Homecoming

Link - http://www.rbc.org/odb/odb.shtml

Psalm 73:21-28 (New International Version)

²¹ When my heart was grieved

and my spirit embittered,

²² I was senseless and ignorant;
I was a brute beast before you.

²³ Yet I am always with you;
you hold me by my right hand.

²⁴ You guide me with your counsel,
and afterward you will take me into glory.

²⁵ Whom have I in heaven but you?
And earth has nothing I desire besides you.

²⁶ My flesh and my heart may fail,
but God is the strength of my heart
and my portion forever.

²⁷ Those who are far from you will perish;
you destroy all who are unfaithful to you.

²⁸ But as for me, it is good to be near God.
I have made the Sovereign LORD my refuge;
I will tell of all your deeds.

Reflection -

I immediately related to the author of today's QT. He shared about his adventures as a young child walking to a creek with his dog, but having to return home before dark. Upon his return his dad would be waiting on the porch and would ask how did it go. He would reply pretty good, but it sure is good to be home. During the many years I lived away from home or even now when I frequently travel no matter how much fun I have it always feels good to be home. It's easy to relate this feeling to how we will feel when we're reunited with God.

This is an awesome reminder to us that regardless of where we are in life God will always be holding our hand leading the way and one day we will be reunited. "My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever." This verse helps me remember that I am but a mere weak body and although I often try to do things on my own accord, it really is God who provides the strength in my life and he will continue to provide that strength throughout my life.

Do You See Jesus in Your Clouds?

Link: http://www.rbc.org/utmost/index.php

Verse: Revelations 1:7
Look, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him; and all the peoples of the earth will mourn because of him. So shall it be! Amen.

Reflections:
Ah, those darn clouds. Haha! I always thought tribulations were God's way of teaching us something, so I was surprised to read, "It is not true to say that God wants to teach us something in our trials. Through every cloud He brings our way, He wants us to unlearn something."

I'm sure that all of us had our share of hard times. I remember someone once telling me that we're in one of three situations: We're in troubled times, getting out of troubled times, or gonna get a helping of it very soon. So God is always trying to show us that we have to unlearn the corruptions the world has ingrained in us. Stop depending on yourself to make decisions or provisions. Depend only on God like that of a child...

Hmm...That also makes you think don't it? Is it possible to get back to that time of innocence? That utter dependence on God? My mind says "HECK NO," but my heart wants to say "HECK YES!"

Let's remember to thank him for trials because he's just trying to tell us to rely on him and that HE will take care of us. He's just showing his love for us.

The Value Of Friends

Link: http://rbc.org/devotionals/our-daily-bread/2009/07/28/devotion.aspx

Passage: 1 Samuel 20:12-17

Key Verse: "And Jonathan had David reaffirm his oath out of love for him, because he loved him as he loved himself."

Reflection: Coming back from our monthly cell activity, I checked my e-mail (i don't have a blackberry, so I haven't checked it pretty much since last night) and see that my name got bumped up on the QT list-- what a bummer I thought. But as I opened up the QT link for today, I couldn't believe the message that was in front of me, a classic tale of friendship.

I don't have any deep, philosophical rants about this particular QT, but it did make me think about how I've grown attached to NCMC and all of you guys/gals that are a part of it. It really does feel like a family; sharing all the ups and downs at cell group, celebrating birthdays and anniversaries (we did both this week!) and encouraging each other to grow as a person (commitment to QTs). I truly cherish the friendships that I've developed with all of you and hope that they continue to grow ^_^.

Paul’s Confession

Key Verse: I served the Lord with with great humility and with tears, although I was severely tested by the plots of the Jews. (Acts 20:19.) And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there, (Acts 20:22) However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me--the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace.(Acts 20:24)

Reflection: I don't think that it is a coincidence that two QTs from different sources have something similar to PT's sermon this Sunday. When I read this QT, I just thought of the people that the mission team met in Asia. It seems that they are so faithful and that they would really whole-heartedly serve the Lord without hesitation like Paul in this passage. And it does make me ashamed. To be honest, I am far from that kind of commitment. With so much stuff in the states, it really blinds us from seeing our true Father. One analogy that I can think of is our spiritual life is like our immune system. When we have an undeveloped immune system (spiritual faith), we can only handle a filtered version of God, we can only handle so much before we reject it. But as it is developed we can take in less and less filtered and more and more of God's unfiltered, awesome Holiness. With faith so strong that as Paul said, " I consider my life worth nothing to me."(Acts 20:24).

The second part is very similar to Pastor Shim's message. To put your own agendas aside and only follow the agenda of the Lord. Even though Paul faced hardships and trials, Paul put forth his life to complete the task the Lord Jesus had given him, to testify the gospel of God's grace. I guess this is what we, as followers of Christ, should be working towards. Its tough but with the grace of God anything can be done.

God’s Heart Revealed

Passage: Revelation 3:14-22

Key verses: I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I wish that you were cold or hot. So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth (v.15-16)

Reflection: This passage comes from part of God's message to the Seven Churches of Asia (the Roman province of Asia, in the area now known as the country of Turkey). These were the Seven major churches of early Christianity and God had a specific message for each church. In each instance, He offers a challenge to the church, then makes a promise to the church (kinda makes you wonder what God might have to say to NCMC). Verses 14-22 come from the Message to the Church in Laodicea.

I know v.20 is the popular verse but v.15-16 were the ones that really called out to me. How often do you hear God say the words, "I wish" (v.15)? The lukewarm thing feels like it's been constantly reiterated in sermons all year long. Even yesterday, PT was preaching about how we shouldn't be coasting along in our faith or looking around for others to step up, but rather, we should be the ones raising our hand and saying 'Here I am' (raising your hand is very un-lukewarmish behaviour). When I hear about my brothers and sisters in Christ completely dedicating their lives to their faith at such a young age, like the Chinese and Laotian Christians PT talked about, to the point of putting their own well-being and their family's well-being at risk, I'm forced to take a good look at myself and re-evaluate what (or who) is truly at the center of my life, and what it is I'm really worshiping. Like Jeff JDSN pointed out last week, 'blessed are the poor.' Maybe that's why we're taking in so many missionaries now, because our faith has weakened with all the nice luxuries we have in the US. Living in such a consumer-driven society, it's easy to get wrapped up in nice things, to begin feeling comfortable (lukewarm), and to lose sight of our true priorities in life as Christians.

His Nature and Our Motives

READ:

. . . unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven —Matthew 5:20

KeyMessage: "The only thing that exceeds right-doing is right-being."

It is often easy to quantify how devoted we are to God by deeds/action. Sure we can judge one person how much he/she contributed to the church. Or we can measure another person by how much he or she donates. But this verse is telling us that it is not by action that we are able to glorify God. God is more pleased if our heart is in the right place. That is why we live under God and his commandments.

By rules and laws is how we can judge one another is abiding by His commandments. If we drop all this concept, rules wont be rules and laws wont be laws. I am saying that as oppose to looking at Christianity as a list of do's and don'ts we should instead be living life to glorify God. We dont do these action because we LOVE God not because we want to please God. It is a great reminder to myself that I do things pleasing to God "because I want to" rather than "because I have to."

Now that leaves the question to the next person doing their devotion (if he/she even read this). Do you do these daily devotion because you have to or because you want to? :)

Two Experiences of the Spirit - Acts 19:1-12

Link: http://qt.swim.org/user_dir/living/user_print_web.php?edit_all=2009-07-23

Key verses: "Paul said, “John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the one coming after him, that is, in Jesus.” On hearing this, they were baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus. (vvv. 4-5)

Refelction: There's a line in Spider Man (probably taken from somewhere else, but that's where I remember it from) where the uncle tells Peter, "With great power come great responsibility". I've always felt like this was fairly obvious: if you're the boss of a company, then you're responsible for your employees and the business. If you're a leader of an group or organization, then you're responsible for the members and the vision. And in most cases, this doesn't prevent us from wanting more power. Who wouldn't want Spidey sense and the ability to leap buildings and shoot spider webs out of your wrist?

But I do think one area where we are TERRIFIED of having "more power" is in the spiritual sense. Paul distinguishes two different types of baptism in these passages (and are originally discussed in the Gospels): baptism by water (John the Baptist's baptism) and baptism by the spirit. I think we're all ok with the baptism by water part. We confess/repent, get dunked and are cleansed of our sins. Clean, simple. But the baptism by the spirit is a little more complicated. It's almost like receiving spiritual superpowers. It says in the passage that once the disciples received the Holy Spirit, "they spoke in tongues and prophesied." That's where things get a little scary. They became "Super Christians". And for reasons that are obvious and not so obvious, we are afraid to become Super Christians. It's "weird" speaking in tongues, praying all night (like, literally ALL night) and basically sacrificing one's life for God.

And I think that's why most Christians are "water" Christians. We're happy with the "being saved" and "forgiveness of sins" part. But...what do you mean I have to give back and sacrifice? I don't wanna! And honestly, I, personally, have no answer. I am afraid to give my whole life to God. I am afraid to be asked to sacrifice more than *I* want to. I am afraid of the "responsibility", so I am afraid of the "power". I'm kind of hanging *around* God because I really like Him, but I'm afraid to get too close because I really like my life, too. I don't know how or when I will reconcile those things, but I guess I'll keep hanging around until I'm ready to swing around buildings and have Spidey sense...