Devotional Time with God

I listened to Greg Laurie’s service today on Harvest Christian Church, and he talked about the most difficult part of my Christian life: How to evangelize.  Sharing my faith can be tricky in this day and age.  He covered what I need to do:

I need to go to Samaria (John 4:4), which is practically everywhere, especially where no one wants to go and be with people no one wants to be associated with. The gospel is for everyone.  If they don’t hear about Jesus’ love, they’ll be going to hell.  I have to overcome my prejudices and biases.  Everyone’s the same in the eyes of the Lord.

I need to be tactful. Evangelism is about a dialogue, not a monologue. I have to do a lot of listening. Everyone’s favorite topic is himself or herself.  I must need to learn how to respond, with tact.  The objective is to win the soul, not the argument. For example, Jesus was using the well and its water as a metaphor for her life (John 4:13).

I need to adapt to the situation.  People might try to change the subject (John 4:20), but I have to keep trying to go back to the main issue.  There is no one way to evangelize. Sometimes I have to answer a question with a question – it’s for those who just want discredit what I know.  Asking questions engages the other person, creating a bridge to a dialogue.

I need to use my story.  It’s a way to preach to a person without actually preaching.  Many people will believe as a result of my testimony (John 4:39).  A real story is a powerful message, as real as I experienced it – not exaggerated.  It’s not about me, it’s about God.

I need to faithfully deliver the word of God, giving everyone the true gospel. The truth is, the way to heaven is through Jesus Christ.  Jesus died for my sins. He’s the way, the truth, and the life.

I need to let God work through me.  He’ll give me the strength to deliver the Good News to anyone – everyone.  I need to let God direct 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.

There are many famous people in this world.  They’re rich, influential, charismatic, beautiful, persuasive, or even powerful in some ways.  People have a tendency to look at them as role models.

But are they suppose to be mine?

The bible tells me my father is suppose to be my role model:

Jesus gave them this answer: “Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does.”

John 5:19

I love my Dad and I look up to my biological father because he’s my closest example of what a man should be.  But I do have to remind myself that he’s only human, with all the fallacies of this world.

There is a heavenly Father.  God is my source of life and inspiration.  I need to fix my eye on Him.  He will show more greater and more amazing things (John 5:20).

God is my ultimate role model.

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

Back in the 80’s when I was growing up, there’s always a group of people who could influence my way of doing things.  They were, unfortunately, my high-school friends.  The Church didn’t have a strong influence.  In fact, it was quite passive.  In addition, the media on TV and radio has a strong influence, they were coolest thing to see and hear.  In today’s fast paced and Internet-connected society, it’s quick & easy to pass around information.  I obtained ideas, opinions, and commentaries faster today than I ever did back then.  Those are the strong influencers now.

My character was molded by someone else.

But it’s time to turn to creator, who molded me from his own image (Genesis 1:27), to set me back on track to the Heaven.  It’s time to develop convictions (Romans 12:2) that deeply motivates me to do the right thing for God and for love.  It’s time to develop Christ-like character, and develop habits that bring fruits of the spirit (Galatians 5:22-23).

Beautiful Lord, Wonderful savior
I know for sure all of my days are held in your hands
Crafted into your perfect plans

You gently called me into your presence
Guiding me by Your Holy Spirit
Teach me dear Lord to live all of my life
Through your eyes

I’m captured by your holy calling
Set me apart. I know you’re drawing me to yourself
lead me, Lord. I pray

Oh Take me, mold me, use me, fill me
I give my life to the potter’s hand

Oh Call me, guide me, lead me, walk beside me
I give my life to the potter’s hand

You gently call me into your presence
Guiding me by your holy spirit
Teach me dear lord to live all of my life through your eyes

I’m captured by your holy calling
Set me apart. I know you’re drawing me to yourself
lead me, Lord. I pray

Oh Take me, mold me, use me, fill me
I give my life to the potter’s hand

Oh Call me, guide me, lead me, walk beside me
I give my life to the potter’s hand

Hillsong Australia, “Potter’s Hand”

I’ve recently started to ride my bicycle, every other day, to stay fit and build up my endurance.  I realize my body’s endurance is not going to be strengthen in a matter of days, or even weeks.  It’s going to take months of constant trying!

I feel the same way about my spiritual endurance.  There are days when I’ve felt the growth in my walk with God.  But what I really should be doing is to step it up, and run with God!  Increase the intensity, once in a while.

Growth comes in spurts.

Nevertheless, it’s still a long run.  God promised me the prize of eternal salvation, and perfection in heaven.  To get there, I must persist.  I must not be discouraged, nor be put off.

God’s marathon is worth living!

I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.

Philippians 3:12-14

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

Galatians 6:9

I often asked God, “What is my purpose in life?”  Many times in this devotional, the common thing God has told me to do is: “Help others!”  Those words have been repeated so many times in the Bible, and in the testimonies of others.

My reminder today is to strive to help others more.

In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.

Acts 20:35

God’s treasure is stored up in heaven.  This means my worldly needs and riches are irrelevant.  God blessed me here, on this earth, to help others.

Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Matthew 6:19-21

I must focus on heaven.  Less focus on accumulating things on this earth.  More focus on helping others.

Thank you, Lord, for everything you’ve given me.  You’ve given me comfort and joy.  Most of all, you’ve blessed me with the every day needs for me and my family.  Now that I have it, I want to share it with others.  Please grant your wisdom that we may know the difference between compassion and fraud.  Move us in the direction of heaven.  I don’t want to lose sight of you, Jesus.  Amen.

This world is blessed by God when I have two of the most famous figures of God’s army, Greg Laurie and Steven Curtis Chapman to help minister me and find my way around this world.   I listen to Steven’s wonderful music, and have enjoyed his tunes and lyrics.  I also listened to Pastor Greg’s messages through his Harvest church in Riverside and on-line.  I regularly listen to them on my long commute to/from work.  They’re both wonderful witnesses of God.  They have touched my heart and ministered to me several times.  God spoke to me through them.

This year, God has called two of their children back to heaven.  Maria Sue Chapman and Christopher Laurie have died, both in car accidents. The loss is devastating for both parents, family, and others.  My heart sank when I heard the news.  I can’t imagine the grief they’ve gone through.  Maybe one day I’ll understand, but right now I can only try to reflect on why this is happening.

Both Greg and Steven are loyal servants of God.  My natural human reaction is to cry out to God and ask why is it happening to them?   Why them?  Haven’t they done a lot of good for you?  Haven’t they been faithful to you?  Why bring this catastrophe upon them?

While listening to Pastor Don McClure’s preaching on The Necessity of Trials, the answer came to me.  Both Greg and Steven are still human. They’re still the same in God’s eyes.  They will still be tested, just like the rest of us.  God has blessed them tremendously.  God created their children.  Now, God wanted them back.   God pulls and shakes us, sometimes violently, to help us grow and learn of His reality.  God has a plan for all of this.   Glory will come out of all this because God is about all that, and more.  It’s much too easy to glorify God when we’re happy and in abundance.   It’s up to us to show His glory, especially during the times of pains and trouble.

Life is precious.  Life is beautiful.  Life is worth living when God is with me. I can only imagine what life is like with God in heaven!  No more pain, no more suffering, no more evil.  Just pure goodness and glory of God.  It’s a better life up there in heaven.  It is just the beginning of eternity, and that is so comforting.

This song “With Hope” by Steven Curtis Chapman says it all.

This is not at all how
We thought it was supposed to be
We had so many plans for you
We had so many dreams
And now you’ve gone away
And left us with the memories of your smile
And nothing we can say
And nothing we can do
Can take away the pain
The pain of losing you, but …

We can cry with hope
We can say goodbye with hope
‘Cause we know our goodbye is not the end, oh no
And we can grieve with hope
‘Cause we believe with hope
(There’s a place by God’s grace)
There’s a place where we’ll see your face again
We’ll see your face again

And never have I known
Anything so hard to understand
And never have I questioned more
The wisdom of God’s plan
But through the cloud of tears
I see the Father’s smile and say well done
And I imagine you
Where you wanted most to be
Seeing all your dreams come true
‘Cause now you’re home
And now you’re free, and …

We have this hope as an anchor
‘Cause we believe that everything
God promised us is true, so …

So we can cry with hope
And say goodbye with hope

We wait with hope
And we ache with hope
We hold on with hope
We let go with hope

This is going to be my first monday devotionals.  A collection of inspirational verses that put focus on what I have to do to start off the week.

John 11: 1-6 – Lazarus, Jesus’ best friend, was sick. However, Jesus stayed in Bethany for another 2 days. God works at His own time.  I must wait for God’s time.

Ephesians 5:15-20 – Be very careful on how I proceed with my daily routine.  Evil lurks in every corner of my life.  I get to stumble easily.  I need to focus on God’s will and always give glory to Him.

Philippians 3:12-21 –  Look out and Look Up!  Focus on heaven, a place where God wants me to belong.  I should not look at the earthly riches.  I must expect heavenly reward for it is more satisfying than worldly reward.

2 Corinthians 5:21 – Jesus saved me.  I am right with God if my life is with Jesus.

What now?  I must include God in my daily walk, keep looking for heavenly goals, and be careful doing my due diligence – not rushing God.

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.