The Lion and the Lamb

Revelation 5:5 And one of the elders said to me, “Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that He can open the scroll and its seven seals.”

John was looking at a prophetic vision of God. In God’s right hand, there was a scroll sealed with seven seals and no one was worthy to open this scroll. The seven seals indicate that the scroll is prevented from its full disclosure or the enactments of its contents. The scroll seems to be a sort of Roman will or contract deed because those types of scrolls had writing on the outside and the inside. So, here is John, weeping because no one was worthy, or had the authority, to open the will of God, which seemed to be the hope of the church. No man, nor angels, nor the four creatures, nor the elders could do this. Only the Lion of Judah, Jesus Christ, could open the scroll. Jesus is the Lion and the Lamb. In all His great might and authority, He conquered sin, death, and Satan by being the perfect sacrificial Lamb. Jesus is not only of the tribe of Judah, but He is also the Root of David because He is the reason of David’s rule. God chose to bring forth Jesus through the lineage of Judah and David; David’s lineage did not breed the Messiah. We must remember that Jesus is the only one worthy of God’s authority, glory, and power.

No one else is like Jesus. Not Buddha, not Muhammad, not Krishna, no one. Jesus is the only one who lived a sinless life, laid down His life, and then rose again to conquer death once and for all. He could do all these things because He was the Son of God and also God Himself. Jesus is the Lion and the Lamb. He is the Lion because He is strong, mighty, courageous, fearsome, and sovereign. He is also the Lamb because He was a pure, all encompassing sacrifice. No other prophet died for anyone else, let alone the salvation of mankind. We can rejoice and stop our weeping because we know Jesus and He is our King, Prophet, and Priest. He is the only one who is worthy to be praised. When we praise others, we insult God’s Holy sacrifice. We break God’s covenant and we sentence ourselves to eternal punishment. I want to always remember that Jesus is the reason that we can overcome sin. He is the only way that I can overcome my flesh, my sins, and the world. Jesus is the Lamb so that we can have a way back to the Father. Jesus is the Lion so that all others who deny the Father will not escape justice.

Heavenly Father, I thank You for Your Son, Jesus Christ. I praise You, Jesus, for being the Lamb and the Lion. Lord, I ask for Your forgiveness by the blood of Jesus. I know that I am not worthy. Thank You for making me worthy by Your Son’s sacrifice. Lord, may I remember that Jesus is also the Lion. He is powerful and will open Your divine will so that justice will be served. I pray that You would give me zeal for Your people, that I would be more urgent in telling others about Jesus and the salvation that You offer from our sins and the vortex of this world’s fallen state. I love You. Jesus, I want to be more in awe and in love with You. In the name of Jesus I pray, Amen.

Wake up

Revelation 3:³ Remember, then, what you received and heard. Keep it, and repent. If you will not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come against you.

Jesus is speaking through John to the church of Sardis. He tells the church that they are truly dead although they appear to be alive. The counsel that He gives is for them to remember what they had received, which is the gospel, and they must keep it through repentance. It's as if they slipped into a death like slumber which renders them useless to God. If we are not on God's side, fighting evil with Him, then we are against Him and He will come against us because we are no longer of Him anymore.

I can speak from personal experience about being dead while seeming alive. I feel like this past week, I was dead and not repenting to come back to life. If it wasn't for my husband and the Holy Spirit interceding for my salvation, then I wouldn't have emerged from this dark place. I knew the gospel, but I chose not to repent. I chose not to listen to the truth. I chose to slumber in this death-like state. When Hanzo and I really got into it and he discovered that I was choosing to sin, he was filled with righteous zeal and said that he would actively be against me. Although we could brush that statement off as if he was just angry, I think it was what I really needed to hear. I was no longer on God's side so of course, God would be against me as well as my husband. I needed to repent and come back to God's side. To not do so, would be to stay in sin and await God's punishment, which could come at any moment. There was much grace, Jesus didn't come back while I was choosing to be in sin. But He could have, and boy, there would have went all that I had worked for. All because I was forgetting who Jesus is and what He did and focusing on myself and my issues. I must never fail at this test again. I always took pride in my hard work ethic in my studies and performing arts. If I made a mistake or failed a test or quiz, I'd put in extra effort to make sure that I would do better the next time. A next time will come. It says that the devil goes away and waits for another opportunity. I need to put extra effort into making sure that I always remember who Jesus is and keep repentant. Like driving on a long highway, I need to keep awake. To fall asleep at the wheel is dangerous. Thank God that I had my husband in the car with me to shake me out of it.

Heavenly Father, I am so sorry for choosing to sin. I know that I grieved You and that I need to come back to You with my whole heart. Please forgive me. I know that You already have, but I pray that I would remember that I have received Jesus as my Lord and Savior, and not let my emotions rule over me again. Please make me more dependant upon You. Keep me close, Lord. I love You. Change me. In the name of Jesus Christ I pray, Amen.

Keep your word

Jeremiah 34:¹⁵You recently repented and did what was right in my eyes by proclaiming liberty, each to his neighbor, and you made a covenant before me in the house that is called by my name, ¹⁶but then you turned around and profaned my name when each of you took back his male and female slaves, whom you had set free according to their desire, and you brought them into subjection to be your slaves. ¹⁷"Therefore, thus says the LORD: You have not obeyed me by proclaiming liberty, every one to his brother and to his neighbor; behold, I proclaim to you liberty to the sword, to pestilence, and to famine, declares the LORD. I will make you a horror to all the kingdoms of the earth.

1 John 5:² By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. ³For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome.

No one likes a person who goes back on his word. I think everyone in this world gets upset or thinks it is unfair when someone makes a commitment and then changes his or her mind. God hates this. God never goes back on His word. God never goes back on His covenant or promise. When the Hebrews promised God that they would proclaim liberty and they set all their slaves free, God was pleased. Then, they did something very sinful...they took back their slaves. They went back on everything they promised God. Obedience for the immediate moment is not true obedience. We cannot be obedient only when we feel like it and then when we don't want to be obedient anymore, we go back to whatever we think is best or whatever we want to do. If we truly love God, then we will keep His commandments. This is the evidence of our faith. Our love for God will keep us from going back on our word.

A perfect example of how I cannot go back on my word is my marriage to Hanzo. I've made a covenant with him and God that I'll be his wife until the day I die. If soon after I made those vows, I said, you know what...I've been obedient to this vow long enough, I'm not going to be your wife anymore, then I'd be proving more than anything else that I did not truly love Hanzo in the first place. Because I love God and I love Hanzo, I need to keep this covenant until I die. I'm not perfect however, I have, in the past, went back on my word before. It was not good. It was not blessed. I don't want to be like that ever again. When I say I will do something, then I must see it through until the end. Also, I must be careful of what I promise to do. If I take on too much, of course, I'll be obligated to fulfill all my promises. So, I need to know that if I truly love God, and I do, then I'll keep all His commands all the time, not just when I feel like it.

Heavenly Father, I thank You for Your unchanging ways. I thank You that You are the perfect promise keeper and that Your promises are good and full of life. Lord, I know that when You said You will never forsake me, that You meant it. You will take care of me and my family and so I have nothing to worry about. Lord, I ask that I be an obedient child of God. I ask that I keep my word out of my love for You. May I increase in my love for You, Lord. Show me today, how I can love You even more than yesterday. In the name of Jesus Christ I pray, Amen.

God's seed

1 John 3:⁹ No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God’s seed abides in him, and he cannot keep on sinning because he has been born of God.

John lays it out, pure and simple. You can tell who is of God by their acts. If someone keeps sinning, then that person is obviously not of God, no matter what that person calls himself or herself. God's seed abides in us when we are truly born again. If we haven't received God's seed, then we will keep on sinning because we have no power over sin on our own.

This is good and bad news to me. Good news in that I know that I am saved. I know that God's seed is in me. I do however, need to make sure that I remain as good soil. I need to constantly clear away the thorns and weeds that try to choke out God's seed. I constantly need to repent so that I keep renewing my mind and my heart. This is bad news also in that there are several people that come to mind when I think of those who say they are Christians but the evidence of willful sin in their lives testifies against them. I think it's pretty accurate to say that once you truly give your life over to Christ, you cannot be the same. God will not fail at the work He has started in you; it must be completed. I'm very encouraged by this scripture but also motivated to share the message of true salvation with those who think they are already saved. I think I was this kind of a Christian for a long time. I don't doubt, however, that God was completing a work He started in me. I do know, that I thought I was a Christian, but I was still willfully living in sin and turning to God only for the benefits and blessings. It is only by God's grace that I have come to know Him in a true and intimate way. There is no way that I could have discovered God's awesome message of salvation on my own. Truly, it is all in His planning. Does this mean that I shouldn't try to share the gospel with others because God has already predestined who will and will not receive His revelation? No way! I should share all the more because I am testifying to the truth and that truth does not return void to God.

Heavenly Father, thank You for Your grace in my life. Lord, I'm sorry that for so many years I willfully sinned and in the process tainted Your name to some people. I said I was a Christian, but only recently, do I realize the cost of following Christ. Lord, I repent and I ask that You continue to grow Your seed within me. Lord, may Your love overflow from me. Give me courage and boldness to proclaim the gospel to everyone I meet. Lord, help me to guide my father, brother, and friends to true salvation. I love You, Lord. May Your Holy Spirit accomplish all that it has begun within me. I pray all this in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Who to listen to

Jeremiah 27:¹⁴ Do not listen to the words of the prophets who are saying to you, 'You shall not serve the king of Babylon,' for it is a lie that they are prophesying to you. ¹⁵I have not sent them, declares the LORD, but they are prophesying falsely in my name, with the result that I will drive you out and you will perish, you and the prophets who are prophesying to you."

1 John 2:¹⁸Children, it is the last hour, and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come. Therefore we know that it is the last hour. ¹⁹ They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us. ²⁰But you have been anointed by the Holy One, and you all have knowledge. ²¹I write to you, not because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and because no lie is of the truth. ²²Who is the liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, he who denies the Father and the Son. ²³ No one who denies the Son has the Father. Whoever confesses the Son has the Father also. ²⁴Let what you heard from the beginning abide in you. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, then you too will abide in the Son and in the Father. ²⁵And this is the promise that he made to us— eternal life.

In Jeremiah, the people were placing their hope in the false prophets that were saying things that the people wanted to hear. The false prophets were saying that they would not remain in captivity under King Nebuchadnezzar. However, Jeremiah says that their captivity and exile is part of God's righteous judgment on them and so if they remain under Babylon's rule, then they will prosper and He will bring them back to their land. The false prophets claim that they have heard from God, but they are lying and it is the listener's responsibility to choose whom they should listen to wisely. Those who choose to listen to the false prophets will only suffer complete separation from God's promises. Likewise, in 1 John, Christ's followers are told that there are those who separated themselves and that shows that they truly were not with Christ to begin with. Once we have given our lives over to Christ, it is by the power of the Holy Spirit that we must remain with Christ. God's will must be accomplished. So, we must be wise in who we take as a credible source even among people who claim to be Christians. If they are truly Christians, then they will remain faithful to Christ Jesus, but if they deny Jesus and His ministry, then they truly never knew the truth to begin with and are not credible sources for truth.

I live in an age of super-fast information bombardment. From every corner and angle there are those proclaiming that they have the solution to the world's problems. There are many "new" theologies and philosophies that are floating around and people are grabbing them from the air like a money grab machine. Whatever they grab a hold to, that is their truth. That is the reality they are comfortable with. However, this is a dangerous lie from the enemy. If we have no standard to measure by, destruction is the default. The Bible says that the enemy comes to steal, kill and destroy, so of course his main tactic is to keep us from knowing the truth. The serpent keeps using the same old trick from Genesis, "Did God actually say?"(Gen. 3:1) There are many false prophets and teachers today saying things like Jesus and Buddha are the same or that Jesus had children, or that there are books missing from the Bible, or that God just wants us to think positively and then He'll bless us. I cannot simply sit back and say, "Well, I'll accept that...after all, who really knows...it could be true." I cannot think that it'll be the other person's fault if I end up apart from the Heavenly Father for eternity. For me to stand at the time of judgment and say, "Well, I was just listening to what he said," is not going to pardon my sin. Sin is sin, and if I do not accept God's forgiveness through His son, Jesus, I receive no pardon for my sin and so the wages of sin fall upon me. Also, it says it plainly here in Jeremiah 27:15 that I shall perish along with the false prophets. Therefore, I need to read the Bible for myself and then use wisdom to discern whether other authors and speakers are speaking truthfully. If it doesn't match up to what God has said, then it is a lie and from the spirit of the antichrist. After all, those who know the Father, will not deny the Son.

Heavenly Father, thank You for Your word and for making Your word known to us, not only through the Bible but through the living, walking example of the word in flesh, Jesus Christ, your Son. Lord, forgive me for being so eager to listen to false testimony. I admit that I have listened to false prophets in the past and I have even, in the past, been one of those falsely teaching others. So, please forgive me by the blood of Jesus and redeem my mistakes and weaknesses to give You all the glory. Lord, I pray for everyone who is under the slavery of false prophesy. I ask that You would send Your Holy Spirit to open the eyes of their hearts so that they may see the truth, repent and live. I ask that You speak directly to those who are falsely prophesying and teaching and convict them of what they are saying. I pray that they also would seek the truth, repent and live. Lord, may Christians today take responsibility for what they feed themselves outside of the Bible. I pray that we all are careful in what we accept as truth and what we teach others as the truth. May our hearts, faith and actions be pleasing to You, Father. Jesus, I pray that I continue to seek Your example and follow You closely every moment. In the name of Jesus Christ, my Lord and Savior I pray, Amen.

All Glory to the Father

Psalm 67:1-3
¹May God be gracious to us and bless us
and make his face to shine upon us,
Selah
²that your way may be known on earth,
your saving power among all nations.
³ Let the peoples praise you, O God;
let all the peoples praise you!

The purpose of God's blessings and grace upon His chosen people, the Jews, is so that the rest of the world will see and believe in the one, true God. God never chose the Israelites because He loved them more or favored them above the Gentiles. God chose them so that the rest of the world would look to them to believe that God truly exists and that they would come to believe in Him. The purpose of God's blessings is for His glory.

I often sin in pride thinking that God will bless me because I deserve it. The only reason why God gives and takes away is so that His glory will be increased. When I pray, I have to check my heart. Am I asking God for things because He's powerful and I want that power for myself? Or am I praying for God's will and glory to shine? These past few months have really been a time of God revealing to me just how self-focused I am. In my mind, it's still all about me. But truly, it's all about Him. When I ask for things, I need to think if I am praying for God's will or if I am praying for my will. For example, I am praying for a new car. I don't really want a fancy or brand new car, but I would like one with AC, tinted windows and more space for Lion in the back. Is it ok to ask for this? I'm sure that it never hurts to ask, but I have to know that if this doesn't add to God's glory, then I shouldn't bet on it happening. God blesses so that others may know Him and glorify Him. I suppose I could justify my asking for a car with me promising to give Him all the glory and credit, because truly, it would be a miracle to receive such a blessing. However, I have to look at my prayers for what they are and not try to manipulate my requests to look more righteous than they really are. I praise God that we already have a car and that we have such a beautiful place to live and a family that honors and loves Jesus. I have so much to be thankful for and I just need to keep giving God all the glory.

Heavenly Father, forgive me for having a selfish heart. I pray that You would purify me and make me more like Jesus Christ. Jesus, thank You for setting the example and giving all the glory to Your Father in Heaven. I pray that if it glorifies You, that we would receive a car with AC, but if it doesn't then I just want whatever gives You the glory. If that means we have to live in a cardboard box, then I want Your will to be done. I love You with all my heart, mind, and strength, Lord. Please continue to give me the fruit of the Spirit. May I walk in Your ways always to win more over to the kingdom of Heaven. In the name of Jesus Christ I pray, Amen.

Do I love Jesus?

John 21:¹⁵When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?" He said to him, "Yes, Lord; you know that I love you." He said to him, "Feed my lambs." ¹⁶He said to him a second time, "Simon, son of John, do you love me?" He said to him, "Yes, Lord; you know that I love you." He said to him, "Tend my sheep." ¹⁷He said to him the third time, "Simon, son of John, do you love me?" Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, "Do you love me?" and he said to him, "Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you." Jesus said to him, "Feed my sheep.

Jesus is reinstating Peter for the three times that he denied Him. What stands out to me is that Peter was grieved that Jesus asked three times. Jesus still asks us the same question today, "Do you love me?" Jesus and the Father are one. God asks us if we love Him or if we love other things like what we can get from Him or what He can do for us. If we love Jesus, we will take care of and love His sheep. Who are Jesus' sheep? The other people whom Jesus has called to Himself.

Do I truly love Jesus? I want to say yes. Do my actions justify my answer? Honestly, not all the time. Sometimes, I love myself more than Jesus. Sometimes, I love praise from man more than Jesus. If I truly love Jesus, the best way for me to show this is to care for and love his sheep. How have I shown others that I love them today? Well, my mom and I gave that poor man the homeless packet. I went to Bible study. I am caring for my baby and husband. I'm being more loving and appreciative towards my mom. Tonight, when I go to Fuse, I want it to be evident that I love Jesus. I want to tend to Jesus' sheep. How can I be there for those who are hurting? I did help Cortney out a bit today. But I need to love people in a way that shows them Jesus' heart. I don't think loving people is just being a nice person. I can relate to Peter when I feel grieved when Jesus asks me if I love Him. My answer is always, "Yes, I love You, Lord." But do my words and deeds match? That grief should move me towards action. I shouldn't be sad that God convicts me of my lack of expression of love for Him. I should do something about it by sharing that love with others. What I do to the least of these I do unto Him.

Heavenly Father, help me to give You my best. May I give You the most of my thoughts, actions, heart, and strength. May I not settle for just talking about loving You but really be moved to do so. Give me an opportunity tonight to really take care of Your sheep in the way that You have asked me to. May I not cling to anything of this world. May I leave it all at the foot of the cross. Help me to be more like Jesus. Change and transform me. May all my words be truthful and salted with love. May I really be on fire for You and not be lukewarm. I thank You for Your Holiness and Grace. In the name of Jesus Christ I pray, Amen.

Receive God's peace

John 20:¹⁹ On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, "Peace be with you."

The disciples are all hidden in a locked place. They are afraid of the Jews. They are afraid that mobs are coming for them to kill them because Jesus had died. They are scared and definitely thinking that they are going to die just as Jesus died because they were his disciples. But Jesus appears to them in this locked place alive. The first thing He says to them is "Peace be with you." The Lord sends His peace upon this group of frightened and nervous people.

Jesus calms my fears. Jesus sends peace upon His disciples. There are so many things in this world that I could worry about. I can get caught up in thinking about who doesn't believe in Jesus and who wants to disprove my faith, but truly, I need to remember that Jesus is sending me peace. I need to receive it. I cannot allow fear and anxiety to rule over me. God's peace is with me and that should cancel out any debilitating fear. Today, I really need to keep my ears tuned into Jesus. I'm realizing that I'm so caught up in what I need to do to survive, that I leave very little room for God's voice. He wants to send me His peace. I need to receive it. Man can do nothing to me. I have nothing to fear in this world. I don't need to be afraid of what people on Facebook say to me. I don't need to be afraid of what will happen if I don't do everything I set out to do for today. God is with me. He is the peace that Jesus sends. If I don't rest in that, I am only choosing to life apart from God.

Heavenly Father, thank You for Your peace. Jesus, thank You for finding me when I'm caught up in my own little world and bringing me back to the Father. Forgive me, Lord, for sinning. Please show me how to keep my eyes and heart fixed on You. May I hear Your voice throughout today and always. I receive Your peace. I need Your peace. I choose to not fear this world. I love You and want to be with You always. Thank You for loving me. Thank You for Your grace and lovingkindness. I pray all this in the peace-bearing name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Standing in God's council

Jeremiah 23:²¹ "I did not send the prophets,
yet they ran;
I did not speak to them,
yet they prophesied.
²² But if they had stood in my council,
then they would have proclaimed my words to my people,
and they would have turned them from their evil way,
and from the evil of their deeds.

John 19:¹¹Jesus answered him, "You would have no authority over me at all unless it had been given you from above. Therefore he who delivered me over to you has the greater sin."

I just had a strange dream. The part where I woke up, I was telling a young, Filipino girl about Jesus. She was very attractive and quite worldly. Supposedly, she also was a good dancer. She made a small comment about purity and suddenly I was filled with this passion to tell her about Jesus and just how fulfilling a relationship with Him truly is. I started explaining to her all about how God and marriage and sex all tie together and how there can be purity in a burning desire for God. I was telling her how desire shouldn't and doesn't have to be all about sex. Then, I started waking up. Soon after, I heard Lion stirring and so I picked him up and fed him. Then, when he went back to sleep, I felt like I was supposed to do my devotion. Lately, I've been feeling like doing my devotions in the early morning hours isn't productive anymore because I need the rest. However, I felt like God was really speaking to me, telling me to stay up and read His word. I'm glad that I did so.

In Jeremiah 23, I am interested in the fact that there where prophets at the time who were not prophesying the word of the Lord. God says that they could have very well stood in His council, among other people who hear from God, and heard from Him. If they had done this, people truly would have turned from their evil ways and repented. Instead, prophets and priests were saying what people wanted to hear. They spoke out of their own dreams instead of God's appointed council. I somehow feel this is related to what Jesus tells Pilate in John 19. Pilate tells Jesus that he is the one with the authority to save or destroy Jesus' life, but Jesus tells Pilate that he only has authority to crucify Jesus because God gave him that authority. The one who has the greater sin is Caiaphas, the high priest, because he is in a high position and yet he delivered Jesus over to Pilate wrongly.

What God is speaking to me about this morning is that as a Christian, I have a responsibility to hear from God. I should only be speaking what I have heard from His council. I need to communicate with others who hear from the Lord and see if I am really hearing correctly. I should not be quick to give an interpretation of my dream or anyone's dream. Also, if my heart is to truly bring others to repentance, then I must rely on God's word alone. I am not helping anyone, nor will I have authority, if I go off on my own and try to minister to others. It will not be prosperous. It will be just words that people want to hear. This is why it is so important for me to study the Bible and to be an active member in church. I think before, I was all about just experiencing God and not very passionate about understanding Him. When I witnessed to others, all I spoke of was my own, personal experience. It had the basic message of, "This worked for me, but is may or may not work for you." But the Bible says that He has made Himself known to us so that we may know and understand and believe in Him. I think God is telling me that I am ready to step it up in my relationship with Him. Before, I thought studying the Bible was too hard or only for people like my husband who are called to be pastors. But now, I have a new heart, given to me graciously by God, to want to know Him. To want to understand Him. I want to be on the same page as others who are hearing from God. I want to stand in God's counsel and council. I'm so excited. The dream I had may not have been prophetic, but it was exactly the dream I needed to have to stir up a desire in me to seek God's word. God is so good. I'm excited for this new season of my learning about Him more.

Heavenly Father, thank You for placing this passion inside of me. Lord, forgive me for being so complacent in the past. Forgive me for speaking outside of Your counsel. Please use all that I foolishly did and said for Your good will and purposes. Lord, may my mouth be dedicated to speaking only that which You have counseled me in. Please keep me from uttering things that I really have no understanding of. Lord, I desire to learn more about Your word. Please take what I am and make it pleasing to You. I love You, Lord. I am so excited for this new season! I pray all these things in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

The Helper

John 16:⁷Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. ⁸ And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment: ⁹concerning sin, because they do not believe in me; ¹⁰ concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will see me no longer; ¹¹ concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.

Jesus sent us the Spirit of Truth to help us understand the scriptures. This is a gift sent to us. It is nothing that we can earn or something that we deserve. God reveals Himself to whomever He chooses. Those who are seeking the Truth will find it. The Truth brings conviction, but also, the Truth is to be given in love because God is love.

Lord, I know You have been speaking to me on this for a while now. I'm glad that I am learning this and that You have sent me the Helper so that I may understand what You are saying. I know that You are the Truth. I am so distraught because I feel like many do not believe in the same Truth. How can there be different Truths about You? No, I believe there is one Truth and that should be taught and learned by everyone who seeks You. It seems that many have settled for the answer of, "I'll find out when I get to heaven, but while I'm here, I'll just go on believing such and such." I know You deserve more, Lord. I know You have revealed Yourself to us. You want us to know You. You have sent the Helper to make it clear to us. Yet many still are confused about who You are and what You want us to do. I remember that a few years ago, I was so complacent in my walk with You. I figured that all I needed was my personal experience and emotions to bring others to Christ. When people asked me about what I believed, I didn't know how to express it. I really didn't know what to believe and so I was confused on how to express my faith. But now, I feel like I've come to a level of maturity in my faith. I no longer settle for the answer, "I don't know...I just believe." Jesus has sent me the Helper to sift through all of the junk in my brain so that I can grasp onto the Truth. Once someone grasps onto the Truth how could that person ever go back to living the lie?

Heavenly Father, I love You with all that I am. I am so in love with YOU. I am so filled with passion for You. Please forgive me for my sin of impatience, irritability, and frustration with others who are not where I'm at in my spiritual growth. I need Your grace to permeate my soul. I want to be gracious like You are. I want to be patient with other and speak the Truth in love so that they may be won over to Christ. Thank You for revealing these things to me. I never earned it or deserved it. I am so grateful for all that You have made known to me. Please continue to transform me. I love YOU. In the name of Jesus Christ I pray, Amen.

Wickedness will not prevail

Jeremiah 15:²¹ I will deliver you out of the hand of the wicked,
and redeem you from the grasp of the ruthless."

Jeremiah was very troubled because he was suffering for being a servant of God. I've felt that way before. As a servant of God you become a target for the wicked and ruthless. It almost seems like there is no justice because everywhere you turn there is persecution and trouble. But the Lord says clearly here that He will deliver Jeremiah from the hand of the wicked. He will redeem him from the grasp of the ruthless. Jeremiah will be saved. God cares about him and will not allow wickedness to overcome him.

Last night, my friend Krystle was definitely attacked for being a servant of God. Her personal information was placed on Craigslist and perverts started calling to harass her, first on her cell and then on her home phone. I just can't imagine who would think that it would be funny to do this to her. She is so sweet, loving, kind, and doing her best to serve the Lord. What I hear from God today is that He will deliver her from all this evil. He delivers all of His children from evil. God cares and He is mighty to save us. Wickedness will not prevail. Maybe at first, damage is done, but ultimately, God is victorious and they are the ones who will perish. Jesus is also faithful to heal us and make us stronger from the trials of this life. All of these things that man has meant for evil, God will use for good. In my life as well, I need to remember that it isn't up to me to administer justice. I am not to feel defeated by evil because God will deliver me. He will not allow evil to prevail. He's already won the war though His son, Jesus Christ. There is victory and justice in our God and our God alone.

Heavenly Father, I thank You for Your willingness to deliver us from all wickedness. I ask that You would not delay in saving those who are called by Your name. I repent, Lord, for sinning by sometimes thinking that wicked people have the upper hand. That somehow, they always win or get things their way. Lord, I commit my mind to knowing that Jesus will save and has already gained victory over evil. I love You, Lord. I ask for Your protection and justice. In the name of Jesus Christ I pray, Amen.

Don't be afraid of other gods

Jeremiah 10:⁵Their idols are like scarecrows in a cucumber field,
and they cannot speak; they have to be carried,
for they cannot walk.
Do not be afraid of them, for they cannot do evil,
neither is it in them to do good."

The Lord is speaking through Jeremiah to His people. He tells them that the customs of other nations is in vain. What they worship has no might, no power, and nothing to be afraid of. The people of Israel were adopting the false idols of the lands surrounding and conquering them. They started adding other gods to their list of things to be afraid of. We do this still today. As Christians we are afraid of saying that other religions and idols are false in case we might get some sort of bad luck from it. We are superstitious and forward emails that threaten to curse or promise to bless. We have good luck charms that we kiss and give all the credit and glory to when fortune comes our way. God has spoken. These things cannot do evil, nor can they do good. Only God can give and take away.

Jeremiah 10:10 But the LORD is the true God;
he is the living God and the everlasting King.
At his wrath the earth quakes,
and the nations cannot endure his indignation.

Are there places in my life, are there times in my life, where I fear idols instead of God? Am I hoping to get lucky? Am I giving credit to things that are merely scarecrows in my life? I think when it comes down to it, I really haven't learned to fear God. I've never feared my own father, although I do respect him, and so I don't have that kind of fear for God yet. What am I afraid of? Well, I'm afraid of bad people. I'm afraid of the streets of China town. I'm afraid of homeless people and alcoholics and sexual predators. I'm afraid of looking like a bad person. When I do things that are short of success, I really get down on myself. If I can repent and turn from this way of thinking, I think I'll experience a whole new level of healing in my life. Jesus is willing to help me with this. There is nothing I should fear except the Lord God.

Heavenly Father, I love You and fear You. You are an awesome God. I trust in You. I know that although You are fearsome in Your wrath, that You are merciful and all loving. I want complete healing, Lord. I ask that You take away these fears I have of "bad" people and of being a "bad" person. You have made me and called me and in Your sight, I am good. I need to believe that. I repent for placing my reverence in other things. I love You. Thank You, God, for loving me. In the name of Jesus Christ I pray, Amen.

Follow Jesus

Jeremiah 7:²⁶ Yet they did not listen to me or incline their ear, but stiffened their neck. They did worse than their fathers.

Jeremiah 8:⁵Why then has this people turned away
in perpetual backsliding?
They hold fast to deceit;
they refuse to return.

John 13:¹⁴If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. ¹⁵For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you.

In Jeremiah, the people had chosen not to repent. They knew very well that they were to serve and worship God alone, but they continued in their wicked ways. God has always desired His children to come back to Him with repentant hearts, but instead, they insist on going their own way. It is the same as if I were walking towards a cliff and my father were to call my name and call out to me, telling me to turn around, but instead, I never turn my head and continue on my path towards destruction. So what did God do to lead back such stiff necked people? He sent His only Son to live by example so that we will follow what He does so we can be back in relationship with the Father. That's the same as if my dad sent my brother, Lance to come and get me on my path, and walk with me to turn me around.

I want to be a follower of Christ. I think that I am still very stiffnecked in many ways. There are times I just don't stop myself from thinking things that are not of God. There are times when I do something that God is clearly saying, "Stop, turn back to me." How do I gain the discipline to be repentant and consistently turning back to God? I need to follow Jesus. I need to say to myself, "Is this where Jesus is stepping right now?" If Jesus isn't there, then I need to look to where He is leading me. I need to follow Him closely. I truly need to work on memorizing scripture. I feel like I don't have weapons in my arsenal. I don't take the time to prepare before the battle. Help me, O Lord, in this area.

Heavenly Father, I love You. I need You. I want to be more like You. Please help me to follow Jesus. Lord Jesus, please take me by the hand and bring me back to the Father when I start to stray. Thank You for Your word. Please engrave it upon my heart. Help me to memorize scripture, Lord. Please keep me from wandering away from You. In the name of Jesus Christ I pray, Amen.

Abide in the Word

John 8:³¹So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, "If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, ³²and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."

Jesus was at the temple telling the people about His relationship with the Father. Many came to believe in Him while He was teaching these things. He then tells those who believe that they need abide in His word if they want to be His true disciples. By abiding in Jesus' word, we learn the truth and that is what sets us free from the slavery of sin.

No wonder I feel so bogged down when I don't get to do my devotion, I'm allowing myself to be kept in slavery to my sin. The only way to lift the yoke of slavery to my flesh and this world is to abide in God's word. I haven't been good at abiding in God's word lately. As a result, I feel very sluggish and tired. If I am to be a true disciple of Jesus, I must be in His word all the time. Jesus wants me to be free. He has given me everything I need to be free, I just need to abide in it. I need to constantly be learning about Jesus. I can't just think about Him, I need to be actively seeking Him and learning more about Him. What can I learn about Jesus today? Well, I learned about how Jesus doesn't condemn us. Also, He only does what the Father tells Him to do. He is completely obedient to the Heavenly Father. Jesus only speaks the truth. He is the light of the world. For me to learn these things over and over again is to renew my mind. If I am really learning these things and abiding in them, then when my flesh has negative thoughts and lies, such as God doesn't care, or Jesus can't help me, I'll be able to break free from those lies and be free in Christ.

Heavenly Father, I love You. Thank You for Your Word. Jesus, thank You for making the Word known and for living it out. Jesus, help me to be a true disciple and keep me abiding in You. Lord, thank You for not condemning me. Thank you for being the Light and Truth and the Way to the Father. Please forgive me of my sins and renew my body, mind, and spirit. I love You. In the name of Jesus Christ I pray, Amen.

A New Heaven and Earth

Isaiah 65:²⁵ The wolf and the lamb shall graze together;
the lion shall eat straw like the ox,
and dust shall be the serpent’s food.
They shall not hurt or destroy
in all my holy mountain,"
says the LORD.

John 3:³⁶ Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.

In Isaiah, it talks about the new heaven and new earth. This is when Jesus comes again. All will be peaceful and good. The animals in the new heaven and earth will not hurt or destroy each other. There will be no such thing as a food chain or predators or victims. This is the place that we will spend in eternity! However, the only way to gain eternal life is to believe in Jesus. Another way to look at it is, the only way to avoid death is to believe in Jesus. Without belief in Jesus, there is no redemption from the wrath assigned to our sins. It's not enough to believe that God will come and make things new. We must believe that He sent Jesus for the purpose of salvation and then we become heirs to this peaceful kingdom.

I'm trying to picture this perfect place. It is so serene to me. I want to be a part of this new heaven and new earth. I want Lion and my family to experience this. Isaiah also speaks of the old Jerusalem being like a woman in labor and that the new Jerusalem would be the birth of a new Holy city. For me to go about my life as if this is it, is a huge mistake. There is more to come. We are in the stages of labor. Jesus could return at any moment. I need to live with the goal in mind. I need to tell others to believe in Jesus because if they miss that, they miss out on the new, peaceful place that God will create. I believe in what God says. I need to keep this on the top of my mind, instead of replaying movie scenes in my head, and allow it to change the way I live.

Heavenly Father, I love You. Thank You for sending Jesus so that we may have a way to enter into Your presence. Lord, You are Holy. Please forgive me and make me holy in Your sight. Keep my heart and mind clean. Lord, please show me how to be the best mother for Lion that You made me to be. Jesus, live through me and bless my husband, son, and family through me. I pray that I bring others to know You, Jesus. I pray all this in Jesus Christ's name, Amen.

Be part of the solution

John 2:¹On the third day there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. ²Jesus also was invited to the wedding with his disciples. ³When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to him, "They have no wine." ⁴And Jesus said to her, "Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come." ⁵His mother said to the servants, "Do whatever he tells you."

Jesus' first miracle was at a wedding in his home town. Mary, Jesus' mother tells Jesus that they ran out of wine at the wedding. Jesus tells her that his hour of crucifixion had not yet come. He asks her what the wine running out had to do with him. Really, it didn't have anything to do with Jesus. He does this miracle, I think, out of honoring his mother. Mary understood that Jesus was special. She also knew that He would do something about it since she brought it up.

Well, I think I might be making observations that are in my own opinion. I really do want to know more about Jesus and so I'm going to pray right now for the Holy Spirit to reveal to me the truth.
Heavenly Father, please send Your Holy Spirit to bring revelation to me about Jesus Christ, Your Son. Lord, I know that there is wisdom in Your Word and that Jesus is the key to knowing You better. Please help clear my head of distractions and keep my focus fixed on You. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.
Jesus helped others even when it was something that didn't have anything to do with Him. It wasn't Jesus' fault the wine ran out. It wasn't His wedding. He wasn't the banquet manager. He was a guest just like everyone else. However, Jesus was completely obedient to His Heavenly Father and his earthly mother. I want to be more like Jesus. People are going to come to me for prayer, help, advice, etc. and it may not have anything to do with me but, I need to honor my Heavenly Father. So often, I shrug off helping someone else as, "Well, that's not my problem." The truth is, it may not be my problem, but I can be part of the solution. That is what Jesus is doing. Jesus is part of the solution. It wasn't His fault the world had become fallen and corrupt, but He is part of the solution. He paid the price with His own life so that we may have a way to our Heavenly Father in eternity. So, I need to think of how I can be part of the solution instead of complaining about problems.

Oh Father in Heaven. You are Holy and Mighty. I ask for Your forgiveness of my sins. I've been lazy in taking the time to devote to You. I've also allowed a lot of the fallen world to enter my eyes and ears today and it makes me get distracted from thinking about Jesus. Please save me. Empty my mind of all the trash and renew it with the Holy Spirit. Lord, please show me how I can be part of the solutions in this life. Please show me my purpose for each minute. Lord, may I fear You and treasure every second that You give me. Help me to not be so selfish. I love You, Lord. I pray for Your protection over Lion and Hanzo. Lord, please restore health and joy to my parents, my brother, and my in laws. May they come to know You through our lives' testimony. Please help me to be the mother You have in mind for me. In the name of Jesus Christ I pray, Amen.