Devotional Time with God

I love how God tells me that all I have to do is ask for wisdom:

If any of you need wisdom, you should ask God, and it will be given to you. God is generous and won’t correct you for asking.

James 1:5

What’s even better is that there’s no stupid question. There’s no dumb request. God can take it and He won’t laugh at me, or scold me.  He takes everything I ask of Him with consideration.  He will either say: yes, no, or wait.  But He will provide an answer.

I must believe it, though. I have to have faith that God is answering me.  I can ask repeatedly and He’ll answer just as well.  There is one request that I can definitely ask all the time: wisdom.

Wisdom is good for me. Wisdom is what God wants me to have.  God wants me to keep learning – from mistakes, from knowledge, and from His words on the Bible.  God blesses me if I ask for wisdom:

God blesses everyone who has wisdom and common sense.

Proverbs 3:13

Only by pride cometh contention: but with the well advised is wisdom.

Proverbs 13:10

It is stupid for me to be driven by pride. Pleasing people I don’t like. Accumulating wealth to impress others. People’s attention is short. People also get envious – and most of the time, devious. They’ll try to bring me down. They’ll try to put me down.

I must realize it’s godly wisdom that will save me. God’s words will lead me the correct way to live. Jesus is a perfect example of humility and strength. The righteous will remain standing, and the meek shall inherit the earth. (Psalm 37:10-11)

That’s God’s honest truth.

Just like any project, my life also needs progress. Something worth mentioning. Something I can be proud of. Something I can measure to be more than when I first started.

My life with Christ also needs a progress check.  Am I still doing my daily devotional? How many people I’ve shared my faith with? How many difficult situations I’ve dealt with using God’s wisdom?  Have I been keeping my body holy and close to sin-less today?

Pastor John Piper wrote about the things he learned from his father:

Anything you do that hinders your progress for God is wrong.
O how thankful I am that this was the dominant way my father pressed me to pursue my sanctification. He did not mainly impose lists of don’ts on me, though we had them. And they were clear. Mainly he said: Maximize your progress in knowing and serving God. That ruled out a hundred foolish behaviors, some bad and some uselessly innocent.

So my progress has to be truly be aligned with serving God. I have to be able to honestly evaluate myself (and by others) of my progress. One of the indication is my behavior, at home, work, or anywhere. When I can truthfully say I’ve done my part, in a peaceful manner and in humility, doing God’s work, then it’s progress – in the right direction.

It’s a subject the mainstream media have already bombarded the youth of America.  The message is clear: sexual freedom.  Anyone is free to have sex whenever they want, whoever they want, and worry about the consequences later (ie. abortion).  The media taught young girls it’s cool to lose their virginity early.  For young boys, it’s a right of passage and a sign of manhood.  In the end, as adults, it’s just part of “growing up”.

For me, I know for a fact, having sex out of context of marriage, was a destructive move.  When both me and my girlfriend were not ready, it brought a lot of emotional baggage.  The future seemed unclear because we were just focused on the moment.  My own parents were not restricting my sexual freedom.  I was allowed to learn my mistakes.  I didn’t get any punishment – only empty warnings.

In hindsight, now that I’m a parent, I need to get involved in my daughter’s search of her sexual identity.  Even though she is 4 right now, I still  have to watch how I treat and influence her.  As a Dad, I represent the man in the family, and let her know men are not the enemy, but also the provider of love and affection.  I must be there when she has questions about boys/men.

These are the things I must insist on my child:

• Two distinct sex: man and woman.  There can’t be same sex dating, let alone marriage!
• Both parents are wise.  Our instructions are valuable, and must be kept in heart.
• Moral integrity.  Biblical principles are important.  No one can turn her away from them.
• Don’t let flesh control our actions.  Avoid perversity.  Be faithful!
• Meet the needs of the spouse.  Be the best companion and friend.

One of the first thing I do when I get back from work is to kiss my wife and hug my child.  Always.  It’s a tradition that started with Dad because he used to be away, a lot.  I remembered I was so happy to finally see him coming home from business trips, that I would run and hug him.   I didn’t know exactly how it felt until my child does the same for me.

Children needs love.  Lots of it!  My daughter certainly couldn’t get enough of it.  I have to give her everything, from attention, compliments, and love.  She needs to know that I love her.  By hugging and kissing her, it’s the least I can do.

It’s also easier to discipline my child with love.  In every disciplinary action, there’s always a purpose: To protect, out of love.   She will know my expectations.

There are times when she will stumble.  As parents, we’ll be there to pick her back up.  I’ll never give up on her because I love her!

Children are a gift from the Lord; they are a reward from Him.

Psalm 127:3

This verse struck me as simple, yet a powerful reminder on how to tell if wisdom is from God:

… the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.

James 3:13-17

Good and worthy qualities.  One thing that scares me is being “submissive”.  My first impression it’s out of place in the verse.  But thinking about it, being submissive is to serve someone.  It’s an action to help others.

I can only imagine submissive court judges with heavenly wisdom rule on a side of the people, not the politics of the government, nor the agenda of partisan group.

I can only imagine submissive teachers who guides children with humility, without resorting to pride, nor being politically correct all the time.

I can only imagine submissive politicians and world leaders, who has the people’s well-being in mind.  Not wanting to fill up their own pockets, nor making policies that are convenient for their own purpose.

I can only imagine a submissive me… listen and follow God’s command, where He will lead me to work it out with others, share the gospel, and save lives.

To summarize, to reconcile with others, I must first surrender to God and rely on Him for wisdom and patience. Now, it’s my turn to step out of my comfort zone and extend a peace offering. I must now invite the person I’m having a conflict with, to a meeting. A face to face meeting is preferable. I must not fear this. Fear gets me defensive and demanding. Better to humble myself and intentionally want to resolve the issue. My humility also starts by confessing my part of the conflict. I must know and admit that I’ve done something wrong (even if it’s a small one) before trying to resolve any conflict. I have to apologize for thinking only about myself.

Once I get over myself, I must then listen for other’s hurt. I have to treat people with respect and dignity. I must be able to look at him/her in the eyes. I must also be helpful and understanding.

Be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry.

James 1:19

Pastor Rick’s latest message is about reconciliation. This is not a new topic, but it is a very difficult topic for everyone (me included) because it’s hard for us to get along with each other. The roots of all conflicts are selfishness and sinfulness. I have needs. If my needs are not met, I will get cranky, jealous, and eventually angry. I get angry at the person I love. I get angry at God.

I must learn how to reconcile with others. But first, I must take 7 steps to get there:

1. Make peace with God.
2. Ask God for help.
3. Convene a peace conference.
4. Confess my part of the conflict.
5. Listen for others’ hurt.
6. Be willing to absorb the pain.
7. Emphasize reconciliation, not resolution.

First and foremost, I must surrender myself to God. God is the provider of all things. Going against the flesh, I need an extra strong influence that God can provide. He gives me guidelines to live by through His words. He wants me to live pure and faultless, which is what I have to strife for. To believe in God, I must change my lifestyle. I can’t be a person from this world, where selfish desires are considered acceptable and mostly encouraged! I have rules to live by. If I’ve been hurt by others, I know God will be able to heal me.

Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.

Romans 5:1-2

I must always ask God for help. To get my thoughts going on reconciliation, I have to ask two things:

• How much of it is my fault?
• What does God want me to do about this?

During a conflict, it’s very difficult for me to self-examine myself. That is why I rely on God to give me the wisdom to know what I’ve done, and help me correct my faults.

If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.

James 1:5

Thank you, Jesus, for surrendering on the cross for my sins. You have shown me how to love God and to love one another. You’ve shown me the wisdom to love by paying attention to other people’s needs, not my own. I thank you for being there for me when I need you. My needs are satisfied every time I ask you and for that I’m forever grateful! Amen.