Devotional Time with God

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

Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Does she not light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.’  In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.

Luke 15:8-10

God cares about each and everyone of us.  He has created me for a reason.  He has created my child for a purpose.  I’m important in God’s eyes – and so is my daughter.

As a Dad, I have a special role in the family, and it’s to be a spiritual leader.  I’m to be a reflection of God’s love.  I have to be one who’s there to observe and compliment my child, whether it’s at the dinner table, or the playground, whenever she does good.

I know she is indeed unique, valuable, and special.

Christmas is coming up. Pastor Doug Fields challenged me to answer these questions:

1. Identify which of the four feelings (afraid, uncomfortable, occupied, awestruck) best describes your response to Jesus? [WHAT do I feel when I focus on Jesus?]
2. Clarify what might be happening within your life that makes you feel that way. [WHY do I feel that way about Jesus?]

After reading the biblical events surrounding the birth of Jesus on Matthew 1:18-2:23 and Luke 2:1-20, I extract the following:

I feel “busy” or occupied.  Just like the innkeeper rejected Mary and Joseph when the rooms were all full. My schedule is full too. I have to take my wife to her wedding anniversary dinner, my kid to Christmas events around the community, write and mail Christmas cards, plan for vacation, and of course, a lot of shopping. Whenever I focus on Jesus, I realize that I don’t have to so busy. He is the reason for season! Why should I put a priority on the other things? I feel this way because I figured I talk to Jesus every day. He’ll be there when I do all of those other tasks. Come to think about it, Jesus is no longer the focus this way. It is wrong and I must change that.

Jesus, in this busy season, please make me stop and focus on you. I don’t need to make plans to keep me busy and forget this time is actually for you: your birth into this world. You’re here to safe me. Safe me one more time! I only need you. I only need to focus on you. Give me the peace and joy that can only be from you, Jesus. Thank you for saving me from my own busy-ness. Amen.

What has happened to me recently that I now realize was a test from God? What are the greatest matters God has entrusted to me?

The Purpose Driven Life, P.46

As I blogged earlier, God’s test for me, that made a major impact on my life, was about money during my unemployment months. I was worried what was going to happen to Yantie and I. We were also uncertain about staying in the US because we did not have a green card yet. God certainly made it a long and agonizing few months. However, my God is a good God. He promised as written in 1 Corinthian 10:13 (NIV):

And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.

God eased the burden by giving Yantie a job that supplemented the unemployment checks. Later, God provided me with a job that enabled us to continue our green card process — and finally obtained our US Permanent Resident status! He had tested us and we endured it as best as we could. My God is a fair and loving God. From this lesson, I am also striving to step out of my comfort zone and expand my horizons. Jesus said, as written in Luke 12:48b (NIV):

From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.

I have now been given a daughter to raise, a bigger house to maintain, and more responsibilities at the office, just to name a few. God has taught me to endure the troubles in my life. God wants me to pass because He wants to entrust more stuff to me. He wants me to grow here, preparing me for the eternal life in heaven.