ride a donkey, and went back to the land of Egypt. –Exodus 4:19

Have you ever noticed that the Bible always comes full circle in its grand story of redemption?

For example, the Bible opens with God’s creation of the heavens and the earth and a proclamation that “it was good” (Gen 1:31). However, after the fall of man, what was once “good” becomes marred and distorted by sin and from that point on demons, disease and death reign. But God sends His Son, Jesus, who demonstrates a divine power over demons, disease and death – a glimpse of the kingdom to come – and leaves with the promise of a new heaven and a new earth (Rev 21:1). Full circle.

After disobeying God and eating from the tree, Adam and Eve are expelled from the Garden of Eden and are forced to enter a wilderness cursed by thorns and thistles (Gen 3:23). When Jesus begins his ministry, he begins it in the wilderness (Lk 4:1), but we find its conspicuous end in…a garden. The Garden of Gethsemane. His life of perfect obedience ends with a curse on a tree (Deut 21:23) and a crown of thorns and thistles on his head. Full circle.

After 40 years in the desert, God calls the shepherd Moses to lead his people out of bondage from Pharaoh and commands him to go “back to Egypt – for all the men who are seeking your life are dead.” (Ex 4:19) Over 1,000 years later an angel of the Lord tells Joseph to leave Egypt and go back to Israel with his son, “for those who were trying to take the child’s life are dead” (Mt 2:20) One left Egypt to save his life. The other left Egypt to save our lives. Full circle.

This Christmas - remember the true "circle of life" and remember the child was born (man), but the son was given (God) (Isa 9:6).

Peter

Hope In Death

2011-11-30T10:55:00.000-05:00

1 Corinthians 15:19

"If we have hoped in Christ in this life only, we are of all men most to be pitied."

With Christmas just around the corner, we celebrate Christ's birth into this world. It is a good time for us to hope for better things in the new year, as we reflect on things past. But what Paul is talking about in today's verse is deeper. The disciples actually had the privilege of seeing and walking and talking to Jesus. Their expectations of Him were great. They expected to see great things and for Jesus to perform even more miracles, like overthrow the Roman empire - in their lifetime. While Jesus could have done all those things and more, He had a greater purpose - to prepare us for the life to come; which is eternal, enduring, forever. Ironically, Jesus' greatest triumph was not in any of His accomplishments, but in His death!

In the same way, we all need to die... Die to our desires, our flesh, our needs, our rights, our own agendas, and hope in Christ. The Lord's plans will come to pass. He will breathe new life into our hearts until it beats with His. So may we simply look to Him this day, and learn to follow... for there should be no fear or worry since we know that following Jesus will always lead to more of Him. And on earth, as it is in Heaven, that is the best place to be.

"Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere." (Psalm 84:8)

tam : )

You Will Be My Witnesses

2011-11-29T10:24:00.002-05:00

"...and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." -Acts 1:8b

Have you ever noticed that the first witnesses of Jesus' birth were shepherds and the first witnesses of Jesus' resurrection were women (Mt 28:8)?

This might not seem like a big deal to us today, but in first century Judea neither qualified as legal witnesses and therefore neither were permitted to testify in a court of law.

If, as some say, the Bible was simply written by humans pushing their own agenda, it would make absolutely no sense to use shepherds and women as the key witnesses to the two most important events in the entire book. If, however, the Bible is true than how awesome is it that God would choose the non-credible to relay the incredible?

What about you? Do you minimize how much God can use you as a witness? Look at who He used when it all started. Never underestimate the power of a witness used by God.

Peter

At All Times, Pray

2011-11-23T09:22:00.000-05:00

Luke 18:1

"Now He was telling them a parable to show that at all times they ought to pray and not to lose heart..."

One of the biggest mistakes we can make about Jesus is that He is un-relatable. We put Jesus up there, and ourselves down here. He is good... we are bad. He is God's son... we are like children of the corn. We should be on our knees because we are so worthless! This is exactly what Satan would like us to believe... at all times! However, Jesus goes on to share two stories in Luke to illustrate what we ought to be doing at all times so that we do not lose heart.

One story was about the persistent widow seeking legal protection from a judge (v.2-8), and the second story was a contrast of prayers between a Pharisee and a tax collector (v.9-14). The first story not only shows us when to pray, but how to pray - keep on asking, seeking, knocking. The second story reveals why - because we are all sinners in need of a righteous judge...

I love how it is noted afterwards that people were bringing "even their babies to Him so that He would touch them" (v.15). The disciples were trying to discourage the children from "bothering" Jesus, but Jesus responds in verse 16-17 by saying: “Permit the children to come to Me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it at all.”

May we learn from these stories and stop trying to analyze things in our "grown up" ways. For the only way to get into Heaven is through Jesus (John 14:6). The children, the tax collector, and the widow had it right. How about you?

May we learn to be still at the Master's feet, and at all times, pray. For "the nearness of God is my good." (Psalm 73:28)

In Jesus' name.

tam : )

Matthew 16:25

2011-11-21T02:05:00.004-05:00

For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.

In early 2006, Drew Brees was an injured free agent NFL quarterback on tour to various cities looking to secure the best deal for himself and his family. The new coach of the New Orleans Saints, Sean Payton, hoping to entice Brees to become a Saint, drove Brees around New Orleans, just months after Hurricane Katrina, to show him some of the nicer neighbourhoods in which he might live. After the tour of the wealthy areas, Payton made a wrong turn and found himself driving Brees and his wife through some of the devastation left in the wake of Katrina. The coach thought to himself, "Great. I've done it now. I may as well just drive Brees to Miami so they can sign him. We have no chance at him now". Brees was impacted differently than Payton thought and, while driving through the damaged area, he and his wife looked at each other and knew that they were brought to New Orleans to do more than just play football. That wrong turn helped cement Brees' decision to play in New Orleans, a decision that helped rebuild the Saints organization, Brees' damaged body and New Orleans' damaged city. So much came out of a wrong turn. Brees goes further in saying that he would have never been on that trip if he hadn't been injured the previous season. If he remained healthy, his former team would have kept him. Looking back, Brees says, he can see God's plan even in his injury. When the plan presented itself to him, it didn't look like much and it hurt. But much came out of it. Much will come out of the plans God has for you and for me too.

John
When The Saints Go Marching In

W

2011-11-18T09:36:00.001-05:00

Friday, November 18, 2011

John 10:38

"If I do not do the works of My Father, do not believe Me; but if I do them, though you do not believe Me, believe the works, so that you may know and understand that the Father is in Me, and I in the Father."

When the Lord sent 10 plagues on Egypt to show Pharaoh who the One true God is, Pharaoh’s heart was hardened. Even though he saw the same miracles that Moses saw, and that his own wise men and sorcerers saw, he still refused to believe. I have seen many miracles in my life. Our church has seen many miracles. We need to be careful not to come to a point in our lives when we no longer depend on the Lord. Pharaoh was the richest, most powerful man in the world and I’m sure that this influenced his perception on what a miracle is. Put away science, logic, and reason, and even the idea that it’s all ‘luck’ and start seeing those large and small miracles in your life and may it strengthen your faith that the Lord is in the Father and that He can be in you.

-Albert

The Faithfulness of God

2011-11-16T07:57:00.017-05:00

Romans 3:3

"What then? If some did not believe, their unbelief will not nullify the faithfulness of God, will it?"

These days it's hard not to watch the news and imagine the sound of a toilet flushing in the background. There is no question that the world is going down the drain when morals become relative and based on personal opinions rather than the Word of God.

Last night, however, I saw an episode of the show "Chopped" and two finalists competing for the $10,000 prize and bragging rights. They were both previous contestants that I had seen compete before, but one of the competitors continually talked about how this time he had changed, and that it was due to his new found faith. Where in the past he would do anything and everything to get to the top, this time he confessed that he was different [as I loosely quote:] "My faith is teaching me that it is not about the win, but about the journey, and this journey has been great."

Behind closed doors, tension was running high. Both of the finalists congratulated each other, and had the utmost respect for each other's accomplishments that day. When the winner was announced, the judges confessed that it was by "a molecule" that the winner was named. It was the man of faith. However, instead of celebrating right away, he paused for a while, and admitted that although he had done his best, he didn't expect to be named the winner. But rather, he graciously passed on his $10,000 prize to the woman and told her that she can now visit her grandmother, which is what she wanted to do with the prize money on both occasions I've seen her compete. The judges were all fighting back tears, and there was no question in my mind that that man was a man of God, a follower of Jesus Christ, who had been touched by grace. I imagine the prize he will receive in Heaven will be far greater than what $10,000 could ever buy. He restored my hope in humanity, and showed the reality of today's verse.

Despite the headlines, God is faithful and is still working in the hearts of men and women despite our lack of faith in humanity. Don't let the thoughts of this world weigh you down, but rather, may we look to Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith.

"A just balance and scales belong to the LORD; All the weights of the bag are His concern." (Proverbs 16:11)

For His glory,

tam : )

Passing on by...

2011-11-15T12:34:00.002-05:00

"A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side." - Luke 10:31

Unless you've been living in a hole, much of the western world has been in an uproar over the sex scandal at Penn State. With a nine year old son myself, it horrifies me to even think about it. Sadly, these types of stories emerge every day but what makes this one unique is that is more than just an old man with a twisted fetish, it's about integrity, leadership and standing for justice even at a great cost, and it grieves me that it seems some are more concerned about the legacy of a legendary coach, Joe Paterno, over the well-being of at least 8 children. What is wrong with our world?

That said, almost all of the comments I've seen from people on message boards go like this:
"It was his moral duty to protect young children from harm."
"There was a violent crime in progress against children and they refused to do anything to stop it."
"Why didn't anyone stand up as a voice for these voiceless children?"
"How could they just look the other way for years when they knew this was happening?"
"These defenseless children's lives are forever ruined!"

Not much more than a month ago the international community watched in shock and disgust when a video of a young Chinese toddler getting run over by a van went viral. The accident itself was horrifying but even more horrifying was watching the many people simply walk by or around as this child bled to death. Is this really different from what happened at Penn State?

In both cases there is righteous indignation - as there should be. But, in the midst of my anger against this injustice I have been forced to look into my own heart. What would I have done in that situation? All of this reminded me of a video ("180") I recently came across that shook me to my core. And, I'm really trying to reconcile how all of this is so different from abortion. Re-read the comments from above - it's eery how they correspond to both situations Is this really different from what happened at Penn State?

I've been forced to confront why I have never felt the same level of indignation and grief in my heart when so many defenseless children are eradicated by the thousands? Are their lives any less worthy? Am I no different from Joe Paterno when it comes to these children? I'm not advocating violence, I'm not pretending there are not hard questions, I'm just seeing the hypocrisy in my own heart for not really caring and I'm struggling with it. Am I really different from Penn State?

Peter

Made Perfect In One

2011-11-09T10:29:00.000-05:00

John 17:23

"that they may be made perfect in one."

In the book of Judges, and during the times before Israel had a king, the Lord would raise up "mighty men of valour" to deliver His people from their enemies. Yet, whenever that leader or deliverer would die, the people would almost immediately turn back to their wicked ways by worshipping other gods until another strong leader was raised up again.

In Judges 6, the angel of the Lord appears to Gideon, and Gideon asks Him a very important question: "if the LORD be with us, why then is all this befallen us? (Judges 6:13). The Lord answers by saying: "Surely I will be with thee, and thou shalt smite the Midianites as one man." (v.16) The Lord delivered Israel from their enemies that night. Not with ten thousand, or even with the 300 men that were there, but as the Lord pointed out, as one.

In Judges 7, when the 300 men go to attack the camp of the Midianites, they cried; "The sword of the LORD, and of Gideon." (v.20) Strength in God is not about what we do for Him. It is about what we do with Him. "That which man doth, unaided by divine strength, God can never own." - Charles Spurgeon.

Does God own you? If you've accepted the Lord's grace, then you are perfect. I've heard it said that "Justified" means "just as if I'd" never sinned. That is grace. That is what Jesus accomplished on the cross. No longer in the appearance of an angel administering mercy and judgement, but as a man, Jesus showed us divine forgiveness and grace; and in His weakness, He prayed this prayer for us...

"And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me. (John 17:22-23)

How great is His love for us! The Lord has delivered us, alright. He has always been on our side. The true question is are you on His? For He is still enlisting, recruiting, and calling on us to go with Him into battle... today! May we march to His tune and sing...

"When I am weak then am I strong,

Grace is my shield and Christ my song."

For His glory,

tam : )

Hallowed Be Thy Name

2011-11-02T06:48:00.000-04:00

Matthew 6:9

"Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name." (KJV)

Hallowed means to be holy, set apart, and free from sin - which Jesus proved while in the flesh here on earth. It struck me this week that Satan first tried to tempt man in Genesis 3 when he tempted Eve, and the other major time was in Matthew 4, when he tempted Jesus. And in both cases, the goal was for ultimate worship. The battle between good and evil has always been over worship. God's first commandment was "Thou shalt have no other gods before me." (Ex 20:3) Our God is not this effeminate, timid God that nods at adultery. He is a jealous God that commands an undivided heart and that we not take His name in vain.

So how do we hallow His name? We start by honouring Him in our thoughts. We stop listening to the fleeting thoughts that enter our mind (like Eve). Instead, we preach to ourselves (as Jesus did with Satan). We stay true to His Word. We reverence Him with fear.

I doubt Jesus was preaching to Satan - for he is definitely not the choir! I believe that in His humanity, in His frailty, the words He uttered as a response to Satan's attempts were for His own self-control. Jesus was preaching to Himself. What a blessed place to start. For, according to both accounts, what Satan doesn't want us to know is that what we preach to ourselves in private, or when no one is looking, is what matters the most. "For He must increase, but I must decrease." (John 3:30)

Jesus not only responded to Satan with the Word, but He knew there was only One God to whom all worship is due - and He dwells completed in the trinity: The Spirit, the Saviour, and our Father, which art in heaven.

May we hallow His name this day.

tam : )

- Here is a link that shows the many names of our God. May it bless you as it has me.

The Presence of the Poor

2011-10-26T08:50:00.000-04:00

Deuteronomy 15:11

"For the poor will never cease to be in the land; therefore I command you, saying, 'You shall freely open your hand to your brother, to your needy and poor in your land.'

This week I went to pick up some Halloween candy. When I looked in our cupboards, though, we still had some candy from last year's Halloween! This brought me back to when I was a kid and my sisters and I would count and ration out our candy from Halloween because that was the only candy we would get! Even though our family moved far away from our childhood neighbourhood it doesn't mean that the poor do not exist or that they live only in third world countries. If you really look, they are everywhere.

Last year, while on a trip to Florida, we were in this McDonald's having lunch, when my sister pointed out these two women who kept going to and from the washrooms. They were really good at hiding it, but apparently, one of them had found an empty drink cup in the trash, and was trying to get some free pop at the free refill drinking fountain without being noticed. There was another homeless man who apparently went there every day with the money he had received from strangers sipping a coffee. I wish I could have had the same compassion on them as I would have had seeing a child in a World Vision ad. Shame on me.

We need to see the world as the Lord sees it: As sheep without a shepherd; as lost, blind people, who are poor in spirit. There are opportunities everywhere to preach Christ without even using words. "For the poor will never cease to be in the land; therefore I command you..." I wonder how many of us take this command to heart. When people wonder why there are so many poor people in this world, perhaps the Lord will bring us back to this verse. May we be among those that freely give. For haven't we freely received?

And I'm not just talking about Halloween candy! I'm talking about looking beyond our own families or our own households and giving to others. For you can never out give God, and He will bless you. (Matthew 25:34 - 40)

May the Lord richly bless you as you are led by His Spirit this day.

tam : )

Reciprocal Grace

2011-10-25T10:03:00.001-04:00

"...forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive." -Col 3:13b

Has someone wronged you? Are you finding it difficult to talk to that person - let alone forgive them?

The greatest proof that you have been forgiven, is that you extend forgiveness to others. The greatest evidence that you have been shown immeasurable grace - is that you share grace with others. And there is no one on the face of the earth that has been forgiven and shown more grace than a follower of Jesus Christ. Rom 5:8 says "while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." He didn't wait until we made ourselves presentable or worthy - He demonstrated His love and forgiveness at our ugliest and worst.

Forgive the unforgivable. Show grace to the ungracious. God did no less for you.

Peter

Whistle While You Work

2011-10-19T09:47:00.000-04:00

Colossians 3:23-24

"Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve."

Disney princess stories have come a long way. Not only have the stories changed to adapt to our modern world, but the characters have also changed from their innocent, obedient hearts to ones with cunning and wit as well as scheming to get what they want. Cinderella has many modern sequels as does many other stories. One thing is for sure. All of the princesses are taken out of their "ideal" situations and put into the worst circumstances. The reality is, those "worst" circumstances represent most of life. Walt Disney himself said it best when he said:

"All the adversity I've had in my life, all my troubles and obstacles, have strengthened me... You may not realize it when it happens, but a kick in the teeth may be the best thing in the world for you." - Walt Disney

We see the world with so many different perspectives and life experiences. But for those who hope in the Lord, there is a happy ending. And it is not a story that we wrote, but it is entirely His. Jesus says it perfectly when He said:

"Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven." - (Matt 6:10)

We will all live in His kingdom one day (John 14:2), and He will give us the crown of life (James 1:12). But not in this life... In the life to come. Where we will live happily ever after.

So when we pray, may we not get confused by the rhyming words of a fairy tale, but as Jesus showed us, may we always say thy kingdom come and not my kingdom. Thy will be done and not my will be done in earth as it is in heaven.

Amen,

tam : )

The Greatness of Love

2011-10-18T10:09:00.002-04:00

"So now faith, hope and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love." -1 Corinthians 13:13

Faith. Hope. Love. We see this triumvirate appear often in the New Testament (e.g. Eph 4:2-5, Col 1:4-5, 1 Thess 1:3) and they appear to share equal standing but in 1 Cor 13 we find that LOVE > FAITH and HOPE. Have you ever wondered why?

Faith is what is needed for salvation (Eph 2:8-9) and without faith it is impossible to please God (Heb 11:6). Hope is our source of joy in troubles and gives us the strength to persevere (1 Thess 4:13). So why is love greater?

Faith will one day become unnecessary because we will see with our eyes that which we have believed in our hearts (1 Cor 13:12). Hope will soon be moot because every promise of God will be fulfilled to the last letter and will be an indisputable reality. Love? Well, love is unique because love endures....forever. And the One who is infinite and who is love will lavish His beloved with an infinite love for all of eternity. May the eternal love of God overwhelm you today.

Peter

Word for Today

2011-10-14T11:47:00.000-04:00

Proverbs 4:23

Watch over your heart with all diligence, For from it flow the springs of life.

Anatomically speaking, the heart serves one purpose and that is to pump blood throughout your body with life giving oxygen. Spiritually speaking, it has a similar function in that through the heart the Holy Spirit can be expressed to the body of Christ with life giving love. What is convicting to me is that Solomon asks us to watch over our heart with all diligence. Like a watchman or guard that oversees the fresh water springs that brings life to a city, he is careful that it is always pure, untainted, and always flowing. Our default reaction to anything that comes across our life, whether a situation or relationship, must be pure, untainted, and always flowing with the fruit of the Spirit - love.

-Albert

the Good News

2011-10-12T10:36:00.000-04:00

1 Timothy 2:5,6
"For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom for all, the testimony given at the proper time."

Recently, I have been called to jury duty and have been served the papers to mandatorily fill out and send back. A part of me is dreading it, and a part of me is curious. For the papers said it would be a criminal trial. So the first thing I did was call my next door neighbour who is a criminal prosecutor, to ask how I could fill out the form to NOT have to serve on the jury. She, on the other hand, was glad that I could be serving as I've heard her say that in her experience and opinion, 99% of the criminals brought to trial are usually guilty in the first place.

Guilty... The Bible says that "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." (Romans 3:23). For "men are opposed to God in their sin, and God is opposed to men in His holiness." - J.I. Packer. Therein lies the divine dilemma. Isaiah 53:5 says that "But the LORD was pleased To crush Him, putting Him to grief; If He would render Himself as a guilt offering..."
This is the Good News: He did it. Jesus took our place. Not only was He accused, but He took our place in the jury, as our defendant, our prosecutor, and our judge. The New testament is the fulfillment of what was foretold in the Old. Our sins have been reconciled with God through His only Son, who despite our sin, loved the whole world as John 3:16 points out.

"Who has believed our message? And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?" (Isaiah 53:1)
I'm not sure if Isaiah knew this at the time, but the Lord would extend His arm to the gentiles - the non-Jews, those that were not called "His people", are now in His family. Thank you, Lord, for your extended, amazing grace.

May you not only consider the Lord's arms stretched out on the cross for your sins and mine, but doesn't it make you wonder how far the Lord's arm can stretch and to whom? May you be His arms this day and embrace not only His Word, but those that He is calling to Himself. May they believe our message - the Good News that Jesus saves!

Eternally grateful,
tammy : )

Law Lover

2011-10-11T10:04:00.001-04:00

"Oh, how I love your law. I meditate on it all day long!" -Psalm 119:97

Do you ever spend your free time reading the by-laws for your residential community? Ever grab a tax code to read at your leisure on a nice day? I doubt it. How many of us have ever exclaimed that we love a law? Who loves being told what they should and shouldn't do? Love is ultimately to be reserved for a person, not a law. But there is something important here we should not miss. God's law gives us a clear picture into the very heart of God. The things He loves and the things He hates. By understanding them, we begin to understand God himself.

Do you remember when you first fell in love with that special someone? You wanted to know everything about them - things they loved, things they hated and everything in between - and over time you began to share the same passions and dislikes they held. The psalmist understood that to meditate upon His law is to understand the depths of God's character and this is why it was his great love and joy. May we grow to love His law - and in doing so grow to love Him more today.

Peter

Dust Dignified

2011-10-05T10:06:00.000-04:00

Romans 1:20

"For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse." (NIV)

Have you ever seen a circular rainbow? Not a semi-circle, but a complete circle of a rainbow? I didn't even know there was such a thing until I saw one with my own eyes! I was on a plane heading back home from the Cove with some of my fellow sisters in Christ when I saw it out the window. As I looked outside I was amazed at how small everything looked... how beautiful... until I saw the rainbow. It was no ordinary rainbow. It went all the way around. It was complete. A circle. It was not cut short. It was as though the Lord was highlighting everything that He made through that circle with His own signature. Which reminded me of today's verse. Anne Graham Lotz had mentioned it during one of her seminars, and as I meditated on it, the Lord brought it to life.

"For...God’s invisible qualities - his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made..." (Rom 1:20 & Col 1:16). Remarkably, that includes us. It also includes the Holy Spirit that dwells within us when we are saved. What a gift that the Lord would give us Himself. First through His beloved Son, and then, through the Holy Spirit, which is Jesus in us.

"For you are dust, And to dust you shall return." (Gen 3:19). Jill Briscoe said it so eloquently when she said that we are but "dust dignified by divinity living in us." How true...

Many people will discount or try to prove everything through science or by empirical evidence, but for those that have had two breaths breathed into them, sometimes we forget that still small voice that longs to bring glory to God through us. He not only speaks to us through His Word and Spirit, but He speaks to us through creation: In the valleys, on the mountains, and even in a rainbow.

When I got home I was excited to read Anne's children's book titled "Heaven" to my girls. She had personally signed the inside of that book, and it read:

"Jesus loves you.. and He keeps His promises." - Anne Graham Lotz.

Dust Dignified. May we never forget the length, the depth, and the breath of His love. May we keep the Holy Spirit that dwells within us in constant communion with the Creator, so these empty earthen vessels can't help but magnify the glory of the Lord once we are filled.

To God be the glory,

tam : )

Alpha & Omega

2011-10-04T09:59:00.002-04:00

"...for the LORD will go before you, and the God of Israel will be your rear guard." -Isaiah 52:12b

By the grace of God, I've been riding the same Metra train to work for 10+ years without incident. However, I remember meeting someone who refuses to sit in the first or the last car because in his mind if there is an accident that is where the most damage will occur. I suppose it makes sense if you think about it. How many trains take hits from the side?

Similarly, in war time the front and back of a moving army was always the most vulnerable to an ambush attack, and so the Lord always made a point to remind His people that He not only went before them - but He was their "rear guard" as well (Isa 52:12).

Isn't that just like God? He doesn't just begin a good work - He completes it (Phil 1:6). He's not just the creator of the universe - He's the sustainer (Col 1:16-17). He's not just the author of our faith - He's the perfecter (Heb 12:2). He's not just the architect of heaven - He's the builder (Heb 11:10). He is the "Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end" (Rev 22:13).

Everything that matters in life begins and ends with Jesus. He is all we need. May you find the power in this truth today.

Peter

Word for Today

2011-09-30T15:21:00.001-04:00

Friday, September 30, 2011

Arise, walk about the land through its length and breadth; for I will give it to you.” Then Abram moved his tent and came and dwelt by the oaks of Mamre, which are in Hebron, and there he built an altar to the LORD.

Do you ever treat the day like a brand new opportunity? When the Lord made his covenant with Abraham, one of the first things he did was build an altar to the Lord. Each day we are given, is a new opportunity that the Lord has presented us with. We seem to always have the choice to do something entirely for ourselves or something that will bring glory and worship to the Lord. Learn to follow in Abraham's footsteps and consider what kind of alter you can build to worship the Lord today.

-Albert

Stepping Up

2011-09-28T11:16:00.002-04:00

John 6:9

“There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are these for so many people?”

Have you ever wanted to do something... anything, but stopped short because you thought it was too little, or not good enough, or wouldn't make a difference? Well, last month Rich (my husband) and I were asked to participate in a relay that spanned over 100 kms in support of kid's cancer. The first thing that came into my head was: "how far do I have to run?" Then the whole "I'm out of shape", "I can't..." yup. Lots of excuses came flooding through my head. But then my sister reminded me of Terry Fox, who had set a goal to run across Canada on one leg while suffering from cancer, no less. That was humbling.

So, with Terry in mind, I sent an email to our team captain to let him know that Rich and I would double our initial runs from the minimum that was required, and try and raise some money for the first time if we could. I was surprised by the generosity of our friends and family, and to my surprise, our initial fundraising goal was almost doubled as well!

This week I realized that there are few Abrahams or Moseses, or even Terry Foxes in this world, but then all of the Gospel writers would not have been able to record the miracle of the feeding of the 5,000 if it weren't for that young boy. He offered what little he had. The disciple Andrew brought it to Jesus. Jesus multiplied the offering. The Lord was showing me that we can do so much more if we just took the restrictions off our own limitations and simply offered what we have.

"Now the day was ending, and the twelve came and said to Him, “Send the crowd away, that they may go into the surrounding villages and countryside and find lodging and get something to eat; for here we are in a desolate place.” But He said to them, “You give them something to eat!” (Luke 9:12-13).

I've heard it said that the surest way to get out of a "desolate place" is to do what the Lord has laid on your heart, and not to over debate or over analyze it. But to simply offer it.

"Nobody makes a greater mistake than he who does nothing because he could only do a little." - Edmund Burke

I only ran 7 km that day. But it wasn't the distance that mattered. For I knew I was on the right path. What step will you take today? May it bring Him glory and draw you ever closer to Him.

tam : )

All We Like Sheep...

2011-09-27T09:57:00.005-04:00

"You lift me up out of the pit, out of the miry clay..." -Psalm 40:2

This past weekend we took the kids to a pumpkin farm. They had many farm animals on display and I was intrigued by the "fun facts" outside of the sheep cage. (see photo)

Jesus often refers to those who belong to him as sheep - and for good reason. Upon reading the physical attributes, social behavior, and general weaknesses of sheep it's easy to draw parallels between them and humans.

Reading the list I was struck by the last one - "When sheep are on their backs they need to be helped; they can't get up from that position." - and thought about how God has created us in such a way that when we fall down we too find ourselves in dire need of outside help. It's impossible to get back up without divine intervention. But be encouraged, this is when we witness the power of God in our lives. When we come to the end of ourselves, seek Him, and find the salvation of the Lord - this is God's design and God's glory.

"I have found the more difficult things become, the more I lean on God. And the more I lean on God, the stronger I discover Him to be." -Joni Erickson Tada

Much of spiritual growth is simply discovering how weak we are and how strong He is. May you discover His strength today.

Peter

Word for Today

2011-09-23T09:20:00.000-04:00

Matthew 16:16-17

Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." And Jesus said to him, "Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven."

I want you to imagine that someone gave you a book on "how to build a hang glider". Now you read this book from cover to cover, maybe twice or even three times. You assemble the glider in your garage. Now you take it up to the top of the CN Tower. How many of you would jump off with that same hang glider based on the knowledge of what you read and absorbed from that book alone? The mathematical equations make sense. The law of aerodynamics makes sense. On knowledge alone I could not. I would need something more than that. I believe that is what Jesus is saying to Peter. The ability to declare our Lord as the Christ and the Son of the living God is not something that comes by anything related to our flesh but through His Spirit. If you struggle with unbelief, honestly go to Him and ask for His Spirit to reveal Himself to you. It's not the knowledge that will set you free, but it is the act of faith that will allow you to step off and truly fly.

-Albert

Word for Today

2011-09-22T08:00:00.001-04:00

John 14:27

"Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.

Here was Jesus at the peak of His dark hour just before the cross and what was He doing? Ministering and comforting His disciples, giving final instructions and loving them. The disciples had hardly done anything that was worthy of their calling and even at this time, they weren't there yet. They still had so much to learn, grow and resolve with each other. And yet, Jesus was there expressing His love for them, for "He loved them to the end." (John 13:1)

What is the last thing you feel like doing when things are at their darkest? The answer for most people would probably be to give themselves to someone else. We have enough problems, hardships and difficulties to even think about pouring ourselves out for others, and yet this is the very remedy for life. Scripture says that this will give strength to our bones and that we will be like watered gardens whose waters do not fail (Isaiah 58:11-12). Jesus' act of love and grace didn't end at the Last Supper. Upon the cross bruised and bleeding, He extended salvation to the repentant thief hanging beside Him. In the last moments of His life, He was still ministering and extending grace to one who only asked to be remembered. In our darkest moments, may we still reach out, minister and be examples of Christ to others who need Him just as much as we do.

Tina

Eat. Drink. Glorify God.

2011-09-21T09:41:00.000-04:00

1 Corinthians 10:31

"Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God."

I'm not sure if it's because I'm getting older, but lately, conversations almost always to lead to concerns about overall health and well-being. According to my retired parents, that is all people talk about at their age! But food has changed. A lot. No longer are we consuming natural products, but they have been altered to suit our lifestyles and make things more convenient so we can have more time. Yet, we end up losing time in the long run!

As I thought about our family's eating habits and how I can change them, the Lord reminded me that it is never good to be ignorant on any thing. But what is more important is that in all we do, whatever it may be, our motivation is not fear of death, a longer life, or disease prevention or maintenance alone, but rather, that in all things, we glorify God.

I know so many people - myself included - that would change their diets in a heartbeat if they found out they had a disease or any other ailment that could be alleviated by what they ate. The sad thing is, there are many more Christians who are unwilling to change a thing for Jesus.

How is your spiritual health?

Physical health is very important (1 Corinthians 6:19-20; Romans 12:1), but spiritual health is even more so. These days, it is hard to trust what is going into our mouths. But we do have control on what comes out..."for bodily discipline is only of little profit, but godliness is profitable for all things, since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come. It is a trustworthy statement deserving full acceptance." (1 Timothy 4:8-9)

No matter what you eat, or what you drink, today may we be able to say that "You (God) satisfy me more than the richest of foods." (Psalm 63:5, NLT)

Have a blessed day,

tam : )

Echoes of Eternity

2011-09-20T11:04:00.001-04:00

They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might. -2 Thessalonians 1:9

Let's face it. Many people struggle with the concept of hell. Even to the point of disbelieving it's existence. Compound this with the fact that many popular pastors and authors (see Rob Bell) cater to this untruth and hell has become a very ugly word in the Church today. However, Jesus spoke more about hell than all the other NT writers combined and so to dismiss hell would be to dismiss Jesus. Besides we are not at liberty to pick and choose which of God's truths we prefer to believe as if it were some cheap lunch buffet that we ourselves paid for.

That said, I understand that it is not an easy topic to discuss. And when we do, there should be a sense of profound soberness and grief that those who reject the gospel will find themselves there.

I am not certain what hell will be like exactly. I think there will be pain and suffering because that is what the Bible says. However, I also think the most haunting specter of hell will not be the presence of physical pain or suffering but rather the absence of the One whose very essence is holy and loving. It will be a place completely devoid of all that is righteous and true - because God will not be there. It will be a vacuum of good and filled only with abject darkness - because it will be "away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might".

Hell will be the granting for an eternity what we have chosen in this lifetime. A deliberate rejection of God (1 Thess 4:8). A denial of His presence in our lives. A choice that "echoes for eternity".

But the good news is today we still have a choice. Jesus endured the horror of being separated from the Father on the cross (Mk 15:34) so that we could enjoy God's presence now and for eternity. He was forsaken so that we would not be. Live in His presence today. And find hope in His presence for eternity.

Peter

Luke 18:1

2011-09-19T09:11:00.000-04:00

Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart

I pray for my mother's caregiver, Zelina, daily. I often wonder at the effectiveness of these prayers--I lose heart--because I don't see the results I'm expecting. My results and God's results, it turns out, are different things. God works in ways that are outside my realm of thinking. I visited my mom a short while ago. Just after I arrived, a lady knocked on the door looking for Zelina. My mom said it was Fay and that Fay and Zellie walked together everyday. They both had lost weight on these walks and I considered how good it was for them to walk together. I considered the physical benefits only and made the assumption that they were good for each other and I left it at that in my mind. I continued in my ways and in my prayers and I kept looking for the results that I was expecting. A few days later, I spoke with Zelina. She gushed as she explained to me that God had sent her a wonderful Christian lady to be her friend and companion and that they walked and worshiped together everyday. Though we don't see the results we are looking for, we mustn't lose heart. God hears our prayers and knows what is best.

John

Word for Today

2011-09-16T09:19:00.001-04:00

John 16:1-3

"These things I have spoken to you so that you may be kept from stumbling. They will make you outcasts from the synagogue, but an hour is coming for everyone who kills you to think that he is offering a service to God. These things they will do because they have not known the Father or Me."

As believers and followers of Christ, we should expect to come into situations where we just don't mix well with people. Or we may feel the pressure of trends, political correctness, public opinion, and peer pressure. "Everybody does it so why don't I"? Jesus warned us to prepare for these times when we struggle, or become offended, or come under attack for just following His word. If all things you do are an act in obedience to the Lord, then those things are not attacking you, but attacking Jesus. If the attack is in the form of a person then they will think they are acting rightly but they are fooling themselves. They will attack you because their God is not the Father, but a 'god of lust', a 'god of wealth', or ultimately, they follow a 'god of themselves'. If you act in obedience to the Lord, then those that love the Lord will accept you. That person that accepts what you say, if it is said in Jesus name, will accept Christ. In the end there is nothing to fear because our God is bigger than all of this. 'Don't go to God and tell Him how big the mountain is. Go to the mountain and tell it how big our God is.'

-Albert

Let Your Heart Keep...

2011-09-14T10:47:00.001-04:00

Proverbs 3:1

"My son, do not forget my teaching, But let your heart keep my commandments..."

Last week I spent a lot of time researching recipes online so that I could equip myself with some easy, healthy, and tasty recipes for the family. During my search, I found these lunch labels from this great website: Mom on a Mission for Christ, who offers ideas on how to buy and cook in bulk so that you can spend more time with the family and not in the kitchen.

This week one of my daughters asked if we have to be thankful for fruit flies. So I asked her if she liked to eat fruit. She responded with a resounding "yes", to which I replied, well, so do the fruit flies. If we didn't have fruit, we wouldn't have fruit flies. You can focus on the flies, or be thankful for the fruit.

Those labels came right on time. As a reminder, I slipped this verse onto her sandwich for lunch. (see photo).

Sometimes it is the unspoken things that make the greatest impact on someone's life. How and why would one's heart keep any commandment?

Love.

"Keep my commandments and live, And my teaching as the apple of your eye." (Proverbs 7:2)

Even though the kids are in school all day, learning a whole bunch of different things, may we continue to remind them and others that "to live is Christ..." (Philippians 1:21)

tam : )

"In everything give thanks." - 1 Thess 5:18

The Scarlet Thread

2011-09-13T10:10:00.002-04:00

Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. -John 15:13

There are some biblical scholars who reference a “scarlet thread” in Scripture. This term alludes to the fact that despite being authored by over 40 authors and over 1,000 years there is a consistent and profound message intertwined throughout the entire Bible – a message of substitutionary sacrifice, perfect love, and total redemption. We see hints of it all throughout the Old Testament. (see Jesus Storybook Bible)

On Sunday, I ran across this video of the man with the “red bandana” (see video here). It’s a powerful story of a young man that sacrificed his life in order to save others in one of the towers on that fateful September 11^th day. It’s difficult to watch this and not be moved, because his sacrifice came at such a great cost (his life) and for people he did not even know.

This “red bandana” reminded me of the “scarlet thread”. There are so many parallels. One man giving up his life for others (substitutionary sacrifice) so that they might be saved (total redemption) – what a profound act of love.

However, in the gospel we find that the hero was not just a man, but God himself. And it was not for people he did not know but for people that despised him - sacrificing his life for the salvation of sinners. What a perfect act of love.

Peter

Word for Today

2011-09-09T01:35:00.000-04:00

Matthew 22:37-39

And He said to him, “‘YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.’ This is the great and foremost commandment. The second is like it, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.’

In the Karate Kid, Mr. Miyagi says to Daniel-san, "Rule #1: Karate for defense only....Rule #2: First learn Rule #1." I am reminded of that story as I consider why Jesus says "LOVE THE LORD" as the great and foremost commandment, the second is "LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR". It is not that the first supercedes the second, but that the second reinforces the first. I am admittedly a "people pleaser". I should join "people pleasers anonymous". I struggle with this because I should be a "Jesus pleaser" first, "people pleaser" second. When I mix up the two, the "people pleasing" is like a false humility where I am really just trying to gather praise for myself. This is wrong and it has taken me many lessons to learn this. When you are a "Jesus pleaser", then the loving your neighbor becomes a way to praise Him and not yourself. It is the proof that we truly love the Lord. Rule#1: LOVE THE LORD.... Rule #2: First learn Rule #1.

-Albert

Red Red Wine

2011-09-07T12:57:00.000-04:00

Genesis 49:11
"He ties his foal to the vine, And his donkey's colt to the choice vine; He washes his garments in wine, And his robes in the blood of grapes."

Last Sunday Pastor Sung asked a very interesting question: If you came into the world as the Saviour, what would your first miracle be?

This week I have been listening to the story of Jacob and his sons found in Genesis through my Bible app* on my mobile phone. When I got to chapter 38, there was a story about Judah and Tamar. It seemed so out of place from the rest of the story, that I had to listen to it over again. Moving on, I got to chapter 49 where Jacob retracts his blessings from the first three sons, yet he blesses Judah! If you read chapter 38, one would wonder why Judah was not grouped with the first three brothers who were told by Jacob: “Cursed be their anger, for it is fierce; And their wrath, for it is cruel." (Gen 49:7) For Judah seemed just as evil as his brothers! However, there is one thing that the Bible records about Judah that I believe is not to be missed; and therein lies the difference - Judah repented and turned from his wicked ways (Gen 38:26). Jacob did not say that their anger was fierce, or that their wrath was cruel. However, he probably could have said that about Judah. How about you?

"Therefore is anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come." (2 Cor 5:17)

Last Sunday I was reminded that the Lord will be coming again, and that instead of a glowing robe of white, He will be clothed with a robe dipped in blood (Rev 19:13), and that the Lord's winepress will not be for new wine, but to pour out His long suffering wrath and judgement upon the world. (Rev 14:18-20). In other words, if you ever thought that it was "hard" to be a Christian and to exercise some self-control in this world, be warned! The Lord will be bringing His winepress again, but be thankful if you only have to go through it the first time. The second round won't be so pleasant.

No matter what you are going through, may we always remember the big picture, and to receive the winepress of the Lord with joy, rejoicing always, turning from our former lives, and pouring our lives out for others. For when we do, we will not only witness modern day miracles, but others may begin to say that we are one.

Thank you, Lord, for your miracle of making us a new creation by your grace and for reminding us that you are coming once again.

tam : )
* Bible app: youversion.com. Check it out. It even has an audio feature that will read the Word to you!

Word for Today

2011-09-02T11:25:00.001-04:00

John 7:38

He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, ‘From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.’

Have you ever left a glass of juice out on the breakfast table and forgot to drink it? After a long while, it will start to spoil. Perhaps, grow mold and other "nastiness" in it. Essentially, the juice dies. A cup or glass is not meant to just hold something indefinitely. It is meant to transfer contents into your mouth so that you can get refreshment or nourishment. In the same way, as a believer in Christ, His objective is not to just fill us to hold it, but actually to allow His Spirit to work through us to bless others. A grape does not grow to get plump and filled but to be squeezed to make wine. Consider what you receive from the Lord each and every day and let it pour forth to refresh and nourish others. Then you will receive the joy of believing in Christ.

-Albert

The Forecast Looks Cold

2011-08-31T09:43:00.000-04:00

Matthew 24:11-13

"Many false prophets will arise and will mislead many. Because lawlessness is increased, most people’s love will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end, he will be saved."

I had a playdate the other day with one of my new neighbours and her daughter who is in Taylor's class this year. At the park, she had mentioned that Taylor, my youngest daughter, likes to talk about Satan and Jesus. As she was recalling how Taylor was talking about how Satan loves it when people do bad things, she went on to share the following story about two kids that attend another school in the district. One of the kids was a Jehovah Witness, and the other was a sheik. One kid told the other that there was no God, and they broke into a fight. Eventually the parents got involved, and as a result, both parents have not allowed either child to play with the other anymore.

Was this the best solution? Maybe, maybe not. But the question my new neighbour asked was how I was going to deal with Taylor's interactions with other children and their beliefs when they differ from hers...

I was glad she brought this up, because I believe we are living in the end times, and that many false prophets will arise... soon if not already. Yet I was reminded about how our Lord differs so much from the other deities of the world. For unlike the others, our Lord left this world disfigured, bruised, and broken. For His purpose was not enlightenment or nirvana, or knowledge for the purpose of self-actualization. His purpose was to take on our sufferings and sin by suffering our sin for us. What deity would do that? What our Lord did was love us to the end (John 13:1). He extended His grace to a corrupt world. He did not separate Himself from it. He actually entered it! (John 3:16).

As I thought about her question, I realized that life just gets tougher; But that doesn't mean that we should allow our hearts to. "Water becomes hard like stone, And the surface of the deep is imprisoned." (Job 38:30). In the end, we can opt to teach our kids to stop talking about Jesus, or to stop talking to other kids, or to stop going to a particular school... the forecast only gets colder.

OR,

We can be like Jesus.

“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden." (Matthew 5:14)

tam : )

Animals & the Glory of God

2011-08-30T09:42:00.000-04:00

For we know thatthe whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who havethe firstfruits of the Spirit,groan inwardly aswe wait eagerly for adoption as sons,the redemption of our bodies. -Romans 8:22-23

We live in some crazy times. Economic uncertainty, social unrest, political upheaval - everything seems to be in disarray - even the natural world. From earthquakes, to hurricanes, to tsunamis the frequency is dizzying. While the rest of the world appears oblivious to what is happening, we know that with each passing day we are nearing the day of redemption.

I ran across an article the other day (see here), that described how nearly all animals at a zoo on the east cost sensed the coming of the most recent earthquake before it even occurred. This strange behavior was also widely reported by National Geographic before the tsunami hit India years ago. Scientists are baffled but we should not be. We are told that all of creation (animals and the earth included) are "groaning" for the day of redemption. And every earthquake, every hurricane, every tsunami is a reminder of the beginning of the end.

There is a powerful picture at the opening and ending of the movie "Lion King" when all of the animal kingdom will bow before the "Lion King". (see attached) Walt Disney had no idea how prophetic that picture was. While all of creation groans now - there will come a day when all of creation will bow before the King of Kings - the Lion from the tribe of Judah. May we find great hope in this promise today.

Peter

Word for Today

2011-08-26T11:00:00.005-04:00

2 Corinthians 12:7

Because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, for this reason, to keep me from exalting myself, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me—to keep me from exalting myself! Concerning this I implored the Lord three times that it might leave me. And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.”

Do you ever wonder why some wounds never heal? Perhaps a relationship never softens, or difficulties continue to plague us over and over again. Maybe a past shame keeps making its way back into your life. There are two ways to look at these things. From our perspective, these 'thorns' act to perfect our faith, keeping us humble and keeping us in a place where we are always dependent on Him. To the Lord, it is always to magnify Him - that we should decrease so that He might increase - so that we are continually used as instruments to proclaim the glory that His grace has given us. It is in our weaknesses that He can truly work in our lives. Never allow yourself to be discouraged but remain in hope for the Lord has already given us victory. The greatest times to proclaim this victory is not in our successes but in our failures.

-Albert

What Good Is An Empty Jar?

2011-08-24T08:50:00.000-04:00

2 Kings 4:2-3

“Your servant has nothing there at all,” she said, “except a small jar of olive oil.” Elisha said, “Go around and ask all your neighbors for empty jars. Don’t ask for just a few. (NIV)

When I first read this verse, the words "nothing", "small", and "empty" stood out. But what was so great about this miracle is not just the fact that the widows' jars were filled with oil, but that she was able to pay off her debts as a result of all those jars being filled. Also, in asking to borrow those empty jars from her neighbours, they could hear her testimony of a miracle as she returned the jars to them - A miracle that not only took place in the house of that poor widow, but in our lives today when we receive His Spirit.

This week the Lord has been showing me examples of people with tenacity. A tenacious spirit is someone who doesn't give up easily; who doesn't let go and is not easily discouraged, but someone who keeps on moving forward. I think one of the keys is to not focus on what lies behind, but on what lies ahead.

Even though this woman had sadly lost her husband, she had an entire community around her, willing to give her some of their empty jars to fill. If you think about it, the amount of debt that the woman was able to pay off had to be directly due to the amount of empty jars she was able to collect from her neighbours. How many would you be able to collect? How many would you be willing to give?

"When the vessels were full, she said to her son, “Bring me another vessel.” And he said to her, “There is not one vessel more.” And the oil stopped." (2 Kings 4:6)

You don't have to watch the news to know that people are suffering and need the Lord. All you need to do is look around your own neighbourhood. May we continue to lead others to Christ until all the vessels are filled... Until the day when the oil will stop.

Lord bless,

tam : )

Faithfulness

2011-08-16T10:01:00.000-04:00

When Daniel knew that the document had been signed, he went to his house where he had windows in his upper chamber open toward Jerusalem. He got down on his knees three times a day and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as he had done previously. -Daniel 6:10

The world around Daniel was changing rapidly - and changing for the worse. However, nothing in Daniel's life changed. He kept doing what he had always done - praying three times a day and giving thanks before his God "as he had done previously". His was a quiet and consistent faithfulness.

Is your spiritual walk like Daniel's or is it more like the stock market? A volatile roller coaster of ups and downs. Then maybe it's because we respond to the circumstances of each changing day, instead of the certainty of our unchanging God. Try something counterintuitive. The next time you experience a high or low - do the opposite of what your flesh tells you to do. In the presence of hardship, pain and suffering - try worshiping the Lord. This is what Job did (Job 1:21). In the midst of abundance and plenty - get on your knees and ask the Lord for more of Him. This is what David did (Ps 42:1-2).

If you seek to walk faithfully, walk by the Spirit and not by the flesh.

Peter

Shield of Faith

2011-08-10T09:40:00.000-04:00

Ephesians 6:16

"in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one."

In this chapter of Ephesians, I find it fitting that Paul talks about putting on the full armour of God right after he instructs us about family relationships (Eph 6:1-9). For many of us have this idea that when we put on the armour of God, we are "stepping out" into the world, and leaving our homes where we are relatively "safe". However, no family is immune to the schemes of the devil. (Eph 6:11). Satan loves to attack where we are most vulnerable - and his best angle is to attack us where we least expect it - right within our own homes... with the people who know us the best and who we often take for granted...

This week I was reminded that out of all of our Spiritual armour, the shield of faith is the most important when it comes to flaming arrows. Because it is up to us as to whether we will take up our shield of faith or not. Armour is made of steel yet many of us act as if it is made of wood.

In 2 Timothy 1:7 it says: "For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind."

A sound mind is not even common sense as the world knows it. A sound mind plus faith is one that can hear the voice of the Lord and know that even though your shield may look like wood, and you are surrounded by flaming arrows, you continue to trust Him. Pretty soon, those flaming arrows will be extinguished just like His Word has said. And with every lift of that shield, our faith in the Lord will only get stronger and bolder as we continue to trust in Him.

"The LORD is my strength and my shield; My heart trusted in Him, and I am helped; Therefore my heart greatly rejoices, And with my song I will praise Him." (Ps 28:7)

May the Lord be your help this day, and may you trust in Him when the flaming arrows come.

tam : )

Battle of Wills

2011-08-09T12:13:00.001-04:00

"...your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven." -Matthew 6:10

Have you ever stopped and examined your own prayers? Sometimes I look back at my prayer requests and I'm embarrassed by them. It's usually a long list of "Lord, do this...", "Father, let me have that...", "God, heal this...". The truth is, He is often degraded to nothing more than my "genie in a bottle" to be available at my beck and call; only called upon to hear and answer my will and my desires in heaven. God forgive me.

Jesus had one mission that superseded everything else in His life. One goal that trumped all others. One desire that consumed Him each day. And that was to do the will of the Father. It was why He was sent (Jn 6:38), It was his source of nourishment (Jn 4:34), and it was his dying wish (Lk 22:42). And Jesus requires the same for us (Mt 7:21). To know and follow God's will (Rom 12:2). To pray and desire the Lord's will and not our own (Mt 6:10).

Let's stop the endless cycle of "me, me, me" today. Let's ask not that our will be done in heaven, but that His will to be done on earth.

Peter

At Thy Word

2011-08-03T11:11:00.000-04:00

Luke 5:5

"...nevertheless at thy word I will..."

One thing that Peter loved to do was go fishing. Not only did he enjoy it as a hobby, but he had made his living from it. But like the rest of us, fishing could never satisfy his soul. So after a frustrating all-nighter of catching nothing, Peter encounters the Lord.

When Jesus asks Peter to let down his nets again, Peter answers by saying: "Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net."

Too often we brush off what the Lord is trying to tell us through His Word because it doesn't make any sense, is hard, or may seem irrational to us. Neverthess, the Lord is trying to move us from frustration and worry by doing things our way to rest and peace when we yield to His way. (Ps 138:8).

In the end, Peter's success was not in what he did. But rather, it was in his ability to take the Lord at His Word. How about you? How would you fill in the rest of this sentence: nevertheless at thy word I will...

May we meet Him at His Word this day, and continually yield to His Spirit.

Lord bless,

tam : )

God of Nobodies

2011-08-02T10:03:00.002-04:00

"God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are." -1 Corinthians 1:28

Do you feel like a nobody? Like you have no stature, no talents, no pedigree - nothing to offer the Lord? Congratulations! You just might be ready to be of some use to God now.

All throughout Scripture the Lord displays a remarkable pattern of using what is "low and despised in the world" to shine His glory brightest. Look at Joseph, Moses, David. Look at Jesus' disciples - an eclectic group of tax collectors, fishermen, and former prostitutes - nothing more than a ragamuffin band of "nobodies" (Acts 4:13).

The Lord loves to use "nobodies" because through those "nobodies" the world can see Him more clearly. His glory shines brightest in broken vessels (2 Cor 4:7)....and He shares His glory with no one (Isa 42:8).

Thank the Lord if you're a "nobody" and ask Him to show Himself strong in your life today.

"Moses spent the first 40 years thinking he was a somebody. He spent his second 40 years thinking he was a nobody. And he spent his last 40 years seeing what God could do through a nobody." -D.L. Moody

Peter

Bearing Fruit

2011-07-27T07:52:00.000-04:00

Galatians 5:22

"The fruit of the Spirit is love..."

Now that my parents are retired, I asked my dad to help me plant a garden. So one day we went out to buy the vegetables to plant. One week he brought some sticks and placed them around our cucumber plant so that the vine had something to grip onto while it grew. Another week he told me to go and buy some plant food. On occasion he will ask whether or not I am giving them enough water. Every week he asks about the garden and tells me what I need to get in order to help the plants grow. Whenever he is over, he is pulling weeds and watering that garden. One day it crossed my mind whether all of this was really necessary for the vegetables to grow... and I wanted to make a snide comment that went something like: "well dad, you know that children are like vegetables, right?" Hint hint... wink wink... But thankfully, I didn't say anything.

Well, yesterday, as my parents were over tending to the garden as usual, I did show them this massive cucumber hanging off the vine. We also had some very large zucchini and green onions that were ripe for the picking! So, last night as I made dinner, I grilled the zucchini, and we ate that giant cucumber. But the lasting impression I have as I write this is not the meal that we ate, or the moments of awkward silence; but rather, the smile on my dad's face. It was full of contentment. It was full of love.

I read a quote the other day that really spoke to me by Leonard Ravenhill: "The opportunity of a lifetime must be seized within the lifetime of the opportunity."

As I get older, I keep clinging to this hope or notion of finding some kind of rest in my day to days. According to my parents, however, retirement is not all it's cracked up to be. And rest is overrated. The Lord was showing me that the harvest is plentiful. Opportunities are too.

So how do we bear fruit? We do just what it says: We bear it. In our day to days, when we abide in the vine of Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit will do the real work through us. We are but His hands and His feet. A channel.

Therefore, as the body of Christ, may we learn to love one another as Christ loved us..."bear fruit in keeping with repentance." (Matt 3:8) ...Fruit that is truly pleasing to the Lord.

tam : )

Daily Bread

2011-07-20T09:49:00.000-04:00

Daily Bread

Exodus 16:21

"They gathered it morning by morning"

One of the best inventions has to be the refrigerator. Not only can shopping in bulk save you time, but it can also save you money! Well, the Israelites didn't have that luxury. But they did have the convenience of not having to do the work and have the Lord provide for their daily meals while they were in the dessert. All they had to do was gather the manna from Heaven every morning.

Wait. Every morning? Why would the Lord do that? He could have made a superfood that could last them a week, or stay fresh for a month if He wanted to. Why wouldn't He let their food last long, or for a rainy day at least? Why would they have to make this a daily practice in the morning?

“So...'In the evening you will know that it was the LORD who brought you out of Egypt, and in the morning you will see the glory of the LORD...'" (Ex 16:6-7)

They say that hindsight is 20/20, but that foresight is not. Well, how soon we forget that the Lord is for us and not trying to work against us. If you want to know the Lord, we need to seek Him daily - and early! Then we will witness HIs glory so that even the modern wonders of refrigeration will reflect it.

Even Jesus humbly prayed; "Give us this day our daily bread." (Matt 6:11). May you be filled with His Word this morning and this day.

To God be the glory.

tam : )

Confession

2011-07-19T10:48:00.002-04:00

"I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners." -Matthew 9:13b

This is one of those verses I've always struggled with. Jesus says this to the the Pharisees after they openly bemoan the fact that Jesus is hanging with the "tax collectors and sinners". Why would Jesus not come for the "righteous" and why would He call them "righteous"? The Bible is clear that no one is righteous (Rom 3:23).

What Jesus is saying is He has not come for those who believe themselves to be righteous. He has come to save those who acknowledge and believe themselves to be sinners - in need of God's grace. One of the Prince of Lies' biggest deceptions is fooling people into thinking either they are good enough for God, or that they can somehow earn their way to God (e.g. Pharisees, every other world religion). But in reality, the Gospel teaches us that all we need to do is confess that we are sinners and in desperate need of God's Son for salvation.

To "confess" in the Greek is an interesting word. It's "homo-logeo" and is literally translated "to say the same as". When we confess we are saying the same thing about our sin and ourselves that God is saying - in other words we are simply agreeing with God of our sinful condition. When we refuse to acknowledge our sin and sinfulness God calls us a liar because we are denying what He says - who is all Truth (Jer 2:35b, 1 Jn 1:10).

Are you in agreement with the Lord today? Have you confessed your sin before Him and others? Yield to His Spirit and confess - He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins (1 Jn 1:9).

Peter

Grace~full

2011-07-13T10:14:00.000-04:00

2 Peter 3:18
"But grow in grace..."

Not many people would use the word "gracious" to describe a man, but that is exactly how I would describe my father-in-law John. One time when my husband and I were still dating, we dropped by their store for a quick visit before heading to the mall. It was a beautiful sunny day, and we were looking forward to spending it away from the store since we had both worked a lot and it was our day off. But when we got there, I noticed that Rich's dad had an awful cold... it was probably the flu, yet he was still working. When Rich's dad asked what we were up to, I kind of felt guilty telling him that we were just going to hang out at the mall, but the words did spill out... hesitantly. Surprisingly, without a flinch and ever so gently, he just smiled and told us that he hoped we had a good time. Really? That's it? I was stunned by his response. I was expecting anger and wrath. Instead, there was nothing but grace and love.

Still stunned, we actually left the store, but we didn't get very far. Shortly after, I called them on Rich's giant cell phone and talked with Rich's mom who had confessed that he was very ill and that they would love our help. So we turned around and headed back to the store, but it was never out of a sense of guilt or duty, but of love... having understood grace or at least being able to get a glimpse of it. What I had witnessed wasn't my father-in-law. What I had witnessed was grace. God's grace flowing through Rich's dad.

"But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me did not prove vain; but I labored even more than all of them, yet not I, but the grace of God with me." (1 Cor 15:10). Is God's grace with you? Jesus said that faith can move mountains, but if you've met Jesus and truly know Him, you will know that it is first and foremost by His grace.

"So also it is written, “The first MAN, Adam, BECAME A LIVING SOUL.” The last Adam became a life-giving spirit." (1 Cor 15:45). This week I felt as if my soul had gone dry. But the Lord, through His grace, was reminding me that it is not the soul that matters, but His Spirit.

May we approach His throne of grace with confidence ..."so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need." (Heb 4:16).

tam : )

What's My Motivation?

2011-07-12T11:00:00.001-04:00

"Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you." -Ephesians 4:32

There's a common question every seasoned actor asks when putting themselves into character: "What's my motivation?" The answer to this singular question allows the actor to carry out his part in convincing fashion because he now understands the impetus and the driving force for everything the character does.

Similarly, for the believer there is one singular motive for living the Christian life...the gospel of Jesus Christ. The gospel is the impetus and the driving force for every command in the New Testament. When Paul implores the Corinthian church to give generously, he doesn't just issue a harsh command, but makes his appeal in light of what Jesus gave up in coming to us (2 Cor 8:7-9). When he bids the Ephesians to forgive one another - he directs them to the gospel model "as God in Christ forgave you" (Eph 4:32). When the apostle John charges his readers to "love one another", he points to the gospel picture of God giving us His Son (1 Jn 4:7-11) as the impetus for their love. There are myriads of examples of this: from pride (1 Cor 9:16a), to perseverance (Heb 12:1-2), to selfishness (Phil 2:3-8). Amazing - isn't it?

When we try and obey God's commands in the strength and gumption of our own flesh - there is inevitable failure because all we see are "requirements". But when we reflect upon what God has done through His Son Jesus, and allow the power of the Holy Spirit to penetrate our hearts we can give and forgive; we can love and persevere; we can be humble and selfless because we find our "motivation". What others see as simply a "requirement", we see as a "response".

Let your life be a response to all that He has done...and find the power to obey today.

"Other religions are spelled 'do'....Christianity is spelled 'done'". -Bill Piper

Peter

Broken Relationships

2011-07-05T10:27:00.002-04:00

"My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" -Matthew 27:46

Think about the most painful time in your life. Chances are you do not hearken back to the greatest physical pain you've endured but a relational one - perhaps a trusted friend, spouse or loved one who has wounded you deeply and broken your trust. God created us as relational beings and when a deep relationship is broken we sense a profound hole in our hearts.

Much has been written about the physical horrors Jesus endured upon his death, however many throughout history have endured inhumane deaths. The hallmark of Jesus' death was not the physical pain but rather the pain of bearing our sins and the resulting separation from the Father. It's remarkable that the Gospels never record Jesus' response to the great physical pain he endured but only a spiritual one, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"

Imagine the wonder of this truth - the most intimate relationship the universe has ever known was broken due to sin and the deep fellowship shared between the Father and the Son was ripped apart so that we could be redeemed. This is love. This is forgiveness. This is the why we, as Christians, should initiate peace in our broken relationships. Today.

Peter

Well Done

2011-06-29T15:46:00.000-04:00

Matthew 25:21

“His master replied, ‘Well done..."

As the school year comes to an end, my kids have been bringing home lots of work that they have been doing in their classes. As I was looking over their accomplishments and considering what they've learned over the year, I realized that the only way I could gauge their growth is by seeing the work that they've done. For example, if I want to see how much their writing has improved, I need to see something they wrote. If I want to see their physical improvements, I need to watch them play a sport or see them move. One the same note, it is the same with our faith. For "faith without works is dead." (James 2:26)

This past month has been filled with recitals, shows, and a viewing of the kids' accomplishments throughout the school year. And I think it makes the kids so happy to know that as parents, we are pleased. It brings me so much pleasure to know that my kids are doing their best. I am sure it is the same with our Heavenly Father.

Wouldn't it be great when after all is said and done, the Lord will say to us one day, "Well done...You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’" (Matt 25:21).

"People may doubt what you say but they will always believe what you sincerely do. Remember that well done is much better than well said." - Lewis Cass

Lord bless,

tam : )

Awesome

2011-06-28T10:12:00.002-04:00

"Who is like you, O LORD, among the gods? Who is like you, majestic in holiness, awesome in glorious deeds, doing wonders?" -Exodus 15:11

Is it just me or is the word "awesome" becoming a tad overused? Does a dessert really inspire awe? Does a roller-coaster really deserve this title? Can it be defined in a humorous poster?

Only God is awesome. Have you ever noticed that anytime a person enters the presence of God in Scripture their immediate response is to fall on their face? That's "shock and awe". Notice it's not a holy God scurrying away from sinful man. It's sinful man falling down and hiding his face from an awesome and holy God.

In our man-centeredness many of us tend to think that sin somehow has power over God - as if God is Superman and sin is his Kryptonite. We have it backwards. It's not so much that a holy God cannot dwell with sin - but rather it's sin that cannot dwell with a holy God. When Uzzah touched the Ark of the Covenant (2 Sa 6:7) the Ark was not destroyed....he was. Sin and anything sinful is simply vaporized when it comes into contact with the awesome holiness of God. It's as simple as that.

And so God did not send His Son as a panacea to His greatest weakness - He sent His Son as a panacea to our greatest weakness. This was not God's solution to His greatest problem - it was God's solution to our greatest problem. Thanking God for His awesomeness today.

Peter

Is It Well?

2011-06-22T11:00:00.003-04:00

2 Kings 4:23

"And she said, "It will be well."

In this story about the Shunammite woman, things were actually not well. According to circumstances, her son, the one that had been miraculously given to her through Elisha, had died. How could things be well?

"So she went and came to the man of God to Mount Carmel. When the man of God saw her at a distance, he said to Gehazi his servant, “Behold, there is the Shunammite. Please run now to meet her and say to her, ‘Is it well with you? Is it well with your husband? Is it well with the child?’” And she answered, “It is well.” (2 Kings 4:25-26)

I love today's verse because she did not base her "wellness" on the circumstances in her life - including one of the worst things that can happen such as losing a child! Nor did she allow destiny to rule her. But rather, her response was simple. After her son had died in her arms, she told her husband; "It will be well", and when she approached Elisha's servant Gehazi, she answered "It is well"... even before she met up with the prophet Elisha and her son was revived from the dead! Wow...

This week I got caught up in the little things and I was sick again! So in my eyes, things were not well. I'm so thankful the Lord brought me to this verse to remind me that with the Lord on our side, all things will be well.

How about you? How are things? Are things well with you? Are they well with your husband or wife? How about your children? The Shunammite woman gained strength through her active relationship with the man of God, Elisha. How much more then should we, knowing Jesus, the God of Elisha, gain strength and confidence in approaching His throne of grace being called His own children? (Heb 4:16)

"Delight yourself in the LORD; And He will give you the desires of your heart." (Psalm 37:4)

His Word is alive, and wants to bring you and others back from the dead. May it be well with you and those in your household this day.

Lord bless,

tam : )

A Father's Call

2011-06-21T10:22:00.000-04:00

"...for if [a man] does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care forGod’s church?" -1 Timothy 3:5

Growing up in a Korean church you begin to realize that often times the leaders of the church are selected not on the basis of biblical qualifications but on the size of their bank accounts. In our carnal minds we think, "Well, if he can manage a business well, then surely he can manage a church well....and look at that tithe!"

But God says otherwise. One of the ordained hallmarks of a qualified elder or deacon is simply that "he manage his household (wife and children) well." (1 Tim 3:12) There's a brutal simplicity to this. If I think my son is ready to ride a bike I first want to see how he can manage the one with training wheels.

God designed a father's primary ministry to be his wife and children. Period. This is his first and most important "small group" and his greatest calling. He will never call a man to a "greater" ministry until he has first shown himself faithful in the "smaller" one. It is in this context that a father is to model a Christ-like servant leadership. It is in this place that he is to prove himself ready and worthy of managing God's flock. And it is this God-given institution that is under perpetual attack by the evil one.

We celebrated Father's Day last Sunday, but let's face it, it's not difficult to be a father. Frankly, any male (of age) can become one. Being a godly father however is a different matter entirely and that is what the Lord has called us men to be.

Peter

Word for Today

2011-06-17T09:45:00.004-04:00

John 15:15

"No longer do I call you slaves, for the slave does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you."

For the majority of us, there may be a manager or supervisor you report to at work - someone you call "the boss". If you enjoy the work you do, it is quite easy to follow instruction or tasks from "the boss" and be committed to your work. When you don't enjoy the work then it becomes quite difficult and you might find yourself struggling with it or even looking for another line of work. It's different though when it is a friend that asks you to do something difficult. Why is it easier to do that and be committed to it even in the face of adversity? Quite simply - relationship. There are times when we struggle with what the Lord would lead us to do through His Word or through His Spirit. But my word of encouragement is to focus not on the task but on the relationship you have with Jesus. He has called you to be His friend, not His slave. May your trust in Him and His promises bless you in anything that you are convicted to do in His name.

-Albert

It takes One to know One

2011-06-15T10:16:00.000-04:00

2 Samuel 22:26

“To the faithful you show yourself faithful,
to the blameless you show yourself blameless."
How well do you think you know someone? Time, history, and experience may give you some insight into the workings of the human heart, but "we are not true to one another as facts; we are true only to our ideas of one another." * In other words, perception is reality, as they say...

So how about you? What is your view of God?

When you think of God do you picture a mean, judging God, or a kind, loving God? According to this verse, our view of God is just a reflection of who we are. One of the major problems with this, however, is that when we base our idea of God on what time, history, and experience has taught us and not on His Word, we fail to see God for who He truly is... For He is faithful and blameless... (2 Samuel 22). The same can be said about our idea of others...

"Why our Lord is apparently so severe regarding every human relationship is because He knows that every relationship not based on loyalty to Himself will end in disaster." * Sometimes relationships get so complicated that it seems impossible to follow Jesus' command to "love one another". But it is not God that complicates things and makes them hard... it is us.

As Pastor Sung pointed out on Sunday, the only way to truly see or know God is to die to our flesh as Jesus proposed to Nicodemus in John chapter 3 and to be born again. "Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again... Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit." (John 3:3,6)

So what does it take to see God? The same thing it takes to see others the way the Lord intended for us to see them. It takes Jesus.

tam : )
_______________________________________________________
* Oswald Chambers, My Utmost For His Highest, July 30th, p.212

Obedience

2011-06-14T10:17:00.001-04:00

"I understand more than the aged, for I keep your precepts." - Psalm 119:100

We tend to defer to age as the barometer for wisdom. While there may be some credence to this, the Bible clearly teaches that wisdom and age do not necessarily go hand in hand. Contrary to what the world teaches us knowledge does not come with study but with obedience. And wisdom comes not from knowing but from doing. As Oswald Chambers says, "The golden rule to follow to obtain spiritual understanding is not one of intellectual pursuit, but one of obedience. If a person wants scientific knowledge, then intellectual curiosity must be his guide. But if he desires knowledge and insight into the teachings of Jesus Christ, he can only obtain it through obedience." (July 27th)

Do you ever wonder why your spiritual growth seems stunted? Why others seem to learn at a faster pace than you? Perhaps the answer lies not in seeking more knowledge but in simply obeying the Lord in what you already know. This is how we grow in our faith. This is how we demonstrate our love to the Lord (Jn 14:15). And this is what the Lord desires of us (1 Sam 15:22). If you seek to know....seek to obey.

Peter

Heaven & Earth

2011-06-08T13:40:00.001-04:00

"...no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him.” -1 Corinthians 2:9

Last week my wife and I flew to Maui to celebrate our 10 year anniversary. After we checked into our hotel we quickly drove to the same first restaurant we went to on our honeymoon. Sitting on the patio deck overlooking the Pacific Ocean while enjoying our dessert and drinks we sat in disbelief that we had actually made it! Not just 10 years of marriage but to Hawaii without our 3 kids! It was then that we asked our waitress (who had moved to Maui from Poland) how long she had been on the island and if she loved it here. She had only been there a year but to our surprise, she said the island was "boring" and "couldn't wait to leave".

"What?!" I thought. "This is heaven on earth!!"

And then it dawned on me. It doesn't matter how beautiful the place, the person or the thing - it's just a matter of time before "earthly treasures" wear out their splendor and luster. For this waitress and Maui - it only took a year. As C.S. Lewis says,"If I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world." Amen.

Deep within our hearts we are all searching for a greater person and a greater place. Our search will never end until we ultimately find that Jesus is that person and heaven is that place (HT: Randy Alcorn).

Peter

Rejoicing With The Truth

2011-06-08T08:03:00.001-04:00

1 Corinthians 13:6-8

"Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails." (NIV)

There are two words you should never bring up in an argument with a loved one. Those words are "always..." and "never...". For if we were to follow those dot dot dots, something negative would almost always be the result. As I struggled to get out of this negative mindset of dwelling on the always and nevers, a good friend brought me back to His Word and a verse that I had heard many times before, but that stirred my heart once again: 1 Corinthians 13:6-8. The Lord was showing me His version of always, and His version of the word never...

"Love... always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres." (1 Cor 13:6-8). "The LORD’S lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, For His compassions never fail." (Lam 3:22).

True Love delights and rejoices in only one Truth. We don't need to know the whole Truth, as long as those dot dot dots lead us to Jesus. "If I regard wickedness in my heart, The Lord will not hear." (Psalm 66:18) When we dwell on our own thoughts and leave no room for Jesus, Love will fail. The one thing I have to keep reminding myself of is to keep on emptying the trash so that the Lord can fill my mind and heart with rejoicing. For rejoicing is celebrating a victory over evil, which brings glory to God.

Ask the Lord to help you hear Him this day. May we leave no room for the flesh, but as we yield to His Spririt, may we always gain strength from God's love for us. May we never forget His lovingkindness and compassion. May we continue to pray for one another, and truly love one another in His name,

Amen.

tam : )

2 Timothy 4:2

2011-06-06T09:40:00.001-04:00

Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching.

It is just as well that I didn't have my camera. Nine times out of ten, when we walk, I have the camera. Yesterday, after a great service, a good run and a tasty lunch with friends, we went for a walk along the Humber Trail between Rutherford and Major Mackenzie. It was an active day for wildlife as we saw some birds, many caterpillars, a baby turtle, a small snake and a young deer. The deer was in a fenced area and it wanted to get out. As it heard us coming, it tried to jump the fence which was about 10' high. After it crashed into the fence, it ran around a bit, more scared than before. Then it tried again. Running, it leapt at the fence, crashed into it and fell down. It worried all of us as it lay writhing on the ground, feet thrashing. The ladies took the boys ahead and John and I went to check on the deer. As we approached, the writhing slowed down. The kicking then stopped. It was clearly evident that the young deer had broken its neck. We crouched down near it and, through the fence, we watched it take its last few breaths. Then it was still, eyes open, unmoving. As I considered what happened, I thought of events that will affect us in the future. The deer is not the only death we will experience. We will lose parents, friends, even children. Our comfort, our only comfort at such a sad time, will be in knowing that the dearly departed knew the Lord. If they knew the Lord in life, they draw closer to Him in death. This is our hope and our consolation. This is our wish and prayer. We can stay silent no longer. Those around us need to see the grace of God at work in our lives, in what we say and in what we do.

John

What Do You Lack?

2011-06-01T10:13:00.000-04:00

Luke 22:35

"Then Jesus asked them, “When I sent you without purse, bag or sandals, did you lack anything?”

“Nothing,” they answered." (NIV)

Last week my husband Rich planned a last minute trip to Florida for the family. As timing would have it, my sister Jeanne was able to book time off work and come with us as well. For those of you who are not familiar with my sister Jeanne, not only does she have the best purses, bags, and sandals, but she is a planner. So it was no surprise to see her luggage was neatly packed and everything was in their proper bags even on a couple of weeks notice. According to her luggage, she was very prepared. According to our circumstances, however, we were not as prepared as we thought...

One day we were in such a rush to get out of the house that my sister and I forgot to pack many things for our overnight trip to Tampa. On the ride there, my sister confessed that she was so frazzled that she forgot to pack her heels let alone wash her face! She did not feel like her usual self and neither did I. We both agreed that women need to feel prepared and told what is going on; but looking back, I think we just felt frustrated that we didn't feel like we had any control.

This week, as I was looking over the photos from our trip, all the while hoping that the Lord would help me put it into perspective, I came across this verse. Oh, how we need His Word... What we lacked wasn't the sunblock, the shoes, the chargers, or the maps. What we lacked was Jesus.

What do you lack? You can always tell what you lack based on what you value, and vice versa. I'm realizing that preparation and control can be a hindrance if we rely on our own strength or in things rather than in the Lord. Jesus pointed this out to the rich young ruler (Luke 18:22), and was pointing it out to me via today's verse.

Today, let the Lord be in control and fight your battles for you as He did for Gideon (Judges 6:14-16), Joseph, and so many other men and women of faith who trusted in the Lord rather than in their circumstances. May His Word prepare you for what you are about to face as you walk with Him. You will notice that situations are easier to deal with knowing that He is by your side and that He ultimately has your best interests at heart.

“Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me." (John 14:1)

Trust in Him and His will for your life. For when you do, you will truly lack nothing.

tam : )

Luke 16:10-11

2011-05-23T18:26:00.001-04:00

He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much; and he who is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much. Therefore if you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?

I prayed for great weather for pictures. I wanted the pictures to turn out perfectly. As I prayed that and as the time drew closer to shooting those pictures, the weather was excellent--it matched my mood and my expectations. I knew that I would get the pictures I wanted. As I drove to the location, a house I was shooting for real estate, the clouds gathered ominously. About 5 minutes from the house, the clouds opened up and it started to pour. I could see no break in the massive grey bank of clouds that stretched beyond the horizon. There was no way to tell how long the rain would last. I wondered at how I could be so confident in my expectations of answered prayer and then have such terrible weather. A break in the rain allowed me to get into the house without getting soaked so I was able to start working on the inside. As I worked my way through the house, room by room, the weather outside improved bit by bit. By the time I was finished inside, the sun had dried up all the rain. There wasn't a cloud in the sky. The bright blue sky was the perfect backdrop for the home. This experience once again illustrated God's timing for me. His timing is not dependent on my wishes. His timing is perfect. If I can get beyond trusting what I can see, the true riches will be placed in my trust.

John

Word for Today

2011-05-20T08:27:00.001-04:00

John 14:1

"Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me."

Believing in God and believing in Jesus are to be one in the same. Many find it easy to believe in a Creator. Knowing and believing that the universe was created by a greater entity than ourselves is an easy thing to accept even though we cannot prove it. Yet, why is it so difficult for people to believe and accept Christ? In fact, I see so many not only believing but preaching something other than Christ. It is not enough to have a belief in God, we must also believe in "the Word that became flesh, and dwelt among us, the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth." (John 1:14).

-Albert

Blessed Are The Peace Makers

2011-05-18T09:12:00.000-04:00

Matthew 5:9

"Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God." (KJV)

Last week I got sick again and had to take another round of antibiotics to kill the "angry" growth in the back of my throat. Well, my doctor couldn't have said it better, because not only was the inflammation "angry", but so was I. Just a few days after Mother's Day, I had become bedridden and drained of all energy only to awaken to a messy house, and a husband who would be going on a golfing trip for the weekend. "Mother's Day" was definitely over...

I started that day feeling utterly deflated. But I remembered the sermon from the Mother's Day service, and how the Lord is not interested in raising ordinary birds, but eagles! All we have to do is ask, seek, and keep the Lord in our day. So as I started cleaning the house, I kept trying to do just that... keep the Lord - and not the objects of my anger - in my thoughts and in my day.

That morning my daughter Taylor had made me something to make me feel better. It was a peace symbol encircled by a rainbow. As much as I loved it, I was a little surprised that she didn't make me a heart, because I love hearts (and it is the most common symbol representing love...).

So as I was cleaning, at around noon, the Lord brought my thoughts to today's verse. How fitting. I don't think it's a coincidence that my daughter made a peace symbol instead of a heart that morning.

I know the Lord wants us to be more than the average bird. He wants us to soar on wings like eagles, run and not grow weary, walk and not be faint.... How could I forget? Thankfully I've heard. Have you? - (Isaiah 40:28-31)

Out of all of the things you aim to make, today, make some peace.

What is the Lord telling you today? Whatever it is, may you glorify Him and know what a privilege it is to be called a child of God.

tam : )

Overflow

2011-05-17T10:47:00.002-04:00

"For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you..." -1 Corinthians 11:23a

Do you have a burning desire to serve and to bless others? To disciple, teach and do great things for the Lord? For Paul and all the other great men and women of God the secret in their lives was simple. The influence and blessing of their ministry was not something generated by their own power but from their own private times with the Lord. And it did not happen overnight, for Moses it was 40 years, for Elijah (1Kings 17) and Paul it was 3 years (Gal 1:18). But it was in those quiet time of solitude that they received from the Lord and it was in that receiving that they were subsequently able to give.

Do you find yourself at a place where you have nothing left to give? Perhaps you are unable to give for the Lord because you have not received from the Lord. Return to those quiet times of solitude with the Lord and receive from the One who is so eager to give. Receive until your cup overflows and then you will be able to "impart what you now possess".

Peter

Ecclesiastes 3:1

2011-05-16T13:58:00.000-04:00

To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven

Last April, Liz and I sold our home in Mississauga. We set the closing date to be August 1. On July 27, I got a phone call from our lawyer. He told me that the buyers of our home had requested an extension to the closing date because they were having trouble getting financing. I told him that it saddened me that they were having trouble getting financing but that I would like him to reject their request for an extension. He said, "Ok. Then you will have to re-list your house tomorrow and we'll have to get to work on filing papers to sue the people for breach of contract". Well...that's a little different than a request, in my opinion. We granted their request. Then we started to get angry. And, we started worrying. We worried about their finances. We worried about our finances. We worried about living in one house while owning another. Later that day, I got another phone call. My sister-in-law, UnSoo, was admitted to the hospital. As God would have it, He took her from us to be with Him on July 30. Her life was a blessing to us. Looking back, there is no way we could have mourned with family or celebrated her life or paid our respects if we had kept to our original closing date. God showed us that His timing is so much better than ours. We still moved. We still sold our house. And we were able to spend time with family when it mattered. In His time, He will make all things beautiful. He did so when we sold our house. I know that He is doing so as we endeavour to buy a house.

John

A.S.K.

2011-05-11T09:04:00.000-04:00

Matthew 7:7

"Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you."

Last Sunday I was reminded of a simple thing...that it never hurts to ask. In fact, the Lord wants us to keep on asking and to keep on seeking Him everyday, throughout the day. You know when you are truly intimate with someone when you can ask them anything without having any walls up or feel bad about it. Such is the heart of a child. "Permit the children to come to Me; do not hinder them; for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these." (Matt 10:14)

The Lord doesn't want us to just ask Him for things (even though that gives Him pleasure), but as you keep on asking and keep on seeking, and keep on knocking, you will discover that your prayers turn from petitions into conversations and ultimately into communion with Him.

"We look upon prayer as a means for getting something for ourselves; the Bible idea of prayer is that we may get to know God Himself." --Oswald Chambers

May you have a prayer-full day, and know Him. Truly, and intimately.

tam : )

Heaven's Invitation

2011-05-10T10:28:00.001-04:00

"So the servants went out into the streets and gathered all the people they could find, the bad as well as the good, and the wedding hall was filled with guests." -Matthew 22:10

I was reading through this familiar parable recently and noticed something I hadn't picked up on before. Those who had been given the initial invitation (Rom 1:16b), had rejected it and so the invitation went out to those the world would deem unworthy. What struck me was Matthew's peculiar description of the eventual guests who entered the wedding banquet of the king's son - "the bad as well as the good".

This was such a breath of fresh air for me. What this means is God does not extend His invitation to heaven on the basis of our own merits or whether the world categorizes us as "good or bad". Rather, God's only distinction for entrance into His great wedding feast is that we accept His gracious invitation. Are you attempting to enter heaven on the basis of your own merits? Or are you willing to humbly accept the gracious invitation of the King of Kings?

Peter

Word for Today

2011-05-06T14:18:00.001-04:00

John 13:23

There was reclining on Jesus' bosom one of His disciples, whom Jesus loved.

There is a saying, "out of sight, out of mind". Imagine what type of relationship you would be building if you only spent time with your friend for an hour once a week, or a couple of sentences during meals, or the conversation was always just one-way... you always talking but never listening? What expectation of that relationship would you have? Would it be a close one? John refers to himself as the disciple whom Jesus loved. I have to believe that of all the disciples, that John had a very close relationship with Jesus. A relationship that John could take complete trust and comfort in. A relationship that he could simply rest on the chest of his Lord Jesus. This intimacy does not come from one-way conversations but communion and true fellowship in Christ. I think this is why it is interesting that John didn't talk about communion with Christ during the last supper because for him, John didn't need an act of breaking bread and partaking of wine to remember his Lord - he had a true relationship with his Lord. Don't trivialize your relationship with Christ, begin investing in it today. Make it real. That is 'harao'.

-Albert

What belongs to God?

2011-05-04T09:23:00.000-04:00

Matthew 22:20-21

"Whose likeness and inscription is this?" They said to Him, "Caesar's." Then He said to them, "Then render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's; and to God the things that are God's."

During tax season, we usually render to the tax man what is due, albeit unwillingly, but what are we to render to God? When the Jews asked Jesus this question they were trying to trap Him by questioning Jesus' integrity and ideals of justice. Basically, what is "fair" - to the Jews. This made me realize that we as human beings, always tend to see things from our own perspective, and not from God's. For Jesus amazes them with His answer as seen in today's verse.

So what are we to render to God?

Just last week I heard an interesting radio podcast on how there should have been a follow up question to this inquiry. If the crowd were sincere in their initial question, the natural response probably would have been... "Then what do we render to God?"

Then Jesus probably would have answered: "Whose image is on you?"

There is a famous saying that goes like this: "I am a part of all I have met, and they are a part of me." Have you met Jesus? May you meet Him today.

Lord bless,

tam ; )

Body of Evidence

2011-05-03T10:23:00.006-04:00

After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. -1 Corinthians 15:6

Like many of us I've been reading a lot the last two days about the U.S. capture of Osama Bin Laden. What is interesting is that before President Obama could announce to the world that Bin Laden was captured and in fact dead he himself needed to know beyond a shadow of a doubt that they had in fact captured the right guy. He needed the body.

In the end, he added, "bombing the place was not really a viable option." The president wanted to definitively know if they had hit bin Laden, and that meant a body was needed. Panetta (CIA Director) and Obama agreed on that. (CNN Article)

What is remarkable is that after an unceremonial burial at an undisclosed ocean location and despite the fact that the U.S. has not presented the physical body to anyone - no one, not even Al Qaeda or the Islamic world, is refuting the U.S. claim that he is dead. Why is this? Because everyone knows the U.S. would not dare make this claim if he were able to turn up alive. Isn't that amazing? The veracity of the U.S. claim that Bin Laden is dead is assumed as truth even though his body has not been paraded around for people to see.

Now take the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Here was a man who claimed He would rise from the dead and in fact did. After his death and burial he showed himself to hundreds of people and his appearance was so extraordinary that it transformed 11 frightened men huddled in the upper room into 11 bold men who spanned much of the globe to proclaim the gospel - each of whom died a martyr's death. No one, not even his many enemies who were hell-bent on stopping him were able to produce a body proving his final death.

The singular lynchpin of the Christian faith is the resurrection. Without the resurrection there is no victory over sin and death and Jesus is nothing more than a gifted charlatan. But with the resurrection the veracity of Jesus' claim is proven. He is in fact the Son of God. We do have victory over sin and death. And by that same resurrection power dead lives are made alive in Him every day. Is He alive in you today?

Peter

1 Corinthians 15:57

2011-05-02T08:50:00.000-04:00

But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

We rely so much on our own skills and talents. Too often, it is our ability that carries us through life, that brings us to victory. The young lady in this video achieves victory through talent and determination. She rises from a fall and races to victory. Each of us is in a race, this race of life. And each of us has fallen. The difference is that our Lord will give (that's right, give) us victory. It will not be our ability, talent, skill or determination that will determine the outcome. He will be at the finish line, urging us on to victory. He will be beside us lifting us up. As we run into His welcoming arms, He will give us victory. The victory that matters comes only in knowing Him.

John

Word for Today

2011-04-29T09:58:00.000-04:00

John 20:22

And when He had said this, He breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit."

When we are born physically in the world, our first breath of air is what gives us life. When I recall the first time I accepted Jesus Christ into my life, it was an incredible feeling of freedom and 'new life'. On that day, my world changed as my life was no longer just about physical existence but spirtitual identity in Jesus. But it all had to start with that first step of faith in accepting Christ and allowing His Spirit to enter in to me. Deliverance from our worldly bondage starts with entrance of the Holy Spirit.

-Albert

After, the Feast

2011-04-27T08:41:00.001-04:00

John 20:4-7

"4 two were running together; and the other disciple ran ahead faster than Peter and came to the tomb first; 5 and stooping and looking in, he saw the linen wrappings lying there; but he did not go in. 6 And so Simon Peter also came, following him, and entered the tomb; and he saw the linen wrappings lying there, 7 and the face-cloth which had been on His head, not lying with the linen wrappings, but rolled up in a place by itself."

One thing you just gotta love about the apostle Peter is his faith. Even though John got to the tomb first, it says he did not go all the way in. Peter, on the other hand, not only goes in but he goes a little further and sees something that John - and the rest of us for that matter - would have missed. Peter saw "the face-cloth... not lying with the linen wrappings, but rolled up in a place by itself."

The KJV calls this face-cloth a "napkin". So what is the significance of a rolled up napkin you ask? Well, if you've ever eaten at a restaurant, and particularly at a buffet, one thing you need to hang onto is your napkin. I happened to go to an Indian buffet for lunch last week and this thought occurred to me as I was headed for my second plate. I folded my napkin and kept it as far away from my plate as possible so the server would know that I would be back with more. Huh.

As I read this passage it was as if the Lord was also confirming in my Spirit that He would be back, and that we would have this amazing feast after His second coming to end all feasts. "I say to you that many will come from the east and the west, and will take their places at the feast with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 8:11) How humbling it will be to be included in such company.

Thank you, Lord, for these treasures in Scripture, and for your promises that can reach far in time to a sinner and wretch, like me. May you continue to mold us and push us from being grains of sand into diamonds that glorify all the facets of your amazing grace.

tam : )

"It is finished!"

2011-04-26T10:18:00.001-04:00

When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished,” and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. -John 19:30

After breakfast on Good Friday I read the crucifixion account in John's gospel with the whole family. When we got to the part where Jesus was offered sour wine to drink from a hyssop branch and then cried out "It is finished!" I asked my kids, "Why did Jesus say this?" My 8 yr old son asked "Was it because he was done drinking and there was no more left?" (tongue in cheek)

Nope.

For the longest time I thought this simply meant that Jesus' mission on earth was accomplished. And in some sense of course it was. However, there is more to it than this. In ancient times these words "It is finished" or "Tetelestai" were the words stamped on loan and contracts when all obligations and debts were fully paid. This practice still holds true today. When you repay a mortgage or a loan in full it is stamped at closing with big red ink "Paid in Full". Our debt is paid in full and Jesus paid it. As many of us heard this past weekend, "Jesus paid a debt He did not owe, because we owed a debt we could not pay." This is the essence of grace. And despite our many feeble attempts to "repay" the Lord for what He's done, it means we can add nothing to what He's done and take nothing away from it either.

And this is why Jesus is seated (Heb 12:2 - and not standing) at the right hand of the Father today. His work is completed. The debt is paid in full. It is finished indeed.

Peter

Isaiah 40:12

2011-04-25T21:55:00.001-04:00

Who has measured the waters in the hollow of His hand, Measured heaven with a span And calculated the dust of the earth in a measure? Weighed the mountains in scales And the hills in a balance?

Tammy, Luke's Sunday School teacher, told me about a colouring sheet that Luke worked on. It was a picture of Jesus. She asked all the children to write their name on their papers. The common, logical places to write a name are at the top or the bottom or in one of the corners of the page. Luke didn't choose any of the common places. Instead, he wrote his name on Jesus' hand. That's where he sees himself, in Jesus' hands. Beautiful! He sees his name written on the hands of our Lord. Young Luke knows that the same hands that have measured the waters of the earth, that have measured heaven in their span and that have held the dust of the earth (all of the dust!) are the very same hands that comfort him and hold him close. It is those same loving hands that were pierced for us. Indeed, our names our written in His blood.

John

After, the Spirit

2011-04-20T10:56:00.005-04:00

Romans 8:1

"There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit."

Easter is a very special holiday. Not only do we get to celebrate the life that Jesus lived, but we get to celebrate His victory over death! So for a long time I knew today's verse according to the New American Standard Version: "Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus". Period. End of verse. But I recently came across the King James Version, which adds that there is no condemnation to those...."who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit". What?

After I allowed the Word to soak into my heart and mind for a minute, I realized that I had this misconception that once we are saved by grace, that we are not under any condemnation at all - no matter what we do. Obviously that doesn't give us a license to sin, but I think that perhaps part of the reason why many Christians never grow or walk after the Lord is because in this "PC" culture that we live in, no one wants to offend or condemn anyone for living a life of sin, because, after all, we are all sinners, but Christ died for us...

Interestingly enough, I also came across a note that I scribbled down a long time ago about how the word leisure comes from the Latin word licere, which also means license. It literally means to be permitted and to be allowed. I wonder how many sins we permit into our lives all for the sake of our PC culture, and not for the sake of Jesus...(Rev 3:15-16). Titus 2:14 says that Jesus gave Himself for us, "that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works."

Let's face it - most non-believers are not initially persuaded by knowledge, but mostly by observation. What they need to observe is you! You and me and other Christians living a life that reflects the grace and redeeming shed blood of our Lord who conquered death on Calvary. Even if it is peculiar. To our fellow believers, we need to rebuke, encourage, and help one another stay on that path that leads not only to righteousness and sanctification, but to Jesus. "For God hath not given us a spirit of fear; but of love, and of a sound mind". (2 Timothy 1:7)

Since Jesus has risen to glory to be with the Father, many people ask What would Jesus do? But the question shouldn't be WWJD, but rather, what is He telling me to do? For once we have new life in Christ, we are to start walking. Just like a newborn baby learns to take new steps, we who are called, are to be taking every opportunity, every step towards Jesus. Not because it is our duty, but because He first loved us.

Yes, Easter is special. For "Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends". (John 15:13)

Thank you, Jesus, for everything.

May we walk up that hill to Calvary, ever following your Spirit.

tam : )

Irony

2011-04-19T10:17:00.000-04:00

When Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere...he took water and washed his hands in front of the crowd. “I am innocent of this man’s blood!" - Matthew 27:24

There are places in the Bible so chock full of irony so rich it would make an English Professor blush. But I can’t think of any literary passage anywhere that is as rich in irony as Pilate’s encounter with Jesus:

“Do you refuse to speak to me? Don’t you realize I have the power to free you or crucify you?”

Little does Pilate know that he is speaking to the one who has such great power that “by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him.” [Col 1:15-18] Jesus even created Pilate’s throne, power, authority and yet Pilate is ironically claiming ot have the “power” to exonerate or kill him.

“For this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.” Jesus said. “What is truth?” Pilate asked. (Jn 18:38)

Pilate asks for the definition of truth when the very embodiment of truth is literally standing right in front of him. [I am the way, the TRUTH, and the Life...John 14:6]

“I am innocent of this man’s blood - it is your responsibility.” (Mt 27:24)

Pilate capitulates to the raucous crowd and knowingly sends an innocent man to execution but not before publicly washing his hands in front of the crowd. The irony is that some day Pilate, along with the vociferous crowds (Mt 27:25), will realize that the very blood he was trying to wash off to absolve his guilt is the only thing that can save him from his guilt.

Are we like little Pilates? Failing to recognize Jesus' deity, veracity and perfect atonement for our sins? May it not be so. As we reflect upon Him this Passion week may we see Him for who and all that He is.

Peter Cho

John 1:10

2011-04-18T10:06:00.002-04:00

He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him.

At the end of each day of pre-school at Rock Community Christian School, my 2 year-old, Sean, and his classmates gather together and sing the goodbye song (Before We Say Goodbye, Jana Alayra). The song is about knowing the Lord. It urges us to make sure we know the Lord before we part from each others' company. Sean's older brother, 5 year-old Luke, likes to leave his class early so that he can sing with his Sean. As I watched them sing the other day, I imagined Luke being concerned about Sean's faith. I pictured Luke understanding the importance of knowing the Lord and wanting to share that with his little brother. There will come a day when Luke and Sean will say goodbye for the final time just as you and I will say final goodbyes to people in our lives. That day could be today. It could be tomorrow. We need to pray that these people know the Lord before that time. These little choristers gave me such a clear example of how I should lead my life, full of concern for others and for what really matters.

John

Before We Say Goodbye by Jana Alayra

Before you go away, at the end of this good day
Do you, do you know the Lord?
Before we say good-bye, let me ask you one more time
Do you, do you know the Lord?

His peace, His forgiveness
His words of truth and life
Do you need, His forgiveness?
Don't let another moment pass you by,
Now is the time, Now is the time. Good Bye.

Heart of Christ = Heart of Compassion

2011-04-13T11:09:00.001-04:00

Colossians 3:12-13

"So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion..."

Now that I have a new washing machine, I've been doing a lot of laundry lately. Last week, I had caught a virus and was really sick. So the laundry kept getting done, but was piling up and not being put away. So the kids would come and look for their clothes in the mountain that was piling up in our guest room in order to get dressed.

All week the girls prayed that I would get better. They were definitely sympathetic. But one day, as I decided to tackle the pile of laundry and fold it, the girls wanted to help. To my surprise, they helped sort and fold and the laundry was put away much faster with the help of my two little girls. I told both of them that they can go and play, but they chose to help me instead because they didn't want me to have to do it on my own. Ah...compassion. I was thankful.

What is compassion? If you think about it, the Bible doesn't record that Jesus was "sympathetic" to the needs of others, but rather, that Jesus had compassion. It means to co-suffer, from the Latin compassus. Unlike sympathy which is just a feeling, compassion stirs you to action. "For the Christian, compassion is not a luxury to expend simply when times are good, but a spirit for all circumstances, exemplified in the life of Jesus of Nazareth. Nor is charity an act to bolster our own sense of virtue or moral aspirations; rather, it is the very outworking of an identity found in the self-sacrificial love and person of Christ." - Jill Carattini, RZIM; "Compassion in Decline".

If you are more concerned with the help you are not getting rather than the help that you are able to offer, you do not have the mind of Christ. Jesus gave not in the abundance of His riches or glory, but in His poverty. How about you?

"Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship." - Romans 12:1

tam : )

What if God?

2011-04-12T09:56:00.003-04:00

"He [Jesus] is the image of the invisible God..." -Colossians 1:15a

What if God blew away every preconceived notion of who or what we thought he was and amazed us with his grace and astounded us with his humility? Would we recognize him? Would we despise him? Or would we worship him?

Below is a poem I wrote in honor of Jesus as well as a link to a video with all the answers from His word. I hope it blesses you as we reflect upon the approaching Passion Week and Easter. Feel free to pass it along.

http://vimeo.com/22284942

What if God?

What if God...became a man?
Would he arrive in secret....or announce his coming?
Would he come in riches....or in rags?
Would he appear majestic...or ordinary?
Would he conceal himself...or let us witness?

Would he speak in clichés….or transcendent truth?

Would he be pious….or perfect?

Would he abolish the old….or fulfill it new?

Would he feel what we feel?

Fatigue?

Thirst?

Sorrow?

Pain?

Would he come to be served…or to serve?

Would he demonstrate supremacy over…

Our laws?

Our traditions?

Our sins?

The natural?

The supernatural?

Disease?

Death?

Even his own?

What if we were not good enough to reach God?

Would he be good enough to come to us?

Lord bless,

Peter

Word for Today

2011-04-01T08:56:00.002-04:00

Proverbs 3:5-6

Trust in the LORD with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.

They say that the shortest distance between two points is a straight line. I have to believe that in the Lord's plan, He has the shortest path marked out for us. But not many take that path. I used to think that the obstacles in my path, that caused me to take detours and left turns and right turns, were put in front of me by the world. But really what gets in the way is myself - my own desires or idols that draw me away from God's path. Acknowledging Him, is about being wholehearted. Give your life to Jesus and see how quickly He can take you to where He wants you to go.

-Albert

For Those Who Hope In The Lord...

2011-03-30T10:03:00.002-04:00

Isaiah 40:31

"but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint."

When we think of a majestic bird, we North Americans tend to think of an eagle. For the Japanese, however, the crane is auspicious. In fact, they have this legend that promises your hearts desire if you are able to fold 1000 origami cranes. This week I heard the story about Sadako Sasaki, a Japanese girl who was exposed to the radiation as a result of the bombing at Hiroshima and who, along with many other children, had developed leukemia as a result. The doctors told her she had one year at the most to live. What would you do if you knew you only had only one year left?

For Sadako, she could have given up, but one day, her friend brought her a gold square piece of paper in which to start folding a crane. This gave Sadako a new found hope; and the popular story is that although she was unable to fold all 1000 cranes at the time of her death, her friends had all gathered together to complete the job for her, covering her casket with them at the time of her burial.

As I surfed the internet to find out more about the folding of the cranes, and how people hope in things, I came across this image by Joni Yamashiro, appropriately titled "Thousand Cranes", paper on wood, that was done in 2007.

An eerie picture of what was to come... But it was not only that, it was the Lord giving me a visual picture of His might - that He is ultimately in control, and that we need not hope in anything in this world (folding cranes, money, or legends...) other than the Creator of this world.

For after Sadako's death, there still remains a statue as a memorial to her and all the children who had died from the radiation of the atomic bomb, so many say that her wish did come true. However, there is a plaque there that reads: "This is our cry. This is our prayer. Peace on Earth." As heart-warming as the story of Sadako is, and still is to this day, may we never forget to Whom we are crying and praying to. I love this verse in Isaiah, because it always reminds me of this truth.

Next week I volunteered to help fold some cranes at my daughter's school in order to show our support for the victims in Japan. But the Lord was showing me something deeper - He was showing me that unless our hope is in Him, our hope is just that - a piece of paper - no matter how beautiful, or how golden it is. That is the greater lesson that I am to teach my kids next week as I teach them how to fold cranes.

May we always remember that our hope is not in hope itself, but our hope is in the Lord, the Everlasting God. For only He can truly renew our strength and like the eagle, make us soar.

tam : )

Earthquakes and the Glory of God

2011-03-29T10:11:00.000-04:00

"Cursed is the ground because of you..." -Genesis 3:17

Like many of us I've spent much of the past two weeks watching the news coming out of Japan trying to process this great tragedy and how to help. But what does the Bible tell us about earthquakes and what do they mean?

Jesus said that when his return was near that one of the signs would be the prevalence of earthquakes and these would be "the beginning of birth pains" (Mt 24:6-8). Although I have three children, I have not experienced the unique burden of bearing them, but one thing I can tell you is that when each child's arrival became more imminent the contractions and birth pains were marked by two things: increased frequency and increased intensity. Does this not describe what we have witnessed even in these past few years? (e.g. Indian Ocean 2004, Haiti 2010, New Zealand 2011, Japan 2011)

So what does all this have to do with the glory of God?

Paul reminds us that once sin entered the picture at the Great Fall, not only did humanity and Satan fall under a curse but all of creation fell under a curse as well (Gen 3:17) and since then all the earth is in fact "groaning together in pains of childbirth" eagerly awaiting her redemption (Rom 8:18-23).

What a remarkable truth! Perhaps earthquakes are not arbitrary shifts in tectonic plates but are Creation's way of demonstrating her longing for redemption from her Creator. Perhaps earthquakes are not random "acts of God" but serve a greater purpose in reminding us to look forward to Jesus' return. Perhaps great earthquakes in a fallen world are meant to direct us towards a great hope in a new earth - a new earth free from all of the effects of sin and in which God's perfectly redeemed will live under God's perfect reign (Rev 21:1-5). Perhaps if sinful man refuses to give God glory then the rocks themselves will cry out (Lk 19:37-40).

Maranatha. Come Lord Jesus.

Peter

Romans 15:4

2011-03-28T09:59:00.002-04:00

For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.

In Kugluktuk, Nunavut, Canada, suicide was an epidemic. In 1998, 3 boys, in a town of only about 1,150 people, and in a span of just 7 months, took their own lives. They joined 15 other people from the small town who had taken their own lives in the previous decade. A teacher, Russ Sheppard, knew he had to make a decision--either pack up and leave or make a difference. It was too much to come to school each day and see the empty seat of another student who had died by his own hand. To help, Sheppard brought the sport of lacrosse to this small town. The town had never seen lacrosse before. Now, it rarely sees a day when someone isn't spotted walking around without a lacrosse stick. Giving the students lacrosse has given them something to live for. The suicide rate has declined dramatically--for years there was no suicide at all in Kugluktuk. Sheppard did something that we all have the power to do. He taught children that there is more to life than what they previously believed. We Christians know there is much more to this life and the next. We are in a position to share this wonderful information with others. In the sharing, life-changing differences will soon be evident.

John
Watch the video of the Kugluktuk Grizzlies here

E-manual ~ God is With Us

2011-03-23T09:11:00.000-04:00

Matthew 18:19-20

"Again I say to you, that if two of you agree on earth about anything that they may ask, it shall be done for them by My Father who is in heaven. For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst."

Every night before I put the kids to bed, we have circle time where we share our prayer requests with one another. For the past month or so, our daughter Rachel has had a mild case of eczema all over her shoulders and thighs that would flare up - especially at bath time. Sometimes she would cry from the sheer stinginess of it. So every night we started praying that the Lord would heal Rachel's eczema.

On our search for discovering the reason for her recent rash, we had invested in expensive creams, oils, and lotions... I even bought her some new pajamas hoping it wouldn't irritate her skin as much. Although these "solutions" seemed to alleviate her symptoms, they were not getting to the source of the problem, so we kept on praying.

One day our washing machine shut down in the middle of a wash. No matter what I did, it wouldn't work or rinse out the water that had accumulated in the drum. Five hours later, I squeezed out all the water and threw the clothes in the dryer. Not without much complaining, though, I must say... A few days later, we called a technician.

Turns out the culprit had nothing to do with our washing machine. It was the detergent that I was adding to it. The technician told us that our problem was quite common. According to his estimation, about 70% of the washers break down simply because, like me, people add the wrong detergent. Basically, "people just don't read the manual", is what I remember him saying... "High-efficiency" washing machines require high-efficiency detergents. I for some reason, decided to switch detergents about a month or so ago, and had forgotten about the manual after eight years of thinking I knew what I was doing! Sigh... I had no excuse but my own stupidity, and at the expense of my daughter's health, no less!

Joshua 1:8 says: "This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success." (Emphasis mine).

Success #1: After only a week with the brand new washer, Rachel's eczema is gone!

Success #2: When I asked Taylor about her throat irritation, she said: "I think it's still bothering me because no one prayed for me like [we all did for] Rachel." We all agreed. So that's just what we did, giving thanks for who He is.

Success #3: When prayers are no longer filled with needs, but with praise.

May your faith and your prayers produce praise, because God is with us.

tam : )