SCRIPTURE
Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." So we say with confidence, "The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?"
Hebrews 13:5-6
OBSERVATION
The writer of Hebrews has a great sense of urgency to pass down to his readers the most important values of a fully devoted follower of Christ. Among them he points out sexual purity, hospitality, generosity, justice, and mercy. And also he has a warning about greed and loving money. He accurately describes lack of contentment as a dangerous root in our lives because ultimately steals away our trust in God's love, provision, and protection.
I recently heard Chris Rock, a well known celebrity, confessing how Americans worship money because of what it has to offer in this world. We live in a money loving society that even though has enough and more than everyone else, still is not satisfied and craves for more. If we are not careful, such mindset can invade the heart of a follower of Christ and cause him/her to have divided loyalties. Jesus said that we cannot have two masters. We cannot serve God and money. We must make a choice almost in a daily basis. And if we choose to love God above money, then we will grow trusting more and more in his provision, protection, and plan for our lives.
APPLICATION.
Currently I'm looking at the future of my family and the church. In both fields I see the potential for a greater blessing. At home, even though we have more than enough, we are looking to buy a house and we are very excited about it. However, we also must be cautious about it. Our heart is deceitful and very easy we could become ungrateful and greedy. We want to remain faithful to God and to our calling to be servants and spiritual leaders with integrity. We want to keep an above reproach lifestyle and a sense of authority when it comes to live simple lives for the sake of the gospel.
With the church we are facing a great opportunity to have more and to do more for the kingdom of God. And it's very easy to allow greed and pride to creep in. I want to lead our church in faith for great things to happen without being pretentious and arrogant. We don't want to trust in our abilities, or past experiences. We want to simply trust God and follow His direction. We want to dream for better things without being ungrateful about the current things. And by God's grace, we will have such heart coming into those important decisions.
PRAYER
Dear heavenly Father, please give me a pure heart as I approach important decisions about my family and about your church. Please reveal any trace of ingratitude and greed in our hearts so we can get rid off it and walk into this season with a clean heart. We want to walk into better things not because we are unhappy, but because we are following you. We are happy with what you have given us, but if it's your will to have more, give me wisdom about how to walk into it and also give me grace to receive with humility what you have prepared for us. I love you more than anything!
Doing Devotions Together
Monday, December 14, 2009
Friday, December 11, 2009
MOMENTS LOST. By Pastor Jan Tomai
SCRIPTURE
“And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness.” 2 Timothy 2:24-25
OBSERVATION
Quarreling does not seem to solve anything. Just as Timothy shares, it renders one close to being foolish. The worst part of quarreling is how it leads to deception. The harder we fight for something, the more we think we are walking in doing what is right. Manytimes, the issue is of no consequence when compared to people hungry, hurt, and lost without Jesus.
APPLICATION
Occasionally, I find myself drawn into something that really is of no importance but here I am arguing. The arguing comes not so much from a heart-felt stance as from a need to defend myself against some invisible unknown enemy from my childhood! My natural tendency is to avoid quarreling at all costs. I grew up as a youngster with nothing but contention in my family and home. My family took pride in quarreling loudly and perversely. I ran from it then and run from it now. I am immediately hit by the futility of the situation. However, it is very important that I learn to step-back, stop feeling attacked and being defensive. Only then, will I stop running and use those words of gentleness you put in my heart.
PRAYER
Lord, speak to my heart when I feel contention in the air. Give your voice to my words that there is true humility in kindness and gentleness. Restore to me those moments lost due to my shortcomings. Thank you for bringing me out of darkness into your light.
“And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness.” 2 Timothy 2:24-25
OBSERVATION
Quarreling does not seem to solve anything. Just as Timothy shares, it renders one close to being foolish. The worst part of quarreling is how it leads to deception. The harder we fight for something, the more we think we are walking in doing what is right. Manytimes, the issue is of no consequence when compared to people hungry, hurt, and lost without Jesus.
APPLICATION
Occasionally, I find myself drawn into something that really is of no importance but here I am arguing. The arguing comes not so much from a heart-felt stance as from a need to defend myself against some invisible unknown enemy from my childhood! My natural tendency is to avoid quarreling at all costs. I grew up as a youngster with nothing but contention in my family and home. My family took pride in quarreling loudly and perversely. I ran from it then and run from it now. I am immediately hit by the futility of the situation. However, it is very important that I learn to step-back, stop feeling attacked and being defensive. Only then, will I stop running and use those words of gentleness you put in my heart.
PRAYER
Lord, speak to my heart when I feel contention in the air. Give your voice to my words that there is true humility in kindness and gentleness. Restore to me those moments lost due to my shortcomings. Thank you for bringing me out of darkness into your light.
Thursday, December 10, 2009
TRUE HUMILITY. By Pastor Fernando
SCRIPTURE
In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for noble purposes and some for ignoble. If a man cleanses himself from the latter, he will be an instrument for noble purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work.
2 Timothy 2:20-21
OBSERVATION
Paul has a very practical philosophy of life. He believes there's two kinds of people: those used by God for noble purposes, and those who are not used for noble purposes because of their current ignoble use. Gold and silver vessels were used for very important occasions. Wood and clay vessels were used for day to day stuff. In fact, wood and clay articles were used for something dirty because Paul implies that they needed to be clean. And once the cleansing happens and the ignoble things are gone, then the vessel becomes holy in the hands of the Master and used to do good things.
APPLICATION
Without a doubt, Paul calls each one of us to a reality check about our lives. We all start in our journey with God as vessels of wood and clay, dedicated to ignoble purposes, wasting our true potential, engaged in things that the Master doesn't use. That is our nature. But such nature can be altered when we take the responsibility to cleanse ourselves. Nobody can do the cleansing for us. We need to self-initiate the process and continue keeping our lives clean from impurities.
For some reason I always thought that God will take my wood and clay and turn them into gold and silver. The problem with this mindset is that we give then room for feeling entitled, regardless of our true condition. Better being a clean wood and clay article used by the Master for good things than being a god and silver article filled with filth and discarded by the Master. I find that it is more healthy to think about my own life as wood and clay than needs to be cleansed regularly rather that gold and silver that seems to be so righteous. True humility is not defined by what others perceive in me but by what I harbor in my heart. And if I find something filthy in it, I need to cleanse myself right away from anything that would hinder me as a useful article in the hands of the Master to do good things in this world.
PRAYER
Dear heavenly Father, thank you for clarifying this illustration in my heart. Forgive me for the many times I felt entitled to your grace and forgiveness, having a false sense of humility, thinking that because you have used me in the past for noble purposes, automatically I will be used in the future. Help me to remain faithful and humble at your feet, always thinking about my own life as insignificant, unless you use me. Give me a clean and pure heart, and the diligence to keep it clean from the selfish and lustful desires of my youth, being always ready to be used by you, my Master., to bring glory to your name. Amen.
In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for noble purposes and some for ignoble. If a man cleanses himself from the latter, he will be an instrument for noble purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work.
2 Timothy 2:20-21
OBSERVATION
Paul has a very practical philosophy of life. He believes there's two kinds of people: those used by God for noble purposes, and those who are not used for noble purposes because of their current ignoble use. Gold and silver vessels were used for very important occasions. Wood and clay vessels were used for day to day stuff. In fact, wood and clay articles were used for something dirty because Paul implies that they needed to be clean. And once the cleansing happens and the ignoble things are gone, then the vessel becomes holy in the hands of the Master and used to do good things.
APPLICATION
Without a doubt, Paul calls each one of us to a reality check about our lives. We all start in our journey with God as vessels of wood and clay, dedicated to ignoble purposes, wasting our true potential, engaged in things that the Master doesn't use. That is our nature. But such nature can be altered when we take the responsibility to cleanse ourselves. Nobody can do the cleansing for us. We need to self-initiate the process and continue keeping our lives clean from impurities.
For some reason I always thought that God will take my wood and clay and turn them into gold and silver. The problem with this mindset is that we give then room for feeling entitled, regardless of our true condition. Better being a clean wood and clay article used by the Master for good things than being a god and silver article filled with filth and discarded by the Master. I find that it is more healthy to think about my own life as wood and clay than needs to be cleansed regularly rather that gold and silver that seems to be so righteous. True humility is not defined by what others perceive in me but by what I harbor in my heart. And if I find something filthy in it, I need to cleanse myself right away from anything that would hinder me as a useful article in the hands of the Master to do good things in this world.
PRAYER
Dear heavenly Father, thank you for clarifying this illustration in my heart. Forgive me for the many times I felt entitled to your grace and forgiveness, having a false sense of humility, thinking that because you have used me in the past for noble purposes, automatically I will be used in the future. Help me to remain faithful and humble at your feet, always thinking about my own life as insignificant, unless you use me. Give me a clean and pure heart, and the diligence to keep it clean from the selfish and lustful desires of my youth, being always ready to be used by you, my Master., to bring glory to your name. Amen.
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
THE UNDESIRABLE CROSSROAD. By Pastor Fernando
SCRIPTURE
Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and to show true humility toward all men.
Titus 3:1-2
OBSERVATION
Paul's words of instruction are very clear. Even though Titus was a high ranked leader in the church, he was instructed to remind the people that God had appointed leaders above them. Regardless of their performance, such authority must be respected by displaying godly character, by being ready to do whatever is good. This is not a command to become gullible and easily manipulated by ungodly rulers. This is clearly a command to confront with respect, to respond with wisdom, not to react with emotion, to stay away from personal attacks and to focus on the issues.
APPLICATION
Very often we forget that our spiritual leaders are human beings, vulnerable to mistakes and to the distractions that this world offers. When they under perform according to our expectations, we are quick to criticize without the character Paul reminds us all of us to display. We dismiss relationship for task and we neglect love for the sake of justice. We forget that Jesus sets an example of balancing both, grace and truth. So when our chance comes to make a difference, we have a choice - to tilt the balance on the side of dishonor or on the side of what is good. Do we let our emotions rule, or we let the fruit of the Spirit to become evident?
Recently I've been experiencing this common and undesirable crossroad where a few of my leaders have made poor choices. Standing here is interesting what I can see. I can see the loyalists trying to excuse their behavior and even determined to protect and perpetuate those who were negligent. I can see the angry mob arming themselves with pitchforks to fight against them. I can see the opportunists, masters in manipulating the naive, positioning themselves sometimes from the shadows, sometimes out in the light. The funny thing is that they all think they are doing what is right. I wish I can see in the midst all of this mess more people like Jesus - those who respectfully can speak the truth in love without slandering, those who can spearhead and bring change with sacrifice, not with manipulation, and those who are practitioners of true humility. Where are they? I hope I can find them around me, but most important of all, I hope I can find one of those inside of me.
PRAYER
Dear heavenly father, thank you so much for the honor and privilege you give me to lead your people and to be led by others. As you give me the opportunity to lead, please let me reminded at all times of the right character we must have when dealing with the mistakes of those in authority over us. Let me display a true humility very similar than Jesus'. Let me speak the truth in love at all times by keeping the perfect balance between grace and truth. Give me favor during this new season in my life as I become more involved in serving your people and your kingdom. Build your character in mine. Let me be more like you. Amen!
Monday, December 7, 2009
DRESS CODE. By Pastor Fernando
SCRIPTURE
12 Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.
Colossians 3:12-14
OBSERVATION
As Paul declares the kind of fruit that results from a genuine faith, he uses the illustration of clothing. We put on, we wear certain things that affect the way people perceive us, but most important, reflect who we really are. Paul mentions some virtues that are consistent to other biblical passages. He talks about compassion, kindness, humility, etc. He encourage us to deal properly when others offend us. But above all things, Paul points out love as the virtue that binds all things together. Loving people in Paul's eyes is the fulfillment of all the commandments.
APPLICATION
When reading this passage I cannot avoid to see a template for my personal growth in he next season of my life. Growing in love for others is God's plan for me. The clothes I wear every single day, meaning the attitude I chose to put on in my daily affairs, are the key to be more fruitful in this area. There is nothing more uncomfortable that being wrongfully dressed for an occasion. I remember when we went to Argentina few years ago, the temperature was in the low 50's, and a bunch of Hawaiians were wearing t-shirts and slippers. I remember also attending a dinner, not following the dress code, feeling awkward, and even disrespectful towards the hosts. Certainly, in our walk with Christ and as we relate to others, we need to be extremely aware of the dress code. I cannot keep wearing the wrong attitude. I must learn from Jesus and how He dresses. He puts on the right garments, He makes others feel loved, and He truly displays the fruit of the Spirit in all His interactions.
PRAYER
Dear heavenly Father, I want to learn how to dress properly so I can be a reflection of who you are to those around me. I want to get rid of the wrong and inappropriate garments. I want to wear your compassion, your holiness, your humility, and your honesty. Let me be a man that put on your Son Jesus every day. Let me walk with Christ and as Christ in this world. Please make 2010 a year to grow in love for you and for the people you place around me. In Jesus name, Amen!
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