Devotional Time with God

Josh Etter quoted D. A. Carson about us mistaking we can “drift” towards holiness.

We drift toward compromise and call it tolerance; we drift toward disobedience and call it freedom; we drift toward superstition and call it faith. We cherish the indiscipline of lost self-control and call it relaxation; we slouch toward prayerlessness and delude ourselves into thinking we have escaped legalism; we slide toward godlessness and convince ourselves we have been liberated.

It’s easy to be on the sidelines and watching other Christians do God’s work.  I need to get involved. I need to take a bigger role. I need to spend more time.

I need to try harder!

God’s grace is a given.  But to gain His rewards, I must run to get them!

Then he said, ‘I know! I’ll tear down my barns and build bigger ones. Then I’ll have room enough to store all my wheat and other goods. And I’ll sit back and say to myself, “My friend, you have enough stored away for years to come. Now take it easy! Eat, drink, and be merry!”’
“But God said to him, ‘You fool! You will die this very night. Then who will get everything you worked for?’
“Yes, a person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God.”

Luke 12:18-21

Jesus grew in wisdom and in stature, and in favor with God and favor with men.

Luke 2:52

Jesus led with the example. As a man, He’s telling me, to grow mentally and intellectually. I must have learning goals. I must know what I need to do to increase my knowledge. Not just for myself, but for the good of the Lord.

Then physically I need to grow in physical health.  As the old saying goes, Men sana in corpore sano: In a healthy body there can be a healthy mind. I must take care of my body. Lose weight, lower blood pressure, avoid diabetes, avoid having a stroke. I must get in shape.

Also, I need to take care of my finances. This goes on without saying, as we need money to survive in this world. However, money doesn’t have to be the master of my life.  The bible said in Matthew 6:24, I can’t serve two masters.  Also in 1 Chronicles 29:9, I give my offering willingly to the Lord, when the leaders asked for the rebuilding of the house of the Lord.  Money is a tool to be used.  But first I need to create wealth – not take wealth.

Last, but not least, I must have a healthy relationship with others. Building a strong character means getting along with people. Being a leader means having a follower and be liked & loved. I must be kind to others and help whoever I can.

Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love.

1 Corinthians 16:13-14

To get where I’m going, I need to know what is it, exactly, that I want.  I must ask:

1. What do I want to be?
2. What do I want to do?
3. What do I want to have?
4. Why do I want it?

I can’t be asking God for anything and everything.  Even though God knows what I need or want, He wants to know if I know what I want.  I need to keep my motivation in check.  God will provide the way.

I want to be a father who can provide for my family for the next 30 years to come, until I retire.  I want to provide wise advice in terms of finance, education, and life experiences.  I want to have an abundant life, so I may share with or help others.  I want all of this so I can be a good example to other people what a Christ-centered family look like.

The reward is in heaven (Luke 6:23). This world is a temporary. My reward here is nothing compared what’s waiting for me in heaven.  I must keep my eye on the heavenly prize.

Many times when I pray, I always wander off and talk to God about “world peace”, “healing”, and “forgiveness”.  Another words, I always talk in generality.  God knows exactly what I need or want, so I really don’t have hide around those vague words.  I should just come out and say exactly what I want!

Jesus stopped and ordered the man to be brought to him. When he came near, Jesus asked him, “What do you want me to do for you?”
“Lord, I want to see,” he replied.

Luke 18:40-41

“Lord, I want to see.”  Right to the point!  Expect a miracle.  Have faith!

Lord, I want a baby boy!  Lord, I want my parents to live another 30 years!  Lord, I want this bad back to heal!

Romans 8:32 said, there’s nothing God won’t do for me.  He already gave His only Son for me!

Living in Southern California, it’s easy to get caught up in a self-worth race.  Looking around, people have bigger houses, bigger yards, bigger cars – and undoubtedly, bigger bank accounts.  Looking rich is looking good.  Even a dish washer in a restaurant drives a Lexus!

This obsession to have more is unhealthy.  All of this “stuff” that I have is merely on loan.  My God, the master of the universe, is the owner (Luke 16:12).  I don’t take my possessions to heaven.

I need to be different from this world.  I need to be transformed (Romans 12:2).  My thinking about money is to be directed towards bringing people to God.  It’s the way to store up my “treasures” in heaven (Matthew 6:20-21).

I need to be investing for eternity.

All of my life, I see my parents try hard to accumulate wealth.  They became wealthy, but had no time for family.  We were taken care of financially, but we were emotionally empty.  Now that I have my own family, I vowed not to fall into that trap.  I may be financially OK, but at least I can come home every night and weekends with my wife and kid.  We can still go vacation together and feel very close to each other.

The bible tells me that my “life does not consist in the abundance of possessions.” (Luke 12:15). This world is fleeting.  It will come to pass and I’ll be with God after all of my days here.  Accumulation of possessions will be meaningless in heaven.

I need to accumulate love.  Love for my family, others, and that of the Father in heaven.

Do not love the world or anything in the world. If you love the world, love for the Father  is not in you.   For everything in the world—the cravings of sinful people, the lust of their eyes and their boasting about what they have and do—comes not from the Father but from the world.  The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.

1 John 2:15-17

When my toddler got her first illustrated bible from the church, I thought it would make a good introduction for her.  I would read chapter by chapter each day (short ones), and she would get excited about looking at the pictures of Moses, Noah’s Ark, Jesus and His disciples.

When I get to the section called “The True King”, it illustrated a donkey and Jesus riding it during Passover Feast.  It’s outlined in the books of Matthew 21:1-11, Mark 11:1-11, Luke 19:29-42, and John 12:12-19.  The picture of the donkey is cute and we got a kick out of looking at it.  I said to myself, that’s odd why they would focus on this donkey.

As it turns out, the donkey (and the subsequent Jesus arrival to Jerusalem on it) was prophesied earlier in Isaiah 21:7.  Jesus had fulfilled that prophecy.

The Bible confirmed Jesus is the one true king, as shown by God’s vision.

It’s the season to be jolly.  It’s the time to be happy.  It’s the moment I’ve been waiting for all year.

Jesus is the reason for the season!

He brought the salvation that I need.  He gave me His life so I can live.  His perfection is what I strive for.

Jesus is the good stuff.

“Don’t be afraid, Mary,” the angel told her, “for you have found favor with God! You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David. And he will reign over Israel forever; his Kingdom will never end!”

Luke 1:30-33

Do to others as you wold have them do to you.

Luke 6:31

Jesus said it abundantly clear and simple here.  I need to treat others the same way as I want them to treat me.  It can sometimes be a one-way street, but it is the right way to do it.  It’s the Christian way.

1. Choose the right timing.  Make time to sit down and discuss it.  Avoid all distractions.
2. Have the right attitude.  Apologize privately, with humility, and expect nothing in return.  It’s up to God to change a person’s heart, not me.
3. Be appropriate.  I must consider the situation and person, try to make amends in the way that’s best for him/her.
4. Make restitution whenever possible.  Pay back what I owe.  Return what I borrowed.

Most of all, I must reach out to God.  I need to ask Him to give me the strength to make amends.  If I’m doing my part doing what’s right, He’ll be right there for me.

Dear God, you have shown me that holding on to resentment for the wrongs done to me and refusing to make them right has hurt me emotionally, physically, and spiritually.  I ask you today to help me to be honest about my hurts.  I’ve been ignoring others and keeping all of the negatives in me.  But now I’m ready to come clean. I’m ready to tell the truth about my pain.  I ask you to give me the strength and courage so I can release those who have hurt me.  I want to let go of my resentment towards them.  Only by your power I can do this!  I also pray that you give me the wisdom to know how to make amends.  Please guide me as I find ways to correct and make restitution.  Thank you for giving the chance to being a new life as I refocus my life.  I know I have a long way to go, but I’m holding on to your promises that all my troubles will fade from my memory.  Thank you, Jesus. Amen.

I know it takes faith to believe in God.  However, it takes more faith not to believe because what if I’m wrong?  I’m not perfect.  I’m not always right.  If there’s a higher power, wouldn’t I want to be on His side?

As a child, I was jaded.  I was invincible.  I felt I could do it all, in good health (even though not in perfect shape), and had a lot of years ahead of me.

Upon reflection, I was relying too much on myself.  I know now that God was looking after me.

I know God:

1. Exists
2. Cares about me.
3. Has the power to help me.

God has answered my prayers multiple times.  He knows my needs and have provided.  He will always provide because He has an infinite power.

Jesus replied, “What is impossible with men is possible with God.”

Luke 18:27

When you go through deep waters,
I will be with you.
When you go through rivers of difficulty,
you will not drown.
When you walk through the fire of oppression,
you will not be burned up;
the flames will not consume you.

Isaiah 43:2