Fruit of the Spirit

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law." (Galatians 5:22, 23 NIV) I was with my youngest daughter this morning and she wanted to get her own way. I'm beginning to run out of patience. Funny that this is the verse on K-Love today. Lord, please give me forbearance, gentleness, and self-control. I realize that the verse said "the fruit of the Spirit", I wonder why it did not say "fruits". Does that mean all the characteristics are in one fruit. May I have it all, Lord? Thank you for your continuous work in me.

“Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”

The readings for today is about Jesus walking on the water. Funny how the disciples mistaken him as a ghost. Jesus is so concern about his disciples in the midst of the storm that he goes straight to them walking on the water. When they thought he is a ghost, he said it is him. The exact words, “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”

That's the same thing that Jesus is telling me. There are a lot of things happening in my life. Sometimes, I am afraid. I don't know what will happen in the future. There are uncertainty in my future, in my family's future. But today I am reminded that it is Jesus whom I'm with. He is always with me. I am to take courage and not become afraid because he is with me. He can calm the storm in my life. He can give me peace in the midst of turmoil. He is with me and that's enough to comfort me. If he can calm the winds and the waves, how much more the storm in me?

In this uncertain times, I am not afraid. Jesus is with me saying: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”

Thank you, Jesus. You're the best ever!

Jesus Walks on the Water

Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone, and the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it. Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear. But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.” “Come,” he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!” Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?” And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”

- Matthew 14:22-33 (New International Version)

Do You Want to Get Well?

I was reading from the Gospel according to John this morning when I came across Jesus' question to the invalid at the pool, "Do you want to get well?"

Jesus knew the invalid's situation. He knew that he's been an invalid for 38 years. Yet He did not healed him at once. He did not impose. He asked him if he want to get well. What a compassionate and unimposing Lord we have. We always have a choice with Him.

Like the invalid, I, too, want to get well. I prayed to Jesus. Yes, Lord, I want to get well. Get well from pain, from sickness, from anxiety, from doubt, from unbelief....from sins. I want to get well to give You thanks. I want to get well to praise and live for You. I want to get well to give You glory.

The Healing at the Pool

¹Some time later, Jesus went up to Jerusalem for a feast of the Jews. ²Now there is in Jerusalem near the Sheep Gate a pool, which in Aramaic is called Bethesda^a]">[a] and which is surrounded by five covered colonnades. ³Here a great number of disabled people used to lie—the blind, the lame, the paralyzed.^b]">[b] ⁵One who was there had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. ⁶When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him, "Do you want to get well?"

⁷"Sir," the invalid replied, "I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me."

⁸Then Jesus said to him, "Get up! Pick up your mat and walk." ⁹At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked.
The day on which this took place was a Sabbath, ¹⁰and so the Jews said to the man who had been healed, "It is the Sabbath; the law forbids you to carry your mat."

¹¹But he replied, "The man who made me well said to me, 'Pick up your mat and walk.' "

¹²So they asked him, "Who is this fellow who told you to pick it up and walk?"

¹³The man who was healed had no idea who it was, for Jesus had slipped away into the crowd that was there.

¹⁴Later Jesus found him at the temple and said to him, "See, you are well again. Stop sinning or something worse may happen to you." ¹⁵The man went away and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him well.

- John 5: 1-15 (NIV)

Ignoring an Offense - A Virtue

Proverbs 19:11 If you are sensible, you will control your temper. When someone wrongs you, it is a great virtue to ignore it. (Proverbs Made Easy)

Last year, some colleagues offended me and I reacted easily. I told them I was offended and asked them to be sensitive to others' feelings as well as myself. I was angry and wanted them to know that they hurt me right there and then. Some of them apologized. I accepted the apologies. My relationship with some improved but with others, I'm not really sure.

Recently, another colleague offended me. I did not react. I just let it go. I was hurt, of course. But I told the offense to God first and asked for grace to forgive. It was very hard and painful. This second instance happened after I've read the passage from Proverbs 19:11, "If you are sensible, you will control your temper. When someone wrongs you, it is a great virtue to ignore it.

I told God that I want to obey Him, that I'm welcoming Him to develop this virtue in me. It is painful but God gave me grace to ignore the offense. He granted me peace. It is a great virtue indeed. One that costs....one that hurts....but our Maker gives grace....He feels our pain and suffers with us.

God's Blessings

I am awed at the promise that God has for those who obeyed Him. He will bless their children even up to a thousand generations....but to those who disobey, even the 3rd and 4th generations will be punished.

Exodus 20:4-6 (New International Version)

⁴ "You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. ⁵ You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, ⁶ but showing love to a thousand {generations} of those who love me and keep my commandments.

Give these blessings to your children:

Numbers 6:24-26 (New International Version)

²⁴ " ' "The LORD bless you
and keep you;

²⁵ the LORD make his face shine upon you
and be gracious to you;

²⁶ the LORD turn his face toward you
and give you peace." '

May God bless you a thousand fold.

God's Unfailing Love

I've been thinking of God's unfailing love. John's famous verse comes to mind:
"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." - John 3:16

And so I check the bible (NIV) for verses with the phrase "unfailing love". Let's meditate...

Psalm 90:14
Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days.

Exodus 15:13
"In your unfailing love you will lead the people you have redeemed. In your strength you will guide them to your holy dwelling.

Psalm 6:4
Turn, O LORD, and deliver me; save me because of your unfailing love.

Psalm 13:5
But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation.

Psalm 31:16
Let your face shine on your servant; save me in your unfailing love.

Psalm 32:10
Many are the woes of the wicked, but the LORD's unfailing love surrounds the man who trusts in him.

Psalm 33:5
The LORD loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of his unfailing love.

Psalm 33:18
But the eyes of the LORD are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love...

Psalm 33:22
May your unfailing love rest upon us, O LORD, even as we put our hope in you.

Psalm 36:7
How priceless is your unfailing love! Both high and low among men find refuge in the shadow of your wings.

Psalm 44:26
Rise up and help us; redeem us because of your unfailing love.

Psalm 48:9
Within your temple, O God, we meditate on your unfailing love.

Psalm 51:1
Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions.

Psalm 52:8
But I am like an olive tree flourishing in the house of God; I trust in God's unfailing love for ever and ever.

Psalm 77:8
Has his unfailing love vanished forever? Has his promise failed for all time?

Psalm 85:7
Show us your unfailing love, O LORD, and grant us your salvation.

Psalm 107:8, 15, 21, 31
Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for men...

Psalm 119:41
May your unfailing love come to me, O LORD, your salvation according to your promise...

Psalm 119:76
May your unfailing love be my comfort, according to your promise to your servant.

Psalm 130:7
O Israel, put your hope in the LORD, for with the LORD is unfailing love and with him is full redemption.

Psalm 143:8
Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul.

Psalm 143:12
In your unfailing love, silence my enemies; destroy all my foes, for I am your servant.

Psalm 147:11
...the LORD delights in those who fear him, who put their hope in his unfailing love.

Proverbs 19:22
What a man desires is unfailing love; better to be poor than a liar.

Proverbs 20:6
Many a man claims to have unfailing love, but a faithful man who can find?

Isaiah 54:10
Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed," says the LORD, who has compassion on you.

Lamentations 3:32
Though he brings grief, he will show compassion, so great is his unfailing love.

Hosea 10:12
Sow for yourselves righteousness, reap the fruit of unfailing love, and break up your unplowed ground; for it is time to seek the LORD, until he comes and showers righteousness on you.

God of Details

I have been encouraging my husband to read the Bible and other books about God. I want him to know God more.

You know my husband is not much of a reader. He's the type of guy who likes to watch...movies, videos, youtube....

I have been praying to God that He draws him closer to Him. Guess what? My husband agreed to attend Alpha (previous blog). Alpha includes dinner and you know what?! ...videos and discussion groups about Jesus and Christianity! Talking about answered prayer and a God of details!

I am reminded of David's psalm....

Psalm 139:1-6, 13-17 (New International Version)

¹ O LORD, you have searched me
and you know me.

² You know when I sit and when I rise;
you perceive my thoughts from afar.

³ You discern my going out and my lying down;
you are familiar with all my ways.

⁴ Before a word is on my tongue
you know it completely, O LORD.

⁵ You hem me in—behind and before;
you have laid your hand upon me.

⁶ Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
too lofty for me to attain.

¹³ For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother's womb.

¹⁴ I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.

¹⁵ My frame was not hidden from you
when I was made in the secret place.
When I was woven together in the depths of the earth,

¹⁶ your eyes saw my unformed body.
All the days ordained for me
were written in your book
before one of them came to be.

¹⁷ How precious to me are your thoughts, O God!
How vast is the sum of them!

¹⁸ Were I to count them,
they would outnumber the grains of sand.
When I awake,
I am still with you.