Devotional Time with God

No one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.

1 Corinthians 2:11b

Sometimes the Bible can get confusing. Sometimes it seems it contradicts. And sometimes it could get downright boring to read.

This is because I’m reading it without the Spirit of God in me.

I need to invite God into my heart and open my mind. The Bible is the word of God, so I need His discernment to interpret it.  There are techniques to read the bible.  But most important, God’s guidance is required. Otherwise, it’s like reading a textbook with full of words, and I won’t get anything.

With the Spirit of God in me, I will know the thoughts of God.

Each of you should learn to control his own body in a way that is holy and honorable.

I Thessalonians 4:4

This is a great verse to memorize, especially for men.  There are just so many temptations in this world to destroy my own body, either by eating junk food, drinking alcohol, or sexual immorality.  I need to learn, with Christ’s power, to control how I treat my body that’s pleasing to God.  The sacred human soul and spirit need to be protected.

It’s quite a task to keep my body healthy and trim.  I have to watch my weight and fat, by balancing my food intake and keeping up enough exercise.  If there’s one thing that I like, it’s eating.  I’m blessed to have a “skinny gene”.  My father is thin.  My grandfather was tall and thin.  My metabolism is still working, I eat a lot and still manage to be relatively skinny.

However, I can’t be abusing this anymore.  I do feel an imbalance in emotions.  I sometimes feel sluggish after a big meal. My wife notices my belly is starting to swell.  I notice I get tired and sleepy playing catch with my daughter.

I am what I eat.

The bible  tells me, in Galatians 5:22-23, to have one the fruit of the spirit: Self-Control. I have to watch what I eat. I have to cut down on my indulgences.

In 1 Corinthians 6:12-20,

1. God expects me to manage my body.
2. I am God’s property.
3. My body will be resurrected when I die.
4. I am connected with the body of Christ.
5. The Holy Spirit lives in body.
6. Jesus bought my body on the cross.

My body is valuable. God tells me my body is a temple. Being good steward of what God has given me, I have to take care of my body.

The famous nursery rhymes goes something like this:

Now I lay me down to sleep,
I pray the Lord my soul to keep;
Should I die before I wake,
I pray the Lord my soul to take.

It was adapted from Psalm 31:5,

Into your hands I commit my spirit; redeem me, O LORD, the God of truth.

Jesus shouted this on the cross on his last breath.  This needs to be my words of commitment to God.  He’s the provider and He’s in control.  My spirit is nothing without Him.

I leave my worries and hurts to you, O Lord, the God of truth.  My spirit is in your hands.  Amen.

Greg Laurie, one of my favorite Christian pastor and teacher, wrote a devotional about the fruit of the spirit.  It’s a well known passage among Christians.  The passage is in Galatians 5:22 and it’s one of verse that’s difficult to apply in my life.  Essentially, the fruit of the spirit ought to be automatic if I’m a true follower of Christ.  But sometimes, I fall short.  I quote Pastor Greg:

Instead of love, is there hatred, bitterness, or even prejudice in your life? Instead of joy, is there constant gloom? Instead of peace, is there turmoil? Instead of gentleness, is there a short temper? Instead of faith, is there endless worry? Instead of meekness, is there pride and arrogance? Instead of self-control, are you a victim of your own passions?

But here’s the kicker:

If so, then either you don’t know God at all or a recommitment to Christ would be in order.

If I fall short, I need to recommit to Jesus!  I thought once I’m saved, I’m done.  Apparently, it’s not enough!  My salvation must bear fruit.  Otherwise, I’m not truly saved.

At Saddleback Church, we’re starting a new series called 40 Days of Love.  It’s a study of how we, as Christians, must learn to love, in any situation, at any time.  Key verse is:

Let everything you do, be done in love.

1 Corinthians 16:14

The bible says, EVERYTHING.  In any event.  With anyone.  Even when I don’t feel like it.   In fact, when I’m not feeling particularly loving is when I’m suppose to ask God for guidance and correction.  God loves me for who I am.  He loves everybody, even the ones who have gone astray.  God is love and He makes me as His image, so it’s only natural that I’m also loving.  The practice of love is to prepare for heaven.

So why is it sometimes difficult for me to love others?  My ego and pride have a lot to do with it.  People have a tendency to be un-loving.  That’s the problem.  What must I do to overcome this?  First I have to know what love is.

1. Love is a choice and commitment.
2. Love is action, not just emotion.
3. Love is a skill I can learn.

Knowing this, then I must become good with love and improve my relationship with others.  It can be done.

1. I must commit to growing spiritually.  Maturity is key.
2. I can learn from how Jesus loves.  He’s the perfect role model for love.
3. I must practice the skill.   It’s not easy, but I can try, daily.
4. I have to develop the habit.   In this 40 days study, I can learn to be good in love.
5. I must trust God to help.  God’s love is abundant and everlasting, and I must let His love flow through me.

I’m ready, God, to love this world and all of its shortcomings.   Please help me!

I pray that your love will overflow more and more, and that you will keep on growing in knowledge and understanding. For I want you to understand what really matters, so that you may live pure and blameless lives until the day of Christ’s return. May you always be filled with the fruit of your salvation – the righteous character produced in your life by Jesus Christ, for this will bring much glory and praise to God.

Phillipians 1:9-11

What is one area where I need to stop thinking my way and start thinking God’s way?

The Purpose Driven Life, p. 184

My relationship with others is my biggest struggle in life. I had failed relationships before, and it hurt. I had others betray me before, and it hurt. So many hurts, yet I still don’t know how to make it better. I feel I have this autopilot engaged in my mind when it comes to dealing with other people. First, I’m always skeptical of other people’s intention; I’m just not the trusting kind. Second, I’m selective on who I talk to; I’m perhaps judgmental. Third, I’m a real bad judge of character; The people who I thought are my enemies are actually beneficial to me, and my friends can become my worse enemy.

With this self-examination, I can already see why I should ask God to change my ways of thinking. I have to do a complete 180° turn and become the better person that God intended me to be. The verse for me to remember is in Ephesians 4:22-24 (NIV):

You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.

I must repent from my old ways. I must ask God to renew my mind. I must persist on growing up in the spirit.

In what area of my life do I need to ask for the spirit’s power to be like Christ today?

The Purpose Driven Life, p. 178

I pray every day that I can overcome my biggest character flaws: quick to anger and lack of discipline. I have a temper, and it can be a real bad one at times. When my temper flares, I make irrational decisions and say hurtful words. I’ve also been quite lazy and always think about myself and what other people can do for me. Usually, it’s the laziness that triggers the anger. It is causing havoc in my relationships with others – which probably explains why I don’t have many close friends. Who can live with my toxic character?

Fortunately, I have help. I have Yantie who keeps me in check of my bad temper and corrects me many times when I say something awful. She especially focuses on my lack of apologies when I do something wrong. It hurts (mostly my pride) to be corrected. This forces me to retreat and seek God’s holy spirit to change my mind and heart.

Amazing how much God can work in my thoughts and spirit. The molding process is not comfortable, but the result is a step closer to take on God’s values, attitudes, and character.

So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.

Romans 12:1-2 (Message)